Minor Dog Ailments
Dogs are fantastic pets and, by and large, they are not particularly prone to illness and disease. It is quite rare for them to suffer from a serious illness but there are quite a few minor dog health issues that you need to be aware of if you are to give your pet the care that it deserves.
Dog healthcare should begin at home and probably the best time to concentrate on whether your pet has some form of issue is when you are grooming him. Use an online pet grooming guide for information on how to best groom your pet and which tools you will require.
If you notice that your dog has been scratching or patches of hair have fallen out then he might have a case of dog mange. Mange is caused by mites infesting the hair follicles and feeding beneath the skin. It is highly contagious and so it is important to treat all pets. Luckily it is easily got rid of by a short course of antibiotics which will need to be prescribed by your vet.
Dog worms come in five different varieties and so it is important to be aware of the symptoms and treatments for all. Roundworm is the most common type and is generally found in puppies who have been infected by their mother before birth. It causes their stomachs to become distended and the worms can often be seen in the stools or vomit. Other symptoms are diarrhoea, vomiting and weight loss. Treatment is worming tablets given monthly until 6 months old when he will become less susceptible to them. The symptoms of hookworms are blood in the stools, loss of weight, becoming anaemic and listless. If not treated with worming tablets then these worms can cause death. Tapeworm causes itching around the anus and stomach pains and the worms themselves can often be seen in the stools, looking like grains of rice. You should regularly de-worm your pet to stop tapeworm from occurring and, as they are caused by the ingestion of infected fleas it is important that you regularly check your dog for fleas and ticks. Whipworm and heartworm are far less common but more serious and will need veterinary treatment.
Dog ear infections are rare but if they occur then you will notice a discharge from the ear which will need to be treated with ear drops which can be bought from any pet store.
Finally some of our canine friends suffer from dog allergies and just like humans the symptoms are itching, runny eyes and nose and sneezing. Also, like humans, these can often be treated with antihistamines.
Category: Assorted Kibble, Dog Health