Despite all the energy they have and how they always seem to have the best attitudes, our pets are not resistant to illness. A large problem in the pet industry is pet parents who avoid going to the vet for regular checkups and preventative care. Vaccinations, blood draws, dental cleaning, and even dog grooming are all easy ways to help your pets live a longer, healthier life. Vets can provide a lot of information on disease prevention, cures, and care.
10: Kidney Disease
This is most commonly found in older cats and dogs of all ages. The pet industry doesn’t talk about it much, but it’s important to note that cats with kidney disease can be cured and kept healthy for several years most of the time. However dog with kidney disease will typically have quickly deteriorating health.
9: Diabetes
It’s no surprise that diabetes is a big problem in the pet industry considering more than 50% of dogs and cats are considered overweight or obese. It can be part of the aging process and/or poor diet and exercise habits.
8: Arthritis
This is usually found in older pets and generally a simple part of aging. There isn’t much the pet industry can do to prevent arthritis. However your vet can diagnose it early on and help ease the pain or provide other treatments such as acupuncture. Cure and treatment should be taken seriously as your dog’s mobility is important.
7: Flea and Tick Borne Diseases
These little pests don’t just bite and itch but they can carry diseases with them that they inject into your dog. The pet industry and vets are great about preventative vaccinations.
6: Rabies
It’s incredible that this is such a threat in the pet industry when rabies shots are so readily available tall pet parents. Rabies can be found in wild animals and it is always fatal so keep your pets well vaccinated.
5: Distemper
Thankfully vets in the pet industry have developed a distemper vaccine for dogs, young and old, because this disease is often fatal. If your puppy is too young to have their distemper vaccine, avoid exposing them to other dogs. This disease is usually accompanied with neurological symptoms, nasal discharge, and high fevers. Even if your dog survives distemper, there are always long-term effects like seizures and hardened paw pads.
4: Parvovirus
Vets in the pet industry have created a vaccination for preventative care, however parvo is still a commonly contracted disease in areas of the country that do not value vaccination. It is incredibly contagious, especially to puppies and kittens. If the symptoms are not caught early on, it can be incredibly fatal.
3: Dental Disease
Bad breath isn’t just an uncomfortable thing in your face, but it might be a sign that there’s some dental health deterioration in your dog. Tartar, gum disease, and cavities are all things dogs are equally as eligible to develop as humans. Regular dental cleaning at dog grooming, vets, or other pet industry professionals can help prevent dental disease.
2: Heartworms
All too common, this spaghetti-like worm is spread only one way: through the infected bite of a mosquito. What’s an infected mosquito look like? Like every other mosquito. That’s why this is so dangerous. It’s easy to prevent with a regular vaccination. However if your pet contracts heartworms, they could take anywhere up to three months to show symptoms as the worms mature and grow in your dog or cat’s heart, reproducing, and eventually causing congested heart failure. There is a cure if your dog or cat catches heartworms, but in order to prevent it all together, talk to your vet in the pet industry about preventative vaccinations or medications.
1: Obesity
As mentioned before, obesity is a huge problem house pets are facing nowadays at over 50% of them being overweight or obese. Pet industry professionals can help you if your dog or cat is having problems maintaining a healthy weight. A healthy weight is important for all stages of your dog’s life as obesity overtime can cause your pet to be more prone to develop heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and premature death.
