05 Mar Infectious Diseases of Dogs; Causes and Treatment (Part 1)

Caring for a dog is a big and important responsibility and to take good care of it, we must have enough information about proper nutrition, care tips as well as different types of dog diseases. Infectious problems are a group of canine diseases that cause infections in various parts of the body. In this article, we will talk about the types of dog infectious diseases and their symptoms, as well as ways to treat and prevent them. Fortunately, many of these diseases can be prevented with proper vaccination and care, and we can protect our dear dog from these diseases. So stay tuned.

The main symptoms of infectious diseases in the dog’s body

Infection can occur in dogs for a variety of reasons. Each infectious disease may have its symptoms. In fact, with these symptoms, a veterinarian can identify the exact cause of the problem. However, some symptoms can be seen in a variety of infections; such as:

• Fever (in some infections, fever is the only symptom)
• Shivering and sweating
• Decreased or loss of appetite
• Weakness and lethargy
• Cough
• diarrhea and vomiting
• Eye and nose discharge

Be sure to contact your veterinarian if your dog has any of the above symptoms and you notice a change in his behaviour.

Distemper infectious disease of dogs

Distemper virus is an infectious and highly contagious disease in dogs similar in structure and nature to the measles virus in humans. This dog disease can be very dangerous and deadly if not treated in time. The virus is transmitted to other dogs through body secretions such as coughing. Dogs that haven’t been vaccinated are at high risk for developing this infectious disease. Symptoms of distemper disease include runny nose and discharge from the eyes and nose, loss of appetite, and cough, which can sometimes lead to pneumonia, which is a type of respiratory illness in dogs. Distemper doesn’t have a specific treatment for viral disease and only supportive therapies can help reduce the symptoms and improve the dog. Vaccination is the best way to prevent this infectious and dangerous disease.

Giardia parasite

Giardia is a single-celled organism that can cause intestinal infections in dogs. Dogs that live in shared environments such as shelters and boarding houses are more susceptible to this infectious disease. Giardia parasites come in two forms: trophozoites and cysts. The trophozoite is a parasite that lives inside the host (dog) body, swims around until it finally attaches itself to the intestine. Cysts are a contagious type of Giardia disease that lives in our environment. Symptoms of Giardia include persistent or intermittent diarrhea and occasional vomiting; Of course, in many cases, there may be no symptoms. A veterinarian usually prescribes a variety of worming medications to treat this infectious parasitic disease.

Kennel Cough

Infectious canine bronchitis, also known as kennel cough, is another type of canine infectious disease. Several viral and bacterial organisms can cause it, and most are found in dogs living in shelters and boarding houses. Infected dogs transmit the virus or bacteria to other dogs through oral and nasal secretions. Symptoms of kennel cough disease include severe and sudden cough; In many cases, these coughs last for a short time and don’t require treatment. But sometimes these coughs can turn into a deadly and dangerous disease of pneumonia. In these cases, symptoms such as anorexia, fever and lethargy are also seen.

Determining whether a dog’s cough or kennel cough needs to be treated or not completely should be done by a veterinarian. Therefore, if your dog coughs, be sure to consult a veterinarian so that you can treat him as soon as possible. In most cases, quality and nutritious nutrition and good dog hygiene help to cure the disease faster; But in more severe cases, your veterinarian will need to prescribe antibiotics and other medications.

Rabies 

Rabies is an infectious disease of dogs that can be transmitted to humans. The disease is transmitted to dogs mainly through the bite of an infected animal. But it can take months, from the time the infection enters the dog’s body until the symptoms appear. But in cases where the bite is around the head and mouth, the infection reaches the brain much sooner and the course of the disease is shorter. There’s no cure for the disease, and when the clinical signs of the disease begin, such as abnormal aggression, the dog dies. Vaccination is the best way to prevent this dangerous disease and is one of the essential vaccines for dogs.