Top 10 Common Dog Health Problems (and Solutions)

#10 – Heartworms

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As the name suggests, heartworms are worms that develop in the heart. Unfortunately, since this disease is transmitted through mosquito bites, any dog can catch it. And worse yet, it might be years before your dog shows any clinical signs that worms are forming inside the heart.

“This could be deadly eventually, and even if we try to treat it, it could be deadly as well. So it’s really important to prevent every year from June through November. There’s a really good product that can do it, that we apply every month on the animal.”

Ticks are parasites that attach themselves to your dog, cat or even to you. They feed on the host’s blood and transmit diseases like Lyme Disease:

“And this disease can actually cause really serious clinical signs. It could go from not feeling well, limping and fever, to renal or neurological disease, and can kill your animal eventually depending on where it’s located in the body.”

“There’s a treatment you can give. It’s a topical treatment as well, and you apply it everywhere on your animal. This product is called K9 Advantix, it’s a really good one. It treats for fleas and ticks and so you can actually be safe and your house can be safe of ticks.”

Like their owners, dogs are at risk of developing abnormal enlargements of their hearts; but that doesn’t mean your pup won’t live a normal life. The most common reason your dog might develop heart disease is aging, but heartworms and other health issues can also play a part.

“Heart disease is important to actually consult as soon as possible, because we want to try to slow down that process. This summer, try to be really careful: If it’s really warm and humid outside and your dog has heart disease, try to avoid activities outside with him because it’s going to be harder for him to react to this weather. Also, if your dog coughs at home, it’s really important to try to consult. So if you see that he’s out of breath lately and he’s been struggling with heat, then go consult your veterinarian to make sure that there’s no disease that we should assess as soon as possible.”

#7 – Cancer

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As in people, cancer is becoming more prevalent in dogs. While it can affect young pups, it mostly presents itself in older pooches. You may notice a lump, swelling, lesions, or a sudden change in your animal’s behavior; but whatever the case, it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible, because there are treatments available for dogs, including chemotherapy.

“In animals, we’re not trying to get rid of the tumor; we’re just trying to put it to sleep so the animal will feel better for a longer period. They’re not going to be as sick as humans.”

As dogs age, they can develop arthritis. Most of the time, it occurs in dogs that were born with an abnormality like hip dysplasia. But even so, it’s a manageable condition so it’s best to get an early diagnosis from your vet.

“The most important thing for your animal is to try to keep him at a good weight. Try to keep him as lean as possible. Obese dogs need to lose weight. There’s also medication and anti-inflammatories that are possible and there’s also exercise that you should do with your dog. Swimming this summer would be a really, really good one because it helps with the muscles and it helps with the joints and it doesn’t have any impact.”

This type of bronchitis is easily transmitted between dogs, whether at the dog park, kennel or anywhere dogs congregate. It affects the dog’s breathing and voice box, and can present itself as a harsh cough, sneezing, gaging or even vomiting. If left untreated, kennel cough can progress to pneumonia so it’s important to take care of it as soon as possible.

“There are vaccines and shots for that. So if your dog has to be boarded somewhere often or is often in contact with other dogs, then I would suggest the vaccination twice a year, so every six months. Or the vaccine can also be given every year.”

Many things can cause vomiting in dogs: a viral infection, bacteria, parasites, or even inflammation of the pancreas might be to blame. Younger dogs sometimes swallow foreign objects they should not ingest, which can get stuck in the stomach or GI tract and cause inflammation. Your dog may also vomit if he eats inappropriate foods like grapes, which can cause renal disease.

“The most important thing is that when your dog or cat is really small, go consult as soon as possible because they’re weaker, so they’re going to get dehydrated and sicker faster. Same thing when your dog is a bit older, because vomiting can cause some damage to the esophagus and we don’t want them to get dehydrated or to get consequences of that.”

Most dogs will have an ear infection during their lives. Moisture in the ear leads to the growth of bacteria or yeast, but can be caused by anything from bathing, to grooming to swimming. Summer is a common time for this infection to turn up, and that’s when you might notice redness in the ear or a really strong smell.

“It’s something that can be treated pretty easily with some drops in the ear, or sometimes we have to add some antibiotics as well. But this is something that should be treated, again, as soon as possible. The reason for that is that we want it to stay outside the ear and we don’t want it to go a little further into the canal which is harder to treat.”

This isn’t just a people problem: your dog’s health can also be negatively affected if he’s overweight. Keep your pets as lean, healthy and in shape as possible to help avoid problems like diabetes and joint disease. Work with your vet to create a meal and exercise plan that fits into your pooch’s lifestyle, because active dogs need a different amount and type of sustenance than more sedentary ones.

“It’s important not to restrict the amount of food you’re giving him if you want your dog or your cat to lose weight because then you might be faced with malnutrition. So really, ask your veterinarian what’s best for your dog, your style of life and the metabolism of your dog and then you can have a lean and healthy animal for as long as you can.”

Affecting 80 percent of dogs by age 2, gum disease is a common and potentially very serious doggie health problem. If you notice your pooch has stinky breath, the disease has already progressed further than is healthy: tartar is a bacteria, and as it accumulates it can enter the body through the gums. Without proper attention, this can lead to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and other serious issues.

“Animals need to have their teeth brushed just like humans. At least once a day you should brush the teeth of your animal with a special toothpaste for animals, because fluoride is toxic to dogs or cats. It’s really important to do it every day or every other day to make a difference.”