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Hip Dysplasia And Golden Retrievers

Posted on February 16, 2011 by admin

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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Giardia In Dogs

Posted on February 10, 2011 by admin

There are still many things that veterinarians don’t know about giardia and infections in dogs. Giardia are actually protozoans — single celled organisms. It’s not uncommon for them to be in the intestines of many animals, including dogs. However, we don’t know just how common giardia is.

Giardia is a parasite. It attaches itself to the lining of the intestine. It can also float free along the lining of the intestine. Some dogs are asymptotic — that is they never show any symptoms. Other dogs will develop symptoms related to a giardia infection. And we don’t know why that is either.

Giardia is usually most dangerous for puppies. The infection can manifest itself as diarrhea and bloody or mucousy stool. Other symptoms associated with giardia include weight loss, listlessness and poor appetite.

A puppy or dog may have a long-term, low grade giardia infection and, when he become stressed for some reason the infection can flare up and become very serious. This means that giardia can linger for a long time.

Giardia exists in two stages: the swimming, feeding stage in your dog’s intestine and the cyst stage that passes through his feces and which is deposited on the ground. These cysts can survive for several months outside the body if there is enough moisture present. If your dog ingests them again, or if another dog ingests them, then the cycle begins all over. This makes giardia very hard to get rid of once it’s on your property.

It’s always important to pick up after your dogs but it’s especially so if you suspect that one of your dogs has a giardia infection. This will help prevent your dog, or one of your other dogs, from becoming infected with the organism.

It is suspected that giardia may also be passed to humans.

If your dog is experiencing ongoing problems with diarrhea, especially if there is bloody or mucousy stool, you should see your vet. Your vet can confirm a diagnosis of giardia by checking your dog’s stool for signs of the giardia cysts. Cysts are only passed occasionally so your vet may need to do 2-3 fecal exams to find evidence of the giardia infection.

If your dog does have giardia then your vet will probably treat the infection with metronidazole or quinacrine. These are the two anti-protozoal drugs most often recommended for dealing with a giardia infection.

Puppies are most at risk of becoming dehydrated from the diarrhea associated with giardia. However, with good veterinary care your puppy or dog should recover from this infection. If you have other dogs it’s a good idea for all of them to be treated whether they are showing symptoms of giardia or not. You will also need to thoroughly rake up even the smallest traces of fecal matter from your property so your dogs can’t become re-infected.

It’s very important to prevent your dogs from sampling manure samples from other animals, including cows and horses. Many animals may carry strains of giardia and your dog may pick them up when he noses around in them.

Although this is the course of action when giardia can be determined, there are many times when your dog may have diarrhea and the cause is unknown. Your vet may be unable to make a definite diagnosis. Giardia may be suspected but your vet may be unable to confirm it. In cases like these you should follow your vet’s best advice. He may decide to treat your dog for a bacterial infection or not treat the diarrhea at all. As long as your dog improves, that’s what really matters.

Giardia In Dogs courtesy Dog Articles.

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Can Dog Food Make My Dog Less Aggressive?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by admin

There is no direct link between dog food and aggression in dogs. It’s probably not possible to point to one particular dog food and say that you shouldn’t feed it because it will make your dog more aggressive. However, feeding a dog a generally poor diet can be a contributing factor in aggression.

There are studies which have suggested that feeding a dog poor quality foods can contribute to aggression. Preservatives and sugar in dog food may be linked to hyperactive behavior which may increase the possibility of aggression. Artificial coloring in some foods have been linked to aggression, hyperactivity, timidity, learning difficulties and other behavioral problems. Insufficient cholesterol in the diet may also be a contributing factor in some dogs since it is needed for proper brain function. Poor diet can also contribute to allergies which can, in turn, increase a likelihood of aggression if the dog is in any kind of physical distress.

At this point some of these links between diet and aggression have only been suggested. There may be little scientific data to back up the assertions. But a poor diet can worsen health and temperament problems in general.

None of this speculation changes the fact that all dogs need to be raised with firm and gentle kindness. Puppies should be well-socialized from an early age and introduced to lots of other friendly people and dogs. But dogs should also be fed a good, nutritious food.

Dogs in general should have a diet that begins with several named meat sources. Owners should try to avoid generic fats and proteins. They should avoid foods that use corn gluten meal. They should avoid meat by-products and digest. They should avoid BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin (artificial preservatives). They should look for foods without artificial colors, sugars and sweeteners. Look for foods with fewer grains. Look for foods that meet AAFCO specifications.

If owners follow these suggestions then they will usually find good dog foods. If there is any truth to the idea that dog foods can contribute to behavior problems and to aggression, then these foods will be much less likely to have a negative effect.

One theory that should be debunked is the idea that feeding your dog meat leads to aggression or that feeding your dog a vegetarian diet will make him more peaceable. Your dog is a carnivore in the broadest sense. He is actually an omnivore in practice – something of a scavenger and able to eat lots of different kinds of food. But physically, he needs meat protein to survive and be healthy. Feeding your dog meat or diets that are based on meat protein do not make him aggressive. They merely meet his dietary needs.

On the other hand, feeding your dog a vegetarian diet can lead to poor nutrition. Your dog is not a vegetarian in any way, shape or form. One of the reasons that you so often hear corn and other grains blasted for their use in dog food is because they are vegetable-based and, therefore, harder for your dog to digest. The same is true for vegetarian-based diets for dogs.

They are harder for your dog to digest and they do not contain the meat protein that your dog needs to be healthy. In addition, they do not make your dog more peaceable or do anything to prevent behavior problems. In fact, by contributing to poor nutrition, vegetarian diets are likely to worsen behavior problems.

Can Dog Food Make My Dog Less Aggressive courtesy Dog Articles.

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