Like human health problems, some dog disease , injuries and physical ailments are serious while others are not. Fortunately, the vast majority of health problems that dogs commonly experience can be successfully treated with medications, physical therapy, surgery, or other types of medical treatments.
Unfortunately, since animals can’t talk, it’s often very difficult to detect what type health problems dogs may be experiencing. We have, however, compiled the following list of common healthcare problems to help you detect and better understand possible problems that could affect your dog’s health and overall wellness.
http://www.dogbreedss.org/dog-diseases.htm
If your dog is showing any of the symptoms that we have described for the various diseases and physical abnormalities listed below, it’s very important that you take your dog to see its vet at the earliest possible time. Early treatment will not only greatly improve your dog’s chances for a quick and complete recovery, but it could very well save your dog’s life.
Diseases in dogs may occur because of trauma, infection, immune system abnormalities, genetic factors, cancer, or degenerative conditions, to name a few. Learn about how the normal body systems work, disease symptoms, and how to care for a sick dog.
Disorders of the eye can be congenital, infectious, neoplastic, traumatic, immunologic, or idiopathic (of unknown cause). Some have no health implications, others can cause blindness.
Dogs who are sick are generally obvious. One easy way to spot if your dog is sick at all is to watch him or her eat and exercise. A sick dog will be listless or show very reluctant enthusiasm. If your dog eats without any lustre, it is possible that he or she has become ill. Other symptoms of sickness include pale gums and a whiter than usual tongue, duller than standard eyes, and a dry coat. Sick dogs also often suffer from a fever.
Parvovirus
Parvovirus (more commonly known as Parvo) is a highly contagious disease that causes diarrhea and vomiting, and often leads to death. Although Parvo is most common in puppies, dogs of any age are susceptible. The most common way to transmit Parvo from one dog to another is via contaminated feces. Parvo can also be carried on the dog’s hair and feet, as well as contaminated cages, shoes and other objects.
Coronavirus
Next to Parvo, Coronavirus is the second leading cause of viral diarrhea. While Coronavirus affects dogs of all ages, it affects puppies most severely. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, excessive thirst, weight loss and loss of appetite. Your dog can have both Coronavisus and Parvo at the same time. In fact, dual infections can lead to severe enteritis and death.
Giardia
Giardia is a parasite that lives in many different and often unexpected water sources. It causes giardiasis, which is the most frequently occuring protozoal water-borne illness in North America. Your pet can contract the disease simply by drinking contaminated water. Symptoms of Giardia include diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain and poor weight gain.
Lyme disease
Lyme disease is a devastating bacterial disease which can cause permanent and painful disabilities in dogs. Symptoms include arthritis, sudden onset of severe pain and lameness, fever, lethargy, depression and loss of appetite. Severe forms of Lyme disease can affect the heart, brain and kidney.
Distemper
Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease. It affects the respiratory and nervous systems, causing fever, lethargy, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and eventually death.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a contagious disease of the liver. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Hepatitis can also cause severe kidney damage.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease carried by many wild animals. A dog can contract the disease from infected animals or by drinking contaminated water. Symptoms include high fever, jaundice, hemorrhaging, and bloodstained feces.
Infectious Tracheobronchitis
Infectious Tracheobronchitis (more commonly konwn as Kennel Cough or ITB) is an acute, highly contagious disease. Several organisms can cause ITB: Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine parainfluenza (CPI), canine adenovirus 1 (CAV-1), canine adenovirus 2 (CAV-2), canine distemper virus (CDV), reovirus and small organisms called mycoplasma. Symptoms include severe coughing spells sometimes followed by vomiting and gagging. The dog may also have watery eyes and/or a nasal discharge.
Rabies
Rabies is probably the most feared disease. The rabies virus attacks the brain and is always fatal. Dogs are exposed to rabies by bites from wild animals particularly skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes. Rabies can be transmitted to humans through the bite or scratch of an infected pet.
How can I protect my dog from these diseases?
You can prevent infectious diseases by maintaining high levels of general pet health. limiting your pet’s exposure to possible sources of infectious agents and vaccinating your dog. Only your veterinarian can determine which vaccines are appropriate for your dog based on his age, lifestyle and other factors.
There are many different types of dogs, with over 150 recognized breeds as well as many more different variants.
Dogs of the same genetic history are group into types, such as Molosser, Spitz etc. These dogs will tend to have similar characteristics, health issues and natures. All dogs are not the same, with the different types having very different life spans, characteristics, suitability to different conditions and more. Before you choose a dog, consider choosing a dog type!
The dog is a man’s best friend. It is essential for a person to have a pet if he or she is wishes selfless companionship. Small dogs, though not as tough as strong as the bigger dogs, do offer companionship and are more interesting to have. It’s not for nothing that these dogs are sometimes called companion dogs, as these dogs are mainly used for companionship as a pet, and not the other attributes of a dog such as safety and security. Apart from companion dogs, there are other smaller dogs, termed as toy dogs that are used strictly for companionship. Here is some information on the different types of small dogs http://www.dogbreedss.org/types-of-dogs.htm
