Common Diseases of Dogs

Distemper (virus)

It can easily affect non vaccinated puppies as it can spread through air. Loss of appetite and high temperature are the common symptoms. Due to high fever, it can lead to inflammation of the brain which is the cause of death most of the times.

Infectious hepatitis (virus)

There are no sure shot symptoms of this disease and sometimes the disease might not even be detected until the patient gets really critical. The major cause of death is hemorrhage and liver damage.

Salmon poisoning (rickettsia)

Salmon or trout may carry larvae infected with rickettsial. If the fish is eaten uncooked, the worm may cause poisoning. The dog will suffer from high fever, swollen lymph nodes and if it is not treated on time, the case may become critical.

Congenital heart

They may be caused due to several reasons including calorie deposition in the heart. It may lead to secondary disease diseases such as pneumonia, accumulation of fluid in body cavities, laboured breathing and edema.

Hip dysplasia

It is a disorder in which the hip joints stops functioning leading to crippling. Mainly, it is a hereditary disorder which is very common to German shepherds. Most of the times, it is a hereditary problem.

Kidney stones

(calculi, urolithiasis) It can be hereditary also but the most common variety is not acquired from ancestors. It can lead to malfunctioning of the kidney. It can be removed through surgery or laser treatment.

Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland may stop functioning or malfunction because of deficiency of iodine in the body. Common symptoms are weakness of the body and coarse, dry coat. The treatment is quite simple and usually require oral administration of iodine preparations.

Dermatitis

It can be caused because of nutritional deficiencies, bacterial infections, hypothyroidism, allergies, hormone imbalances, and fleas, lice, mites, fly larvae, and ticks. Symptoms include excessive itching and rashes.

Glaucoma

In Glaucoma, the retina and optic nerve are damaged which leads to incorrect vision. There are some breeds in which this disease is hereditary.

Colitis

It is most common in boxer dogs though a few other dog breeds have known to suffer from it. The patient suffers from diarrhea, loses weight and becomes weak. This disease has not been characterized yet.