Dog Information and Advice

Dog Lyme Disease Symptoms

If your dog has a tendency to pick up ticks, you should watch for dog Lyme disease symptoms in your pet. Lyme disease is a serious illness that can even be fatal in some cases. It is a bacterial disease spread by ticks, especially deer ticks in the USA and sheep ticks in Europe. It was named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where the disease was first identified in 1975.

Dog Lyme disease symptoms are a lot like the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Joints can become inflamed, and feet and legs become sore. This means that the dog will start to limp and may have swelling around the joints or lymph nodes.

A fever usually develops, with the dog running a temperature a couple of degrees higher than normal. Normal body temperature for a dog is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit (around 38 to 39.2 degrees Celsius). 103 or above indicates a fever.

A dog with Lyme disease will probably not eat at all and may throw up. His or her breath may smell bad, like ammonia, and the stomach may be bloated and tender to the touch.

In the later stages, dog Lyme disease symptoms include confusion and seizures. If untreated, the disease can eventually cause kidney failure, neurological disabilities and myocarditis, which is similar to a heart attack.

In most cases, the tick has to be on the dog’s body for at least 24 hours before it will transmit Lyme disease. So if you always remove ticks from your pet quickly, then he or she is not so likely to develop this illness. However, it can be hard to know how long a tick has been on your pet, so keep your eyes open for symptoms of canine Lyme disease any time that your dog has had a tick.

Note that Lyme disease may not develop until several months later. It can take 2-5 months for this illness to become apparent in your dog.

It is possible for humans to get Lyme disease too, but it is always caught directly from ticks. So you do not have to worry about catching it from your dog. You will only get it if you have had an infected tick settle on you.

There is a vaccination for Lyme disease which can be given to dogs. However, there is some controversy around its use. Some vets feel that the vaccination is not effective enough to be worthwhile, as it is still possible for a vaccinated dog to contract the illness. But if you live in an area where Lyme disease is common and your dog picks up a lot of ticks, vaccination might be something to consider. You can discuss this with your veterinarian.

If your pet appears to be suffering from dog Lyme disease symptoms, take him or her to the veterinarian right away for treatment with antibiotics.

Dog Health Problems – Symptoms Of Diseases In Dogs

Dog health problems symptoms are something that you should know about when you own a dog. Any dog is sure to get sick from time to time and you need to know what to do. Here are some of the common symptoms that a dog may suffer from and some of the diseases that these symptoms may indicate.

Abdominal swelling or pain: may be caused by a digestive disease such as enteritis, or by constipation, canine bloat or hepatitis. In puppies, abdominal swelling can be a sign of roundworms.

Aggression: if the dog is showing unusual aggression and an apparent change in personality, it may have rabies. Rabies is sometimes accompanied by breathing difficulties.

Blood in urine: may be a sign of kidney disease. Blood in feces is not necessarily so serious and may be caused by constipation.

Coughing: a dog that coughs may have distemper, kennel cough, an allergy, worms, canine parvovirus, hepatitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia or even heart disease.

Diarrhea: digestive disorders, food poisoning, worms, allergies, or disease of the pancreas.

Excessive drinking: indicates kidney disease or diabetes.

Fainting: heartworms or heart disease.

Fever: like humans, dogs develop a fever with many illnesses, including kennel cough, parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, rabies, Lyme disease, food poisoning, or heatstroke.

Fits, convulsions or seizures: may be canine epilepsy.

Flaky or scaly skin or scabs: mange, scabies, dandruff, allergies.

Hair loss: usually caused by parasites such as mange, fleas, scabies or ringworm. Can also be caused by allergies, Cushing’s syndrome or overactive thyroid.

Lameness and difficulty walking: arthritis, hip dysplasia, Lyme disease, rabies, thrombosis, cysts, patellar luxation (dislocation of the kneecap).

Losing weight: probably worms, although this might also be a symptom of a serious condition such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

Nasal discharge: distemper, kennel cough, allergies.

