Activity: Pet check

Mac with Blossom.

On SCOPE's Vet Science episode, you saw Mac perform a quick vet check on his pet dog. Here's what to do. Watch the clip.

What you need

• A Pet

What to do

• First up, you need to check your dog's coat. It should be clean, glossy and free from any ticks and fleas. You can check if your dog has ticks by running your fingers through his coat. And if your dog is itching a lot that's usually a good sign he may have fleas. If you find your dog does have ticks get your mum or dad to help you pull them out with tweezers making sure you get the head.
• Next up are the ears. Ticks also like to hide in here and if you notice any redness, swelling, gunk or bad smell it may mean your dog has an infection or just needs his ears cleaned out. A clue that your dog has an ear problem is if he's shaking his head and hanging it to one side.
• The eyes and nose should also be clear and have no yucky mucus in them. Don't worry if your dog occasionally sneezes. It's normal. Just like our sneezes!
• One of the more gross problems your dog can have is bad breath. So you probably need to pull out an old toothbrush and give his teeth a good clean with a special dog friendly toothpaste. You can get one from your vet.

What's happening?

You need to be active when it comes to your dog's health. Just like us they get sick and need medicine too. The big things you should watch out for are changes in your dog's activity levels and moods. Changes in eating or drinking patterns or vomiting and diarrhoea can also be clues that your dog may be sick.

But to keep a dog healthy they still needs up to date vaccinations, regularly vet check-ups, and a healthy diet. And remember they love the exercise as much as you do!!

Of course if you find anything during you pet check up your local vet for advice.