Common Dog Dental Problems

Plaque

Food particles, hair, and bacteria collect along the gumline to form plaque, a common cause of peridontal disease. To prevent plaque from developing into tartar and thus causing more serious gum disease, such as gingivitis, we should give our dogs daily brushing to remove the plaque.

Tartar

If plaque is not removed, minerals in the saliva will combine with the plaque and form tartar. The tartar is irritating to the gums and causes an inflammation called gingivitis. The gums adjacent to the teeth will become red and inflammed, causing bad breath and swollen gums. At this point it is necessary to visit a veterinarian for the removal of the tartar.

Periodontal Disease

If the tartar is not removed, it builds up under the gums, causing further inflammation, pulling away and receding gums. A "pocket" opens up between the teeth and the gums, collecting more debris and encouraging even more bacterial growth. At this point the damage is irreversible - the dog's teeth will loosen and fall out. In serious cases, it is very painful and can cause complications such as the development of abscesses, bone loss or infection.

It is obvious therefore, that providing our dogs with regular canine dental care is essential for the maintenance of strong, healthy teeth and gums.

»»  READMORE...

Male Dog Castration

In the case of a female dog, castration means both ovaries are surgically removed. This operation is usually accompanied by a partial amputation of the womb. This intervention offers certain benefits, but also some inconveniences, both of which I will explain. The sexual neutralization, be it by injection or by castration, makes the dog lose part of her vital energy. If you keep on feeding your dog as you used to before the intervention, she will most probably put on some weight. In general, the problem of obesity can be avoided or, at least, held within certain limits by giving her less food. The peculiarities among breeds present another important factor to bear in mind: Cockers, for instance, run a great risk whereas Greyhounds barely put on a small belly. It is difficult to predict mood changes; many dogs do not change at all. What does occur, as mentioned before, is that they are no longer distracted by dogs of the opposite sex and, therefore, many of them become more faithful and maybe even gentler. When judging her character, you cannot really say how she would have developed had you not castrated her; many people tend to blame any unwanted undesired characteristic on this operation. After the intervention, some minor urinary incontinence, especially when the animal has been castrated at a very young age. Nevertheless, a proper hormonal treatment can usually help solve this unpleasant aftereffect. Important: If you can't make up your mind on whether to castrate your dog or not; or maybe you don't want to have to deal with the unpleasant aftereffects, or if you want to know how your dog might react – if maybe her way of being would change in anyway, or, perhaps she would put on some weight – I suggest you ask your veterinarian to administer the "contraceptive injection". It is, quite frankly, quite a good method which is pretty much a "test castration"; in other words, nothing definite. However, you won't do your dog any favor by starting and later interrupting the injection treatment. Contrary to what other specialists might say, it isn't good for your dog to reinitiate her normal sexual cycle after having been inhibited.

Advantages:

• The dog will never enter in heat and will be sexually neutral.

• There is absolutely no risk of her accumulating pus in her womb (piometra).

• Mammary gland tumors are much less frequent.

• Your dog becomes more tamed and faithful.

Disadvantages:

• Castration is irreversible.

• The operation is a routine intervention for an expert veterinarian; there is, as in all operations, some risk.

»»  READMORE...

How do Allergy Symptoms Develop?

The hallmark symptoms of common dog allergies include itchiness and inflammation of the skin. These symptoms occur when the dog's allergen-specific IgE antiboides release some chemicals that cause the symptoms. The exact mechanism is rather complex. Here is a simplified explanation:

When a dog is exposed to an allergen (e.g. fleas, pollen), IgE antibodies are formed by the dog's white blood cells. The IgE antibody attaches to a tissue cell called a mast cell. The next time the dog is exposed to the allergen, the allergen attaches to the IgE antibody-mast cell combination. When that happens, the mast cell sort of "explodes" and releases chemicals within the cell and cell membrane. These chemicals include, among others, histamine and various prostaglandins which are responsible for causing the clinical signs of common dog allergies including itching and inflammation.

»»  READMORE...

What are Some Common Dog Allergies?

Common dog allergies include:

• Canine Atopic Dermatitis
  Canine atopic dermatitis, or canine atopy, is one of the most common dog allergies. It is a genetic inflammatory condition in which the dog becomes sensitized to environmental allergens such as pollens, molds, house dust mites, weeds, and so on. Many of these allergies occur seasonally, such as ragweed, and pollens. However, others can occur all year round, such as molds, mildew, and house dust mites. Allergies usually occur within 1 to 3 years of a dog being exposed to continual environmental allergens.
  
