Unfortunately, the health of a dog is as at much risk of deteriorating as ours is, and when our pets’ health is on the verge of being in danger, we should all be aware of our dog health conditions so that we have more of a chance of fighting off the illnesses.

Let’s start having a look at some of the illnesses that out dogs can contract. There is a vast amount of different types of dog health issues, but there are a few that stand out:

Dog diarrhea: The same way as humans suffer from it, dogs do too. An upset stomach can be a result of food that irritates the dog’s bowels, or even a stomach bug that is going around targeting dogs.

Hip and back problems: Larger dogs will suffer from these problems the most because of the inability to grow large enough muscles to support their important bones and joints. Sausage dogs often suffer from very bad back problems because they have a very long and fragile spine that carries most of their weight.

Arthritis and general skin disease: Older dogs will suffer from these problems the most. As a human gets older, so will its body. Arthritis is very common with dogs, so their joints will get damaged as they grow older. Their skin can very well also start to deteriorate and skin diseases can start to form.

Luckily at this day in age, dog health insurance is available, so that it will not cost an arm and a leg for your dog to be seen to by a vet. The vet will do his or her utmost to help you with any dog health illness.

As it was said earlier in this article, there are many, MANY more dog illnesses and problems that can contribute to shortening your dog’s life, which emphasizes the point that we should all be increasingly aware of the symptoms of these horrible diseases and illnesses.

Leptospirosis

If you work or play outdoors, you and your pet may be at risk of exposure to an old bacterial disease that is getting a lot of new, and news attention recently. First identified in the late 1800’s, Leptospirosis, commonly called “Lepto”, is a bacterial disease. Veterinarians are finding Lepto more commonly because of an increased exposure of our pets to wildlife. It is rarely fatal, but can seriously damage the liver, kidneys, and eyes.

Veterinarians have used vaccines to protect dogs against Lepto for a number of years and these vaccines were successful in decreasing the incidence of the disease caused by the two most common strains of the bacteria that affected dogs. Now two other strains of Lepto have become more prevalent in dogs, so new vaccines to address these new strains have been developed.

With recent public awareness of possible side effects of vaccines in general, these new vaccines have met with mixed emotions from some veterinary practitioners, but most agree that the severity of the problems associated with Leptospirosis infection may outweigh possible vaccine-related risks.

“Should we do it?” asks Dr. Katherine Lunn, PhD, MRCVS, DACVIM of the Veterinary Referral Center in Waukesha, Wis. “I think so, as long as we evaluate the potential risks and discuss them with our clients. Like any medical procedure, vaccination has risks and benefits. The client and the veterinarian have to weigh these. If the vaccine were 100% safe, I would recommend vaccinating every patient. Acute kidney failure caused by Leptospirosis is devastating. I would not want my dog to experience it. But if side effects are common, then that’s a different story.”

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease- a disease that affects both animals and people. It is spread by a spirochete bacteria found in the urine of infected rodents, wildlife, and pets. The leptospira organisms enter the body through mucous membranes or through abraded skin. People and animals can become infected from direct exposure to infected urine, but also through contaminated environment, such as water or damp soil. People can even become infected at certain high risks jobs if they handle animals or animal products. The Lepto organism depends upon wet conditions for survival, therefore increased caution is advised during times of increased rainfall or when there is any standing water.

Leptospirosis is on the rise due to increased exposure to wildlife can carry the disease as urban and suburban areas continue to expand and encroach upon wild habitats. People and pets may be exposed to more animals such as raccoons, skunks, opossums, coyotes or deer that are infected with Leptospirosis. Livestock owners protect their animals such as pigs, cattle and goats with vaccinations and good husbandry.

Dr. Kenneth Harkin, a veterinarian and infectious disease specialist with Kansas State University says “While people may think of Lepto as a disease spread by wildlife, it can come from backyard wildlife, including raccoons- even city dogs can get Lepto.” He cautions that every pet owner needs to be aware that “Lepto is everywhere.”

People and pets can also become exposed to Lepto while camping or participating in outdoor recreational activities. Drinking or swimming in water that is infected with Lepto is the most common exposure, but wet soil can be contaminated as well, so be cautious when digging in damp ground. And don’t let living in a city be your dog’s only protection against a serious disease.

The signs of Leptospirosis can resemble many other diseases and illnesses. The first signs in dogs can be depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, weakness, and generalized pain. Affected dogs may also drink water and urinate excessively and have swollen, red, and painful eyes. Because these signs are common to other diseases and non-specific, owners may try to treat their pets at home for such problems as an upset stomach or arthritis. This delays proper diagnosis and treatment for their dog, and alss increases their own exposure to the disease. If caught early, treatment is usually effective and the survival rate is good. However, time is of the essence.

Dr. Harkin warns, “If you let it go for three to five days, or treat it with the wrong medication, it can cause irreversible kidney failure.”

