Dog Health Care
Dog Health. Dogs have long been regarded as man's best friend. As such, a dog's health should be treated with care to ensure that your dog will live a long and happy life. Similar to pampered kids, dogs that are well loved by their owners are provided with the best possible shelter, food, training, medical care, and special treats to ensure general health and well being. There are some important points to consider regarding dog health. Affection refers to the strong bond between humans and dogs. Treatment and prevention of allergies among dogs is serious business for dog owners. It is important to note that human shampoos are not good for dog health care. Natural and non-toxic flea repellents are available for your four-legged friend. Note also that all dogs need fun grooming. So go ahead and make it fun for you and your dog. New Life for Old Dogs: Spice of Life (Senior Formula) Works Great! Veterinarian formulated. Safe. All-natural. Made from Chinese herbs and spices - Yang tonic (aptogenic formula). The best revitalizing formulation.
Great energy booster! Great for rebuilding nervous system, immune system, stamina, liver and digestion, as well as for aches and pains, while helping to improve your pet's cognitive function. Works great for both dogs and cats. Here's how the herbal formula works: Chinese Herbal Formulas Chinese herbal formulations are derived from herbal combinations that work very well together (synergistically). Directions: 1 to 5 capsules, 1 to 2 times daily. Ingredients: Bupleurum; Peony; Cinnamon Twig; Tang-Kuei; Fu-Shen; Scute; Pinnellia; Chih-shih; Ginger; Atractylodes; Scorpion; Silkworm; Lapis; Arisaema; Eucommia; Achyranthes; Aconite; San Qi; Drynaria; Siler; Astragalus; Licorice; Calamus Gum; Morinda; Rehmannia (cooked); Lycium Fruit; Dioscorea; Epimedium; Ginseng; Schizandra; Beet Pulp; Kelp; Psyllium Seed; Flaxseeds; Bentonite Clay; Diatomaceous Earth; Papaya Leaf; Apple Fiber; Oven Dried Chicken Liver. NATURAL RINGWORM TREATMENT DERMISIL R for Pets is proven to eliminate ringworm on dogs, cats, and other animals. After spending years of research on homeopathic treatments for ringworm on pets, we have developed an exclusive formula not found in any other product. DERMISIL R for Pets is made from 100% pure extracts.
The primary active component is concentrated lime-sulfur. Lime-sulfur is approved for safe use on ringworm fungi by the FDA and EPA. Veterinary clinics world-wide use sulfur as a treatment for chronic dermatophytosis on many types of pets including dog health care, cats, puppies, and kittens. DERMISIL R for Pets is available without prescription. DERMISIL R for Pets is natural and safe for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that are 2 months of age and older. The product may be diluted for use on pigs, ferrets, rabbits, mice, rats, and other small animals. DERMISIL R for Pets is sold as a concentrated solution that is mixed with water, and a shampoo of your choice. The topical application of this extract is lipophilic and absorbs into and underneath the skin and hair as soon as they are applied to animal. DERMISIL R for Pets is different than over the counter medications which stay on top of the skin and do not penetrate deep into the ringworm fungus. Larger animals such as horses, pigs, goats, sheep, etc may be treated for ringworm with SulfaDip a lime-sulfur based dip used on larger or feral animals. What is Ringworm on Dogs, Cats and Other Animals Ringworm also known as dermatophytosis may sound like a worm or parasite but it is actually a fungus which lives on keratin found in skin, hair and nails of your dog, cat or other pet. Ringworm is spread through contact with another infected animal or through contact with the actual fungal spores called arthrospores. When an animal is infected with ringworm sheaths, arthrospores are produced and can be found around the infected areas hair strands, skin, or nails. These spores then scatter throughout the environment, and can be found in carpeting, furniture, bedding and even in your air filters.
