What are the common signs of ill-health in dogs and what causes them?
Posted by admin in Dog Supplies Q&A, Dog Supplies Tips, tags: Dog, Dog Advice, dog care, Dog Health, dog illness, dog Q&A, dog supplies, dog supplies advice, Pet Supplies, signs of illnessWhat are the common signs of ill-health in dogs and what causes them?
Ten of the most common signs of ill-health in the dog, and some of the commoner causes of these. It must be emphasized that none of these signs is attributable to a specific illness with a single cause. Each has a variety of causes which will usually require individual treatment. Obviously some causes of illness occur more frequently than others, although to some extent this depends on where the dog lives, i.e. whether in the town or country, and whether in a temperate or tropical climate. Other signs of illness, such as apparent anaemia and high temperature, are discussed later, in this and other chapters. Some causes, such as cancer, may affect the dog in a number of different ways. Only a few of the conditions listed in the table require further explanation here.
Tracheal collapse is a disorder which occasionally arises in middle aged or elderly dogs of the miniature and toy breeds. Instead of remaining like a rigid tube the trachea, or windpipe, becomes flattened from top to bottom, especially at the point where it enters the chest. The effect of this is to cause the animal to make a harsh vibrating sound when it breathes, and often to cough when it exercises or becomes excited.
Intussusception is the telescoping of a short (tubular) section of the bowel into the adjoining section of bowel, thereby producing a treble thickness of bowel wall over this length. It is usually associated with the increased formation of gas or irritation in the intestines and can result in complete obstruction to the passage of food. Prompt surgery is required to correct the condition; if it is allowed to persist there follows a rapid decline and death within one to two weeks.
Cushing’s syndrome and Addison’s disease are complex metabolic disorders due to the over-production and under-production respectively of the hormones known as corticosteroids by the adrenal glands, which are situated one in front of each kidney. For different reasons both of these disorders can be responsible for an increased consumption of water.
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