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Dog Health - Pet Advice

If you think your dog is sick, take it to a vet

April 5th 2010 19:31
If you think that your dog is sick, call your vet if it is during regular hours, otherwise call an emergency vet. It is very hard for anyone on the internet to diagnose your dog without doing proper bloodwork and tests. It is hard to see the symptoms and the severity online, so for best and most accurate results and diagnosis, call your vet or any available vet.

Signs of a sick dog may include:

Bad Breath
Bleeding Gums
Bloody Stools
Blood in Urine
Constipation
Lumps
Coughing
Diarrhea
Extreme thirst
Hair Loss
Head Shaking


Inflamed Ears
Irritated Skin
Less Frequent Bowel Movements
Less Frequent Urination
Lethargy
Lameness
Loss of Appetite
Pale Gums
Pale Tongue
Panting
Pot Belly
Scratching
Smelly Ears
Temperature above 102°F
Vomiting
Watery Eyes
Sudden/Dramatic Weight Loss

If your dog experiences any of the above symptoms for more than one day, call your vet, as your dog is in distress.

You can search the internet for first day while your dog is experiencing signs of sickness, but it is best for the sake of your dog to seek veterinary assistance if the symptoms persist.


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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Dog Health
   


My Dog is Coughing, What's Wrong?

March 31st 2010 14:43



If your dog has a dry, hacking cough, it's probably kennel cough. The illness can affect dogs and puppies. It's common among dogs and puppies in shelters or puppies from large breeders or puppy mills who do not keep their facilities properly cleaned and disinfected.

Even though Kennel Cough is a common illness among dogs in shelters, your dog can develop the illness if he been your pet for years. All your dog has to do is come into contact with another dog that has the illness, and he can contract it. The bacteria is airborne and can travel.

It is recommended that you get your dog vaccinated against kennel cough in attempts to prevent it. Your dog may still contract the illness, but with the bordatella vaccination, you will definitely minimize the risk of development.

How To Treat Canine Kennel Cough

Kennel cough can develop into pneumonia, so it is very important that if you think your dog has the illness, you see a veterinarian for diagnosis and proper treatment.

Common places for your dog to contract kennel cough include:
* Anywhere there are other dogs, to include a friends out or on the street for a daily walk
* Dog boarding facility
* Dog day care
* Dog groomer
* Dog park
* Pet store
* Vet

It makes sense that if your dog has kennel cough, to seclude him from other dogs, but it can take 5 to 10 days before you notice any signs, which is how many people accidentally expose other dogs to the illness by taking their already infected dog out in public.

Many vets, groomers, and boarding facilities will ask for a recent proof of vaccination certificate to verify whether the dog has been vaccinated against the bacteria. The Bordatella vaccination isn't a required by law vaccination in all states, but it is highly recommended before kenneling your dog for any length of time.




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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Dog Health
   


Causes and Treatment of Cataracts in Dogs

October 18th 2009 15:56
Cataracts if very common in older dogs and dogs with diabetes, and commonly confused with another eye disorder, that causes cloudiness but not vision impairment- nuclear sclerosis. Cataracts causes vision impairment, as well as gives the cloudy appearance.

You can treat cataracts in your dog, but treatment is generally going to be a surgical procedure, and not all dogs are good candidates for the surgery.

If you think that your dog has cataracts, you should consult your veterinarian for more information. You do not want to assume it's nuclear sclerosis, and your dog really need to be treated for cataracts. Even though nuclear sclerosis is even more common than canine cataracts, you just want to make sure that you know what is wrong with your dog.

You will notice the cloudiness first, and the vision loss will come next. It can be very hard to deal with a dog who has vision problems, so it's a good idea to see if he is a good candidate for the surgery. You'll definitely see a big improvement in your dog.

For more information, check out:
Cataracts in Dogs- Causes and Treatment
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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Dog Health
   


Keep Your Dog Cool in Summer

September 20th 2009 14:56
Depending on where you live, you summer weather may be way too hot for your dog. You want to make sure that you can provide a cool place for your dog to get away when the temperatures are excessively hot because a hot dog is not going to be a happy and healthy dog.

