As a dog owner, it is vital to have the know-how of the list of dog illnesses and symptoms. This will help you maintain a healthy pet. In addition to understanding the illnesses and symptoms to watch out for, it is recommended that you incorporate practices such as taking your dog for therapy which is beneficial for back pain relief.
On top of physical therapy, there are other things to observe that guarantee your dog good health such as observing proper diet. Avoid incurring high costs on MRI and other treatment services by observing the right practices to promote good health. You should also ensure you are keen to detect dog illnesses and symptoms early enough for easy management of the conditions.
When a disease affects a dog, the symptoms may vary from one dog to another depending on how it will affect that particular breed. Moreover, the symptoms also depend greatly on what area of the body is being attacked by the disease and whether it affects other organs. Finally, the severity of the illness will depend on how early it was detected and whether or not proper spa or medical treatment has already been administered.
Below is a list of dog illnesses and symptoms:
Dog Bloat
This is one of the most common conditions on the list of dog illnesses and symptoms. Dog bloat, or gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), is a serious condition involving the stomach twisting within the abdomen. This causes a delay in blood flow from getting back to the heart from the stomach and air being trapped within the stomach, making it expand. The dog’s stomach can then twist once again, which usually cuts off circulation completely for some time.
Bloat or gastric dilation-torsion are usually found in deep-chested large breed dogs since they have a greater risk of developing this condition which causes their stomach to swell up very quickly.
Bloating is often one of the first signs of this condition. For others, it may be an inability to pass gas normally through their system, especially if they are bloated or have also twisted their intestines. You should contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog is dehydrated, lethargic, and has a rapid heart rate.
Vomiting and loss of appetite are other symptoms that appear. As time passes, the dog’s other organs may also become affected due to pressure being placed on them. Surgery is usually required to relieve the animal from its discomfort. However, it is still quite tricky to determine whether your dog will survive or not even after surgery has been done successfully.
Canine Lyme Disease
The list of dog illnesses and symptoms is long. Dogs can get bitten by ticks carrying Borrelia bacteria which will start reproducing within their system, causing infections usually localized at the site where the tick had been attached. Not all dogs exposed to these types of ticks will become sick, but those who do will usually show signs of fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy before moving into more advanced stages.
As time passes, your pet may develop swollen joints or lameness due to inflammation in certain parts of its body; this condition is known as Lyme disease, and it may be treated with antibiotics, although there’s no known way to reverse any damage done already since it happened over some time.
Canine Mange
Mange is one of the common skin diseases in the list of dog illnesses and symptoms. It is caused by microscopic mites that burrow under the top layer of his skin and lay their eggs there; as your dog’s immune system tries to fight it off, he will appear to scratch himself constantly almost as if something is irritating him.
This condition usually falls into two categories, sarcoptic and demodectic, with sarcoptic being the most dangerous one due to how hard it is for your dog’s body to fight against it. Sarcoptic mange causes intense itching and thickening of the skin while also causing loss of appetite and diarrhea, among other symptoms. However, antibiotics are available, which may help control its progress before it becomes fatal.
On the other hand, Demodectic mange is usually not fatal, although it may take a longer time to go away and it will spread if left untreated; this type of mite usually prefers young dogs, so its prevalence decreases with its increasing age. Treatment for this condition usually includes bathing your dog two times per week in medicated shampoo while also getting rid of any fleas on his body as they may serve as carriers for the condition.
Cushing’s Disease in Dogs
Cushing’s disease is another vital condition in the list of dog illnesses and symptoms. It is caused by a disruption of the hormone regulation in your dog’s body. Usually, it affects older dogs and often occurs due to an overactive thyroid gland or adrenal glands. These glands secrete hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that help regulate metabolism and energy levels, among other things. The most common signs are pot-bellied appearance, increased activity level despite eating less food, excessive panting even when resting, hair loss on the back end of the hind legs, and excessive drinking and urination.
Aside from physical changes in appearance, behavioral changes can also occur when a dog has Cushing’s disease. They may become less active and more sedentary or hyperactive and have a reduced need to rest. There may be changes in appetite, so you should remain vigilant if your pet is suddenly eating or drinking more than usual or refusing food altogether. Finally, many dogs with this condition develop infections like pneumonia because their immune system becomes weakened due to the hormonal illness.
Dental Problems in Dogs
This is one of the most overlooked conditions on the list of dog illnesses and symptoms. Dental problems are one of the most common health issues for dogs and can range from tooth decay to periodontal disease. If not treated, a tooth infection can lead to a systemic infection, so it is important to detect oral problems as soon as possible.
It can be difficult to notice dental problems in your pet unless you know what signs to look for, but some of the more visible symptoms are bad breath, changes in appetite or trouble chewing foods that were once appetizing, swelling of the face or neck area, and bleeding from any orifice that originates from the head or jaw.
