As a loving and devoted pet parent, nothing can worry you more than your dog getting sick. To protect their dogs from sickness, how often do dogs get sick is a frequently asked question by dog owners.
There is no fixed number that how many times a year a dog will be sick. Every breed and every dog is different and more prone to some health conditions than others.
Similarly, physically active dogs are at higher risk of catching infections and hurting themselves while playing.
If you don’t want to see your best buddy down due to illness, read this thread until the end. Scroll down to get an answer to some most frequently asked queries regarding dogs’ sickness.
Why Do Dogs Get Sick?
Like humans, there are a lot of reasons that can make your dog sick. These include:
• Food poisoning
• Overeating
• Food allergy
• Bacterial or viral infections of the digestive tract
• Inflammation of stomach
• Consumption of a poisonous substance
• Heart stroke
• Parvovirus
• Gastrointestinal worms
• Kidney, liver, and pancreatic problems
• Foreign body struck
• Accidents while playing
Whenever you see your dog eating grass, take him to the vet for inspection. Although in most cases, dogs eat grass just because they like the taste, in some cases, it is a sign of sickness. When dogs feel nauseous, they eat grass to feel better by improving digestion.
What Are The Signs Of Illness In Dogs?
Being a pet owner, you have a crucial role to play in diagnosing your buddy’s illness. You’ll be shocked to know that at least 10% of the pets that look healthy to their owners and vets are diagnosed with underlying illnesses during their annual checkups (alongside their regular vaccinations).
Your dog can’t communicate his sickness to you, but he shows some signs that are not his normal behavior. Whenever you observe signs that are not normal, take your dog to the veterinarian. Your dogs need immediate diagnoses if it exhibits the following signs:
• Blue or very pale gums
• Labored breathing
• Unconsciousness
• Unresponsiveness
• Severe vomiting/diarrhea
• Inability to walk
• Bloating
• Consistent urge to vomit
• Severe wounds or bleeding
• Seizures
• Acute pain symptoms
• Abnormally high body temperature
• Sudden/extreme change in mental state or cognitive function
You need to take your dog to the vet if the shows the following signs, but not in emergency. The inspection is particularly essential if the signs last for more than a day or two:
• Appetite changes
• Bad breathing
• Weight loss/gain
• Sluggishness
• Anxiety
• Mild vomiting
• Mild diarrhea
• Weakness
• Lameness
• Increased thirst
• Minor injuries or sores
• Frequent urination
• Constipation
• Frequent panting
• Dull and dry hair coat
• Dizziness and imbalance
• Other signs that are not normal
In some cases, you can deal with the sickness by talking to your vet on the phone. He can recommend some medications and precautions by the signs you’ll tell him. But when the symptoms prolong, you shouldn’t delay a visit to the vet’s clinic if you don’t want to risk your dog’s life.
What Common Illnesses Do Dogs Get?
Every breed is different, and so are the common health conditions they suffer. But regardless of the sex, breed, age, etc., there are some common illnesses that dogs can get, and these include:
• Parvovirus
• Distemper
• Kennel cough
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fleas
• Ticks
Your dog as a puppy is more prone to these illnesses. Also, the symptoms will be more serious in a pup than in an adult dog. So, make sure you plan a visit to the vet clinic to protect your pup or dog from getting severely sick.
How Often Do Dogs Get Sick After Vaccinations?
Dogs don’t get any serious sickness after vaccinations often. Some mild side effects last for a few hours or 1-2 days. These include:
• Soreness
• Swelling
• Tiredness
• Redness
• Pain
In rare cases, dogs experience some serious allergic reactions that need the vet’s help immediately. The common symptoms in such cases are:
• Persistent vomiting
• Persistent diarrhea
• Unconsciousness
• Swelling
• Rash
• Breathing difficulty
If you observe these signs after minutes to hours after vaccination, then they are due to vaccination. If the time gap increases, there are more chances that the reason for these signs is not vaccination.
How Preventive Care Testing Saves Dogs From Getting Sick?
Preventive care testing is often included in dogs’ annual health examinations. It helps the veterinarian to diagnose and treat the diseases with no obvious symptoms.
Preventive care testing includes:
• Chemistry and electrolyte tests to know if the dog is or not suffering from internal organ damage, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance
• Diagnostic tests for heartworm, tick-borne, and other infections
• Blood count tests to identify blood-related diseases
• Urine tests for urinary tract infections and other diseases that affect kidneys’ ability to concentrate urine
• A thyroid test to examine the functioning of the thyroid gland
• An ECG to screen heart rhythm can save your dog from underlying heart disease
In addition to these tests, your vet may recommend some tests after looking at your pup’s condition. Preventive care testing works as the best preventive measure in detecting diseases at an early stage. The earlier a disease is diagnosed, the better it can be treated without huge hospital bills.
Summary
Dogs are jolly creatures, which puts them at a greater risk of infections and accidents that can make them sick. Therefore, it is difficult to say that how many times a dog will become sick.
Although the frequency of getting sick varies from breed to breed, the reasons can be common. Some most common reasons that make your dog sick are listed in the post.
In addition to the diseases, you’ll see some common symptoms too. Your dog will show both mild and severe symptoms. After observing his symptoms, you should decide whether your dog needs a vet visit or not. Some conditions require immediate treatment, while others can be cured at home with some instructions from the vet over the phone.
You should be aware of some common illnesses that affect every dog as an adult and puppy. Moreover, your dog needs special attention after vaccination. In most cases, the side effects of vaccination go away in hours to days, but if they prolong, you need to take your dog to the vet.
Hold on to the preventive measures strictly if you want to keep your dog healthy and fit.