disease

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Dental Care For Your Dog

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Our furry little friends are likely to develop dental disease if their dental needs are ignored. Periodontal disease is not uncommon among dogs, particularly small dog breeds. And just like with humans, these problems can result in bad breath, yellowed teeth, and in the worst of cases, even progress to loss of teeth.

The development of such problems usually begins with such signs as swollen, red, and painful gums. Your pet may have less of an appetite as well. These signs indicate a need for immediate professional care.

Tooth decay and/or the loss of teeth usually indicate the presence of bacteria in the mouth. If left untreated the damage can progress from only involving the mouth to further damage that can include serious complications related to the kidneys, lungs, and heart, all of which can lead to a shortened lifespan. Periodontal problems usually start with the formation of plaque.

Plaque builds on the teeth and in thirty-six hours or less, plaque can harden and tartar can form. This problem usually develops first and the worst in the upper back teeth. Unfortunately, once tartar has formed, it cannot be brushed away.

The good news is that these problems can be avoided. Although healthy routines can be started with any dog at any age, it is always best to start healthy routines with a young puppy. If the dog is older you should insure that he has a professional dental cleaning and then begin the healthy dental routine at home.

If you have a regular routine of brushing your dog’s teeth on a daily basis you can avoid most of these problems. The routine should be established while the dog is young if at all possible. He will then accept the brushing as part of his regular care.

At first the dog will wonder what you are doing so it is best to allow him to taste the doggie toothpaste. These special pastes are formulated to be appealing to dogs. You can use your finger or a special dog toothbrush. Don’t forget to clean both the teeth and the gums. Begin in the back and work in small circular motions. The entire brushing process will take less than a minute.

Providing such things as chew treats, hard dog biscuits and bones, and even soft toys for your pet can help to prevent dental problems. Besides keeping the teeth strong and healthy many of the items are specially formulated to freshen the breath. Feeding crunchy food items on a regular basis is another way to keep your pet’s teeth healthier. Another tip is that while warming your dog’s food will often make it more appealing it is important to insure that the food is only slightly warm and never hot. On the flip side, dogs should not be served cold food.

Dental Care For Your Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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Hip Dysplasia And Golden Retrievers

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Hip dysplasia is a poor formation of the hip joints, which is a common growing disease with younger dogs of virtually every breed.  With larger breeds, unsteady hip joints are common, although hip dysplasia can be a serious problem that will limit the physical activity of your Golden.  Although many Golden Retriever owners don’t realize it, hip dysplasia is something that dogs inherit from their parents, and gets worse with age.

The signs and symptoms of hip dysplasia is nearly impossible to detect with Golden puppies, although it will start to show once the pup has reached the age of nine months.  Even though you may take your Golden to the vet to have him looked at, your vet will tell you that you need to wait to see if the symptoms are there, once the Golden Retriever has reached a certain age.

The symptoms and signs of hip dysplasia vary, although the most common include crippling or the inability to walk properly.  This disease can get better once the dog gets older though, due to the joints stabilizing, the inflammation going down, and the muscles in the hips getting stronger and more mature.  Keep in mind however, that Golden’s who have hip dysplasia when they are younger will more than likely develop arthritis when they get older.

Golden Retrievers that suffer from hip dysplasia aren’t fit for breeding, although they can still live a long and healthy life.  There are certain drugs that your vet can prescribe to your dog, which will help him control his weight and help control the disease.  These drugs can also cut down on the pain as well, helping your Golden enjoy himself as much as possible.

Some Golden Retrievers that have hip dysplasia won’t begin to show any signs at all until they get a few years old, once the muscles start to wear down and the damage to the hip muscles start to become more noticeable.  Although your dog may be active and healthy for most of his puppy years, dysplasia can slow everything down and make your dog look as if he is old and is suffering from the physical attributes of arthritis.

To eliminate the pain of hip dysplasia, there are surgery options available.  Golden Retrievers have a high threshold for pain, and won’t normally show any signs of being in pain, even though you know they are.  X-rays won’t show any signs of pain, although the limping or slow walking will tell you that your dog is hurting.  Golden Retriever’s who have this disease won’t know it – which is why you should help as much as possible.  If you do your part and help your dog seek relief – he will feel better than ever before – although he won’t let you know he hurt any at all.

