Dog|dog-123.com
Feb
27
Filed Under (Dogs) by dog
thinkerbelle1 asked:
My dog is allergic to many foods, particularly high protien foods such as meat. My household includes myself, my husband, two teen aged sons and an elderly aunt who suffers from early stages of alziemers. The aunt frequently forgets that no one is to feed the dog but me, and gives her some of whatever she is eating. This is causing some serious health problems for the dog. I’m thinking the best thing would be to train the dog to refuse anything to eat from anyone but myself. Anyone have any ideas of how to do this aside from locking the dog away from the aunt. They are really great friends and keep each other company while the rest of us need to be gone.
DON
My dog is allergic to many foods, particularly high protien foods such as meat. My household includes myself, my husband, two teen aged sons and an elderly aunt who suffers from early stages of alziemers. The aunt frequently forgets that no one is to feed the dog but me, and gives her some of whatever she is eating. This is causing some serious health problems for the dog. I’m thinking the best thing would be to train the dog to refuse anything to eat from anyone but myself. Anyone have any ideas of how to do this aside from locking the dog away from the aunt. They are really great friends and keep each other company while the rest of us need to be gone.
DON
Feb
26
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
Kayye Nynne asked:
Ever noticed the sniffy hauteur with which purebred dog owners appraise mixed breed dogs? You can almost see them flinch as their condescending eye roves across the form of the objectionable mutt while they grudgingly concede that perhaps their refined canine specimen and that pollutant mutt do indeed belong to the same species! In fact you need only trawl various online dog forums to experience firsthand just how contentious the issue of mutt versus purebred really is. Yet much as purebred dog owners may put down the humble mutt or mixed breed dog the strange thing is:
Purebred Dogs Are Merely Strain-Refined Mutts!
Doberman Pinscher: The Doberman Pinscher dog breed was the brainchild of door-to-door tax collector Herr Louis Doberman. Whether Herr Doberman developed this dog breed as enforcer or protector has never been truly established but one aspect that is not in contention is the fact that his was an unenviable profession! It is well documented that since biblical times the tax collector has been much reviled; even today the tax collector is the subject of scorn and disgust. If you truly want to belabor the point, the next time you are at a social gathering, casually mention that you work for the IRS and watch the little-witnessed phenomenon of how so many can disappear so quickly!
However back to Herr Doberman and his dangerous profession; tired of being pushed about and quite possibly being set upon by irate tax payers, poor Herr Doberman came up with the novel yet economic solution of developing a dog breed that would be both enforcer and protector! The “ingredients” for his new dog breed included the following: Rottweiler; German Pinscher; Greyhound and the Manchester Terrier. Though some wishful fanciers contend that the German Shepherd dog was also involved in the genetic compilation of the Doberman Pinscher, this is highly unlikely since the development of the German Shepherd occurred a little later than that of the Doberman Pinscher.
The early form of the Doberman Pinscher dog was not the sleek lean machine that epitomizes the breed today, but it was a heavier-boned dog somewhat more similar in appearance to the Rottweiler dog breed. Subsequent tweaks by later breeders eventually resulted with the sleek contemporary dog that defines the modern Doberman Pinscher. The point of note here is that the Doberman Pinscher, a well-known dog breed that is officially recognized by countless of International Kennels such as the AKC, was a crossbreed developed from various other dog breeds before it attained the holy-grail status of purebred!
Verdict: The Doberman Pinscher, like all the other so-called purebred dogs is nothing more than a strain refined mutt. Sniff! What can I say…these pesky mongrels are everywhere, most of them disguising themselves as well-established purebreds!
Designer/Hybrid Dogs
Though the Labradoodle is widely accredited as the crossbreed dog that set the whole designer-dog movement rolling along at a good clip, the truth of the matter is that other well established crossbreeds already existed. One such crossbreed or so-called designer dog is the Cockerpoo (Cockapoo), a cross between the American Cocker Spaniel and a Miniature Poodle. The Cockerpoo has been in existence since the 1960s (in contrast to the Labradoodle which was developed in the 1980s). The Cockerpoo is currently so well established in North America that there is a strong movement to consolidate a breeding standard.
