Transcript: Pet check

Here at SCOPE we know how many of you take a real interest in your pets, so we've prepared a special vet check that you can do at home. Oh, you don't need a fully grown horse to do it.

When it comes to your dog's health you need to be active. Just like us, dogs get sick and need medicine too. But how do you know if your dog is sick? Today I am going to be showing you how to do a mini vet checkup at home.

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.

First up you need to check your dog's coat. It should be clean, glossy and free from any ticks or fleas.

You can check if your dog has ticks by running your fingers through its coat. If your dog is itching a lot, it's usually a sign that it may have fleas. If you find your dog does have ticks, then take it to your local vet . whereas in the case of fleas, a good flea treatment usually does the trick.

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 its ears cleaned out.

A clue that your dog has an ear problem is that it is shaking its head and hanging it to one side.

The eyes and nose should be clear and have no yucky mucus in them. Don't worry if your dog occasionally sneezes - it's normal, just like our sneezing.

One of the more gross problems your dog can have is bad breath. So you need one of these and some special dog friendly toothpaste which you can get from your vet. Open wide, Blossom. Oh, Blossom, you know a brush a week keeps the vet away!