• Dog Flea Allergies
  Flea allergy dermatitis, commonly known as dog flea allergies, used to be one of the most common dog allergies. However, with more flea control products available to dog parents, the incidence of flea allergies in dogs has decreased substantially.
  The cause of flea allergy dermatitis is the saliva of the flea which contains a number of chemicals that can induce an allergic response in dogs
• Dog Food Allergies
  Compared to canine atopy and flea dermatitis, true food allergies in dogs are rather rare, accounting for less than 10 percent of cases referred to veterinarians.
  Canine food allergies result when a dog develops allergic reactions to one or more ingredients in his food.
  Food allergies are of course non-seasonal and can cause severe and intense itching in dogs. As well, dogs suffering from food allergies do not respond to anti-inflammatory and anti-itching medications such as corticosteroids.
  Feeding an elimination diet is the only way to accurately diagnose food allergies. The purpose of the elimination diet is to ban all protein that the dog has eaten before in order to isolate and identify the allergen.
• Contact Dermatitis
  Contact dermatitis is rare in dogs and is caused by direct skin contact with an allergen. Contact dermatitis usually causes sudden onset of skin reactions such as itching, rashes, and hair loss.
  Common causes of contact dermatitis in dogs include flea collars, soaps, disinfectants, weed killer, fertilizers, and insecticides. Allergic reactions to flea collars can produce a circular area of hair loss and inflammation or redness around the neck. Soaps and gardening chemicals can cause allergic reactions on the stomach, groin area, and armpits of the dog. Sometimes, lesions of the mouth can also occur if the dog licks the affected areas.

»»  READMORE...

Dog Health Problem - Three Serious Diseases You Need To Know

Do you see your dog having differences? Does it look unhealthy and lonesome? Well, it could be suffering from dog health problems and you, as an owner are responsible for taking care of them.

 If you are thinking about such, it would be a good idea for you to know some serious dog health problems, so you could have the idea about how you could help them bear with it and cure it as well.

• Rabies- sit is totally one of the dangerous dog health problems, as it could be passed to humans. The dog with such disease could not be saved from such. This is the reason why, nations across the world have their rabies vaccination laws in order to protect dogs and families as well. Nausea, vomiting, fever, paralyses, aggression and death are just one of the symptoms that you could find.

• Parvovirus- it is actually one of the deadly dog health problems. This kind of disorder is fast growing and fatal once the dog is left untreated. This virus could spread from dog to dog via feces and could stay active within your home and yards for months or years. Mostly, the disease could be present from your home for only a month, most especially if you have clean environment. On the other hand, the symptoms that you could see from a dog suffering from parvovirus could be listlessness, diarrhea, drooling, vomiting and drooling.

• Distemper- it is considered as the incurable dog health problems. Mostly, the young puppies between 3 to 6 months which were not vaccinated are the ones vulnerable for having the disease. It is a viral infection that could affect different systems in the body and the symptoms could be dischargers from nose and eyes, cough, vomiting, poor appetite and convulsions.

There are actually lots of diseases that you need to be aware of. However, knowing those serious dog health problems could help your way in knowing the best cure.

»»  READMORE...

Why do Some Dogs Get Allergies While Others Don't?

Allergies in dogs come, first and foremost, from the "inside", rather than from outside allergens. These days dogs are exposed to a lot of allergens. However, not all dogs develop symptoms of allergies. Those who do are often pets with problems from the "inside", for example, dogs with an already weakened immune system, hormonal imbalance, bacterial or fungal infections, or those with emotional stress due to boredom, a lack of exercise, etc. When exposed to outside allergy-causing factors, (such as fleas, poor quality food, environmental toxins, over vaccination), these dogs are more prone to develop symptoms of dog allergies.



If your pet shows dog allergy symptoms, it is very important that you consult your vet and ask that a thorough check-up (skin and blood tests) be carried out to identify the "inside" cause of the allergy. Finding out the inside "root" problem and getting rid of that problem will strengthen the overall health of your dog, making her more resistant against the outside allergens.

»»  READMORE...

What are "Canine Allergies"?

Canine allergies are basically symptoms manifested as a result of a dog's immune system working hard to get rid of outside substances. These substances - allergens - can be anything (natural or artificial, organic or inorganic), and they can be found in a lot of places and things, such as food, in our homes, and in the environment. They can cause allergic reactions after being ingested, inhaled or absorbed.

Usually, canine allergies are manifested in three ways. The most common is itching and inflammation of the skin which can either be limited to one area (localized) or all over the body (generalized). Another manifestation involves the respiratory system and may result in coughing, sneezing, and/or wheezing. Nasal and/or eye discharge may also be present. Finally, sometimes dog allergies involve the digestive system, resulting in vomiting or diarrhea.

»»  READMORE...