Common Canine Diseases

Objectives

• Understanding Canine Diseases:
  • Major categories of canine diseases.
  • Symptoms and causes of these diseases.
  • Proper prevention and treatment strategies.

Disease Categories

1. Viral
2. Bacterial
3. Genetic
4. Parasitic

Viral Diseases

• Overview of Viral Diseases:
  • Viruses are microscopic agents that only exist to multiply within the host.
  • Most infectious dog diseases are viral in nature.

Canine Distemper

• Significance:
  • Considered the most serious viral disease affecting dogs.
  • About 50% of non-vaccinated dogs develop symptoms, with a mortality rate of approximately 90% among symptomatic cases.
  • More prevalent in puppies younger than three months.
• Causes:
  • Caused by a virus closely related to the human measles virus.
  • Highly contagious through air and physical contact.
• Symptoms:
  • Fever and depression.
  • Vomiting and bloody diarrhea.
  • Coughing and labored breathing.
  • Seizures and nervous twitching.
  • Paralysis, and inflammation around the eyes and nose.
  • Can lead to hardening of the nose and pads.
• Prevention and Treatment:
  • Vaccination recommended every three to four weeks from six to 16 weeks of age, with annual boosters.

Canine Parainfluenza

• Overview:
  • Highly contagious respiratory disease causing upper respiratory infections and infectious tracheobronchitis.
• Causes:
  • Contracted through direct contact or airborne.
  • Environmental factors, such as drafts and cold, can increase susceptibility.
• Symptoms:
  • Coughing.
  • Fever and nasal secretion.
  • Conjunctivitis and tonsillitis.
  • Lethargy and anorexia.
• Treatment:
  • Vaccination can reduce severity and is administered at four-week intervals from eight to 16 weeks of age, with annual revaccinations.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis

• Overview:
  • Extremely contagious disease affecting the liver and other organs.
• Causes:
  • Contact with infected animals or contaminated objects.
  • Transmission through inhalation or by fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.
• Symptoms:
  • Variable severity ranging from mild to severe, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite.
  • Jaundice, bleeding from nose and gums, bloody vomit and diarrhea.
  • Enlarged abdomen, disorientation, seizures, and coma; death can occur within five days.
  • Approximately 25% of infected dogs may develop temporary clouding of the cornea.
• Treatment:
  • No known cure; supportive treatments include intravenous fluids, fasting, blood transfusions, antibiotics, and eye drops.
  • Vaccination is critical, with injections at 10 weeks, 14 weeks, and annual boosters recommended.

Canine Coronavirus

• Overview:
  • Particularly affects young puppies, with detection possible through electron microscopy.
• Causes:
  • Major source of infection is the virus present in feces.
  • Environmental stressors (crowding, unsanitary conditions) may favor disease development.
• Symptoms:
  • Vomiting and diarrhea (feces may be watery and streaked with blood), dehydration, depression, and anorexia.
  • Mortality rate is low.
• Prevention and Treatment:
  • Best prevention is avoiding contact with other dogs and their secretions.
  • Effective disinfection of shelters and equipment with a 3% hypochlorite solution.

Canine Parvovirus

• Overview:
  • Enteric disease primarily affecting puppies.
  • Those infected usually remain somewhat unhealthy for life.
• Causes:
  • Transmission occurs through contact with the bodily fluids of infected dogs.
• Symptoms:
  • Bloody diarrhea that is foul-smelling and sometimes yellow.
  • Vomiting, high fever, and lethargy.
• Prevention and Treatment:
  • No known cure; supportive therapy required to manage symptoms, which includes fluid therapy, regulating electrolytes, controlling body temperature, and blood transfusions.
  • Vaccination beginning at six to eight weeks of age is essential.

Rabies

• Overview:
  • Long recognized as a significant deadly disease affecting the nervous system, causing encephalitis.
  • Diagnosis is confirmed post-mortem through brain examination.
• Causes:
  • Transmitted via the body fluids of infected animals, particularly through bites.
  • Saliva and blood can also be vectors for transmission.
• Symptoms:
  • Initiates with prodomal stage lasting 2-3 days: behavioral changes, fever, slow eye reflexes, and chewing at the bite site.
  • Followed by the furious stage lasting 2-4 days: irritability, restlessness, barking, aggression, agitated roaming behaviors.
  • Lastly, the paralytic stage lasts 2-4 days characterized by paralysis, depression, comatose state, and respiratory failure leading to death.
• Prevention and Treatment:
  • Vaccination is crucial and often mandated by local regulations; it boasts one of the highest compliance rates among dog vaccinations.
  • All dogs should be vaccinated to mitigate rabies spread.

Bacterial Diseases

• Overview of Bacterial Diseases:
  • Caused by bacteria, which are microscopic, rapidly multiplying organisms that can produce toxins affecting normal activity in the host.

Canine Leptospirosis

• Overview:
  • Acute infectious disease, diagnosed through blood and urine lab testing.
• Causes:
  • Contact with infected urine, ingestion of contaminated water, as well from contact during breeding or gestation, ocular contact, or ingestion of infected animal flesh.
• Symptoms:
  • Depression, loss of appetite, fever, jaundice, uremia.
  • Vomiting, excessive urination, dehydration, difficulty breathing, muscular tremors.
• Treatment and Prevention:
  • Vaccines available.
  • Infected dogs require quarantine and thorough disinfection of contaminated areas.

