Puppy Wraps

How you can give your dog some good health care, take the next couple of minutes to see this short article and find out some solutions to help you. We will take a look at some preventative measures in general, and then taking a look at some concerns regarding arthritis in your dog.

# > Foods to Avoid – Some people think it’s funny to determine what dogs do whenever you feed him a grape – you know, the way they feel it in their mouth and sometimes drop it a few times before they decide whether they wish to grip it or otherwise. Well, perhaps that hesitation in your dog’s part happens because it really isn’t a good thing to feed your dog. Grapes and raisins should be ignored according to a study through the Animal Poison Control Center.

Chocolate is yummy, and dogs seem interested in it and would like to possess some, but chocolate isn’t obtain to dogs. It is known to contain a chemical called Theobromine that is highly toxic to dogs and may be fatal.

Macadamia nuts are also about the no-no list. Studies show that they’re high in phosphorus which results in bladder stones in dogs, so be sure to resist those pleading eyes, and provide your dog a bit of boiled chicken instead.

#> Prevention measure for good health for your dog – From the moment your puppy is a few months old until their upper years, there are vaccinations that your vet will say are necessary for your dogs good health. Puppy shots will begin at 3 to 4 months old with booster shots at regular intervals until your puppy reaches adult age. The vaccinations will treat diseases such as parvo, distemper, parainfluenza, coronavirus, and adenovirus, to mention only a few. Do as instructed of the vet for the scheduling of these vaccinations.

Regular grooming is an excellent prevention measure not just for the advantage of cleanliness for your dog and for the pleasant smell your dog’s coat may have, but also the bathing will rid your dog of some pests. Grooming also encourages your handling of the dog which can enable you to feel your dog’s body for wounds, sores, lumps and any abnormalities that wouldn’t be detected apart from your touching your dog.

#> Arthritis in dogs – Arthritis has become quite a problem with dogs because it is in humans. The effects of arthritis in dogs is very similar as it is in people in that the dog will evidence signs and symptoms of discomfort in certain movements such as walking, getting out of bed and down, etc. This is, obviously, because arthritis affects the joints of the dog. You can keep a check on this disease by having your vet check your dog on a yearly basis and then administer medication if arthritis is detected. By giving your dog the proper vitamins and minerals throughout its life along with the healthiest of dog food, you can avert this disease to some extent or even entirely.

With one of these few steps, that you can do a lot to help your canine’s life be a much more healthy one as it enjoys its years with you. You now know some foods to avoid giving to your dog. We discussed some preventative measures you can take to keep the dog healthy.

Most dog owners are plagued with the problem of treating fleas in dogs and puppies. Every dog owner will tell you how harrowing and painful this condition is for their unfortunate animals and how much distress it has caused both animal and owner. Dog flea treatment should be resorted to at the initial signs of fleas itself. Once you neglect it, the condition gets worse and the treatment gets more difficult and time consuming. As soon as you see you pet dog scratching itself unnecessarily or over a prolonged period, going round in circles trying to bite its tail or rolling over on its back once too often to have a good scratch, one should immediately check for fleas.

Immediate consultation with your vet will give you a clear idea of the extent of damage. The vet will recommend the line of treatment. If the condition is widespread, antibiotics may be administered as well the use of medicated shampoos, sprays or powders which are convenient and very effective in dog flea treatment. Some owners though are skeptical about these harmful products and would like some herbal or homemade remedies. If the dog is young, it is better to try milder forms of treatment initially.

Ctenocephalides Canis is the most common type of flea that attacks dogs. This can be treated with simple home remedies if not too severe. Garlic can be added to the dog food. Oil and butter should be avoided. Vinegar or apple cider can be diluted in their drinking water and yeast can be mixed with meat or mince which will help in dog flea treatment to a great extent. These natural and non toxic products will be beneficial to treating fleas in the long run. Flea combs and flea collars can be resorted to but you will not be able to eradicate the condition, simply keep it in check.

Another effective dog flea treatment which is mild and homemade is a flea control spray. Water mixed with essential oils of lavender oil and cedar wood oil and made into a simple spray works wonders for dog fleas. Tea Tree Oil is also found to work powerfully in eradication of dog fleas. A stable diet as recommended by a vet should be strictly adhered to. If excessive scratching results in hair fall, salt should be avoided in the dog’s food at all costs. Raw meat should never be fed and all foods should be thoroughly washed and cooked.

Canine Parvovirus Type 2, commonly called parvo, is a highly contagious virus that affects dogs and is spread through direct contact with feces. This virus has 2 forms which are the cardiac or intestinal form. The intestinal form causes severe diarrhea and vomiting and the cardiac form causes heart and respiratory failure. As with most canine diseases, puppies are most susceptible and 80% of adult dogs with this illness shows no symptoms.

