Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

The linings that cover the epithelium of the structures of the digestive and excretory system are called mucous. It lines several cavities of the body like mouth, nostrils, eyelids and ears. You can determine the sufficiency of oxygen in your pet’s body by performing a simple test on the mucous membrane. The test is called capillary refill time. It has been briefly described in this web page. 

Capillary refill time is the time taken by the gums to come back to their normal pink color after you put pressure on them with your finger. The test is a quick way to find out if the flow of blood is good in your pet’s body. The normal refill time is between one and two seconds. Go near to your pet. Lift his upper lip. Observe the gums color. The normal color is pink. It is due to the presence of oxygen. If you find some other color like blue, white, yellow, brown or brown-red, you need to take him to a veterinarian. This may be a case of medical urgency.

If the gums appear normal, press on the gums or inner lip. The spot will turn white. Wait for 1 or 2 seconds. If the pink color gets restored back, your pet has good supply of blood and is healthy. If it takes longer than two seconds, you need to pay a visit to a veterinarian.