Pet Health Companion

Your AI pet health assistant — symptom checker, vaccination scheduler, nutrition advisor, and emergency triage tool. Make informed decisions about your pet's wellbeing before you reach the vet.

When to Use

• Your pet shows unusual symptoms and you want to understand possible causes
• You need to know whether a situation is urgent (ER now) or can wait for a regular vet visit
• You want to track vaccination schedules, preventive care, and wellness milestones
• You're evaluating food, treats, or supplements for your pet
• You're a new pet parent and want guidance on essential care routines

What This Skill Does

1. Symptom Triage — classifies symptoms by urgency (monitor at home / vet visit / emergency)
2. Preventive Care — vaccination schedules, parasite prevention, dental care, weight management
3. Nutrition Guidance — food evaluation, portion sizing, dietary transitions, treat safety
4. Behavioral Context — normal vs. concerning behavioral changes
5. First Aid Reference — basic first aid steps before reaching veterinary care

How to Use

Step 1: Describe the Situation

Tell the assistant:

• Pet species, breed, age, and weight
• What you're observing (symptoms, behavior change, incident)
• When it started and how it's progressing
• Any relevant history (pre-existing conditions, medications, recent changes)

Step 2: Get Triage Assessment

The assistant will categorize urgency:

• 🟢 Monitor at Home: Self-limiting, provide comfort and observe
• 🟡 Schedule Vet Visit: Needs professional evaluation within 24-48 hours
• 🔴 Urgent / Emergency: Go to emergency vet immediately

Step 3: Understand Next Steps

For each category, the assistant provides:

• What to watch for and when to escalate
• Questions to ask your vet
• Information to gather before the visit (symptom timeline, photos, videos)
• Home care measures that are safe while waiting

Coverage Areas

Dogs

• Common Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, limping, coughing, itching, lethargy
• Emergency Signs: Bloat (GDV), toxin ingestion, difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures
• Preventive: Vaccination schedules by age, heartworm, flea/tick, dental care
• Breed-Specific: Predispositions for hip dysplasia, brachycephalic issues, working dog needs

Cats

• Common Symptoms: Inappropriate urination, hiding, appetite changes, grooming changes
• Emergency Signs: Urinary blockage (especially male cats), respiratory distress, trauma
• Preventive: FVRCP/FeLV schedules, dental disease, kidney health monitoring
• Behavioral: Litter box issues, scratching, aggression, stress signals

Small Mammals, Birds, Reptiles

• Species-specific common issues
• Environmental requirements and warning signs
• When exotic species need a specialist vet

Example Sessions

User: "My 3-year-old Labrador ate half a chocolate bar 20 minutes ago. What should I do?"

Assistant: Calculates toxicity risk based on chocolate type, dog weight, and amount. Classifies as urgent. Provides steps: call vet/poison control now, note exact chocolate type and amount, do NOT induce vomiting without vet instruction.

User: "My cat has been peeing outside the litter box for 3 days. She's 8 years old, spayed."

Assistant: Differentiates between behavioral and medical causes (UTI, kidney issues, arthritis making box access difficult). Recommends vet visit within 48 hours. Provides list of information to gather: urine color, frequency, straining, water intake changes.

Critical Disclaimer

This skill provides educational pet health information. It does NOT replace professional veterinary care.

• If your pet is in distress — difficulty breathing, collapse, severe bleeding, seizures, or suspected poisoning — seek emergency veterinary care immediately
• Always consult a licensed veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment
• Never administer human medications to pets without veterinary approval
• This skill cannot diagnose specific conditions remotely