For dog illness diagnosis, one must observe the symptoms and behavioral changes in their canine. This article lists some symptoms that indicate illness and help in the diagnosis of the disease.
Once a dog becomes a significant member of a family, he/she too needs equal attention, love, and care as any other member. He/she is capable of expressing every emotion in just one language, and that is love. So, it becomes our responsibility to take proper care of our dogs.
There are many problems that dogs face, but unfortunately, they cannot express that in a decipherable language. So, diagnosing an illness correctly based on the symptoms is very important. Some symptoms and diagnoses are discussed in this article. Prior to that is a list of common illnesses that dogs are affected by.
Diseases in Dogs
Viral Infections
- Rabies
- Canine Distemper
- Canine Parvovirus
- Canine Coronavirus
- Canine Herpes virus
- Meningitis
- Pneumonia
Bacterial Infection
- Clostridium
- Kennel cough
- Canine Lyme Disease
- Leptospirosis
- Staph Infection
- Bacterial Infections
- Salmonella Poisoning
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Fungal Infection
- Pythiosis
- Ringworm
- Blastomycosis
- Histoplasmosis
- Valley Fever
- Fungal Infection
Protozal Diseases
- Babesiosis
- Coccidia
Parasites
- Mites
- Ticks
- Dog fleas
- Hookworms
- Heartworms
- Roundworms
- Dog Worms
- Intestinal Parasites
Dog Arthritis
- Panosteitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Hypertrophic osteopathy
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Arthritis
Cardiovascular and Circulatory Diseases
- Hemolytic anemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Heart valve dysplasia
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Congestive heart failure
- Heart Murmur
- Enlarged Heart
- Heart Attack
- Degenerative Mitral Valve disease
Nervous System
- Wobbler disease
- Epilepsy
- Cerebellar hypoplasia
- Cerebellar abiotrophy
- Brain Tumors
- Dancing Dobermann disease
- White Dog Shaker syndrome
- Dementia
- Neurological disorders
Eye Diseases
- Ectropion
- Lens luxation
- Blindness
- Glaucoma
- Eye infections
- Canine cataracts
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Ear Diseases
- Deafness
- Fly Strike Dermatitis
- Ear infections
- Ear mites
Skin Diseases
- Allergies
- Dermoid sinus
- Skin sores
- Follicular dysplasia
- Skin cancer
- Itchy Skin
- Skin tags
- Skin bumps
- Dermal Fragility syndrome
- Ringworm
Dog Cancer
- Osteosarcoma
- Testicular tumors
- Canine Lymphoma
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Malignant Histiocytosis
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Cancer
- Canine Transmissible Venereal tumor
Endocrine Diseases
- Canine diabetes
- Diabetes Insipidus
- Addison’s disease
- Canine Cushing’s disease
As the dog cannot directly convey his/her illness, you will have to closely observe his/her behavior. There are certain appearances and changes in a dog’s behavior that can tell you about the problem. These observations can help to a great extent to figure out exactly what is wrong. Given below are some of the common symptoms that will help in proper diagnosis.
Symptoms
- By looking at the eyes of the dog, you can make out that he/she is not well. The eyes should be bright and free of any discharge. Changes in the eyes, like redness, is an indicator of some problem.
- Generally, the dog’s nose is cold and wet. If the nose is hot or dry, then it means that the dog has a fever, or it is due to some changes in emotions.
- Any foul smell or discharge from the ears, foreign bodies, or change in the color of the ear skin are the indicators of some problem. It might be an ear infection or something else.
- A decrease in the dog’s weight can also be a sign of illness. The pet should immediately be taken to a vet.
- If you observe an increase in your dog’s weight despite eating less, accompanied by an abrupt rise in the consumption of water and increased urination, then these are the signs of diabetes and need immediate treatment and diet control.
- If you observe a loss in appetite or he/she stops eating at all, then it is an alarming situation. It might be because of a stomach disorder or teeth and chewing problem. Constipation can also be caused due to stomach problems.
- If you observe your dog coughing and gagging, then it might be because of some respiratory irritation, lung congestion, cancer, or heart disease.
- If you observe your dog coughing up white foam either in the morning or while sleeping, it might be due to the bilious vomiting syndrome or reflux gastritis. It is stomach bile that comes out in the form of vomiting due to irritation in the stomach.
These are some of the very common symptoms that can be helpful for diagnosis. If you are unable to understand the problem even after observing the symptoms, it is always advisable to take your pet to the doctor and get proper treatment. Visit the vet regularly, as he/she will give you advice and tips for taking care of your dog’s health, and also for vaccinations.