Hip Dysplasia And Golden Retrievers courtesy Dog Articles.

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Catching Dog Diseases By Knowing the Symptoms

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You probably feel like your dog is a big part of your family.  If that is the case, you want him to be around for many years to come.  In order to make that a reality you need to be sure your dog is in the best health.  There are many symptoms to keep your eye on.

In fact, prevention is the best way to make sure you’ll have a healthy dog for life.  In order to prevent health problems self-education is key.  That way you’ll be prepared when and if those symptoms pop up.

– One thing you might want to pay close attention to is if your dog seems sluggish.  There definitely might be an underlying reason for this.

– Another thing to keep your eye on is limping.  Prod painful areas gently to see if you can determine a location.

– Loss of appetite is another common symptom that sick dogs have.  If your dog is not eating normally you’ll need to examine him for health reasons.  This lack of hunger might lead to some weight loss.

–  On the other hand, a sick dog might be extra thirsty.

– You can also look at your dog’s eyes to see if there are any problems.  Dogs with ulcers, discharge, prominent veins, and sores might be suffering from something much worse.

– The mouth is something that is important to pay attention to as well.  Your dog’s mouth should be a healthy pink.  If you see things like cavities or discoloration it’s worth taking a deeper look.
– Check your dog’s ears.  If there is any fowl smelling discharge you’ll need to make sure your dog does not have an infection.

– Investigate your dog’s head to see if there are any sore areas, hair loss, or wounds

– Make sure there are no sores on the limbs or trunk

– A dog that is vomiting likely has an illness

– Another thing you can do is check your dog’s temperature.  A normal range is between 100.5 and 102.5 ºF.

– If your female dog has a foul discharge you need to take her to the vet.

These signs and symptoms that you find can give you a lot of clues as to an illness your pet is suffering from.  Some possible diseases are:

– Canine Hepatitis
– Enteritis
– Constipation
– Bloat
– Roundworms, tapeworms, or whipworms
– Anemia
– Heart Disease
– Parvovirus
– Kidney Disease
– Eye Infection
– Ruptured Diaphragm
– Bronchitis
– Pneumonia
– Food Poisoning
– Heatstroke
– Allergies
The list of canine diseases goes on and on.  The important thing is that you look for different symptoms.  The better you know your dog’s behavioral and physical condition, the more likely you are to catch changes as they happen.  This will give you a head start in beating any dog diseases.

Catching Dog Diseases By Knowing the Symptoms courtesy Dog Articles.

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Obesity in Pembroke Welsh Corgis

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Pembroke Welsh Corgis come from a long lineage of herding dogs, but today they are more known for being great companion dogs. The claim to fame of this breed is that they became favorites of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II of England during their time. With their endearing appearance, perhaps what a lot of people don’t realize is that Welsh Corgis are also extremely prone to obesity.

Obesity is one of the most common health conditions in dogs. In fact, about 25-40% of dogs today suffer from excessive accumulation of body fat. However, it is the Welsh Corgi genetic makeup and basic temperament that makes them most vulnerable to this nutrition-related health condition. Welsh Corgis are known for their exceptionally unique appearance. They often have stocky, elongated bodies but are paired with extremely short legs. Interestingly enough, their name attests to this fact.

The name “Corgi” translates to “dwarf dog” in Welsh. An average Welsh Corgi stands 10-12 inches high and weighs approximately 25-30 pounds. Welsh Corgis are extremely intelligent. This makes them easy to train but they can also be quite selective of the commands they obey. Just like any other dog, they need ample exercise and mental stimulation, or else they may develop a tendency to become lazy and disengaged. You must know that the primary causes of obesity are overeating and lack of exercise. When your Welsh Corgi ends up consuming more calories than it burns, obesity becomes a problem. Obesity in Welsh Corgis can create a chain reaction of health problems.

Generally, obese dogs experience difficulties in breathing and walking, which in turn makes them unable to tolerate exercise, especially during days with warm weather. And because Welsh Corgis have relatively large bodies for such small legs, excessive body weight can cause strain on their spine to create even more health problems such as arthritis. Of course, there may be other medical reasons for causing obesity in dogs such as diabetes and Cushing’s disease. When obese dogs become insulin resistant, they may end up overeating and drinking in excessive amounts. On the other hand, Cushing’s disease, in which the dog’s adrenal glands produce excessive amounts of hormones, makes them gain weight and experience fat-redistribution.

