Archive for Dog Health

I don’t know about you, but I want only the best for my dog. This means taking the extra effort to ensure that he is healthy and well fed at all times. Home made dog food is a great way to accomplish this. While there may be some outstanding pre packed pet food available in the market, preparing what goes into your dogs meal is still better. Get fantastic tips on how to make dog food that will put the wag in your doggies tail today.

1. Discuss with your veterinarian before making any changes in your pets lifestyle, especially in their diet. Some canines are born with specific needs and some food might prove to be harmful when incorporated into their diet. Find out your dog’s health status and prepare accordingly.

2. Learn about the food that you do not feed canines. There are food that might be a cause of allergy to your pet (hence the prior consultation with the vet); however, there are regular things we see in our cupboards and refrigerator that are potentially dangerous to these animals. The shortlist of this includes: chocolate, onion, caffeine, baby food, grapes/raisins, macadamia nuts, citrus oil and mushrooms.

3. Some advocate the philosophy of feeding their dogs raw and all natural fare but for the purpose of safety, it is advisable to cook all meals thoroughly before serving. You can cook and prepare the food in advance and store them properly in the refrigerator for up to three days. The uncooked ingredients can be frozen until used.

4. Feed the canine the appropriate amount of starch, meats and vegetable. Many recommend a 50% starch, 25% meat and the remaining 25% for vegetable ratio; with some fruits thrown in as a healthy treat. You will need to find out what mix will work best for your dog. Potato and rice are good sources of starch for the dog. Almost all kinds of meat are acceptable for feeding. Keep in mind though that liver and other organ meat will be unsafe if used too much. Tomatoes, carrots, peas and green beans are excellent additions to the canines meal.

5. Consult the vet on how to best portion meals to your dogs. Some canines have a more active lifestyle and need a larger quantity of food (high in protein), while some must be monitored carefully. Loving your dog does not mean feeding him treats at all times. Responsible owners need to exercise restraint and care in providing him with the right kind and amount of food.

6. When you are transitioning your pet from store bought processed pet food to home made dog food, do so gradually. Introduce it slowly by giving the canine small amounts of the new fare as you decrease the regular canned food in his diet. When no indigestion or other problem is forthcoming, increase feeding him the home made food it becomes standard.

Switch up the dishes and menu every once in a while. This will ensure that your canine will get the nutrients and vitamins he needs; as well as keep his attention and interest. Sometimes it is somewhat of a challenge to learn how to make dog food, but in the end, it is well worth the effort.

Geraldine Dimarco instructs pet owners on how to make dog food that will make your dog healthy and happy. Visit this website for more practicaltidbits on Home Made Dog Food today.

You shouldn’t take dog health information for granted. If you plan to own a pet, it is a must for you to learn as much as you can about keeping it healthy and happy. As much as possible, start your learning process even before you pick your pet. This is the only responsible thing to do. Here are only some of the most important aspects you should pay special attention to.

Pet Breed

Man’s best friends are just like humans, they too have different personalities and temperaments. It is possible however to group individual pets according general categories. Hence, you can easily determine what to expect from specific breeds. Some for example are indicated in a dog health guide to be more playful and energetic than others. A comprehensive manual can help you identify the most ideal choice for you based on your own personality.

Conditions and Symptoms

A lot of owners manage to read dog vocalizations and expressions to determine what their pets want. Even the most dedicated owners however will not always be able to tell if their pets have internal medical problems. Moreover, there are so many possible issues that you might not even recognize the signs and symptoms. Before you get a dog, it is best if you first go over a list of common health problems and their symptoms. Great dog health information sources can also give you tips on appropriate first aid treatments. Some issues you might want to be on the lookout for include hepatitis, distemper, worms and asthma.

Dog Introduction

As humans, we do get a bit distressed when we have to confront new situations and circumstances. The same can happen to dogs. It is therefore important for you to find out how best to introduce your pet to its new surroundings. Part of this involves making sure your dog is able to recognize and adjust to small children and other home pets. If you don’t pay attention to this phase, your dog and some individuals in your household could end up getting injured or harmed.

Food and Vitamins

Anyone who can read can tell which food items are for dogs. You can just read the labels on the packages in grocery shelves. You should be aware though that not every food item is best for your pet. Some aren’t as nutritious as they should be as a reliable dog health guide will tell you. You might consider feeding him human food instead of processed dog food. You should know though that some types of food can potentially cause health issues such as poisoning. Be careful what you put on the feeding dish.

Socialization

Some health issues are psychological in nature. These however should be given equal attention as physical problems if you want to have a completely healthy animal friend. Some psychological issues need expert treatment but others such as boredom and excessive activity can be addressed by appropriate exercise and socialization. Some manuals suggest bringing pets to animal parks or providing regular play activities.

Getting comprehensive dog health information is the best way responsible owners can care for their pets. If you want to enjoy many happy days with the newest member of the family, you should find out how best to handle and treat him.

