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Canine distemper is a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and, often, the nervous systems of puppies and dogs. Puppies and dogs usually become infected through airborne exposure to the virus contained in respiratory secretions of an infected dog or wild animal.

All dogs are at risk but puppies younger than four months old and dogs that have not been vaccinated against canine distemper are at increased risk of acquiring the disease.

The first sign of distemper is eye discharge that may appear watery to pus-like. Subsequently, dogs develop fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, reduced appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. In later stages, the virus may attack the nervous system, bringing about seizures, twitching, or partial or complete paralysis. Occasionally, the virus may cause footpads to harden.

How to prevent Canine Distemper?

Vaccination and avoiding contact with infected animals are key elements of canine distemper prevention.

Vaccination is important. Young puppies are very susceptible to infection, particularly because the natural immunity provided in their mothers’ milk may wear off before the puppies’ own immune systems are mature enough to fight off infection. To protect adult dogs, pet owners should be sure that their dog’s distemper vaccination is up-to-date. Ask your veterinarian about a recommended vaccination program for your canine companion.

Below are kinds of vaccines that often used to prevent canine distemper:

article source: AVMA brochure "What you should know about Canine Distemper"

Dog Anal Sac Disorders may be caused by androgen stimulation since they occur predominantly in males. Combined androgenic and estrogenic influences may be involved because when they do occur in females, spayed females are more commonly affected than sexually intact females. The others predisposing factors include chronically soft feces, recent diarrhea, excessive glandular secretions, and poor muscle tone; retained secretions may lead to infection and abscessation; small breed dogs, including miniature poodles, toy poodles, and chihuahuas are reportedly predisposed to anal sac carcinoma.

How to diagnose anal sac disorders?
The history and examination of the anal sacs by digital palpation will establish the diagnosis. If easily palpated through the skin, they are considered enlarged. On expression, normal anal sacs fluid is clear or pale yellow-brown. Thick, pasty brown secretion is characteristic of impaction, and creamy yellow or thin green-yellow secretion is often seen in animals with anal sacculitis.

Suggested books to read about dog anal sac disorders: Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook, The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats, A Pet Owner’s Guide to 150 Symptoms - and What to Do about Them.

image source: answer.com

Dog is a pet that really close to humankind. However the nearness could be lost when our dog got illness. The dog, as in the case of humankind also could suffer the metabolic illness that involved the organ. One of the metabolic illnesses that could attack the dog was cystitis or urinary bladder inflammation. This infection cause several signs that could be acute or chronic. The suffered dog will show the sign like the existence of blood in the urine, increased urine frequency; appetite lost, stomach disorders, the tension at the time of urinate, in fact in the case that continued will be seen urine that was mixed with gore.

What should we do if we found our dogs got cystitis? First, fast the dog or should not give him eat until you carried him to your Veterinarian. If the bleeding happened more than 24 hours and was not treated yet by the Veterinarian, Give the glucose solution to your dog. The glucose solution could be made by means of: mixed 3 - 4 tablespoons of the glucose powder with 500 ml of water, afterwards gave this solution 1 - 2 tablespoons (25 – 50 ml) every time two hours.

Below are recommended dog food and vitamin to prevent dog cystitis: Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Adult Preventative, Nutri-Vet Green Grass Liver Flavored Chewables.