Common dog illnesses and how to prevent them
( Original article by MSN South Africa | Latest News, Results, Celebrity, Hotmail & Outlook )
We all love our furry friends, however, as they do not speak, it is often hard to know what is going on in their heads. It is obvious when they want food, or want to go for a walk, but what about when they are in pain? It is the responsibility of the owner to understand when something is not quite right. Therefore, all owners should be educated in the most common dog illnesses, what the symptoms are, and what to do next.
Here are the most frequently occurring dog sicknesses, their symptoms, and treatments.
Skin issues
You may notice your good boy scratching away at a particular spot on his body. Skin problems are one of the most common issues among dogs. The skin may appear red, flaky, scaly, inflamed, or have other abnormal characteristics.
There is no one reason why dog may have irritated skin. It could be due to allergies, parasites, infections, and some other conditions. As there are so many possibilities, it is best to take your dog to a vet if you spot something.
Ear Infections
If your dog is shaking his head from side to side a lot and is trying to itch his ear, he may well have an ear infection. You can gently take a look inside his ear. If it smells a bit and you can see discharge, then there is a strong likelihood that he has an infection. If your dog displays symptoms for more than a day, you should take him to the vet, where he will probably be prescribed some antibiotic or antifungal ear drops. You should clean your pup’s ears regularly to help them heal, and to prevent infections in the future.
Urinary tract infection
It is quite common for a dog to have a urinary tract infection. Some people think it is just bad training or a dodgy dog personality, but if your pup is peeing in the house, he might just be a little sick. UTIs are incredibly painful for both humans and dogs. If your mutt has one, they will most likely be drinking more, peeing frequently, peeing bloody urine, and feeling tired. If this is the case, take them to the vet to get some antibiotics. Make sure they drink plenty of water.
Vomiting
Just like humans, there are a myriad of reasons that dogs might vomit. If your dog vomits just once, then it might not be anything to worry about. It might just be that they ate something bad for their stomach. However, if your dog continues to vomit, it might be a sign of toxicity, gastrointestinal blockage, or other diseases. Monitor the colour and consistency. If they continue to be sick, take them to the vet and share the information you have gathered to get to the cause.
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is often the accompaniment to vomiting. Similar to vomiting, if your dog has diarrhoea once, it is probably not an issue. However, if it is recurring, you should start to take note of what is happening. It is really important when your dog is sick and has diarrhoea to make sure that they are drinking enough water. You should also be feeding them bland food. If diarrhoea continues, take them to the vet to find the root cause of the sickness.
Parasites
Given that dogs are prancing about in nature a lot, it is common for them to pick up some little friends along the way. External parasites include fleas and ticks, while internal ones include heartworms and intestinal worms :
There are several kinds of intestinal worms such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. They usually strip dogs of their nutrients, leading to rapid weight loss and other detrimental side effects. They can be treated and prevented with over-the-counter medicine from the pet shop.
Dental disease
Some people just assume that dogs have bad breath. They don’t usually–they only have bad breath when there are bad bacteria in their mouth. It could be a sign of periodontal disease, a condition that affects the gums and tooth attachments. Dental disease can be cured with medicine, but the best way around it is prevention. Care for your dog’s teeth by brushing their teeth every now and again, buying them dental dog chews, and putting dental additives in their water bowl.
Obesity
It is easy to overfeed your dog. However, obesity puts them at serious risk of diseases. The best way to avoid obesity is to exercise your dog on long walks and feed him the appropriate amount for his weight. No late-night snacks!
Arthritis
Arthritis is when your joints become inflamed, making it hard and painful to move normally. In their old age, dogs often get degenerative joint disease. It can be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle with exercise and good food. There are adaptive things you can buy as well, such as raised food bowls and special beds. If your dog gets arthritis, you can manage it with a mixture of suspension medicine that will be prescribed by your vet, and veterinary therapy. This is where the vet stretches out the muscles in your dog to improve joint mobilization.
Toxicity/poisoning
If you have ever had your dog sneak a chocolate bar, then you’ll know what toxicity is. It happens when dogs are poisoned, usually by things they shouldn’t have eaten certain plants and household objects. If you suspect your dog is poisoned, the only thing to do is to rush him to the vet to get treatment.
Bloating
Also known as gastric torsion, bloating is essentially an enlarged stomach. It can happen when your dog eats very fast. The inflation prevents your dog from burping or vomiting. It can be very uncomfortable. To avoid bloating, make your dog eat slowly.
Renal failure
You might also know this as kidney disease. Kidney disease usually develops in older dogs and is often caused by dental disease. The bacteria from the dental disease enters the bloodstream and then affects the kidneys. You can prevent renal disease by not letting your dog ingest anything that is poisonous and by trying to prevent dental disease. If your dog does contract the disease, then treatment includes prescribed medication and a drastic diet change.
Cancer
Sadly, around 50% of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. The symptoms often include strange odors, swollen lymph nodes, lumps on their skin, weight loss, appetite change, and lethargy.
Kennel cough
Kennel cough is another name for canine infectious bronchitis. It is just like a chest inflection. The coughs often sound like a goose honk. It may resolve itself over time, but if not, then the vet will recommend cough medication.
