While it is true that dogs can develop and suffer diseases throughout their lives, there are two stages in which they are more prone to them, since they are not as strong. We refer to the puppy and senior dog stage. This time we will talk about the common diseases of puppies, which must be borne in mind in case we must combat them.
There are some diseases that are frequent and others that occur less frequently, but the truth is that all of them can affect our puppies, which are in one of the most vulnerable stages of their lives. That is why we are going to learn a little more about them.
Parvovirus
El canine parvovirus or parvovirus It is a disease that does not occur as frequently as other minor ailments, but it must be taken into account due to its severity. This virus can end the life of a puppy in a matter of hours, so you have to go urgently to the vet when you see the first symptoms. Symptoms quickly get worse. The dog is down, has vomiting with foam and the most characteristic is that it has diarrhea with dark blood. This virus is very resistant and can last a long time outside the carrier, making it very dangerous. This is one of the reasons why we should not take our puppy out on the street until it is vaccinated.
Distemper
This is another disease that you may have serious consequences in a puppy and even in an adult dog that is not vaccinated. Canine distemper can be fatal in some cases and should be treated as a serious disease for the dog and even more so for a puppy. Of course, it differs from parvovirus in that it does not resist outside the carrier so it is much easier to avoid. In this case there must be direct contact with the tears or secretions from the nose. It can also happen that the dog sneezes, since this disease resembles the common flu of humans. In this case, the dog spreads the virus in the form of an aerosol, spreading even more. To avoid contagion, you only have to quarantine the sick dog until it is cured. As always, the intervention of the veterinarian will be essential. Recognizing it at first is not easy, since this disease can manifest itself in many ways. From fever to seizures, diarrhea and finally sneezing and greenish discharge.
Hepatitis
This is another of those diseases with which you have to be very careful, since once infected we can hardly save the dog. It is usually contagious in the first year of life and it is possible to catch it by coming into contact with the secretions or stools and urination of an infected dog. This hepatitis can show itself in a super-acute form, in which the dog dies in a matter of hours and hardly anything can be done, with symptoms similar to those of poisoning. In its acute form, the dog can live for about five days and have fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and other symptoms similar to those of other viruses such as parvovirus. It can also occur chronically, severely affecting the dog, deteriorating the liver.
Parasites
The parasites that the dog takes in its first months are something normal, since it comes into contact with the mother's waste and she licks it constantly. Before giving any vaccine, the vet will have to deworm the dogs internally and it is common to see worms in their feces. It is not something alarming, since most of them have this problem, but it should be done when the veterinarian considers it and not wait, because these parasites can weaken the dog's body and cause fever and abdominal swelling.
giardiasis
Giardiasis is an intestinal protozoan which can lead to diarrhea in the dog. Sometimes the symptoms are not shown, but in general diarrhea and bad smell in the breath usually appear. As diarrhea and intestinal problems are usually common in dogs, we may not be aware of it. However, if stomach problems persist, you should always go to the vet, because this type of thing can greatly weaken a growing puppy. Giving him immediate treatment so that he recovers and begins to regain strength is essential for him to grow in a healthy way.
How to avoid illness
A puppy is very vulnerable to all kinds of diseases because his body is not yet ready to deal with many of them. That is why you have to try to prevent them from contracting them as much as possible. If we are going to deal with other dogs outside the home, we must always change our clothes and shoes to go with our puppy. It must be remembered that there are some viruses that survive outside the carrier and for a long time, such as parvovirus. If we know that a dog may be sick, it is better to avoid contact. On the other hand, it would be convenient leave your shoes at the entrance, so as not to walk around the house with them, something that can also spread certain viruses.
Another thing that we should not do is take the dog for a walk without having given all the first vaccinations, since it is unprotected. Must consult with the vet when it would be appropriate to take the dog for a walk due to its health condition. In the same way, we must not wet or bathe him and if we do we must dry him immediately so that he does not get sick, because his body still lacks sufficient defenses.
If you have any problem, you have to go to the vet, since illnesses in the puppy can be aggravated in a matter of hours. At the vet, it is necessary to avoid that it comes into contact with other dogs because of what we have said before, since we do not know if they are totally healthy.