Not eating: could be caused by Lyme disease, kennel cough, mange, rabies, heartworms, heart disease, any virus.

Panting (other than after exercise): often a sign of heart disease.

Scratching ear: a sign of fleas, allergies or ear infection.

Shaking head: ear infection or fleas.

Vomiting: many possible causes including distemper, canine bloat, enteritis, hepatitis, parvovirus, worms, kidney disease, allergies, food poisoning, diabetes, Addison’s disease, or just over eating.

Wheezing: probably kennel cough.

When dog health problems symptoms develop in your much loved pet, it can be very worrying. You cannot ask the dog to tell you exactly what is wrong and often times, the same symptoms may have many different causes.

Some of these canine health problems are common illnesses that are not grave at all, but sometimes there can be an underlying condition that is potentially serious or even life threatening. Therefore, if you see any dog health problems symptoms developing in your pet, consider taking your dog to the veterinarian right away to discover exactly what is wrong.

Dog Health Insurance: Is It Worth The Cost?

Dog health insurance is a way of spreading the cost of veterinary care for your pet. Almost any dog can be covered from a 6 week old puppy upward.

If you are wondering about the benefits of ,a href=”http://dog-luv.com”>dog health insurance, keep in mind that one in three dogs will need unexpected medical care within the next 12 months, and two in three dogs suffer from a serious (i.e. expensive) medical problem at some time in their lives.

Veterinarians are now able to treat many diseases that in the past would have been fatal for a dog. However, the cost of these new life saving treatments can be prohibitive. It would be terrible to be in a situation where complicated surgery could save your dog’s life, but you could not afford to pay for it. This is happening to more and more people as the boundaries of veterinary medicine are extended.

Having insurance makes it easier for you to deal with situations where the cost of your pet’s care would be very high. If your pet develops a serious illness or has a medical emergency, it can save you a lot of money to be able to claim the costs on insurance.

Another benefit of dog health insurance is that if your pet is insured, you are more likely to take him to the vet whenever he has a health problem. Although we all like to think that our pet’s health would come first in most situations, there might be times when a trip to the vet was put off because of financial concerns. If you have insurance you do not have to be so worried about the cost when your pet is sick.

As with health insurance for your family, you will find that the different plans offer different coverage. Before you decide on any dog health insurance, take some time to consider various plans from several different companies. Some companies will not cover certain breeds, or they may exclude certain conditions that are common in certain breeds, like hip dysplasia.

If your dog has suffered any health problems in the past, you may want a plan that covers pre-existing conditions. This can mean higher monthly payments but could save you money if the condition recurs. For a puppy, you will want to know if the plan covers vaccinations.

You may also want to discuss dog health insurance with your veterinarian. Some vets are linked up with particular pet insurance companies. This makes it easier to make a claim, but you may not necessarily get the best value for your circumstances.

You can often save on the monthly cost of a pet health care plan by accepting to pay a certain amount of the cost each time that your dog needs treatment. For example if you pay the first $50 or even $25 of any claim, you will pay less per month than if you want the insurance to cover everything.

More and more responsible dog owners are taking out insurance these days. Take a look at a plan for yourself. Dog health insurance can protect your pet as well as your finances.

How to Get Rid Of Dog Fleas Naturally

Dog fleas are a pesky nuisance. Any time your dog has them, not only do they annoy your pet and make her scratch constantly, they also infest the whole house, it seems and they can be a detriment to your dogs health.

You can easily tell when your dog has fleas. She will scratch furiously, over and over. It is important to check that there are no signs of other parasites such mange. Mange results in red skin patches and loss of hair.

Some people seem to be particularly attractive for fleas, mosquitoes and other biting insects. If you have a person like that in the house, they may know that the dog has a problem before you even notice the dog scratching.

Of course there are plenty of commercial products to get rid of dog fleas, but these are often chemical insecticides that you may not want to use on your pet or in your house. So what is the solution?

