Taking care of man’s best friend is a priority for all dog owners. A 2023 study from MarketWatch Guides found the lifetime cost to own a labrador retriever in the United States is $28,801, which shows the lengths dog owners will go in an effort to ensure their pets’ health and happiness.

Preventive care is one way dog owners can protect their pets’ long-term health. Ensuring dogs keep up with their vaccinations, and scheduling routine well visits, are part of preventive care. Recognition of common conditions that affect dogs is another component of preventive care, increasing owners’ ability to spot issues before they escalate into something that poses a threat to dogs’ long-term health. With that in mind, the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society (NFVS) notes the following common illnesses that affect dogs.

  • Diabetes: Diabetes occurs in female dogs twice as often as male dogs, and certain breeds may be predisposed to the condition. Dog owners can speak to their veterinarian to see if their dog is predisposed. Signs in dogs include changes in appetite, excessive thirst/increase in water consumption, weight loss, lethargy, and cataract formation or blindness.
  • Cancer: Nearly half of all dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. The NFVS notes that hereditary and environmental factors can contribute to the development of cancer in dogs, so it’s important for dog owners to keep an eye out for symptoms of the disease. Such signs may include lumps, swelling, persistent sores, abnormal discharge from any part of the body, bad breath, and rapid, often unexplained weight loss. Sudden lameness, lethargy, stools that are black and tarry, loss of appetite, and difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating are additional symptoms of cancer in dogs.
  • Canine parvovirus: The College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University notes that canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious viral disease. Unlike other conditions that tend to strike when dogs are older, CPV typically affects dogs between 6 and 20 weeks old, though it can affect mature dogs as well. Symptoms of CPV include lethargy, depression, and loss or lack of appetite. The CVM notes that sudden onset of high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea also are indicative of CPV infection. CPV can be transmitted to people, animals, or objects that come in contact with an infected dog’s feces.
  • Ringworm: Ringworm is caused by a fungus that can infect the skin, hair, and nails of a dog. It is highly contagious and can be passed from dogs to humans. Skin lesions on the head, ears, paws, and forelimbs are some signs of ringworm in dogs. Patchy, crusted, circular bald spots that appear red in the center are another sign of ringworm, which will not necessarily produce any symptoms in dogs.

Preventive care for ringworm in dogs includes being aware of common medical issues that can affect man’s best friend. More information about these and other conditions is available at links at www.nfveterinarysociety.org/resource-links.

The Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society consists of 75 small animal hospitals and 200 practitioners in Erie and Niagara counties. Learn more at www.nfveterinarysociety.org.