The spores are also very resistant and can live in the environment for up to 18 months. This is why treatment for ringworm must also include a thorough cleaning regiment to rid the environment of any spores that could reinfect your animal. This can be done by disinfecting your home. Remove and replace all used air filters in the home. Thorough vacuuming of the carpeting and subsequent removal of the vacuum bags can also assist in ridding the home of spores. The use of ringworm fighting disinfectant is recommended. Ringworm is very contagious, and is the most common zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be transferred from animals to humans, and its rate of infection is rising. So if your pet has ringworm you must take certain precautions to protect yourself, such as using gloves to handle your pet, and wearing an apron or clothing that you wash subsequent to handling the pet. Ringworm on humans can affect skin on anywhere your body. Symptoms of Ringworm in Pets Loss of hair in circular patterns Hair loss in irregular patterns Scaly skin Redness or itchiness Deformed nails and claws Treatment of Ringworm on Dogs, Cats and Other Animals Treatment is usually given through applying topical antifungal medicine or giving oral medications. ringworm can be very difficult to treat. Generally you must have a consultation from a veterinarian before a treatment will be prescribed. Be patient if your animal has ringworm, successful treatment can take weeks to months to fully rid your pet of ringworm. Finally, as stated earlier, you must be aware of the risk of infection to you and other pets in your home, as well as the steps you must take to clean your home of any spores that may be present and which could cause infection.
Behaviour Problems: Acral Lick Dermatitis (Granuloma) Also known as Granuloma, Acral Lick Dermatitis is a disorder resulting in self mutilation. Dogs will lick, chew or scratch themselves repeatedly, resulting in areas of hair loss and lesions, which may grow to affect the entire surface of the limb. The continuous licking or chewing prevents the lesions from healing and, apart from the pain and discomfort, your poor dog may even cripple itself in severe cases. Causes Allergic Dermatitis Arthritis Neuropathies Neoplasia Fungal Infections Ectoparasites Boredom or Stress Treatment Treatment for the disorder can be very frustrating. Many possible treatments are available, however their effectiveness varies from case to case. Some of the treatments include: topical corticosteroids, antidepressant drugs, surgical excision, bandaging, restrictive collars and radiation therapy. Barking Barking at night The simple answer is to ignore the dog. By barking, it is training you to respond. You might have a few noisy nights but you will be showing it that barking is not productive. Certainly do not respond by shouting or scolding. If you do so the dog will only know that its barking has been productive by making you bark as well. Barking, excessive The reason for excessive barking in one word is FEAR, and it is frightened because it has not been socialized. It is nervous of every sound it hears and barks in a futile attempt to send the perceived threat away. Sometimes a dog which const-antly whines, cries, barks, or is destructive, suffers from skin problems brought about by scratching and licking themselves because of the stress of being left. Gener-ally this is not a problem with dogs which have been socialized through training classes at an early age. The solution is socialzation through obedience classes and home management. Barking when the owner is out This is a big problem caused by bad owners.
The dog is a pack animal and if, as a member of the family pack, it is given the freedom of the home by being allowed to rest on the furniture and sleep in bedrooms, then it will suffer a form of stress when the pack goes off to work because it expects to go with the pack. When people leave home they should not look, touch or talk to the dog for about 10 minutes beforehand. The same applies when coming home: ignore, no talking, no patting, no looking, nothing. This way, the dog understands that its barking has not brought the owner back. If it has been barking while you were away and is rewarded by your attention when you come back, it then thinks it was its barking that brought you back to the house. A dogs bark is said to be worse than its bite. It certainly is for the neighbors of a constantly barking dog left alone for too long, unsocialized and with uncaring owners. Hopefully no readers would permit their dogs to be such a community nuisance. Barking at the postman The postman or any kind of regular deliveryman is regarded by your dog as an intruder and so it barks and is immediately rewarded by the postman going away. It thinks it has frightened off the intruder and done its duty. Talk to your postman and try to get him to cooperate.
