Common Dog Symptoms to Know

by Dog Blogger on August 6, 2010

A good dog owner should always be aware if his dog has a health problem. Whether it’s common or serious, each dog-owner should be able to tell that there is something wrong even if the dog doesn’t seem to feel weak or ill. Included in this article are several symptoms of ailments that every master should know.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea happens commonly to dogs which may have swallowed harmful or spoiled food, have inconsistent diets, and thus have trouble digesting. Its symptoms include runny and very liquid waste that may have abnormal color, as well as a more intense waste odor. It can also be observed that a dog will have difficulty in defecating as there is pain both in its stomach, as well as in its anus.

Withholding food for 12 to 24 hours will allow the dog’s digestive system to settle down. Give it a bland diet such as white rice and chicken afterwards and gradually introduce its regular diet in the next few days. Introduction of new kinds of food should always be done gradually, as it takes several days to several weeks before a dog can adjust its digestion for new food.

Lyme Disease

A bacterium known as Borrelia, that is transmitted through tick bites, causes what is called Lyme Disease. Unfortunately, no observable symptoms could be seen during the first few weeks of infection and if there are, they are commonly mistaken to be symptoms of other kinds of ailments such as arthritis. The most apparent symptom that will appear is the dog’s difficulty moving, walking or even laying down. This is because of the swelling in its joints and lymph glands. The dog may refuse to eat, go outside of its house and it may even make its doghouse or cage into a toilet because it hurts very much to move.

Another effect of Lyme Disease on a dog is its change of affected area or limbs. It can occur that in a given week, the left side of the dog would be affected, and then the week after, the right side would instead be affected and the left would be completely healed. This symptom is what differentiates Lyme Disease from arthritis since the latter does not change its affected area.

Antibiotics taken orally serve as effective treatment for Lyme Disease but should be given by licensed vets.

Distemper and Parvo

Distemper is caused by a highly contagious, life-threatening, airborne virus that affects a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Initial symptoms include a cold showing watery eyes, a runny nose, coughing and sometimes diarrhea. Further development of the disease will cause the dog to suffer from disorientation, twitching and convulsions.

Parvo is similar in aspects such as being virally caused, life-threatening and affects the gastrointestinal system. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, high fever and depression. Later stages involve bloody diarrhea, shock and eventual death.

Adult canines only have a fifty percent chance of survival while puppies only have around twenty percent. Dog owners who regularly take their pets to licensed vets for their monthly check-up have greater chances of detecting the disease before it develops into its incurable stage.

Ear Infections

Ear infections are common for dogs which have heavy earflaps such as Dachshunds, Labrador Retrievers and Beagles. The most common infections are due to scratches and cuts that may be self-inflicted or may have been caused by other animals. Yeast bacteria infections are also common with such dogs and they appear as inflammations or tick/mite-infestations. Symptoms include head-shaking, pawing of the ears, as well as foul odor and pain coming from the ears.

Treatment of ear infections may be done also through the use of orally taken antibiotics and ear-examinations by licensed vets.

Many more ailments can affect your pet. That is why it is a must that they be fed with nutritious food and provided with a clean environment. Keep them away from strays which may be carrying harmful bacteria and viruses and always remember to consult your local veterinarian if symptoms persist.

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Maintaining Good Dog Health

by Dog Blogger on August 6, 2010

The greatest love that a master can give to his dog is good health. Any responsible dog-owner will definitely need guidelines to keep his pet in check, especially now that greater varieties and more dangerous illnesses have been known to affect a dog’s health. In this article are several steps that do not only promote good nutrition for a good dog, but also help make sure that it has a well-rounded and healthy life.

STEP 1: Good Nutrition

Puppies should be given high-protein diets along with good milk coming from their mother. If breastmilk is not available for your pups, warm fresh milk sold in the market may serve as good alternatives. As they grow up, your pet should gradually move to more balanced diets, composed of meat and vegetables. Also try to look at the back of purchased pet food products for quality ingredients such as Echinacea which helps increase immunity and promotes good blood pressure; astralagus which helps maintain healthy blood sugar and helps prevent cancer; cat’s claw which also supports the immune function; and milk thistle, which aid in cleansing the body of toxins and is an excellent liver tonic. Canned food should be seldom or avoided since even trusted brands may be made of cheap grains, meat byproducts (instead of real meat), and may contain fillers, dyes or preservatives.

