All You Need To Know About How To Treat Heart Disease In Dogs

Have you just came home from the vet and got the sad news that he or she has found heart disease in your dog? When you heard this prognosis, chances are you felt your own heart sink as this is your beloved pet. Did you know that there is a lot you can do in order to change what might look like bad news from your vet? As you read this article, you will find out how to prevent and treat heart disease in dogs.

 

When it comes to heart disease, prevention is definitely better than cure. Is your dog eating a healthy diet? If not this may be the cause of his deteriorating health. Don’t get too upset about this, but it’s time to start learning about healthy foods for dogs and what to feed your dog to speed his recovery.

 

Conventional medications for heart disease in dogs may have unwanted side effects. Make the effort to find a holistic vet who can prescribe herbal remedies such as hawthorn and dandelion which can both help strengthen the heart muscle and prevent a build up of fluid.

 

Always keep the appointment with your dog’s vet for his annual check-up even though he doesn’t appear to have any health problems. If you notice your dog coughing, especially during the night time or after exercise, rush him to the vet straight away as this may be one of the symptoms heart disease.

 

If your dog lacks energy and can’t seems to keep up while you are walking or there seems to be a difference in the way he’s breathing, then take him to the vet without delay. Some of the more serious signs of heart disease in dogs include spontaneous weight loss, difficulty breathing and fainting.

 

Gentle exercise is very important and is as simple as taking your dog for a walk a few times a week. If your dog is already affected by heart problems allow him to set the pace. Stop or slow down if he seems very tired or starts to cough.

 

Your dog may have been diagnosed with cardiac ischemia, which is a reduced blood supply to the heart. Reperfusion is another possible heart problem which means actual damage to the heart tissue. Both these problems will respond well to CoQ10. CoQ10 is a fantastic supplement for dogs as it not only slows down the progression of heart disease, but it will also improve your dog’s general health. We all know that a happy dog is a healthy dog.

 

In order to prevent bad cholesterol (LDL) in your dog and to help your dogs heart health, then you can’t go past Vitamin E. 200-500 IU a day should be enough for heart health.  

Another natural supplement for heart disease in dogs is L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine prevents further deterioration of the heart muscle. When you combine L-Carnitine with Taurine, it will help to improve your dog’s life expectancy as well. This can be given in the amount of 500-2000 mg daily.

 

In the end, it is very easy to keep your dogs heart safe, as long as you pay close attention to his health and take him or her to vet visits each year or straight away if something seems wrong. Remember, heart disease in dogs may happen without warning, so please be watchful for any of the above symptoms.

3 Remedies to Get Rid of Halitosis for Your Dogs

If you think you are the only one suffering from bad breath, you may want to think again. Although bad breath is a condition common to human, your dog may also have the same fate. Incredible as it may sound; your dogs are also at risk of having halitosis.

But, you don’t have to worry that much. There are now lots of halitosis remedies for dogs available for your dog’s needs. In fact, most of these are products for home remedy; saving you from visiting the vets too often just to restore your dog’s pleasant breath.

Read also our selected articles on For Halitosis.

Now, there are lots of home remedies for your dog’s halitosis. And since people have different interpretation of halitosisremedy for dogs, it is up to you to decide which one will best suit your pet dogs. The following are some remedies to try to keep your doggy’s breath always pleasant;

Dog Toys

Perhaps you won’t believe this, but some of your dog’s toys are not just designed to help you in training it. Some of these are also effective in cleaning the teeth of your dogs. Dental chews are among them. These are usually designed to massage the gums of your dogs as well as clean its teeth, removing plaques and food particles in between. Greenies and Nylabone are two of the most popular brands when it comes to doggy dental chews. You may want to watch out though, because most dental chews are not meant for dog with stronger chews.

Dental sticks are also great for your dogs. This is also designed to massage the gums and get rid of food particles and plaque between the teeth. You can fill the sticks with treats to make your dog happy while keeping yourself satisfied at keeping your dog’s breath pleasant.

If your dog likes bone for playing, it is fine because bones can actually help keep your dog’s teeth clean. However, you should be aware that giving your doggy some cooked bones is not a good idea at all. Why? It is because cooked bones can crack while they are playing with them and can cause serious injury to your dogs especially in the mouth. Instead, give your dogs some raw bone to play with.