Tell him you will leave a tit-bit outside the door and ask him to push it through the letter-box before the letters. The tit-bit will be a better reward for your dog than chasing the postman away. Barking when the telephone rings If you shout (bark) at your dog when it barks at the telephone ringing, you are encouraging it to bark more. It feels there is danger if you react. Get a friend to phone you at several agreed times. When the phone rings do not move and do not speak. After your friend has done this a few times your dog will no longer bark when the telephone rings. Barking from balconies When a dog barks from a balcony at someone passing by, it is simply asserting its dominance, firstly by looking down on humans and secondly by successfully telling them to shove off. As far as the dog is concerned, it is objecting to someone invading its territory. And even more pleasing, its barking is rewarded by the passerby walking away. Answer: ban the dog from the balcony.
Barking deterrent Abistop is a French invention resulting from chemosensory research into the dog health care barking problem. It is attached to the dogs collar and automatically emits a small spray of citronella whenever the dog barks. Brief exposure to cintronella immediately distracts dogs but does not cause them distress and even smells pleasant to humans. It is effective but expensive at 90. A cheaper method might be a quick squirt of water from a plant spray bottle or putting a bit of food in front of the dogs nose. It cannot eat and bark at the same time. Biting Often dogs lash out when reprimanded for doing something wrong. This is the dog does not know what it is doing wrong. It only knows you are being aggressive. Remember a dog should not be punished for anything after three seconds of the act, it just does not understand. Any punishment after that time can result in the dog fearing you and can often cause aggression. Smack a puppy which nips you and you will just teach it to nip and run. Shout 'ouch' and ignore it. Teach it that nipping is not rewarding by ignoring. Biting by dogs is a serious problem as these statistics from America show. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, dog bites are responsible for 4.5 million injuries every year in the U.S.A., 750,000 people requiring medical attention and 334,000 ending in a hospital emergency room.
The Insurance Information Institute reported that insurance companies paid an estimated $250 million in dog bite liability claims in 1996.More than half of all dog bites come from familiar dogs, those of friends, neighbours and even the owners own dog. While some breeds may have more aggressive tendencies, all dogs are potential biters so don't be misled by size. However the Humane Society of the United States reports that period from 1979-1996, five breeds, the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Husky and the Alaskan Malamute, were responsible for two-thirds of fatal dog attacks and, in two years from 1980 to 1996, 304 people died from dog attacks. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that dog attacks in the U.S. are the No. 1 public health problem for children, with more than half of all children bitten by age 12, most before the age of nine years. The leading reason for dog euthanasia is aggressive tendencies. To Avoid Dog Bites at Home Properly socialize your puppy. I can't begin to emphasize this enough.
BEFORE the age of 16 weeks, your puppy must encounter all of the things he'll see in his adult lifetime. If he doesn't, then, in all likelihood, he'll be terrified of those things later when he encounters them. You must introduce him to friendly adults, children, old people, teenagers with blue hair, disabled people, people with beards, hats, bald heads, abnormal gaits, crutches, canes, and funny mannerisms. You must safely introduce him to cars, bicycles, veterinarians, loud noises, other animals, toddlers, stairs, water, vacuum cleaners, people in gorilla suits and other strange things. If the dog is not afraid of it, he won't try to attack it to defend himself. A well-adjusted dog is not a biting dog. I can't stress this strongly enough. There's only about an 8-week window, here. Get those puppies out and socialize them to everything! 2. Teach your children to respect life. Show them how to properly touch, pet, and handle a dog. Young children should not be allowed to carry puppies. They want to, because they see you doing it, but they don't know how to yet, and they lack the coordination to properly support the dog and keep him from falling. This terrifies the puppy, and if you want the puppy to grow up thinking, "When I get my adult teeth, Bobby, your butt is MINE!" Then just go on ahead and let your child continue to abuse the dog in this manner.
