Common Diseases For Dogs

Health related problems are a part of life. Although it’s something we’d all rather avoid thinking about, it’s important to educate ourselves about what conditions, illnesses or diseases are out there.

1.Cancer

A cancer diagnosis is one of the hardest things to hear from your vet. The word alone can cause any pet parent to panic, as it immediately brings thoughts of hardship and grief to mind. There are several options that pet owners are given at this specific time, and they can range from conventional treatment like chemotherapy and surgery to more alternative methods.

Unfortunately, just like us humans, dogs will often develop cancers as they get older and their bodies begin to show their age.

Dogs can suffer from all the types of cancers we do, such as lymphoma, melanoma, breast cancer and even prostate cancer to name a few.

Treating cancer can take the form of surgeries, chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Like all cancers, catching it early is the most important thing, so look out for any unusual lumps or spots on your dog’s skin, ears and eyes.

In a study where nearly half a million dogs were tested. In that study, they focused on the most common diseases that may impact your dog’s health. By knowing some of these puppy health tips, you can maybe avoid some of these issues or at least be able to identify them early.

In today’s video you will see some health tips to help your dog live a longer, healthier, and happier life.  So let’s start with obesity.

2.Obesity

Do you worry about what to feed your dog? But once the puppy becomes a adult dogs, what you feed is less important than how much of it you actually give to your dog. Now this also depends on what you’re actually planning to feed because there are some pretty crazy diets out there and some not so good diets as well. Well over 50% of both dogs and cats are classified as being overweight or obese in the US.

Feeding them a consistent amount is important because that way, you know, if they are getting a bit chubby, you can cut it back a little. Also avoiding high energy treats.  We shouldn’t mistake the fact that the only way to show our puppy love is by feeding them. You should ask your veterinary what your dog’s ideal weight should be. And talk to them about what their diet should be. Find out what’s the right amount you should give them.

The best treat to give them is YOU, and avoid your dog being overweight or obese in the first place. It’s actually been shown that overweight dogs have a reduced life expectancy by as much as two years. So that’s a part of your dog’s life that you could be missing out on of because they are overweight.

3.Kennel Cough

Kennel cough is among dogs that have been at the animal shelter, the vets office or in pet motel.

It’s not something that can be avoided and in reality, although kennel cough sounds bad, it’s the same as us getting the common cold. The best way to look after your pet with kennel cough is to give them plenty of rest, good food and plenty of water.

You can get antibiotics from your vet to knock it out if your dog’s case is particularly severe.

WARNING: Certain dog breeds related to Collies may have adverse reactions to Imodium.  Do not give this medicine to Collies, Shelties, Australian Shephards and Long-haired Whippits. See this site for more detailed information.  (Thanks to Ken Brookner for this information.)

4.Dental disease

Next on the list of conditions that can compromise a dog’s welfare is dental disease. So, by the by the time dogs get up to three years old, about 80% of them will have some degree of dental disease. So it’s pretty common. The best time to get into good habits is when your dog is still a puppy. You know, there’s a reason that we brush our teeth twice a day to keep our teeth nice and clean and our mouth nice and hygienic. And brushing our dog’s teeth is also the best thing that we can do to keep our dog’s teeth clean and their mouth healthy.

If you start when they’re a puppy they are going to accept this as normal. They’re just going to learn that that’s part of the routine. Start by offering the toothpaste,  they come in lots of different flavors– chicken, beef. Start by offering it from your finger as a treat. Then your puppy can get used to having your finger in their mouth and then you can start to introduce the toothbrush. Either a little finger brush that fits over your finger or a dog toothbrush. Pet tooth brushes have brush bristles that are softer, so you’re less likely to damage their gums or hurt them. It’s very important that we use dog toothpaste and not human toothpaste. You can get away with brushing their teeth at least three times a week, but every day would be the ideal way. Now there is also other options for keeping teeth clean and that involves, some different diets.

Dental Chews, and some supplements, some oral gels, that kind of thing. But brushing really is best. Dental disease impacts a dog’s welfare in a number of different ways. It can be really painful. If you’ve ever had a abscess or any kind of dental problem yourself, you’ll know how much it hurts. And just because a dog’s eating doesn’t mean it’s not painful for them, it’s also been linked to other diseases like kidney failure, liver disease, heart failure. And so it can have a massive impact on not just the pain and comfort levels of your dog, and how healthy they are as a whole.

5.Arthritis

One of the biggest impacts on a dog’s welfare is arthritis. So if your dog is over seven, then there’s about a 65% chance that they’re going to have arthritis. If they are nice and slim throughout their life, then you know, the chances of them suffering from arthritis are reduced. But there are other steps that you can put in place as well, you know, especially while they’re a puppy. Like I say, getting into good habits is important just to help reduce their chance of developing arthritis. So the first thing is, is that regular short exercises are much better than occasional long walks, really intense workouts. So the weekend warrior effect where a dog is just sitting at home, bored out of his mind really quiet in the week, but then goes for a long hike or a jog next to a bike, that’s really going to hurt their joints. The other thing is that many dogs will chase a ball or run alongside a bike and they’re just going to keep going until they drop.

When they’re feeling tired, they’re not going to stop. If they just twist their leg a little bit that’s going to increase their chance of developing injuries, chronic stress, strains and problems later on in life. You also you don’t want high intensity, kind of the rapid running and stopping with twisting and turning. If it’s not done by a fit dog who’s used to playing that way, then it can cause problems with their joints.

Also if you have a high vehicle, another thing to think about would be getting a ramp to reduce the impact on their body when jumping down. If we can reduce all the little things, we can keep their joints health much healthier. We want to be learning to recognize the signs of pain in your puppy and in your dog so that you can take action early. We don’t want ignore it or just pass it off as normal for an older dog, which is something we hear, oh, you know, the dog’s just stiff. It’s all part of aging. They’re just getting old. It’s nothing to worry about. Rather than saying they’re stiff because they’re in pain.

