Common Diseases in Animals and their Clinical Signs, Treatments and Prevention

Canine Distemper: A viral disease that affects dogs’ respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. Symptoms include high fever, eye inflammation and eye/nose discharge, laboured breathing, vomiting and diarrhoea. Vaccination is key for prevention. Treatment is aimed at alleviating symptoms as there’s no specific cure.
Canine Parvovirus (Parvo): Causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting leading to dehydration. Seen especially in puppies, with symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite and bloody faeces. Vaccination is key for prevention. Treatment involves intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV): A retrovirus that impairs cat’s immune system, making them susceptible to other infections and diseases. Symptoms are non-specific and include loss of appetite, slow but progressive weight loss, poor coat condition, etc. There’s no specific cure, but regular veterinary care is crucial in managing the disease. Preventive measures include an FeLV vaccine and avoiding contact with infected cats.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): Otherwise known as Feline AIDS, affects the immune system of cats. Typical symptoms involve poor coat condition, recurring minor illnesses and infections, dental disease and chronic diarrhoea. No cure exists, but symptoms can be managed with good care and regular veterinary check-ups. Preventing fights among cats can reduce transmission as the virus is often passed through bite wounds.

Equine Infectious Anemia (Swamp Fever): A viral disease that causes intermittent fever, anaemia, emaciation and potentially death. There’s no vaccine or cure. Horses should be tested for the disease and positive animals need to be isolated.
Laminitis: Inflammatory condition of horses’ hooves causing severe pain and lameness. Can be triggered by various factors including diet, concussion and certain diseases. Treatment involves addressing the triggering factor, pain relief, and often changes to the horse’s feet care and diet. Prevention includes proper foot care and nutrition.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Mycobacterium bovis causes it, affecting cattle’s respiratory system. Symptoms include coughing, weight loss and poor condition. Testing and slaughter of infected animals is key as treatment in cattle is prohibited due to the risk to human health.
Foot and Mouth Disease: Highly contagious viral disease. Causes fever, blisters in mouth and feet, reduced milk production. Outbreaks are controlled by movement restrictions and slaughtering of affected animals. Vaccination is only used in specific circumstances.