Water Technique

If human needs plenty of water to keep anaerobic bacteria at bay, well so are your dogs. You need to provide your dogs with lots of water to keep its mouth moist and its mouth free from food particles. You also have to make sure that your dog’s water are always clean; thus, you can be sure that no food particle or bacteria will get back to your pet’s mouth. Or you can buy oxygenating solution meant for dogs; by mixing this to the water, you can be sure that bacteria are destroyed and your dog’s breath fresh.

Brushing

If you need brushing to keep your mouth and teeth clean, so are your dogs. There are brushes especially designed for your dogs. Just make sure that you brush your doggy’s breath properly and regularly and you can be rest assured that no visit to the vets is necessary.

Aside from these home remedies and bad breathproducts for dogs, you can also keep your pet’s breath fresh by choosing what it eats. Experts advise that you give your dogs some mixture of dry dog foods and canned ones. You can also consult your vets for guides on how to keep your dog’s breath pleasant all the time.

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Your Dog’s Eyes (Part 3)

Many eye diseases in dogs can be successfully cured surgically if non-surgical treatments do not help. In the condition in which the tear glands and ducks are not producing tears, for example, a medication is put into the dog’s food in the form of drops.

If there is any function at all left, the medication will stimulate the glands to again produce tears normally. If the medication does not work, an unusual and creative operation is sometimes performed, whereby a duct of one of the dog’s salivary glands is moved so that it empties out of the eye instead of the mouth.

The saliva moistens and protects the eye just as the tears are supposed to. Logically enough, Pavlov’s theory works with slight alteration – a dog who has had such an operation cries when his appetite is stimulated!

If an ulcer has resulted from the dryness and inflammation of the eyes, or from some other irritation or trauma, medication is again tried initially. Especially if the ulcer is a superficial one, antibiotics usually heal it.

If the ulcer is a deep one or has punctured through the cornea into the eye itself, another innovative type of surgery is performed. The ulcer is covered with a truly organic “bandage” – the dog’s own third eyelid, or a flap from the white part of his eye. The bandage is left on for several weeks while antibiotics are used to heal the ulcer. It can then be removed with a snip or two of the stitches holding the bandage in place.

Cataracts
Owners of old dogs often notice a condition commonly referred to as cataracts – a bluish white film over the eyes. Actually, the condition is a thickening of the lenses, which is a function of age. It usually begins to be noticeable in dogs about 10 years of age, and progresses slowly. It does not usually affect the dog’s vision until the dog becomes quite old.

True cataracts are a total thickening of the lenses, so that light cannot come through the pupil and sight is lost. Certain injuries and infections can cause cataracts, and the condition is sometimes a sign of diabetes.

There is a disease, juvenile cataracts, in which cataracts appear at a very young age (as early as 1 year old), first in one eye and then in the other.

This is an inherited disease, seen most commonly in Irish Setters, Afghans and Old English Sheepdogs. The only way to prevent blindness is to surgically remove the lenses. Dogs are nearsighted anyway – they can’t adapt their vision to distances – so the removal of the lens is something they can live with quite comfortably without much noticeable difference in eyesight.

Your Dog’s Eyes (Part 2)

Most dog owners, if not all of them, never consider looking into their pet’s eyes for signs of illness, especially dogs with hair over their eyes.

There is a myth that cutting the hair away from a dog’s eyes will cause blindness, but, in fact, a dog’s eyes are much less likely to become diseased if the area is free of air. Dogs with hair growing over their eyes should either have it trimmed or pinned back.

Glaucoma
The most serious problem that can result from an inflamed eye is a condition called glaucoma. Glaucoma occurs when the fluid pressure within the eye gets too high. It is caused when the passage which drains the fluid out of the pupil becomes too narrow to allow fluid to pass. Glaucoma can and does cause blindness if not treated immediately. Inflammation of the eye is one thing which can cause the drainage passage to become swollen shut.

Glaucoma can also be caused by a tumor in the eye, or by an inherited condition peculiar to certain breeds, in which the angle of fluid drainage in the eye is too narrow at birth. Wire-haired Terriers, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, and Malamutes are more apt to be born with this abnormally narrow angle of drainage than most dogs.

If glaucoma is not treated immediately by alleviating the extremely high pressure of the eye fluid, a great deal of pain and eventual blindness will result. Owners, especially of the breeds mentioned, should watch for redness in the white part of their dog’s eyes, dilated or large pupils, and rubbing of the eyes by the dog. If the symptoms are treated early, blindness can be prevented.

