Common Dog Diseases/The Most Common Dog Illnesses/Symptoms and Treatment

Common Dog Diseases/The Most Common Dog Illnesses/ Symptoms and Treatment

Canine Distemper

Canine distemper is a highly contagious, systemic, viral disease of dogs seen worldwide. Clinically, canine distemper is characterized by:
a diphasic fever, leukopenia, GI and respiratory catarrhal and frequently pneumonic and neurologic complications.

Aetiology:

Canine distemper virus, or CDV, is a paramyxovirus closely related to the viruses of measles and rinderpest.
Transmission and Pathogenesis:
a-)The main route of infection is via aerosol droplet secretions from infected animals.
b-)The virus initially replicates in the lymphatic tissue of the respiratory tract.
c-) Viremia
which is followed by infection of respiratory, GI, and urogenital epithelium, as well as the CNS and optic nerves. The disease follows virus replication in these tissues.

 Clinical signs

1-Anorexia
2-Transient Fever for a week
3-Leukopenia
4-Merus nasal discharge
5-Mucopurulent ocular discharge
6-Lethargy
7-Hyperkeratosis of the footpads and epithelium of the nasal planum
8-Localized involuntary muscle twitching
9-Chewing gum fits
10- Circling
11- Focal to generalized seizures

 Lesion

Hyperkeratosis of the nose and footpads.

 Prevention of Canine Distemper 

To overcome this barrier, pups are vaccinated with MLV vaccine when 6 wk old and at 3- to 4-wk intervals until 16 wk old.

 Canine Parvo Virus :

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that commonly causes GI disease in young, unvaccinated dogs. CPV is characterized by anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, and bloody diarrhoea.

Clinical signs:

Clinical signs of parvoviral enteritis generally develop within 5–7 days of infection but can range from 2–14 days.  Initial clinical signs may be nonspecific (eg, lethargy, anorexia, fever) with progression to vomiting and hemorrhagic small-bowel diarrhoea within 24–48 hours. Approximately 25% of dogs may have nonhemorrhagic diarrhoea. 

Physical examination findings can include depression, fever, dehydration, and intestinal loops that are dilated and fluid-filled. Abdominal pain warrants further investigation to exclude the potential complication of intussusception. Severely affected animals may present collapsed with prolonged capillary refill time, poor pulse quality, tachycardia, and hypothermia signs that are potentially consistent with septic shock. Although CPV associated leukoencephalomalacia has been reported, CNS signs are more commonly attributable to hypoglycemia, sepsis, or acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities. Inapparent or subclinical infection is common.

 Diagnosis:

Confirmation by faecal parvoviral antigen testing or viral PCR

  Prevention :  

1-To limit environmental contamination and spread to other susceptible animals. 
2-To prevent and control CPV, vaccination with a modified-live vaccine is recommended at 6–8, 10–12, and 14–16 weeks of age, followed by a booster administered 1 year later and then every 3 years. 

  Treatment: 

Treatment is based on supportive care, including fluid and electrolyte therapy, nutritional support, anti-emetics, and antibiotics.

Leptospirosis in Dogs:

Overview:

Leptospirosis in dogs is an infectious disease caused by bacteria in the genus Leptospira.
Clinical signs range from mild, subclinical infection to multi-organ failure and death. Diagnosis includes serologic testing and identification of leptospires in tissues, blood or urine. Doxycycline is the primary drug used for treatment in dogs, along with appropriate supportive care. Polyvalent vaccines are available for prevention. Specific serovars in a geographic area vary, so vaccines with the appropriate types should be used.

➡️Signs and symptoms in Dogs:

Acute kidney injury has been the most common presentation for canine leptospirosis in recent years. Dogs affected by leptospirosis may show these clinical signs:
Lethargy
Anorexia
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Polyuria, oliguria, or anuria

Muscle pain
stiffness
weakness
Trembling, or reluctance to move can be seen in dogs with leptospirosis. 

CBC changes may include:

Neutrophilia
Lymphopenia
Monocytosis
Mild anaemia

Urinalysis may reveal:

Hyposthenuria,
 Isosthenuria
Hypersthenuria
Depending on the degree of renal
involvement
Proteinuria
Glucosuria
Hematuria
Pyuria

Changes noted on ultrasonography include:

Renomegaly
Perinephric effusion
Hyperechoic medullary band

Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in Dogs:

Use of the MAT is preferred over the ELISA. PCR-based tests are widely available, and collection of both blood and urine samples before administration of antibiotics should be considered for maximal sensitivity. 

Prevention in Dogs:

In general, currently available vaccines provide good protection from clinical disease and also appear to reduce renal colonization and urine shedding. 

Zoonotic Risk of Leptospirosis in Dogs:

Because leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, all veterinary personnel should take appropriate precautions when handling known or suspected infected animals.

Kennel Cough  (Canine infectious tracheobronchitis) 

Kennel Cough  (Canine infectious tracheobronchitis) is a highly contagious respiratory disease. Dogs commonly contract kennel cough at places where large amounts of canines congregate, such as boarding and daycare facilities, dog parks, training groups, and dog shows. Dogs can spread it to one another through airborne droplets, direct contact (e.g., touching noses), or contaminated surfaces (including water/food bowls). It’s highly treatable in most dogs but can be more severe in puppies younger than six months of age and immunocompromised dogs.

Aetiology:

1-Bordetella bronchiseptica
2- Canine parainfluenza virus and 3-Mycoplasma spp. are the most frequent causative agents.

Symptoms:

If your dog is affected with kennel cough, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
A strong cough, often with a “honking” sound  is the most obvious symptom
Runny nose
Sneezing
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Low fever

Diagnosis:

Swabs from the nose or throat and washings from the trachea and lower respiratory tract can be used for the identification of the causative agent. Blood samples may be taken for serology for some of the common viruses (Pi, CAV). As there is quite a range of pathogens that cause Canine Cough, it is important to establish the aetiology accurately.

Prevention:

Vaccination is obviously the best and easiest way to protect dogs against canine cough, especially for dogs kept together nearby who are especially at risk.