Common Dog Health Problems
Signs to Help Spot Them Early

Common dog health problems, if detected early, can give your pet the edge in receiving prompt treatment before the issue progresses. If your dog has a disease you recognize, you may be able to get him back to health quickly with a natural home remedy or, take him to the vet if the symptoms indicate this is the best course of action.

Early intervention can spare your dog from suffering and help avoid complications or infections.

Quick Takeaway: Common health issues in dogs include allergies, ear infections, obesity, gastrointestinal issues, and cancer. It's important for dog owners to recognize symptoms early and consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Routine checkups can help your vet detect signs of a health problem early so treatment can be started quickly.

sad looking dog lying down looking unwell

I'm Not Feeling So Hot!

It can be very worrisome when your pet is showing signs of a health problem that you don't recognize, especially if it's in the middle of the night, or on a weekend when your pet's clinic is closed.

But if you're familiar with the symptoms of common dog health issues, you'll be way ahead of the game and a much more confident pet parent when your pooch looks under the weather.

In fact, you'll have a pretty good idea of what you can do for him yourself and what needs professional treatment!

So let's move on to the dog health problems that crop up more often.

Most Prominent Dog Health Conditions

According to the dog health insurance industry, here are some of the most frequent dog health issues for which claims are received:

Constipation In Dogs
Constipation means infrequent or difficulty in defecating. Forceful straining to pass dry hard feces are signs of constipation. There are different reasons for this condition but there are also a variety of simple fixes if addressed promptly.
Skin Allergies
Dog skin allergies can be frustrating because most of the time it's not obvious what's going on and it can take a bit of detective work to find the cause of the allergic response. All the while, your pet is miserable.
Hot Spots
Dog hot spots, the familiar name for the medical condition of pyotraumatic dermatitis, is a common but generally not serious condition affecting our canine friends.
Diarrhea In Dogs
While diarrhea in dogs can be indicative of a serious condition, more often than not it can be the result of pilfering something from the garbage, that didn't go down so well!

Bladder Infections
Symptoms of this painful condition often get the attention of a pet parent when their dog starts leaving little puddles around the house, or wants to go outside to urinate more often.
Canine Urinary Incontinence
Occasional urine leakage can sometimes be related to aging or hormone changes, but incontinence is not something to ignore and needs a vet's attention.
Ear Infections
Often caused by bacteria or too much yeast. Signs your dog has an ear infection are head shaking and scratching at the affected ear.

Familiarize yourself with these conditions and their symptoms. Then keep them handy in a pet journal so no time is wasted in getting treatment should one of them affect your pet.

Common Dog Health Problems That
May Affect Your Pet

Following are other common dog diseases and conditions that crop up frequently among all dog breeds so it pays to have some familiarity with them.

Click on any links to learn details of each condition.

dog being carried by the vet's in his clinic

Dog At The Vet

Holistic Care of Your Pet

The biggest responsibility we have to our pets is watching over their health! And even though having a trusted vet to call upon when necessary is important, we are the first line of defense our dog's rely upon to notice when they seem unwell.

Starting our dog down the road to a healthy life begins with puppy health, and it starts the very day that cuddly ball of fur crosses our threshold. Having a basic understanding of common puppy and dog health problems will give you confidence to take care of these vulnerable creatures.

The best approach to pet health is a holistic one that includes sound nutrition, exercise, hygiene and grooming, parasite control, vaccinations, proper training to keep him safe and lots of affectionate nurturing time with his humans.

There are many situations, events and stages in a dog's life where supplemental attention is called for.

Some of the things we do for our pets to keep them healthy, clean and protected all add up to what I think of as "holistic dog care" because they all contribute to the big picture.

Here are a few of these other health-related topics:

In Sickness And In Health, Your Dog Needs You!

A healthy dog looks bright eyed, attentive, has a shiny coat, a spring in his step, etc. By recognizing a change and detecting signs that something may be going on, you will often be able to:

Treat it with a home remedy
Save your dog from unnecessary suffering
Save your dog from those vet visits he hates and yourself from costly vet bills.

Dogs don't like going to that scary and stressful place, with strange smells and unfamiliar people - the vet's office. You're the one he trusts and prefers to take care of him when he comes down with one of the common pet illnesses that inevitably show up even in an otherwise healthy dog.

While there are many health issues we can handle at home, there will be times when the vet needs to be consulted.

Once you learn about the symptoms of these conditions and their usual treatment, you will be in a much better position to know when you can try a home remedy and when it's time to call the vet for help.

American Veterinary Medical Association is another great resource for professional information about common dog diseases.

Stay Ahead With Daily Observations Of Your Pet

Just by daily observations of your dog, you can gather a lot of information that will give you a fairly accurate picture of what is "normal" for him or her in regard to their appearance, bodily functions, and behaviors.

For example, you will know:

How much he usually eats. A programmable/automatic pet feeder makes tracking this a breeze.
How much water he normally consumes. A gravity waterer where the filler bottle is see-through, helps here.
How much sleep he requires. This one's pretty easy if he shares your sleeping quarters!
How often he poops. Lavender doggy bags makes the counting easier!
How much exercise he generally needs. With you? or on a dog treadmill.
How active and peppy he behaves most of the time. If you have a Smart Pet Tracker, you have technology at your fingertips. It monitors activity levels and lets you keep tabs on your pet even when you're somewhere else.

In fact, when you are aware of your dog's normal activity and healthy profile, you will be able to notice even subtle changes that may indicate he is experiencing a problem.

And that is a very important part of looking after your dog.

Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health guide, is an excellent reference I have found invaluable with my dogs and I think you will too. It provides a wealth of information on how to recognize a wide range of common pet illnesses and how to treat them with an emphasis on natural remedies and mainstream help as appropriate.

It also has some healthy pet food recipes your dog will love!

In conclusion, when your pet seems out of sorts, you will feel much more confident if you have become familiar with the signs of common dog diseases that are often seen in dogs, as well as the home remedies that others have used to treat them successfully.

Dogs show us in so many ways that we are important to them, and if they were able to they certainly would thank us for doing everything possible to take care of them.

If you have dog health questions for which you would like a professional opinion, for a small charge you may use the widget on this page to ask a qualified vet.

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