Casey Petraceuticals Wants To Save You $100 Off Your Next Vet Bill
As tough economic times continue to restrict spending patterns for millions of Americans, many are cutting back on expenses from eating out to buying the latest fashions; however for the more than 70 million pet owners in the United States, spending is up over last year. Vaccinating Dogs: What Your Vet Hasn’t Told You
A vital part of good prevention is to know the common types of illnesses and disorders associated with particular dog breeds. For dogs, the parts of their body that are most frequently affected by congenital problems are the central nervous system, the eyes, the muscles, and the bones. For instance, the Beagle, Collie, miniature Poodle, German Shepherd, and Keeshond are more likely to inherit epilepsy.
Also, different types of nervous system disorders are often passed on within certain breeds. Examples are paralysis of the front and back legs, which is common in the Irish Setter, a failure of muscle coordination common in Fox Terrier, and abnormal swelling of the brain is common in the Chihuahua, English Bulldog, and Cocker Spaniel.
A great number of common breeds suffer from congenital eye abnormalities including glaucoma, cataracts, and blindness.
A hernia is a common problem for many breeds. Breeds such as Basenji, Basset Hound, Pekingese, Lhasa Apso, and Cairn Terrier have a high risk for inguinal hernias (gut protrudes into the groin). Umbilical hernias (gut protrudes through the navel) are inherited defects in breeds like Bull Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Pekingese, Basenji, Collie, Weimaraner, Airedale Terrier, and Pointer.
Practice basic check-ups with our dog for early detection of disease
In order to keep health problems in your dog from getting serious, you need to detect them early. Sometimes just watching your pet and catching abnormal behavior can tell you that there is something wrong, even before the actual signs start to appear. Therefore, it is necessary to give your dog a basic check-up about once a week. This check-up takes no more than a few minutes, and it can help prevent problems as well as expenses down the road.
Start with a body rub. This makes your pet comfortable. While giving him his rub, check for any signs of flaking or scabs which can be a sign of parasites, a skin disorder, or allergies.
Also check for any lumps and bumps. Although they are a normal part of aging in dogs, they can also be a symptom that there is something wrong. Check for any swelling that could indicate parasites, heart trouble, or cancer.
His breathing should be smooth and quiet, unless he is panting. If his breathing is raspy or rattling, he could have a respiratory problem.
Your dog’s heartbeat should be regular and strong. To check for his pulse, place your hand against his chest by his left elbow. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply it by four. The rate should range between 60 and 160.
Lastly, examine his ears, eyes, and mouth and check for any signs of abnormalities.
Dog Diseases: Prevention & Treatment : How to Detect Skin Cancer in Dogs
Dog food poisoning can come in many different forms and types and can be a frightening time for dogs and pets and can cause then to feel extremely ill with frequent bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. In this article we will discus what causes and can cause food poisoning in dogs and the most common reasons for this.
Before we continue on to see what can cause dog food poisoning it is important that we first explain how food poisoning occurs and how it affects the dogs body. This happens when he dog finds something of interest and that they like the smell of, they then eat this harmful substance and when the body realises that it should not have been consumed and is causing harm to the body, it will try to dispose of it as quick as possible so the dogs body can return to normal again.
To do this the body will first determine in which part of the body or digestive system the offending substance has reached. Normally the dogs body will pick up on the abnormality in food pretty early on when the substance has only reached the stomach or upper intestines but in some occurrences it will have reached a further stage and be in the lower intestines.
The further this unwanted food has moved down the dogs digestive system the more the difference in symptoms will be and this can act as a big clue to the vet in diagnosing the condition successfully. If the symptoms are vomiting then the chances are that the offending food and cause of food poisoning is in the stomach, if there is a case of diarrhea and vomiting then the problem may be situated in the upper intestines, and finally if the symptoms are diarrhea only hen it is probable that the cause is in the lower intestines of the dog.
The most common causes for dog food poisoning are eating ‘gone off’ food from bins in kitchens or outside, or eating food off the floor while taking your dog for a walk, so to help prevent further situations of dog food poisoning, these are the first places you should look and try to prevent. If it continues or you are worried that it might be more serious than dog food poisoning then contact your vet for further advice because diarrhea and vomiting are very common and there are many causes for it, without a proper diagnosis and examination the cause may be hard to find.
