You want to keep harm away from your lovely new dog. According to Dr. Jim Dobies, a veterinarian at South Point Pet Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a member of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, the greatest thing you can do is offer him a nutritious, balanced diet.
He recommends doing so since it will help your puppy’s immune system fend off disease. He’s in stronger physical form to fend off sickness and make a full recovery.
Of course, there are certain things that even the best dog parents can’t keep their puppies safe from. In his first year of life, he may be susceptible to the following six ailments.
1. Parvovirus (Parvo)
Puppies between the ages of 12 weeks and 3 years old are most at risk from this extremely infectious canine sickness. Dog parvovirus is contagious and spreads rapidly via body fluids and unvaccinated dogs. Fortunately, most dogs are immunized against the virus beginning at six to eight weeks of age and then every three weeks until they are four months old (or until your veterinarian recommends).
In dogs, a CPV infection (parvo) manifests initially as a high temperature, and contagiousness is likely to be high among pups at this stage (to other dogs, not humans). Dr. Dobies warns that after a few days of symptoms including vomiting and bloody diarrhea, the patient will become dehydrated and weak.
A vaccine against parvovirus should be used as treatment. If you haven’t already, bringing your puppy to the vet means bringing him to the hospital, where he may get intravenous fluids and, in certain cases, medications to avoid sepsis, which can be deadly.
A period of three to seven days is required for recovery. Typically, puppies with parvovirus spend three to four days in the hospital before being discharged with medicine.
2. Distemper
Dog distemper vaccines are very efficient. Pups get their first immunization between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks, and then again between the ages of 9 and 12 weeks; “and after puppies have received one or two vaccinations they are immune,” explains Dr. Dobies. If you have questions about giving your dog the distemper vaccination, it’s best to talk to your vet.
According to him, the sickness “may truly be an unpleasant one.” In dogs, the first sign of distemper is an upper respiratory infection, shown by sneezing and watery eyes. The condition may progress to pneumonia or cause catastrophic neurological complications including encephalopathy if left untreated (brain damage).
Unfortunately, many veterinarians meet puppies with advanced symptoms of distemper because their parents first misdiagnosed the disease as a common cold. Dr. Dobies confirms that they are depressed.
Distemper in dogs requires medical treatment. For most people, this means receiving assistance while they are hospitalized.
Canine distemper has a long recovery period (weeks), and most canines are sent home from the hospital on breathing treatments.
Your puppy’s survival from canine distemper is good news and terrible news alike. The illness might remain latent and reappear when she is an adult. Since her condition would likely worsen from there due to neurological complications like seizures, her prognosis will worsen even worse.
3. The Common Cold of Dogs
Kennel cough, sometimes called infectious tracheobronchitis, is caused in dogs by a bacterial infection or airborne canine parainfluenza viruses. According to Dr. Dobies, “the illness name is a misnomer,” since animals outside of kennels may and do develop it. Puppies can be vaccinated against kennel cough beginning at six to eight weeks of age and then every six to 12 months after that.
Lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever are the first signs of kennel cough, followed by a deep, frequently productive cough in the case of pups. Kennel’s cough may develop into pneumonia if not managed.
Dr. Dobies advises that if you see your puppy coughing for no apparent reason, you should get him examined to rule out pneumonia.
Time to recover: kennel cough normally clears itself after 10-14 days.
4. Adenovirus
Infectious canine hepatitis is caused by adenovirus in dogs, but Dr. Dobies says it’s seldom seen these days because to modern immunizations. You may wish to inquire about canine adenovirus type-1 and type-2 from your doctor, even though the adenovirus vaccine is often administered in tandem with canine distemper vaccination.
It’s not easy to tell whether your dog has adenovirus, but the virus usually causes tummy troubles first, including vomiting and diarrhea, and then sometimes jaundice.
Nutritional and hydration assistance may be necessary throughout treatment. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and diuretics.
5. Leptospirosis
This bacterial illness, which is spread by ingesting contaminated water or urine, may damage both the kidneys and the liver. Between 10 and 12 weeks of age, and again between 13 and 15 weeks of age, your puppy may get a leptospirosis vaccine. If you’re considering getting your puppy vaccinated against leptospirosis, be sure to check with your vet first.
The flu-like symptoms of leptospirosis, such as vomiting, fever, and fatigue, are difficult to diagnose at first, according to Dr. Dobies.
The Use of Antibiotics in Treatment
Time to recover may be as long as four weeks or more if antibiotics are required due to the severity of the illness.
6. Vomiting (and Diarrhea)
The first thing to check for if your puppy has one of these diseases is intestinal parasites. Unless these are the case, your dog has probably ingested or licked something he shouldn’t have, which is why he’s now sick. Dr. Dobies claims that “nine times out of ten,” the food or drink that a person ingests will be expelled. One of the aforementioned disorders is a possible additional reason.
To treat, maintain access to fresh water and feed your puppy as needed, but this is less critical than keeping it hydrated. If your dog has been sick for more than 12 hours (vomiting) or 24 hours (diarrhea), you should take him to the vet for treatment. If your puppy isn’t feeling well, your vet may recommend a bland therapeutic diet.
If your dog has diarrhea or vomiting that isn’t caused by a parasite, it should be OK after 12 to 24 hours.