Important advice for pet owners: The crucial sign your dog needs to visit the vet immediately

A US-based pet owner has shared her crucial advice on recognising an all-important sign that signals an urgent need for a vet visit for your dog.

After seeing her beloved pooch displaying an unusual “grumpier” demeanour, Sutton initially attributed it to the effects of old age.

But she soon realised that something was seriously wrong when her dog suffered a heart attack.

Taking to Tik Tok, she shared the helpless feeling of being completely in the dark about what was ailing her cherished dog and how other pet owners can avoid this in the future.

“If you have a dog, this info could save their life,” Sutton said.

“I learned about this the hard way last week when my dog went into cardiac arrest… One small thing that you can easily check I had never known after owning my dog for years.

“If your dog is in distress, especially at a medical level, it can be hard to tell if there is something seriously wrong or if they are just wound up or tired because they don’t have the words to tell us.

“I have a very sassy little dog who was acting more irritated.”

@suttonloves how to know if your dog is losing oxygen #dogowner #doghealth ♬ original sound – s u t t o n 📚

Sutton soon realised that her dog was grumpier than usual due to the lack of oxygen. She pointed out that a lack of oxygen will make a person turn blue, alerting those nearby that they need assistance.

She said, “But a dog has no exposed skin which means they could be suffocating due to an invisible medical condition right next to you and you can have no idea… or can you?”

Sutton went on to explain that the best way to check if your dog is lacking oxygen in their body is to inspect their tongue.

“If a dog is losing oxygen or having low oxygen intake due to health issues, their tongue will turn darker purple or blue,” Sutton explained.

“This will appear very dark on the underside of the tongue, kind of like branching out from the middle. Top side of the tongue will turn dark as well.

“Any discolouration darker than their normal tongue colour is cause to investigate to be sure that they’re getting the oxygen they need or they’re getting medication that can open their airways.

“During her cardiac arrest, my dog’s tongue turned almost black.”

She added, “If your dog has breathing or heart issues that are ongoing, you can also use this as a metric to check them.”

Sutton’s followers were quick to chime in to thank the frantic pet owner for the advice and share their own experiences.

“Didn’t know this I’m just like you I’ve owned dogs my whole life and didn’t know what do you do if they need oxygen?” one person wrote.

“If the tongue is discolored, it’s a lack of oxygen. If the gums are discolored, there’s a lack of blood flow. Something I’ve learned as a dog groomer.”

“We had a vet have us check our dog one time in an emergency for that,” commented another.

“Thanks for this helpful information.”

Fortunately for Sutton, her precious pooch survived her ordeal and she can now rest easy having learnt the tell-tale signs of cardiac arrest and oxygen deficiency in her dog should it ever happen again.