Discuss the risks of Leptospirosis for your dog with your veterinarian. Ask if vaccinating your pet is appropriate. Lepto is extremely rare in cats, but horses can get the disease and there is no vaccine at this time to protect them. Leptospirosis in people can often begin with vague, flu-like symptoms. If you engage in outdoor work or activities, ask your doctor about protecting yourself.

Preventing Leptospirosis
Dogs should be vaccinated on a routine basis against the Leptospira bacteria. Unfortunately, there are many subtypes of the bacteria and vaccination against one subtype will not protect against another. Talk to your veterinarian about the most effective vaccine for the subtypes prevalent in your area.

Avoid drinking or swimming in water that is likely to be contaminated with wild animal urine. Keep your dog from drinking this water as well.

Control the rodent population and clean up areas where mice and rats may have urinated.

Wear protective clothing (rubber boots and gloves) when working with contaminated soil or other material on farms, in sewers, or during rodent control. Wash your hands after handling animals or possible contaminated material.

For more information on dog health and care as well as dog supplies and gifts, visit LuvUrDog.com

You can go to bed one night, with a perfectly healthy-looking, happy dog, and wake up in the morning to a very sick one – and, yes, the title of this article is not just a play on a popular expression, because Parvo has an unmistakable smell, as the diarrhea, which is frequently one of the first symptoms to appear with the latest 2c strain of this virus, is foul and unlike anything else you may have come across before.

We had one customer, in the Pacific Northwest, whose dog first showed symptoms of Parvo on a Sunday morning, and by later that afternoon, it was already dead.

Even when this virus doesn’t claim your dog’s life quite so quickly, too many people sit around for day after day, with their dog clearly not well, and doing absolutely nothing about it, because they think they have time.

But nothing could be further from the truth!

You know what dogs are like – most of them, if not all, absolutely love their food, so if you noticed that your dog skipped even one meal, wouldn’t you be concerned that something could be gravely wrong?

Even if one of our dogs throws up, if they’re healthy (and ours are), then they are ready to eat again just minutes later, so a dog that’s off his food for several hours (which is often the very first sign you’ll see that your dog has Parvo, provided you’re observant, of course) should be a massive, red warning sign.

Unfortunately, there is such a lot of bad advice around about Parvo that a lot of dog owners are lulled into a false sense of security.

People feel safe because:

• Their dog is vaccinated and up-to-date on all of its shots. And now for the reality: Parvo vaccines are not effective against the 2c strain (which is why many of our customers are finding that even their adult dogs are being infected, and dying, from this virus, even though they’ve had all of their vaccinations), and can even give your dog full-blown Parvo symptoms (particularly if your dog was vaccinated after he’s been infected, which is about the worst thing you can do).
• They have an adult dog, and everybody knows that Parvo only affects puppies. Oops, wrong again! Parvo may still primarily be a puppy illness, but more and more adult dogs are getting it now as well. If this sounds like a broken record, then we’re not making any apologies, but vaccinations don’t work like they used to – the latest 2c strain of Parvo is just too strong and most vaccines on the market today are only effective against the older 2a and 2b strains (and that’s not to mention the long-term issues with all vaccinations, which most vets won’t tell you about).
• They try to do the right thing by having their dog tested for Parvo at the vet’s, but do nothing because the test comes back negative. Reality check time again: the 2c strain of Parvo is well-known for generating a false-negative result, and this particularly applies to the in-clinic stool sample tests that are very popular these days. This means that although you are told your dog does not have Parvo, he actually does, and that leads to more days of inaction while your dog is getting sicker and sicker.
• They never take their dog outside, which means it won’t get infected by the Parvo virus. This is another myth, as one of the most common reasons why indoor dogs get Parvo is because they get it from their owners / breeders! It’s true, you can walk this virus into your house without even knowing it (or transmit it via your hands or clothes). That’s why we always suggest that people (including visitors) change their shoes whenever they go indoors.

So, given that there is a ton of bad advice and uninformed hearsay to be found, mainly on the Internet, of course, where can you go to get up-to-date and reliable information that you can use, knowing that, rather than harming your dog and making matters worse, it will actually increase his chances of surviving this most devastating of viruses?

This actually highlights another major issue to do with Parvo: many dog owners have never heard of Parvo (until their vet tells them that’s why their dog is sick), which means they don’t know what to look out for. Even more amazing, to us, is that we come across many breeders who know nothing about this virus either. For people in the doggie business, this is basic knowledge that you simply should have!

Well, the good news is that we have written a free, 100+ page ebook all about Parvo, called Parvo Treatment 101, that you can download to your computer in minutes.

This book contains more or less everything you need to know about Parvo (e.g. the symptoms, including the different types of stool to look out for, treatment options), which makes it a great place to start.

