1. Allergies
It is not only us humans who can develop allergies, but also our fur-children too. This includes skin allergies, food allergies and contact allergies which manifests by frequent scratching. If you notice your dog scratching frequently, you should go to your vet. Allergies can also be caused by fleas or mites.
2. Ear infections
This disease is common in dog breeds with long, hanging ears like cocker spaniels, beagles or basset hounds. Heat accumulates in the ears – which is the perfect condition for the growth of mites and parasites. Symptoms can be that your dog is shaking his head or tilting the head to one side. When you see secretion coming out of the ear or you notice a bad smell, you should also visit your vet.
3. Fleas
Fleas cause increased scratching and some of them can contract tapeworms. Your dog can also develop a flea-saliva allergy. Dogs mostly get fleas through contact with other infested pets and often it is difficult to get rid of those fleas once your dog has them. Especially in the Australian climate, fleas tend to reproduce very easily. Therefore it is important to treat your dog with the right products. These products help to prevent the flea eggs from hatching, rather than harming the adult fleas.
4. Ticks
A lot of people underestimate ticks: but they can cause diseases like borreliosis and tick paralysis which is often not completely curable. Symptoms of the tick paralysis can be: coughing, a difficulty in breathing, weakness and salivation. To prevent ticks, you should have a knowledge about when ticks are active in your area. There are also some medical products to prevent ticks, but it is very important to check your dog once a day. As soon as you find a tick remove it or go to your vet. The warmer months is when ticks are most prominent, they are commonly found in tropical areas and in bushland.
5. Worms
The most common worms are tapeworms, roundworms and heart-worms. Luckily this is rarely life-threatening, but it can cause other health problems as anaemia and malnutrition. Talk to your vet about the different treatments. Usually a grown dog needs to be treated every six months, a puppy every three weeks until about the age of 3 months.
6. Diabetes Mellitus
This is a common metabolic disease triggered by different factors such as obesity, pancreas diseases, hormonal disorders and it can also be hereditary. Typical symptoms are thirst and increased urination, as well as weakness and a high appetite while losing weight. Diabetes needs to be treated by a vet.
7. Hip Joint Dysp
lasia
This is a maldevelopment of the hip joint which occurs during the growth of the puppy. The ‘head’ of the upper leg is loose and the traction can cause arthritis. There are some dog breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and many more that are prone to this disease. During the growth of your puppy, keep a closer look at him to find any signs, so it can be treated as early as possible.
Many of our pet sitters are experienced with handling old age or ill pets and some are even trained in pet first aid. If you are planning a trip away speak to your dog sitter about any pre-existing medical conditions during the meet & greet.