The best way to keep this problem in check is to pay proper attention to your Welsh Corgi and take it for regular check-ups to the vet. Whatever the cause of obesity is, remember that with enough patience and proper medical attention, health conditions can be conveniently addressed. However, bear in mind that prevention is always better than treatment. Keep your Welsh Corgi active and make sure that it gets the daily exercise that it needs. It would also be helpful to stick to a timetable and diet when it comes to your dog’s nutritional needs. With a little help and encouragement, Welsh Corgis can live long and healthy lives. Lea Mullins, a dog lover, has addressed issues related to Obesity in Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Obesity in Dogs has been a growing concern among all dog owners.

Obesity in Pembroke Welsh Corgis courtesy Dog Articles.

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What Do I Do If My Dog Has Hip Dysplasia?

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Hip dysplasia is a complicated disease that affects both cats and dogs.  It is considered to be an inherited disease but it is polygenic — that means that it is not a case of simply breeding parents together who don’t have hip dysplasia and producing puppies that don’t have the disease.  There are many factors that can affect whether or not a dog develops the disease, even if he has parents with or without hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia results when the cartilage around a dog’s hips shows signs of breaking down.  This can happen for several reasons.  There may be bony projections in the hip joints.  There could be shallow hip sockets.  There can be evidence of bone changes called “remodeling.”  All of these indications are bad because they lead to the breakdown of cartilage in the hip area.  Cartilage is necessary to cushion the hips when a dog walks or moves.  Without proper cartilage the dog begins experiencing some degree of pain.

The breakdown of cartilage leads to various stages of arthritis in the dog’s hips.  This arthritis can be diagnosed by a veterinarian as degenerative joint disease, arthrosis, osteoarthrosis.  These are all painful conditions and can eventually lead to a dog being debilitated and unable to walk.

If your dog is having difficulty with his hips or is showing any signs of pain you should visit your vet to get a professional opinion.  Your vet can make a preliminary diagnosis.  You can also submit the x-ray to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for evaluation.  The x-ray will be viewed by three veterinarians who are extremely experienced in evaluating hip dysplasia.  They can give you a precise rating for your dog’s hips.  Ratings of Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mildly Dysplastic, Poor and Severe may be given.  For cases where dysplasia is indicated the vets report back with a checklist of where the problems are.  Having the opinion of these specialists can provide your vet with more information if your dog is dysplastic.

Many people have their dog’s hips x-rayed when the dog is two years old to find out the dog’s hip status, especially if they are considering breeding the dog at some point.  As a general rule, dogs with ratings below Fair should not be used for breeding unless there are very important extenuating circumstances.

Hip ratings can depend a great deal on the x-rays submitted so it’s important to use a vet who has some experience with taking x-rays for OFA.  Bad x-rays can make even a dog with wonderful hips look like he is dysplastic.

Other people choose to use Penn Hip to evaluate hips for dysplasia.  Penn Hip stands for the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program.  This radiographic technique measure the level of joint laxity in a dog’s hips rather than the absolute position of the joints and bones, as with OFA.  Both systems have their supporters but OFA seems to attract more people.

If your dog does have hip dysplasia a lot will depend on how much he is affected.  This is a degenerative disease meaning that it will get worse with age.  He will most likely become more arthritic as he ages.  Fortunately, there are a lot of things that people can do to help offset the early stages of hip dysplasia.  Many people give their dogs joint supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin and MSM.  You can buy the same supplements for dogs that you buy for yourself in drugstores or places like Walmart.  Ask your vet about the proper dosage for your dog’s weight.

There are many other supplements sold in pet stores for doggy arthritis, such as Dog Gone Pain.  Some dog owners swear by them.  You will have to try them for yourself and see if you think your dog improves when he takes them.  Most dysplastic and arthritic dogs also do better when you keep them from gaining excess weight.  Watch their diet so they aren’t too chubby.  Carrying a lot of extra weight is bad for their hips.