Heat exhaustion is more common than you may think, so you want to avoid your dog from overheating by following a few tips.

* Have plenty of shade.
* Offer ice water.
* Have a small pool for the dog to lounge in.
* Use a cooling mat.
* Leave the dog in the house as much as possible, during warmer months.

For more signs of heat exhaustion and tips for keeping your dog cool in the summer, you should check out
Signs of Heat Exhaustion in Your Dog - Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer.

It is up to you to keep your dog's health a priority, so make sure that you keep him cool, especially in the summer months.

Remember if you have a dog with thicker or longer hair, don't shave him because he'll use his hair as insulation, keeping the cool air closer to his body. There are so many things that you can do to keep your dog cool, that these tips are only a beginning.



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What is Addison's Disease? Does my Dog Have it?

August 31st 2009 20:42
Basically, Addison's disease is the common name for adrenal insufficiency. When the cortex of the kidney cannot properly secrete and regulate cortisol and aldosterone, the sodium levels in the body decrease, causing an increase in potassium. Together this ends up lowering the blood pressure and with high potassium levels, the heart can slow down WAY too far, potentially putting your dog into shock.

The signs of the disorder can mirror many other disorders, so it can be hard to diagnose on the first go. The symptoms can last for months, lingering around before you ever notice any problems. You want to keep a look for weakness and lethargy, but a dog suffering Addison's Disease can all experience vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, tremors, shaking, muscle weakness, pain in hind area, and depression.

Addison's disease can be a very serious condition, but you can manage the disease if you are able to diagnose the disorder. Dietary changes and medications can manage Addison's in your dog.

If you want more in-dept information about Addison's, in terms of the different types of Addison's and more information towards diagnosing and treating the disorder, you should check out : Addison's Disease in Dogs


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Be Aware of Foxtails and Your Pets

August 13th 2009 15:19
Foxtails are pretty common in the Western United States. Basically, it's a means that helps ensure that the seed gets buried in the ground. But when attaching itself to your pet, it can and will try to bury itself into your dog's paw, tail, lip, stomach, etc.

You want to be very careful if you live in an area with foxtails because if stuck in an area on your pet that you can't easily see, you may or may not be able to notice the signs early enough to rush to the emergency vet


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Why does my dog eat poop?

August 4th 2009 18:56
Some dogs just eat poop, it's not the most attractive or pleasant habit for your dog to have. Some dogs eat their own poo, while other dogs may eat the poop of other dogs or even cats. Your dog may eat

Tips for getting your dog to stop eating his poop


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Why do dogs chase their tails?

March 25th 2009 20:10
Not all dogs chase their tail, some do rarely, and some do it all the time. My American Pit Bull Terrier was once a frequent tail chaser, and now it's just funny because she has three legs so she's like a little tornado going from one side of the house to another.

Well, a team of veterinarians performed a study on what exactly causes dogs to chase their tail, and although the study is not 100 percent definite, it does give a little more incite into the situation


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Posted By: Whitney - Category: Dog Health
   


The B.A.R.F. Diet for Dogs

March 5th 2009 21:20
by muckster

The new semi-controversial diet is the Bones and Raw Food Diet, or more commonly known as the B.A.R.F. Diet. There are many people feeding their dogs, and some cats, the raw food diet, but there are many others who just don't see the reasoning or safety behind it.

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Reading Dog Food Labels

March 2nd 2009 21:03
When choosing a dog food for your dog it is pretty important that you know how to read the dog food label that must legally be printed somewhere on the bag. You want to make sure that you are able to distinguish what ingredients you dog should have in his diet and those that you want to avoid.

There are a number of dog foods on the market that you would think would be a great brand to purchase, as the bag is marketed with fresh vegetables and meats, but when it comes down to the label, you'll probably find that they are high in grains and fillers, which should be avoided


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