Gastric Dilation / Volvulus -(Bloat)  A brief guide for new owner’s

Bloat is a most serious condition and mainly affects large deep chested breeds, it requires immediate veterinary treatment.

1.  Description.
The stomach becomes dilated due to an abnormal accumulation of gas/air. This 'enlargement often results in a twisting of the gut. This then sets up a series of reactions within the body resulting in a critical condition which is frequently fatal. The series of events can take place very rapidly (within minutes).Bloat usually occurs after the age of 12 months. lt can also affect puppies but this is rare.
2  Causes.
Many theories exist as to the causes of bloat including:
Food Related.
Certain types of food i.e Soya based cereal foods.
Eating too quickly/Eating too much at one meal.
Delays in the passage of food through the gut.
Presence of certain bacteria causing over fermentation.
Physical.
Stress During showing.
Change of environment. (Kennelling).
Fear (Thunderstorms/Fireworks).
Death of an owner or canine companion.
Males living with a bitch in season.
Illness
3  First Signs. (Roughly in order of appearance)
a)  Restlessness
b)  Unproductive vomiting/retching of a saliva type frothy substance which can resemble whisked egg white and/or bubbles.(undigested food is usually not seen)
IT IS NOW TIME TO CALL YOUR VET.     EXPLAIN THAT YOU THINK YOUR DOG HAS BLOAT
c) Abdominal swelling.
d) Tightness over abdomen
e) Stance -Dog stands with head down and legs apart.
f)  Difficulty in breathing / Shock followed by collapse.
4  First Aid
You can give your dog 8 fluid ounces of an antacid. Brand names to look for are:
Actonorm   Altacite Pfus    Asilone     Infacol    Simeco     Polycol
Ask the chemist for an activated type of antacid.  Always keep one in the house and regularly check the expiry date.
Don't wait to see if the antacid improves your dog's condition. Get the dog to the Vet. Time is of the essence.
Not all vets agree with the administering of an antacid so you should check this point with them. lf you have given an antacid to your dog remember to tell your vet which one an how much.
5. Prevention
a) Feed your dog at least twice a day to avoid stomach overloading.
b) Avoid your dog gulping down its food fast.
c) Avoid exercise for at least 1 hour before and 2 hours after a meal.
d) Do not feed before or after any situation that might cause your dog stress.(For Example Dog Shows) If you withhold food on show day DO NOT feed your dog a large meal on returning home. Feed only half the quantity you would normally.
e) Avoid excessive drinking at one time.
f) Avoid leaving your dog for long periods without being checked.
g) Get to know your dog's normal habits and you will recognise in good time when something is wrong.
h) Make sure your vet knows that your breed of dog is susceptible to     bloat and talk to them about it. Ensure that your vet offers 24 hour cover and is close enough to your home in case of an emergency.

6.Treatment   As per your Veterinary Surgeons instructions.
Bloat        www.daneline.co.uk

Do You Feed Your Dog Scraps?

Hands up those who have never given their pet a sneaky tidbit from their plate, under the table maybe, when you think no one is looking. After all who can resist that pleading look, ears pricked forward, tail wagging furiously, so hopeful as they try to will the food from your plate into their mouth! It won't hurt, you tell yourself, it's just a few scraps.

You're probably not going to like what I say next and neither will Rex. Human food is meant for humans and should not be given to your canine friend. Your dog's nutritional needs are quite different to your, our food contains far more ingredients than your pet will ever need, or indeed can digest. Although some of our food might seem the same, i.e. meat, most of the other foods that we eat are not required in your dog's diet.

One of the healthiest diets for a dog is called the BARF diet which stands for Bones And Raw Food, we wouldn't eat bones and yet they are very good for dogs, the same goes for the food that we normally eat, it's good for us but not for dog's.

The food that humans eat can often lead to obesity problems and it can do the same to your pet. People can have problems with obesity. A dog can have this problem too if given a human's diet. Many of the overweight dogs that you see around are overweight as a direct result of being given too much human food by owners that think they are being kind to their pet. But the price paid is often a shortened lifespan and the latter years spent in and out of the vets.

If you have Great Danes, as I do, another good reason to avoid feeding your pet scraps is that they come to expect food from you every time you sit down to eat. Not only do they sit watching you like a hawk, they start to drool. When a Great Dane and other similar breeds with large jowls, start to drool it's as if someone has left a tap running. All this can be avoided by not getting into the habit of feeding them from your plate, fortunately my Danes do not stir from their beds at our mealtimes as they know that none of it is for them.

Some foods are particularly bad for dogs and include cooked chicken bones, (it's OK to give them uncooked ones), chocolate, salt, grapes and even popcorn. These have been known to make a dog very poorly, sometimes they don't survive.

