Thursday, November 5, 2009

Finally Revealed - What To Do When Your Dog Is Sick

By Mike Torres

Good pet owners know when his pet suffers from an illness. Dogs do not always get sick. If ever they feel the pain or illness, they will sure show it through their unusual actions this is the reason why any abnormality in their physical condition is easier to detect.

But then sometimes, when you least expect that your dog is sick, hidden infections may show in physical examinations performed by licensed veterinarian, therefore, it is still best to always visit your pet clinic at least twice a year.

Vomiting and Diarrhea

If diarrhea and vomiting is the problem, avoid giving food to your canine for 12 to 24 hours. Give only ice cubes or ice cold water to avoid dehydration. Contact the nearest pet clinic if your dog s condition continues for another 24 hours.

Surface Wounds

Simple cuts and abrasions should be washed with a mild antiseptic. Remove the dirt and apply a mild agent to the wound of the dog. An example of a mild agent is tincture of merthiolate. If the wound requires additional attention, consult the veterinarian immediately.

Eye Injuries

If there is eye injury of any kinds, wash them with clean water as quickly as you can. If there is a foreign matter on lids, remove it at once. If the surface of the eye is scratched, put mineral oil on it. The oil forms a clear film that protects the eye until you reach the veterinarian.

Burns and scalds

Apply a protecting agent such as Vaseline, butter or lard. Be careful to the areas of the burns and scalds to avoid infection. For this kind of wound, only a veterinarian can help your dog because besides knowing how to ease your pet s pain, he/she may also prescribe the proper antibiotics.

Poisoning

An open mind and quick thinking is necessary in saving a poisoned dog. Contact the veterinarian for instructions immediately. There are some helpful first aid methods to do if in any case the veterinarian cannot be reached immediately. The following methods are helpful:

* Empty the stomach of the dog. Induce vomiting. How? Try mixing one half hydrogen peroxide (regular drugstore strength of 3%) and on half water and pour it down the dogs throat. Use a tablespoonful of mixture to each 10 pound of weight of the body.
* Force your dog to drink of large amount of milk or beaten egg for this may also be effective. In all cases of poisoning, take your sick dog to the veterinarian without delay.

Distemper

Distemper is a harmful disease and this may cause death to puppies. Symptoms are apt to include sluggishness, discharge from eyes and nose, elevated temperature, refusal to eat, and desire to sleep and to be left alone. Take your dog to the veterinarian if these symptoms appear. While waiting for the medical service, be sure to shower your dog with love and affection. This is a form of psychological therapy that is proven to heal many kinds of illness in no time.

Rabies

This is the most harmful disease among dogs. This can be transmitted to man and to animals through the bite of an infected animal. Symptoms appear in three stages. First, your dog may be irritable, nervous or depressed. It may refuse regular food. Second, your canine attempts to bite other animals or human. It may also break his chain and run aimlessly. Third, the symptom goes to a paralytic stage. Its jaws and throat become paralyzed. This is the first symptom in dumb paralysis. If your dog suffers from rabies, place your dog in complete isolation and contact a veterinarian immediately.

Did you know that improper diet and overfeeding can actually lie at the root of most of your pet’s ailments? Avoid paying astronomical bills at the vet by downloading a FREE REPORT on Dog Care here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Torres

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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Knowing Dog Parvo Symptoms Can Save Your Dogs Life

Author: Joshua Drew

Puppies and adolescent dogs usually contract the dog parvo virus. But sometimes unprotected older dogs can acquire the illness as well. The disease can be quite devastating to your dog and you should be aware of the dog parvo symptoms to protect your dog's health and potentially his life.

Most people who have a dog do everything that they can to keep the animal healthy and happy. They have the ability to become a big part of the family and when they are not feeling well it can break your heart. If you have noticed that your usually energetic dog is just not behaving like himself you should watch for the dog parvo symptoms to be sure that the disease has not infected your precious dog. The first symptoms that are likely to be noticed are a lethargy or lack of energy. The dog will seem depressed and have no appetite. It's difficult when your dog is ill, they can't tell you how they are feeling, but you can tell by their behavior that something is very wrong.