However, if your dog is already sick (i.e. a vet has confirmed that he has the Parvovirus, or he shows any of the classic symptoms, or even if you know he’s been exposed within the past few days), then you don’t have time to read this book now – you need to administer Parvo treatment right away, because there’s one thing you don’t have with this virus, and that is time. You can always read our free book later, once your dog is stabilized, or better.

We hope that you found this article both interesting and useful, and if it helps you save your dog’s life, even better. However, we do have a load more information about Parvo treatment for you, which is in addition to what’s in our free book.

We’d like to close by encouraging all dog owners to at least be educated about just how devastating this virus can be, and about the various treatment options (you don’t need to take your dog to the vet and spend anywhere from $500 USD to over $10,000 USD, for a success rate that offers no better odds than tossing a coin, because effective, inexpensive, safe Parvo home remedies do exist), so please, if you know anybody with a dog, then do forward this article, and/or our free book, on to them – you just never know who might need it, and there’s no better feeling than knowing that you’ve helped to save somebody’s beloved pet from an excruciatingly painful death from probably the most devastating doggie virus there is.

However, there are some conditions that occur more frequently in Dachshunds than other breeds.

Diseases of the Adrenal Gland

One common disease of the adrenal gland is Cushing’s Disease, or hyperadrenocorticism. In Cushing’s Disease, too much of the hormone cortisol is produced, either by a primary tumor or the adrenal gland, or a malfunction of the pituitary gland, which is the master gland that tells the adrenal gland how much cortisol to produce. The elevated cortisol level results in excessive drinking and urination, a pot-bellied appearance, skin conditions, hair loss and some times diabetes. Lab tests are performed to measure the cortisol levels and the ability of the adrenal gland to produce cortisol. Several drugs are can be used to decrease the level of cortisol. Occasionally, surgery may be needed to remove the adrenal gland if it is cancerous. Cushing’s disease can affect other breeds of dogs as well.

The opposite condition is called Addison’s disease or hypoadrenocorticsim (low cortisol). Whereas, Cushing’s takes some time to present itself, Addison’s disease is a sudden episode of collapse due to to low of glucose (blood sugar) and an imbalance of the electrolytes. The sudden illness results in an emergency visit to the veterinarian for cortisone injections and fluid therapy to correct the imbalances. Addison’s  is the most difficult disease to diagnose because the sudden collapse resembles many disorders. Specialized blood tests are needed to identify both Cushing’s and Addison’s Disease. Treatment of Addison’s disease is life-long treatment with prednisone (cortisone) and electrolytes.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Several eye diseases can affect Dachshunds, such as cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. PRA is a gradual deterioration of the retina, the back wall of the eye. The degeneration results with gradual vision loss and blindness. PRA is a genetic trait and because it often does not show up until the dog is older, the dog may have already been bred and passed the condition to the puppies. Unfortunately, there is no cure or treatment for PRA. Other eye diseases that can affect Dachshunds are glaucoma, cataracts, optic nerve hypoplasia, distichiasis (abnormal eyelashes) as well as other conditions. Regular eye exams can help detect these eye-disorders early.

Intervertebral Disc Disease

By far the most common disease of Dachshunds is related to the discs between the vertebrae (the bones of the spine). The disc is normally gelatinous and provides a cushion between the bones of the spine (back). In Dachshunds, this material some times calcifies, or hardens, and sometimes ruptures. The herniated disc causes swelling and pain around the spinal cord and the nerves coming out from the spinal canal. Early signs of a herniated disc are pain, a reluctance to jump up, partial paralysis and sometimes total paralysis or the rear legs,. The majority of Dachshunds with disc disease can be managed medically with pain medication and anti-inflammatory medications. Holistic medicine, such as chiropractic manipulation and acupuncture, is sometimes used to relieve the pain. With a complete rupture resulting in total paralysis, immediate surgery to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord may help restore full function in the legs. The sooner the surgery is preformed, the greater the chances of full recovery.

Researchers are using lasers to fuse or burn the discs in order to prevent future herniation. Because this is such a common problem in the Dachshund, I do recommend purchasing health insurance for your pet. Spinal surgery for herniated discs is very expensive and I have had the uneasy task of performing euthanasia on several Dachshunds because the owner’s were unable to pay for the surgery. A few of my patients that were partially paralyzed did recover some function of their legs over time. Some dogs may recover without surgery, but it is impossible to predict.

Vaccination Reactions

Allergic reactions to vaccinations does seem to occur in the Dachshund more often than any other breed. Usually, the reaction is minor, resulting in swelling of the face and muzzle and occasional hives. Vaccine reactions do occur with any dog, so it is wise to observe your pet for a few hours after receiving. Vaccines have improved over the past few years so reactions are fewer and the benefits of protecting your pet against the diseases outweighs the risks.

With good health care, Dachshunds can lead a long and healthy life. Proper diets, preventive health checks, vaccinations, heartworm and parasite prevention, and good dental care can help your Dachshund live longer.  You can find more information concerning your dogs health at LuvUrDog.com as well Dachshund breed gifts.