Andrea Rosebrock 
Caring for your pet dog naturally includes not just simply providing food and shelter, but more importantly giving priority to maintaining health and well being. This means having an extensive knowledge on what are the most common ailments that can possibly snuff out the life of your adorable pooch unceremoniously. This is but part and parcel on the responsibility you have taken on in adopting a dog and welcoming him as a member of the household.
Although dogs have been known to be exuberant, feisty and resilient in nature, they too fall prey to some of to deadly diseases. As a dependable and concerned pet owner, it is vital that you are able to adeptly evaluate your pet’s health and detect some signs and symptoms that can possibly lead to one of canine’s most dreaded diseases. Similar to human beings, your pet’s welfare will greatly rely on early detection and timely action. With sufficient knowledge, you might be able to see your pet’s illness with a more educated eye rather than haplessly assuming your one spirited dog is just having a not-so good day.
So here is the list of the 5 most common and highly dangerous illnesses in the world or canines. By properly pinpointing telltale symptoms, you can effectively prolong the life of your pet and build a more harmonious and healthy family life, all with your precious pet in tow.
Canine Distemper
This is considered to be the most fatal viral diseases all over the world. Statistics show that there is approximately 90% probability of death for dogs diagnosed with canine distemper and 50% chances of non-immunized and non-vaccinated dogs to contract this highly dreaded disease. More often than not, puppies three months and below are more at risk. Clinical signs of anorexia, depression, and vomiting and bloody diarrhea along with respiratory distress are among the initial symptoms of canine distemper. Dogs are known to suffer extreme difficulty in breathing; inflammation of eye and nose tissues and mucopurulent oculonasal discharges may be present in certain cases.
Transmission – canine distemper is primarily transmitted through airborne viral particles that canines breathe in. However, there have been reported cases of human contracting the said virus or what is clinically known as CDV infection. The good news is people that are immunized with measles as also well protected against this disease.
Symptoms - gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms such as:
- Conjunctivitis
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Pneumonia
- Rhinitis
- Vomiting
- Paralysis
- Seizures
Progressive deterioration of mental abilities
Treatment – there is no known cure for canine distemper, although one can offer supportive treatment that includes providing a warm environment, keeping eyes and noses free from any discharges, provide medications for diarrhea and antibiotics for pneumonia.
Preventive Measures – vaccination is still the best prevention for canine distemper since it is known to work even if the animal is exposed to the virus provided it is efficiently administered within 4 days. To effectively ensure long-lasting immunity, dogs should be provided annual vaccinations.
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