A Survey Of Common Dog Health Problems

Canine health can be just as demanding and difficult to maintain as human wellness. Keeping your canine companion in top form requires more than just knowing how to feed him and care for him: you need to understand the warning signs for the most common forms of dog illness.

Lyme Disease
Transmitted by ticks, this disease is common to humans and canines both. In canines, it is often difficult to spot it until some of the most overt signs surface. Initial symptoms include lack of energy and lack of appetite, but are rarely more specific. Lameness or difficulty moving is a much more common and definitive symptom.

Ear Infection
Many different situations can cause canine ear infections. Infections can arise due to ear mites, bacterial infection elsewhere, allergic reaction, or poor ear care. The signs of an ear infection are easy to recognize. A canine with an ear infection will constantly scratch at its ears. It may react negatively when touched near the ears, or shake its head in an attempt to relieve the discomfort.

Cancer
As more canines live longer, this dog illness becomes more prevalent. It now develops in 50% of canines over 10 years old. The symptoms are highly varied and depend heavily on what kind of cancer the animal is suffering from and other dog health problems they may have. In general, look for fatigue, restlessness, or general sudden change in mood. Also examine your pet for tumors, a telltale sign of cancer.

Bloat
This chronic condition can quickly become one of the more life threatening dog health problems. Signs of canine illness include disinterest in food and inability to settle comfortably. A distended stomach is also present, but may not be able to be detected outside of a vet's office.

Rabies
Spread by bites from other infected animals, rabies is easy to prevent: you can curtail all related dog health problems by simply vaccinating your canine companion in the first place. Otherwise, rabies can be potentially life threatening to you and to your canine.

Distemper
This dangerous disease can be fatal, especially in puppies or older canines. The first signs will be a running nose, accompanied by heavy vomiting and diarrhea. As the disease progresses, additional symptoms may include dehydration, breathing problems, refusal of food, and increasing weight loss. Neurological signs such as muscle twitching or seizures are vitally important telltale symptoms. Thickening of the footpads is difficult to observe without medical training, but is also a distinctive sign.

Heartworm
Although technically a parasite, heartworm is still a significant factor in dog illness. Heartworm itself is transmitted by a simple mosquito bite, which then places the parasite within the canine's body. Dog health problems begin six months or more after infection. Before this, the parasite is small and not yet having a major impact on the body. Signs include coughing and a lack of energy with predisposition to exhaustion. If left untreated, fainting, coughing of blood, and weight loss will eventually progress to become congestive heart failure and death.

These common dog health problems can all be serious for your pet's health and comfort. If you have even the slightest suspicion that one of them might be present, don't delay - take your pet to the vet quickly.

For more information about Dog health problems, please visit www.mycaninehealth.com

Keeping Your Dog Safe During The Holidays

With the holidays here, we are all in the mood for some festivities. We plan parties and cook for celebrations, but what do our pups do? They are still the same clever, curious rascal they ever were. Something that the holiday season does bring some puppy hazards. Everyone wants to enjoy the holidays without a single hiccup, so make sure that you make your home holiday safe for dogs.

Seasonal decorations

The holidays bring about a variety of color and light that make the atmosphere look quite magnificent. But, beware of nosy pups with mischief on the mind. Power cords can be very dangerous for a pup that likes to chew. Make sure they are hidden out of reach so no one gets hurt. Besides lighting, we often decorate our homes with pretty plants such as miseltoe, poinsettia, and holly. Unfortunately, all these plants are actually very toxic- especially for dogs. Consider going with a synthetic likeness that looks just as pretty (and you can use it again next year- save some $$). Besides the house decorations, presents often get decorated, too.
Wrapping paper is fun- for both man and dog, but we don't usually eat it. A pup may find it quite tasty, but will likely just end up with a belly-ache.

Hot dog

Candles make the house look and smell nice, but there is a bit of a hazard to this. A happy tail or a nosy snout can knock a candle over and burn your pup or catch something on fire. If you have candles, keep them up high and never leave the home without making sure they're out. Another concern is the fireplace. Those flickering flames can intrigue a curious pup, so make sure you use a fireplace protector or screen to keep any noses from being singed.

Time for eats!

The festivities and food are going to be almost every dog's weakness. Honestly, who can resist a tasty piece of what's cooking? Items on the table top left unattended can make a likely target for an eagar pup, so keep things out of reach- and no paws on the table. Unfortunately, dogs aren't always the culprit, sometimes they're just the victim of some sneaky hands that tossed them a spoonful off their plate. Make sure that everyone knows not to feed the pup, and if you don't want to take any chances, put your pup somewhere where they won't be tempted. Don't forget to give them their own snacks and toys to enjoy.

The table top isn't the only place a sneaky snout might wander. After all is cooked and eaten, there's likely to be a few leftovers. And where do some leftovers end up? After scraping plates clean, we often end up with some scraps in the garbage can. So make sure to bag it and toss it before anyone gets any ideas.

Now, table scraps might not sound to concerning for some folks, but keep in mind that there are several dinner items that can make a pup a little- or even extremely sick.

Raisins and grapes are notorious for upsetting a pup's belly and often make it to a countertop fruit ornamentation basket. Onions add flavor to a meal, but they aren't any better for a pup. And chocolate is one of the worst, but possibly the most popular for the season. Make sure and keep any and all of these foods out of your pup's reach, and inform visitors not to feed them these specific things.

Along that topic comes the "merry" part of the holidays. We should all eat, drink, and be merry, but pups shouldn't be doing any drinking (even if they aren't driving). Beer and other alcoholic beverages are dangerous to pups bodies. They don't experience it the way we do, and organs such as their liver and kidneys can be damaged very easily by alcohol.

Holidays are supposed to be fun, and you can make them as fun as you want. Just be sure that you keep your pup safe and out of harm's way so you can both enjoy the season festivities.

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