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It's a simple truth - throughout its
lifetime, your dog will be exposed to bacteria, viruses, and
parasites that can cause diseases, some of them serious and
life threatening. And though nobody knows your dog better
than you do, it can't let you know what's wrong if it isn't
feeling well. Fortunately, many canine diseases can be prevented,
treated, or controlled. Understanding your role in keeping
your pet in the best shape possible starts with understanding
the most common threats to its health. You and your veterinarian
will want to discuss the best ways to prevent or control them,
and you'll want to work together to put develop a comprehensive,
ongoing health program for your best friend.
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Rabies
What Is It? Rabies
is a generally fatal viral disease that affects the central
nervous system and can infect all warm-blooded animals. The
disease is zoonotic, which means it can be transmitted to
humans bitten by an infected animal. People exposed to rabies
must undergo aa post exposure treatment.
What Are the Signs? Changes
in behavior that can include uncharacteristic restlessness,
aggressiveness, agitation, shyness, and paralysis.
How Can Rabies Be Prevented? Vaccination
by your veterinarian.
Canine
Parvovirus or "Parvo"
What Is It? Parvo
is an acute, potentially fatal disease of the gastrointestinal
tract and, less commonly, the heart muscle. Although dogs
of all ages are susceptible, puppies are more at risk.
What Are the Signs? Vomiting,
bloody diarrhea, fever and dehydration. Since these symptoms
can indicate other diseases as well, the veterinarian will
confirm a diagnosis of parvoviral infection by examining the
feces.
How Can Canine Parvovirus Be
Prevented? Vaccination.
Canine
Coronavirus
What Is It? Coronavirus
is a highly contagious gastrointestinal disease affecting
dogs at any age. Show dogs and dogs in boarding kennels are
most susceptible. Though the symptoms are less severe in adult
dogs than in puppies.
What Are the Signs? Vomiting,
diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever and depression. Signs are
more dramatic if other infections, such as parvovirus, are
present too.
How Can Canine Coronavirus Be
Prevented? Vaccination
and extra caution in high-risk environments such as dog shows
and boarding kennels.
Canine
Distemper
What Is It? Canine
distemper, also known as hardpad disease, is a systemic, very
contagious, potentially fatal viral disease.
What Are the Signs? Fever,
runny nose, cough, and vomiting, progressing to twitching
muscles or seizures.
How Can Canine Distemper Be
Prevented? Vaccination.
Infectious
Canine Hepatitis (ICH)
What Is It? Infectious
Canine Hepatitis, or ICH, is a contagious viral disease that
can damage a dog's liver, kidneys, spleen, and lungs. ICH
ranges from mild to severe and can be fatal in puppies.
What Are the Signs? Fever,
diarrhea, thirst, loss of appetite, discharge from the eyes
and nose, respiratory distress, and, in some cases, abdominal
pain may be present in some cases.
How Can Infectious Canine Hepatitis
Be Prevented? Vaccination.
Kennel
Cough
What Is It? Kennel
Cough or infectious tracheobronchitis, is an extremely contagious
infection of the upper respiratory tract. Contributing infectious
agents, either acting alone or in combination with Bordetella
bronchiseptica, canine parainfluenza virus and canine
adenovirus. Kennel cough can spread rapidly among susceptible
animals in an enviroment such as a boarding kennel. Though
the disease is generally mild it can be serious or even fatal
in puppies and can cause chronic bronchitis in older dogs
and dogs with other illnesses.
What Are the Signs? Harsh
dry coughing followed by retching and gagging. In more severe
cases kennel cough can be present along with a systemic infection
wuch as distemper.
How Can Kennel Cough Be Prevented?
Vaccination.
Canine
Parainfluenza
What Is It? Canine
parainfluenza is a chronic, viral contagious respiratory disease
that is involved in opportunistic canine infections.
What Are the Signs? Cough
How Can Canine Parainfluenza
Be Prevented? Vaccination.
