Bacteria are single celled organisms with the power to divide and multiply. Each strain of bacteria has different shapes and characteristics which can be used by medical professionals for the purposes of classification. Many forms of bacteria are harmless, and even helpful to an animal’s body, but there are bad strains that cause diseases in both humans and in dogs.
Symptoms
There are many different forms of bacterial infection in dogs which cause different symptoms, however, you can look for typical signs of illness and take your pet for a diagnosis. Typical symptoms of infection may include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
Remember to provide plenty of water for your dog as vomiting and diarrhea may lead to dehydration.
Causes
Typically infection is spread via physical contact, or through the air. Being around others with infections who are coughing and sneezing drastically increases the risk of contracting the illness.
Diagnosis
A trained vet will provide a diagnosis of bacterial infection. Your vet may look for signs such as a build-up of pus in the affected area. The affected area may also be swabbed with samples being sent for testing to determine whether there is a presence of malicious bacteria.
Treatment
If your dog is diagnosed with a bacterial infection, he/she will typically be put on a course of antibiotics of which there are many different forms. Some dogs may have allergies to penicillin in which case certain drugs should be avoided. One reliable antibiotic that you can consider is: Amoxicillin