Regardless of whether you own a dog or you intend to own one, you have to be well-versed with various health problems that your pet might face.
A dog is man’s best friend, and vice versa. ― Anonymous
Our quadrupedal friends are plagued by ailments just like us. In fact, canine health problems are more or less similar to the ones we humans suffer―at least the most of them. For instance, even they suffer from diabetes, arthritis, depression, and worms.
Common Health Problems in Dogs
- Abscess
- Acne
- Deafness
- Diabetes
- Heartworm
- Ear mites
- Allergies
- Infectious hepatitis
- Obesity
- Hip dyspepsia
- Arthritis
- Ringworm
- Kennel cough
- Cataract
- Asthma
- Anemia
- Insomnia
- Hair loss
- Pink eye
- Ulcers
Additionally, there are serious conditions, like seizures, prostate problems, lipomas, mast cell tumors, canine lupus, etc., which may also affect your dog.
How to Identify These Health Problems?
Each of the aforementioned problems has specific signs and symptoms. If you are a keen observer, it will be possible for you to detect these problems simply by analyzing your dog’s behavior. As an owner, you need to watch out for following physiological and behavioral changes –
- Ears: Your dog’s ears should be clean; free of mites, wax, or discharge. You should also keep an eye for matted hair in the dog’s ears.
- Eyes: His eyes should be bright, expressive, and sparkling, with no abnormal signs of veins, ulcers, sores, or discharge.
- Mouth: The mouth of your canine friend should be pink, and without any sign of dental problems. The teeth should be white; not abnormally discolored.
- Head: The head should have no sore patches, hair loss, or wounds.
- Skin: The skin should feel like elastic with no rashes or redness.
- Trunk: There should be no sore patches, wounds, or hair loss on the trunk.
- Limbs: As with trunk, you should also check his limbs for unusual hair loss, sore patches, and wounds.
- Languor: If the dog displays obvious signs of lack of energy, it might be due to some underlying health problem.
- Limping: If your dog is limping or having any trouble moving, it might be a fracture or sprain.
- Breathing: If your dog is gasping for air, or if you notice heavy or irregular breathing, it might be a sign of some underlying problem.
- Behavior: Any change or deviation from normal dog behavior is an indication of some illness plaguing your pet.
- Vomiting: Unusual and frequent vomiting is a sign of many underlying causes.
- Appetite: Sudden loss of appetite can be an indicator of some illness affecting the dog.
- Urination and Diarrhea: Frequent or irregular urination is also a symptom of many diseases. Keep a note of the stools due to diarrhea; whether it is bloody, loose, etc.
Some of these problems only affect specific dog breeds, and therefore, it is necessary to gather all the information regarding the ailments that can affect your dog. Prevention is definitely better than cure; you should make it a point to give your pet dog all the vaccines that are meant to safeguard him from potential diseases.
As a parent, you trust your instincts on every cough and sneeze of your child. You should follow the same rule for your pet. In other words, you should treat your canine friend as a family member. You should also visit the vet on a regular basis and get all your doubts cleared. It’s your responsibility to provide your pet dog a happy and healthy life.
