Dog Diseases

Taking care of your dog's health: Being in contact with your dog every day, it will not be difficult to see any slight change or unusual reaction in it. The owner must know what are the main symptoms for the most common illnesses and dog Diseases.

How does an ill dog behave?: Any information you are able to give the vet when you take your dog to them will probably be really useful. As that information can give us hints on what the illness is and when it started.

When you see anything unusual, start analyzing these aspects: First, see if your dog's personality has changed, look for any hint of unusual aggressiveness, or maybe it is not as playful as usual. It is possible that the animal sleeps for much too long, or maybe walks nervously around the house, or seems to move awkwardly. Other details that might be serious are picking through the food, biting objects it had never bitten before, eat or drink too much or too little, etc. Many animals seem to be contradictory when ill, for they want affection from the owner, at the same time feel irritated and annoyed, maybe because of a pain.  You can also watch its droppings: any change in texture, shape or color has to be informed to the vet, as well as the presence of blood, or food that hasn't been digested. Don't forget breath frequency is supposed to be 20-22 breaths per minute in a pup, and 14-20 in an adult., pulse has to be 100-130 p/m in a pup and 60-120 p/m in an adult. At last, it is always useful to know the temperature. In a dog, the regular temperature is a little higher than in people, 38.5°C - 39°C for pups, and a little bit less in adults.

Common Infectious Dog Illnesses

Dog Rabies : This serious disease affects any warm-blooded animal, including man. It is transmitted via liking or biting. In wildlife, it is most commonly seen in foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. Rabies is almost always certainly fatal. Recoveries are rarely reported. Once the virus enters the body of the animal or person, it travels to the central nervous system along the nerve fibers. It sets up a base in the brain and spreads back out into the body using the nerves to move around once more. The incubation period varies. Most of the infected animals show mood changes. Rabies can be seen in the whole world, except some areas, such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Japan and some areas in the Scandinavian peninsula.

Carre's disease: This disease is highly contagious, and most of the times fatal. It usually attacks pups 3-6 months old, but adults are not totally safe either. The incubation period is 4-9 days and is transmitted via having any kind of contact with an infected animal. The first symptoms are a strong fever (40-41°C), conjunctivitis, and abundant nasal secretion. There may be bronco-pulmonary complications and diarrhea. After a while, nervous tics may appear, as spasms in the face and limbs muscles. These symptoms intensify until the body is completely paralyzed. In some cases physical the disease doesn't show any symptoms, until the spasm start. The owner must know that death rate is almost 50%. The dogs who get over it, may have fatal complications later.

Canine infectious hepatitis: This viral disease is caused by an adenovirus that affects liver, kidneys, eyes and vascular endothelium. Incubation period is 9 days. It starts with a rise of the body temperature, which goes back to normal after 36 hours. There is also intense conjunctivitis and strong abdominal pain. 10-14 days later the virus is located in the kidneys, where it is eliminated through urine for 6-9 months. If this disease affects a pup, it will have repercussions on its physical development. The vaccination provides immunity for a long time, with just one dose.

Parvovirus: This disease is feared by breeders. The pathogenic agent of this disease is highly resistant and very contagious, especially for pups. It is transmitted via direct or indirect contact. It is a kind of hemorrhaging gastroenteritis, with vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, as well as weight loss. The animal can also die suddenly, without apparent complications. This disease can be transmitted to dogs of any age, but is much more common among pups, which have to be vaccinated. more Dog Diseases