Medical Problems in Dogs

Distemper

• Distemper, an airborne virus similar to human measles, affects primarily puppies and older dogs when immunization is not up to date. Dogs with distemper exhibit elevated fevers, lethargy, diarrhea and vomiting. Visually identifiable symptoms include red, runny eyes and nasal discharge. Veterinarians diagnose distemper through blood or urine testing. While treatments exist for the symptoms of distemper, there is no known cure.

Kennel Cough

• Kennel cough is a broad term encompassing airborne viral and bacterial infections. The risk of contracting kennel cough elevates for dogs confined in areas with poor ventilation. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) refers to the cough this illness produces as "honking" and advises that "a white, foamy phlegm" may accompany this symptom. Veterinarians provide vaccinations against many causes of kennel cough, and treat the illness by prescribing cough suppressants, as well as recommending isolation of the dog and humidifying treatments.

Rabies

• While rabies is perhaps the most commonly known canine illness, instances of infected dogs in the U.S. are rare. Only 15% of bites from rabid animals result in infection, and rabies in dogs has declined due to annual vaccinations. Veterinarians cannot make a definitive diagnosis of rabies in a live animal, although certain behavior patterns are indicative of the illness. Rabid dogs will progress from nervous to aggressive behavior before experiencing paralysis in the muscles of the head and neck. Canine rabies infections are fatal.

Heartworm Disease

• In warm, moist climates, infected mosquitoes spread dirofilaria immitis, the parasite responsible for heartworm disease in dogs. Roundworm larvae migrate through the dog's bloodstream into the heart and respiratory system, where they grow to adulthood and reproduce, spreading organisms throughout the dog's bloodstream. Veterinarians prescribe preventative treatments for heartworm disease, which they diagnose primarily through electrocardiograph and urinalysis. Heartworm disease is treatable with medications and, in severe cases, surgery.

Mange

• Mange is the result of a burrowing mite infestation. In healthy adult dogs a normal immune system is enough to fight off demodectic and sarcoptic mange, the two canine, mange-causing mites. These mites more seriously affect older dogs with weakened immune systems and puppies. Symptoms of mange include hair loss and patches of thick bumpy skin, which secrete puss. Mange diagnosis involves skin analysis. Veterinarians treat this condition with dips in two medications: Paramite and Mitaban. Certain sulfur compounds have also proven effective in mange treatment.

Arthritis

• Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, refers to inflammation of either multiple joints or a single area. Primary degenerative joint disease affects multiple joints and has no known cause. Abnormal wear and tear on a joint due to obesity or a genetic deformity which affects a single joint can result in secondary degenerative joint disease. Symptoms include muscle stiffness or decreased activity, and veterinarians diagnose both conditions through physical examination. While neither type of this disorder has a definitive cure, medication, physical therapy and surgery can treat symptoms and slow the degeneration of joints.