Dogs and Mental Health

Did you ever think all you need to do to keep your dog happy is give him plenty of food, exercise, and play time? Some experts think a pet owner must consider a dog's mental health to keep him happy.

A dog's mental health problems can be seen in various ways. For example, a dog kept in a cage too long may become aggressive and develop cage rage. That dog may look upon the cage as his territory. He may need obedience training. Another dog mental health problem can cause him to panic when he is left home alone and tear up furniture, rags, or bark constantly. Dogs destroy property to try to force you to return. Crate training can be effective in dealing with this problem.

A dog can develop serious mental health problems if he is tied to a leash or chain all day, and can become bitter.

If a dog is scared by loud noises such as firecrackers, or gunfire, this mental health problem may cause a dog to escape. A dog with that problem has not had enough socialization when he was young.

Physical issues can cause mental health problems in a dog. A dog that has pain, a loss of appetite, or tumors can become aggressive, even with children. If your dog has any of the mental health problems mentioned, visit a vet to see if the problems were first physical. A dog's mental health can even be affected by the loss of a loved one or a move. A dog can also have anxiety around other dogs or a lot of people.

Depression is one dog mental health problem that can cause serious physical problems.

The best cure for a dog's mental health problems may be love, fun, play, and attention, according to experts.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ty_Magnum

How Kennel Cough Affects your Dog's Health

A simple coughing for dogs must need an attention. You might think that it is just a cough, a normal cough, but later you will know it will harm the health of your dog to the extent that it will not be treatable.

Just like humans, dog's health is sensitive too. They also need supplements such as vitamins to protect them. Most dogs are prone to infections, it could be infections on Tooth and Mouth, infection on their tonsillitis also known as Infectious tonsillitis or Infectious Tracheobronchitis better known as Kennel Cough . Among these infections, Kennel Cough is the most common one.

What is Kennel Cough and how does it affect your Dog's health?

Basically it is cause by the bacteria known as Bordatella Bronchiseptica. It is highly contagious illness which is characterized by inflammation of the upper respiratory system. It is contagious in the sense that it passes directly from dog to dog at kennels or places such as dog grooming parlors, pet stores, dog shows, parks and other humane societies. The most common sign of this disease is having soft dry coughs and sneezing. Coughs occur due to the allergic or cancerous conditions. Symptoms can include a harsh, dry coughing, retching and sneezing.

To prevent your dogs from this disease, antibiotics are the most common medicine to be given. This is to treat the bacterial infection that is present. Others use humidifiers which help clear the mucous from the throat. This allows the dog to breath easier. Cough suppressants can also be used only if the cough is not productive.

It is good if you try to isolate your dogs to avoid infection of others, keep all the cages disinfected, give them proper rest, monitor their temperatures and if the coughing is severe, over-the-counter cough syrup can be use. If your dogs have been exposed to other pets, it is better for them to have their kennel cough vaccination for every six to twelve months to avoid it from coming back.

It is always good for your dogs to be healthy. Protecting your dog's health is something that they will thank you for. Giving them the attention, providing them foods and shelter are one of the best things we could ever give to them. Surely they deserve those treatments!

Learn The Secrets To Keeping Your Dog Or Puppy Healthy And Safe

Right now, you're only moments away from finding out how to protect your puppy or your adult dog from hundreds of different diseases, illnesses, and other threats.

• Learn how to protect your dog or puppy from serious diseases like canine distemper, parvovirus, rabies, Lyme disease, leptospirosis, and kennel cough
• Learn how a mosquito bite can cause serious illness for your dog and what you can do to prevent it
• Learn why fleas, ticks and other parasites can be dangerous for your dog and find out how to prevent your dog from becoming infested with these parasites
• Lean how spaying or neutering your dog can prolong your dog's life
• Learn the one most important thing you can do for your dog that will make sure your dog lives a long, healthy, and comfortable life
• Plus much more

For more details check The Pet Med Site:

Rely on us for accurate, up-to-date
pet health care information.

Source: https://www.thepetmedsite.com/dog-audio.asp

Cleaning Your Dog’s Teeth

Providing good oral care for our canine family members can actually extend their lives by as much as three to five years. In order to successfully clean your dog’s teeth, you must get your dog used to having its mouth handled by lifting its lips and examining the teeth. Do this 2-3 times per week, and each time, give your pet a small treat and lots of praise after you have finished. Your dog will be more comfortable with the teeth cleaning process when it knows there will be a treat when it's over.

