. Swallowing of
bones, eating remnants, car accidents, poisoning, tick infestation and
parvo-viral infections are the leading causes of death in dogs.
Knowing more
about these conditions would help your dog to live a long, rewarding and
fulfilling life.
Bones
Cooked or raw, bones can be very hazardous to your dog because if
swallowed, they become lodged in its esophagus (or throat).
Inside the neck
of a dog, the throat lies behind the trachea (wind pipe). So, if a bone lodges
in the throat, it would put pressure on the wind pipe and reduce the amount of
air that the pet can breathe in or out.
In some bad cases, the wind pipe becomes blocked, thereby preventing
the dog from breathing. The pet may drop dead within a few minutes.
In some other cases, the bone is crushed by the pet and swallowed. The
sharp edges of the swallowed Remnants
Remnants are usually not stored under hygienic conditions and they may
be contaminated with micro-organisms and foreign objects, such as tooth picks,
bottle crown tops, serviette paper, stones and dirt.
If these substances are ingested (swallowed), they can cause severe
damage to the stomach and intestines of your dog.
I have seen a dog vomit a tooth pick after eating the remnants of a
meal. If the toothpick found its way into the dog’s stomach, your guess is as
good as mine.
Car accidents
Car accidents are not very common causes of death among pets, but when
they occur it usually results in instant death or permanent disability.
Accidents usually occur in the garage or parking area.
Accidents can be avoided by looking beneath and around your car before
moving it. Also you can ensure that your pet is in your sight or better still,
locked in the kennel before you move the car.
Tick infestation
Ticks fasten themselves onto the skin of dogs and feed on their blood.
Many ticks feeding on a pet at the same time can result in a significant loss
of blood(Anemia).
Apart from anemia, ticks can transmit diseases like tick fever
(Babesiosis) and tick paralysis. Some signs of these diseases include increased
body temperature, loss of appetite, yellow or brown urine, weakness, anaemia,
paralysis (in case of tick paralysis) and death.
Take prevention and control of ticks seriously and ensure that you do
not crush ticks. If you crush ticks, they will increase in number.
The reason is simple. When you crush ticks, you will allow hundreds of
eggs in their bodies to spill out. These eggs hatch after a few days and become
adult ticks in a short while.
Ticks can be eliminated by using commercial sprays and safe chemical
solutions. But I recommend that the procedure be carried out by a veterinarian
or qualified professional who should also be careful not to eliminate the ticks
and the dog.
Poisoning
A leading cause of poisoning is the use of tick control solutions,
sprays and chemicals to bath for dogs. Even if you cover their mouths or
prevent them from licking their body, these chemicals can still find their way
into the body through the pores (tiny holes) on the skin.
Signs of poisoning include increased salivation, vomiting, body
weakness, collapse, muscle spasms, convulsions.
Activated charcoal administered orally can be a good first aid. In the
absence of charcoal, you can give milk or egg solution. Palm oil is also
commonly used but I don’t usually recommend this because it induces vomiting. A
weak pet may inhale the vomit and this can lead to suffocation and death.
Great caution should be taken before, during and after using these
chemical substances because your pet’s skin is very sensitive. Also, please
ensure that the spray or solution has been recommended by a veterinary doctor.
Furthermore, before you apply sprays or solutions, remove feeding
bowls, drinking bowls, leftover food, beddings, treats and toys. Also, make
sure that all pesticide residues are kept out of the reach of children and
pets. Do not carelessly dump left over chemicals where it could contaminate
soil or drinking water.
Parvovirus
Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV2) is an extremely contagious virus that
primarily afflicts dogs. It is contacted when unvaccinated dogs come in contact
with infected dogs or persons/objects that have been contaminated with the
faeces, saliva and other body secretions of infected dogs.
The specific sign of parvo virus is a foul smelling bloody diarrhea.
Other signs include generalized weakness, loss of appetite, drooling, vomiting
and a life-threatening dehydration.
Ninety-one percent of untreated cases will result in death and
treatment may be successful if disease is quickly detected.
Vaccination can prevent parvo
virus. However, preventive
measures should still be taken after vaccination because I have seen vaccinated
dogs come down with the virus. I will discuss the reasons for vaccination
failure some other time. So, I recommend that you avoid walking young dogs in
public places until it all the required vaccinations have been administered.
In most cases, adult dogs above five years of age will not come down
with the disease. But puppies and adolescent are most susceptible to the virus.
A solution of one part bleach to thirty parts water is a potent
in-activator of the virus.
bone can
puncture the throat, stomach or intestines of the animal and result in its
death.
Source:
punchng
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