Dogs are the most wonderful and the most loving creature on this planet. But as a dog parent or dog owner, you will have to face one of the biggest issues that is common sickness in dogs. So how to identify and treat those dog illnesses that your canine kids and friends are going through? This article is for your help.
Most Common Sickness in Dogs
Wheezing in Dogs
Does your dog make a whistling sound while breathing? If yes this is known as wheezing and it is important to notice if that whistling sound is for the short or the long period. If your dog is suffering from wheezing for a short period then it is not an emergency but for a long period, it is considered dangerous for the dog’s health. Wheezing can cause Heartworm disease, Airborne allergens, congestive heart failure, foreign body entry in a dog’s airway, and tracheal collapse.
Symptoms
- Constant whistling sound in breathing
- Whistling sound while sleeping
- Difficulty in breathing
- Coughing and labored
Treatment
As discussed above, wheezing can happen due to certain illnesses. The first and foremost step is to identify what your pet is suffering from.
Foreign bodies can be transferred by chewing certain things and the best way to treat it, is to take your dog to a diagnosis Centre and also trace the stuff that they chewed on the day they started wheezing.
Heartworm diseases can be treated by giving three rounds of injections to kill the worms inside and strict cage rest. In severe cases, surgeries are also performed to remove the worms from the heart.
Airborne allergens can be treated with a little avoidance from house dust, grass, weed, etc., and tropical therapy can also help in these cases.
Read also: Signs of Stress in Dogs and How to Relieve It From That
Congestive heart failure can be cured with proper medications, diet, and regular exercise schedules.
Tracheal collapse is treated by medication and a designed exercise regimen. But in severe cases, a stent is put with the help of surgery to open the trachea.
Constipation
Irregular bowel movement or difficulty passing the stool can result in constipation in dogs. The stool passed by the pet can be hard, dry, and in the shape of little pebbles. Constipation is usually a common puppy sickness in dogs because small dogs don’t drink enough water.
Symptoms
- Irregular bowel movement from 2 or more days.
- Vomiting
- Decrease of appetite
- Hard to pass the stool
Treatment
Constipation sickness in dogs can be treated by hydration, make sure your dog is maintaining a proper water intake per day.
Movement can also help, take your dog for nice long walks and runs and these kinds of exercises will also increase their thirst so it will also help in good and unforceful liquid intake.
Performing enemas under vets’ supervision will also help in the worst scenarios.
Ear Yeast Infection
If your pooch is trying to scratch their ear or rub their heads well, it’s a possibility of overgrowth of yeast. Sometimes it could be a bacterial infection too but in most cases, it’s an ear yeast infection. Luckily, these ear yeast infections take place on the outer ear so it is easy to detect. This sickness in dogs is associated with allergies, bacterial infections, ruptured eardrums, etc.
Symptoms
- Red ear
- A musty smell is coming from the ear
- Scratching and pawing at the ear
- Red or brown wax
Treatment
Cleaning your dog’s ear every day or on alternative days with a vet’s prescribed medicinal cleanser can help to get rid of the infection.
Read also: How Can I Stop My Dog Throwing Up White Foam?
Applying topical ointment or cream after consulting the vet also helps in curing my dog’s sick.
If the condition gets worse vets do surgery and also for chronic problems special ear drying solutions can be used on the pets.
Obesity
If you, as a caretaker of your pet, fail to feed a proper diet to your dog and don’t follow the proper exercising and walking schedule of your pet, the chances are 80% that your pet falls under the circumstance of obesity. Common dog illnesses are innocent, they don’t have human-like brains of what is right and what is wrong so the owner must make healthier lifestyle changes from the puppy stage itself.
Symptoms
- Not easily feeling or seeing the dog’s body parts like ribs, waistline, and spine.
- All-day long laziness and tiredness
- Excessive panting
- Gaining weight regularly
Treatment
Just like humans, calorie deficit and more body movement will be the most effective ones. Ask your vet about the perfect portion size and nutrition.
Exercising and playing will help to make your dog and even you more active, energetic, physically and mentally fit. Find some games to both like together. Go to public parks where your dog can play with other kids and people too.
Read also: Dogs Kennel Nose Guide: How to Properly Treat It at Home! (2024)
Eating slow bowls will help to reduce your dog’s eating speed. This will help to reduce weight and decrease the unnecessary appetite of your dog. Remember your lifestyle = your dog’s lifestyle. If you are fat and lazy there is a 98% chance that your dog will be the same as you.
Make yourself healthy for your dog.
Dog Oral Diseases
At the age of two or three up to 80 to 90% of the dogs go through a certain kind of oral disease and the most common one is gum disease also the dog’s mouth is infected by some bacterial infection, which is known as periodontal disease. The reason for dog oral disease is age, the first and foremost factor and the second one is not paying enough attention to dental grooming. These dental diseases are painful and irritating for your canine friends. Small-breed dogs are likely to catch oral dog diseases faster.
Symptoms
- Bad breath
- Bleeding and red gums
- Excessive drooling and yellow or brownish teeth
- Blood on chewing toys or bleeding while chewing
Treatment
Scheduled visits to dog dental health doctors can help to prevent dog diseases like these earlier only. Also, regular dog dental grooming by experts like Pet Advice is helpful.
Regular brushing of their teeth and giving them dental chews and specialized dental dog food can also help them reverse dog disease.
Final Words
Dogs are our best friends and make us happy no matter what but they also need special attention to all of their health-related stuff sickness in dogs and it’s not possible in this busy day-to-day life to give time to all of them regularly for any working individual. So we recommend hiring a nanny for your paw friend who is not only an expert but treats them like their own. Here at Pet Advice, your pet will get all the love and care they deserve. We also provide all the services at exciting and affordable prices.
