As a dog owner, you must be well aware of all the common diseases found in dogs and their symptoms. This knowledge has the potential to help you, your family, and your dogs to survive. Not only will it enable you to recognize the symptoms of these diseases early on, but you will also learn to take all the preventive measures.
Let’s learn about four of the most common diseases in dogs:
1. Intestinal Worms
This medical condition is serious because it can affect humans – particularly children– around the dog as well. Intestinal worms are usually found in puppies, and when they go untreated for a long time, they can progressively worsen and lead to loss of appetite, anemia, and diarrhea. If the pup doesn’t get medical attention at the right time, it can even lead to death. The best course of action is to take your puppy to a vet the moment you bring it home and get it dewormed. The vet will administer a dose of broad-spectrum wormer that will take care of hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms.
2. Skin Diseases
There isn’t one particular skin disease that the poor pups suffer from; there’s a variety of it. The first symptoms of skin disease in dogs are constant itching and scratching. Just in a few days, the skin would start showing signs of disease by appearing red, inflamed, or flaky. When the disease worsens, the dogs start losing fur in patches.
Dogs develop skin conditions for any number of reasons. It can be due to behavioral issues, poor hygiene, or due to allergens, parasites, or skin infections. At the first sign of skin disease, visit a vet, or it will only get worse, and your dog will stop eating and become lethargic.
3. Parvovirus
Parvovirus is a highly contagious dog disease and can be fatal. The virus spreads around the abdomen area, impacting the stomach and small intestines. In rare cases, the virus also impacts the cardiovascular system. Puppies are most susceptible to contracting the disease and start showing symptoms at least a week after contracting it. Puppies have a 9% chance of surviving this deadly disease, whereas adult dogs have a 90% chance of survival.
Symptoms of parvovirus include lethargy, vomiting, fever, pain and discomfort, anorexia, and severe diarrhea with blood.
4. Rabies
Rabies is a very common disease in dogs, and most stray dogs suffer from it. This disease can spread to all mammals and affect their brain and spinal cord. Once rabies spread amongst dogs, it’s hard to control it.
Rabies is a highly dangerous disease in dogs and animals, as they can’t be treated for it and die within days of contracting it. In both humans and dogs, the mortality rate is 100%. However, rabies is entirely preventable with proper vaccination campaigns and rabies drive. Unfortunately, those dogs who have already contracted it have no option but to be put down.
As a dog parent, we hope and pray you never have to see your dog suffer from these diseases. In case they do, make sure you’re capable of identifying the signs at the onset. And as soon as you do spot signs of disease in your dog, reach out to a veterinarian for help immediately.