As your dysplastic dog ages he may experience some degree of pain in his hips.  Your vet may recommend using one of the NSAID medications for pain relief, such as Deramaxx.  There are drawbacks to these medications and your vet should advise you about possible side effects.  It’s also advisable to do a blood panel before starting to use an NSAID with a dog to make sure your dog is a good candidate for taking the drug.

There are plenty of dogs who may have some minor degree of hip dysplasia who never exhibit any symptoms.  If your dog does have some hip dysplasia it’s not the end of the world.  He may run and play for the rest of his life without experiencing pain.  Even if he does develop some arthritis there are many ways to counter the problem.  A diagnosis of hip dysplasia doesn’t have to mean the end of good times for you and your dog.

What Do I Do If My Dog Has Hip Dysplasia courtesy Dog Articles

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How Old Should My Puppy Be When I Bring Him Home?

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Puppies come from many different places.  You may be getting a puppy from a shelter or from a breeder.  Wherever your puppy is coming from he needs to learn a lot of things from his mother and siblings before he comes home with you.  Ideally, your puppy should remain with his mother and littermates until he is at least eight weeks old.  Unfortunately, there are people who are separating puppies from their mothers and littermates much earlier than this and sending them home with people at five-six weeks old.  There are a number of reasons this is a bad idea and why you should never take a puppy this young.

At the age of five-six weeks puppies have barely been weaned from their mothers.  They have not yet learned how to be dogs.  When you bring a puppy this young to your home he has not learned any rules.  He doesn’t know that he is not supposed to play too rough.  He has not learned “bite inhibition,” which means that he is more likely to bite you and have a hard time learning that he isn’t supposed to do it.  He has not learned the kind of manners that his mother would teach him.  Your puppy has not learned that there is a pack leader and that he can’t do what he wants all the time.  Your puppy has not learned any dog socialization or social skills.  You are bringing home a cute puppy who is much more likely to grow up to be a brat and develop behavioral problems as an adult.

At the age of five-six weeks your puppy may not have even received his first set of shots.  He is far more likely to develop a deadly disease like Parvo if you bring him home at this age than if you bring home a puppy at the age of eight weeks or later.  Your puppy’s immunity from his mother is virtually gone and he has not been properly immunized by vaccinations yet.  Bringing home a puppy this young is unhealthy for the puppy and for any other dogs in your household.

At the age of five-six weeks a puppy has not received any socialization from the person who brought him into this world.  A good breeder will make sure that a puppy becomes used to things in a house, such as televisions, radios, vacuum cleaners, and scary things like cats, umbrellas, and kids.  When you bring home a puppy who has not met these things they have no human socialization.  They are more likely to grow up to be fearful adults and develop problems like separation anxiety later in life.  A good breeder will also make sure that a puppy receives his first set of shots (at least) before you bring him home.

Good breeders do not release puppies at five-six weeks of age.  They may allow you to meet puppies at this age.  They may make arrangements with you.  But they will not allow puppies to leave their home at such a young age.  It’s too young.

If you are getting a puppy from an animal shelter you may  have to take a puppy at this age because it could be dangerous to leave them in the shelter longer since shelters can house diseases.  Be sure to get your puppy vaccinated against diseases as quickly as possible and take extra care in socializing your puppy in the coming months to try to make up for the socialization he missed with his mother and littermates.

How Old Should My Puppy Be When I Bring Him Home courtesy Dog Articles.

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Common Health Problems In A Welsh Corgi

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While Welsh Corgis are great family pets, unfortunately they come with their fair share of health problems.

Particular care is needed to keep these dogs in shape and avoid over feeding them. Due to their short legs and long body they tend to gain weight easily which can pose a problem with their joints in the future. One good way to keep them in shape is swimming, as it doesn’t put pressure on their back or joints.

The Welsh Corgi is also prone to spinal problems due to the length of its spine, which can lead to early arthritis, particularly for those that are overweight. Biophysical stresses are a renowned problem for these breeds on their spine, which is directly related to the weight of an over-sized belly. This problem has lead to other secondary diseases such as osteoarthritis.

Unfortunately they are also predisposed to developing a disease called DM (Degenerative Myelopathy). A test for this has been developed and is available through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Further research is still being conducted as to why some Welsh Corgi’s develop DM and others don’t.

