5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Healthy And Happy

A dog for a pet and a pal can be a great joy. They provide us with so much, and ask for nothing in return but that we care for them. They require of us food, water, shelter, and, of course, love. Therefore, keeping your dog healthy is a priority. This information is being provided to you to help keep your dog both happy and healthy.

Fleas & Ticks

External parasites are not only extremely annoying to your best friend, but they can also be a healthy hazard. Fleas are thought to be extremely common among dogs, while this true, what you may not understand is that fleas can lead to a variety of health problems. Fleas can carry tapeworm to your dog, they can also cause hair loss, infections of the skin, allergic reactions, and even anemia. Ticks are also a big cause for concern for your dog because they can carry the disease known as Lyme disease, which is a fatal disease to both humans and animals. Another thing to watch for is ear mites, which can be extremely annoying and painful to your dog. It is important to check for and rid your dog of these external parasites regularly if necessary. Even if your dog is an inside, when they are outside relieving themselves or on walks they can become infected by fleas, ticks, and ear mites.

Internal Parasites

Worms are one of the most common infestations of dogs, next to fleas. Tapeworms, whipworms, hookworms, heartworms, and roundworms are all internal parasites to watch for. Worms can cause a great deal of harm to your dog include, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weight loss, anemia, and perhaps even death. The worst thing about worms is that most are not noticeable without some sort of stool examination or blood tests. An annual check for worms is necessary for all dogs; this will help in controlling or preventing any infestations.

Disease

There are many diseases that can affect dogs, just as there are with humans. However, some breeds of dogs are more prone to certain diseases than others are. It is important to understand the disease risk of your specific dog breed and watch closely for any signs. Some diseases that effect dogs include:

Canine Distemper – This is a disease that is bacterial for the most part and will effect the nervous and organ system in the body. For the most part, this disease is fatal, if a dog does survive it will have some form of impairment, which is why vets require vaccination against the disease.

Rabies – This is generally transmitted from one animal to another via a bite from an infected animal. Rabies is almost always fatal and can be transmitted to humans, vaccination is required against rabies.

Other diseases to watch for include Kennel Cough, Leptospirosis, Canine Hepatitis, Canine Coronavirus, and Canine Parvovirus (Parvo). It is important to watch your dog for any signs of labored breathing, bloody stools, coughing, vomiting, fever, weakness, stiffness, nose or eye discharge, appetite loss, or diarrhea.

Keep Your Pets Vaccinated

A lot of diseases these days can be prevented through vaccinations. If you are starting out with a puppy, be sure to get their first shots done as soon as recommended and follow up as necessary to keep your dog happy and healthy.

Feed Your Dog Properly

Keeping your dog on the right diet, eating the right foods, will keep them active, healthy, and getting the proper nutrition. It is important that you feed the right foods for puppies and adults, as each has a specific make giving the dog exactly what they need during their growing period. You should also make sure you are feeding the dog the right amount of times per day. For example, a puppy will need to be fed more often than an adult dog.

By following these tips, you will keep your dog healthy. Remember, a healthy dog is a happy one.

6 best ways to treat a dog suffering from arthritis and rheumatism

6 best ways to treat a dog suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.

by Dennis Fisher

The signs of arthritis and rheumatism are very evident.  The dog will yelp when it gets up and will also show discomfort when it climbs stairs.   

In most cases it will be necessary for you to take your dog to a Veterinarian  for treatment, but there are a number of ways you can make your dog’s life  more comfortable.

1. See that your dog does not become overweight . Obesity is becoming a huge problem with dogs, due to the misguided belief by owners that they are doing their best for their dogs. But they are literally killing them with kindness.

2.  It’s important for you dog to have excercise, but not too vigorous or   strenuous    exercise  like chasing a frisbee.    Swimming is an excellent exercise and if you have an opportunity to allow your dog to swim it is an ideal form of exercise.

3.  See that the dog’s mattress if firm and comfortable.

4.  Make it easier for the dog to eat it’s meal without having to stretch down to the ground. Place the food on a small table or a box at a conveneint height.

 5. Use  medication like Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which is a very popular for  humans suffering from joint problems. It can be very effective also  for dogs.

 6. Visit Your Vet will probably prescribe Rimadyl, an excellent product especially made for dogs that suffer from joint problems.  It is only available on prescription from a Veterinarian. I can assure you from personal experience I had a few years ago when an old Great Dane experienced pain when getting up, that it does help enormously.

The above treatment suggestions will definitely make life easier and will relieve some of the pain  for your beloved pet, but it is important to get qualified professional advice from your Veterinarian.

Visist the following website, where you’ll find a great deal of helpful information about various dog illnesses:   http://www.freedogadvice.com

 

 

Dog Constipation and the Best Ways To Cure This Dog Illness

Constipation is the most common cause of dyschezia. As you read on, this article will tell you how to fight this disease so your dog can regain its health.

Look for the following symptoms of constipation in your dog:

1. The dog will feel uneasy or uncomfortable when trying to pass feces.

2. The dog may find it difficult to pass feces.

There are several different causes of dog stranguria and at times it may as well happen for no apparent reason. Having said that, one of the most common reasons for constipation causing dyschezia is the lack of fibre in the body. The fibre makes the feces softer and thus it becomes easier to pass through the dog’s body. Other symptoms for this include:

1. Grooming more than normal may result in excess hair which causes itching and scratching and results in harder feces.

2. Rectal diverticulum. This is where the dog pushes against walls of the rectum next to the anus which have become weak and stretched and due to this any pushing against it may cause a bulge to develop and further pushing against this bulge will produce a pocket and the feces will have nowhere to go. The pain will gradually increase as feces are passed because every time this happens the pocket will become larger and the feces will come hard and dry.

3. Painful obstructions which result in scraping in the rectum such as chicken bones may make the dog not want to pass feces due to the pain.

4. Other conditions which include rectal and colitis tumors or growths.

In most cases your vet will lower the mass of the feces by pumping some sort of fluid into the rectum helping to release the blockage. After the enema the vet will probably want to examine the feces in order to find the problem and choose an appropriate prevention method for future cases of dyschezia.

If the problem is hair then conditions such as fleas or mites may be what has caused the disease and thus should be cured first in order to treat the disease. The same is the case when colitis or rectal growths are the problems.

If due to the straining caused by passing of the feces the dog feels weak or is struck by hernia then an operation may be conducted to correct this condition, but as always this is the vets choice and they may choose to use other treatments or try a different method before this stage.