Leptrospirosis
What Is It? Leptospirosis
is a contagious bacterial infection caused by organisms that
can survive in surface waters for extended periods. Animals
and humans can become infected by coming into contact with
the urine of infected animals or, in the case of animals,
by ingesting urine-contaminated feed or water. Brown rats
and other dogs are the primary sources of infection in dogs.
What Are the Signs? Sudden
slight weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, and mild
conjunctivitis in the early stage. Labored breathing, strong
thirst, back pain, abrasion-like patches in the mouth in later
stages.
How Can Leptospirosis Be Prevented? Vaccination
and rodent control. Antibiotics are used to treat the disease.
Lyme
disease
What Is It? Lyme
disease, also known as Borreliosis, is a tick-borne disease
of animals, including humans, caused by Borrelia
burgdorferi.
What Are the Signs? Fever
which may become chronic along with other signs such as loss
of appetite, lethargy and swollen lymph nodes. Neurological,
cardiac, kidney, and reproductive symptoms can also occur.
How Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented? Vaccination.
Antibiotics can be useful in treating canine Lyme disease.
Fleas
and Flea Infestation
What Are They? Fleas
are common parasites. These tiny pests can hop onto your dog
unobserved to feed on its blood and lay eggs, beginning another
generation. Fleas can make life miserable for people and dogs
alike, disrupting your household with a nasty cycle of biting
and scratching.
What Are the Signs? Flea
bites cause itching and may cause inflammation of the skin
called Flea Allergy Dermatiis (FAD). You should also look
for signs of such as black specs on your dog or in your dog's
bed. Also, your dog may become nervous or annoyed and will
scrtach excessively if infested with fleas.
How Can Flea Infestations Be
Prevented? Use of an
approved product like FRONTLINE® Plus (fipronil/(S)-methroprene)
will kill fleas that are already on a dog and prevent fleas
from reinfesting your animal. Once a flea infestation is serious,
a number of control measures may be required, including the
use of appropriate flea control products in indoor and outdoor
pet areas, frequent cleaning of pet bedding and blankets,
vacuuming, and sanitizing.
Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease
What Are They? Ticks
are ectoparasites, that attach themselves
to a host animal (including humans) to feed on the animal's
blood. Ticks may carry serious, even fatal, diseases such
as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis,
and babesiosis.
What Are the Signs? Symptoms
of tick-borne diseases include fever, lameness, loss of appetite,
sudden onset of pain in your pet's legs or body, arthritis
or swelling in your dog's joints, lethargy or depression and
a cough.
How Can Tick Problems Be Controlled? Use
of a tick-killing product like FRONTLINE Plus as directed.
Heartworm
Disease
What Is It? The
parasitic worm responsible for heartworm disease is called
Dirofilaria immitis. The life cycle of the heartworm begins
when a mosquito bites and feeds on the blood of an infected
dog that is carrying tiny immature heartworms, called microfilariae,
in its blood. The mosquito takes in the immature heartworms
when it feeds. During the next two-to-three weeks, the larvae
develop into the infective stage within the mosquito. When
the mosquito feeds again, it can transmit infective larvae
to a healthy dog. The larvae enter the dog's body through
the mosquitos bite wound , migrate through its tissues, and
develop over the next few months, eventually reaching the
dog’s heart and lungs. Heartworms may be present in the
heart and lungs approximately four months after initial infection.
Once in the dog’s heart, the worms may grow to between
7 and 11 inches in length. and cause significant damage to
the heart and lungs. If left untreated, heartworm disease
may result in death. After adult heartworms mate and produce
immature heartworms an infected dog which is bitten by an
uninfected mosquito will transmit microfilariae to the mosquito,
beginning the cycle again.
What Are the Signs? Dogs
in the early stages of heartworm disease may not show any
symptoms of illness at all. But as the disease progresses,
an infected animal may cough and exhibit intolerance for
exercise, and, in severe cases, may die suddenly.
How Can Heartworm Disease Be
Prevented? Use of a
heartworm prevention product like HEARTGARD® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) as directed will kill any immature
heartworms before they have the chance to mature and cause
heartworm disease. Once a dog has heartworm, treatment can
be difficult
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