A
recent analysis of the veterinary claims made in 2008
revealed the year’s most common dog health problems.
1.
Ear Infections
Ear Infections are the most common overall dog health
problem reported by veterinarians, with an estimated
20% of dogs being affected. The severity, diagnosis
and treatment can vary from dog to dog, so learning
to recognize the symptoms, having them assessed by
your veterinarian and administering the correct treatment
will relieve your dogs suffering as quickly as possible.
There
are several signs of a dog ear infection:
•
A strange, often foul odor coming from the inner ear
• Consistent scratching and rubbing of the ear
and/or head
• Discharge in the ear
• Overall changes in behavior including depression,
tiredness and irritability
• Pain or tenderness of the entire ear area
• Redness or swelling of the inner ear
• Vigorous shaking of the head and tilting to
a favored side
Dog
ear infections, however are widely varied and there
are a number of different causes including allergies,
foreign particles, heredity, hormonal imbalances,
parasites and trauma.
2. Skin Conditions
Skin
conditions are second in the list of common dog health
problems. Your dog’s skin is their body’s
largest organ and is reflective of your dog’s
overall health, both mental and physical, and can
be affected by inside as well as outside sources.
Because of this it can be difficult to determine what
the exact cause of the problem might be.
Dog
skin conditions and dog skin disorders may show one
or more of the following symptoms:
• Chronic inflammation of the inner ear canal
• Foul odor to the skin
• Greasy coat
• Hair loss
• Itching- mild to severe
• Large brown flakes
• Pimples and blisters that may discharge blood
or pus
• Redness and irritation
• Scabs or crusts
• Very dry skin
• Dog Warts
Common
Causes of dog skin conditions include parasites –
(fleas, ticks, lice, mange, ringworm), poor quality
food, toxic environmental pollutants, vaccinations,
Atopic Dermatitis, psychological factors, and allergies
While
the exact cause will need to be diagnosed and treated,
there are a number of things you can do to make your
dog more comfortable, which include applying Aloe
Vera or Milk of Magnesia to the affected area or giving
your dog an Oatmeal Shampoo.
3.
Pyoderma/Hot Spots
Hot
Spots, are a dog health problem known as Moist Eczema
or Acute Moist Pyoderma and are commonly called summer
sores. The symptoms are suddenly appearing, wet, circular
patches of infection on the skin which create intense
itching and irritation. They can be very painful,
often discharging pus and can spread very quickly.
Hot Spots can spread very rapidly across the skin
surface and beneath the fur so they may be difficult
to see, although common symptoms will be your pet
scratching, licking and biting. Hotspots can get much
worse within a matter of hours, in some cases leading
to an extremely painful situation.
Treatment
for hotspots involves drying the area, which may mean
shaving the area of hair, to allow air space and healing.
Daily cleaning of the Hot Spot with hydrogen peroxide,
sterile saline or an astringent (preferably one with
an antibiotic), every two-four hours for the first
few days, will speed up the healing. Keep the area
clean for at least a week, by which time you should
see a clear improvement. Once they are no longer oozing,
simply keeping the Hot Spot area clean will be all
that's needed.
Some dogs never have hotspots while others can’t
get rid of them, and they are often linked to allergies
to diet or shampoo. Other factors commonly include
flea or tick bites, matted hair and warm weather.
It
is vital that you learn to recognize the symptoms
of dog health problems as your dog can’t tell
you when something is wrong. By being vigilant of
your dog’s behavior and overall wellbeing you
will be able to pick up any signs, and solve their
problems much quicker.