Check The Eyelids
Many eye problems require medical tensions caused by eyelid abnormalities. These are problems the dog is born with, and again, certain breeds are especially prone to certain abnormalities. The two most common types of eyelid abnormalities are ectropian, in which the eyelid turns out, and entropian, in which the lid turns inward toward the eye.

Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, Cocker and Springer Spaniels, St. Bernards and Akitas are some of the breeds most likely to suffer from ectropian. Entropian is often seen in Chows, Bulldogs, Doberman Pinschers, Setters, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, and St. Bernards.

Both conditions can cause infection and inflammation of the eye. They are most commonly corrected surgically. The surgery is a cosmetic one, for the purpose of correcting the confirmation of the dog’s eyelid. The part of the eyelid which droops or turns inward is removed, making the eye normal. It is not a complicated procedure, and one which in nearly every case solves the dog’s eye problems.

3 Ways To Keep Your Dog From Getting Diabetes

There are essentially three ways that you can help prevent your dog from getting diabetes. This disease is one that you want your dog to avoid so that he lives as long and healthy as possible. And although it’s rare, there are many dogs whose diabetes go into remission just by having their diet, supplementation, and exercise all in good order.

1. Lower the carbohydrates. Most dog foods sold in pet stores contain ingredients that are as high as 98% carbohydrates. By reducing the amount of carbs in your dog’s daily meals, this moderate carbohydrate level can go a long way towards diabetes prevention.

Diet is especially important for dogs that are genetically at risk for diabetes. It is critical that you study up on your dog breed and make sure that he is getting the right nutrients so that the gene which can store diabetes will not be triggered off.

Golden retrievers are among the most popular pets that dog owners have in the United States. Unfortunately, many of these retrievers get diabetes because their owners did not do enough research for their breed type in order to get their diet correct from puppy hood.

2. Seek out the nearest holistic veterinarian in your area. Ask the vet about natural supplementation for the immune system. Many dog owners miss this very important diabetes prevention step. Supplementing with organic products such as antioxidants and herbs for the immune system can make a huge impact on preventing diabetes, especially for the dog breed types which are genetically at risk for this disease.

Along the same lines as natural prevention, it is important to avoid your dog from being over-vaccinated. This can cause toxins to build up in the animal’s system which can trigger diabetes.

Flea medications and tick insecticides can also trigger diabetes from the toxic state produced in the body. By keeping your dog clean of these chemicals and toxins you are helping his immune system stay healthy.

3. Exercise! It is sad to see so many dogs out there who develop diabetes that should never have in the first place had they been active and not become overweight. This of course is the direct responsibility of you, the dog owner. If your dog is inactive and gains weight, he can develop diabetes even if he is not a breed that is genetically at risk.

It doesn’t take much. 20 minutes of brisk walking two to three times per day is all your dog needs for optimum health and to keep him in good shape. If you can go jogging with your dog then that is even better. Having your dog swim is also a great option for exercise.

Skin Conditions – Flea Allergy Dermatitis, Hot Spots, & Ringworm

The most common allergic skin disease in the dog develops when certain dogs become hypersensitive to flea bites. The allergic agent is contained in the saliva or mouth parts of the flea and is injected into the dog when the flea feeds. The disease usually occurs during the warm months and is commonly called “summer eczema”.

The disease begins near the tail-head of the rump of the dog. The animal will scratch or rub this area intensely, causing the hair to fall out and often ulcerating the skin. In severe cases the hair loss can become more generalized and involve large areas of the body.

Although the disease occurs more commonly in the summer months, many dogs will show signs constantly throughout the year. The flea can complete its life cycle in the home environment and thus can cause constant irritation to hypersensitive dogs.

Therapy is aimed at flea control on the dog, on other pets, and in the dog’s environment. In addition, specific therapy can be instituted to control the signs and affected dogs. Cortisone-type drugs will relieve the symptoms of the allergic reaction. Injections of flea allergy extracts have also been useful in helping certain dogs with their flea allergy.

Hot Spots
Hot spots, known medically as “Acute Moist Dermatitis”, is a troublesome skin condition in certain longhair breeds of dogs including Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Malamutes, Collies, and German Shepherds. Many types of skin irritation can cause the dog to inflict self trauma to the skin. A cycle of itch/scratch, itch/scratch, itch/scratch develops.

Round, moist ulcerated areas are created in the skin by the dog’s licking, chewing, or scratching. Flea bites, flea allergy, and burs in the coat are common causes of hot spots. In certain cases, the underlying cause can never be found.

