Salmonellosis is a rather serious disease that belongs to the group of infectious diseases. In an animal, it affects the entire digestive system and respiratory system. More often this disease occurs in puppies or young dogs, but adult dogs get sick quite rarely. This is due to the fact that young animals still have too weak immunity. Moreover, salmonellosis is a threat not only to health, but also to the life of the pet. And most importantly, this infection is extremely dangerous for people.
Salmonellosis in dogs
Absolutely any animal can get salmonellosis. Particularly affected are farm animals: calves, chickens, piglets and others. Dogs and cats suffer from the disease less often, but there are cases. In both rural and domestic animals, young animals are infected, because of their weak immunity they cannot resist the disease. There are two options for the course of the disease: in the form of enzootia (this is in young individuals) and latent (more often in adults).
The most dangerous age of a young individual when there is a real risk of catching salmonellosis is from one to eight months. When its own immunity has not yet formed and the animal becomes simply defenseless against various infections. As for dogs, the largest percentage of infection falls on the period when the puppy is excommunicated and transferred to self-feeding.
Causes of infection
In addition to the already mentioned risks of salmonella infection, there are several more reasons that are not inferior in frequency to the above:
- A huge risk of infection of several animals at once in shelters and other places of mass keeping dogs.
- If the mother and her offspring are kept in a damp and cold room, where there are always drafts, then this is a direct way to get an infection. And here an adult dog also falls into the risk zone.
- An unbalanced diet also leads to infection. This happens with street dogs that have no owners and have to eat what they have to eat and when they have to.
- During the change of teeth, young animals also have a risk that the puppies will become infected with salmonellosis.
- It is necessary to ensure that helminths do not appear in puppies, since their appearance is a direct path to the formation of salmonella.
- In addition to all of the above, stress conditions provoke the appearance of the disease, into which the dog may fall due to death or a change of owner, change of residence.
- Various intestinal disorders predispose to the appearance of salmonella.
Sources of infection
We found out why salmonellosis can occur and in which group of animals, and now it is worth paying attention to how salmonella infection occurs. After all, salmonella cannot appear in the body from nowhere and then just disappear into nowhere. Perhaps some owners who know how this happens will be able to avoid infection.
Various types of salmonella become causative agents of infection, but listing them does not make sense. Veterinarians have long established that almost twenty percent of dogs have a small part in their bodies and simply excrete them into the environment. Infected are: saliva, urine, feces and nasal discharge of a pet that is sick.
For a healthy animal, danger lies literally in all things that a sick dog could come into contact with: a food bowl, water, toys, bedding, a collar and much more. Most often, infection occurs through water or food, which a sick and healthy pet can consume in one place. It's no secret that especially often pets, and people, become infected by eating raw eggs that were obtained from sick chicken.
It is impossible to predict this, so doctors unanimously say that you can’t drink raw eggs and feed them animals if you do not know their origin. But that is not all. Many dogs and cats prey on rodents, and often eat insects. They are also pathogens and cause infection.
The risk of infection of a dog who lives on a farm increases several times. After all, there are many animals and some of them, or maybe someone alone, may have a pathogen. Attendants touch animals, their food, removes feces and then contacts other animals. This is how people can carry a dangerous disease on their hands without even knowing it.
Quite often it happens that unborn puppies become infected from their sick mother and are born already with an infection. In such cases, on the eighth or tenth day there is a departure in the litter.
Symptoms of salmonellosis in a dog
The duration of the incubation period depends on what form of the disease the pet has. It can be from one to seven days. The acute and subacute course of the disease is distinguished. They are characterized by a short stage of the disease. Most often found in young animals. The chronic form is also distinguished. In this case, the first symptoms in an adult dog will appear approximately one week after infection.
Symptoms of acute and subacute course
Symptoms of salmonellosis in a dog of these forms of the disease are slightly different from the chronic form:
- The dog's body temperature rises sharply, and there is a fever.
- The pet completely refuses food.
- The dog feels severe weakness, its movements are difficult, while walking it sways from side to side, apathy is observed.
- The dog is vomiting, streaks of blood can be seen in the vomit.
- Diarrhea appears. Many owners are simply lost and do not know what to do. Diarrhea with blood in a dog - this is quite dangerous for the life of the animal.
- Vomiting and diarrhea have consequences. The dog is dehydrated and intoxicated, the skin becomes dry, loses its elasticity, and the hair becomes tousled.
- Severe pain on palpation of the abdominal wall is noted.
- In a short period, a sick animal comes complete depletion of the body.
- Bacterial endotoxins begin to penetrate not only into the intestines, but other organs are already worried. Quite often, the liver suffers. You can easily notice that yellowness appears around the eyes and on the gums.
- When salmonella enters the internal organs, a brain lesion occurs, which leads to convulsions. Very small puppies can fall into a coma, and in adults, meningitis is manifested.
- In addition to organs, joints can also be affected, which entails arthritis.
