Category: Illness in Pets

Comprehensive Guide to Common Illnesses in Pets

Maintaining your pet’s health involves understanding various illnesses they may encounter. This guide covers common ailments, their symptoms, preventive measures, and care strategies to ensure your pet’s well-being.

Common Urinary Problems in Dogs

Urinary issues in dogs can stem from infections, stones, or other medical conditions. Recognising the signs is crucial for timely treatment. Symptoms include:

Frequent urination
Straining or discomfort while urinating
Blood in the urine
Inappropriate urination in the house

For more details, visit Common Urinary Problems in Dogs.

Vestibular Syndrome

Vestibular Syndrome affects a pet’s balance system, leading to symptoms such as:

Head tilt
Loss of coordination
Circling or stumbling
Nystagmus (abnormal eye movements)

Learn more in our guide on Vestibular Syndrome.

Pyometra

Pyometra is a severe uterine infection in unspayed female pets, potentially life-threatening if untreated. Symptoms include:

Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Increased thirst and urination
Vaginal discharge

Immediate veterinary attention is essential. Read more at Pyometra.

Pet Epilepsy

Epilepsy in pets involves recurrent seizures due to abnormal brain activity. Signs include:

Convulsions
Muscle twitching
Loss of consciousness
Foaming at the mouth

For management and treatment options, visit Pet Epilepsy.

Vomiting in Pets

Occasional vomiting may not be concerning, but frequent episodes can indicate serious issues such as:

Dietary indiscretion
Infections
Parasites
Organ dysfunction

Understanding the causes and when to seek veterinary care is crucial. Learn more in our guide on Vomiting.

Rabies

Rabies is a fatal viral disease affecting the central nervous system. Though rare in the UK, it’s a serious concern in many parts of the world. Symptoms include:

Behavioural changes
Excessive salivation
Paralysis
Aggression

Preventive vaccination is crucial. Read more at Rabies.

Further Resources

Expand your knowledge of pet illnesses and care with these resources:

For professional training, consider enrolling in our Advanced Pet First Aid Level 3 (VTQ) course.

/Illness in Pets /

Common Urinary Problems in Dogs

Common Urinary Problems in Dogs: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments Common urinary problems in dogs can arise from various medical conditions, ranging from mild infections to serious illnesses. Recognising the symptoms and understanding the potential causes is essential to ensure your dog receives timely and effective care. Symptoms of Urinary Problems in Dogs Be alert to […]

Vestibular Syndrome

Vestibular Syndrome refers to a disease group that affects the vestibular system, which affects the balance system. This disease can be caused by many things, such as nerve or brain tumours, infection, inflammation, or an underactive Thyroid gland. Alternatively, even with extensive investigation, no cause may be found. In this case, it is called idiopathic […]

Pyometra

Pyometra is a potentially life-threatening condition. This is a disease that can happen in entire females. What happens is, after a season, it can be anything from two to three weeks up to a month or so after the season, the bitch can develop an infection of the uterus. And what happens is the pus… […]

Pet Epilepsy

A really scary situation for any owner would be if your animal started having a fit, or what we would call a seizure. This can happen at any time, we have them when a dog is out on a walk and it suddenly stops and has a seizure. We also have them when they are […]

Vomiting

Like humans, you will get times when your pet will vomit. If it is a one-off and they have just maybe brought back their dinner after they have eaten it, and they otherwise seem absolutely fine, then you do not really need to be that concerned about it. If you notice that your pet has […]

Stomach conditions

Dogs frequently get stomach upsets. Normally, it is because they are scavengers, and they have ingested something out on a walk, or they have stolen something from home that they should not have eaten, or the owner has knowingly given them something, but they did not realise that it was not good for them. The […]

Nose and respiratory problems

Very similar to many of the other conditions you will get in dogs and cats, you will get infections, you will get irritations, inflammations or tumours of any system. The same applies to the nose. So, the first thing that we look for as a trauma, so either a grass seed, for example, that has […]

Rabies

Rabies is not found in the UK, but it can be found in mainland Europe and further afield. It is a fast-acting virus that affects the brain, spinal cord and central nervous system of humans, bats, foxes, cats and dogs. Rabies is a serious concern and it is estimated that about 50,000 people and millions […]

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is a dangerous disease and it can be carried by ticks. Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria that is carried in the saliva of an infected tick. When you get bitten by a tick, it stays in your skin while it sucks up your blood. This process takes 48-96 hours and then […]

Diabeties

Diabetes Type 1 your body is unable to produce any insulin. Type I diabetes is not typically preventable. Type 2 Diabetes is adult onset diabetes and often linked to being overweight so your body cannot produce enough insulin. The most common symptoms of Diabetes are increased thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, tiredness, frequent urination, and […]