Pet Advice – Common Conditions That Your Pet May Contract

Date posted: June 21, 2015

Pet advice and tips from NCI’s Craig Lambert

There are many common conditions that a pet may contract, as generally worms and fleas are not covered by the insurance; so if pet owners are aware of the tell-tale signs of certain conditions, they can then look to treat their pets as is needed.

Ear Infections

Allergies, yeast, ear mites, bacteria or hair growth in the ear canal, along with other reasoning’s, are all common reasoning’s as to why your pet may suffer from an Ear infections. Some symptoms to be aware of, if your pet has contracted an ear infection are as follows:·

Ear odour

·Redness of the ear canal

·Vigorous scratching

·Swelling of the outer portion of the ear

·Head shaking or head tilting

·Brown, yellow, or bloody discharge

·Unusual back-and-forth eye movements

·Lack of balance

Should your pet present with any of the above symptoms and you are concerned that your pet may have contracted an ear infection, please always seek veterinary advice. In the vast majority of cases, by cleaning or medicating the ear, this will  quickly clear up an infection. In the event that your pet has a chronic infection or if your pet has caused a vessel rupture, due to excessive head shaking, then surgery may be required.

Worms

There is four main types of worms that are common internal parasites in dogs, these being:

·Roundworms

·Tapeworms

·Whipworms

·Hookworms

If your dog becomes infested by any of the above worms, they can make your dog feel uncomfortable.

Worms such as Hookworms can be fatal if your puppy contracts these.

There are many tell-tale signs/symptoms that your pet may be suffering from worms, these are:

·Diarrhoea (May be bloody)

·A poor appearance

·Weight loss

·A rough, dry coat

·A change in their appetite

·Scooting on their bottoms

If your pet is presenting with any of the above symptoms, the best way to determine as to whether your pet has contracted worms is to visit your veterinary practice.  Treating worms will differ, dependent on what type of worm your dog has, but normally, this will include treating your pet with an oral medication that then may require a further follow-up.

Fleas

What you may or may not know is that it only takes 3 weeks for one solitary flea to turn into an infestation to over 1,000 in your pet.  Fleas are a very common condition, they are easy to pick up but generally, they are also really easy to treat too. Some signs to be aware of, if you are unsure if your pet has fleas are as follows:

·Excessive scratching, licking, or biting at the skin

·Flea dirt (looks like small black dots) against your dog’s skin

·Tapeworms (which are carried by fleas)

·Hot spots

·Hair loss

·Allergic dermatitis

If your pet remains to be untreated for fleas, this can make your pet really uncomfortable. In addition to this, fleas can also cause allergic reactions, infections and in some circumstances, can even lead to anaemia, due to blood loss.

We would always suggest that you speak with your veterinary practice to look at the best way of treating your pet. Treatment for fleas may include oral medicine, shampoos, sprays and/ or topical liquids.