Dogs are the best friend of humans. Who has not had a heartwarming companion like this? They are our faithful partners and there are people who treat them like the very king of the house. We go beyond our limits to protect our pets and they can are so important to us they can even result in legal battles, like with former top pick in NFL lines move Jerod Mayo, who lost his dog after its trainer left him to starve in a closet.

Therefore, to make sure your pet is always healthy we will tell you today how to prevent some sicknesses. Here are some common diseases that can kill your dog if you do not get to assist it quickly or give it the necessary care.

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)

This disease of viral and infectious origin does not only affect dogs, but also some wild animals such as foxes, mustelids, ferrets, among others. This virus attacks the epithelia of various tissues of the body. First, it affects the respiratory system, producing nasal secretions, sneezing and coughing. What may seem like a simple cold can be much worse.

CDV is transmitted in contact with another infected animal, or through the contact of fecal secretions, urine or saliva.

Distemper, also known as “Carrés disease” advances through the body of the dog causing problems first in the respiratory system and ganglia, and then attacks the digestive system causing diarrhea and vomiting, fever and lymphopenia. Finally, it affect the central nervous system. In this stage, it begins to be eliminated through the epithelia in different secretions.

Note that there is no specific cure for neurological distemper. If left untreated, it can lead the dog to complete paralysis. The best thing is to give good veterinary support. It is also said that the measles vaccine serves as protection, although it is still debated.

Symptoms

• You will see a change of mood in the dog.
• Failure in the immune response.
• Nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, vomiting.

To prevent this virus, you must vaccinate your dog every year, keep it clean and give it the necessary care and attention.

Canine Rabies

This disease is one of the most common and can be spread from any animal. In addition to affecting the dog in a lethal way, this virus can also be transmitted to humans, affecting the central nervous system.

Dogs are the main carriers of this virus, mainly those that were not vaccinated or received timely care. Symptoms can be seen in phases:

1. Prodromal Phase or First Stage: Lasts around three days. We can see changes in the behavior of the dog such as being nervous, anxious and scary, isolating itself from its regular environment.
2. Furious Phase or Second Stage: It can last from a day to a week. The most common symptoms - although not present in all dogs equally - are irritability, hyperactivity, and extreme aggression. It can also present seizures and disorientation. In this stage, the dog begins to bite everything that is crossed.
3. Paralytic Phase or Last Stage: Some dogs die before reaching this stage. In this, the muscles of the neck and head are paralyzed, preventing them from swallowing saliva followed by respiratory failure to end the life of the dog.

The rabies virus has no cure, so the infected animal will end up dying. However, you can always prevent infection by keeping your dog's vaccines up to date.

Canine Leptospirosis

Also known as "dog typhus" it begins with an increase in temperature, vomiting, and anorexia. All this accompanied by the particular curvature of the spine upwards called Kyphosis, caused by the permanent pain.

It begins with renal disorders followed by ulcerations in the buccal mucosa and bad breath. A stage that lasts about two weeks, with a mortality of 70% to 90% of affected dogs.

There are treatments such as the combination of streptomycin and penicillin, added to a symptom reversal treatment, plus a high-calorie diet low in protein.

Canine Parvovirus

Although it is one of the most common viral diseases in dogs, there is not much information about it. It mainly affects the immune system, exposing them to infections. Some symptoms that we can identify are:

• Difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Depression
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Isolation
• Sparkling vomiting
• Diarrhea

When the virus attacks the heart, to the previous symptoms are added the toning of the body, dyspnea and in severe cases or in puppies myocarditis, ending with the sudden death of the animal.

As always, the best care is prevention. Maintain hygiene, deworm it and, above all, vaccinate it.

Now you will have more resources to identify and prevent this and other types of diseases that affect our dear friends. If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms in your dog, visit the veterinarian with your vaccination plan up to date to treat these conditions better from the beginning. Remember that our pets always need us, as we need them too.