If Your Dog Hangs Out With Other Dogs In NY, It’s At Risk For 7 Diseases

If you take your dog to the dog park, doggy daycare, or have a dog walker take them out with other dogs, they could be at risk for these diseases. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, the following diseases are common among dogs:

1. Canine Distemper
It's a very contagious virus that is spread through the air or respiratory secretions of dogs who are infected by it.  Symptoms include a snotty nose, coughing, seizures, and paralysis.  Unfortunately, it is often fatal. There is a vaccine that your dog most likely has received if it has had its 'core' vaccines.

2. Canine Influenza
This disease is actually relatively new to dogs. The canine influenza virus can have a very bad impact on your dog, (because they may have never been exposed to it since it is newer). Dogs can contract it through respiratory secretions and contaminated items like dog bowls or leashes. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation,

The virus can survive for up to 48 hours on surfaces, up to 24 hours on clothing, and up to 12 hours on people's hands. Dogs can be shedding the virus before they even show signs of illness, which means an apparently healthy dog can still infect other dogs. Dogs with canine influenza develop coughing, a fever and a snotty nose, which are the same signs observed when a dog has kennel cough.

 

3. Canine Parvovirus
The parvovirus is easily spread and expensive to treat, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation,

The virus is very contagious and attacks the gastrointestinal system, causing fever, vomiting and severe, often bloody, diarrhea. It is spread by direct contact between dogs as well as by contaminated stool, surfaces, bowls, collars, leashes, equipment, and the hands and clothing of people. It can also survive in the soil for years, making the virus hard to kill.

4. External Parasites
This includes fleas, ticks, and mange. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation,

Ticks can transmit diseases (see tick-borne diseases below). Fleas can transmit some types of tapeworms as well as some diseases, and they may end up infesting your home and yard if they hitchhike home on your dog(s).

5. Fungal Infections
Canine fungal infections include blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, coccidioidomycosis. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation,

Fungal organisms in the soil can infect dogs when they eat or sniff contaminated soil. Dogs can also be infected through the skin, especially through a skin wound.

The general symptoms of fungal infections include fever, flu-like symptoms, coughing, and lethargy.

6. Intestinal Parasites
These parasites lay eggs in dogs' poop, which can infect other dogs when they eat the stool or contaminated soil, licking paws or fur that has been contaminated or drink water that has been with infected feces.

7. Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is spread by viruses and bacteria. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation,

Dogs with kennel cough may not seem ill in the early stages of the disease but they can still infect other dogs. Most commonly, dogs with kennel cough will have a snotty nose and a dry, hacking cough. There are vaccines for kennel cough, but not all dogs need to receive the vaccine.

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