Puppy health issues and signs

Parasites are organisms that live on or inside your puppy and can also be transmitted to humans.

Fleas are the most common parasites found on puppies and cause itching, inflamed skin, and even allergies. Ticks are another external parasite you’ll need to protect your puppy against. They latch onto a dog’s skin to suck their blood and can transmit diseases, including fatal ones.

When it comes to internal parasites, worms are the most common threat.

For both internal and external parasites, prevention is better than cure. And, as puppies are more sensitive to parasites, it’s important they have regular preventative treatments. Your vet can advise on the best approach for your puppy.

It’s quite common for puppies to get diarrhea for a variety of reasons. It may range from one or two mild episodes that clear up quickly to severe gastric problems caused by a serious illness or blockage.

Common causes of diarrhea in puppies include:

Kennel cough is a very contagious respiratory disease. It passes from dog to dog via direct contact or shared objects such as food or water bowls. For this reason, it spreads particularly quickly in environments such as kennels, day care, or dog shows.

The most common symptom is a harsh, dry cough that may be followed by retching. Other symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, and eye discharge. Younger puppies and dogs with weaker immune systems tend to have more severe cases of kennel cough, so make sure your puppy’s vaccinated against it.

Mange is a skin disease that causes severe itching and is highly contagious. It's caused by mites that burrow under the skin's surface and lay eggs to create more mites. Dogs usually catch mange through direct contact or shared bedding with other dogs. But a less common type is passed from mother to puppy and flares up if the puppy's immune system is weakened.

Symptoms of mange include intense scratching, skin rashes, hair loss, and crusted skin, which can lead to secondary infections. Various treatments are available for mange from your vet, and it can often be cleared within a month.

Parvovirus symptoms in puppies include:

If you’re concerned your puppy may have parvovirus, consult a vet immediately. Also, be very careful with hygiene around their feces – parvovirus can be spread by any person, animal, or object that’s come into contact with an infected animal’s feces.

The good news is, parvovirus can be vaccinated against, so make sure it’s included in your puppy’s vaccination program.