Illnesses, Injuries, and Conditions

***\*This article is still under construction!***

***DISCLAIMER: this page is NOT intended to provide any medical or clinical information. Please consult a doctor for proper advice.***

Wild dogs are often subjected to natural illnesses, injuries, and various medical or genetic conditions. Medicine dogs treat illnesses, injuries, and conditions; however, some are genetic, naturally-occurring, and not harmful, such as Briarheart and Eaglestar's.

## Illnesses

### Sick-pup epidemic

Sick-pup epidemic is a highly contagious, naturally-occurring disease that is generated from a tansy and borage overdose. Pregnant and nursing she-dogs and pups are the most susceptible to getting this illness, not only because mothers are sharing bodily fluids (milk) with their pups, but also because it is highly contagious. It is especially dangerous to pups, since too much tansy is poisonous to them. This disease can affect unborn pups and can be passed through a nursing mother's milk, and it is more dangerous if it is contracted from another dog rather than from the herbal mix itself. Dogs who are immunocompromised are also very much at risk of contracting the disease. Most cases, especially ones that end in fatality, are highly plausible to have had a link to the contraction of canine parvovirus. However, sick-pup epidemic is not the Pack's term for parvo; rather, it describes the events leading to the contraction of it.

Symptoms include sudden spikes of energy lasting for several minutes followed by all-day exhaustive periods, coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle weakness, and in more severe cases, seizures, muscle failure, and vomiting.

The sick-pup epidemic was especially prevalent in a period of Whitestar's leadership around the birth of Splashbeach and Fangheart. It hit its peak around the time of the rogue ambush, and adult dogs were contracting this illness and dying from it. Most dogs that contracted the illness ended up dying from it. Many believed that Willowheart was to blame for the death of so many pups, because as an older medicine dog, she was overworked with trying to get new mothers' milk to come in the middle of winter. During this season, it killed twelve dogs alone. It was believed to have started with Nightwind; however, since it occurred within her naturally and not passed from another dog, she was able to make a steady recovery.

The sick-pup epidemic has not occurred within the Pack since the start of Reedstar's leadership.

### Cancer

Cancer occurs when cancerous cells are present in the body. They often divide to destroy naturally-occurring body tissue.

There are many different types of cancers, so there are different symptom sets linked with different types of cancers. The cancer is often named after where it is present in the body.

#### Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the presence of cancerous cells in the lung tissue.

Some symptoms include difficulty breathing, lethargy, poor appetite, weight loss, coughing up blood, and sometimes fever.

Silverhawk is the only known casualty of this condition.

### Brain infections

A brain infection occurs when a part of the brain has been inflamed.

Symptoms include fever, seizures, behavioral changes, decreased responsiveness, unequal pupil sizes, and decreased consciousness.

Larkstar is the only known casualty of this condition. In her case, she experienced decreased responsiveness and extreme mood swings, becoming so easily angered to the point of lashing out, plotting violence against her enemies, and even promoting conspiracy theories, and right after experienced periods of prolonged depression and exhaustion. The duration of these extreme mood swings lengthened as her condition got worse.

### Poisoning

Poisoning occurs when a substance interacts with the body and causes harm. The following all have a risk of poisoning:

* Eating rotten or poisoned food
* Drinking tainted or poisoned water and other liquids
* Breathing too much smoke
* Being bitten by a venomous animal

Eating tainted food and drinking tainted water often causes an upset stomach, and in more severe cases, fever, vomiting, and fatigue.

There is no known cure for being bitten by a snake or for breathing in too much smoke. Honey can soothe the throat after smoke inhalation, but fatal damage can occur with prolonged exposure. Giving yarrow when a patient has eaten or drank something tainted is the cure used most often by the medicine dog.

Nutpup is the only known casualty of severe food poisoning.

## Mental Illnesses

Many dogs are subjected to mental illnesses while living in the wild. The most common are depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. There have also been recorded cases of dissociative identity disorder and borderline personality disorder.

### Depression

Depression is a psychiatric illness characterized by feelings of severe dejection, guilt, lack of energy, and disturbance of appetite and sleep.

Many Pack dogs may experience depression symptoms for a short amount of time, particularly after the loss of a loved one or a natural disaster. However, sometimes one of these losses may severely damage the psyche of an individual. Depression is probably the most common mental condition of the dogs living in the wild, and it has affected countless throughout time. Briarheart suffered long-term depression after the loss of his mate and pups, as well as Cloudheart following the death of his parents. Other notable dogs dealing with this condition are Cedarfang, Jaggedtooth, Jayheart, Honeyheart, Silverstream, Rosedust, Shimmerheart, and Fangheart.

### Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are psychiatric illnesses characterized by excessive uneasiness and apprehension, compulsive behavior, and panic attacks.

Along with depression, anxiety disorders are very common in the wild, and it has a high comorbidity with depression. Specklechirp, Splashbeach, Larkstar, Oatclaw, and Willowheart are notable dogs that have dealt with some kind of anxiety disorder.

#### Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is an anxiety disorder characterized by persistent mental and emotional stress caused by injury or severe psychological shock, and it typically involves recollection of the event, sleep disturbances, and dulled responses to others and the outside world.

PTSD is not as common in the wild as other anxiety disorders, but it is often triggered by traumatic events such as a natural disaster or witnessing the death of a loved one. Diamondheart, Reedstar, and Princess Hope all have likely dealt with PTSD.

### Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.

Like PTSD, bipolar disorder is not as common as other psychiatric conditions, but depending on genetics and life events, symptoms can be present even without a proper diagnosis. King Kirk was likely to have dealt with it, and Larkstar presented some symptoms later in her life.

### Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are illnesses in which individuals experience severe disturbances in their eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. While the numbers of domestic house pets with eating disorders are surprisingly high, they are rather rare in the wild. The most common cause of eating disorders in the wild are underlying issues that affect appetite.

1. ↑ PetMD
2. ↑ PetMD