Common dog illnesses and how to prevent and treat them

Urinary tract infection - 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.

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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.

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Vomiting - However, if your dog continues to vomit, it might be a sign of toxicity, gastrointestinal blockage, or other diseases. Monitor the color 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.

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Diarrhea - Diarrhea is often the accompaniment to vomiting. Similar to vomiting, if your dog has diarrhea once, it is probably not an issue. However, if it is recurring, you should start to take note of what is happening.

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Diarrhea - It is really important when your dog is sick and has diarrhea to make sure that they are drinking enough water. You should also be feeding them bland food. If diarrhea continues, take them to the vet to find the root cause of the sickness.

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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.

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Fleas - Fleas are a very common problem. To prevent them, you can buy protection products from a pet shop such as from the brands NexGard and Frontline. To instantly get rid of them you can also give your dog a bath and use a flea comb.

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Ticks - Ticks are little insects that bite into the skin and suck out the blood. When they are big enough, they fall off. However, they are quite uncomfortable to have and can pass on more serious diseases. After a long walk, search your dog for ticks and pull them off if you find one, making sure you have the whole body. Also, give your dog tick medication to prevent zoonotic diseases.

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Lyme disease - Lyme disease is a zoonotic disease passed along by ticks. Your dog might experience flu-like symptoms. If you see the symptoms, take your dog to the vet and he will prescribe a course of antibiotics to get rid of the disease.

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Heartworm - Dogs can get heartworm from a mosquito bite. If untreated, then it can lead to heart failure. It is best to give your dog heartworm medication as a preventative measure. If you do not and your dog contracts it, then the procedure to get rid of it can be very painful and costly.

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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.

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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.

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Dental disease - 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.

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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 snacks!

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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.

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Arthritis - 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.

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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 such as certain plants and household objects. If you suspect your dog is poisoned, the only thing to do is to rush him to the vet’s to get treatment.

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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.

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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.

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Renal failure - 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.

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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.

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Fungal diseases - Fungal diseases occur when a dog inhales fungus spores in the air. It usually occurs in hot, dry places. Symptoms include skin lesions, difficulty breathing, and loss of appetite. Take your dog to the vet and most issues can be easily treated with antifungal medications.

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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.

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The message -

Overall, because dogs cannot communicate in words what their symptoms are, you have to monitor them closely if you feel like something is wrong. Usually, the best course of action is to take them to the vet.

Sources: (The Spruce Pets) (The Dog People)

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Common dog illnesses and how to prevent and treat them

All about the sicknesses your dog might have

02/12/21 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Animals

We all love our furry friends to pieces, 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. Click through to learn more.