The next of the dog parvo symptoms that is likely to occur is vomiting. When this starts to happen to your dog, coupled with the lack of energy and loss of appetite, most dog owners will get their dog into the vet as quickly as possible. It is possible to brush off the illness to a passing stomach upset that will go away. Of course, that is what you would like to think, but it is important that a vet check out the animal if the vomiting continues.

The next dog parvo symptoms that you might notice are diarrhea that is mixed with blood. Any time a dog experiences diarrhea you will want to get them into a vet. Just like humans the animal will begin to dehydrate very quickly. With dog parvo the dog is unlikely to be able to absorb any fluids because the disease is damaging the intestines.

When you take care of a dog you want the very best for your faithful companion. It is important that you get your dog immunized for all of the possible illnesses that they can contract. You will be doing the right thing as a responsible pet owner by getting the dog his shots and boosters every year. Dogs who suffer from the parvo virus can die very quickly and in a great deal of pain. It can be devastating if this happens to your precious animal. Do your part and watch out for the dog parvo symptoms and get your animal treated if there are any signs of the illness.

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About the Author:
Joshua Drew is a canine enthusiasts. While he isn't playing around with his own labs, he can be seen at his local college taking English courses. Find more information on his website at Dog Parvo Symptoms

Article Source: www.ArticlesBase.com

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Common Dog Diseases, Illnesses and Conditions

By: David Hensley

Like all pet animals, dogs too are prone to lots of diseases. To keep the dogs free from the diseases, they should be understood first and accordingly treated well with the assistance of the veterinarian. Some of the common dog diseases are discussed below:

Rabies: Rabies is a very common dog disease caused by a virus affecting the central nervous system of the dog. Rabies is known to be spread through saliva. There are several stages observed in the dogs. In the first stage the dogs are seen with a behavior change, in the second stage the dogs become very violent and in the third stage body parts of the dogs stop coordinating with each other. There is no cure till now for this deadly disease.

Bloat: This is a serious condition of the dog. The stomach of the dog gets twisted, which is due to over eating. The symptoms of bloat are restlessness and depression combined with dry heaves.

Distemper: It is considered to be the worst dog disease worldwide. This leads to fatal condition of the puppies up to 80 percent and adult dogs up to 50 percent. The common symptoms of this disease are congestion in the chest, coughing, diarrhea, gunky eyes, nasal discharge etc. At later stages it affects the nervous system of the dogs leading to paralysis. It is a highly contagious dog disease. It can be transmitted from the feces of the infected dog. This dog disease too does not have any cure.

Parvovirus: It is a very contagious disease affecting the intestinal tract of the dogs. It is also said to affect the heart of the dogs. The symptoms of this disease are severe diarrhea, depression, decrease of appetite. The feacel matter of the dog is found to be in a different color with blood stains. The symptoms appear within hours of the infestation and can even kill the dog within 2 to 3 days of infection. Hence, it is considered as a deadly disease.

Kennel Cough: It is very common among dogs. It is a kind of respiratory disease. This can be easily treated.

Canine Viral Hepatitis. This disease affects the liver, kidney and the blood vessels of the dogs. The common symptoms are profuse thirst, vomiting, hemorrhages, loss of appetite etc. This virus too spreads through the faeces of the dogs.

Leptospirosis: This disease is caused by bacteria and, even human beings get affected by the bacteria. There are several species of bacteria found to produce the disease in dogs. The common symptoms include lethargy, fever, kidney inflammation, clotting of blood and conjunctivitis. In more chronic conditions it can produce pneumonia, intestinal inflammation and jaundice.

Heartworm: Heartworms are a kind of parasites which multiply and grow, causing infection in the chambers of the heart and arteries of the lungs. The symptoms may start with mild cough, fatigue and lethargy. If it is not treated properly it can lead to congestive heart failure.

Retinal Dysplasia: Abnormal development of the retina is the disorder. This is very common in most of the dog breeds. The minor forms lead to vision problems and the acute forms leads to total blindness in dogs. Cataract can also accompany with this disorder.

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David Hensley contributes several informative articles regularly to www.petsmixonline.com and www.petsmanners.info"> www.petsmanners.info which have exhaustive resources for pets health, training and their manners.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com



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