Introduce toothbrushing slowly to gradually accustom your dog to having you handle its mouth.

You'll need a dog toothbrush (a wash cloth or gauze pad wrapped around your finger also works well), and toothpaste specially formulated for animal use. Dogs cannot spit, and human toothpaste is not safe to swallow in large quantities. Your dog will most likely swallow whatever you use to clean its teeth with, so it is important to buy toothpaste that has been formulated specifically for dogs. A good alternative for cleaning your dog’s teeth is a solution of vitamin C and water in a ratio of half teaspoon of vitamin C to a cup of water.

Position yourself on the floor, with your dog in front of you. With smaller breeds or puppies, you can hold the dog in your lap. It may be necessary to start with gauze and work up to the toothbrush. Lift your dog's upper lip and clean your dog’s teeth in a circular motion, making sure to brush at the base of each tooth where it meets the gum line. The toothbrush bristles should be angled at 45-degrees to the tooth surface. Also, make sure to clean your dog’s back molar teeth, which are more likely than the front teeth to develop problems. Gently force the bristles into the area around the base of the tooth and the spaces between the teeth with about ten short back and forth strokes, focusing on the outside of the upper teeth.

Do only one or two teeth the first few times. As your dog becomes comfortable with teeth cleaning, brush more teeth in each session. Clean your dog’s teeth twice a week. Always give your dog a small treat after each session.

Hard bones are the primary cause of your dog’s teeth breaking; knuckle bones are soft.

Giving bones to your pet to chew on is an effective method for keeping tarter from accumulating and aids in keeping your dog’s teeth clean. Raw knuckle bones (the joints), from your local butcher or meat counter at the supermarket, are great because they are soft and allow your dog to scrape its teeth into the bone, nicely cleaning food and tartar from teeth. These bones still have some tendons and muscle meat. They will clean your dog’s teeth and provide a nice oral workout as well as a healthy amount of natural calcium. Your dog will enjoy a good knuckle bone. It will be content and relaxed while chewing, and a little sleepy afterwards. Keep your dog on a towel that is easily washed.

Cooked bones can splinter and cause mouth injury as well as intestinal problems.

Supervise your dog to prevent it from swallowing a large piece of bone, which may cause choking or digestive problems. Give your dog bones that are too large to swallow and NOT cooked. Do NOT give unthawed frozen bones to avoid the possible breaking of teeth. Raw carrots are a good substitute for cleaning your dog’s teeth.

Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/1014011/Cleaning-Your-Dogs-Teeth

Common Health Problems and Diseases of Puppies

When I first had my pet, when he's still a puppy, he was so fragile. I guess most of puppies are. They are prone to sickness/diseases. It's always great to take the puppies away from those health problems for all time. And best way to get rid of those problems is to prevent the infections or other health problems basic to intermediate knowledge about caring for your new born puppy is very important.

Here are some of the few common puppy health problems and diseases that a weak puppy might be susceptible to.

Hypothermia:

Hypothermia is one of the major problems. A tiny new born puppy has difficulty regulating it's body temperature as it's thermoregulatory system may not be fully developed yet. One common solution is to keep a new born puppy in a moderate heated environment of 85-90F degrees for the first two to three weeks.

How can you do that? Simple, use a heated dog lamp or warming lamp. Also, it is a good practice to use warm bottles (not hot as they might be dangerous) and a puppy warming blanket. Use hypoallergenic cotton blankets as an alternative because they retain some body heat.

Parvovirus:

This is a common diseases for a young puppy and a dog. As a dog owner, ensure that your puppy is adequately protected against the deadly Parvovirus disease. Parvovirus is a contagious disease that attacks the lining of the dog or puppy's digestive system. It is usually spread through feces of another infected dog. Parvo can also be carried on kennels, crates and accessories of another dog.

Symptoms include lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weariness and putrid smelling dog stool. These symptoms have also been linked to high fever which could lead to congestive heart failure.

Make sure that your puppies are vaccinated under a proper program and a health time table. Veterinarians recommend that infected puppies should not be taken to the dog park or even the yard where they can interact with other dogs, until the proper vaccination and injections are administered.

Colostrum:

This is an anti-body that can be given to your new born puppy at approximately 24 hours after birth.