Therapy is directed at removing the underlying cause, breaking the itch/scratch, itch/scratch cycle, and effectively drying up the ulcerated area. Small hots pots may be treated at home with preparations that are drying and soothing to the skin. Products which contain camphor or menthol have these effects. Vinegar is a mild astringent which also will dry the affected areas. Large areas, however, are best to be treated by your veterinarian.

Ringworm
Ringworm, medically referred to as “Dermatomycosis”, is a fungus infection of the skin, most commonly found in young animals. Circular or irregular areas of hair loss occur on the face, body, and legs. The skin in affected areas is usually dry and scaly. This disease can be transmitted from animal to animal, from soil to animal, and from animal to man.

Definitive diagnosis is best achieved through culture and identification of the fungal agent. Many chronic diseases that do not readily respond to treatment are mistakenly diagnosed as fungal infections. These mistakes can be avoided by the use of fungal cultures. Therapy is specific and will result in complete remission of the disease. Topical and systemic drugs are used.

6 Steps To Grooming a Wavy or Curly-Coated Sporting Breed

Grooming a dog with a curly or a wavy coat is not as simple as grooming one that has a short and smooth coat. For example, take the “water breeds”. They are sporting dogs with extremely harsh curly coats. Because these dogs typically spend a lot of time out in the field, retrieving items from water, flushing upland game, and serving as all-purpose hunting companions, their coats should be kept short and neat. If not then their long and straggly curls will latch onto every stray; twigs, burr, pieces of debris, etc.

If your wavy or curly-coated dog is to be shown then their coats should be scissored into a neat shape, and this precise method of scissoring the curly coat takes a lot of time and work. Owners who keep curly-coated sporting breeds for hunting and as pets are much more likely to clip them down with an electric clipper to a length of about 2 inches (with the exception of the Curly-coated Retriever, whose coat is short enough that it doesn’t require clipping).

The following are six steps to groom your wavy or curly-coated sporting breed:

1. Before bathing your dog, brush out the entire coat with a pin brush and/or a slicker brush to remove as much dead coat as possible. This will also help eliminate tangle. Remove mats with a mat comb or coat rake, or cut through them with scissors.

2. Next, run a comb through the entire coat to make sure you have removed every tangle. This step may take some time because you do not want to comb too fast and yank out any hair from the skin.

3. Scissor the leg hair evenly, removing excess hair.

4. Cut hair from under the foot and between the foot pads. The foot should look rounded and should blend in with the leg hair, appearing like a powder puff over the foot.

5. Clip down torso to 2 inches, or scissor off fuzz and shape by scissoring the sides to tidy up. Shape the sides and rear to best match the shape of the breed. An imperfect form can be slightly adjusted by the shape in which you trim the curly coat. Make sure to take off just a little at a time, periodically standing back to check the shape of the dog. It is also good to have a picture of a well-groomed specimen of your breeds in order to have a better idea of the proper way of trimming.

6. After the bath, do not blow-dry or brush the body coat. Let the curls or waves air-dry naturally in order for them to stay intact.

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Are Vaccinations for Pets Really Necessary?

If you have been following the standard guidelines for pet vaccinations you have probably been submitting your cat or dog to a painful shot as well as the anxiety of a visit to the vet every year in an effort to provide them the best health possible.

Vaccinations are a big business. Owners will spend what they are told in order to protect their pets and possibly themselves from contacting scary and deadly diseases such as rabies or distemper.

However, some veterinarians and pet owners are starting to question the wisdom and necessity of annual vaccinations.

Dr. Margie Scherk who runs a veterinary clinic in Vancouver was quoted in a CBC news story as stating that “We have no reason to think a cat’s immune system is different than a human’s immune system. And we don’t get vaccinated every year.”

If this is true, why do vets keep warning us to have our dogs and cats vaccinated annually?

Possibly some encourage the visits for the monetary benefits, but it is also a subject that is still fraught with controversy.

Pet owners in general are not anxious to take risks with such deadly diseases and so until conclusive studies are embraced by the medical field they will continue with annual vaccinations.

On the other hand, some studies have shown that certain vaccines, such as the rabies vaccine, may be linked to an increase in tumors in cats.

Other pet owners have had personal experiences which led them to believe that vaccines in puppies may have been responsible for a higher mortality in a healthy litter.

