Canine Cardiac Disease

How Common Heart Murmurs In Dogs Could Be The Result Of CCD

If your dog gets diagnosed with a common heart murmur problem, it may be a sign of canine cardiac disease.

According to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, a heart murmur results from blood flow running through the heart that is abnormal. Some heart murmurs are perfectly normal while others, similar to those heard in aging dogs, may be a sign that some type of heart disease is prevalent. The most common cardiac diseases in dogs include:

1. Congenital birth defects that show up when a puppy is young.
2. Degenerative valve disease (heart valve leaks) that mostly affect older or middle-aged dogs.
3. Loss of heart muscle tissue that is typically seen in young dogs or middle-aged larger dog breeds.

Detecting The Disease
Heart disease may not show up or be detected until it has reached a point where your dog experiences heart failure, collapse, or even sudden death. Your veterinarian can certainly check your dog out for heart murmurs by using a stethoscope. However, as the dog owner, your responsibility is to be on alert for certain signs such as difficulty in breathing, coughing, intolerance to exercise, or a swollen abdomen (caused by fluid retention).

Canine cardiac disease can further be checked for by specific information regarding your dog’s breed type, age, chest x-rays, blood pressure measurements, and EKG readings. For a definitive diagnosis, an ultrasound of your dog’s heart is required.

Treatment
Treating your dog back to good health will depend entirely upon the stage of the disease and how severely it has affected other parts of the body. If your puppy is young and has a congenital defect, it may be surgically removed.

Heart disease that is acquired later in your dog’s life requires heavy lifestyle management and changes in living. Such changes include maintaining a healthy body weight, additional exercise (or reduced activity depending upon your dog’s condition), special cardiac diets, and specific medications that can be used to reduce stress put on your dog’s heart from his condition.

The prognosis for dogs that have canine heart disease will vary. Some dogs may be fortunate enough to have successful long-term care. Others may have a shorter lifespan ranging from a few weeks to a few years. It is important to keep in mind that the earlier your dog’s condition is assessed, the easier it will be to treat and the odds will be greater that your dog or puppy will enjoy a long, healthy life.

Emergency First Aid For Dogs 5 – Approaching An Injured Dog

The most common of all accidents involving dogs is the one in which the dog is struck by a car. To help you prepare as best possible should, you run into this type of scenario with a hurt canine, please read along and take notes of the following steps. And please, take these steps to heart as it can save your dog someday, or someone else’s family pet.

Approaching A Hurt Dog
When approaching a dog that has been struck by a car, care must be taken that you aren’t bitten by the dog you’re trying to help. An injured dog knows only that it hurts and probably won’t be aware that you are on the scene in an attempt to help. Slowly approach the animal and see what his injuries might be.

While you evaluate the extent of the dog’s injuries, prepare an emergency muzzle using a necktie, belt, gauze bandage – or anything else from which such a muzzle can be fashioned. Affix it around the dog’s mouth and tie it behind the head. If the dog is bleeding severely, quickly apply a pressure bandage, tie off the exposed artery, or apply a tourniquet between the wound and the dog’s heart.

Broken Limbs
In the event of a broken limb, immobilize the limb to prevent bone-grating action, or the possibility of the bone protruding through the skin. Use cardboard, wood, chicken wire – whatever is immediately available. Even a couple of sticks of wood, with the aid of a belt, can be secured to a dog’s limb to help immobilize it.

Creating A Stretcher
A coat can be placed on the ground to double as a stretcher and as a means of keeping the dog warm while he’s being transported to the nearest veterinary clinic. Please lift the dog as gently as possible. This is extremely important in the event that internal injuries are present.

The primary concern in the event of an auto accident should be the presence of shock and internal injuries; therefore, speed, and an absolute minimum of lost motion is essential if a dog’s life is to be saved. Broken legs and external injuries are relatively unimportant in the beginning, and saving the dog’s life comes first.