Emergency Dog Health Care : How to Induce Vomiting In Your Dog
Dogs scratching and licking themselves can drive dog owners mad with frustration of trying to discover what is causing the terrible itching your dog is feeling. Dog skin problems are not uncommon in dogs and no matter how much you look for fleas, ticks, and other pest you may not find anything but bad dog skin problems.
It certainly is a worry when your dog spends most of their time scratching, itching and licking themselves to try and get rid of the annoying tingly burning sensation they are feeling, when all it’s doing is making it worse for them. There is no way to make it better for them but taking them to the vet and seeing what the skin problem is.
There are many different suggestions that could be made about your dogs skin problems and only after studying your dogs skin and possible other tests could an expert tell you the problem that your dog has
Possibilities of dog skin problems:
Parasites are a possibility for you dog itching and scratching, there are many different types of pests that cause your dog to itch but generally they are either ticks or fleas, easily found by rubbing the dog’s skin for lumps or looking for flea faeces in the fur.
Dog allergies are also another common cause for itchy rashes on your dogs’ skin, once you find the cause witch could be something in the dogs’ basket or sleeping place, the remedy is easily solved by removing the offending product from reach of the dog.
Bacterial and fungal skin infections are last on this list of common skin problems for dogs these can be found by either loss of hair in areas of your dogs’ body with dry skin in the centre and a general soar look to the skin, or by ulcer like patches on your dogs skin also looking soar and painful.
And that completes the main categories for dog skin problems, please remember to always consult your vet about your dogs’ skin issues to help ease the suffering and pain for your dog.
Taking your Westie along can make the family vacation more fun for everyone, but only if you plan carefully. Here are some tips to make travelling with your Westie more enjoyable.
Health and Safety
No 1: – Bring your Westie to the vet for a check up before going on a long trip.
No 2: – Make sure all his vaccinations are up to date. Also take vaccination records with you. Health certifications are required for airline travel.
No 3: – To keep your Westie healthy as you travel, bring along a supply of his regular food and some local, or bottled, water.
No 4: – Be sure to bring any medications your Westie needs. These have to be prescribed by your vet.
A crate is an excellent way to keep your Westie safe in the car and is required for airline travel. It can also keep your pet from getting into trouble in a hotel or at your host’s home. Crates are available from most pet supply stores. Look for these features when purchasing:
No 5: – Large enough to allow the dog to stand, turn and lie down.
No 6: – Strong, with handles and grips, and free of interior protrusions. Leak-proof bottom covered with absorbent material.
No 7: – Ventilation on opposing sides, with exterior rims or knobs to prevent blocked airflow.
No 8: – “Live Animal” label, arrows upright, with owner’s name, address and phone number.
No 9: – Stock the crate with a comfortable mat, your dog’s favourite toy, and a water bottle, and your dog is ready to go.
No 10: – Consider a permanent form of identification, such as a microchip This is something that you should do whether you travel or not. So many things can happen to separate your dog from his identification tags. Microchips and tattoos are always there. The cost is relatively low.
For Lodging:
No 11: – Find out in advance which hotels or motels at your destination or on your route allow dogs. Many do not, or have size or breed restrictions.If your Westie is allowed to stay at a hotel, respect other guests, staff and the property.
No 12: – Keep your Westie as quiet as possible.
No 13: – Do not leave him unattended. Many dogs will bark or destroy property if left alone in a strange place. Crate him when he is left alone -turn on the TV.
Prepare For Health Problems that are Common To Most Travellers:
No 14: – Constipation can plague travelling pets. It can be caused by lack of exercise or water, infrequent stops or anxiety about strange new territories. Temporary constipation is not a serious problem and will usually clear up before long.
For a Westie, you can prepare a useful preventive with figs, prunes and raisins as well as fresh berries or other fruits in season. Bran or psyllium husks are also helpful.
No 15: – Nausea grips some animals when they ride in a car or plane, and they will either vomit or salivate excessively. The B-complex supplementation will help prevent nausea. Also, encourage your Westie to lie down on the floor of the car as a preventive.
Supposed to be good quality but can’t find any info on contents and nutritional value. Thanks.
The CIBAU line is a complete range of top quality foods for dogs of every size and race.