Lyme Disease

• Causes:
  • Transmitted through the bite of an infected tick, which must remain attached for at least one day to facilitate bacteria transfer.
• Symptoms:
  • Generalized pain, swollen joints, anorexia, high fevers, lameness, potential neurological disorders, swollen lymph nodes.
• Treatment and Prevention:
  • Managed with antibiotics; treatment can be prolonged.
  • Prevention through tick avoidance practices.
  • A vaccine exists, given in a two-dose series at two-week intervals, with annual revaccination.

Brucellosis

• Symptoms:
  • Associated with the reproductive system.
  • In females, can lead to abortion after 45-55 days of gestation.
  • Males may show inflamed epididymis, resulting in infertility and larger numbers of abnormal sperm in semen.
  • Common symptoms include lethargy, loss of libido, premature aging, and lymph node enlargement.
• Treatment and Prevention:
  • Principal control strategy is the elimination of infected dogs.
  • Yearly testing of breeding stock is necessary to prevent spread.
  • Treatment can be long-term and costly; males may be left sterile.

Genetic Diseases

• Overview of Genetic Diseases:
  • Over 300 genetic conditions exist that can affect dogs.
  • Many impacts can be mitigated through responsible breeding practices.

Cataracts

• Overview:
  • Condition characterized by clouding of the eye lens.
• Causes:
  • Most cases are genetically transmitted.
  • Other factors include aging, trauma, dietary deficiencies, electric shock, or exposure to toxins.
• Symptoms:
  • Behavioral changes such as bumping into objects, failing to retrieve toys, and increased separation anxiety.
• Treatment and Prevention:
  • Surgical removal is the only effective treatment, often with intraocular lens implantation.
  • About 90-95% of patients achieve good to excellent vision post-surgery.

Canine Hypothyroidism

• Overview:
  • Most commonly diagnosed endocrine disease in dogs caused by underproduction of the hormone thyroxin, crucial for growth and metabolism.
• Causes:
  • Primarily genetic; may also arise from surgery, cancer, or low iodine in diet.
• Symptoms:
  • Weight gain, skin diseases, lethargy, decreased exercise tolerance, reproductive issues.
  • Often referred to as the "great imitator" since it mimics symptoms of various other diseases.
• Treatment:
  • Thyroid hormone supplementation prescribed orally once or twice daily.

Diabetes Mellitus

• Overview:
  • Metabolic disorder marked by difficulty in transporting sugar into cells, either congenital or acquired.
  • Common in middle-aged to older dogs.
• Symptoms:
  • Excessive drinking and urinating, coupled with weight loss.

Bloat

• Overview:
  • Life-threatening condition where the stomach enlarges due to gas, causing dilation or twisting that hinders food passage and circulation, risking shock and death.
• Causes:
  • Primarily affects deep-chested and large dogs; risk factors include rapid eating, underweight dogs, anxious temperaments.
  • Males are statistically more likely to bloat than females.
• Symptoms:
  • Anxiety, restlessness, excessive panting, salivation, abdominal swelling, increased heart rate, and signs of poor circulation.
• Treatment and Prevention:
  • Treatment often demands costly veterinary intervention.
  • Emergency care may involve IV fluids, steroids, antibiotics, and sometimes surgery.
  • Feeding in smaller amounts, staggering meals, and preventing exercise post-meal can help mitigate risks.

Parasitic Diseases

• Overview:
  • Parasites include both internal forms such as worms and protozoa, and external forms like fleas and ticks.
  • Severe untreated infections can result in fatal consequences.

Coccidiosis

• Overview:
  • Infection caused by a single-celled organism.
  • Diagnosed through stool samples, blood tests.
• Causes:
  • Dogs contract the disease through ingesting contaminated fecal eggs.
• Symptoms:
  • Often asymptomatic; but pups and weak adults may show diarrhea, dehydration, and vomiting; severe cases can lead to death.
• Treatment and Prevention:
  • Antibiotics prescribed for periods ranging from one to 14 days to eliminate infection.
  • Environments need regular disinfection to prevent reinfection.

Assessment Questions

• Questions about Canine Diseases:
  1. What are the four categories into which canine diseases can be classified?
  2. Identify the microscopic disease agents responsible for canine diseases.
  3. What disease is recognized as the most serious viral affliction in dogs?
  4. Name the oldest and the most well-known of canine diseases.
  5. What are the three stages of rabies?
  6. Identify the disease caused by a tick's bite.
  7. What condition involves the clouding of the eye's lens?
  8. Which disease is the most commonly diagnosed endocrine disorder in dogs?
  9. How many genetic diseases are recognized in dogs?

Acknowledgements

• References:
  • http://www.lbah.com/Canine/Canine_Diseases.html
  • http://www.dresslersdog.com/diseases.html
  • http://www.br.cc.va.us/vetech/candis.htm
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