Welcome to Dog Health
Caring for Your Dog: Top Ten
Essentials.
Dog Health Problems and dog health questions
- Outfit your dog with a collar and ID tag
that includes your name, address, and telephone number. No
matter how careful you are, there's a chance your companion may become
lost—an ID tag greatly increases the chance that your pet will be returned
home safely.
- Follow local laws for licensing your dog
and vaccinating him for rabies. Check with your local animal shelter or human society for information regarding legal requirements, where to obtain tags, and
where to have your pet vaccinated.
- Follow this simple rule—off property, on leash. Even a dog with a
valid license, rabies tag, and ID tag should not be allowed to roam
outside of your home or fenced yard. It is best for you, your community,
and your dog to keep your pet under control at all times.
- Give your dog proper shelter.
A fenced yard with a doghouse is a bonus, especially for large and active
dogs; however, dogs should never be left outside alone or for extended
periods of time. Dogs need and crave companionship and should spend most
of their time inside with their family.
- Take your dog to the veterinarian for
regular check-ups. If you do not have a veterinarian, ask
your local animal shelter or a pet-owning friend for a referral and check
out our information on choosing a veterinarian.
- Spay or neuter your dog.
Dogs who have this routine surgery tend to live longer, be healthier, and
have fewer behavior problems (e.g., biting, running away). By spaying or neutering your dog, you
are also doing your part to reduce the problem of pet overpopulation.
- Give your pooch a nutritionally balanced
diet, including constant access to fresh water. Ask your
veterinarian for advice on what and how often to feed your pet.
- Enroll your dog in a training class.
Positive training will allow you to control your companion's behavior
safely and humanely, and the experience offers a terrific opportunity to
enhance the bond you share with your dog. Check out our information on choosing a dog trainer.
- Give your dog enough exercise to keep him
physically fit (but not exhausted). Most dog owners find
that playing with their canine companion, along with walking him twice a
day, provides sufficient exercise. If you have questions about the level
of exercise appropriate for your dog, consult your veterinarian.
- Be loyal to and patient with your faithful companion. Make sure the expectations you have of your dog are reasonable and remember that the vast majority of behavior problems can be solved. If you are struggling with your pet's behavior, contact your veterinarian or local animal shelter for advice, and check out The HSUS' Pets for Life campaign information.
Dog Health Problems Symptom
Dental Care
It can be all too easy to forget about your dog's teeth
until you get a whiff of bad breath. Plaque and tartar build-up can lead to
serious health problems. Don't wait until dental disease is present - start
focusing on dental care right now, if you nave not already. You can brush your
dog's teeth, use oral rinses, feed dental treats, or all of the above - just do
something. And don't forget to talk to your vet about your dog's teeth.
Professional cleanings may be necessary from time to time.
Ear Problem
Ear problems
are a common problem for dogs no matter what their sex, size, or breed. From
simple earwax to more complex problems such as ear mites, imbedded plant parts,
and infections. They can all cause some pretty major problems and be reason
enough to have your dog in and out of the vet’s office all year long.
The best way
to prevent most ear problems is to maintain your dog’s ears on a regular basis.
Ear wash
solutions are great for cleaning the nooks and crannies of your dog’s ears.
Many ear wash solutions contain a mild disinfectant and contain solvents to
remove earwax and accumulated dirt. Use a wash solution once or twice a week to
keep the ears clean.
Wax buildup
can become such a serious problem that if not taken care of can harbor
infections or leave your dog temporarily deaf. If wax buildup is a problem you
can combine equal parts of vinegar and olive oil and place in the ear. First,
warm the solution to body temperature. Place about half of a dropper into each
ear and massage the base of the ears well to move
it around and create a squishy sound. Use a cotton ball or some gauze to remove
the wax that has become loose.
Note: Never
use Q-tips in a dog’s ear as this can cram material against the eardrum and
cause major damage. Always consult your veterinarian with any problem you have
with your dog.
If your
dog’s ears are extremely dirty and crusted with dried blood or earwax soften
the material with baby oil, glycerin, or mineral oil for about 30 minutes
before trying to clean. If you try to clean the ears with these caked on materials
inside you can actually cause open sores or infection.
Watch for Warning Signs
Because our dogs cannot speak in words, we must rely on the
signs they give us when it comes to analyzing our dog's health. Your dog may
exhibit a variety of signs that indicate a health problem. Just like you, your
dog can develop a mild illness that resolves on its own, so not all signs are
cause for alarm. However, many dogs will instinctively try to conceal signs of
serious illness. Learn what to watch for and how to act appropriately before
the illness becomes out of control. If your dog is displaying signs of illness,
contact your vet right away.