Its main characteristics are:
-Chicken, fish and lamb as the main sources of protein.
-Fish oil to guarantee the right amount of omega 3 fatty acids.
-Rice and corn for easily digested carbohydrates.
-85% digestibility of the product means that your dog passes
smaller, more compact faeces, easier to cope with.
-No genetically modified ingredients.
-All products in the CIBAU line come in 1 kg 4 kg and 15 kg bags.
However, i always trust onthis dog-food product since 2 yrs. >>> http://www.agritura.com/index.php/cat/c380_Dog-Food.html
I want to know how to figure out a Yorkie’s age without teeth and also what to feed it?
Since the dog has no teeth, I am worried what to properly feed it without it’s health declining. Please e-mail
Please e-mail me at stark2k@copper.net to reach my friend who has the dog.
There are other ways to tell its ago, like its eyes. A vet can tell by the look of its eyes, or give you a round about age. You can feed it canned dog food, or baby food. Some baby food comes in more solid, I thinks its like stage 2 or toddler, they make little hot dogs that are easy to chew and are some what healthy. You can also give him/her boiled hamburger and rice. Good luck!
Dog Health : How to Clean Tartar Off of a Dog’s Teeth
Some social behaviors are retained through generations even though they may not have any purpose. Likewise, the wolf-dog characteristics have remained. It is routine to see dogs urinating and faceting in the manner it does. It is perplexing and distressing for the owners. However, it is the way of the dogs and they themselves might not know why they do so. Their behavior seems to stem from the alpha wolves which urinate with one leg up in the air. Please note only the alpha wolves urinate in this manner while the other wolves of the pack squat. When the alpha wolves urinate, they scatter and deposit urine in small amounts on noticeable places (flower beds). This behavior has no relation to the relieving part but is instead an act of marking territory.
A popular misconception is that wolves mark their territory by urinating (a way to tell others to keep out of their area) only on the perimeter; while actually they mark the entire territory as shown by studies done at Minnesota. They also mark using their scats (feces) at major spots like stumps, trees, garbage bins and empty boxes left on street. The scats are also found at the path near immediate places where their cubs or young ones are left while the older wolves hunt for food.
While urinating or faceting, they leave odor that serves as their distinctive mark of identification. For instance, there are scent glands on both sides of the anus which adds an odor unique to the wolf faceting and thus serves as distinctive scent markers. Moreover, dominating wolves or those higher on the social ranking often scrape the sand after faceting which acts as a further visual marker which can be strengthened with the odor of the paws glands. They make sure that the dirt/leaves scraped do not cover their feces. Many dogs (not all) follow the scraping routine.
It has been noticed that dogs lack the insight to keep large areas tidy while they do the opposite which is to mark the entire areas with urine and scats. Wolves do so to mark the home territories so that the pack members know that they are at home. Thus, urinating with a leg up is not in response to the scent of the other wolfs urine but is more of marker for the wolf. They have the tendency to repeatedly mark their regular paths within their own territories. The odd behavior of checking the scent before urinating has been confirmed by laboratory studies which showed that when dog nasals lining is electrically simulated, the urinary sphincters muscles relax.
Numerous myths relating to the link between dog and wolf exists as seen below:
When wolves bite dogs in full moon, the dogs become wolves. These dogs-turned-wolves can be killed only through a silver bullet. Moreover, if a human is bitten; it becomes a werewolf. Furthermore, at full moon, the wolves must howl and seek the prey in order to bring more werewolves into their pack.
The above sounds hilarious and is a great set-up for Halloween party.
V-Dog Food: Eco-Vegan Gal interviews David Middlesworth
Busy people generally tend to shy away from home prepared food for themselves as well as their dogs. But relying on others for your and your dog’s nutritional needs is likely to ensure your dog’s health will suffer, if not your own.
What it really boils down to, is time. You think preparing homemade dog food is not time efficient, perhaps messy, and how can you be sure it’s healthy? Don’t commercial pet food manufacturers know more than you do?
No. Commercial pet food manufacturers are chasing the mighty dollar, just as most people are. Generally, they have very little interest in good quality. By the time you have finished reading this article, you’ll know more than they do.
Is homemade dog food preparation going to be messy?