NOT a good idea! You must teach the child that handling the puppy in this way is not comfortable for the puppy, and the child must not try to hurt the puppy, because he is a living, breathing, loving organism. There is a direct correlation between children who abuse animals and those kids, grown up, abusing or killing other people. Teach your children well. 3. NEVER trust your young child alone with your dog or puppy, EVER. I don't care how good or well-trained you think your child is, when you're not looking, the child is wanting to do all of the things you won't let him do when you're around. "Well, let's see... I wonder what REALLY happens when you pull the dog's ears, or poke him in the eye with a pen..." The child is usually "low man on the totem pole" in the household, and if he can have control over the dog, it makes him feel less powerless. You may not realize your child is pestering the dog until the day Bobby comes running to you, dripping blood, saying, "Doggie BITE!" At this point somebody's usually in trouble, and the dog usually takes the heat. He can't defend himself and he didn't have witnesses. This is when you go and get a rolled up newspaper and swat yourself on the head a few times, repeating, "BAD Parent! BAD Dog Owner! Bad! Bad! Bad!" 4. If you have toddlers, create a safe "haven" for your dog. Use a baby gate or something that the dog can get over or through that the child can not. When the dog does not want to be bothered with the child, he will escape to his safe place, and everything will be fine.
If the dog is not able to get away from the thing that terrifies him, remember that "Plan B" is to try to get that thing away from HIM. This usually involves lip lifting, growling, snapping, or biting, all of which are proper social signals to avoid REAL aggression, by communicating that the dog wants to be left alone. However, children are not puppies, and do not understand thislanguage, so it's important to give the dog a place to go where the child absolutely can not follow. 5. Don't tie your dog out. Tied dogs are frustrated dogs. They experience "barrier frustration" all day long. This tends to make them hyper and testy. A child entering the area where a dog is chained could be easily knocked down or bitten. If one or more of your neighbours ties a dog out, don't let your children go near these dogs. They are an accident waiting to happen. 6. Don't play "idiot" games with your dog. Some people think it's cute to tease dogs by pretending to beat up another family member (or a date) in front of them, or by playing "games" like "slap-boxing" with the dog. These mindless ways of torturing your dog are non-productive, and could cause the dog to become aggressive, or at the very least, teach him to snap at hands. Teenagers are usually the guilty parties in this scenario.
Teenagers are children in adult bodies and that makes the teen years particularly difficult for kids. They feel all "grown up," and yet they are forced to continue to live in the "nest" and are bossed around by other adults all the time. Sometimes the only other being they can have control over is the family dog. This is a scary thought. From childhood, if you encourage your kids to put themselves in the dog's "shoes," and treat the family pets with the respect and love that they deserve, you won't have a problem as your child becomes an adult. 7. Enroll in a puppy social class. This will help establish you as the leaders and give the dog a job to do. If your dog knows how to perform a few simple control behaviors on cue, you can have him "go to his pillow" or "lie down" when company arrives, so that he doesn't get over stimulated in a barking frenzy at the door. A dog can't lie down and bite the mailman at the same time. Use productive behaviours to counter competitive, non-productive behaviours. Your instructor will also show you how to stop your puppy from chewing your hands and teach him that gnawing on your body parts is "a big NO NO." 8. If you start to see any resource guarding behaviours, call a professional immediately.
You can not allow these behaviours to continue, as they often escalate. Resource guarding means the dog might growl at someone walking near his food dish, or might not let you take a bone away from him politely, or might even guard YOU so that other family members can't get near. Your trainer will put you on a training program where you will desensitize your dog to the things that are "triggering" his behaviour now. 9. Get your dog used to having you touch and groom him at an early age. Dog health care and grooming throughout their lifetime that involves touching, stroking, holding or restraining. If your dog does not allow you to touch him in certain ways or in certain places, this problem must be addressed. He may only be warning you with a growl, now, but if you let it be, there will come a time when you absolutely have to trim his nails, give him medication or otherwise restrain him, and he's liable to bite. From an early age (as soon as you get him), accustom him to having you hold and touch his paws, stroke him and hold him on his side. By teaching him that this contact is not-threatening and not harmful, he will accept it without a second thought. First impressions are important, and you want first associations to be pleasant ones. Before you actually trim your dog's nails, for example, practice holding the paws, rubbing the pads, touching the nails, and touching the nail trimmer to the nails. Sometimes it is better to use a simple nail file.
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