No Food Or Water
One of the first things a person usually wants to do when aiding an injured animal is to give it food or water – perhaps as a way of reassuring the dog. This, however, should not be done since it could aggravate any possible internal injuries. A chain reaction of vomiting and further internal bleeding from severe vomiting spasms could then be brought on.

Every dog owner should become aware of the necessary steps in administering first aid. First aid – promptly administered – can save a dog’s life… and who knows, it may just be your own dog! But always remember, first aid, by itself, is no substitute for professional veterinary care. First aid is emergency aid, and does not replace the need for professional attention.

Emergency First Aid For Dogs 4 – When A Dog Is Bleeding

It happens every day – a dog is crossing a street or busy intersection and becomes the target of thousands of pounds of crushing steel – injuring the poor animal to the brink of death.

If you ever have the unfortunate experience of bearing witness to this trauma, it is important to have a basic understanding of shock and any type of bleeding the animal may be experiencing. In fact, any bleeding must of course be considered an emergency condition, because the canine doesn’t really have any blood that it can safely spare.

There are three types of external bleeding that every dog owner should be aware of:
1) Arterial
2) Venous
3) Capillary

Arterial Bleeding
Arterial bleeding occurs when an artery has been severed. The blood from an arterial wound will be bright and red, and will flow in a pulsating manner in time with the dog’s heartbeat. This is the most dangerous of the three types of bleeding, and the flow of blood from the severed artery must be shut off, or clamped. If it cannot be seen, pressure must be applied between the wound and the loss of blood until professional help can be obtained.

Venous Bleeding
If a vein has been cut, the blood will be darker red, and will flow evenly. A pressure bandage – or any pressure at all – applied directly below the wound, will help stop bleeding from a severed vein. The pressure should be released every five to eight minutes, and then reapplied.

Capillary Bleeding
Capillary bleeding can be recognized as an oozing from the small, surface blood vessels. This will probably be the most common wound you’ll encounter. Direct pressure applied to the wound will stop the flow of blood. This can be accomplished by the use of gauze bandages – or whatever type of folded cloth may be available in an emergency.

Note: Cotton should never be applied directly to a wound as a pressure bandage.

Any internal bleeding must be regarded as extremely serious, and professional treatment is required for the necessary injections to help coagulate the blood. Internal bleeding can be caused by a ruptured organ inside the abdominal cavity (such as the liver or spleen).

Internal bleeding is usually indicated by grayish-white gums, which is also a visual symptom of shock. In any case, where internal bleeding is suspected, the dog should be treated for shock, since any extreme loss of blood will cause the dog’s blood pressure to drop. The loss of blood pressure alone can cause the dog to go into shock.

Emergency First Aid For Dogs 3 – The Shock/Stimulant Controversy

When a dog goes into shock, what stimulants are safe to give the animal? What exactly should you do in this situation? Life or death is waiting on your decision…

Before going into the differences of professional opinion on these very important questions, note the following basic guidelines:

A) If the dog is conscious then administer sweetened, warm coffee or whiskey.

B) If the dog is unconscious then do not give it anything at all. Instead, rush the animal immediately to the closest veterinarian’s office.

The Shock\Stimulant Controversy
It is interesting to note that many of the popular canine medical books on the market today are in complete opposition regarding a large number of the procedures for emergency first aid. Although these publications are written by knowledgeable, practicing veterinarians, their different views cause more questions than answers.

One major point of controversy is whether emergency first aid procedures should be instituted at all. One faction claims that time wasted looking for blankets or other material to keep an injured dog warm could spell the difference between life or death.

The other faction claims that failure to keep the dog warm could also spell the difference between life or death. The biggest controversy, however, seems to concern the type of stimulant to be used in an emergency situation: coffee, tea, or liquor.

The anti-liquor advocates state that liquor is a depressant, not a stimulant. The pro-liquor advocates counter by saying that liquor is a depressant only when consumed in large quantities, and that in an emergency situation, a shot of booze serves as an effective stimulant.