How? Simple, by feeding your puppy the full-bodied first milk of it's mother. This step if available, is critical to your puppy's health and health problems prevention.

If you are concerned about your new born puppy' slower absorption rate; it is quite common, visit your local vet for a consultation about their Colustum's absorption rate. Your vet will usually do a blood test to check your puppy's anti-body absorption rate and if needed, your vet will then proceed to inject some serum from it's mother to speed up the process.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Wong

Daily Vitamins for Dogs

Just like humans, our pets also need proper nutrition for their daily activities. Some may take their dog's health for granted, thinking that they're healthy physically, where the fact is they're not.

It is known that a healthy diet for our dogs is one of the best ways that we can say "essential" to them in terms of maintaining health and warding them from illness and deadly diseases. However, we're humans right? Therefore, it is necessary that our daily lives are much different from our dogs. In other words we are as "busy" humans that sometimes, we don't have enough time for our pets. And sometimes, we even let them skip their meals...and even feeding them with high-quality commercial food which doesn't provide all the nutrition that an animal needs to stay healthy and strong in today's world.

So what's the most solution to that? Give them a high quality daily vitamin that can supplement them with the optimal level of nutrients that may be missing from their food.

Fat-soluble vitamins:

• Vitamin A plays an important role in bone growth, tooth development, reproduction, cell division and gene expression. Also, the skin, eyes and mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs depend on vitamin A to remain moist.

Sign of deficiency: Conjunctivitis; cataracts, retinal degeneration, and other eye problems; weight loss; muscle weakness; reproductive and developmental disorders
Signs of excess: Skeletal lesions in kittens, particularly outgrowths of the cervical vertebrae, osteoporosis

• Vitamin D plays a critical role in the body’s use of calcium and phosphorous. It increases the amount of calcium absorbed from the small intestine and helps form and maintain bones. Puppies and kittens especially need adequate amounts of vitamin D to develop strong bones and healthy teeth.

Signs of deficiency: Rickets; abnormalities in skeletal development; progressive paralysis; reduction in body weight and food intake
Sign of excess: Poor appetite; vomiting; lethargy; calcification of soft tissues

• Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, protecting vitamins A and C, red blood cells and essential fatty acids from destruction. Research has shown that vitamin E may help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Signs of deficiency: Poor appetite; depression; pain sensitivity in abdomen; fat tissue pathology

• Vitamin K plays an essential role in normal blood clotting and helps promote bone health.

Signs of deficiency: Excess bleeding; prolonged blood clotting time.

Water-soluble vitamins:
B-complex vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins that are not stored in the body, are eliminated in urine, and must be replaced each day. All animals need a continuous supply of them in their diets.

• Vitamin C helps hold body cells together, aids in wound healing, assists in bone and tooth formation, strengthens the blood vessel walls, is vital for the function of the immune system, and improves absorption and utilization of iron. It also helps prevent nutritional ailments such as scurvy. Vitamin C serves as an antioxidant, and works with vitamin E as a free-radical scavenger. Studies suggest that vitamin C may reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and cataracts.

Eight of the water-soluble vitamins are known as the B-complex group: thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, biotin and pantothenic acid. These vitamins are widely distributed in foods. They function as coenzymes that help the body obtain energy from food. They also are important for normal appetite, good vision, healthy skin, a healthy nervous system and red blood cell formation.

Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
Signs of deficiency: Neurological impairments including altered reflexes and convulsive seizures; heart-rate disorders; pathological changes in the central nervous system

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Signs of deficiency: Cataracts; fatty livers; testicular atrophy

Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Signs of deficiency: Poor appetite; weight loss; fiery red tongue, with ulceration and congestion

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Signs of deficiency: Stunted growth; fatty changes in liver; small bowel lesions

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Signs of deficiency: Stunted growth; convulsive seizures; kidney lesions

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) and Folic Acid
Signs of deficiency: Weight loss; vomiting; diarrhea; intestinal disorders

Biotin is a co-enzyme necessary for many reactions in the body. It assists in the making of fatty acids, and in the burning up of fatty acids and carbohydrates for body heat and energy. It also aids in the utilization of amino acids, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B12.
Signs of deficiency: dermatitis and muscle pains

Minerals are found in the bones, teeth, soft tissue, muscle, blood, and nerve cells. They act as catalysts for many biological reactions within the body, including digestion and metabolism of food, transmission of messages throughout the nervous system, and muscle response. They are also important in the production of hormones. There is a synergism that occurs between minerals and other nutrients in the body, and the actions of specific minerals are dependent on the presence and proper amounts of other nutrients.

