Five Common Health Problems in Dog

Similar to humans, health problems are most common in every dog. Sometimes, these health issues can be fatal, if you’re not careful about it. As a dog owner, you need to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of these common problems. This will help you to take some precautionary measures to minimize the risk of having these issues. In this article, we’ve listed five common health problems that might affect your dog’s general health.

Musculoskeletal problems

Senior dogs are very much susceptible to developing joint issues like arthritis, elbow dysplasia, and osteodystrophy. Osteoarthritis affects almost 90% of older dogs over 5 years of age. This results in severe joint pain and stiffness in your dog. Osteoarthritis occurs mostly due to the wear of the cartilage in the joints of hips, shoulders, and fetlocks. Successful treatment of pain and inflammation can back your dog into normal life. You should provide a healthy diet containing calcium, glucosamine, and chondroitin that helps to prevent this condition.

Skin Disorders

Allergic dermatitis is the most common skin disorder of dogs. Other skin problem includes ringworm, mange, rashes, folliculitis, etc. Inflammation, redness, loss of hair, and itching are common signs of skin disorders in dogs. These signs are typically seen in the face, back, legs, and shoulder of your dog. You should visit your veterinarian before the condition getting worse. There are lots of reasons for skin problems in your dog such as allergies, ticks, mites, chemicals, bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.

Ear Infections

Ear infections may occur in any age of a dog, causing deafness. Certain breeds like Basset Hound and Cocker Spaniels are more susceptible to ear infections due to the anatomical shape of their ear canals. The recognizable signs of an ear infection include whining, scratching, and head shaking. Ear infection results in discharge from the ear and causes serious pain. Most of the infection occurs due to allergic reactions, bacterial infection, or hypothyroidism. Please consult with your veterinarian for better treatment.

Digestive Problems

Several gastrointestinal disorders can affect your dog of any age. The signs of digestive problems include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, constipation, excessive gas formation, excessive drooling, regurgitation, abdominal pain, shock, dehydration, etc. Certain large and deep-chested breeds like Great Danes, Saint Bernard, and Weimaraners are more prone to gastrointestinal disorders. Gastric dilatation and volvulus are frequently occurring in these dogs, which requires special veterinary attention for recovery.  The causes of gastrointestinal problems are many such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, certain medications, or sometimes new foods.

Overweight

Obesity is considered one of the major health problems in dogs. Dogs become obese when they weigh 10-20% above their ideal body weight. Obesity reduces the quality of life and helps to develop diseases in your dog. The consequence of overweight includes diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and joint problems in your dog. This problem can be prevented through proper diet and adequate exercise. A proper diet including low carbohydrates and low fat can prevent this overweight problem in your dog.

Finally, as a concerned dog owner, be careful about these above 5 health problems in your dog. Whenever you see any symptoms of these conditions, please take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible for quick treatment.