I've been thinking about this for a while.  I am trying to come up with a list of potentially fatal things for dogs that most folks don't know about.  This isn't going to include the obvious like getting hit by a car and rat poison.  It isn't going to include the weird but true things like cocoa mulch.  The items also have to be "preventable" so liver cancer isn't going to make the list.  I plan to formulate the list into an article for publication.

Behavior

Poor behavior is the #1 preventable cause of death for dogs, and most veterinarians only give it lip service.  The #2 cause isn't even close.  Dogs with behavior problems are much more likely than dogs without them to go into the "shelter" system.  They are the least likely to be adopted.  The shelters kill thousands of dogs a year.  Any dog with a behavior problem is at risk.

To curb the behavior problem, puppies need to be socialized and dogs need to be trained.  The "cure" for poorly trained dogs is obedience classes, starting at 12 weeks.

Foreign Body Ingestion

Dogs eat lots of things that aren't food.  These lodge in the gastrointestinal tract and can kill tissue very quickly.  You may take a dog to the vet who seems very much alive, only to discover the internal damage is so great there is no hope.  I wrote about our experience (click here) earlier.

Quick action is critical.  Of all the symptoms, vomiting is the key.  Vomiting in dogs is very bad news.  If your pup pukes more than once, or it's unproductive, it's time to see the vet.

OTC and Prescription Drugs

Every day folks intentionally poison their dogs.  I'm not suggesting they intend to poison their dogs, I mean they intentionally give their dogs substances that are poisonous to dogs.  Top on the list are Advil and Tylenol.  A single ibuprofen or acetaminophen tablet can be enough to kill your dog.  Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S., sending 56,000 people to the emergency room annually, according to the FDA.  Herbal "supplements" that are relatively safe for you can be toxic to a dog.  (Rimadyl will kill you, it goes both ways).

Don't put pills or supplements or anything in your dog without consulting a veterinarian first.  And don't assume because one thing is similar to another they are both safe.

Pancreatitis

Bet you didn't know that sharing a little holiday meal with the dog could kill it, but it can.  Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas.  It causes vomiting, dehydration, seizures and if left untreated, death.  It is admittedly rare to have a dog die of pancreatitis, but it affects a lot of dogs and is potentially fatal if untreated.

Keeping the dog on a decent and regular diet will help prevent pancreatitis and getting a vomiting dog to the veterinarian is very important.  There are also viral forms of the disease.

Pyometra

This is an infection of the uterus.  It's nasty.  Left untreated, it ruptures out and the dog dies.  Occasionally, the dog will have a "closed" pyometra.  This is the worst kind, because the symptoms are lethargy and water consumption, all while the pus is not draining.  Waiting a day to see if it blows over might be the exact wrong thing to do.  Another factor that can make pyometra more dangerous is the cost to fix it.  Pyometra almost always requires immediate emergency surgery.  Dogs owned by folks who can't afford to pay it will not survive pyometra.

Spaying your girl is 100% preventative of this disease.

Riding in Cars

OK, I promised I wouldn't include your dog getting struck by a car, but as a passenger, this is a problem.  Dogs should be properly restrained while riding as passengers.  Dogs regularly fall out of open windows and truck beds.  Amanda was recently in a T-bone accident and feels Poppy and Iris might not be alive had they not been riding in crates.

Lepto
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is not quite totally avoided by vaccination.  The problems with the vaccines are:  many cause bad reactions, they aren't all effective against all strains and the vaccines that include lepto cost extra money.  So a huge (unacceptable, in my opinion) percentage of veterinarians do not vaccinate against lepto.   Leptospirosis is present in the environment.  Wild animals have it.  Slow moving or stagnant water can become a breeding ground for the disease and any dog who drinks water from puddles is at high risk.  When the bacteria comes in contact with mucus membranes or open wounds, your dog will become infected with any strain it isn't vaccinated against.

The disease can kill via organ failure, but sometimes severe hypothermia can be the first symptom, and a fatal one at that.  Your best protection comes in the form of proper vaccination.  The best vaccines contain four strains, many contain two strains, the vast majority contain none.  You have to make sure your veterinarian is using a vaccine that contains lepto.

The next time someone warns you about raisins or the danger of vaccinations, let them know that the real dangers lie in the mundane.