What goes in has to come out, and feeding poor quality food to your dog or changing his diet too often can result in very loose stools in the yard or if you are unlucky they won't make it to the yard. It is much easier to clean up after a dog that is given a good diet which results in smaller firmer motions. You get other benefits of good feeding in the form of a shiny coat, healthy teeth and more energy.

If you want to give your pet an occasional treat or snack, there are many available that are healthy alternatives to human food, such as dried tripe sticks, which most dog's relish.

The next time Rex eye's up your meal, do not be tempted to toss him a scrap, instead make him wait until you have finished your meal in peace and then go and get him one of his doggy snacks. If you never give you pet scraps from your plate, then they never know what they are missing and it makes your life much easier and your pet's life much healthier!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6421984

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Many households have pets to take care of their own. The animal pets have become varied to include other exotic species aside from the traditional cat and dog pets, such as snakes, raccoons, even some fearsome species like the alligators and wolves. In other words, people have become accustomed to owning pets because of the gains they get from such, and therefore should take appropriate measures to having an effective pet care.

Before we engage to a proper pet care, we should first determine the behavior of our identified pets. Important care tips for our pets will let us guide towards a convenient and appropriate pet care. Since some of us have domesticated pets, such as cats and dogs, the behavior of these animals is more or less distinguished. Dogs descended from their wild cousins, the wolves, hence they share many traits and one must take into consideration the beast's aggressive behavior. Cats on the other hand are related to lions, tigers, bobcats and similar species and share some traits related to the latter. On the other hand, exotic pets have greater tendencies to inflict danger to pet owners so proper handling should be taken into consideration.

Before we bring our selected pets at home, first, we should identify their basic needs. Some care tips for domesticated pets such as cats and dogs: they need food, food dish, water bowl, interactive toys, litter box, collars (dogs) to name a few. Feeding our pets depends on their age. This is an important thing in our pet's health checklist. Baby pets are given a high-quality brand-name pet food four times a day in small amounts. As much as possible, generic brands should be avoided. Adults, specially large ones are feed one or two smaller meals a day. We should also limit feeding our pets, especially the smaller ones with human food as these pets may suffer vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

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Another set of care tips: pets also need grooming. This includes bathing and occasional checking of external parasites such as fleas. Unlike humans, these pets have different body textures so one must purchase a different soap intended for them, as generic soap brands used by pet owners might pose certain irritabilities to pets.

It is advisable to see a veterinarian if your pet is sick or injured. Pets need full check-up, shots and a heartworm blood test every year, and also administered some vaccinations to avoid contracting virus disease such as rabies. For a full health checklist, take into account of the pet's dental health, access to certain vaccinations, checking of external parasites, medication, and other important considerations. As suggested, one must seek a professional's help when our pet is sick and needs immediate assistance.

Pet security should also be taken into account. One must know the measures when pet security is put at risk by certain conditions, such as emergencies and disasters. To come up with a good pet security measure, one should follow certain measures such as disaster preparedness tips to avoid losing our beloved treasures. When disasters strike, we need to identify our pets with collars, and now being practiced by many is the use of microchips. Collars (especially for dogs) should display your name, telephone number, and an emergency contact. While collars can become lost due to certain conditions, microchips are a secure means of assuring that your pet is identified with an electronic device that is painlessly implanted in your pet's shoulder area. This way, owners can have increased chances of retrieving their pets. Other disaster preparedness measures include evacuation supplies, evacuation stickers, and emergency support system.

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Feeding your dog is as important ,if not more important than training your dog.  His well-being depends primarily on the dog care and feeding routine you give him.

Like you, doggy requires a balanced nutrient feed that will give required energy and assist in general animal metabolism and growth.
These include water, proteins (amino-acids), vitamins. Fats, carbohydrate, minerals. All these are required in good amounts in your dogs feed

Do you know that dog's care and feeding should not be a chance thing. Best dog food and feeding practice includes all of the following:

1. A Point to Note.

Your dogs' diet must be planned and so is the feeding schedule. Your schedule should take factors as age, weight and his physical condition into consideration.  For grown-ups split food  ration into two meals spaced 10-12 hours apart.

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The younger pups, are usually permanently on a feeding binge. They should be allow to feed more frequently. At they  grow reduce feeding to 3-4 times a day. They will get accustomed to this program  until they mature.

2. Do Not Over-Feed

Especially when we train from puppy stage, we should avoid overfeeding.
It could lead to health problems. Dogs usually grow at certain amounts depending on his specie's maturity size. Good feeding entails regular feeding that takes care of his need.
Avoid feeding at every beck and call, or he may sense that every time is feeding time. This way, monitoring your dog's health and feeding habits well, when feeding is not planned would be impossible.

3. Determine the best feeding program for your  dog.

This is determined by three factors: 1. The age of your pet 2. Its feeding habit 3. Its circumstances. - whether its weaning or recuperating.  Portion-control feeding where measured portions are served twice daily is recommended if he is more than six months and healthy. Determine the right quantities, especially when his feeding is normal.

