Pets are biologically programmed to mask illness and pain. This instinct is rooted in their evolutionary history: in the wild, an animal that shows weakness becomes a target for predators. Domestic pets retain this instinct deeply, meaning they will often eat, play, and maintain their normal social behaviour even when dealing with significant internal illness or chronic pain.

This is not deception — it is survival biology. But it means that relying on your pet’s outward behaviour as your sole indicator of their health will almost always result in missing things that are genuinely important.

Consider these realities:

• Early kidney disease in cats produces no symptoms until approximately two-thirds of kidney function has already been lost
• Heart murmurs in dogs can be present for months or years before causing any clinical signs
• Dental disease is painful and progressive, but most pets continue eating through significant oral pain
• Early cancer is frequently asymptomatic — many tumours are discovered incidentally during wellness examinations

A wellness exam finds these things. A visit driven only by visible illness usually does not — not until significant damage has already occurred.

What Actually Happens During a Pet Wellness Exam at Diamond Claw

A wellness examination is far more thorough than most owners expect. At Diamond Claw, a comprehensive wellness visit includes:

Complete Physical Examination — Nose to Tail

Your veterinarian systematically evaluates every body system:

Eyes: Clarity, pupil responses, signs of pressure changes, surface changes, and retinal assessment in some cases.

Ears: Presence of infection, inflammation, mite infestation, foreign bodies, or early signs of chronic ear disease — common in floppy-eared breeds and particularly in Sharjah’s humidity.

Mouth and teeth: Assessment of gum colour and health, plaque and tartar level, tooth integrity, and signs of oral infection — the most common condition diagnosed in adult pets and one of the most commonly missed.

Lymph nodes: Palpation of key lymph nodes throughout the body — early enlargement is one of the first signs of infection or lymphoma.

Heart and lungs: Auscultation (listening with a stethoscope) to assess heart rate, rhythm, and the presence of murmurs or abnormal breath sounds.

Abdomen: Gentle palpation to assess organ size, consistency, and the presence of pain, masses, or distension.

Skin and coat: Assessment of coat quality, skin condition, signs of parasites, lumps, lesions, and allergic skin disease — a very common condition in UAE pets.

Musculoskeletal system: Assessment of gait, joint flexibility, muscle mass, and pain responses — particularly important for detecting early arthritis in older pets.

Body weight and body condition score: A precise weight and body condition assessment at every visit allows your vet to identify trends — gradual weight loss or gain that an owner may not notice at home because they see their pet every day.

Neurological brief assessment: Basic reflexes, balance, and responses that may indicate neurological changes.

Recommended Diagnostics at Wellness Visits

Based on your pet’s age, species, breed, and health history, your vet may recommend adding:

Blood work (complete blood count and chemistry panel): Assesses red and white blood cell health, kidney function, liver function, blood sugar, electrolyte balance, and more. This is how kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, anaemia, and infection are detected before visible symptoms develop.

Urinalysis: Assesses kidney function, hydration, the presence of infection, crystals, or protein — critical for cats in particular, who are highly prone to kidney disease.

Faecal parasite screen: Identifies intestinal parasites that are not always visible and that can be transmitted to human family members.

Blood pressure measurement: High blood pressure (hypertension) is common in older cats with kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, and is entirely without obvious symptoms. It causes progressive damage to the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain if undetected.

Thyroid testing: Recommended for cats from middle age onward, given the high prevalence of hyperthyroidism in older felines.

Vaccination and Parasite Prevention Review

Every wellness visit includes a review of your pet’s vaccination status — ensuring that core vaccines including the legally required rabies vaccination are current — and an assessment of whether parasite prevention protocols are appropriate and up to date.

Nutrition and Weight Assessment

Your vet will assess your pet’s current diet, feeding amounts, body condition score, and weight trend — recommending adjustments if your pet is underweight, overweight, or if their nutritional needs have changed with age or health status.

A Conversation About What You Have Noticed at Home

You are with your pet every day. You notice things a vet cannot observe in a 20-minute visit. Every wellness exam includes time for you to share anything that has changed, however small it seems — changes in sleep, appetite, drinking, energy, mood, or toileting habits. These details are clinically valuable.

Onions, Garlic, and the Entire Allium Family

This is one of the most important things for pet owners in the UAE to know: onions and garlic are toxic to both dogs and cats, and they are used daily in most kitchens in Sharjah and across the region.

All parts of the allium plant family are dangerous — this includes onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, spring onions, and chives, in every form: raw, cooked, dried, and powdered. The compound N-propyl disulfide damages red blood cells, leading to haemolytic anaemia — a condition where the body destroys its own blood cells faster than it can replace them.