No, not once you have the hang of what you’re doing, which is where I come in. I’m here to help you every step of the way.
Does it take a long time to prepare homemade dog food?
No, once you’ve got the hang of what you’re doing, it incredibly quick and easy.
Just as it can be in preparing your own homemade food.
So I’ve knocked away some of the most common excuses for not preparing your homemade dog food. But, as you still hesitate, there may be one hurdle in the way, which we haven’t covered.
You have been accustomed to believe commercial dog food is better than anything else. Your vet may have told you. Your parents may have told you. You see people feeding commercial pet food all the time. Can they all be wrong?
Yes!
Because none of them are looking to their dog’s origins. Dog evolved in the wild over many thousands of years, hunting in packs in times of plenty and eating carrion or plant matter in times of famine.
In contrast, commercial dog food typically pellets, is not raw or of the quality a hunted animal is. Dogs digestive systems and nutritional requirements have not changed or adapted, just because they are now domestic.
The best way to ensure your dog maintains not just good, but excellent health is to make homemade dog food, based on a wild dog’s diet. Sure, it isn’t possible to exactly duplicate a wild dog’s diet, but we can come so close that it won’t affect your dog’s health.
When you’re shopping in the supermarket, it’s just as easy to buy raw meat and bones as it is to purchase a packet. You can buy enough to keep your dog going until the next time you shop. Freezing food is an acceptable way to keep it, as it is not so destructive as cooking. Three or four days of fresh food and the rest thawed frozen food will be absolutely adequate to maintain good health.
Once you’ve measured out the food the first time, it’s just a matter of routine.
Keeping all the ingredients together means it’s convenient.
By making your own homemade dog food, you have control over the quality and the ingredients. This is critical to your dog’s good health as many ingredients in commercial pet food is toxic, not natural, not nutritious and certainly isn’t raw.
Try your dog on raw meat and bones for a month and you’ll see a big smile on his face!
Couple that with his drastically reduced health bills, and you’ll be the next one grinning.
Warning: in older dogs there can be an initial clearing period. This is natural and normal, but can look alarming if you don’t know what’s happening.
Homemade Dog Food and Dog Treat recipes Cooking demonstration
It has been noticed that well trained dogs easily distinguish many different words. Some dog owners swear that their dog understands the meaning of every word they say. While this is not impossible, it certain seems highly improbably that dogs would understand the meaning of human words.
There is a difference between identifying a word with a particular action and understand the meaning of the word. Training involves teaching the dog to react in a particular manner when given a particular command.
Does the dog actually understand the meaning of the words ’sit-stay’ or does he comply merely because he has been taught to react in a particular manner when these words are spoken?
A command given over the intercom will not have the same effect as a command given in person. The dog often relies on contextual cues like our body language to understand the command. A faceless and nameless voice giving instructions is not likely to be obeyed.
There is a huge difference in the way we use language as compared to animals. Humans use language not just to fulfill an objective but just because it attracts the attention of another human being.
A baby points to a ball and calls it a ball not just because it wants the ball. It may do so because this helps the baby get the attention of others.
On the other hand, animals, even the language trained chimpanzees, never progress beyond using language to achieve an object.
A chimpanzee which has been taught to create sentences using computer symbols or sign languages focuses on obtaining food, toys and attention using the language. It does not learn to use language as an end in itself. Language always remains the means to an end.
There is no evidence that they identify that the symbols stand for concepts. For them, the symbols are merely means to an end. On the other hand, humans identify the symbols and their underlying concepts and also understand that they are interrelated.
Dogs respond to their name not because they are aware that they have a name. They respond merely because they understand that we humans expect them to react when we utter what we call their ‘name’/
However, dogs still have the capacity to surprise us all with their ability to distinguish different words. Russian speech scientists have concluded that dogs are capable of identifying the distinction between ‘a’ and ‘i’ even when attempts were made to confuse them.
The funny thing is that dogs do not identify variation of consonants. Use the command ‘fly clown’ instead of ‘lie down’ and your dog will obey. However, they are capable of distinguishing between vowels even when they do not utter vowels themselves.
A generic explanation could be the fact that mammalian ears have been in existence for more than tens of millions of years. On the other hand, human speech is a recent development. It is just 100,000 years old. Only humans have the physical and mental equipment to speak.