Do you know what to do if your dog gets sick? Would you be able to recognize the symptoms of some of the common illnesses and medical conditions that affect most dogs? Most dog owners do not know what to look for when their pet is not acting the same as it usually does. This is why vet offices see many sick dogs that could easily have been looked after at home if the owner knew the symptoms and what to do about them.

Some of the common illness affecting dogs are:

1. Ear Infections. Dogs with long floppy ears are more prone to ear infections than those with short ears, but dogs of all species can have an ear infection. Some of the common signs of an ear infection in your dog include scratching or rubbing the ears more than usual, shaking of the head, an unusual smell or discharge coming from the dog’s ears, the dog yelps in pain when you touch its ear and redness and swelling around the ear. You can clean your dog’s ears and use topical medication that you can buy over the counter at pet pharmacies.

2. Skin Allergy. Dogs get allergies just as their owners do. Some dogs are allergic to flea bites, certain types of food and allergens that they inhale. The common symptoms of an allergy include scratching the skin or licking and biting their ears, legs or paws, red, scaly areas on the skin, patches where the fur is coming off, head shaking, skin seems to have thickened in places or there may be bumps on the skin. There are anti-itch shampoos you can use to help your dog feel better. You have to start being really observant about what brings on an allergic reaction and take steps to avoid this whenever possible.

3. Cancer. The skin is the most common area where cancerous tumors manifest themselves in dogs. Some breeds of dogs such as Boxers, Basset Hounds, Scottish terriers and Weimaraners, are more susceptible to cancer than other breeds. There are four types of cancer that dogs can have. Epithelial cancer usually develops on the skin and in the hair follicles. Mesenchymal tumors develop in the skin cells, especially in the fat cells of the skin. Round cell tumors develop under the skin and are so named because of their appearance under a microscope. Melanomas affect the pigment of the skin. Most of these develop as a lump under the skin that causes the dog pain when you touch it. The dog may also scratch this lump and the skin around it may be red.

Although you can treat most of the common ailments at home, cancer is not one of them. Even skin allergies and ear infections often require antibiotics to cure the sick dog. To take the best possible care of your dog, you should have regularly scheduled appointments with the vet that includes blood tests and X-rays. Then you can be sure that you will know the first signs that you dog is feeling ill.

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