Until these concerns have been researched further, veterinarians take their own stand on vaccinations. Dr. Kruth, who was also interviewed by CBC, believes that owners should make decisions based on the lifestyle of their pet. He explains that hunting dogs are clearly more at risk for picking up some of these diseases than a pet kept indoors in the city.

How can pet owners make an educated decision? There is a lot of information available online, as well as recommendations from Associations and veterinary schools which may reflect the more recent research. However, most individuals will likely require the experience and recommendation of their family pet’s doctor or shop around to find one who seems to be implementing newer recommendations. In this case most will suggest a three year gap between most vaccinations. There are still some diseases that may require annual shots or even six month shots such as feline leukemia and kennel cough.

Your Dog’s Eyes (Part 1)

The eye, in dogs, as in all animals, is the most specialized of the sensory organs. As such, it is highly sensitive to trauma, infection and disease, both acquired and hereditary.

Because dogs can’t tell their owners when they are suffering irritation or pain in their eyes, the eye is an often overlooked area of trouble. Many a devoted dog owner has failed to notice his pet’s eye trouble until it is so advanced that blindness results or the removal of an eye is necessary.

From the tiny Pekingese, whose slightly bulging eyes can become diseased because of inadequate protection, to the huge St. Bernard, whose drooping eyelids can catch and harbor bacteria which cause eye infection, many special breeds are particularly susceptible to certain types of eye disease.

Dog owners should be aware of some of the most common eye problems, which breeds are most likely to develop them, how they are treated, and, most important, how they can spot potential trouble while there is still time to safely treat or cure the disease.

Many a serious problem starts with an irritation or trauma to the eye, which causes inflammation. If a dog’s eye becomes inflamed, the problem should be attended to immediately, as the problem can usually be treated if diagnosed in time. If inflammation is allowed to continue for too long, much more complicated problems can result.

What Can Happen To The Inflamed Eye?
For one thing, one of the most important protections the eye possesses – the ability to produce tears – can be interfered with or stopped completely. If the dog’s eye no longer produces tears because the tear glands and ducks are inflamed, the dog can develop ulcers in the eye.

Your dog can also develop a condition known as keratitis, or inflammation of the cornea – a clear protective disc over the colored part of the dog’s eye – gets inflamed, the white part of the eye often responds by growing blood vessels down over the injured cornea.

Of course, the dog will be temporarily or permanently blinded if the blood vessels are allowed to block light from entering the pupil, the small hole behind the cornea which lets light into the eye.

Infection, bumps or scratches on the eye, foreign bodies such as foxtails in the eye, and ingrown eyelashes are all common ways in which a dog’s eye becomes inflamed. If a dog’s eye become swollen, red, runs a lot, or if the dog rubs his eyes excessively, the owner should see a veterinarian before the condition becomes serious.

First Aid For Dogs – How To Save A Choking Dog

Dogs sometimes have a bad habit of putting anything they find inside their mouths. Actually, let me correct that statement, dogs always seem to find a way to put objects in their mouth that do not belong there! They tend to pick up all types of stuff, ranging from balls to rocks, small toys to articles of clothing, basically anything they deem fun to play with.

Unfortunately, there are many times when a dog accidentally swallows these objects and it becomes lodged in his throat. If this object is not removed immediately then there is the chance for the animal to stop breathing and become unconscious.

Since this occurrence is very common with all pets, it would behoove of you to learn the basic moves that it takes to help your dog from choking. This can invariably save the life of your pet.

Below are basic First Aid steps which can come in handy for a choking dog:

If Your Dog Is Choking, But Remains Conscious

1. With two hands, open your dog’s mouth and look inside to see if you can see the object. If you can see it, try your best to remove it.

2. If you cannot see the object, place your dog on its side and elevate the hindquarters.

3. Now place your hand below the rib cage and another on the dog’s back. Press in and then up, all in one fluid motion. Keep pressing until the object is coughed up.

4. If the object does not come up then your dog may become unconscious. If this happens, then follow the steps below.

If Your Dog Becomes Unconscious

1. As stated above, be sure that the dog is placed on his side with elevated hindquarters.

2. Open the airway and be sure the tongue is pulled out as far as possible and placed to the side.

3. Now perform several compressions in the same area that you had attempted to press in the rib cage. After two to three compressions, check the mouth for any foreign objects by using the sweep of your finger.

4. Now give the dog a few breaths.

5. Repeat this cycle of compressions, finger sweeps, and artificial respiration breaths until your dog starts breathing by himself and dislodges the object.

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