It is said that owning a dog is making a commitment to heartbreak given their significantly shorter lifespans. The sad reality is that so many dogs pass away prematurely from preventable diseases and illnesses.

Kidney Disease
This occurs when the kidneys can no longer properly filter waste and toxins from the blood and maintain necessary hydration. The earliest symptom of kidney disease in dogs is a drastic increase in water consumption and urination. Nutrition is important and aids in the effective treatment of dogs with kidney failure.

Diabetes
Due to the enormous rise in canine obesity, dogs are developing diabetes at an alarming rate. Diabetes is considered a manageable illness and many diabetic dogs can lead happy, healthy lives with the right care. A diabetic dog’s body struggles to regulate their blood sugar, which can lead to fatal reactions to food. An early indicator for diabetes is a significant increase in water and appetite.

Lyme Disease
Dogs can live with the tick-borne illness Lyme Disease for years without displaying any symptoms. Causing serious health problems, this disease is hard-to-detect with common symptoms including depression, loss of appetite, and pain. Be alert to a decrease in activity levels as well as changes in eating or drinking patterns. Dogs that are frequently outdoors are more prone and early detection is crucial.

Obesity
Research from The Association for Pet Obesity shows more than 50% of dogs are overweight with this statistic rapidly rising. Obesity is a leading cause of illness and disease among dogs causing death and is a huge risk factor for heart disease, kidney/liver disease, and diabetes. You can control the weight of your dogs by monitoring their meal portions and diet. A RAW food diet is recommended for supporting a balanced weight.

Cancer
Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, and unfortunately, the symptoms are frequently not picked up until it is too late. Early detection and diagnoses are key but unfortunately rare. The best way to detect that something is not right with your dog is to observe and monitor changes in their behaviours, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, and activity levels. A dog can be very sick “inside" without showing any of the signs or symptoms which is your annual veterinary check-up is important.

The key thing to remember here, is that our dogs are suffering from lifestyle diseases that us humans are, yet they are not in control of their own food choices!

So effectively we may be enabling these conditions to advance. Simple edits to their food and exercise may be all that is required to lengthen and enhance the quality of life for your furry friend and I know there’s no one amongst us that would object to this outcome. To Learn Watch this Video. 

Doggy Daily contains superfoods to help protect your dog from lifestyle disease and illness. Check out the health benefits here.