Recently I came across some information that I found interesting: Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) published its list of the 10 most common reasons people bring their cats and dogs to the vet. I’ll address the top reasons for dogs.

• Number one on the dog list is ear infections. Many people think ear mites cause infections in dogs, but ear mites are really more a problem in cats. Dogs more commonly get yeast or bacterial infections in their ears.

Ear infections are often secondary to an allergy or irritation, and the primary cause can be difficult to find. Important things to remember about dog’s ears: Always consult your vet before starting therapy, ear mite medicine probably isn’t the right choice, and lastly – as my mother always said, – “Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.” The same applies for your dog.

Followup appointments are a very important part of treatment. The most common cause of recurrence of ear disease is really because treatment was discontinued before the infection was completely cleared up.

• Next on the list is skin infections/hot spots. Dermatology is a daily challenge for me. There is rarely one clear cause of skin disease. Allergies, contact hypersensitivity, fleas, diet, bacterial infections are some possible causes, and there are many more.

My best advice for skin disease is to prevent flea infestation, treat skin disease early, complete all medications as directed and again follow up with your vet as directed. Skin infections can take weeks to months to cure, so stick with it.

• Stomach and intestinal upset follow on the list. Dogs are notorious for eating things they shouldn’t, and dog owners are notorious for feeding their dogs things they shouldn’t. When your pet has gastrointestinal problems, follow the same guidelines you would for yourself. A few episodes of vomiting or diarrhea isn’t reason to go to the doctor, but if symptoms last more than a day, or your pet can’t keep any food or water down, make an appointment at the vet.

Keeping your dog up to date on vaccines is a good way to prevent infectious causes of G.I. disease. Regular deworming is important for dogs exposed to areas of possible parasite infestation (dog parks, rest areas).

Contrary to what many people think, it’s better for a dog to have a stable diet. They don’t really need diversity to be happy. So don’t change your pet’s food without good reason. If your dog’s G.I. tract isn’t broke, don’t fix it, because when the G.I. tract is broke, it’s no fun for anyone.

• Bladder infections follow on the list. The common symptom is more frequent urination and having accidents in the house. Testing the urine, and sometimes x-rays and ultrasound, are needed to diagnose and treat the infection correctly. Older dogs sometimes won’t show symptoms. Testing urine at the time of annual physical exam is appropriate for senior dogs to catch “silent” infections.

• Arthritis is very common in dogs. No age, breed or size of dog is immune to arthritis. One of the primary causes of arthritis is obesity, so the best prevention is to keep your dog the proper weight.

There are many treatment options for arthritis. Just remember that aspirin and other human pain-relieving drugs can be very harmful to your pet, so contact your vet prior to giving any over the counter human pain relievers.

• Hypothyroidism in dogs is common in middle-age to older female dogs. Blood-testing is necessary to diagnose, and lifetime supplement is needed once diagnosed. This again makes a good argument for blood-testing once a dog is a senior – on average, 7 years old.

• Sprains are also on the list. It’s hard to avoid sprains, especially in active dogs. It’s harder to help those dogs heal, because it takes time for a sprain to heal.

• Knee ligament injuries are very common in athletic dogs, just like athletic people. Damage to the anterior cruciateligament is a common cause of lameness in dogs. When the ligament is sprained, healing may only require rest and time. If the dog remains active on a sprained ligament, it can tear and require surgery to repair the injury.

To review the top-10 lists and for other pet care hints, go to the VPI Web site at www.petinsurance.com/healthzone.aspx. My next column will address the reasons people bring cats to the vet.

Melanie Caviness is a veterinarian and owner of Wilderness Veterinary Clinic. She can be reached at wildernessvet1@qwest.net.