Pembroke’s in particular are at risk for hip dysplasia, Von Willebrand’s disease and other eye disorders.

Von Willebrand’s is a blood clotting disorder which is only detected by a DNA test. At the moment it is only eliminated by avoiding breeding carriers or affected Pembroke’s together. One parent must be clear to avoid the disease.

As for eye problems, both parents need to have passed CERF rating at least one year before breeding commences, to avoid such problems as persistent papillary membranes (PPM), retinal dysplasia or cataracts. Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a common eye condition with Welsh Corgi’s among other breeds that have protruding eyes. This eye condition is characterized by the deterioration of retina cells which ultimately leads to a progressive loss of sight starting approximately around 5 years of age. Glaucoma is another eye disease that can lead to permanent blindness by predetermined genetics. Glaucoma is the excessive pressure inside the eye which can damage the eye’s internal structures. If glaucoma is not treated quickly permanent loss of vision or complete blindness is inevitable.

Hip dysplasia in these dogs is poly-genetic, where more than one set of genes may be involved. It is important to have as many ancestors tested as possible as well as a fair rating in OFA. This is the best way to avoid dysplasia, but unfortunately there is not a completed guarantee.

Maintaining the recommended weight of Welsh Corgi’s will ensure longevity and a healthy life. These breeds are known to live up to 12 – 15 years. So if you’re looking at having this breed, ensure you stick to a regular diet and exercise regime without over feeding, so you and your family can enjoy the company of your dog for many years to come.

Common Health Problems In A Welsh Corgi courtesy Dog Articles.

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Pet Obesity – A Call to Action

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If your pet is overweight you might be very concerned.  The sad fact is that almost a quarter of our pets are actually overweight.  It’s important to understand why this is happening.  Some think it correlates with the electronic age and the lack of time we all have for our pets.

People tend to take a lot of shortcuts these days.  There are remote controls, microwaves, dishwashers and computers that are all meant to make our lives easier.  These things that are meant to make our lives easier and leave more time for things like walking the dog often do not.  Unfortunately, there is no time.

Sure, our tasks can be completed quickly.  Even so, people are finding other things to fill their time with.  People spend hours on the Internet or in front of the TV screen instead of getting outside and walking the dog.

It is a sad shame that people can’t find pleasure in the simple things anymore.  Our pets are suffering, which is probably a direct cause of our own sedentary lifestyles.  People are even moving into more urban areas with less room for dogs to run around.

Another reason that pets are overweight is because of over-processed pet foods.  Pet owners also feed their dogs unhealthy scraps and think that it will have no effect.

You do need to take notice and action if your pet is overweight.  If it continues your dog will die at an early age.  There are also many diseases associated with obesity.

Some are:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Heart Complications
• Endocrinal Diseases
• Bad Joints

The best thing for you to do if you suspect your dog is overweight is take him to a vet’s office. They can set you straight with an exercise plan and diet for your dog.  You might find that you’ve been doing some things wrong that directly contributed to your dog’s weight problem.

Another thing you can do is make sure you’re not too busy to spend time with your pet.  No matter how busy your schedule is you must make time for your pet.  Your dog will be a lot happier and healthier if you feed him the right things and take the time to do some healthy exercise.

Pet Obesity – A Call to Action courtesy Dog Articles.

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Can You Catch A Disease From Your Dog?

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We all love our four legged friends, but is there a possibility we may catch something from them?

Most everyone is familiar with tales of rabid animals, dogs included. Animals that foam at the mouth, go insane and are more than willing to bite. Chances are, you’ve never met a rabid animal, but you’ve certainly heard of one.

If you’ve ever been bitten by a dog, you’ll know that one of the things they have to do is rabies testing on the animal to make sure there is no way you could contract the disease from the bite.

Obviously, if there’s this much concern, there is definitely the potential for you contracting an illness or disease because of your dog.

Rabies is what is called a Zoonotic Disease. Derived from the Greek word “zoon”, or animal, and “nosos”, or ill, zoonotic diseases are diseases that can be transmitted from a wild or domesticated animal to a human (or vice versa).

While these diseases are relatively rare, they are still something to be considered when approaching strange or stray dogs as well as when handling your own.