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For the readers who are too young to know the painful effects of arthritis, you are lucky. Having this ailment is very hard to live with. Imagine how much harder it is for our pets. They cannot adequately express themselves and even if they do, they can’t really do anything about it. It is a common canine condition and it falls to the responsible pet owner to do something about it for his own pet.

Much like how it is with us, canine arthritis causes inflammation in the dogs muscles and joints; thereby making it extremely repulsive to be touched for them. It is highly probable that he will experience dog hip pain and will have difficulty changing positions. You must immediately bring him to a vet when he exhibits alarming changes in his behavior or physical appearance.

More often than not, arthritis is the result of years of rough or overly indulgent lifestyle that most canines have. That is why you will observe that the usual casualties of this ailment are aged dogs, or obese dogs because their weight places too much pressure on their joints. Although there are instances that pups or smaller dogs suffer a type of arthritis when they sustain an injury in their legs, have a genetic abnormality, or acquired a sickness that aggravated their situation resulting in further dog joint pain.

Fortunately, you can treat dog joint pain fairly simple enough. Vets usually administer a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug to help impede the development of arthritis. NSAIDs also lower the inflammation in the joints, which is the reason of the dogs pain for the most part.

NSAIDs treat both human and canine arthritis. However, be very careful not to administer the same dosage and frequency with that of a human to your pet. You need to check with the vet regarding this. Not only do humans have a different dynamic than dogs, your pet’s health issues, weight and breed will also factor in in determining the correct dosage.

As with all medication that contain chemicals, there will be cases when the subject being treated is not reacting well to the drug. They might experience nausea, bloody stool and intestinal infection. When these side effects manifest, bring your dog to the vet right away to have his medication lowered or stopped. Ask for an alternative treatment he can take instead.

Together with a healthy diet, incorporate supplements that specifically work to target the effects of arthritis. Glucosamine Sulphate and Chondroitin Sulphate are two helpful compounds which help protect against further deterioration of the cartilage and joints. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are known to be safe and improve lubrication in critical parts that will alleviate dog hip pain. If all else fails, grab a bottle of olive oil and massage a few drops into the affected area of the dog. This will relieve your pet of stress, which is another cause of pain.

Practice a regular exercise regimen like walking around the block or taking a quick swim in the pool. Also make sure his diet is rich with fatty acids and vitamins that will boost up his immune system. Arthritis may be painful, but it is not what will define our pets life; it is our loving care that will.

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Pet owners who ignore the veterinarian’s advice to administer heartworm medicine to their dog may think it is something they can add later. Heartworm disease is easily prevented by pet meds such as Heartgard. This beefy wafer is a monthly treat your dog will enjoy, is inexpensive and can save the life of your best friend and eliminate any need for expensive and painful treatment for heartworm disease.

The worms do not only affect your dog’s heart but can lodge in the lungs, kidneys and liver and damage those vital organs. The long thread-like worms are spread by mosquitoes when they bite your pet and grow to maturity inside your dog’s body. Within two weeks of being infected, your dog’s blood can be drawn by mosquitoes and used to infect other animals.

Heartworms cannot mature unless they pass through a mosquito. Fifty states report canines diagnosed with heartworm disease though the problem is most commonly found in states where climates are hot and humid. This is not surprising as these locales are mosquito breeding grounds.

Several mosquitoes can infect your dog with heartworm in bite after bite. Adult heartworms migrating to your pet’s heart can live there for 5-7 years. Until the heartworms mature, your dog may test negative for the disease.

The heart clogged the parasites must pump harder to keep blood flowing. Pulmonary hypertension results when the right side of the heart has to work harder to push blood to the lungs. A strong heart can pump the blood harder but in time the heart muscle will begin to thicken and become weak. Arrhythmia leading to the dog’s death may be the end result.

Fluids build up in the abdomen and in the chest causing the dog to have difficult breathing and is belly may be distended. Heartworms may also cause an immune response and the antibodies that build up as a result cause pain and inflammation in eyes and joints.

A dog with a high number of heartworms may not display symptoms of the disease until it is well advanced and life threatening. The right side of the heart can become clogged with adult heartworms that expand into the veins feeding blood to the heart. This is Caval Syndrome which arises suddenly when the dog collapses nd goes into shock. Emergency treatment is surgery to attempt to remove as many heartworms from the heart as possible with a clamp inserted into the jugular vein. The animal may survive with surgery but without fast treatment the dog will die within 48 hours of onset of symptoms.

Heartworm disease can be prevented by following your veterinarian’s recommendation for preventive heartworm medicine for dogs. Sentinel and Heartgard are tasty and accepted by dogs as a treat once a month. Revolution is topical spot on treatment that prevents heartworms as well as fleas. These pet meds are by prescription only but can be purchased at reputable online pet sites at reasonable prices. Your dog can be protected from heartworm disease for as little as $10 a month.

Preventive heartworm medicine for dogs guarantees your dog will never have to undergo heartworm treatment that leaves him weakened for weeks. Buy the most effective heartworm prevention meds at http://www.petscriptsdirect.com .