5 Dangerous Dog Illnesses That You Should Watch Out For

Photo by: Bigstockphoto
Photo by: Bigstockphoto

We have all dogs growing up, even a cat person have had a dog once in their lives. Dogs are lovable, loyal creatures and they care about you more than you care about yourself. They can be naughty at times but the loyalty and love that they show you is priceless. If you have seen the movie Marley and Me or Hachiko then you will know what I am talking about. Unfortunately, a dog can only live for as long as they can so it is important that you give them the best life while they are with you.

Dogs are man’s best friend. They say that you can be mad at your dog but by the end of the day, when everyone else is gone, your dog will still be there, wagging its tail and happy to see you. It is not surprising that 8 out 10 household have dogs and that more and more people are adopting these adorable animals.

Just like people, dogs get sick too and most of the time their condition can be fatal. When a dog dies, it is always heart breaking. It is always a sob story whenever a beloved dog dies especially when he or she has become an important member of the family.  Hearts break and tears are shed whenever they are in their death beds. So before you adopt a dog or if you happen to have one, it is best that you know the top five killers of your beloved dog. Doing so will surely help you avoid these circumstances in the future. Here are the five dangerous dog illnesses that you should watch out for.

1. Distemper

canine distemper is also known as hard pad disease. This is because certain strains of the virus can cause an abnormal enlargement of the dog’s feet or paws. This condition is known to weaken the immune system of the dog which may result to death within two to five weeks once the infection starts.  According to studies, distemper can be acquired from improperly attenuated vaccines but this rarely happens. Bacterial infections of the respiratory or gastrointestinal systems are also one of the reasons why this condition is acquired. Dogs that are not immunized may also be potential victims of this disease.
Dogs that are affected with this canine disease may show mild signs of illness or sometimes, nothing at all. How dogs contact distemper may be through the air and by direct or indirect contact with an infected animal. It can also be contacted through beddings and utensils. This infection initially attacks the dog’s tonsils and lymph nodes. When the virus sets it, it will replicate itself for about a week. It then attacks your dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, nervous and urogenital systems. When this happens, your dog may have high fever, reddened eyes and watery discharges from the nose and eyes. They will also become lethargic, tired and usually anorexic. They will also have persistent coughing, vomiting and diarrhea. In the late stages of this condition, the virus will attack the nervous system the most. The dog’s brain and spinal cord are mostly affected. In return, a dog may start having fits of seizures, paralysis and attacks of hysteria.