- If Salmonella struck a pregnant female, then there is a high risk of miscarriage or uterine disease.
- Bacteria can affect not only internal organs, but also respiratory. It also does not pass without a trace, there is a risk of bronchopneumonia and purulent rhinitis.
- You can easily notice that wheezing appeared in the dog’s chest, while moving, even the smallest, shortness of breath appears, breathing is very difficult.
- If you do not take any measures in time and do not contact a specialist, then damage to the dog’s body will lead to its rapid death.
Symptoms of a chronic form
In the chronic form, the symptoms of salmonellosis in a dog are slightly different from the above:
- In an animal, appetite is greatly reduced or completely lost.
- There is diarrhea with blood.
- Various respiratory pathologies are noticeable.
- It happens that an infected dog has too strong immunity and the disease proceeds almost without symptoms, but changes can be noticed.
- The dog is vomiting.
- Strong depletion of the animal organism is observed.
- There are clear signs of bronchopneumonia and chronic arthritis.
All these symptoms of salmonellosis in dogs are somewhat similar, but there are differences. Therefore, when examined by a veterinarian, you need to talk about all your observations. Every little thing can play a decisive role in the health of the pet.
What tests are needed
To diagnose the disease, there is a whole range of tests and studies that an experienced veterinarian should conduct. Bacteriological and serological testing is considered mandatory. Salmonella can be found in blood and feces, as well as in urine.
If the diagnosis is made to a live puppy, then epizootic data from the region where the dog lives is taken into account when determining it. When fatal, an autopsy is performed and then the pathological picture is studied. Bacteriological culture is mandatory, with the help of which the pathogen can be detected.
Treatment methods
Treatment of salmonellosis in dogs begins with a decrease in body intoxication. The veterinarian begins to fight the pathogen and, using various methods, tries to increase the dog's immunity. To avoid dehydration, the dog is injected with intravenous buffer solutions. Detoxification therapy is also conducted in the same way.
Especially effective are various types of immunoglobulins, which quickly strengthen the body of a sick animal. After isolating the serotype of the pathogen, antibacterial drugs can be prescribed that will directly fight the infection. But these drugs can be prescribed only taking into account the sensitivity of the pathogen to one or another of their components. If the antibiotic for salmonellosis is not selected correctly, then the resistance of the strains to the drug will be caused. This will greatly delay and complicate therapy.
In addition to all this, experienced veterinarians recommend using enemas to quickly remove salmonella from the body of an animal. The cleaning solution includes not only a disinfectant, but also solutions of various herbs. Enemas in which nitrofuran is used are considered very effective.
If respiratory organs are affected, then various coughing drugs are prescribed. To avoid intoxication, the dog should drink a lot. Infusions of various herbs are especially useful during this period: sage, chamomile, St. John's wort.
During this period, it is necessary to strengthen the body's defenses. For this, the veterinarian selects drugs for immunotherapy. It can be: "Garmavit", "Roncoleukin", "Fosprenil."
And be sure to consult a specialist on how to give your dog pills so that she does not spit them out. After all, it often happens that a dog eats pills along with food, but then just spits them out, while the owner is absolutely calm that the medicine got to his pet.
Medical nutrition
All salmonella control methods listed above are certainly effective. But great importance on the path to recovery is played by medical nutrition, and the dog needs to provide good conditions. Proteins, minerals and many vitamins should be included in the diet. Food should be light and balanced.
The room for the dog needs to be chosen warm and without a high level of humidity, the presence of drafts is completely eliminated. The owner should regularly clean the dog’s bedding, disinfect the walls and floor, objects that the dog uses. It is also necessary to limit the communication of the dog and not let small children and elderly people, as well as patients, be allowed to it.
Prevention methods
Salmonellosis can be cured, especially if you tackle this issue in a timely manner, but it will be much more pleasant if your dog does not catch this infection. And in this matter a lot depends on the owner. After all, you can just carry out preventive measures. Specialists have long developed a whole range of measures for the prevention of salmonellosis:
- There is a special vaccine for the prevention of salmonellosis in dogs. And if the situation with this infection is too aggravated in the area, then it is better to be safe again.
- If animals are kept in groups, then it is necessary to regularly conduct treatment of the premises from rodents, disinfection.
- The quarantine rules for sick animals must be followed.
- The dog can only eat boiled eggs and heat-treated meat. Do not give the dog raw water.
- Domestic dogs should not communicate with stray dogs.
- Dogs can be kept only in warm and dry rooms, with a complete absence of drafts and good ventilation.
Conclusion
As you can see, salmonellosis is a rather dangerous disease for dogs that can lead to death in a short period of time. You must be attentive to your dog, then it will be possible to take appropriate measures in the early stages of the development of the disease. If you notice any changes in your pet, vomiting, diarrhea with blood in a dog, everyone knows what to do at the same time - immediately contact a specialist. Do not self-medicate, as an improperly selected drug can further aggravate the situation. Only the veterinarian knows how to give the dog pills and what dosage to choose.