How can practicing veterinarians, men and women who are highly trained and closely skilled as one another in the same medical field, have such opposing views on something as simple as emergency first aid procedures? Hasn’t veterinary medicine progressed to the point of being an exact science? The answer is an unqualified no!

Make A Choice, Any Choice
It will be most interesting to know your personal opinions on the matter. This issue should warrant debate so that you can choose how to be prepared to help your dog (or any dog) that may be in an emergency situation and has fallen into a state of shock. Any help is better than just leaving the dog to die or mistakenly rushing it to the hospital without shock treatment.

In summary, then, remember the initial steps in the treatment for shock: Keep the dog calm and warm; administer a stimulant if (and only if) the dog is conscious; and rush the injured animal to the nearest veterinarian for the necessary supportive treatment.

Emergency First Aid For Dogs 2 – Treatment Of Shock

Your dog can easily go into a state of shock, caused by any amount of pain, toxin, or injury. And when it comes to the treatment of shock, veterinarians are not in full agreement as to the term “treat for shock.”

One side states that treating for canine shock includes the administration of intravenous fluids, oxygen, and possibly blood transfusions; procedures which are not possible for the layman to undertake.

Of course this is agreeable, however, on the opposite side of the controversy there are also veterinarians who feel that if the dog owner will implement a few emergency procedures, the onset of shock can be prevented – and in cases where shock is already present, the effects can be minimized.

Basic Procedures You Can Do
So, while the full procedures for treating for shock include some things not within the scope of the layman, we will still us the term “treat for shock” in describing those procedures which can and should be implemented by anyone on the street.

The first step in the emergency first aid procedures for treatment (or prevention) of shock is to keep the dog calm and warm. Anything available to accomplish this should be used: blankets, hot water bottles, your own coat… anything to keep the dog warm and keep its temperature from falling.

The second step depends upon whether the dog is conscious or unconscious. If the dog is conscious, you should administer stimulants such as warm coffee, bourbon, or brandy.

Note: It is also interesting to note that the type of stimulant used is also a big controversy among veterinarians, as will be discussed later.

If warm coffee is used, mix in some sugar and cream (or honey) so that the dog will not find the stimulant bitter and end up trying to fight its administration. Some veterinarians find brandy or whiskey, mixed with equal parts of honey or syrup, to be more effective.

Never Force A Stimulant
Stimulants such as these, spilled into the corner of your dog’s mouth, can help to keep it alive until you reach your veterinarian. However, if your dog fights the administration of the stimulant, stop! Step one is to keep the dog calm and warm; if it fights the stimulant, the excitement and distress which result are far worse for the dog’s condition than the value it would receive from the stimulant.

If the dog is unconscious – or semi-conscious – do not administer any liquid supplement at all! To do so would probably cause strangulation. The liquids could also go into the lungs causing inhalation pneumonia. When you have done all that you can in the treatment for shock, the dog must be taken to a veterinarian as quickly as possible for supportive treatment and the administration of the necessary intravenous fluids.

Emergency First Aid For Dogs 1 – Symptoms Of Shock

I’ll never forget my very first dog. Her name was Scarlet and she was the most well-behaved Golden Retriever anyone has ever seen. Loving, kind, playful and obedient – Scarlet was supposed to last forever – at least in my young mind.

But my worst nightmare happened as I never expected to see her lying in the street across from our house, bleeding, hurt, broken bones – in severe shock. I was not prepared and because of this I lost my lovable dog.

It May Happen To You
At one time or another there is a good chance that every dog owner will find him or herself in a position which requires immediate action if the dog’s life is to be saved. All too often, people will simply rush their family pet to the nearest veterinarian, only to find their canine friend dead on arrival. Properly administered first aid could quite possibly have saved the animal’s life, since many deaths are the result of shock and not of the actual injury itself.

