Having a furry companion with you almost always can do wonders for your physical and mental well-being. For starters, walking them can give you the workout to keep your health and weight in check. An added bonus is that you get to meet wonderful people who can quickly become your friends. This is excellent news if you often find yourself alone.
Seeing the nice things your pet offers, you can repay them by keeping them in excellent health. Therefore, it’s no wonder you feel extremely worried that your favorite animal is always sick. It’s even worse if you don’t know why this is happening. Well, fear no more! This article will shed more light on why your dog gets sick and what you can do to get them back on track.
5 Reasons Why Your Dog Gets Sick Often
Below are 5 reasons that can be potential reasons for persistent sickness of your dog.
1. Your Dog is dealing with a blood disorder
It’s easy for people to assume that blood disorders are the domain of humans, which isn’t far-fetched. However, dogs are not immune to this condition; it is more common than you think. Also, many of these conditions are passed down to them from their parents and can leave your companion vulnerable to premature death if they are not diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
It’s also important to note that specific dog breeds are at a higher risk of developing blood disorders, and knowing this information can save your friend’s life. You can learn more about common health disorders in popular dog breeds in this article.
That said, St. Bernards, beagles, English bulldogs, Alaskan malamutes, boxers, miniature schnauzers, mixed breeds, and vizslas are in this category. Even if your dog isn’t among these breeds, taking them for checkups can’t hurt- after all, you can rest assured knowing your animal is safe.
A visit to the vet is non-negotiable if your dog shows signs such as sleepiness, bleeding gums, red eyes, and nosebleeds. Chances are, they are dealing with hemophilia, coagulation factor deficiency, thrombopathia, and the like.
2. Their food is not giving them the needed nutrients
Several dog food options are available, but not all can give your companion the needed nutrients. And no, the amount of food they eat doesn’t justify if they are eating right. That said, they may be eating a lot but still feel malnourished. If this goes on for a long time, your dog may succumb to various ailments that can shorten their lifespan. This is because their immune system won’t have the strength to fight microbes that trigger these sicknesses and infections.
You may not immediately think that your furry companion is battling with nutrition problems, but over time, you will begin to notice things they never exhibited. For instance, it’s common to see your dog lose weight drastically or have scanty and ill-looking fur that constantly sheds. They may have allergic reactions to things that should not cause this or have unusual bowel movements and flatulence.
But that’s not all; your dog may be in serious danger if you notice they have developed congestive heart failure, kidney disease, pancreatitis, and growth disorders. So, ensure you feed your pet nutritious meals to prevent these.
Experts always encourage dog owners to avoid falling for marketing hype and research food brands independently. Reading the labels can inform you of what your furry friend can benefit from.
A diet of raw meat is a win-win for your dog; they will get the full nutrients while savoring the taste. You can even heighten their dining experience by including supplements like nutritional yeast in their meals. But can dogs eat nutritional yeast? The answer is a resounding yes- it contains vitamin B, calcium, iron, potassium, and other minerals that they need to thrive.
Here are some nutrition related articles
- Best Dog Food Types
- Best Dog Foods for Weight Gain
- Dog skin allergies and best dog foods for allergies
- Can dogs eat kimchi?
- Can dogs eat Sauerkraut?
- Can Dogs Eat Corn Chips?
3. Your Dog may have a metabolic or endocrine disorder
Many things can go wrong in your pet’s body, including a metabolic or endocrine disorder. As stated earlier, your dog needs nutrients and minerals to live a healthy life, and their endocrine and metabolic system are there to ensure this. The former ensures that your pet’s blood receives the needed hormones, while the latter converts nutrients and food particles to energy.
That said, a problem with these vital systems may have dire consequences for your dog. This may be due to the fact that dogs aren’t built to use carbs as their primary energy source, as their bodies don’t produce salivary amylase. This, in turn, means that the amount of glucose in your pet’s blood can be higher than normal, which is not good.
It is understandable that your concern peaks at this point, as your furry friend is at a high risk of developing cancer, which feeds off of glucose. Another thing you should worry about is type 2 diabetes and obesity, as your dog can become insulin-resistant, and excess glucose transforms into fat.
Fortunately, your companion can live a great life if you take the right steps. For starters, the vet will be your first call, as they can diagnose whether they have either metabolic or endocrine disorders and give the best treatments. If diabetes is the issue, you can help your pet by investing in insulin treatments and making diet changes (reducing their carb intake).
4. Their exposure to toxins is alarming
You may not be aware, but certain everyday items in your home can be why your dog always feels sick. Some of these things are actually enjoyable for you and your family, so you may never suspect them. For instance, your delightful coffee, tea, or hot chocolate contains methylxanthines like theobromine and caffeine.
If your dog finds your stash, they may showcase symptoms like vomiting, seizures, irregular heart rhythms, and diarrhea. Other things that can affect your companion include diet foods, sugar-free toothpaste, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, chives, anti-freeze, alcohol, macadamia nuts, and so on. You can save your dog trouble by keeping these items away from them.
5. Their muscles and bones aren’t as they used to be
If your dog can’t move as well as they used to, they may be dealing with a musculoskeletal disorder. In addition to this, they may experience appetite loss, weakness, painful joints, and so on. While some disorders are inherited, some can be triggered by size, vitamin deficiency, trauma, and so on. Again, your vet can be helpful in this case, allowing your dog to live their best life and recover fully.
If you have a senior dog, read this article that contains tips to lessen your dog’s arthritis pain.
Conclusion
Nutritional deficiencies, exposure to toxins, aging, and blood disorders are some of the prominent reasons why your dog gets sick often. Every dog is unique and it may be dealing with issues that haven’t been listed here. Your veterinarian is the best person to discuss this with.
