When we talk about “silent killers” of dogs and cats, we’re talking about those diseases that show no early signs and yet are deadly enough to cause damage without you knowing. The sad bit is that by the time you realize your pet is ill and visit the pet hospital, the damage done could be irreversible.
As a pet owner, you should keep tabs on your pet’s eating habits, weight, activity level, and even toilet habits in order to stop these diseases in their tracks. Dogs and cats share some common diseases and we shall discuss the top three. These diseases include the following:
- Heartworm disease
- Kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Parvovirus
- Dental disease
- Obesity
1. Heartworm Disease
Heartworm disease is among the top silent killers of dogs and cats, and it’s a slow and insidious disease which gradually incapacitates them. By the time pet owners notice the giveaway signs of this disease, serious damage may already have been caused.
In affected pets, foot-long worms or heartworms residing in the lungs, heart, lungs, and blood vessels cause heart failure, lung disease, and damage to the other body organs. Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms. This means that the heartworms will reside inside a dog and then mature, mate, and sire offspring. For cats, they are atypical hosts for heartworms because these parasites won’t normally survive to reach adult stage.
In dogs, heartworm disease causes mild persistent coughs, fatigue, a disinterest in exercise, decreased appetite, and weight loss. A massive infestation of heartworms in dogs could lead to cardiovascular collapse, which can be fatal. In cats, the signs of infestation include coughing and asthma-like attacks, occasional vomiting, decreased appetite, and weight loss. If you notice any of these signs, you should go to the pet hospital without delay.
2. Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is number two on our list of silent killers of dogs and cats. This sneaky killer takes months, even years, to start showing any symptoms for the disease to be diagnosed. Unfortunately, by the time the disease is diagnosed, acute and irreversible damage may be done to the organs.
There is still no cure for kidney disease in dogs and cats. However, there are some things you can do to prevent the disease. Urinary tract infections should be treated without delay. You should be on the lookout for blood in your pet’s urine and if they’re making frequent trips to the litter box to urinate. If your pet suddenly begins to drink more water, loses their appetite, or both, consult a vet because it could mean their kidneys are starting to fail. Weight loss and lack of energy are other major indicators of kidney failure.
3. High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure or hypertension may be easily overlooked because it’s usually clinically silent. However, if you leave it untreated, it can lead to serious health complications and even death. High blood pressure will predominantly affect the eyes, heart, kidney and brain. Eye changes because of hypertension could cause blindness. Sudden blindness is actually the first external indication that a cat has hypertension which needs treatment. Hypertension can lead to progressive damage to the pet’s kidneys, worsening renal disease. In trying to make up for hypertension, the heart muscles become thicker and stiffer, and this could eventually cause heart failure. Blood vessels in your pet’s brain could also be weakened and ruptured by hypertension, leading to seizures, dementia, and neurological problems. It can also lead to death. When pets have hypertension, it could be the result of other diseases, especially kidney disease, Cushing’s disease, and hyperthyroidism.
Prevention is better than Cure
There is good news because a blood test has been developed to identify which dogs and cats have a greater risk of developing heart disease and heart failure. There are a number of products in the market that you can use to prevent heartworm and other parasites like hook and ring worms. To prevent kidney failure in pets, you should be aware of common preventable causes such as being exposed to toxins. Ideally, you should schedule regular appointments with your vet. Just like humans, pets require a good diet and plenty of exercise in order to remain strong and healthy.