Even if your animal does not appear to be ill, he could easily have a parasite you aren’t aware of. For example, hookworms can be present in the feces and (consequently) the salvia of an otherwise healthy dog without your knowledge. If you or your child were to let your dog “kiss” them while he is infected with hookworm, it could very easily be spread to you or your child. This demonstrates the importance of worming your animal early on and making sure your animal has regular check ups.

Hookworms, rabies, salmonella, roundworms, fleas, lyme disease, tapeworms, giardia, ringworm and other bacterial, fungal and parasitic illnesses are zoonotic and can be caught from your animal.

The best solution here is preventative maintenance. For one, always be sure to take your animal to the vet for regular check ups and for his routine vaccinations. If your animal is not sick, there is no way you can catch a sickness from him.

Also, do not handle animal feces directly. Always wear gloves or use a doggy poop bag when handling your animal’s waste. Also, always be sure to pick up any animal waste in your home quickly if there is the potential for your child to come in contact with it.

Wash your hands frequently when handling any animal. At the very least, be sure that wash your hands in between handling an animal and eating or touching your mouth in other ways. Use caution around strange dogs. Even if they appear healthy and friendly, they way very well be carrying a parasitic or fungal infection which could be contagious to you.

While it seems like there is much to be wary about in terms of your animal (or other animals) infecting you, remember that the list of zoonotic diseases is very short in comparison to the number of diseases you can catch from another human. As long as you are sure to worm your animal, treat them with flea/tick treatment if necessary, take them to regular vet check ups and stay hygienic when handling animals, you have very little to worry about.

Can You Catch A Disease From Your Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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Rabies: Is Your Dog At Risk?

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In almost every case of rabies, the infection is fatal. All mammals (including humans) are susceptible to this virus infection, which causes an acute infection of the brain. During the illness disturbances of behavior are noted, which in some species results in unprovoked aggression and the biting of other animals. This is usually the case with an affected dog. And because the rabies virus can be present in saliva, bites and licks from infected animals can spread the disease.


The good news is that the rabies vaccine is very effective in preventing the spread of rabies to pet dogs and cats. And, rabies vaccinations are required by law in most areas, which helps to protect both people and pets. These vaccinations are considered to be core vaccines for dogs and cats.


The particulars of the rabies protocols differ slightly from one state to another and even from one veterinarian to another, but typically, the first vaccine is given to puppies at 12 weeks. A rabies booster vaccine is given a year later and then it is administered either annually or every three years.


Insuring that a pet receives and keeps current with the rabies vaccine is an important component of dog ownership. It protects the family of the pet, the pet itself, as well as other animals and people. When a person is bitten by a dog one of the first things checked is the veterinarian record.


In most cases, if the dog is current with his vaccines, according to the state protocols, the danger of the individual being exposed to rabies is considered negligible. But if the dog was not vaccinated it is likely that the animal will be quarantined for a period of ten to fourteen days. In most cases, the owner of the pet will be responsible for the cost of this confinement which will take place in a secured facility.


Incubation in a person is usually three to eight weeks but it can be as long as two years. Initial symptoms may include numbness around the area of the bite, fever, headaches, and general fatigue.


If a dog is bitten by a rabid animal or is suspected of being infected with rabies the outcome will be much more positive if the dog has been vaccinated against rabies. If so, in most cases the pet will be re-vaccinated and confined for a period of time (which varies from state to state, generally from 30 – 50 days).


If the animal was not vaccinated and the exposure is confirmed the usual recommendation is euthanasia for the pet. Otherwise, the pet is quarantined for a lengthy period of time, often for as long as six months. The confinement takes place in a secure facility and the pet owner is liable for the expenses incurred. Fines are also assessed for not having the pet properly vaccinated.  If the dog shows signs of illness euthanasia is likely.


When an animal is infected with the rabies virus the infection or virus is replicated in tissues throughout the body and it eventually reaches the brain. When it does there is personality change in the animal. The dog is likely to be aggressive and dangerous to be around. Soon afterward the animal’s throat is likely to become paralyzed, preventing him from swallowing. In this phase you are likely to see drooling or foaming at the mouth. Death usually occurs within ten days from the time the brain of the animal becomes infected.

Rabies: Is Your Dog At Risk courtesy of Dog Articles.

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