Exercise for your dog
Dogs need both physical and mental stimulation provided by their owners by daily exercise. Exercises give a dog a natural outlet for energy. They create strong bodies and good muscle tone for the pet. Lack of sufficient exercise, will result in boredom and behavioral problems. A well-known yard or a house is often boring for a dog. Even if the dog is in a big yard, few exercise on their own, so it will presumably sleep all day without the interaction of exercise by the owner.
Just letting your dog out to the backyard is not enough and does not give the exercise the dog needs. And again a brief daily walk sometimes is not enough either. Then how do you decide how much exercise your dog needs? The type of exercise you choose for your dog should depend on the age, weight, health and breed of the dog. Is your dog eating a lot? If it is, is it eating out of boredom? Is your dog a hunter or a retriever who likes to run or is it a small breed who likes to sit on the couch? These are some of the questions you have to ask before you provide your dog the proper daily workout.
The dog,
other wise known as "man's best friend". They walk with you, play
with you, listen to you. What more could you want in a friend? You may have
your dog many years. Good care is essential through its entire life. However,
as your dog ages, care changes.
Most dogs
live until they are about 12 years old. Some live longer. It is well known that
smaller breeds tend to have a longer live span than the larger breeds. Males
also tend to live longer than females. When your dog turns about 6 or 7 years
old, that is basically the equivalent of a 40 year old human being. Dogs, just
like humans, start to show gradual signs of deterioration at this age.
Dog Food
Dog
foods, like dogs, come in a vast range of variety. Your dog's overall health
depends on being fed a good quality diet.
The quality of food you feed your dog can greatly affect his health, from
keeping his coat shiny and soft, to keeping his internal organs functioning
properly. Behavioural problems such as hyperactivity, listlessness, short
attention span, and seeming inability to learn can also be affected by your
dog's diet. Many common health problems can be cleared up simply by switching
your dog to a better grade of food.
Dog food is very important for the health of dogs. It is easy to overlook it, but it is essential to pick the right dog food for your pet dog. People sometimes just pick the first dog food bag they see at the store, instead of considering what is needed for your own dog. Puppies need different types of food than mature dogs, just as different breeds of dogs also require different types of dog food. If your dog seems like it has no energy, consider switching to another type of dog food. If you are unsure what kind to buy, you should consult your veterinarian.
Dog Food should be healthy and tasty.
If your dog does not like a certain type of dog food, do not force your dog to eat it. Instead, try to find another type of dog food that has all the vitamins that your dog needs, and your dog enjoys eating. Also, be aware that your dog's taste may change over time, and may not necessarily eat the same dog food all of its life. If it does not like its current dog food, then buy some other types of brands, and see which one is its favorite.
Caring for an old dog - Dog Health Issues
Excerise is
still an important factor in your dog's life. Remember that an aging dog will
tire easily. Moderation is key. Keep with the dog's pace and don't get frustrated
if his intrest in the activity disapears. Try again later.
Nutrition is another important factor. The
caloric intake of an aging dog versus a young dog is considerably less. As your
dog ages, his motabolic rate goes down. Activity is less, therefore, he
requires less to eat. Try to avoid over feeding, as obesity in an aging dog is
dangerous. This will greatly shorten his life. Feed your dog twice a day with
the recomended amount of food. Your vetrinarian may be able to help you out
with a diet plan suitable for your dog.
Exercising with Your Dog
Exercising with your dog not only strengthens the bond you two share, it also helps control his weight and maintain a healthy heart, lungs and muscles.
As you exercise with your dog, consider his needs and present physical condition. Leisurely walks may be best for an older dog while a young dog has ample energy for a vigorous exercise program.
If your dog has more energy to expend than you do, teach him to fetch a ball or a flying disc. The activity may be just right for you and a challenging exercise for your dog.
If, for whatever reason, you have not exercised your dog regularly and decide to launch a regular exercise program, go slow at first. Begin with short periods of activity at slow speeds and gradually increase the time, speed and distance.
Begin walking or running your dog on soft surfaces such as dirt, sand or grass until its pads toughen.
Keeping your dog on a leash gives you control when walking or running.
Avoid exercising your dog immediately before or after he’s eaten. A full stomach may cause digestive upsets. Provide only small amounts of water before and directly after exercise.
Weather conditions are an important consideration as you exercise your pet.