Important minerals:
• Calcium is essential to the formation of bones and teeth; blood coagulation; nerve impulse transmission; muscle contraction; cell signaling.
Signs of deficiency: Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism; loss of bone mineral content, which can lead to collapse and curvature of lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones; bone pain, which can progress to fractures.

• Chromium is a trace mineral that is essential for the transfer of sugar from the bloodstream to muscle cells, thereby giving them the fuel they need to work. Chromium is involved in maintaining cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and is necessary for muscle function.

• Iodine is important for thyroid hormone synthesis; cell differentiation; growth and development of puppies; regulation of metabolic rate.
Signs of deficiency: Enlargement of thyroid glands
Signs of excess: Excessive tearing, salivation and nasal discharge; dandruff

• Iron is essential to hemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis; energy metabolism.
Signs of deficiency: Poor growth; pale mucous membranes; lethargy; weakness; diarrhea
Signs of Excess: Vomiting and diarrhea

• Magnesium is needed for enzyme functions; muscle and nerve cell membrane stability; hormone secretion and function; mineral structure of bones and teeth.
Signs of deficiency: Poor growth; overextension of the carpal joints; muscle twitching; convulsions
Signs of excess: Urinary tract stone formation in the presence of high pH

• Phosphorus is needed for skeletal structure; DNA and RNA structure; energy metabolism; locomotion; acid-base balance
Sign of deficiency: Hemolytic anemia; locomotor disturbances; metabolic acidosis

• Potassium is needed for acid-base balance; nerve-impulse transmission; enzymatic reactions; transport functions
Signs of deficiency: Poor appetite; retarded growth; neurological disorders, including severe muscle weakness

• Selenium is important for defense against oxidative damage; immune response

• Zinc is needed for enzyme reactions; cell replication; protein and carbohydrate metabolism; skin function; wound healing
Skin lesions; growth retardation; testicular damage

Amino acids

There are 22 different amino acids that mammals need for various metabolic and energy activities. Dogs and cats are able to manufacture 12 of these, but need to get the rest in their diets. Because they are only obtained through food, they are called essential amino acids.

Additionally, cats require taurine in order to live. Without it, our feline friends develop dramatic health problems, including reproductive failure, growth retardation, retinal degeneration and heart failure.

Folic acid (folate)
Signs of deficiency: Decreased growth rate; increased iron levels in blood.

SOURCE: http://www.holisticpetinfo.com/Conditions/vitamins.htm

EYE PROBLEMS IN DOGS… DON’T BE FOOLED

Almost daily every animal hospital receives a call about canine eye problems; and the diversity of concern expressed by the dog’s caretaker runs a wide spectrum. There are times when veterinarians will check a frantic and anxious client’s dog only to discover an insignificant soreness in the dog’s supporting tissues around the eye (called conjunctiva). The very next “eye case” may be an advanced corneal ulcer that has allowed internal contents of the eye to actually protrude through the corneal surface! And that client might calmly state, “It’s been like that for two weeks but we though it would clear up”.

Fortunately in most veterinary practices the entire staff has been directed to prioritize all calls that express concern about a potential ocular difficulty. The reason for expediting the evaluation of any case relating to eye difficulties is that there is no way for verbal description to convey the true nature or severity of the problem. Seemingly innocent conditions can fool you… and result in an ocular emergency rather rapidly. These cases simply must be seen right away.

Let’s take the “squinting dog” as an example. Surely any dog might develop a mild irritation in an eye and squint for a few moments, and extra tear production would be expected, too. But without direct examination of the eye and attendant structures, no one (not even a Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology) would know if the squinting is due to a tiny scratch on the cornea, a cinder hiding beneath the third eyelid or a penetrating wound from a carelessly aimed BB gun! And one of the very first signs of systemic diseases such as Blastomycosis or cancer could be an innocent looking squint.

Read Full Article Here...

How can I Keep my Dog from Overheating?