In the intestinal form, dogs become infected through ingestion of CPV2 in feces, the virus then replicates itself in the lymphoid tissues of the throat and then spreads to the bloodstream, where the virus attacks rapidly dividing cells. Three to four days following infection, the virus is shed from the body via the feces for up to 3 weeks. If the dog is asymptomatic it will shed the virus periodically but the virus is much more deadly if the host is presently infected with worms or other intestinal parasites. The cardia form is less common and affects puppies that have been infected in the uterus and up to 8 weeks of age. It attacks the heart muscles and the puppies die suddenly or after a short time of breathing difficulty.

Dogs infected with this disease show symptoms within 5-10 days and include vomiting, fever, diarrhea and lethargy. It is common for the dog to have a distinct odor in the later part of the illness, and any or all of these factors can lead to death of the dog. Lethargy is the first sign of the illness followed by loss of appetite accompanied with diarrhea and vomiting.

This virus is extremely viral and can survive in feces and other organic material for over a year and can withstand extreme hot and cold temperatures. The only known household disinfectant that can kill this virus is bleach.

Dogs can exhibit many kinds of skin problems and infections.  Some are serious while others may be a temporary reaction to something and nothing to worry about.  When you hear the term “yeast infection,” however, you usually know that you’re dealing with something that can be significant.

Dogs can exhibit many kinds of skin problems and infections.  Some are serious while others may be a temporary reaction to something and nothing to worry about.  When you hear the term “yeast infection,” however, you usually know that you’re dealing with something that can be significant. Yeast infections in dogs usually manifest themselves as either recurring ear infections that are very difficult to get rid of; or they can show up as one of a couple of kinds of infections plaguing your dog’s skin.  In either case the situation can be serious and your poor dog may be miserable. If your dog has a chronic ear infection you may have been treating the problem in various ways.  You may have even been to the veterinarian with your dog.  Many vets will prescribe antibiotic ear drops for an ear infection and that’s fine, as far as it goes.  It will clear up the obvious infection.  But a yeast infection is often a secondary infection — a fungal infection — and antibiotics will not kill the yeast/fungus that lives deep in your dog’s ear. In order to clear up your dog’s recurring ear infection you will need a medication that kills yeast.  You’ll also need to make some changes to your dog’s diet so his immune system will be more capable of fighting off yeast infections. If your dog is experiencing a rash or itching and it turns into itching, crusty, smelly skin, he probably has a yeast infection.  The skin may thicken all over or in certain places to have an “elephant” appearance — grayish and flattened. Yeast is always present in your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.  When your dog is healthy and his immune system is functioning properly they are not a problem.  There are plenty of good bacteria in your dog’s system to keep the yeast under control and yeast serves some positive purposes in your dog’s body. One such yeast, Candida albicans, lives in your dog’s digestive tract and eats sugar and fats.  However, yeast is considered to be an “opportunistic feeder.”  That means that when something in your dog’s body gets out of balance, such as the balance of bacteria or your dog’s immune system, the yeast will begin proliferating.  They can grow out of control and begin causing your dog’s system problems, such as itching skin.  They can also result in allergies, bladder infections and ear infections. Yeast is also present on your dog’s skin, and on most surfaces around us.  When your dog’s immune system is compromised it produces changes in the skin which allow the yeast to run rampant.  Your dog’s skin can produce too much oil.  This often happens with allergies, which go hand-in-hand with immune system problems. If your dog is showing signs of having a yeast infection — itching, crusty skin, a distinctive musty odor — your vet has several ways of confirming the problem. - He can take a smear on your dog’s skin with a microscope slide- He can use a piece of tape to collect samples from your dog’s skin- He can do a skin scraping with a razor blade- He can use a moistened cotton swab on your dog’s skin- He can do a small skin biopsy All of these methods have the same purpose.  They are intended to collect yeast from your dog’s skin and identify the Malessezia pachydermatis fungus. There are several approaches to treating a yeast infection and they can be used in conjunction with each other.  Your vet may prescribe antibiotics if your dog has other infections along with the yeast infection, but antibiotics will not cure the yeast infection.  Instead, you will need to use a drug such as Ketoconazole or Itraconazole to treat the fungus. There are also shampoos for the outer condition.  Benzoyl peroxide shampoos and sulfur/salicylate shampoos are usually effective and help remove the skin oils that feed the yeast.  There are also several good anti-yeast shampoos. With yeast infections it’s very important to treat the underlying cause of the problem, otherwise the yeast will overgrow again and the infection will return.  In many cases the problem is poor nutrition.  If you are feeding a good quality food then your dog may have some kind of allergy to the food.  If the problem is not the food then your dog may have a flea bite allergy in which his body overreacts to just one or two bites from a flea and his immune system begins to work overtime.  Or, there could be some other allergy at work.  But food allergies are the usual culprit and the easiest to fix.  Some dogs have become allergic to some grains and common proteins found in many dog foods these days.  Luckily there are many brands which now offer grain-free foods and there is a wide assortment of foods with different protein sources now.  If your dog has been having yeast infections you can try some of these alternative dog foods and see if his allergic reactions improve. The most important thing to remember about yeast infections is that they don’t have a chance of bothering dogs with strong immune systems.  Do your best to keep your dog’s immune system healthy with good food, sensible veterinary care, and lots of exercise and you will be less likely to have problems from yeast infections.