Canine Distemper (Dog Distemper)

August 3rd, 2008 1 Comment »

Canine/Dog DistemperCanine 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

July 29th, 2008 1 Comment »

Dog anal sac disorders 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 Cystitis, Urinary Bladder Inflammation

July 26th, 2008 No Comments »

Dog Cystitis, Urinary Bladder Inflammation 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.

Dog Eye Disorders

July 19th, 2008 No Comments »

The Eye Disorders was not only encountered to humankind, but quite a few were encountered to the dogs. The case happened to the multitudinous dog, from the minor case to heavy. The owner’s ignorance of the dog would the cause of the Eye Disorders often result in got a serious disturbance to the dog eyes.
Wrong therapy could make eyes damage more spread. For example drop eye medicines not suitable for the glaucoma or the increasing pressure of the eyeball liquid. Moreover when excessive giving will make destruction of the eyeball that resulted in blindness. To understand various cases of the eyes, based on its anatomy, at least the problem was divided into eyeball problem and the outside of the eyeball problem.

Dog eye disordersThe important part of the eyes that often experienced the disturbance is cornea or the most outside part of the eyeball took the form of the thin layer. This part often experienced the wound (ulcer cornea) because of various matters, the trauma or the bacterial infection. Behind cornea was gotten the liquid that was acknowledged as anterior dumber that often his pressure increased because the rise in the waste of the available liquid was mentioned glaucoma. The liquid pressure increased cause the eyepiece to be pressed, so as to blindness happen. Whereas that was meant by cataracts is eyepiece that caused by the age factor. Inflammation of the iris or the slice often mentioned as uveitis. So it’s clear, that must be careful in naming the magma changes to the eyes because not all the changes in the cornea were cataracts.
Others Eye Disorders of the outside of the eyeball was incision. Incision was the waste of the eyes that often were encountered to the corner of the eyes. The cause of incision was varied among them because of the foreign object or because of buckling the eyelids had a direction the eyeball so as the eyes as being stabbed. The other cause of incision could take the form of the germs infection or the allergy so as the eyes were felt itchy. Generally when the infection or the interior allergy from the eyelids happening reddened or became excited. Incision also could happen because obstruction of the eyes tract.
Eye Disorders that also occurred often encountered were cherry eye or the issuing of the middle eyelids so it is looks like a stand out eyes that similar to cherry that only could be treating by operation. The trauma that often happened is pacula or caused by the bite that often caused by the issuing of the eyeball. It is only occurred on pekingese dogs. It should immediately handled by putting again the eyeball and sewing the eyelids so as to keep the eyeball went again out. In the difficult incident was the eyeball could not have functioned again then better be released or amputated so it will not cause the continued infection.
From the analysis above could be concluded that it’s need to be careful in handling the dog eye disorders because not all eyes medicine could overcome the problem of the eyes even when causing the bigger problem.

Try The Angels’ Eyes Tear-Stain Eliminator for Dogs to avoid the eye disorders on your dogs, and read the Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook for more information about dog eye disorders.