STEP 2: Yard and Shelter Control

Dogs usually get infected because of harmful elements in their environment and nothing can be more immediate in their environment than the home and the yard. Owners and housekeepers should always make it a part of their routine to make the house, yard and doghouse free from litter, stagnant water, animal waste and the like. Also keep in mind that your dogs should be put away from rooms or dog shelters that are currently being sprayed with disinfectants or insect repellants. Disinfected dog shelters should be left for about three to six hours before being used again. Dogs have lower resistance to chemicals than humans, so avoidance of these areas should be made certain.

STEP 3: Vaccination

Unlike what is commonly observed with many dog-owners today, vaccination should only be made once or once every seven years, and NOT yearly. Puppies that are immunized for parvovirus, distemper virus and adenovirus already have life-long immunity against such diseases, unless a hybrid or new type of virus arises and is able to break through the vaccine’s effects. Administering the vaccination by the owner is highly discouraged. Instead, veterinary consultation should always be made in immunizing pet dogs and puppies.

STEP 4: Activity

Aside from a dog’s intake and vaccination, exercise and adequate physical activity complete a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle for your pets. Taking them out for walks is most common, but during unfavorable weather conditions, most owners are at a loss what to do. Skill training and stair climbing are perhaps the most practical physical activities that you can do with your dog indoors, while others would prefer playing games with toys that are sold in the market.

STEP 5: GROOMING

Dogs which look good also feel good. That is why proper grooming should be frequent for your pets. Adequate fur and nail-trimming, ear and teeth cleaning, as well as bathing do not only help your dog avoid infection, hair problems and skin problems, but also help them become more comfortable, less prone to ticks, fleas and mites, and even help them cope during extreme heat from the weather. Soaps and shampoos to be used need to be hypo-allergenic to avoid irritation. Also keep in mind to keep your pet dogs away from other animals which are infected with disease or ridden with pests. Dog illnesses such as parvo, and parasites such as fleas easily spread, so diligence should be observed in protecting your dogs from such.

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The Fundamentals of Dog Training

by Dog Blogger on August 6, 2010

Training a good dog involves leadership, principles of behaviour, structure, interaction and lots of patience. Whether you are new to dog-training or are already an expert, the first thing to keep in mind is to understand a dog’s fundamental behaviour.

Establishing solid obedience training builds a consistent behaviour for your dog or puppy. The initial stages of dog-training involve an understanding of the reward-punishment principle, and more specifically about positive reinforcement. Giving dogs treats or rewards after they complete certain tasks is the meat of this principle, but to be more effective, a trainer should be very clear about which behaviours are allowed for his dog and which are not. The use of affirmative and negative intonations greatly aid in communicating and making clarity on matters between trainer and dog. Since dogs have very sensitive and sharp hearing, this becomes a powerful reinforcement for setting rules on good and bad behaviour.

An essential matter for all trainers is Potty Dog training. Whenever your pet is showing signs that it needs to go to the toilet, a single command that is used consistently could give it an order to come with you or go by itself to a designated area. Be sure to praise or reward your dog for going appropriately to the potty area.

One simply cannot expect that his dog would be right beside him during a walk. That is why leash training would greatly help. Keeping a dog on a leash within a few weeks would already be sufficient, but of course, depending on the frequency of your training, the number of weeks when it would be able to walk alongside you would either be lessened or increased. The dog will often be distracted with what it sees on the streets. Pull the leash and say a command to tell it that you don’t want it to go elsewhere. But if the dog is not distracted and pulls because of the pressure that it feels when you pull back, release the tension in the leash and go to its direction. As your dog comes back to your side quickly, make sure to praise it and give it a treat while reacquiring the leash.

Advanced tricks such as fetching Frisbees, rolling over, and other tricks can be taught after undergoing fundamental training. With these basic principles in mind and a greater amount of patience, more difficult tricks and tasks will become more probable for a dog to learn. The more obedient a dog becomes because of a more effective fundamental training, the easier he will learn new tasks and tricks.

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