Puppy illness is no laughing matter. It could very well turn out that your dog is sick and needs medical attention. Veterinarians have found warning signs for most diseases, and there are symptoms you can look for to help you gauge how sick your puppy may be. Most of the symptoms listed below should only be taken as a serious sign of disease if it occurs more frequently than seems normal. Others can be taken as a sign of disease if it happens even once. Diagnose your dog with care, and always ask your veterinarian before beginning treatment.
Coughing
Coughing is a reflex that happens to clear foreign matter from the respiratory system. It could be a symptom of obstruction, lung tumors, pheumonia, bronchitis, heartworm disease, heart failure or dog fever.
Itching and Scratching
Your dog might scratch himself because of a chemical reaction on his skin. It could be a symptom of skin disease, bacterial or yeast infections as well as allergies. If your dog continuously scratches or bites, it can lead to skin lesions.
Vomiting and Diarrhea
These two symptoms show themselves in puppies for a number of reasons. Some of the illnesses these two symptoms could indicate are cancer, food allergy, intestinal parasites, colitis, hypoandrenocortism, liver disease, gastric ulcers, absorption and digestion disorders, enteritis and many more.
Difficulty Breathing
Respiratory distress is characterized by a difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath. A smaller illness this symptom suggests is kennel cough. Other causes include breast cancer (in female dogs), heart disease or heart failure, lung disease and tumors. Some breeds are more prone to breathing problems, such as bulldogs, Boston terriers, boxers and bracyephalic breeds, as well as small and toy breeds.
Blood in Stool or Urine
Blood in your puppy's urine could be from the bladder, kidneys or from an earlier clotting and sometimes from the vaginal area in female dogs. Causes of such contamination of their waste include infections or stones in the bladder or kidney, intussusceptions, trauma or inflammation of your pet's bowels, intestinal cancer, and diseases of the colon, rectum or anus.
Lethargy
Lethargy is characterized by inactivity or lack of response,
indifference and drowsiness. There are many things that this symptom
could be caused by including cancer, heart and pulmonary diseases and
anemia. Neurological, immunal, physical, endocrinal, hormonal and
nutritional disorders could also be the cause of this symptom.
Limping
This symptom could render your dog lame. Some of the possible reasons your dog would limp are being overweight, arthritis, tendon and ligament ruptures. Limping can also be a sign of injury, and if your dog continues to limp you should see your veterinarian.
There are many diseases that can infect your puppy, and many more symptoms that show that there is something wrong. If any of these symptoms, or anything else suspicious, begins to plague your puppy it is best to seek professional help and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.