Cats are more sensitive than dogs, but both species are at risk. Powdered forms — like garlic powder or onion powder used in seasonings and gravies — are more concentrated and therefore more dangerous by weight than fresh forms.

The damage is also cumulative. Small, repeated exposures over time can cause toxicity even without a single large ingestion. This is why feeding pets leftover rice, curries, biryanis, or any dish seasoned with these ingredients is genuinely harmful, even if it seems like “just a little bit.”

Signs of allium toxicity: Weakness, pale or yellowish gums, rapid breathing, reduced appetite, reddish-brown urine, and lethargy — often appearing 2 to 5 days after ingestion as the red blood cell damage accumulates.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs, and the mechanism is not fully understood — which makes this toxin particularly concerning because there is no reliably safe amount. Individual sensitivity varies widely: some dogs have eaten significant quantities without apparent effect, while others have developed kidney failure from a small number of grapes.

Because of this unpredictable variability, veterinary toxicologists recommend treating any grape or raisin ingestion as an emergency. The suspected toxic compound is tartaric acid, which dogs are unable to safely metabolise.

Products containing raisins are common in many UAE households — fruit cake, trail mix, certain biscuits, and some baked goods. Be aware of what is in shared snacks and foods left accessible on countertops.

Signs of grape or raisin toxicity: Vomiting and diarrhoea within hours of ingestion, followed by lethargy, abdominal pain, and decreasing or absent urination as kidney failure develops.

Xylitol — The Hidden Sweetener

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that has become increasingly widespread in food products globally, including in the UAE. It is found in sugar-free chewing gum, certain peanut butter brands, sugar-free candy, some protein bars, certain vitamin supplements, mouthwash, and even some medications.

In dogs, xylitol triggers a sudden and disproportionate release of insulin, causing severe hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) within 30 to 60 minutes of ingestion. At higher doses, xylitol also causes acute liver failure — which can be fatal even with treatment.

A critical warning for pet owners: Always check peanut butter labels before offering it to your dog as a treat or using it to give medication. Some widely available peanut butter brands contain xylitol, and this is one of the most common xylitol poisoning scenarios we see.

Signs of xylitol toxicity develop quickly and include vomiting, sudden weakness or wobbliness, collapse, and seizures. This is a genuine emergency — contact your vet immediately.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains theobromine (and caffeine), compounds that dogs and cats metabolise far more slowly than humans. While the levels in a small milk chocolate piece may cause only mild digestive upset in a large dog, the same amount can be dangerous in a small dog, and dark chocolate and baking chocolate are dangerous in any amount for most pets.

The severity of toxicity depends on the type of chocolate, the amount consumed, and the body weight of the animal:

• Baking chocolate and cocoa powder — highest theobromine concentration, most toxic
• Dark chocolate — high risk
• Milk chocolate — moderate risk, dose-dependent
• White chocolate — lowest theobromine, but still high in sugar and fat

Signs of chocolate toxicity include vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, excessive thirst, rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, and seizures in severe cases. If your pet has consumed any quantity of dark chocolate or baking chocolate, or more than a small amount of milk chocolate, contact Diamond Claw immediately.

Human Medications

According to the ASPCA’s 2024 toxin data, over-the-counter human medications were the single most common cause of pet poisoning calls, accounting for more than 16% of all cases. The most frequently involved medications included pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins and supplements, antidepressants, and ADHD medications.

For pet owners in Sharjah, the most important points are:

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is extremely dangerous to cats — a single standard tablet can cause fatal red blood cell destruction and liver failure. It is also harmful to dogs.
• Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure in pets at doses far lower than the human therapeutic range.
• Never give your pet any human medication unless it has been specifically prescribed by your veterinarian at the correct dose for your pet’s weight and species.

Store all medications in closed cabinets. Do not leave pills on countertops, bedside tables, or in accessible bags.

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts cause a distinctive syndrome in dogs characterised by weakness in the hindquarters, tremors, fever, and vomiting — typically within 12 hours of ingestion. While macadamia toxicity is rarely fatal on its own, it causes significant suffering. Be cautious of imported snack mixes, cookies, and trail mixes that may contain macadamia nuts.

Alcohol

Even small amounts of alcohol cause rapid and severe effects in pets due to their small body size. Beer, wine, spirits, alcohol-based desserts, and even alcoholic hand sanitiser are all dangerous. Signs include disorientation, vomiting, low blood sugar, and respiratory depression. Never give a pet alcohol under any circumstance.