5 Avoidable Yet Serious Health Issues in Dogs
In an ideal world, your cherished pet pooch would live forever and never suffer anything more than a full belly and tiredness from the longest and happiest walk.
In reality, however, dogs, just as any other domesticated animal, often suffer from entirely avoidable and, sadly, potentially serious diseases. With that being said, continue reading to learn of five avoidable yet serious health issues in dogs.
1. Parvovirus
Canine parvovirus, more often referred to as ‘parvo’, is an incredibly contagious virus that quickly attacks a dog’s gastrointestinal system and causes severe fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Parvo is spread from dog to dog and can also be caught by your dog sniffing contaminated feces of other dogs, licking their collars or leashes, and even sharing the same food and water bowls. Parvo can be a deadly disease in dogs, but luckily there is an annual vaccination for dogs that you absolutely must have a reputable vet, such as easyvet.com, administer every year.
2. Heatstroke
Hopefully, everyone across the country and beyond is fully aware of the supreme dangers of leaving your dog unattended in a locked and parked car on its own.
Even though heatstroke in your dog is much more prevalent and riskier in warmer and hot weather, it is still important to never leave your dog in your car under any weather circumstances. The key signs of heatstroke include a dark red color across their gums, weakness in their limbs, drooling excessively, and an anxious demeanor.
3. Intestinal Parasites
Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms are just some of the parasites that can lay eggs in the intestines and gut of your dog, which are then passed into contaminated feces which other dogs can then come into contact with.
Puppies and younger dogs are even more at risk of contracting intestinal parasites, and it is vital that you treat any suspected case of worms either after taking advice from your veterinary surgery or by treating it yourself by administering worming treatments to your dog.
4. Fungal Infections
The fourth highly-avoidable and just as dangerous infectious disease your dog can contract is a serious fungal infection.
Organisms in the soil underfoot when your dog is out walking in the park or even playing and exploring around your own backyard and garden can infect your dog’s skin, especially if they have a scratch or open wound anywhere on their body.
5. Dog Flu
Finally, canine influenza, more commonly known as dog flu, is the newest disease that dogs across the country are starting to contract with more regularity and, indeed, to more severe degrees.
Dog flu is spread through the air and by contaminated objects, and if your dog does not have a particularly strong immune system to start with, it will be far more susceptible to contracting dog flu. Dog flu will survive for up to two days after your dog contracts it, and signs and symptoms of dog flu include coughing, sneezing, and a dripping and too-wet nose.