Diabetes in Dogs
As a pet owner, it is vital to understand the common conditions in the list of dog illnesses and symptoms. Diabetes is a disorder caused by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin or properly use available insulin. This is one of the key dog illnesses and symptoms every dog owner should look out for. Insulin helps break down sugars and starches obtained from food into energy that the cells of your pet’s body can use.
Pets with diabetes cannot handle this process effectively, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels which causes damage throughout their bodies over time. However, pets that are diagnosed early can be treated successfully for this condition if it is caught quickly enough.
Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels that can damage organs and tissues over time. It is caused by insufficient production of the hormone insulin by pancreatic beta cells (which are responsible for producing insulin) or resistance to insulin’s effects at target tissues. The kidneys are the most commonly affected organs because they are responsible for eliminating excessive glucose from the body. Still, excess blood sugar can cause problems with any organ of your pet’s body.
There are several ways that you can detect whether your dog has diabetes, so visit your veterinarian or animal clinic immediately if you notice any signs of illness, including increased thirst, urination, appetite, lethargy, weight loss despite being hungry, foul-smelling breath, vomiting, and changes in skin or coat condition.
Ear Infections in Dogs
Ear infections are extremely common in the list of dog illnesses and symptoms because their ear canals are designed differently than the human ear, they are more vertical and not curved inward like ours. This makes it easier for bacteria to grow within them, so there is a larger risk that your dog will get an infection while swimming or if they have allergies that cause chronic inflammation of the inner ear.
Some of the most noticeable signs of an ear infection include constant scratching at the ears, head shaking, staining around the ears due to excess wax or discharge, and a foul odor. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important to visit your veterinarian immediately because untreated ear infections can spread beyond the ear canal to affect other areas of their body.
Heartworm in Dogs
If you suspect that your dog has heartworms, visit your veterinarian immediately for a diagnosis. Heartworms are parasites that affect your dog’s heart and lungs by causing severe respiratory problems. They are transmitted to your pet through a mosquito bite, and although they cannot be transmitted from one pet to another, dogs can get infected even if they live inside all year long. They are easier to detect in the earlier stages of infection, so waiting until symptoms show can cost your pet its life.
Heartworms are parasitic roundworms that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of infected dogs but they can also affect cats and other animals, including humans! These worms can grow to be 12 to 14 inches long, and if your dog was to swallow just one, you could be in serious trouble.
Canine Distemper
This is one of the conditions you should look out for in the list of dog illnesses and symptoms as it is highly contagious. Canine distemper is a viral disease that is most often transmitted from one infected dog to another after contact with its saliva or nasal secretions. As the virus attacks the dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system, it will first start showing signs of fever along with vomiting and loss of appetite; it may also develop a runny nose as well as red eyes before progressing further.
After some time, seizures may occur, leading to permanent brain damage if not treated immediately through the proper use of anti-convulsant. The final stages include signs such as drooling excessively due to paralysis in his jaw muscles.
Canine distemper is always fatal if not treated, but vaccines are now available against it, so make sure your dog gets his shots regularly. Canine distemper is a highly dangerous disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system of dogs; it may be fatal if not treated at an early stage, so make sure you keep your pet away from other animals as well as unvaccinated dogs.
Symptoms experienced after some time include seizures that may appear along with neck stiffness before the final stages are reached. One of these involves breathing difficulties accompanied by paralysis of certain facial muscles, which can cause drooling, although death may occur even without all of these signs appearing first.
Treatment usually revolves around proper pain relief to control symptoms, along with plenty of fluids to keep the dog hydrated. There are several other conditions that your pet can develop when their skin is allergic to something including, but not limited to: hot spots and pyoderma (infection in the hair follicles or sebaceous glands), demodicosis (manifested by hair loss and scaly skin), and generalized demodicosis (which affects multiple areas on your pet’s body).
Your pet’s eyes can become infected by several threats such as parasites, debris (such as grass seeds), injuries, and allergies but if you notice any changes in your pet’s eye appearance or they seem to be uncomfortable, it is best to visit your veterinarian immediately.
Some symptoms of eye infections in dogs include watery eyes, closed or swollen eyelids, cloudiness or redness in the iris, and pain when opening the lids.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is also on the list of dog illnesses and symptoms to watch out for as a dog owner. Also known as infectious canine tracheobronchitis, kennel cough is an infection that can affect the respiratory tract and cause it to develop a cough. As the infection progresses, the dog will start coughing more and more until its breathing becomes very hard and very fast; in some cases, there may be mucus present in its stool as well as blood.
Kennel cough usually affects young dogs between four months old and three years old who are not properly vaccinated against common diseases such as this one. To avoid having your pet contract kennel cough, make sure you keep him away from places with many dogs (such as groomers) and always ask about their vaccination schedule before bringing your pet with you.
It might be exciting to complete the adoption service of your dog successfully. However, there is a need to have the know-how of the list of dig illnesses and symptoms to look out for. This goes a long way in promoting good health in your pet as well as a long life. Searching for ideal medical and physical therapy services is vital for your dog’s healthy life. You may consider having a catheter to take fluid from your animal’s bladder for testing of various diseases at your local animal clinic.