Any time a dog is injured – whether it be a major a minor injury – there are two primary steps that should be taken. Step one is to stop the bleeding, and step two is to treat for shock. If the injury is considered major, a third step is indicated: getting the dog to the nearest veterinarian. Too often, steps one and two are overlooked – and step three is then no longer applicable due to the death of the dog.

Proper Education
Any person who has ever sat through first aid lectures, whether given by military personnel, public schools, or Red Cross representatives, has heard the terms “in shock” or “going into shock”, as well as the term “treat for shock”. Too often, such lectures fail to tell the student just exactly what “shock” is, why it is, and just why treating for “it” is important; yet shock can be the primary cause of death.

Shock can accompany such things as bee stings, snake or insect bites, fear, trauma, hemorrhage, burns and certain toxins or other forms of intense pain. It can occur in any situation in which something unusual has happened. Every dog owner should be aware of the simple treatment steps to follow. And even if a dog shows no signs of shock following an injury, it should be treated for it as a preventative measure.

Symptoms Of Shock
If an injured dog displays pale and grayish gums and a weak but rapid heartbeat, the animal is already in a state of shock. The body of the animal will be cold, producing a bluish skin and pale mucous membrane – this is especially noticeable around the lips. The dog may be panting quite heavily, and may be either conscious or unconscious.

Symptoms Of Dog Stroke

Did Your Dog Have A Stroke And Not Tell You? Symptoms of a Dog Stroke

Did your dog just have a stroke? Here are some common symptoms of a dog stroke. If you understand these common symptoms of a dog stroke, you will better protect your dog in the future.

The sad and scary fact when it comes to our beloved dogs is they do not show any kind of warning signs like those found in humans. While dog strokes are rarer unlike humans, understanding some symptoms of a dog stroke may just mean the difference between life and death for your dog.

There are two common types of strokes that a dog may experience at any time. One is called an ischemic stroke. This is when the brain lacks the proper amounts of blood flow through the main artery to the brain.

Another type of stroke a dog may experience is called a hemorrhagic stroke. The dog receives the proper amount of blood flow to the brain through the main artery, but the brain itself begins to bleed and this can cause a hemorrhagic stroke in a dog.

Here are some dog stroke symptoms you should be aware of to see if your dog experienced a stroke or not.
Your dog may have a lack of balance and not be able to stand on all fours. Does he or she walk kind of funny or look like she walks lopsided? If a dog tilts or cocks her head only a certain way every time you call her, this may result in a half the body being paralyzed. These are two symptoms of a dog stroke.

Here are a few more symptoms of a dog stroke: involuntary release of the bowels and bladder. Does your dog all of a sudden start going inside your house and not able to make it outside to go to the bathroom?

Or does your dog eat only out of one side of the food bowl?
And lastly, but definitely not least, does your dog display any kind of behavior that is out of characteristic for him or her? If you can detect some of these dog stroke symptoms, it is best to get a professional opinion by your local veterinarian.

When you arrive at the local vet clinic or animal hospital, the doctor probably will perform a series of tests to help rule out any other possibilities of diseases or illnesses of any kind. The dog will under go a physical examination. This is the only way to help pin point exactly what went wrong with the pooch.

Dogs cannot talk to us and tell us what is wrong, so we must observe from the outside using deductive reasoning and logic (we don’t have to be logical – just the veterinarian at the very least).

The veterinarian may take blood samples or suggest he do a CT or MRI of your animal. While these methods certainly are not cheap, they may give the best answers as to why your dog suffered a stroke.

If the veterinarian does not discover any other kind of health ailment, he may or may not prescribe some kind of medication. This is purely up to the doctor and depends on the health history of your dog. If you understand some of these symptoms of a dog stroke, you will better prepare yourself and your pet if and when an emergency does arise.

Dog Symptoms Licking

If Dog Licking is Normal, Then What is Considered Excessive? Dog Symptoms of Licking

When your dog begins to lick himself repeatedly time and time again, now is the time to pay close attention to your dog’s licking symptoms.

