The rainy season has arrived, making us have to take care of the health of our family members more. But the family members in question do not only mean people, but also our beloved dogs and pets. Because in addition to having to take care of our health, the health of our dogs is equally important. Especially during the rainy season, dogs may easily have problems with fever and illness. If we do not know the symptoms of the disease, the treatment method will be even more difficult. Let's see what diseases come with the humidity in the rainy season that we should be careful of and how to prepare to deal with them. Let's see.
1. Diseases related to the skin system
Rainy season is a period of high humidity. Humidity is a major factor that makes it easy for dogs to get skin diseases. They may have bumps or itchy rashes. If there is an infection, it will cause dermatitis or fungus, which is often found around the inside of the ear, between the toes, around the nose or around the eyes.
In general, skin diseases found in our country mostly come from many causes, such as fungus, bacterial infection, or dermatitis. Therefore, owners should take good care of their dogs' skin and fur. They must be wiped dry and not left wet or damp. If you find that your dog has itchy bumps, scratches, or shakes its ears frequently and abnormally, you should take it to the doctor immediately. Because if left untreated, it may become a chronic skin disease that takes a long time to treat, including having to pay a high amount of treatment and care costs.
Now that we know that “wetness” is a major factor in causing unpleasant odors and skin diseases in dogs, it is important to keep your dog’s skin and fur clean. During the rainy season, it can be difficult to keep dogs away from moisture. Owners must therefore pay attention to cleanliness. When you find that your dog has been running in the rain until he is soaked or if you feel that his fur is starting to get damp, quickly wipe it until damp and use a hair dryer to dry the fur. This will prevent skin diseases that may occur in your dog.
2. Diseases related to the respiratory system
A scary respiratory disease is pneumonia. If it happens, your dog will start to show symptoms of lethargy, loss of appetite, dry nose, coughing, high fever, runny nose and tears, rapid and frequent breathing, difficulty breathing, and will also show symptoms of opening their mouths to breathe. This disease is mostly caused by bacterial and viral infections, which can make animals sick and die. Therefore, during this time, we should keep our dogs in a warm and dry place. If any of them are easily cold, we may need to find them clothes to wear. Owners can sew their own or buy dog clothes that are generally available. Let them wear them at night or during rainy season when the weather is cold. If you notice that they are coughing or have a runny nose, you should take them to the vet immediately. Do not try to find medicine for them yourself because dogs and cats are not like people and can be allergic to some medicines and it can be life-threatening.
3. Dog tick-flea fever
Nowadays, dogs are often sick from ticks, which is the number one cause of illnesses when compared to other diseases. Ticks are both carriers of diseases, namely blood parasites or tick fever. Ticks also cause animals to be weak and anemic because ticks suck blood and cause the animals’ immunity to decrease, making it easy for dogs to get infected and get sick. Furthermore, the hot and humid climate in our country is suitable for tick breeding, causing dogs to get sick from ticks more during the rainy season. Therefore, getting rid of ticks is very important.
Currently, there are many types of tick and flea elimination products to choose from, including injections, baths, drops or sprays. Owners should understand how to use them correctly or consult an experienced veterinarian before using them. In addition, the cage and the area where the dog lives must be cleaned to break the tick life cycle. Treating this disease is quite effective if it is detected and treated early, and there are not many complications. As for prevention, it can be done by eliminating the carrier of the disease, which is the tick.
4. Blood parasites
The cause of the disease is from ticks that are infected and bite dogs or dogs eat ticks. Symptoms found when dogs have this disease are lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, difficulty in bleeding, paler than normal gums and mucous membranes, jaundice, nosebleeds, blood in the urine, some cases may have liver or kidney problems, and blood parasites may enter the nervous system, causing the dog to have neurological symptoms and possibly go blind. In addition, some cases may have autoimmune diseases that destroy red blood cells and platelets, but this disease can be cured if the dog sees a veterinarian and receives timely treatment.
5. Diseases related to the digestive system
Whether it is diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning or a serious disease such as enteritis, which can occur in dogs of all ages, the main causes are from eating food contaminated with germs or leaving food out for a long time in humid conditions, allowing bacteria to grow. During the rainy season when there is humidity, germs can grow well.
Prevention and care of dog health during the rainy season
1. Get vaccinated against disease.
During the rainy season, there are many diseases that occur in dogs, such as diarrhea, food poisoning, or enteritis. It can be observed that the diseases that occur in dogs are similar to those in humans, which is that they may occur because the rainy season is a period when conditions are suitable for germs to breed. Therefore, to avoid diseases that often occur in dogs during the rainy season, owners must not forget to take their dogs to get vaccinated against annual diseases. View dog vaccination program
2. Food must always be clean.
The cleanliness of the dog's food and drinking water must always be clean and fresh because the rainy season makes the food spoil and mold easily. We must always take care of the cleanliness of the dog, whether it is kibble that should be fresh, not moldy. If it is food cooked by yourself, it should be cooked and not left overnight because if the food is not clean, it will cause abnormal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
3.Dogs should not be exposed to the rain.
Dogs can catch a cold or get sick just like people if they are left out in the rain or playing in water for a long time. Because most of the diseases found in dogs in the rainy season are the flu, bronchitis, or if it is severe, it may cause canine distemper. If the dog has a cold, we should keep it in a warm and dry place or find clothes for it to wear to keep it warm. If the symptoms are severe, do not give it medicine by yourself because the dog may have an allergic reaction to the medicine, which can lead to death. But should quickly take it to see a veterinarian for treatment.
4. Prevent diseases that come with humidity.
Humidity in the rainy season is a major factor that causes dogs to get sick, such as skin diseases, which often cause bumps or itchy rashes that cause the dog's skin to become inflamed and may even become fungal. Most skin diseases in dogs are caused by fungi and bacteria that come with the rainy season. If it is severe, it will become "dog mange" that we are familiar with. Dog owners should therefore take care of cleaning the dog's skin to prevent it from getting wet and keep the dog clean.
Dog owners should bring their dogs to get annual vaccinations, which is a way to keep them healthy, strong, and able to withstand changing weather conditions. If they have any unusual symptoms, they should see a veterinarian early on for proper treatment. You should not give your dog medicine by yourself because in addition to possible allergic reactions, it may not treat the cause of the disease and cause the symptoms to spread, leading to complications that could be life-threatening. If you love your dog, don’t neglect these things and don’t let them get wet in the rain.
Read other articles 6 things to do if your dog or cat is poisoned
———————————————————————————–
References
Dr. Oraya Prapanpoj, veterinarian at the Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Surgery and Department of Cardiology, Talingchan Animal Hospital
English