* Taken from Dogster.com Blog

Hi Dr. Barchas–

I have a seven-year-old St. Bernard. He is very
healthy! With the weather getting warmer, I am
concerned about keeping him cool. The heat really
seems to bother him. When I let him inside he
pants so hard that I am worried he is going to either
pass out or have a heart attack!

So far, I’ve started limiting the amount of time
he’s outside. I took him to the groomer and had
him shaved. I’ve even started giving him dog ice
cream as a treat in the evenings. Nothing seems
to help.

What else can I do to help him? I’m really
concerned about his reaction to the heat this
summer.

Betina
Flower Mound, TX

There is no doubt about it: Saint Bernards were not bred to live in Texas. I am not surprised that your dog is having some trouble with the heat. Over time, he should be able to acclimatize and do well in your climate (I have seen Saint Bernards thriving in steamy, tropical countries). Unfortunately, it could take the beter part of the summer for him to get used to the heat. Until that time, you will have to be careful to prevent overheating and hyperthermia.

You have already taken several steps that I would recommend. I am strongly in favor of keeping him in an air conditioned location during the hottest portion of the day. Whenever he is outside, ensure that he has access to shade. Never leave him in the car on a sunny day, even if it isn´t hot.

All dogs should have access to drinking water at all times. This is especially important if overheating is a concern. Shaving your dog will help to prevent overheating, but remember that it will increase his risk of sunburn.

One thing I´m afraid that I cannot sign off on is the use of ice cream to cool him. Ice cream (even doggie ice cream) can contribute to weight problems, and dogs that are overweight are more likely to suffer from heat stroke. Instead of ice cream, I recommend that you offer ice cubes for him to lick.

Finally, for me there is nothing more refreshing on a hot day than a plunge into a cool swimming pool or the ocean. If you have a pool (and you are willing to let the dog swim in it) he may enjoy it as much as I do. Two caveats: do not leave him in the pool unattended, and do not force him to swim–it should be his choice.

If you are cautious and continue to exercise common sense, it is very likely that your dog will do well over the summer.

Source:

The Facts about Contamination and the Recent Pet Food Recall

Related to the recent recall of certain pet food products, there may be some confusion about wheat gluten as an ingredient in pet foods. The concerns about wheat gluten are understandable, yet are likely based on incomplete information. Wheat gluten is a safe food ingredient and not the reason for the recall. The recall, according to findings of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is the result of contamination—specifically, the introduction of melamine into a food ingredient.

What is Melamine?

Melamine is a chemical substance used to produce durable, heat-resistant plastic for building materials, fire-retardant fabrics and kitchenware. Melamine is not approved for use in pet food or human food and should not be present in wheat gluten or any other food ingredient. The FDA has not yet determined exactly how melamine got into the contaminated wheat gluten.

What is Wheat Gluten?

Wheat gluten is the natural protein extracted from wheat or wheat flour. In addition to its rich protein content, wheat gluten produces the texture and consistency desired in many high quality food products, both human and pet. It has been a trusted food ingredient, used for decades in the preparation of breakfast cereals, high quality pastas and whole wheat bakery goods. Baking represents more than 60% of the total usage worldwide, and many of our healthier multi-grain and whole grain breads would not be appealing without it.

Why is Wheat Gluten an Important Pet Food Ingredient?

Just as wheat gluten is used in human foods, such as breads, to provide a desired consistency and texture, wheat gluten is used in pet foods for similar reasons. Many pet foods use wheat gluten to help other ingredients come together to form nutritious, good tasting, and appealing foods. While primarily used to enhance texture, wheat gluten also provides good quality protein. With 75% concentration of protein by weight, wheat gluten is an excellent source of protein. When used in combination with other protein sources, a balanced level of amino acids can be attained for the dietary needs of the cat and dog. In its complementary effect with other protein sources, wheat gluten also promotes lean muscle mass and healthy organs.

Purina has used wheat gluten in its foods for nearly twenty years without incident. Independent regulatory organizations, including U.S. FDA and the Association of American Feed Control Officials, as well as respected professional organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Institute of Baking, all acknowledge the nutritional value and suitability of wheat gluten in foods for human or pet consumption. There should be no concern with wheat gluten as a pet food ingredient.