Dogs can suffer from frostbite and heat stroke just as people do. If you walk
your dog in the snow, be sure to wipe the paw pads to remove any snow and ice
buildup or possible salt that may have gotten caught. Remember that your dog's
feet can be damaged by hot asphalt during the summer.
Click on the Ultimate Guide To A ealthy Dog box and find the way to keep your dog healthy
5 Tips
For Choosing the Best Vet For Your Dog
If you haven’t already found one, or worked with one in the past, you need to find a vet. Pick one you feel comfortable with, and who answers your questions in full, completely and gives you answers you can understand. You don’t need a vet who talks down to you, or acts like you’re too dumb to understand what they’re saying!
Find a vet, if possible, who specializes in small animals (as opposed to one who treats large and small – like horses, cows, cats and dogs.) Your community may only have vets that do a little bit of everything – and there’s nothing wrong with that, if that’s all that’s available, but I’ll remind you – you usually go to a specialist for your health issues, don’t you?
If you’re new in the community, or haven’t needed a vet before – word of mouth is a great way to start looking for a new vet. Ask everybody you can get your hands on – co-workers, friends with pets, local humane societies or shelters. Ask questions: are they happy with their vet? Do they like the way they’re treated when they take their dogs in?
If your dog is a particular breed, check with the local or state breed associations to find out who they use, or local breeders. This can be especially useful if you buy a puppy from a local breeder, because the vet will have seen your puppy and know at least some of his history.
Once you have a referral from someone you trust, here are some questions to ask:
1. What services does the vet offer?
Is it a one-doctor office, or a
multi-doctor practice? As vets try to
streamline services many are
consolidating practices and forming
partnerships and group practices.
There’s nothing wrong with this – just
be aware that you may not always see the
same vet. And find out if they offer 24
hour emergency services, or if he or she
is affiliated with someone in the area
who does. Like everything else in life,
illness or accidents don’t always happen
between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday.
2. Does the vet offer a full surgery suite with on-site lab work? X-rays? Ultrasound?
If the vet has to
send all lab tests to an outside agency
to be processed, you may be getting
popped with additional charges because
those tests aren’t being performed or
processed in-house.
3.
Get a fee schedule.
Cost is
usually one of the biggest
considerations for dog owners, and it
should be lowest on the list of
importance, at least in my mind. Not
because cost isn’t important – of course
it is, but - if you have a vet
that you’re happy with – who gives your
dog the best care you can possibly find
in your area – does paying a little
extra for that care really matter in the
long run?
4. Check out the physical
characteristics of the facility
Is it clean,
or does it smell? Are the ads or
magazines in the waiting room current?
(That may not sound important, but if
the staff and doctors aren’t keeping
up-to-date on the latest and greatest
information, this may not be the place
you want to bring your dog.)
5. Communication – by that I mean how well does your vet communicate with you?
Will he or she explain the condition or
illness in terms that you can easily
understand, or do they try to confuse
you with high-tech or medical jargon? A
good vet will go over treatment options
with you, explain necessary tests,
review x-rays or test results, give
complete and clear instructions for home
care or further testing requirements,
etc.
Take your
time to do a complete and thorough
evaluation before choosing a new vet.
Your dog’s life literally depends on what
choice you make. Make it a careful one.
