Dogs are the most faithful human friend, and owning a dog is a blessing in itself. When it is about dogs, only a dog parent knows that having a dog is not all about relishing happy and fun times with them. They also bring along a significant amount of responsibility, and one needs to take good care of them.
Just like humans, dogs too can suffer from a variety of health issues ranging from skin problems, ear infections, intestinal worms, to eye problems and dental disease. Most of the health issues can cause a lot of uncomfortable symptoms in your four-legged ball of fur, and they might end up feeling devastated.
Thus, to help your canine companion live a happy and healthy life, you must know some of the most common health issues they face, their signs, and a solution to treat the same.
So, let’s move forward and discuss some of the most common health problems your pooch face and what you can do about it.
1. Worms
Heartworms, Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, etc., are some of the most common internal parasites and chronic problems in dogs. Well, when it comes to worms, any of these can make your dog feel uncomfortable, but some like hookworms can prove to be fatal for them.
Signs that indicate that your dog has worms include:
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Weight loss
Rough and dry coat
An overall low appearance
If you find any of these symptoms in your dog, then there are chances of intestinal worms living inside them.
The best solution to get rid of the problem is to see a vet as soon as you confront the issue. Also, the treatment will depend on the type of worm your dog has and make sure you don’t try treating the worms yourself because a medication that kills roundworms might not kill tapeworms.
Prefer reading: Dog Heartworm: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
2. Flea Infestation
No human wants to see their dog in pain. Be it any problem; a dog parent wants to free their cuddly kid from it as soon as possible. But when it comes to the blood-sucking parasites, the parent may also become victim to these.
These dark brown coloured insects take only around three weeks to turn from one into thousands. Also, these are very common and easy to pick up in dogs, but their treatment is also easy.
Signs that your dog may have fleas include:
Hair loss
Reddish spots on the skin
Persistent scratching and biting
Flea dirt on your dog’s skin
The best way to confirm the presence of fleas on your dog is by testing flea dirt on a damp paper towel. If the dirt turns red, then sadly, your dog has fleas.
Once you know that your dog has fleas, the best you can do is see a vet and find the right medication. But, you may also try various home remedies to treat your dog and help him get rid of these insidious parasites.
3. Hot Spots
Hot spots usually develop as a result of contact allergies, flea bites, or food allergies. These are a bacterial skin infection that irritates your dog’s skin, and they can’t help but scratch or chew the affected area persistently, which may further lead to pain. Also, if left untreated, the problem may grow even larger.
Signs that your dog is suffering from hot spots include:
Consistent scratching or chewing
Visible red spots on the skin of your dog
Treating hot spots may include cleaning and shaving the affected area, anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics, and steroids. Well, the treatment usually depends on the condition of the spots and the intensity of pain your pooch is going through.
Read more about understanding hot spots on dogs.
4. Vomiting
With so many possible causes, vomiting is another common health problem in dogs. Some of the reasons behind this problem are heatstroke, kidney failure, food poisoning, and intestinal worms.
Signs that your dog is suffering from this problem include:
Of course vomiting
Abdominal drooling
Lethargic behaviour
Inability to hold fluids
Once you notice that your dog is suffering from this life-threating problem, contact your vet. The treatment may include fluid therapy and drugs to control the vomiting.
5. Ear Infection
Ear infections are widespread in dogs and can be caused by bacteria, yeast, ear mites, allergies, hair growth in the ear canal, and many other factors.
Symptoms that your dog may have ear infection include:
Ear odour
Lack of balance
Redness of ear canal
Head tilting or shaking
Vigorous scratching by your dog
Swelling on the outer portion of the ear
Discharge from the ear (usually bloody, yellow, or brown)
If your dog exhibits any of the signs mentioned above, take him to the vet as soon as possible. In most of the cases, cleaning and medicating the ear canal will clear the infection. However, a chronic infection might call for surgery.
Wrapping it Up
Dogs bring along happiness, but they also come with a lot of responsibilities, which their human parent must fulfil. One such huge responsibility and of course, on top of the list is taking care of their health.
One must always stay alert about the common health issues which a dog might face and their behaviour. If they do any unusual activity, one must consult a vet to look into the matter.
Also, the health issues, along with their signs and probable solution mentioned above, might have helped you gain an insight into the most common health problems in dogs.
So, the next time you see any of these signs occurring in your loving pet, do not ignore and take the right steps to help them get rid of the same.
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