Can I Train My Dog

What You Should Know About Dog Health Care – The things they don’t tell you on the packet of dog food.

All canines need grooming regularly, especially those with long or curly coats.  This is a vital aspect of dog health care.  Don’t think you can get away without brushing your short-coated dog, as they still shed hair and benefit from a frequent rub-down with a hound brush.  True, you can leave it for a bit longer between brushes with no major ill-effect.  Still, your pet will look and feel better for the brushing.   It’s a good idea to handle him/her in this way from puppy hood to make sure he or she is used to it.

Dog health care also involves looking for parasites whilst grooming, and particularly grass seeds in the feet, which can cause painful abscesses if left.  The feet should be examined daily, particularly in long-haired breeds, for thorns and grass seeds.  They can get boils in the feet, skin allergies on the pads, and inter digital cysts.  The more often you check for this, the more suffering you can prevent your pet.

Claw trimming is also important, especially if your dog spends a lot of time walking or running on soft surfaces like grass.  Urban dogs may well manage to keep their nails in trim by walking on hard ground like sidewalks, but it pays to keep an eye on the claws.  It is important to get the animal accustomed to this from an early age, as some dogs do become very reluctant to have their feet handled in this way.  It is understandable, as it is too easy to cut the sensitive quick of the claw and make it bleed, which is painful for the dog.  You know yourself how much it hurts if you break a nail into the quick!  Some owners find this task very difficult, particularly with black-clawed dogs where the quick is not visible.  A visit to a dog health care professional like a vet or grooming parlor might be the answer.

Ears should also be looked at as part of your routine health care checks on your dog.  They should be cleaned if you can see a lot of dark, mucky wax in there.  If your dog is shaking its head, that could indicate ear mites or grass seeds in the ear.  If in doubt, take him to a veterinarian, especially if the ears smell nasty in any way.

It’s a great idea to get your dog used to having his teeth brushed from being small.  You can get special dog toothbrushes.  Some are like thimbles you put on your finger with rubber knobbles on them.  Doggy toothpaste is also available which tastes good to the so he doesn’t hate the experience too much.  It’s good to examine the teeth to check if anything has become lodged in them, and if any teeth might need dental attention from the vet.  You can largely avoid dental problems by giving dried food and hard chews such as pigs ears every day.  This is much better for the teeth than sloppy, soft food which encourages the growth of tartar.

These are just the basic elements of routine dog health care and maintenance you might have to think about before getting a canine pet.  If you have a more detailed dog health care question, you might find information the internet, or if it is a serious matter you should consult a vet.

Can I Train a Dog News

Can I Train a Dog

Pyometra in the Dog

There are some conditions, for example bloat, which strike fear into the heart of the dog owner.  These problems need instant action on your part in order to save your dog’s life.

Pyometra, or infection of the uterus, is a very serious condition in the dog.  All owners of bitches should be aware of this condition.  They should be ready to take the animal to a veterinary surgeon at the first signs of it, as the dog will probably need a life-saving operation.  Put bluntly, it is the build-up of pus in the womb. 

Pyometra is often found in the older bitch when she has never had puppies, because there is some deterioration in the tissues of the uterus over time.  This is one reason people often say that a bitch should be allowed to have a litter.  This is a rather old-fashioned and sentimental view .  It is not necessary to breed your bitch, especially if she is a cross-breed or of an inferior pedigree.  Unwanted puppies are also a social and humane problem.  Pyometra can also, but more seldom, be found in a young bitch as a complication of whelping.  It can even be caught from the stud dog.

If you don’t intend to breed from your bitch, it is the kindest and most sensible of actions to have her neutered. The spayed bitch has had the uterus removed, so obviously taking out the organ means it can’t possibly cause infection in later life.  Neutering is also desirable for other reasons if you don’t want her to whelp:  It avoids the difficulties of a bitch in season, both in terms of mess around the house and the attraction of male dogs.

Pyometra can be rapidly fatal and has two types:  open, where the pus can escape via the vagina, and closed, where it can’t.  The latter form is obviously the more dangerous and acute, as the pus builds up more, causing the uterus to swell and become very painful.  Watch out for increased thirst and abdominal swelling at all times, but especially four to six weeks after your bitch’s season. Increased diligence is needed for the older, unspayed bitch.

The symptoms can vary, but these are usual, in an upward scale of seriousness:

1.  Lack of appetite.
2.  Fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or 39.5 Celcius and above.
3.  Brown/pink vaginal discharge (in the open type)
4.  Enormous thirst
5.  Vomiting
6.  Collapse
7.  Toxemia (bacterial blood poisoning).

It cannot be stressed enough that bitches at risk should always be watched for these symptoms.  Pyometra is one of the most acute, nasty and potentially fatal conditions that can affect a dog.  Fast action in getting her to a veterinary surgeon could save her life.

Can I Train a Dog News

Can I Train a Dog