Your dog may lick himself to the point of self mutilation. He can do this for a variety of reasons. Your dog may just be plain bored or stressed out which causes him to begin licking his paws, legs or other body parts. He may do this when he has nothing else to entertain him. Does your dog constantly follow you; sit down when you sit and then just lick? If so, he’s looking for something to do. When was the last time you walked him?

Just like us humans, we all have our not so healthy tendencies and quirks we habitual do when we are bored and in need of some entertainment. If you ever stand at the grocery store while waiting in line, take a look at other people and just observe what they naturally do. What little sneaky habits do they do to entertain themselves because they are getting anxious or bored while in line?

Dogs do the same thing. Someone may twirl her thumbs or constantly run her hand through her hair without even thinking about it. Dogs lick their paws and other limbs out of bad habit if nothing is irritating them.

Dogs are used to being worked – they were bred and domesticated for this reason by our ancestors thousands of years ago. Now that we live in modern, urbanized cities, their roles as workers have dropped (unless you work on a farm and still need them for herding sheep or hunting). A dog’s purpose in our life has transformed itself in the modern 21st century from help for survival to a fury friend with loads of energy.

Other dog symptoms for licking may result in open wounds and lesions on his or her body. This could cause an infection which could lead to bacteria being spread throughout the rest of his body via the bloodstream causing severe health issues if not attacked at the source.

When a newborn pup first comes into our world, the mother will lick the puppies clean to remove any natal debris. The licking also encourages the puppies to begin breathing and helps to stimulate the bowels to go to the bathroom. However, no evidence suggests that excessive licking at birth by the mother would result in it being a learned habit and causing health problems later on in life.

Finally, allergies could be the culprit of your dog’s excessive licking. If you suspect allergies, then document the dog’s symptoms of licking and bring him to your veterinarian. He may say it is time to perform an allergy test and provide possible solutions of treatment for your animal. However, do be aware of the fact that allergy tests for animals are not cheap. In fact, they can run as high as $300 just for one dog.

When the vet performs the test, your dog will be placed under some mild anesthesia so the doctor can perform the tests without the dog constantly trying to run away. At the end of the procedure – which doesn’t take more than 20-30 minutes max – your dog will be a little drowsy. However, the vet should use another drug that’s an reverses the anesthesia that was used in the first place. This helps to wake up the dog a little bit. Your dog will have a shaved patch on his underside, but the hair will all grow back in a few short weeks.

At this point, your veterinarian will discuss the different treatment methods available to you. Consider the options wisely and think of your budget as well. Now that you understand some possible dog symptoms for licking, you can help your dog feel more at ease and relaxed when properly addressed through the right kind of medical treatment.

Dog Symptoms Dry Nose

Is Fido Down In The Dumps? Top Dog Symptoms for a Dry Nose

Many people wonder whether their pet’s dry nose is a good or bad thing. Here are some dog symptoms for a dry nose which may be of possible health concerns. By understanding the dog symptoms for a dry nose, you will be better educated and may help your vet figure out what is just wrong with your dog.

From time to time dogs will get a dry nose and this is completely natural. Other times they may have a moist noise. This depends on temperature changes. If, however, what you observe on your dog’s nose does not look like anything healthy, chances are something may be not right. Watch out for some of the following dog symptoms for a dry nose:

Cracking or flaking skin: Does your dog have flaky pieces of skin on his nose or is he constantly trying to paw at it with his paws? Does he look irritating and seem to constantly try and scratch or itch it?

Does the dog have any pink spots on his nose? This could be caused by skin cancer. Dogs can be prone to skin cancer as the nose and other various parts are not protected by large layers of fur. The fur helps protect the dog’s raw skin from UV rays just like the way humans wear clothes to help block UV rays from touching the skin directly.