Conclusion
Dogs cannot communicate in words what their symptoms are, you have to monitor them closely if you feel like something is wrong. Normally the best course of action is to take them to the vet.
Here are the most frequently occurring dog sicknesses, their symptoms, and treatments.
Skin issues
You may notice your good boy scratching away at a particular spot on his body. Skin problems are one of the most common issues among dogs. The skin may appear red, flaky, scaly, inflamed, or have other abnormal characteristics.
There is no one reason why dog may have irritated skin. It could be due to allergies, parasites, infections, and some other conditions. As there are so many possibilities, it is best to take your dog to a vet if you spot something.
Ear Infections
If your dog is shaking his head from side to side a lot and is trying to itch his ear, he may well have an ear infection. You can gently take a look inside his ear. If it smells a bit and you can see discharge, then there is a strong likelihood that he has an infection. If your dog displays symptoms for more than a day, you should take him to the vet, where he will probably be prescribed some antibiotic or antifungal ear drops. You should clean your pup’s ears regularly to help them heal, and to prevent infections in the future.
Urinary tract infection
It is quite common for a dog to have a urinary tract infection. Some people think it is just bad training or a dodgy dog personality, but if your pup is peeing in the house, he might just be a little sick. UTIs are incredibly painful for both humans and dogs. If your mutt has one, they will most likely be drinking more, peeing frequently, peeing bloody urine, and feeling tired. If this is the case, take them to the vet to get some antibiotics. Make sure they drink plenty of water.
Vomiting
Just like humans, there are a myriad of reasons that dogs might vomit. If your dog vomits just once, then it might not be anything to worry about. It might just be that they ate something bad for their stomach. However, if your dog continues to vomit, it might be a sign of toxicity, gastrointestinal blockage, or other diseases. Monitor the colour and consistency. If they continue to be sick, take them to the vet and share the information you have gathered to get to the cause.
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is often the accompaniment to vomiting. Similar to vomiting, if your dog has diarrhoea once, it is probably not an issue. However, if it is recurring, you should start to take note of what is happening. It is really important when your dog is sick and has diarrhoea to make sure that they are drinking enough water. You should also be feeding them bland food. If diarrhoea continues, take them to the vet to find the root cause of the sickness.
Parasites
Given that dogs are prancing about in nature a lot, it is common for them to pick up some little friends along the way. External parasites include fleas and ticks, while internal ones include heartworms and intestinal worms :
- Fleas
- Ticks
- Lyme disease
- Heartworm
- Intestinal worm
There are several kinds of intestinal worms such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. They usually strip dogs of their nutrients, leading to rapid weight loss and other detrimental side effects. They can be treated and prevented with over-the-counter medicine from the pet shop.
Dental disease
Some people just assume that dogs have bad breath. They don’t usually–they only have bad breath when there are bad bacteria in their mouth. It could be a sign of periodontal disease, a condition that affects the gums and tooth attachments. Dental disease can be cured with medicine, but the best way around it is prevention. Care for your dog’s teeth by brushing their teeth every now and again, buying them dental dog chews, and putting dental additives in their water bowl.
Obesity
It is easy to overfeed your dog. However, obesity puts them at serious risk of diseases. The best way to avoid obesity is to exercise your dog on long walks and feed him the appropriate amount for his weight. No late-night snacks!
Arthritis
Arthritis is when your joints become inflamed, making it hard and painful to move normally. In their old age, dogs often get degenerative joint disease. It can be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle with exercise and good food. There are adaptive things you can buy as well, such as raised food bowls and special beds. If your dog gets arthritis, you can manage it with a mixture of suspension medicine that will be prescribed by your vet, and veterinary therapy. This is where the vet stretches out the muscles in your dog to improve joint mobilization.
Toxicity/poisoning
If you have ever had your dog sneak a chocolate bar, then you’ll know what toxicity is. It happens when dogs are poisoned, usually by things they shouldn’t have eaten certain plants and household objects. If you suspect your dog is poisoned, the only thing to do is to rush him to the vet to get treatment.
Bloating
Also known as gastric torsion, bloating is essentially an enlarged stomach. It can happen when your dog eats very fast. The inflation prevents your dog from burping or vomiting. It can be very uncomfortable. To avoid bloating, make your dog eat slowly.
Renal failure
You might also know this as kidney disease. Kidney disease usually develops in older dogs and is often caused by dental disease. The bacteria from the dental disease enters the bloodstream and then affects the kidneys. You can prevent renal disease by not letting your dog ingest anything that is poisonous and by trying to prevent dental disease. If your dog does contract the disease, then treatment includes prescribed medication and a drastic diet change.
Cancer
Sadly, around 50% of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. The symptoms often include strange odors, swollen lymph nodes, lumps on their skin, weight loss, appetite change, and lethargy.
Kennel cough
Kennel cough is another name for canine infectious bronchitis. It is just like a chest inflection. The coughs often sound like a goose honk. It may resolve itself over time, but if not, then the vet will recommend cough medication.
Conclusion
Dogs cannot communicate in words what their symptoms are, you have to monitor them closely if you feel like something is wrong. Normally the best course of action is to take them to the vet.
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