4 Common Dog Ailments and their Treatments
Is your dog suffering from illness? It’s natural for dogs to suffer from ailments like ear infections, hotspots, worms and a host of other issues. It is your responsibility to offer medical treatment to your pet and make sure that it is healthy. You should be able to understand when your canine friend goes through some sort of health problem and immediately take it to the veterinary doctor. This article discusses problems faced by canines and how can they be treated.
Worms
Tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms and roundworms are some of the worms found in a canine’s body. If your pet is rapidly losing weight, looking unhealthy, getting a rough coat on its body or eating less, it is time for you to take it to a doctor. The above-mentioned symptoms are signs of worms present in its body.
Your pet’s body itches due to the worms and makes it cranky as well as less energetic. Some worms like hookworms may also cause puppies to die. Intestinal worms can also infect humans, especially babies. Dogs often ingest feces which consist of tapeworms. Tapeworms can be very problematic for dogs as they cause the abdomen to bloat, create problems in digesting and cause itching. If you notice rice-like organisms crawling in your pet’s feces or out of its anus, it means that it has been infected by tapeworms.
A veterinary practitioner can prescribe medicines for your pet. He or she may suggest an oral medication and ask you to take your pet dog to him or her for follow-ups. It is wise not to treat your dog on your own as different worms need to be treated with different medicines.
Hotspots
If your dog has inflamed red areas on its body, it means it is ailing from what is commonly called hotspots and referred to as acute moist dermatitis by medical practitioners. Hotspots are usually caused by bacteria which make your canine pet to chew or scratch an infected area eventually transforming the color or texture of that area.
A veterinary doctor can inspect the ear discharge of your pet and deduce the cause of the ear infection. Antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs or topical medicines are useful to treat hotspots. Regular cleaning or shaving of the infected area can expedite the recovery process.
Ear Infections
This is a common problem with dogs and is caused by bacteria, ear mites, low thyroid, and hair growth inside the ear canal, allergies or yeast. If your pet’s ear is smelling, swelling, turning red or oozing blood, it probably has some kind of ear infection. It may also scratch its ears, tilt or shake its head, lose balance and move its eyes balls abnormally from front to back. Retrievers and cocker spaniels may suffer from ear infections due to the shape of their auditory canals and deposit of wax and moisture.
Usually, medication and periodic cleaning can get rid of ear infections, but if the dog has shaken its head vigorously and ruptured a vessel in the outer part of the ear, surgery cannot be avoided.
Fleas
In the event that your pet has hotspots, scratches it skin, experiences hair loss or has flea dots, it means that it has fleas. Flea infection may also lead to tapeworm infection as the former carries the latter.
You should immediately take your dog to the doctor or else the problem might lead to severe discomfort or anemia in the animal. Experienced practitioners can prescribe shampoos, oral medicines and sprays for the infected area.
Proper and timely medication can cure your pet of diseases. The next time you see your dog itching or behaving abnormally you must take it to a veterinary medical practitioner for treatment.
Author Bio – George Brigance, with 10 years of experience in dog care has cured many canines. He is currently associated with PrimpPlay, a dog daycare, and offers updated consultation to dog owners.