4. When Dogs are not feeding well

It  may be necessary to find out why. It may be general boredom or he requires some change of environment. You can change to his favorite and serve at other areas around the house. Try some light exercises and take him for  short walk prior to feeding. Doing something different is exciting to him. Try out some tricks and you will find one that helps most.

5. How  to Serve Him

Food should never be served boiling hot. It should be at room temperature.  Its best to serve with a dog feeder or a single bowl. A separate bowl should contain clean water. It provides the necessary body moisture for your dog.  A clean environment keeps your dog healthy and full of vim.

6. See  Your Vet

You may decide to feed your dog from wholly home-prepared feed or your give  a mixture with some amounts of high quality foods. Whatever is your choice , you should always consult with his Vet to determine the best feeding schedule and types of foods that is best for him.

Learn some of the best tips around on how to get the best of dog's mealtime and total care. Your buddy deserves the best.

Wale is a Dog enthusiast and Lover.

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I do not know about you but how often do you think about your dog's teeth? If you are like me not too often.

A dog's teeth should be routinely examined at least once a year by your vet and you as the pet parent should take a peek inside your dog's mouth at least every few months.

Why?

Well believe it or not dog's can fracture their teeth chewing on any number of substances. A build up of plaque can easily hide an already fractured tooth or one-day you could find your dog's face severely swollen and a whopping dental treatment bill in your hands.

It matters not what breed or size your dog is teeth and what a dog does with them all share a common problem chewing on various things from rocks to hard bones.

The most common culprit is the 'nylon dog bone.' These bones are sold with the idea that they are very beneficial to a dog's dental health and that may be so. However they are also the cause of most dental fractures according to many vets due to their hardness and the way dogs chew.

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It seems young dogs and older dogs are the ones most susceptible to fractures from chewing on these bones.

What kind of teeth do dogs have and what ones are the most important?

Puppies are born toothless and within three to six weeks their baby or 'deciduous' teeth will begin to poke through and soon they have 28 teeth.

By the time they are seven to ten months old these teeth will begin to fall out one by one.

Within a year or so they will have 20 top teeth and 22 bottom teeth to replace their baby teeth.

Dogs have four types of teeth in their mouths does not matter what breed or size they are all dogs have the same teeth.

The incisors are located in the front of the mouth and are known as the 'nipping teeth' there are 3 upper and 3 lower teeth.

The canines or the fangs are next and there are 2 upper and 2 lower teeth. These are the 'big' ones and are used grasping and puncturing things.

Next are the gripping teeth known as the premolars. They are behind the canines and there are 4 upper and 4 lower ones

Last but not least are the 'grinders' 2 upper and 3 lower teeth.

The two most powerful teeth in a dog's mouth are the 4th upper premolar and the 1st lower molar they are known as the carnassial teeth.

These teeth overlap when a dog's mouth is closed and can grip and chew an object with a power we can not imagine.

The teeth that are the most important to save for a dog are the fang and carnassial teeth.

What options are available for your dog should it need dental work?

The only treatments currently available are extractions (pulling the tooth) and root canals.

Both require the dog to be sedated.
Of the two choices a root canal is quicker and less painful for the dog.

Extractions can lead to many problems especially if the first molars or canines are affected. Extractions can cause postoperative pain and require pain medication. The dog has to be kept fairly quiet for a week or so and will have stitches that need to heal.

Root canals seal the tooth and generally a dog needs to take an antibiotic for a week or ten days after and will literally suffer no pain.

Should you dog have a problem with any of its teeth I suggest a quick trip to your vet to get the problem taken care of.

Prompt attention can save you and your dog a lot of time pain and suffering.

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As your dog ages, you want to make sure that you can keep him in the peak of health. You know that this means monitoring his diet and keeping an eye on how easily he moves and his energy levels, but did you know that you should also take a look at his eyes? Dry eye is essentially a condition where your dog's tear glands stop working properly and it is something that is fairly common among older dogs. The issue that arises is that when your dog has dry eye, he is going to prone to chronic and painful eye infections. If the irritation gets bad enough, the cornea can become severely scratched and this in turn can lead to ulceration of the wound and blindness.

How can you spot dry eye in your dog? This is a fairly common issue and happily enough, it can be treated fairly quickly. Dry eye will first make itself known through a thick yellowish discharge instead of the clear or cloudy tears that your dog might shed to get rid of debris. The lack of useful tears can mean that bacterial organisms are going to overgrow on the eye and in many cases, you will find that they are around your dog's eyes might look crusty or dusty. Do you notice that your dog is "wiping" his eyes on his foreleg or have you noticed that his sight seems to be worse? He might even be blundering into doorways that he was once able to navigate quite easily.

