Dog Health Care Issues | Common Ailments| Page 5 of 8

Diarrhea

By Dr. Sherry Weaver Diarrhea is the frequent and repetitive passage of loose, watery stool. Your judgment regarding the health status of a pet with diarrhea is critical. Bloody diarrhea with severe straining may be an emergency especially for small dogs. Diarrhea along with vomiting can be signs of serious intestinal obstruction that may even need surgery. Weakness, pain, vomiting, or agitation are serious signs that the pet needs medical attention-not simply a little first aid! A pet with diarrhea but with few other signs of distress may sometimes be treated at home, but the variables are so numerous that

June 18, 2015 No Comments

How To Care For Burn Wounds On Dogs

The majority of burn wounds in dogs occur in the home and are categorized as thermal (heat), chemical and electrical. Superficial thermal burns can be treated by immersion of the affected skin in cold water or by applying an ice pack. Then remove any hair or debris from the burn wound and gently pat dry. Do not use oil-based medications on a burn wound. A non-stick telfa pad can then be applied followed by a light bandage to hold it in place. If the burn wound becomes infected or is not healing, veterinary care is needed. Deep thermal burns extend

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

New Canine Cancer Blood Test Available

The National Canine Cancer Foundation in Phoenix has announced that a new, simple blood test is now available for dog lovers to confirm veterinary suspicion of cancer in their pets. Developed by Veterinary Diagnostics Institute, which is a reference laboratory based in Simi Valley, California, the test is called VDI TKcanine+. It is used by veterinarians to measure two compounds in the dog’s blood: the thymidine kinase (or TK) level, which indicates unusually rapid cell division; and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which indicates when inflammation is present. Together, these measurements detect cancer in its early stages before signs become

June 18, 2015 No Comments

Dog Care

How To Recognize And Treat Foot Pad Injuries In Dogs

Foot Pad Injuries Foot pad injuries in dogs can range from abrasions, blisters, burns, ulcers, tears, punctures and lacerations. It is important to be aware what type of surface your dog walks on. Concrete for example can be rough and heats up quickly during warm or hot weather. Rock, gravel and sand can also injure the foot pads. The common clinical signs are limping, licking at the foot or bleeding. Home care for mild abrasions include gently rinsing the affected foot under cool water to remove any debris, followed by the application an antibacterial ointment or solution, like Neosporin.

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Keeping Fido Fit, Not Fat

Our pets weigh too much. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention’s latest veterinary survey, 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of adult cats in the United States — that’s 88.4 million pets — are classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarians. But the bigger problem, reports APOP founder Dr. Ernie Ward, is that pet owners don’t even realize their chubby four-legged friends have a weight problem. “Twenty two percent of dog owners and fifteen percent of cat owners characterized their pet as ‘normal weight’ when it was actually overweight or obese,” Dr. Ward says. “This

June 18, 2015 No Comments

How To Get Your Dog To Take Their Medicine

It is a well-known fact that both dogs and kids hate to take their medicine. Since dogs cannot grab a cup of water to swallow a pill, you have to a bit more resourceful. Medication is a necessary evil, and you will have to figure out some way to make it work whether you put it in their dinner, treats, or water. Here are some solutions to help your dog take oral medications. Use food Food is your friend when it comes to coaxing dogs into taking their medication. You can put a pill or even liquid medication in the

June 18, 2015 No Comments

How To Recognize And Handle Dog Seizures

Most pet owners probably don’t know this, but dogs can have seizures just like humans. Few things are worse than seeing your four-legged friend suddenly flop to the ground and tread water that isn’t even there, but for some dogs, this is their reality. So how do you know if your dog has or may get seizures? And what should you do if they start experiencing them? Causes of Epileptic Seizures in Dogs Some causes of seizures in dogs are preventable, but others are genetic or related to illness. Common reasons can be divided into several different categories:

June 18, 2015 No Comments

A Checklist For Your Dog’s First Aid Kit

All good dog parents want to keep their pups safe, and that means being prepared for potential doggie disasters. One of the best ways to be ready is to create a first aid kit for your four-legged friend. But what exactly do dogs need in a first aid kit? Some of the items are probably obvious, but others may be a bit more surprising. That’s why we decided to put together this comprehensive list of what you should include, as well as why. Wound spray There are all kinds of ways that your dog can get cut, scratched, or otherwise

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Heartworms In Dogs: Myths VS. Facts

How heartworms are spread All dogs are at risk for potentially deadly heartworm disease. Heartworms live in the heart and blood vessels of the lungs of dogs, cats and other mammals like wolves, foxes and coyotes. Heartworms cannot be spread directly from animal to animal without a mosquito as an intermediary. Heartworms are spread when a mosquito bites an infected dog and picks up tiny larvae called microfilariae from the dog’s bloodstream. Then that mosquito bites another dog infecting it with the heartworm larvae. Over the next several months the heartworm larvae grow and migrate to the heart and lungs.

June 17, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Vet’s Advice For A Vomiting Dog

My two-year-old St. Bernard dog is not eating correctly. Every so often the dog will vomit her dinner two days in a row or maybe breakfast two days in a row. Never the same dinner and breakfast in the same day, and not all the time. It seems to be about every two weeks one of them will start and last two days. Any advice? Thank You Jeff Alger Dear Jeff, Dogs vomit much more easily than humans. If a dog vomits this frequently but maintains a normal appetite and weight, it is a cleaning problem more than a medical

June 17, 2015 No Comments