Where Does the Wheat Gluten Supply Come From

It should be noted that the wheat gluten used in most pet foods is the same quality wheat gluten used in human foods. It is sourced from the same countries, the same suppliers and inspected to meet the same high human food quality control standards. The U. S. is the largest user of wheat gluten in total, and our country's use of the ingredient in human and pet foods exceeds what is produced domestically by the agricultural industry. As a result, 80% of the U.S. demand for wheat gluten is fulfilled from Europe and Asia due to limited supplies in the U.S., where the remaining 20% is sourced.

An Incident of Contaminated Wheat Gluten

On March 30 the FDA announced discovery of wheat gluten contaminated with melamine from a single supply source. The contaminated wheat gluten represents less than half of 1% of all the wheat gluten used in human and pet foods in the U.S. during the past year. The majority of the contaminated ingredient was supplied to Menu Foods, though it was distributed to other pet food manufacturers, as well. The FDA continues its investigation to ensure that all of the contaminated wheat gluten has been identified and contained. While the FDA further investigates how melamine was introduced into a historically safe and good food ingredient, it is suspected that the melamine contamination may have been caused by tampering.

Nestlé Purina's Immediate Response

Within hours of the March 30 FDA announcement of the melamine contamination, Nestlé Purina determined that a limited quantity of the FDA-identified contaminated wheat gluten had been used in specific, limited production runs at one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities. The company then notified the FDA and immediately began the recall process of limited quantities of Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy canned dog food with specific date codes. Nestlé Purina has strict quality assurance procedures that provide for traceability of ingredients and isolation of finished products, which enabled it to determine that the contaminated wheat gluten was not used in any other Purina products manufactured at its other facilities. The affected Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy and Mighty Dog pouch products, produced by Menu Foods, have been recalled from retail stores.

Rigorous Food Safety and Testing Procedures Strengthened

Nestlé Purina's rigorous food safety and testing procedures are based on significant and likely risks for each particular ingredient, and every incoming load of ingredients, including wheat gluten, is inspected. Until this incident, it has never been a pet food or human food industry standard to test ingredients for melamine. Since this incident, however, Nestlé Purina PetCare has implemented a new process to test for melamine in its wheat gluten supplies. Every lot of wheat gluten is now sampled for the presence of melamine. Nestlé Purina is also implementing additional technology to further screen its pet food ingredients.

Taking Action

Nothing is more important to Nestlé Purina than the health and well-being of the pets whose nutrition has been entrusted to Purina products by their owners. The loss of a pet or a pet's health due to pet food contamination is distressing and frustrating to those involved.

Melamine should not be contained in food. The FDA and Nestlé Purina are taking additional steps to make sure it does not appear in pet food again. These steps include: 1) FDA prohibiting the original supplier of contaminated wheat gluten from any further importation into the U.S.; 2) FDA inspection of 100% of all Chinese wheat gluten offered for import, regardless of the supplier; and 3) Nestlé Purina testing 100% of its wheat gluten shipments for the presence of melamine.

Nestlé Purina associates, most of whom are pet owners and feed Purina products, continue to work diligently with total commitment to address and resolve this situation, respond to concerns of consumers, customers and veterinarians and take whatever actions are necessary to protect the health and well-being of the millions of dogs and cats who eat Purina foods.

Source: http://www.purina.com/WheatGluten.aspx

Exercise is one of the best ways to make dogs healthy

Exercise is one of the best ways for us to stay healthy. Not only to human but also to our pets, to our dogs.

Making dog exercise will help keep its heart, lungs, and muscles strong and healthy so he lives healthier and longer. If you want your dog to run and stretch his legs out, then use toys for him to keep him running and catching games. Walking is a simple exercise and good for both of you. One of the best way to keep them familiar with the neighbors and meeting new friends. It is also best to keep them swim. Like humans, swimming is a wonderful exercise for dogs. Swimming is very good for every part of your dog's body.

Spend some time for your dog, like playing with him to make him feel he's getting you attention.

*Photograph courtesy of Cairns unlimited, your complete guide to Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef and Tropical North Queensland. Find them at www.cairnsunlimited.com

Top 5 Dog Health Problem Symptoms

Protecting your dog's health is the most important thing over anything else. With the proper diagnosis and knowing what to look for will help, you determine some possible reasons for the dog health problems. The top 5 dog health problem symptoms provide knowledge about parvovirus, skin disorders, eye problems, rabies and ear problems. When you see the first signs of a problem, you need to respond appropriately to protect the health of your dog.

