It would be great to have a kind of encyclopedia or guide that specifies what are the common diseases in dogs and what are their symptoms, treatments and interesting data that we should know. But unfortunately nothing like this exists, so many times going to a vet is our only option.
Although it cannot be said that this is an official guide or encyclopedia of canine diseases, we have wanted to expose what are the most common diseases / ailments in dogs. So that we have a reference point if we observe that our puppy is ill, or may be sick.
Index of contents
- 1 Main diseases in dogs
- 2 Strange but booming diseases within the canine world
Main diseases in dogs
We would like to insist on the need to go to a veterinaryn if our dog is ill or we think it may be sick. Not all diseases are exposed here, only the most common at general levels and some of the so-called “strange” ones. But there are many others that could even present similar symptoms but that we have not cataloged.
- Kennel Cough: It is a contagious disease among dogs but not between dogs – humans, comparable to a cold or flu in a human. Depending on the age of the dog, state of health and severity of its state, you will have to go to a veterinaryn to be treated or it will pass in a few days. You can get more info here: Symptoms of Kennel Cough in a dog.
- Pancreatitis: It is very common among dogs and presents symptoms such as abdominal pain, lack of appetite, vomiting and / or diarrhea. Dogs even stop drinking water due to pain, if they are not treated by a vet they will die within a few days. It is not a contagious disease either between dogs or between dogs / humans. You can get more detailed information here: Canine Pancreatitis symptoms and treatment.
- Conjunctivitis: There are many types of conjunctivitis in dogs, so some are infectious and others are not, although they all have in common the need for veterinary treatment in order to be cured. It is a very common disease and that presents at general levels redness of the eyes, inflammation, tearing and / or suppuration. You can obtain in-depth information from: Types of conjunctivitis in dogs and treatment.
- Internal Parasites: There are many types of parasites and it is normal for a dog to suffer all of them throughout its life, so prevention and medication if necessary is almost common. Some types of internal parasites are removed with a simple quarterly pill as a prevention, but others common parasites in dogs such as giardias they are more complex to eliminate and require antibiotics. Parasites are contagious between dogs and between dogs / humans.
- External Parasites: At general levels we can summarize the number of external parasites in the two most common: Fleas and Ticks. Both can be treated and / or prevented with natural, environmentally friendly dog pipettes and with the dog itself. They are contagious between dogs and between dogs / humans.
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea can be viral in origin and infectious, in which the dog may need antibiotics if it does not stop within a couple of days, or they can be of natural origin, produced when the dog has indigestion or intestinal irritation. Although on the other hand, internal parasites like giardias can also cause frequent diarrhea in a dog. You can get more information at: Tricks to stop diarrhea in a dog.
- Hip or elbow dysplasia: Dysplasia is a disease caused by wear or poor formation of cartilage in the joints. It can be hereditary although it is not something contagious between dogs or humans. It produces a lot of pain to dogs, so it should be treated by a veterinaryn. You can get more information here: Symptoms and treatment of hip dysplasia in dogs.
- Allergies: Allergies can be generated by the dog itself (immune system) or external, such as with the arrival of pollen in spring for example. Although the most common are food, which can be detected with a simple blood test. They are usually represented by diarrhea, vomiting, dermatitis and / or nutritional problems. They are not contagious, you can get detailed information here: Guide to the most common allergies in dogs.
- Canine diabetes: As with humans, dogs also have diabetes and it is a fairly common disease. The main symptoms are usually an excess of being and consequently of urine, weakness, nervousness, thinness or excess weight…. It is not contagious and you can get complete information here: Canine diabetes symptoms and treatment.
- Parvovirus: It is an extremely contagious and lethal disease, which mainly attacks puppies and elderly dogs. There is a vaccine to prevent it, but sometimes it is insufficient. It is not spread from dogs to humans. You can get more information here: Main symptoms of canine parvovirus.
- Otitis: Possibly all the dogs in the world have suffered or will suffer from Otitis on at least one occasion in their lives. Some are mild and others are more severe and infectious among dogs. Because they can come from different origins, they must be treated by a veterinaryn. You can get detailed information from: Otitis in a dog.
- Canine leishmaniasis: It is a disease of parasitic origin that is spread through the bite of a mosquito. It can end a dog’s life if it is not treated and it can also be contagious. You can get all the information about this disease at: Canine Leishmaniasis symptoms and treatments.
- Scabies: It is a contagious disease both among dogs and between dogs – humans, which attacks the skin of our dogs causing them a lot of itching and pain. It ends up irritating the skin and leaving it hairless, which can cause the death of the dog if it is not treated. More information in: Symptoms of Scabies in a Dog
- Distemper: It is a disease similar to measles in humans, but more complex at the canine level. It can cause the death of the dog if it is not treated and is contagious between dogs. It mainly affects puppies and adult dogs, you can see more information from: Symptoms and treatment of distemper in dogs.
Strange but booming diseases within the canine world
Within what can be cataloged as strange diseases, due to their little extension among the canine world, there are some that are booming and are becoming more common:
- IBD or Inflammatory Bowel Disease: It is an increasingly widespread disease and difficult to treat. Dogs that suffer from it suffer from abdomin
al pain, diarrhea and / or vomiting. They can suffer from extreme thinness and die in a short time if they are not treated properly. It is not a contagious disease. You can get more detailed information from: IBD in dogs. - Epilepsy: Dogs can also suffer from epilepsy and although there are treatments, attacks can appear at any time. There are many degrees within this disease that is not contagious: Symptoms and treatment of Epilepsy in dogs.
- Thyroid problems: If our dog is excessively fat or thin, we should perform a thyroid blood test at a veterinary clinic. It is inexpensive and simple, it can help detect a hypothyroid problem in dogs: Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism in dogs.
- Filariasis: It is a parasite that is quite widespread among the canine world that lives in the dog’s heart. It causes heart failure and the death of the dog if it is not treated. You can get detailed information at: Filariasis in dogs.
- Addison syndrome: It is just one of the syndromes cataloged as strange that are becoming more common. It affects the dog’s kidney glands and can lead to death if it is not treated. It is not a contagious disease, you can see more information at: Addison’s disease in dogs.
At general levels, all these diseases can be detected with three simple veterinary tests:
- Blood test
- Stool test
- Urine test
Although some how IBD require a biopsy, so an endoscopy would be necessary. Remember that only a vet can diagnose a dog and treat it.