| Pets are prone to many illnesses. Hence, they should | | | | cause extreme irritation to the pet leading to skin |
| be taken care of very well and also monitored | | | | disorders and skin diseases. Ear mites can cause |
| regularly for any symptom of ill health to keep their | | | | severe diseases and annoyance in the pet commonly |
| well being. A pet can be a happy companion to | | | | in cats and dogs. Hence, it needs to be treated well |
| human being only if it is healthy. | | | | by taking the pets to the veterinarian. |
| Some of the symptoms of pet diseases causing ill | | | | Rabies: Rabies is one of the deadly pet diseases |
| health: | | | | caused by a virus which attacks the pet's nervous |
| Loss of appetite, excessive gain or loss of weight, | | | | system. Normally rabies is transmitted by the bite |
| excess water consumption, abnormal discharges of | | | | from a rabid animal. It is not necessary that all rabid |
| the nose, eyes etc., abnormal, difficult, uncontrolled | | | | animals appear mad and foam at the mouth. Many |
| waste elimination, lethargy, abnormal behavior, sudden | | | | infected pets can be very tame and calm. Rabies |
| viciousness, limping, abnormal lumps, finding difficult to | | | | affects only mammals. It does not affect reptiles, |
| get up or lie down, dandruff, open sores, dull coat or | | | | birds, fish or amphibians. |
| ragged coat, excessive head shaking, scratching, | | | | Types of cancer in pets: |
| biting or licking any particular part of the body, tartar | | | | Cancer is a common pet disease and it accounts for |
| on the teeth, foul breath etc. | | | | almost 50% of the deaths of the pets over 10 years |
| Common pet diseases: | | | | of age. Some cancer types like the breast cancer can |
| Lyme disease: This is an infectious disease spread by | | | | be prevented to a large extent with early spaying, |
| a tick, which is not larger than the head of the pin in | | | | whereas other types of cancers are very difficult to |
| size. It is caused by a bacterium called spirochete | | | | be prevented since the causes are not known |
| transmitted to the pets and humans by the tick bite. | | | | properly. |
| If not treated properly it may lead to heart diseases | | | | Commonly found cancer types are skin tumors - |
| or neurological complications or joint damages and | | | | More common among older dogs, but lesser among |
| kidney related problems in the pets. | | | | cats, breast tumors are seen both in dogs and cats. |
| Infestation due to internal parasites: Internal parasites | | | | Early spaying can reduce their incidence. |
| like the hookworms, tapeworms, heartworms and | | | | Head and neck cancer - The common disease is the |
| roundworms rob the pets of important nutrients, | | | | mouth cancer more in dogs and lesser in the cats. |
| causing fatigue, loss of appetite, anemia and even | | | | Cancer in the nose also seen in dogs and cats, |
| death. Especially puppies and kittens are very much | | | | lymphoma is found in cats and dogs with an |
| susceptible to these kinds of infestations. This can be | | | | enlargement of one or more lymph nodes of the |
| very well controlled and prevented. | | | | body, testicular tumors are seen in the dogs and |
| Infestations due to external parasites: Pets are | | | | rarely in cats and bone tumors are common among |
| affected by external parasites like the lice, mites, | | | | large breed dogs and rarely seen in the cats. |
| fleas and ticks. They are found everywhere and can | | | | |