Common Deadly Yet Preventable Dog Diseases

Preventable Dog Diseases  by Amy Rehan   |Last Updated 06-28-2021

Your canine furbaby is more than just a pet. We know he’s a vital part of your family. These furballs give meaning to our lives more than they know.

Because of their cheerfulness and loving characteristics, they add vigor and color to our life. They also motivate us to be more active and enjoy a minute or two of satisfying breaks from our chaotic daily routine.

However, these perfect furry angels don’t have the ability to describe how they feel if an illness bothers them. As responsible pet owners, we have to be careful and responsive about their healthcare needs.

Being responsible also includes having pet insurance coverage for emergencies and making sure that they get their vaccines. To guide you further, we compiled a list of the most common dog diseases that, if left untreated, can cause their untimely deaths. 

Deadly Yet Preventable Dog Diseases

Canine Parvovirus

This pesky virus can hurt your furbaby at a very young age. This is one of the main reasons why you need to make sure your pooch is up-to-date with the core vaccines your vet recommends.  As preventable dog diseases go, this one tops the list.

Canine parvovirus otherwise referred to as parvovirus, targets the puppy’s heart and intestines. Pups that came from a breeding facility are most susceptible to this virus.

To prevent the infestation of parvovirus, you need to have your pup vaccinated and monitored if any of these symptoms appear: weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. 

More about Puppy Vaccines.

Gastric Torsion

Do you have a doggy that chows down his food like there’s no tomorrow? Or, do you notice how in the blink of an eye, your puppy finishes his meal? If he does, then your pooch is at risk of gastric torsion.

Gastric torsion, aka bloating, prevents your pup from belching or vomiting because water and air cannot escape. It becomes even more dangerous if the pup’s stomach also turns in reaction to the food.

Symptoms to watch out for include the following: restlessness, enlarged abdomen, inability to vomit, retching and salivating. To prevent gastric torsion in your pup, you can limit the amount of dog food in his bowl.

Or, you can purchase Kong Toys where your pooch will have to dig and stimulate brain function to get to his snacks. 

Renal Failure

Usually found in older dogs, kidney diseases are the result of degenerative functioning. Sad to say, this is one disease that is not preventable.

However, if your pooch is only one year old and is diagnosed with renal failure, it can be a result of complications from illnesses such as Lyme disease.

To enhance your dog’s quality of life, you can maintain and prevent the contraction of kidney disease at an early age. One way of doing so is by providing comprehensive dental care. Other renal complications that you have to watch out for are acute kidney disease.

It can be prevented by keeping toxic fluids, medications and other human items out of their reach. 

Heartworm

The adage goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.” As mentioned earlier, there are core vaccines that you can rely on to prevent your dog from suffering from numerous diseases later in his life.

Heartworm disease is common in heartworm endemic areas or areas where mosquitoes are prevalent. Although this disease is usually treatable, a severe case with hundreds of worms may not be survivable. Regular heartworm preventative medicines makes this a very preventable dog disease

Chocolate Poisoning

Pet owners are all aware of how dangerous chocolate is for their pooch. However, these clever fur babies can sometimes get their paws on it and munch it down.

Chocolate poisoning is one of the most common types of poisoning that can be deadly to your dog when not treated immediately.

Symptoms that your dog has ingested chocolate include pacing, diarrhea, panting, vomiting, shaking, seizures, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and death. Vets recommend submitting your dog for evaluation as soon as possible and not to try inducing vomiting at home. 

Other Common Foods Toxic to Dogs

Kennel Cough

Does your pooch like to socialize? Does he want to play and meet new friends in the dog park? If your dog plays with other dogs on a regular basis, he is at risk of contracting kennel cough.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It can be spread by touch or by air. Every dog can be infected with kennel cough. However, it is the puppies that are the most vulnerable. Puppies don’t have a robust immune system like older dogs so they are easily susceptible.

Much like the other diseases mentioned in this article, kennel cough can be prevented with vaccines. Symptoms that you need to watch out for are fever, runny nose, lethargy, loss of appetite, sneezing and a honking-sound for a cough. 

The Bottom Line

Caring for a pet is like caring for a child. You need understanding, knowledge, awareness, and resources to provide them with optimal health and growth. 

Preventable Dog Diseases:  Author Bio

Amy Rehan is a guest post manager at Globex Outreach. Her job is to ensure all guest post projects are completed on time and according to client’s requirements.