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Separation Anxiety Separation Anxiety Separation anxiety is one of the most common problems that dogs develop. It’s an anxiety disorder, and is defined as a state of intense panic brought on by the dog’s isolation/separation from her owner(s). In other words: when you leave for work in the morning, your dog is plunged into a state of nervous anxiety which intensifies extremely quickly. Dogs are social animals – they need plenty of company and social interaction to keep them happy and content. No dog likes to be left alone for long stretches of time, but some dogs do a lot worse than others: these are the ones most prone to separation anxiety. There are a number of contributing causes to the condition: - Some breeds are genetically predisposed towards anxiety and insecurity, which is something you should consider when deciding which breed you’re going to go for (particularly if you’re going to be absent for long stretches of time). A few of these breeds include Weimaraners, Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, and Airedales - A significant proportion of dogs from shelters develop separation anxiety. Most of these ‘shelter dogs’ have undergone significant trauma in their lives – they’ve been abandoned by their previous owners – and thus they have little trust that their new-found owner (you) isn’t going to pull the same trick. - Dogs that were separated from their mothers and siblings too early have been identified as being especially prone to separation anxiety. Puppies from pet-stores are a perfect example of this: they’re usually taken from their mothers well before the earliest possible age (which is 8 weeks), and confined to a small glass box in the petstore for anywhere between a few weeks to two months. This early weaning, coupled with the lack of exercise and affection while in the petstore, is psychologically traumatic for the dog. - Neglect is the number-one cause of sepration anxiety for dogs. If you’re absent much more than you’re present in your dog’s life, separation anxiety is pretty much inevitable. Your dog needs your company, affection, and attention in order to be happy and content. |
Symptoms of separation  The symptoms of separation anxiety are pretty distinctive: your dog will usually learn to tell when you’re about to leave (she’ll hear keys jingling, will see you putting on your outdoor clothes, etc) and will become anxious. She may follow you from room to room, whining, trembling, and crying. Some dogs even become aggressive, in an attempt to stop their owners from leaving. When you’ve left, the anxious behavior will rapidly worsen and usually will peak within half an hour. She may bark incessantly, scratch and dig at windows and doors (an attempt to escape from confinement and reunite herself with you), chew inappropriate items, even urinate and defecate inside the house. In extreme cases, she might self-mutilate by licking or chewing her skin until it’s raw, or pulling out fur; or will engage in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, like spinning and tail-chasing. Upon your return, she’ll be excessively excited, and will leap around you in a frenzy of delight for a protracted period of time (more than the 30 seconds to one minute of a happy, well-balanced dog.) This extended greeting is a source of some misunderstanding: without realizing that such a greeting actually signifies the presence of a psychological disorder, some owners actually encourage their dog to get more and more worked up upon their return (by fuelling the dog’s excitement, encouraging her to leap around, paying her protracted attention, and so on.) If you’re behaving in this way with your dog, please stop. I know it’s tempting and very easy to do, and it seems harmless – after all, she’s so happy to see you, what harm can it do to return her attention and affection in equal measure? - but in actuality, you’re just validating her belief that your return is the high point of the day. So she’s as happy as Larry when you return – but, when it’s time for you to leave again, her now-exaggerated happiness at your presence is under threat, and she gets even more unhappy when you walk out that door. Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize your dog’s tendency towards anxiety. Here’s a short list of do’s and don’ts: Do: - Exercise the heck out of her. Really wear her out: the longer you expect to be away, the more exercise she should get before you leave. For example, if you’re leaving for work in the morning, she’ll probably be by herself for at least four hours; and, if you’ve got a dog-walker to take her out mid-day instead of coming back yourself, she won’t see you – the person she really cares about - for at least nine hours. So she needs a good, vigorous walk (fifteen to twenty minutes is the absolute minimum here!) before you walk out that door. More is even better. - Distract her from her boredom, loneliness, and anxiety by giving her an attractive alternative to pining, pacing, and whining. Play with the Dog  All dogs love to chew – why not play on this predisposition? Get a couple of marrowbones from the butcher, bake them in the oven for 20 minutes (so they go nice and hard and crunchy – and so she can’t smear marrow all over your furniture), slice them up into chunks of a few inches long, and give her one about 15 minutes before you leave. It’ll keep her happy and occupied, and will act as a smokescreen for your departure. - When you leave, put the radio on to a soothing station: classical music is ideal, but any station featuring lots of talk shows is also ideal. Keep the volume quite low, and it’ll calm her down a bit and give her the feeling that she’s got company. - If at all possible, supply her with a view: if she can see the world going by, that’s the next best thing to being out and about in it. - Acclimatize her to your leaving. Taking things nice and slowly, practice getting ready to go: jingle your keys about, put on your coat, and open the door. Then – without leaving! – sit back down and don’t go anywhere. Do this until she’s not reacting any more. When there’s no reaction, give her a treat and lavish praise for being so brave. Next, practice actually walking out the door (and returning immediately), again doing this until there’s no reaction. Gradually work up – gradually being the operative word here! – until you’re able to leave the house with no signs of stress from her. Do not: - Act overtly sympathetic when she’s crying. Although it sounds very cold-hearted, trying to soothe and comfort your dog by patting her and cooing over her is actually one of the worst things you can do: it’s essentially validating her concern. Make sure she can’t tell that you feel sorry for her: don’t ever say, “It’s OK, good girl” when she’s upset! If you’re interested in getting a more detailed look at how to deal with your dog’s separation anxiety, you might like to check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a great learning tool for anyone who wants to learn how to deal constructively with their dog’s problem behaviors. All of the common behavioral problems are dealt with in detail, and there’s a great section on obedience commands and tricks too |
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