Monday, November 4, 2013

Coping With Dog Health Problems

By Geraldine Dimarco


Dogs are perhaps the animals most people would get for a pet. As such, intensive studies regarding dog health problems have been done to help dog owners from all over to understand the nature of the various diseases; and more than that - to provide the correct treatments for the specific sickness.

There are a lot of dog diseases out there. Some of these are a result of external parasites that disrupt a regular canines generally uneventful life. You can deal with these fleas and ticks by using any of the medicated shampoos and soaps out in the market today.

Internal parasites warrant more concern as they are often more dangerous and less evident in the initial stages. Hookworms, tapeworms, intestinal worms and heartworms cause severe discomfort for the canine that has been infested. You can avoid this primarily by maintaining as clean an environment as you can for the dog and providing a nutritious and good diet for him.

Herpes virus, parvovirus, distemper, influenza and canine hepatitis are viral diseases that canines are susceptible to. The most commonly associated of all viral diseases is rabies. Rabies is contracted when another infected mammal bites your dog. Prevent rabies from becoming a possibility by enlisting your dog with regular vaccination shots.

Any change in the dogs behavior should be monitored closely. Unless it is brought about by natural circumstances like the atmosphere, environment or having a new visitor, you must watch out for any changes because this will be indicative of canine sicknesses he already has. Correctly reading dog symptoms will help your dog immensely.

Some of the changes you should watch out for are depression, anxiety, sudden weight loss, excessive trembling, frequent loss of balance, fatigue and sleepiness. When these symptoms occur, monitor their behavior for a few days and ensure that no further stressful factors enter into the equation. If there are no improvements after a few days, have him checked up. Take note when the changes started and the pattern of it for the record of your veterinarian.

Dogs cannot articulate when they are in pain; they are not equipped to adequately express any distress they may have. There are some breeds that have a high tolerance for pain which makes isolating whatever problem a difficult task for its owner. Aside from whining and howling, look at their posture. If they are stooped and lick at particular areas of their body it is probably the source of their soreness.

Some other dog symptoms you must be aware of are hair loss, loss of appetite, discoloration, lumps and crustiness in the skin, coughing and vomiting. Sick dogs strain to urinate and when they do, it is only in small amounts so look out for this. Inspect the canines eyes and nose for discharge and foul smell.

Dog health problems are a cause of concern but can be addressed easily once the correct prognosis has been confirmed. Take regular trips to the vet to make certain that any infection is determined early on so your pets well-being is protected and safe guarded at all costs.




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