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If you suspect that your dog might have dry eye, take him to the vet immediately. Your veterinarian will usually proceed by taking a strip of absorbent material and holding it next to your dog's eye, waiting for the tears to develop. The moisture will travel up the strip of absorbent material and this can be compared with the moisture from the eye of a healthy dog. This treatment can be taken care of very quickly and your dog will only need to have the test performed for a minute.

With good treatment, dry eye can be eliminated permanently. The first step is to take care of any infection that the eye is currently undergoing.

Past infections may have also damaged the tear glands or the nerves, and if your dog is taking any sulfa drugs, they need to be halted. Eye drops or ointment can be applied to treat this condition. Cyclosporine ophthalmic ointment as well as tacrolimus might be used for this purpose. If your dog does not respond to these treatments, artificial tears can be used. In very severe cases, a salivary duct can be transplanted into the eyelid area. Though this procedure is rarely used, it is still another option to consider.

As your dog ages, his needs are going to change, and you will find that you are in a place where you need to look into how you are going to accommodate those changes. Take some time and learn more about how to take care of your dog and what his needs are.

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Plaque builds up in your dog's teeth just like they do in your own. You, however, brush your teeth at least twice a day, whereas your dog does not. When plaque has been present in their teeth for a long period of time, they start to turn into tartar and tartar could pose some health risk for your dog. As it increases, it can go deep under your dog's gums and can carry with them some harmful bacteria which could destroy your dog's gums or bring them some disease. So what are the necessary steps for doggie mouth hygiene? They might seem so complicated, but they not. Here are some simple steps that you can take to better care for your dog's teeth.

* Brush you dog's teeth for at least twice a week. Avoid using your own personal toothpaste for your canine simply because they possess a good sense of taste. A tiny amount of that icy cool toothpaste is going to drive your dog crazy and may cause them to be afraid of the teeth cleaning session. Use some specially made dog toothpaste to do the job for you. They can be easily bought at your local pet store. Brushing will keep plaque in a minimum and it will also be a good bonding activity with your dog.

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* Feed your dog some dog biscuits. It is good for them. This crunchy stuff actually cleans your dog's teeth by rubbing against their teeth.

* Give them also some dental chews if you cannot brush their teeth regularly.

* Get some dentistry services for your dog at your veterinarian's clinic. Your dog's teeth can be cleaned, pulled, capped, or filled just like yours. They are quite expensive so if you would like to escape the cost, better start brushing their teeth on your own.

If you do not take care of your dog's teeth or they do not get any professional cleaning, chances are, they are going to develop mouth diseases. These could range from gingivitis, which makes the gums to appear red and swollen, to serious infection which could affect your dog's other internal organs. When these enter through the bloodstream, it may be quite difficult to treat them. You owe it to your dog to take care of their dental health. They will only be of any good to you if you keep them in a strong and healthy condition.

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Dogs are our favorite pets and they can even become our best friends. But at certain points of time the dog might suffer from different kinds of problems. One of the common problems in various species of dogs is joint problem.

In most of the cases it found that the joint problem arises due to canine arthritis. If you have been thinking that arthritis can occur only in human beings then you are wrong. If you do not take proper care of dog joint health then your pet might be in great pain.

The problem usually comes up when your canine friend becomes old. You must always remember that dog health as important as your health because they are living creatures and they can suffer from pain like you. Other than arthritis canine hip dysplasia can also create problems for your favorite pet.

The joint problems in dog can either be degenerative or developmental. If the problem is developmental then the pet might have problems in his elbows or hips while if the problem is degenerative then it can affect a number of areas.

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But in most of the cases it is found that canine arthritis is caused due to ligament problems. The ligament problem can cause instability in the canines and can even lead to osteoarthritis. If you want to save your canine friend from suffering excessive pain then you need to keep an eye on the signs of this problem.

You need to take proper interest in learning about the dog joint health so that you can make your dogs suffer less. When you find the dog is having problems with his common activities then you should understand that something is wrong with him.

He might have great problems in moving easily or he might also have swelling in the joints. He might even feel the pain while moving up and down the stairs or while playing and running with you.

These are the early symptoms of arthritis that you need to take notice of. The dog health problems might make them suffer at any age but it is more common among the older ones. The only problem with them is that they do not have the capability to tell you the problems.

It is your duty to understand them. You might also find these problems more in dogs that are too big and overweight. Other than this, some breeds specifically might have joint problems. So you should perform a good research regarding the different species before you bring them home.

Once you find the signs and symptoms of problem in dog joint health, you need to consult a good veterinarian. He will help you get the right kind of treatment for your canine friend. He might either prescribe some supplements or ask you to take him for a therapy.

Other than this, the doctor might also suggest some home remedies to take care of the dog. It is always important to provide enough vitamins and minerals in dog food to make them strong.

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