Jaundice is a yellow pigmentation of the skin, mucus, and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in your blood stream. Bilirubin is a yellowish-orange pigment found in liver bile. Because a healthy liver usually eliminates excess bilirubin, its presence indicates a liver problem. In addition to yellowish pigmentation to the skin and whites of the eyes, symptoms of jaundice may include fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting, fever, pale stools, and dark urine. Jaundice symptoms are usually present when the liver is seriously impaired, and it is best to seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing them. Abdominal swelling, if you are not pregnant, usually indicates an accumulation of fat, fluid, or feces, or the presence of a tumor, cyst, fibroids, or other enlargement of an organ such as the liver or spleen. In some severe cases, you could actually look eight months pregnant even if you're not. Many causes of abdominal swelling indicate an underlying medical condition that your doctor should examine. If it is a fluid accumulation, then it is referred to as ascites and is a common symptom of an enlarged liver. This abdominal swelling will often lead to a decrease in appetite as you are too "full" to eat. This symptom is termed "early satiety." You may also not have an appetite at all due to the swelling. You may also experience swelling in the legs. Abdominal pain, especially in the right upper side of your abdomen, may also be a sign of an enlarged liver, especially if you have other symptoms as well. Fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper right side of your abdomen, and weight loss are symptoms that are not specific to liver enlargement, but can be a sign of liver disease and enlargement if they are severe, prolonged, or unexpected. A lack of appetite or unwillingness to eat can accompany abdominal distention, as mentioned above. It can also be a symptom of gallbladder disease as sufferers may be unwilling to eat, since eating is a trigger for pain. Lack of appetite may also accompany cancer and hepatitis. Doctors typically define significant weight loss as more than 10% of your body weight. If you're not attempting to lose weight, and you notice weight loss, you should get in touch with your doctor. Fever is a marker of inflammation in the body. Because liver enlargement could be due to an infection such as hepatitis, it's important to recognize and address fever when it occurs. Unusually pale, light grey, or even white stools may be a sign of liver problems. When you experience fatigue, you feel tired after exerting only a little effort. This can occur when the liver's reserve of nutrients is damaged, and the body depletes its muscles of their nutrients as an alternative energy source. Fatigue can indicate the presence of a liver problem, and swelling can be an accompanying symptom. Viral hepatitis and cancer can both cause fatigue. When the liver is impaired, you may experience pruritus (itchy skin) that may be either localized or generalized. This condition happens when the liver biliary ducts are obstructed. As a result, bile salts that have been excreted into your bloodstream deposit themselves in your skin and causing an itching sensation. You may be tempted to treat the itching, but if you suspect a liver problem, you must see your doctor first. Spider angiomas (or spider nevi) are dilated blood vessels that spread out from a central red dot and look like spider webs. These veins often form on the face, neck, hands, and upper half of the chest and are a classic sign of liver disease and hepatitis. A single spider nevus is not typically a cause for concern on its own. However, if you exhibit other health conditions or symptoms, such as lethargy, fatigue, bloating or signs of jaundice, you should see your doctor as this may be a sign of liver problems. In addition, if you have multiple clusters of spider nevi, you should also see your doctor as this suggests something is wrong with your liver. Spider angiomas can range in size up to 5 millimeters in diameter. If you apply moderate pressure with your fingers, their red color will disappear for a couple of seconds and they'll turn white (blanching) because the blood will drain out.

Summary: Be aware of jaundice symptoms. Look for abdominal swelling (distention) or pain. Recognize general symptoms that could indicate an enlarged liver. Look for fatigue. Notice increased itching. Recognize spider angiomas.

Puppies require a lot of care, love, and patience. If you are bringing a new puppy into your home, you should take some time to identify what its needs will be and decide who will be responsible for each of these needs. Caring for a dog is a great way to teach children responsibility and compassion for animals. Try to get the whole family involved in caring for your new puppy. When planning out your puppy's care, make sure to consider: Walks. Who will walk the puppy and when? Play time. Who will play with the puppy and how often? Feeding. Who will feed the puppy? What will they feed the puppy? How much? How often? Housebreaking. Who will clean up when the puppy has an accident? Who will take the puppy out to use the bathroom and when? Grooming. Who will bathe the puppy? How often? Who will brush the puppy? Clip its toenails? Veterinary Care. Who will be the puppy's veterinarian? When will the puppy have his first vet visit? Before you introduce a new puppy to your home, you should get everything that the puppy will need. Make sure that you have all of the following items for your puppy before you bring him home: puppy food food and water dishes collar with identification tags leash bed toys brush Your new puppy is likely to be confused if he has different people using different training words with him throughout the day. Make sure that everyone in your household can agree on certain training words and the behaviors that should go along with them. For example, you might agree that "sit" should be used when you want the puppy to sit down. In order to make sure you're your puppy and children get along well, you should establish some rules for your children to follow. For example, make sure that your kids know that the puppy may be scared and confused by his new home, so they should be gentle with him and try to help him to feel relaxed. You can model this behavior for your kids when you hold the puppy and talk calmly to him. Make sure that the puppy's bed, food and water dishes, and toys are all out when he arrives. You should also make sure that there is nothing within the puppy's reach that he might chew and destroy, such as a favorite pair of shoes, your daughter's favorite doll, or exposed wires.
Summary: Identify what the puppy will need and who will provide these needs. Get supplies. Decide on puppy training words. Establish rules for children. Prepare the puppy's environment.