Parvovirus

Some symptoms of the disease are weight loss, dehydration, vomiting, fever and nasal discharge. If you see any of these signs, you will need immediate medical attention for your dog. Diarrhea is usually the first symptom, which could be from anything, but when other symptoms appear, you will have a better idea of what you are dealing with. A puppy under the age of six months can contract this disease and will ultimately die. Proper vaccination at an early age will protect the puppy from this horrible disease and death.

Skin Disorders

Some symptoms of a skin disorder will be scratching, inflammation of the skin, and is some cases a discharge of pus from the area that breaks open due to excessive scratching. This requires medical tests and observation to determine if it results from a parasite, both internally and externally, allergy, bacterial or fungal infections and hereditary. The bottom line is there are two different types of shin diseases, hereditary and acquired.

Eye Problems

Red eyes, swollen eyes and weepy eyes are signs of something wrong and should be checked by your veterinarian to determine if is caused by an allergy or a more serious health problem such as conjunctivitis. The problem may also be the result of an injury if the dog plays with other dogs or cats with claws.

Ear Problems

Scratching of the ear, discharge, odor and shaking of the head might indicate some type of ear infection. This also might come from a parasite infestation that invades the ear such as an ear mite. Other reasons for symptoms may be trauma, bacterial and allergies, which will result in ear problems as well. Dogs that have ears that hang down covering the ear canal are more prone to ear problems than other dog because no air gets into the ear to dry it up, so it stays moist and invites infection.

Rabies

Without proper vaccination, the dog that has an encounter with a rabid animal can contract rabies, which will result in death. Symptoms to watch for are change in behavior, foaming of the mouth, biting and aggressive behavior towards people and other animals. This is probably the most serious dog health problem ever, since it can spread the virus through biting. Immediate containment and medical help is needed at the onset of such symptoms to protect your family and society from the spread of rabies.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-5-Dog-Health-Problem-Symptoms&id=637421

Top 10 Dog Food Companies

1. Mars Inc. (Mars Petcare)
   
   Their top dog food brands include Pedigree and Cesar. Mars achieves knowledge about dog nutrition through Waltham research centers.
   
2. Nestlé SA (Nestlé Purina Petcare)
   
   Their top dog food brands include Purina One, Purina Pro Plan, Beneful and VitaLife.
   
3. Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G Petcare)
   
   Their top dog food brands include Eukanuba and Iams.
   
4. Colgate-Palmolive (Hill's Pet Nutrition)
   
   Their top dog food brands include Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet
   
5. Del Monte Foods Co.
   
   Their top dog food brands include Nature's Recipe, Meaty Bone and Kibbles 'n Bits
   
6. Agrolimen SA (Affinity Petcare SA)
   
   Their top dog food brands include Affinity, Brekkies and Ultima.
   
7. Nutro Products Inc.
   
   Their top dog food brands includes Natural Choice Complete and Ultra Dog. Nutro has staked its success and growth on a commitment to the pet speciality channel and usage of all-natural ingredients.
   
8. Unicharm Corp. (Unicharm Petcare Corp.)
   
9. Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (Nisshin Petfood Inc.)
   
10. Nippon Flour Mills Co. Ltd. (Nippon Petfoods Co. Ltd.)
    

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Kremers

Why Chocolates Bad for Your Dog's Health?

Humans love chocolates. We crave for chocolates and love to taste the sweetness they bring. I admit I'm one of chocolate fanatic and always buy loads of and them store them on the fridge. But if chocolate makes us feel good, well, not for dogs, it's a big NO NO.

So why are they bad for your dog's health?- Chocolates contain methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobromine and caffeinea, which are toxic to dogs. They can also contain high amounts of fat which can put your dogs health in jeopardy as well. This means that when a dog takes or have eaten chocolates, they will experience vomiting and diarrhea to panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death in severe cases.

If your dog has eaten a considerable amount of chocolate, or displays any of the above symptoms, take her to the vet right away. If her symptoms are minor, make her eat activated charcoal. The unabsorbed theobromine binds to it and be passed out of the system. (In a pinch, burnt - as in thoroughly blackened - toast will do.)

I myself don't know about this fact before. That's why I did once let my dog ate chocolates. Thank God nothing happened to him. Now that I know, well, it's a wake call... I would never ever feed him chocolates. ;)

Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article169.html