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Dog Diseases terms
The illnesses of dogs and the shots that prevent them.
Core vaccines The vaccines veterinary guidelines recommend for virtually every dog, protecting against distemper, parvovirus, canine adenovirus and rabies. Rabies A viral disease of the nervous system, spread through bites, that is nearly always fatal once signs appear but is preventable by vaccination. Canine distemper A serious, vaccine-preventable virus that attacks a dog's respiratory, digestive and nervous systems, and spreads through the air. Canine parvovirus A highly contagious, often deadly virus that attacks the gut and bone marrow, mainly in unvaccinated puppies, and is preventable by vaccination. DHPP vaccine The standard combination puppy and adult shot covering distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parainfluenza and parvovirus. Giardia A microscopic intestinal parasite picked up from contaminated water or feces that can cause soft, greasy diarrhea, mainly in puppies. Kennel cough A contagious airway infection with a dry, honking cough, caused by several viruses and bacteria and common where dogs gather. Leptospirosis A bacterial infection spread through the urine of wildlife and contaminated water that can damage a dog's kidneys and liver, and can infect people. Non-core vaccines Vaccines given only to dogs whose lifestyle, location or travel puts them at risk, such as Bordetella, Lyme and canine influenza. Roundworm A common intestinal worm that often infects puppies, frequently from the mother, and can pass to people, especially children. Titer test A blood test that measures antibodies to a disease, sometimes used to check a dog's immunity to distemper or parvovirus instead of re-vaccinating. Fecal test A laboratory check of a dog's stool for parasite eggs and organisms such as roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and Giardia. Fleas Tiny blood-feeding insects that cause itching, can trigger allergic skin disease and carry tapeworm, and infest the home as well as the dog. Heartworm disease A serious parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes in which worms grow in a dog's heart and lungs, and which monthly prevention can stop. Hookworm A small intestinal worm that attaches to the gut wall and feeds on blood, causing anemia in puppies, and can burrow into human skin. Lyme disease A bacterial infection spread by blacklegged ticks that causes fever and joint pain in some dogs, and rarely damages the kidneys. Tapeworm A flat intestinal worm, usually caught by swallowing an infected flea, that sheds rice-like segments seen near a dog's tail. Ticks Blood-feeding arachnids that attach to dogs outdoors and can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Whipworm A parasite of the large intestine whose eggs stay in soil for years and which can cause chronic, mucus-covered diarrhea in dogs. Addison's disease A hormone disease in which the adrenal glands make too little cortisol and often too little aldosterone, causing vague illness and sometimes crisis. Atopic dermatitis An inherited tendency to develop itchy skin and ear disease from allergens in the environment such as pollen, dust mites and molds. Biopsy The removal of a small piece of tissue, or a sample of cells, for examination under a microscope to find out what a lump or abnormal tissue is. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome A set of airway abnormalities in flat-faced breeds that make breathing hard, causing noisy breathing, poor heat tolerance and collapse. Cataracts Cloudiness in the lens of the eye that blocks light and can lead to blindness, often inherited or linked to diabetes. Cherry eye A red, swollen lump at the inner corner of the eye caused when the gland of the third eyelid pops out of place. Chronic kidney disease A gradual, permanent loss of kidney function that causes increased thirst and urination, weight loss and poor appetite, mainly in older dogs. Cruciate ligament tear A tear of the cranial cruciate ligament, the main stabilizer of the dog's knee, and a leading cause of sudden hind-leg lameness. Cushing's disease A hormone disorder in which the body makes too much cortisol, usually in middle-aged and older dogs, causing thirst, a pot belly and thin skin. Diabetes mellitus A disease in which the body cannot make or use enough insulin, so blood sugar stays high, with increased thirst and urination. Dilated cardiomyopathy A heart muscle disease in which the heart chambers stretch and the muscle weakens, so the heart pumps poorly; some breeds inherit it. Dry eye A condition in which a dog does not make enough tears, leaving the eye sore, red and covered with sticky discharge. Ear infection Inflammation of the outer ear canal, often with yeast or bacteria, causing head shaking, scratching, odor and pain. Elbow dysplasia A group of developmental problems in the elbow joint that cause front-leg lameness, usually starting in young, fast-growing large-breed dogs. Epilepsy A brain disorder that causes repeated seizures, most often the inherited kind with no other cause found, usually starting in young adult dogs. Food allergy An immune reaction to a protein in the diet that usually causes itchy skin and ear problems, and sometimes digestive upset. Glaucoma Raised pressure inside the eye that damages the optic nerve; it is painful and can cause permanent blindness within hours or days. Hip dysplasia An inherited, developmental malformation of the hip joint in which the ball and socket fit loosely, leading to wear and arthritis. Hot spot A fast-appearing, red, wet and painful patch of skin that a dog creates by licking or scratching, usually because of an underlying irritation. Hypothyroidism A condition in which the thyroid gland makes too little hormone, slowing the metabolism and causing weight gain, lethargy and coat and skin changes. Intervertebral disc disease A spinal condition in which a cushioning disc between vertebrae bulges or bursts and presses on the spinal cord, causing pain or weakness. Luxating patella A condition in which the kneecap slips out of its groove, common in small breeds and often seen as a brief hop or skip in the stride. Lymphoma A cancer of the lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, that most often appears as firm, painless swelling of lymph nodes. Mast cell tumor The most common skin cancer in dogs, which can look like any lump, so every new skin lump should be sampled by a veterinarian. Mitral valve disease A slow wearing of the heart's mitral valve that lets blood leak backward, the most common heart disease in older small-breed dogs. Obesity Excess body fat that shortens lives and raises the risk of arthritis, diabetes and other disease; it is the most common nutrition problem in pet dogs. Osteoarthritis A long-term, painful wearing down of joint cartilage that causes stiffness and reluctance to move, common in older and overweight dogs. Osteosarcoma The most common bone cancer in dogs, an aggressive tumor that mainly affects large and giant breeds, often in a front leg. Pancreatitis Inflammation of the pancreas that causes vomiting, belly pain and loss of appetite, and can range from mild to life-threatening. Progressive retinal atrophy A group of inherited diseases in which the retina slowly degenerates, causing night blindness first and then total blindness, without pain. Pyometra A life-threatening bacterial infection of the uterus in unspayed female dogs, usually in the weeks after a heat cycle, and a surgical emergency.