The 7 Most Dangerous Diseases for Your Pet
Even though you love your pet and take good care of them, they unfortunately could get sick at some point in their life, just like humans. Hopefully it’ll never happen, but you should still be attentive. In this article, we’ll tell you about some of the most dangerous diseases for your pet so you can be on the lookout.
Find out what the most dangerous diseases for your pet are
Your pets will usually tell you — in their own way — if they don’t feel well. But other times those signs are not entirely obvious, or by the time you see them, the disease is already very advanced.
That’s why deworming and vaccinating your pet is so vital, as well as taking them to the vet for regular check-ups. Below we’ll detail a few of the most dangerous diseases for your pet.
1-Lyme Disease
Lyme disease, also called Lyme Borreliosis, is a bacterial disease transmitted by deer ticks. In dogs it’s associated with certain problems, such as:
- Arthritis
- Joint deformation
- Carditis
- Nephritis
If Lyme disease is diagnosed early and your pet is given proper antibiotics, the prognosis is good. The disease is very rare in cats, but if it’s not treated promptly, it can be fatal.
2-Kidney Disease
Although it’s common in older cats, kidney disease can happen to dogs and cats of all ages. It could be congenital or triggered at any point in their life for various reasons.
In some cases, the disease develops slowly, so treatment can be effective in improving their quality of life. But sometimes the deterioration is fast and obvious. It’s detected with an annual blood test.
3-Heartworm
Heartworm is the infection and reproduction of round worms (dirofilaria immitis) in the right ventricle of a dog’s heart, blood vessels and lungs. The parasite, which is less common in cats, can kill your pet if not treated quickly.
4-Canine Distemper
Among the most dangerous diseases for your pet, we have distemper. The virus especially affects puppies who haven’t yet been vaccinated, but it can also affect adult dogs if they’ve never been immunized.
Distemper has a high mortality rate. But animals who manage to recover tend to have certain problems for the rest of their lives as a consequence. For example:
- Seizures
- Nervous tics
- Hardened foot pads
5-Parvovirus
Parovirus is found as much in cats as in dogs, and is extremely deadly if not treated in time. In dogs the virus affects the digestive system, but can also affect other vital parts of the circulatory system. With cats the illness directly attacks the white blood cells, mainly damaging the bone marrow and intestinal walls.
6-Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
Feline Infectious Peritonitis is a serious, complex condition that eventually ends in death. It’s caused by a coronavirus that has mutated, and it affects around 1% of cats infected with Feline Enteric Coronavirus.
Although it’s more often found in shelters, it can happen to any cat. But usually it afflicts animals between 6 and 24 months, and those older than 10 years old.
7-Rabies
This serious viral infection attacks the nervous system and does not yet have a cure. It can affect any mammal, including humans. Vaccination campaigns have practically eradicated rabies in many countries, while in others it continues to be a serious health problem. But although the vaccine has helped a lot in pets, the virus is still present in wild animals and stray pets.