Canine Health Problems
Common Canine Health Problems
Most common Canine Health Problems begin with the lack of nutritious dog food. Owning a pet comes with a lot of responsibilities including providing adequate health care. Let me dispel some common misunderstandings on this subject. Most common Canine Health Problems begin with the lack of nutritious dog food.
Providing health care of course means having at least a working knowledge of the most common health problems your dog may face. Most owners think diseases like rabies in dogs, parvo or heartworms are common problems. They are not.
Want to know the number one reason for a trip to the vet? Canine skin conditions including hot spots, dog rashes, and dry itchy skin top the list. Your vet can give you medications that may appear to stop the problem, but not the underlying cause.
Below are some more Canine Health Problems, which can adversely affect a dog without a strong immune system, especially those fed a cheap dog food.
Parvovirus
One of the most deadly if contracted as a puppy is parvovirus. CPV is a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract, lymph system and white blood cells. This virus creates a constant diarrhea, often accompanied by vomiting. The severe diarrhea not only dehydrates the dog but actually sloughs off cells of the intestinal walls, allowing infection to enter and poison the body. Treatment for parvovirus is intravenous fluids, usually accompanied with antibiotics until the virus runs its course.
Heartworms
Heartworms are not an actual disease but a parasite infection. Worms are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Once the heartworm larvae are injected into the host dog, if they can find their way through the bloodstream, a few may take up residence inside the animal's heart. One or two heartworm can actually live out their life in a healthy dog with virtually no ill effects on a healthy dog.
There are commercial heartworm treatments but natural options are much healthier. Should your dog contract heartworm, be sure to find out if there are worms actually living within the tissues because having the larvae in the bloodstream is not a problem, only a potential problem and the treatment is quite hard on your pet.
Kennel Cough
Canine bordetella is a disease that is normally as serious as a cold or flu in humans. It is seen more often in a kennel situation because of the close quarters several dogs share. Unless your dog has a compromised immune system, it can be easily treated. Studies have been done which indicate the kennel cough vaccine is responsible for outbreaks of the disease, but dog care facilities still require it. Getting a dog sitter when you go out of town will avoid the need for subjecting your pet to this disease or questionable preventative altogether.
Rabies
The most dreaded canine disease is rabies. This virus attacks the central nervous system and is spread through saliva and commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. At this point in time, there is no cure for rabies in canines.
While keeping your dog from roaming where he might come in contact from a rabid animal should be enough, rabies shots for dogs are mandatory in the U.S. Once or twice in a lifetime has been proven to protect a dog for life but the laws are slow to change. The requirement for this vaccination changed to once every 3 years and in the next few years it should change to every 5 years so keep abreast of the requirements on your own. There are vets out there who see no problem with the extra income they receive from over vaccinating pets.
Conclusion
Taking care of your canine companion includes nutritious food, proper shelter and good exercise. Feeding your dog a variety of human grade foods has been proven to boost the immune system well enough to avoid most canine health problems.
Having a veterinarian you can trust and who understands the value of nutrition and the problems with over vaccination will help your dog live a long and healthy life.
Andree Partee shares more about canine health problems. For more dog health tips, go to Three-Little-Pitties.com
Canine health problems?
Hi,
I wondered if anyone can help, I have a 3 year old Yorkie who has been suffering intermittent abdominal pain, it started at the beginning of this year, the only way I can describe it is it's like someone has jabbed him in the bum with a needle! he is very subdued afterwards with intermittent pain as I've described, it can last from an hour to a couple of hours to over 24 hours. I had him at the vets, they scanned him and found he had a enlarge prostate (although Neutered) so He went back a couple of days later to have a prostate wash / flush which came back 80 % positive for cancer cells, was referred to a specialist who found no abnormalities with his prostate, she done x-rays, scans etc the only thing she didn't do was a biopsy. He has had no other symptoms except intermittent abdo pain.
(He is on Prednisolone due to environmental allergies, he has been on these for a couple of years.)
He suffered with another bad bout of abdo pain intermittent, subdued over a 24 hour period, vet suggested increasing his Preds to 1 tablet a day for 3 days, in which time he improved (once again).
He has now had a bad bout off and on for the past week in which time the vet done another scan and asked me to take a Urine sample in, vet contacted me due to the fact that the Urine contained a high amount of Protein and blood which wasn't visible to the naked eye, so I then had to take him in for a blood test the results fine, kidneys OK etc. They then decided to do a Ultrasound which showed up sediment in his bladder, so I then had to take him back to have another test where a tube is inserted into his willy with a dye. The results that came back from this were clear, no problems, they think it was a bowel loop showing up on the ultrasound which they thought was sediment.
So basically they've now told me that they can find no reason or cause of the intermittent abdo pain that comes on suddenly, and they can find no reason or cause as to why the two Urine samples they have tested are showing high protein and blood.
They've told me to wean him off the Preds to see how he is coming off them and keep him drug free for a week once off the preds. Their going to try him on something else similar after the drug free week for his allergies.
The food I feed him is Hills ZD ultra allergen and nothing else. Basically I'm at a loss what to do, I hate not being able to do anything when he is unwell with these bouts but I thought at least I can take to the Vet, but now I feel I'm going to have to do all I can to find out whats going on with him myself as the Vet hasn't a clue, in their words 'their at a loss'
The only symptoms he shows is , one minute he is okay, the next he suddenly draws his bum in (as if someone stuck a needle in his bum) he runs and looks worried, he's then subdued and looks in discomfort and can't settle, he will remain like that till either he experiences the pain again or when whatever has caused that pain has worn off. And now high protein and blood in his urine.
There is no vomiting, he's toilet (both) are fine when going.
I did read on the Internet about 'Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome' can dogs suffer with this?
I would be very grateful for any advice, or if anyone has had the same with their dog.
Thank you
Get the answers...
Canine health problem: Seizure, head trauma?
Hi everyone, recently I had a bad mishap with my canine, who is a miniature pinscher. She is 13 years old and has been blind for maybe 4-5 years. During her blindness she had little trouble navigating around our house. However just recently, she was on my bed which is a good 3 feet high, and she fell. I found her in a butterfly position and she excreted on the floor.
After I took her out hoping she had to do more then just that, she started to shake and foam a bit form the mouth, From there on out she was very upset, walking in circles and cried if you held on to her so we took her to the 24 hour animal hospital at 10 pm.
The Veterinarian wanted 1200$ to hospitalize her claiming she is neurologically inappropriate, and she had pain in the head, most likely from the fall. We did not want her to stay and could not afford it, so we took her home. They gave her a sedative injection to ease the pain how ever and when she got home she passed out and fell asleep. The next morning she was still a bit anxious. She couldnt eat for hours, but she eventually ate, but now she went from being able to walk around on her own, to walking in circles and being a bit weak in the legs.
I was wondering if any one knew what one could possible do for a canine in this situation or if anyone would have a diagnosis. The Vet could not even come up with a conclusive idea and im sitting side by side just praying she gets better.
Thank you for any help
Thank you for the heartless, uninformative responses. Question closed.
Get the answers...
|
Next page: Canine Health Questions
Bookmark/Share This Page:
|
|
||
