Identifying and Treating Health Problems in Your Dog

Home
>
Pet
>
Identifying and Treating Health Problems in Your Dog

Identifying and Treating Health Problems in Your Dog

An essential to your dog's health is his/her regular annual checkup with the vet. The vaccinations* which are given to your dog each year ensure your dog's immunity to some common infectious diseases. And when the vet gives the vaccinations*, it's also an excellent opportunity for a thorough physical examination to be carried out, and a time to discuss any minor problems or issues which you feel may be affecting your dog's health or wellbeing. This is a time when your vet may pick up inherited diseases and the like (when your dog is young) so they can be treated early, or just kept an eye on. And as your dog gets older, the vet may find the early signs of more sinister illnesses.

I recently took my dogs for their annual checkup, and for the first time alarms were raised about matters of significant concern - it was thought that Kara might have early stages of lymphoma (cancer) - which, fortunately, tests then proved to be not the case. And Jet apparently has something akin to the early stages of cataracts in humans in her eyes, and according to the vet, Jet is likely to go progressively blind over the next several years. At least knowing this in advance gives me the opportunity to watch for any developing signs and, if and when necessary, adapt her outings and home environment to take into account any sight loss, and most importantly, it has made me realise that vitamin and mineral supplementation in dogs is actually a very wise idea.

Worming and "de-flea-ing" your dog are the commonest forms of health measures which you probably undertake yourself for your dog. Fleas infest almost every dog at some time. Sometimes a lot of the time. Dogs which socialise with other dogs outside the home tend to become infested the most often. Fleas can carry disease and parasites, including tapeworm.

But fleas are extremely irritating for your dog. They often cause intense itching, which in turn can cause your dog to damage his/her skin by vigorous scratching. Some dogs are allergic to flea bites. Even after the fleas have been doused with flea poison and killed, the cycle of itch, scratch, itch, scratch, can remain.

My Rottweiler has been terribly affected two or three times now by this self-perpetuating cycle caused by her allergy to flea bites. Most of the skin damage has been caused by Kara incessantly scratching and injuring herself.

A dog with an infestation of fleas is neither a healthy nor a happy dog. So at the first sign of a flea, it's important to treat your dog for this very common problem. And those pesky fleas don't always readily show themselves. So if your dog is scratching more than usual, the first thing to do is a thorough search through your dog's coat. If you sight even one flea, treat your dog immediately. Some people treat routinely just because it's flea season, and still others actually treat throughout the year. And of course, it goes without saying that if you have more than one animal, you must treat them all at the same time.

This way, you'll ensure that your dog is as healthy and happy as can be!

* There are natural alternatives to vaccinations. For further information, subscribe to the Healthy Happy Dogs newsletter.

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free special report, as well as weekly tips, information, strategies and resources for a healthier happier dog, go to http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com and submit your name and email address. Take a look around the site - http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com - while you're there - you'll find lots of useful information.

In The News:

New Zealand Herald
Pet sitting gets boost from the web
Fall River Herald News
Instead of putting pets in kennels, Dog Vacay brings together dog lovers with casual and professional dog sitters to provide an affordable experience for pets. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) By Sue Manning The Associated Press When you travel and have to ...
Doggy couch surfing? Website has lodging for dogsKVAL
Website has lodging for dogsWorcester Telegram

all 38 news articles »

Neato XV-21 Pet & Allergy Automatic Vacuum Cleaner
PC Magazine
Picks up an astonishing amount of dust and pet hair. Simple to use. Easy to clean. Programmable. Doesn't work well on tight corners. Very loud. Dated design. The Neato XV-21 does an excellent job of picking up pet hair—but it's no replacement for a ...

PetProductNews.com
How to provide for pets in case of owner's death or an emergency
Fort Worth Star Telegram
And for many local pet owners, that can mean leaving their furry loved ones behind as they head out of town for a week or maybe even a month. Try as pet owners might to plan accordingly for impending time away from their pets, they might not always ...
Pet Expo Efforts Raise $12000 for Pet Care TrustPetProductNews.com

all 2 news articles »

New York Times (blog)
Thinking of Feeding Your Pet a Homemade or Raw Diet?
Patch.com
Pet food recalls can spur people to make pets' meals themselves, but doing it right is important. By Kim Campbell Thornton Henry is one of many pets available for adoption at Orange County Animal Care. Orange County Animal Care With all the recent ...
Raw Pet Food DebateAll Pet News (blog)
The Raw Food Diet for PetsNew York Times (blog)

all 3 news articles »

Five Pet Place Unveils Luxury Brand; Extensive Collection of Designer Products
Albany Times Union
Five Pet Place, a company specializing in producing attractive and functional products for cats, today revealed its extensive collection of Pet Accessories for the Home™ at fivepetplace.com -- an advanced e-commerce website where consumers can build ...

and more »

KDRV
Marlins Pitcher Mark Buehrle and Wife Jamie to Kick Off Dual Pet-Adoption ...
Sacramento Bee
By Adopt-a-Pet.com MIAMI, May 25, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle and his wife, the noted companion-animal activist Jamie Buehrle, will launch two initiatives to help homeless pets--one local, one national--at ...
Pet of the Week: HoneyKDRV
Shelter Renovations Cause Shortage of Space for PetsBeach Bulletin
Domino and Snow Bird Need New HomesPatch.com
Aiken Standard
all 20 news articles »

Don't forget about your pets
Houma Courier
By Thad Angelloz What happens when a hurricane evacuation is ordered and you have pets? With many residents counting their pets as integral members of their family, officials say they should also be just as important in overall hurricane planning as ...
Be prepared: 10 ways to help you survive the next hurricaneDaily Comet

all 10 news articles »

Newmarket ZBA grants variance for pet crematory
Seacoastonline.com
By Melanie Gray NEWMARKET — For many, the death of a pet is like the loss of a family member. "It's emotionally hard for all people," said William Morgan, owner of Angel View Pet Cemetery and Crematory in Middleboro, Mass. "Sometimes it just pulls ...

and more »

OregonLive.com
Happening this weekend: Pet-related events you can attend
OregonLive.com
Pets Uncorked: Visit participating Oregon wineries and contribute to a new animal shelter in Newberg. At Duck Pond Cellars, Terra Vina Tasting Room, Terra Vina Willsonville Vineyard and other participating vineyards, 10 percent of the tasting fee will ...

OregonLive.com
When it comes to courage and spirit, tripod pets have a leg up
OregonLive.com
A generation ago, three-legged pets might not have, er, stood a chance in the veterinarian's office. An animal that was hit by a car, born with a birth defect or suffered from cancer might have been more likely to receive a humane euthanasia rather ...

Google News