Fortunately there are some natural treatments for dog fleas. The traditional flea comb is one of them. It will get rid of a certain number of adult fleas by simply combing them out of the dog’s hair. Most dogs enjoy being combed, but be sure to do it outside or the parasites will just stay in the house and jump right back onto the dog.

Regular flea collars are to be avoided because of the harsh chemicals that they contain, but you can find all natural versions of a flea collar. Alternatively, rub a couple drops of essential oil of eucalyptus and rosemary onto a regular canvas or fabric covered collar. This will not work so well on bare leather. Watch that the dog does not chew the collar, because essential oils are strong and can burn the tissues of the mouth.

You can also get natural flea powder from many sources. Try asking in your local pet supplies store or health store, or order online. These natural dog flea treatments are usually made up of plant extracts including eucalyptus, fennel, rosemary and wormwood.

To prevent further infestations, try giving your dog garlic regularly in his food. The smell will keep parasites away. Brewer’s yeast is another natural food that has the same effect, so you can try this if your dog will not eat garlic.

At the same time as you are getting rid of fleas on your dog, it is important also to treat the house. Fleas will lay eggs and hide out in all kinds of soft furnishings including your sofas, rugs and beds.

For the house, be sure to get something that will not harm children or other pets. Usually the flea powder that you use on your dog can be sprinkled onto furnishings too, but try a spot test to be sure that it does not discolor fabric. You will need to treat furniture and mattresses, and wash sheets. Repeat the treatment twice more, every 2-3 days, to deal with any eggs that were left. You should find this is an effective way to get rid of dog fleas naturally.

Dog Ear Infection Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

Dog ear infection is one of the most common conditions seen by a veterinarian. In most cases the problem is otitis externa, or infection of the outer ear canal, which is caused by bacteria developing in a moist ear.

In humans, this condition is called swimmer’s ear because it often develops when water is trapped in the ear. In dogs, it tends to occur most frequently in dog breeds that have floppy ears or long, hairy ear canals where the hairs can easily trap moisture after a swim, a bath or even a walk in the rain. Bacteria breeds in this warm, damp environment causing infection.

It is also possible for a dog to develop a bacterial infection in the inner ear. Inflammation of the ear may also be caused by a yeast infection or by ear mites, which affect puppies in particular.

It is easy to spot a dog with an ear infection. The dog will be constantly trying to rub the ear, which will be very sensitive. It may shake its head a lot to try to shift the fluid that is collecting inside. You may see signs of redness and swelling if the dog allows you to look into the outer ear. A vet will examine this more closely with an instrument called an otoscope.

Canine otitis externa often causes a dark or yellow discharge that smells bad. For this reason, this infection is sometimes called stinky ear syndrome.

In most cases, a dog ear infection will be treated with antibiotic ear drops. The vet will usually show you how to administer the medication. As with antibiotics for humans, it is important to give the medication at regular intervals and to complete the full course.

When applying ear medication to a dog you normally have to hold the ear up straight and apply the medication with a dropper. Dogs’ ear canals are L shaped, and the infection is normally located in the horizontal section, so the medication must travel all the way down the vertical section to reach it. Once this is done, you can allow the dog to shake its head. This will help to distribute the medication and dislodge any blockage in the ear.

If a dog repeatedly gets ear infections, there may be an underlying cause that should be investigated. For example, the dog may have an allergy or hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). If an ear infection is treated without tackling an underlying problem like these, the infection will usually clear up during treatment with antibiotics but then reappear soon after the treatment stops.

Some dogs develop chronic ear infections. This usually happens when either the infection or an underlying cause goes untreated. In this situation, the ear canal may become almost completely closed, or the eardrum may be penetrated by the infection. Surgery is often required to correct these problems.

There are many different bacteria that can cause an ear infection in dogs. It is also possible for the same symptoms to be caused by some object being trapped in the ear, or even a tumor. Therefore it is best to see a veterinarian who will investigate the cause, analyze the discharge if any and prescribe the appropriate treatment for dog ear infection.