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Ohio’s natural parks and Lake Erie access make it a great place to raise a healthy, happy dog. But Ohio’s climate and flora give it particular hazards to look out for in your canine.
Lots of things can determine how common a disease or other health problem is in dogs. For example, injuries such as being hit by a car are usually seen in dogs that are allowed to roam or accidentally get off a leash. Certain infections such as parvovirus are common in non-vaccinated puppies. But is there any connection between where a dog lives and the health problems they experience? What are the most common diseases by state or region?
We’ll take a look at diseases that affect dogs in Ohio and throughout many parts of the Midwest. The information is based on data courtesy of some of the top Pet Insurance Companies and their thousands of claims submitted in 2013 and 2014.
The Most Common Diseases or Conditions in Dogs from Ohio (in descending order) were:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Ear infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Cranial cruciate ligament rupture
- Seizure
- Hip dysplasia
- Allergies
- Skin infection (AKA pyoderma, which can be secondary to allergies)
- Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye)
- Pruritus (AKA itching, often secondary to allergies)
- Osteoarthritis
- Giardiasis (usually presents as diarrhea)
- Hind leg lameness
- Gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea)
- Foreleg Lameness
- Lameness
- Foreign body ingestion (eating something not digestible)
- Cough
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach, often coupled with vomiting)
Summary Of Ohio Dog Diseases:
As you can see from this list, three major patterns exist for Ohio Dogs:
- Vomiting, diarrhea, and vomiting with diarrhea are very common problems. Causes can include an organism called Giardia (#13 on our list) and foreign body ingestion (which can cause vomiting and diarrhea). Between the different causes of vomiting/diarrhea, these symptoms account for almost 32% of dog illness and vet visits.
- Allergies are another major source of symptoms. They can present as ear infections, itching, or skin infections (pyoderma). These problems can account for almost 22% of dog illness and vet visits.
- Arthritis and orthopedic causes of lameness account for another large portion of problems. Cruciate ligament tearing is a common knee injury, along with hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis, and lameness in the front or back legs. These issues account for another 22% of reported illness and vet visits.
I hope this gives you a better understanding of possible problems that can occur in dogs from Ohio.
What Can You Do to Keep Your Ohio Dog Safe?
• Keeping your pet safe from these issues is easy. To prevent many of the problems associated with vomiting and diarrhea, maintain your dog on a good quality food and avoid table scraps. Don’t let your dog roam where he or she can get into the trash or eat feces and objects that aren’t digestible.
• To prevent ear infections, keep your dog’s ears dry (especially if they bathe or swim frequently). Dogs with large, floppy ears are at higher risk of infection so it’s especially important to keep an eye on these pets.
• Allergies are harder to prevent. Many veterinarians recommend feeding a good quality grain free or limited ingredient food, maintaining flea control throughout the year, and periodically bathing your dog with a good quality dog shampoo.
• Orthopedic problems can be hard to prevent as dogs play. The best thing you can do is to keep your dog on a leash to prevent traumas such as car accidents that can cause lameness.
We hope these tips help keep your Ohio dog healthy.
