Health tips and advice » Pet Owner

Rising Heat Means Rising Risks For Pets – 5 Tips to Pet Health Safety

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:55:01 +0000

For most people, the start of the summer is a happy event. There will be pool parties, barbecues, and many trips to amusement parks. But for our beloved pets, facing rising temperatures without precautionary measures in place could lead to premature death, one that could be avoided.

Our pets are just as eager for some fun in the sun but just like for humans, we must remember to take some careful measures to ensure they can withstand the summer heat to avoid a host of other potential problems. Below are some life-saving tips:

Beware Of Lawns:

Neighboring lawns or large fields at parks should be one of the biggest concerns for pet owners, especially dog owners. The reason for this is due to pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides being used by many homeowners to protect their lawns when warm weather arrives.

Plants:

There are certain plants and flowers, if ingested can be quite harmful to pets. As reported by the Humane Society of the United States, more than 700 plants has been named as producing toxic substances that can be harmful to animals.

You may even have some of them in your very own backyard such as apple trees (seeds can be harmful to an animal’s health) and holy shrubs (berries fall into the poisonous category). Although it may be impossible, as a pet owner, to avoid lawns entirely, be very mindful of the surrounding whenever you and your pet are out taking a stroll around the neighborhood.

Certain Temperatures Must Be Avoided:

It’s only natural to want to take your pet along with you on routine errands once the warm weather returns. Taking car trips to the supermarket and the post office may seem relatively harmless but, in fact, it can turn into a very dangerous situation for your pet.

It doesn’t take long for cars to heat up even when parked in the shade. The temperature inside a car can reach 120 F in a matter of minutes, as this is common on a hot day. Pet owners will more than likely have the air conditioning on while they’re driving – the AC is typically turned off once getting out of the car.

This leaves pets to sit in what rapidly becomes sweltering heat. The consequences are many: heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and even brain damage can occur. The safest route to take is to, in general, during summer months, to leave your pet at home as you go out to run errands.

Heart Worm Protection/Symptoms Of Dog Worms:

During the winter, many pet owners stop giving their pets heartworm medication. You will find that most veterinarians are accepting of this because heartworm is transmitted through mosquitoes, which aren’t present during the colder months.

A dry cough can sometimes be a sign of heartworm. Other worms might cause a decrease in weight or difficulty in gaining weight. Be sure to check your pet’s stool as it may also contain worms as well.

Pet owners should resume giving their pets the heartworm medication again once the weather heats up. The reason for this is because heartworm is a blood disease that can be very painful for pets. At the point of infection, the heartworm lava can grow and turn into worms, which then live in the blood vessels surrounding the heart and lungs.

What comes next is the adult worms begin to mate and circulate throughout an animal’s bloodstream. Since the cost of prevention is relatively low, many veterinarians are amazed at the prevalence of heartworm. Although heartworm is indeed treatable once an animal has been infected, such treatment can be excruciatingly painful for the animal.

But there is good news: This fate can be avoided.

How?

By simply giving your pet – although heartworm is most commonly transmitted to dogs, it can infect cats, too – heartworm medication long before the start of spring. To be on the safe side, continue the medication all year round.

The responsible pet owner will be careful to take mental notes of how much activity their pet can handle in warmer weather. Dogs with thick coats, short-nosed dogs, and senior dogs generally experience great difficulty handling a lot of activity as they normally do in other seasons.

This of course, is not a license for them not to exercise, but pet owners should be very mindful about when these types of pets get their exercise. The best times would be early morning or evening hours because the temperature is at its’ coolest.

Avoid Summer Carnivals/Fairs With Pets:

For many pets, heat can cause them a great deal of stress. And if you add on the mixture of large crowds and loud noises, this can cause your pets to suffer from anxiety.

To be on the safe side, it is generally a good idea to leave pets in the home when attending such gatherings and this includes celebrations such as: Fourth of July fireworks as this can trigger anxiety in pets and should be avoided.

By: Yves Marie Danie

Yorkshire Terriers – Dental Health Tips For Your Yorkie

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:37:48 +0000

Yorkshire terriers can be prone to dental problems. Maintaining your Yorkie’s dental health is important to their overall health and well-being. There are many reasons that these small dogs sometimes end up losing all of their teeth at an early age. It is up to you as a pet owner and lover to care for every aspect of their health. These are some tips on what you can do to insure that your Yorkshire terrier has good dental health.

Look at what you feed your Yorkie every day. If the food is almost all canned, there are bound to be problems at an early age. Instead, try mixing dry and canned food together. Over time you will be able to give less wet food and more dry kibble. Have your veterinarian check your Yorkie’s teeth every year. Ask for their recommendation on how often you should have their teeth cleaned. I have my Yorkie’s teeth cleaned every two years. The vet must put your dog under a general anesthesia in order to do a teeth cleaning, so you may want to wait until they are having another procedure done before you have them cleaned. As dogs get older, the general anesthesia becomes more risky, so you may want to have your dog’s teeth cleaned every three years instead of every two. Give your dogs something hard to chew on. There are many products available online or at your local pet store that will strengthen your Yorkshire terrier’s teeth and gums. Be careful not to give them anything that will break their teeth, whether it is a chew toy or dry food that is too large or too hard for them to break easily. Brush your dog’s teeth at home. There are special brushes and toothpaste that you can easily use at home. Once your Yorkie gets in the routine of doing this, they may even think that it’s a game and have fun.

These are some tips to help you with your Yorkie’s dental health. Tooth loss can lead to infection and malnutrition.