Also, have you considered the fact that the plastic bowl you use to feed your dog as the leading cause of your dog’s dry nose? Sometimes this can lead to irritation in the nose. The plastics may contain chemicals that cause an allergic reaction for your dog’s nose and hence begin to irritate it. This may cause your dog constant scratching.

Okay, so what do you do then? Well, again, as always, it is best to bring your friendly furry friend to your local veterinarian. She will best be able to determine what the problem is with your dog’s nose. Your veterinarian will ask if you have observed any kind of dry nose symptoms and make note of them in your dog’s chart.

If you can, be sure to keep written detail as to when the problem began. This could seriously help your veterinarian out in giving your dog some relief from his dry nose.

Your veterinarian may need to perform a biopsy on the dog’s nose to determine the cause of the dryness. Sometimes different disorders can share similar symptoms of a dry nose, so again, it is best to get the advice of a professional, and not from the family friend.

Your veterinarian may recommend you make a consultation appointment with a veterinary dermatologist – someone who specializes in skin disorders for dogs and cats. He or she would be a much better source of information as this is his specialty – skin issues.

Simple fixes may involve changing of the diet. Often times we feed our dogs food that we do not even know are harmful.
Take a look at the back of your dog’s food bag. Does it contain wheat or animal by-products? Often times these animal by-products are the remains of animals that couldn’t’ be put into human food because of the strict regulations.

However, dog food manufacturers do not face the same kind of restrictions. They can get away with putting a whole lot more harmful substances into dog food than their human food counterparts. See if you can find a good source of dry dog food for your pet from a natural holistic store. Often times these places truly will not sell anything that would be harmful to any pet.

Dog Seizures Symptoms

Top Signs of the Symptoms for a Dog Seizure

A brief guide on how to tell and identify dog seizure symptoms that could be life saving and what to do in an emergency.

A seizure is when the body begins to experience muscle contractions – shaking aggressively and uncontrollably. Often times there is no known cause of a seizure. Your best defense is to understand the dog seizure symptoms listed below. If you know your dog well enough, you should be able to tell if he or she is acting out of line or different.

4 Common Dog Seizure Symptoms
A dog will experience a seizure when something in the brain triggers the neurological system. The dog may experience the seizure any where from a few moments to several long minutes. The seizure is a disorder of the brain. This is not caused by any sort of virus or disease you may think your dog contracted. Many times a dog seizure occurs due to epilepsy, which dogs can experience.

1. Your dog may begin to defecate, urinate or salivate uncontrollable
2. Experiences hallucinations
3. Excessive barking, gnawing at limbs or paws
4. May become non responsive to you and your commands
5. Involuntary contractions of the muscles – whether this is isolated to a certain body part or the entire body.

Your dog may experience only one of these symptoms or any combination of them.

Is the dog in harm’s way during the seizure? As long as your dog is lying on the ground, he should be okay even if his body is having convulsions. A dog’s tongue will not block his airway. He can breathe okay. There is no point putting your hand down his throat to try and clear his airway so he breathes. You only run the greater risk of your dog accidentally biting you.

Action to take: Call your local vet right away. Do not try to self diagnose the problem. This requires immediate attention from a professional who handles this type of issue on a routine basis. Being aware of dog seizure symptoms certainly can help you save your dog’s life, but please do not play the role of a vet if you are not one.

Keep a local phone list of more than one veterinarian if you can. Identify one or two local emergency animal care centers in your area as well. Be sure to have those numbers posted alongside your veterinarian’s phone number and address. On a sunny day it wouldn’t be a bad idea to drive to the local animal hospital just so you know where it is in case your dog ever experiences a seizure.

Once at the veterinarian, your pet’s doctor typically will prescribe some kind of medication to help keep the body stable and relaxed. This treatment may be anywhere from one to two weeks. Or it may mean going as far as treating the dog for the rest of his life. This type of medication would need to be taken on a regular basis. A veterinarian usually does not go this route – medicating a dog for life – until the dog begins experiencing seizures on a routine basis.

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