Our dogs are faithful companions and they depend on us for good care. To help your friend stay free of today’s most common dog diseases and live a healthy life, you should know some of the most common health problems facing dogs, their signs, and what you can do about them.
Ear infections are a common canine health problem, and can be caused by allergies, yeast, ear mites, bacteria, hair growth deep in the ear canal and more. Symptoms your dog may have in dog diseases with an ear infection include:
Frequent head shaking or head tilting, odour in the ear, vigorous scratching, lack of balance, unusual back and forth eye movements, redness of the ear canal, swelling of the outside of the ear, brown, yellow, or bloody discharge.
You should always take your dog to the vet if you think he has an ear infection. In most cases, cleaning and medicating the ear canal will quickly clear an infection. However, surgery may be necessary for chronic infections or if head shaking has resulted in a ruptured vessel on the inside of the ear.
There are other dog diseases caused by tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms which are common internal parasites in dogs. And while any parasite infestation can make your dog uncomfortable, some, such as hookworms, can be fatal in puppies. Signs that your dog may have parasites include:
Diarrhoea (may be bloody), weight loss, a change in appetite, a rough, dry coat on the underside of the legs and a general poor appearance.
The Best Way to Diagnose Dog Diseases is with a Visit to the Veterinarian.
Treatment depends on what type of parasite your dog has, but usually includes oral medication and may require follow-up. Do not attempt to treat your dog’s parasites yourself as a medication that kills intestinal worms, for example, will not kill tapeworms.
Canine parasites can cause a variety of health problems and diseases in dogs. Here are the most common types of parasites that can infect your dog and what you can do to prevent and treat them.
Nematodes
Usually spread in the faeces, during pregnancy or lactation, roundworms cause serious infection in dogs and puppies. The worm eats its host’s food and can cause diarrhoea and other symptoms.
In puppies, intestinal worms can be fatal. Over-the-counter deworming products for dogs are very effective, but if the worms are contracted by a person, their symptoms can be even more severe than those of dogs.
Hookworms
Living mainly in the small intestine, hookworms suck the blood of their hosts, puppies can be infected from their mothers. Adult dogs can be infected through their skin or by cleaning themselves with their tongue.
Infection causes weakness and malnutrition and can lead to death in puppies. Two rounds of deworming medication are usually effective, but a puppy may need additional treatment. Humans can also become infected with intestinal parasites on unwashed vegetables or by walking barefoot on sand and soil.
Heartworms
Heartworms are spread to dogs through mosquito bites. Usually up to 14 inches long, this parasite lives in the heart and the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. Heartworms affect heart function and blood clot formation and are likely to cause death if left untreated. Monthly heartworm preventive remedies are effective. If infected, your dog may cough, have difficulty breathing, and experience other symptoms. Treatment may include two or three injections of arsenic-based medications, followed by at least a month’s rest for these dog diseases.
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