By: Connie Ragen Green

Dog Health Tips to Prevent Dog Health Problems

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:25:25 +0000

As the pet owner, your dogs health will be your main responsibility. That is why it is very important that you can perfectly manage it. This way, you will be able to extend the life of your pet. You will also be able to provide him with a sound mind and body, allowing him to be your most perfect company and source of entertainment.

Generally, the kind of care and treatment that you are going to give will be dependent on their dog health problems. Nevertheless, just to make sure that he remains healthy all throughout his life, here are some pointers:

1. Get him some exercise. Though there are dogs that are normally inactive, they still need to be exercised in order to strengthen their stamina, as well as to prevent them from getting obese because of constant eating. You can ask some assistance with your vet regarding which type of exercise is perfect for your breed.

2. Provide him with dog health supplements. Your dog needs nourishment, but you can further improve his overall health condition through dog health supplements. You just need to make sure, however, that these are well-trusted brands. Otherwise, they may have some negative effects to your dog.

3. Prepare a vaccination schedule. Just like those of humans, there are also dog health vaccinations. They can help prevent infections and viruses from damaging the health of your puppy. You have to maintain a vaccination schedule since some of them may require a follow-up either few months or years, while your dog is growing up.

4. Annually take him to the vet. The vets are the most ideal persons to answer dog health questions, though you can find some good information in the World Wide Web these days. Their experience and knowledge will help you understand dog health a lot better.

5. The number one tip that I can give you is to educate yourself on dog health. Different dog breeds have different health problems. Some dog breeds have problems with the seizures. While other dog breeds can have problems with their joints and bones. Getting an information resource on dog health is something that every responsible dog owner should do. Not only can they help you with the major problems associated with some dog breeds. They can also help you with the every day, minor ailments that every dog owner will face from time to time.

Educating yourself on dog health with the good information found on the World Wide Web will help you from taking unnecessary trips to the vet. This equals into saving you a lot of money from unnecessary vet bills.

By: Jim Crihfield

Dog Health Info – Quick Tips For Dog Health

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:39:43 +0000

Ask any pet owner and they will tell you that your dogs health problems should get the same attention as we give to our own health problems. Our dogs can face the same illnesses that we do, such as: arthritis, depression, diabetes, kidney infection or disease, hepatitis, prostate or liver disorders, and even cancer. That’s in addition to unique dogs health problems like heartworm and kennel cough, to name just a few. Throw into that combination of dogs health problems, fleas and ticks and you can quickly see what your dog can face.

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I wish my dog could just tell me what’s wrong?” You will be happy to know that they do often tell us, maybe not in words, but in their behavior and appearance. You have to put your doggy doctor’s hat on and be observant of your dogs health, because early detection of a dogs health problem can mean that medical treatments are usually simpler, less expensive and more successful.

Good dogs health care requires watching for behavioral changes like loss of energy, appetite, or elimination problems. Examine your dog’s eyes, they should be bright and clear, in older dogs the lens may be pale. Although your dog’s nose should be moist and cool most of the time, a dry warm nose does not always mean fever. Feel your dog’s body and limbs for lumps or soreness. Watch that his bowel movements are regular and well formed and his urine is clear. Your dogs coat is shiny and sheds normally.

Have you noticed your dog shaking his head or holding it to one side, rubbing his head against the furniture or carpet? Ear infection is common with dogs, so for good dogs health, check his ears. Do they smell bad or are they tender or red? Is there a yellow, brown or black discharge in one or both ears? Usually this is an outer ear infection and is easily solved.

First, try to clean the ears with white vinegar. Pour a small amount into the ear canal then massage the area gently and dry the ear with a cotton ball. Do this once a day until the ear is better. If after a few days you still notice your dog scratching the ear frequently, this can lead to more serious problems: causing blood vessels to break in the earflap and swelling, which can cause permanent ear damage, so take your dog to the vet.

Take your dog’s health care seriously. If your dog is down and you’re not quite sure what is wrong; take your dogs temperature. This rectal temperature reading is not difficult but is usually best performed with two people, one holding the dog. Lubricate the thermometer with petroleum jelly and slowly slide it into the dog about an inch deep. Wait about two minutes for a mercury thermometer. If your dog sits on the thermometer and breaks it, give him a teaspoon of mineral oil to cause a bowel movement. Do not attempt to remove the thermometer yourself, and call your veterinarian immediately.

A dog’s normal body temperature ranges between 100.5° Fahrenheit (38.1°C) and 102.5° Fahrenheit (39.2°C). If you ever find your dogs temperature below 99° Fahrenheit (37.2°C), or above 104°Fahrenheit (40°C) this is extremely serious and you should take your dog to the veterinarian immediately.

A dog’s health care is usually uncomplicated; most dogs lead healthy and normal lives and overcome the occasional upset stomachs, cuts and bruises. If you keep your dog on a normal diet, give him lots of love and attention, you will most likely only need to see the vet for check-ups and vaccinations.

When it comes to your dogs health care you must learn to trust your gut feelings. If your dog shows signs of illness consult your veterinarian. Remember that you can put on your doggy doctors hat and gather the clues: but your veterinarian is the only one that can make a final and accurate diagnosis.

In an emergency visiting a veterinarian can be stressful for both you and your dog. Anxiety builds with each moment because not only are you are concerned for your dog – but you have no idea of what this visit will cost. You feel a little intimidated because you don’t want to come right out and ask; that feels a little tacky, but yet you need to know. Most dog lovers agree that having pet insurance is the only way to go. You’ll be glad to know that pet insurance for your dog and other animals is usually a lot less expensive than you think; and through the course of your dog’s life, you can actually save money by having pet insurance!

By: Scott Tibbs