Dog Health :: Dog Breeds

Dog Health

dog health All dog breeds are subject to some inherited genetic diseases. Some of the more common dog diseases include hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, aortic stenosis, entropion and panosteitis. Before buying a puppy, you should ask the breeder for the appropriate orthopedic and eye disease examination results for the sire and dam. This procedure and the common inherited diseases are explained in the article "Hereditary Diseases in Dogs" and in our Directory of Breed of Dogs under Health Considerations for each dog breed.

You should always seek help from a veterinarian for almost all dog health problems. Puppies should not be taken for a walk or allowed to play with other dogs until their initial and follow-up inoculations have been completed. This occurs when the puppy is about 12 to 14 weeks of age.

Dog Health Care

It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that his dog is in good health and obtain help for any health problems.

1. Inoculations for serious diseases should be done at about 8 or 9 weeks, with a follow-up four weeks later, and boosters will be required on a periodic basis. Immunization requirements vary from area to area but usually your veterinarian will vaccinate to provide protection against:

Rabies - which is a disease that can be fatal to both dogs and humans.

Canine Distemper - which is a virus that attacks most of a dog’s tissues.

Viral Hepatitis - which can cause damage to the liver, kidneys and possibly lungs.

Leptospirosis - which damages the kidneys and liver.

Canine Parvo Virus - which can cause inflammation of the heart in young puppies up to 8 weeks old and inflammation of the stomach in older puppies and dogs.

Kennel cough - which is another disease that can be prevented with vaccinations if it is common in your area.

2. Many common illnesses are easily treated if diagnosed early. Therefore it is up to the dog’s owner to look for signs that his dog’s health is in jeopardy.

Inspect your dog’s mouth regularly and clean the teeth once a week with a soft toothbrush and doggy toothpaste to prevent the build-up of tartar. Special rawhide chew toys, if allowed, can also reduce tartar build-up. If your dog exhibits unusual symptoms of over-salivating, pawing his mouth, soreness while chewing or bad breath, then a visit to the vet may be necessary. First check to see that some foreign object isn’t stuck between his teeth.

Inspect your dog’s eyes looking for watering or ‘mattery’ eyes indicating a sticky discharge. You can try washing the dog’s eyes with human or doggy type eyewashes every few hours. This can be serious for puppies and a vet should be consulted if it lasts more than a day or two. Older dogs should be checked for blue or white film growing over the eye which can indicate the presence of cataracts.

If your dog has a “cold” in the nose along with the “mattery” eyes, see your vet as soon as possible as this could be a sign of distemper.

Symptoms associated with ear health problems are: shaking of the head, scratching the ear, tilting the head and a discharge from the ear. If your dog shows pain when you touch his ear, then a visit to the vet is in order. You should clean your dog’s ears once a week if that dog breed is subject to ear infections. Use a cotton ball twisted and soaked in warm water and alcohol to remove excess wax. Remember to use a different swab for each ear.

If your dog has persistent digestive problems such as: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and blood in the stool; then a visit to the vet will be required.

If your dog keeps scooting his bottom across the floor, then his anal glands probably need draining. You can have your vet show you how to do it or let him drain them.

Giving Your Dog Medicine

At some point in your dog’s life, your vet is going to prescribe medicine and you are going to have to give it to your pet. For some reason dogs don’t seem to enjoy the process. The following are a few tips that might make the job easier.

Pills can be hidden in food like peanut butter, cheese or hot dogs with the hope that your dog won’t notice the foreign object hidden inside. Good luck with this approach. My dogs always seem to be able to detect the pill and spit it out.

A more reliable method of giving pills is by the three-hand method. You may need an assistant if you only have two hands or are a novice at this approach. Gently pry your dog’s mouth open by holding your hand over the bridge of his nose and exerting pressure with the thumb on one side and your middle finger on the other side. Place the pill on the back of your dog’s tongue. Hold his mouth closed and point his nose upward. While gripping his muzzle, stroke your dog’s throat downward until he swallows the pill. The third hand is needed to hold the dog in place while you inflict these indignities on your pet. Some people blow into their dog’s nose while stroking his throat.

Giving liquid medicine is a little easier if you buy a large syringe (without the needle) from your vet or a pet supply store. The syringes are usually marked to make measuring the dosage easier. Raise your dogs muzzle in the air and pull back his lip on one side of his mouth. Then simply insert the syringe into the space or cheek pouch between the back molars and the cheek. Hold your dog’s lips around the syringe with your fingers while you depress the plunger.

Giving ear medicine to your dog can be fairly straightforward if you have trained your puppy to allow you to handle his ears. Put an old towel on your lap and get your dog to lay his head on your lap. Apply the prescribed quantity of ear drops into the canal, and then gently massage the base of the ear.

Applying eye medication can be a little more difficult. Have your dog sit between your legs facing forward. Hold the dog’s muzzle up in the air from behind. Gently apply the eye drops to the center of the eye without touching the surface. Then close the eyelid to distribute the drops.

Dog Fleas

Do not let your house become infested with fleas. They are really difficult to eradicate. A flea-infested pet can introduce hundreds of new flea eggs into your home everyday. You have to break the flea life cycle to control the pest.

Adult fleas spend most of their life on the dog. The flea eggs are laid in the fur and then drop off wherever your dog wanders, plays or sleeps. When the eggs hatch they grow into larvae, then pupae and eventually adults. You can break the flea life cycle by either killing the eggs or killing the adults. Fortunately there are a number of flea products available that will do this job. However it is critical that treatments be started before the flea season commences – usually in the Spring.

Flea pills that are given orally to your dog once a month at mealtime. These are usually available by prescription and the tablet size varies according the weight of your dog. This medication prevents the fleas from laying eggs.

Special flea collars, called “egg-stopper” collars, which release a substance that spreads over the dogs coat and kills flea eggs on contact. The active ingredient is usually methoprene or pyriproxyfen and you should verify that the active ingredient is present before buying the collar. Collars are available from your vet, pet supply stores or online over the Internet.

Liquid flea medications that you apply topically to the back of your dog between the shoulder blades about once a month. Brand names include ‘Advantage’, ‘Frontline’ and ‘Biospot’.

Pet Insurance

Veterinary bills can be expensive if your pet has an accident or gets a serious illness. Your dog rapidly becomes a loved member of your family and you don’t want to deny him any treatment because it is too expensive. "Pet Insurance" and Dog Health Insurance Programs are available through your vet or online over the Internet that will provide affordable protection for your pet.

Pet Meds

Pet medications and dog medications are readily available online over the Internet through reliable discount supply outlets. You can expect to pay significantly less than buying the same pet meds from your veterinarian or, if they stock them, from a pet supply store. Of course if your dog needs to start the medicine immediately then of course buy it through the veterinarian. However if you know that you are going to have to buy flea medicine or heartworm medicine on an annual basis, then save some money and buy online.

Many online discount outlets will fill prescriptions as well as provide non-prescription products. These products include the following.

1. Flea and tick control products
2. Heartworm prevention products
3. Arthritis and Pain medication
4. Tape worm, round worm and hookworm products
5. Nutritional supplements including vitamins and anti-oxidants
6. Eye, ear, skin and dental care products
7. Dietary and grooming health care supplements

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