6.Cataracts

This is a big one, especially with older dogs. Cataracts for dogs, just like humans can really affect the way we see what we see.

It’s not just in old age that will bring about these growths on their eyes, often cataracts will develop after the eye has been through some kind of a trauma or can be caused by a disease. Cataracts can even be present when the dog is first born, or may come up on them in the first few weeks of a puppy’s life.

7.Ear infections

Ear infections are very common in dogs that spend a lot of time outside.

Dirt, dust or some other alien object like a grass seed can get lodged inside your dog’s ear, causing it to become irritated and, eventually, infected. If your dog is pawing at their ears a lot your dog may have a ear infection.

Ear drops with antibiotics will usually be prescribed by your vet in order to fight off the infection. Another good habit to get into is cleaning your dogs’ ears learn how to clean them properly by clicking here.

8.Diarrhea

Diarrhea – frequent liquid or loose bowel movements. Diarrhea is very common, it can be brought about by wide number of reasons. Sometimes it’s just caused by bad food or an allergic reaction, but it can be more serious.

Diarrhea is a common symptom for a number of more serious illnesses but it is also a very common occurrence after a change in diet or environment.

Diarrhea will usually hit quickly and, in most cases, will only last for a number of days, sometimes just a number of hours. It is important to keep in mind that in the instance of diarrhea lasting more than a couple of days, the loose or liquid stool could point to an underlying illness.

Diarrhea, just like in humans, isn’t a serious health condition. But If the symptoms persist for a week or more, it’s best to visit your vet for a check-up.

9.Fleas and Ticks

Fleas, as you probably already know, is another one of things that nearly every dog will get during her lifetime.

They can be knocked our easily with the right medication and you can find a number of prevention’s at your local pet store.

Ticks, however, are far more serious. Ticks can cause serious health problems for your dog, including poisoning of the blood and even death.

The disease occurs when an infected tick bites a dog or a human and transmits the disease into the victim’s body.

The most important tick-borne diseases that affect dogs are Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis. All can have serious health consequences for dogs and many can have serious health consequences for people as well.

Twisting them off your dog is the best removal method. After you’ve removed the tick, give the bite area a good wash.

The Seresto collar not only kills ticks but also repels them.

10.Heart worms

Heart worm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets.

Heart worm disease is only spread through the bite of a mosquito. There’s no other way dogs get heart worms. And there’s no way to tell if a mosquito is infected. That’s why the best treatment is PREVENTION! Many products are FDA-approved to prevent heart worms in dogs. All require a veterinarian’s prescription. Most products are given monthly, either as a topical liquid applied on the skin or as an oral tablet. Both chewable and non-chewable oral tablets are available. One product is injected under the skin every 6 or 12 months, and only a veterinarian can give the injection.

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5 signs that your dog may have heart worms:

1. Persistent cough – Unlike a regular cough or a kennel cough, which is strong and sporadic, a heart worm- related cough is dry and persistent. In the early stages, the cough may be induced by even small amounts of exercise, as the heart worm parasites make their way into the lungs, creating blockage and discomfort.
   
2. Lethargy – If your pet suddenly loses interest in going for walks or being active, it may be a sign of heart worm disease. As the condition worsens, doing any type of physical activity may become too strenuous for your pup.
   
3. Weight loss – When heart worm disease becomes more severe, it becomes tougher for dogs to muster enough energy for even the simplest tasks. Routine actions like eating or enjoying a snack may prove to be too taxing, resulting in rapid weight loss.

1. Difficulty breathing – Along with coughing, breathing problems mimicking that of an asthma attack may occur in your dog. Fluid can also build around the blood vessels in the lungs, making it difficult for the lungs to oxygenate the blood.
2. Bulging ribs – As fluid continues to fill the lungs, your dog’s chest may seem to protrude. The ribs will also have a bulging appearance as a result of weight loss. This can also be caused by fluid buildup in response to the parasite’s presence.

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Just A Few Over The Counter Medicine

You consider your pet one of the family, but it still might surprise you to learn that parts of your dog’s or cat’s anatomy—stomach, intestines, lungs—are similar to those in humans. As a result, some of the drugs veterinarians prescribe are chemically identical to those made for people.

Given this information, you might be tempted to skip the vet visit and medicate your pet on your own—but you shouldn’t. Vets are best qualified to determine the safe and effective dosage based on your animal’s size, breed, and health history. Don’t share medications between dogs – Medications that may be great options for one animal might not be good for another.

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and other antihistamines for a pet with allergies

Famotidine (Pepcid) for acid reflux

Meclizine (Dramamine) for nausea

Hydrocortisone and antibiotic ointments to soothe and heal insect bites and small skin wounds

Artificial tears for eye irritation

Supplements, like glucosamine and chondroitin, are very popular alternative treatments. It’s not clear if they help, but some research has found that they may make swelling go down and help cartilage repair itself. Thery also may help protect and lubricate existing cartilage.

Take a look at these below they can be harmful and should never be given unless prescribed by a vet.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Toxic for cats. Sometimes prescribed for dogs.

Aspirin Generally not safe for cats. Okay in some cases for dogs, depending on their medical history.

Bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) Contains a substance similar to aspirin, so can be toxic for cats. Sometimes prescribed for dogs.

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) Can shut down kidney function and cause GI ulcers in cats and dogs.

Naproxen (Aleve) Can cause kidney and liver damage and GI ulcers in cats and dogs.

Antidepressants (Effexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro)

ADD/ADHD meds (Aderall, Ritalin, Concerta)

Sleep Aids (Ambien, Lunesta, Xanax, Klonopin)

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