These days “Oodles” or “Poos” (Poodle hybrids) are practically everywhere in North America for the simple reason they translate into mega bucks. Though the Labradoodle (perhaps the best known Poodle derivative) was developed with a utilitarian purpose in mind, most designer dogs have no other function than to propel a burgeoning and lucrative market for these hybrid dogs; as it so happens, backyard breeders very quickly recognized the enormous profits to be had from designer dogs.
To date the designer dog market is flourishing, strong evidence that people are quite willing to shell out mega bucks so as to differentiate themselves from the rest of the crowd. And perhaps you’ve noticed, nobody refers to these mutts as well…mutts, for the simple reason crossbreeds do not satisfy people’s sniff factor! (Sniff Factor defines the human tendency to snobbishness; in earlier times the upper classes were predisposed to strolling about with their noses pointed skywards as an expression of their obvious class superiority (as though reaching for air unpolluted by the masses!) Calling a mongrel a designer dog is certain to guarantee a far better price than if the animal were addressed as a crossbreed.
The unfortunate fallout of this whole designer dog issue, is that there’re now many more dogs in shelters and rescues, as well as dogs being euthanized, because of unethical breeders, who without regard to genetics, breed thousands of these dogs every year in a bid to capitalize on the public’s ignorance and insatiable appetite for “exclusive” or “limited” dogs.
So how did this designer dog brouhaha really begin?
Good Intentions Open Pandora’s Box
Sometime during the 1980s, Wally Conron, the breeding manager for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia embarked on a quest to develop a non-allergenic guide dog for a visually impaired client whose husband happened to be allergic to common dog fur. Conron settled on the standard Poodle as the ideal cross with the already established Labradors in use at their center, for the simple fact that the Poodle,s as a highly trainable working dog with tightly curled coat, constituted a the best-fit match.
After two years of trials including 33 successive disappointment runs, Wally Conron hit pay dirt! A cross mating between one of their most prized Labradors and a Poodle specimen resulted in a litter of 3 non-allergenic puppies. Sultan the 1st ever Labradoodle destined for guide-dog greatness was introduced to his new owner amidst great fanfare. The bonding was a great success and Conron was confident that the remaining two puppies would quickly be snapped up; after all, the center at which he worked had a 6-month backlog of requests from people hoping to foster a dog. But he miscalculated; nobody it seemed wanted a dog that was associated with the dirty word crossbreed.
As eight weeks rolled by, the remaining two pups still hadn’t found homes and the critical-period window in which they needed to bond with a new owner and thus become successful guide dogs was closing fast. Out of sheer frustration Wally Conron decided to call his new dog breed the Labradoodle and thenceforth stopped referring to them as crossbreeds. That was the eureka moment he had been waiting for (evidence of the sniff factor in play again)!
Within weeks, requests for this new “miracle dog” inundated the center…the rest as the saying goes, was history! Other than the Labradoodle, few designer dogs have been developed for utilitarian purposes and in fact for the most part new breeds are introduced for purely cosmetic purposes. Having said that though, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the fact that some new dog breeds are currently being developed to address the all pervasive problem of genetic disease in the canine; especially in the more popular breeds.
Some other well-established crossbreeds are the Bull Boxer which is a cross between the Boxer and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The Bull Boxer is said to be a more affable dog, especially towards other pets, than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and is also reputed to be less inclined to exhibit the immature behaviorisms characteristic of the Boxer. By and large though, the substantial prevalence of the designer-dog set is to be found firmly within the realm of Poodle mixes. Such Poodle mixes usually go by names, which if not exactly flattering, are to say the least, colorful:
1. Doxiepoo (Dachshund Poodle Mix)
2. Papipoo (Papillon Poodle Mix)
3. Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever Poodle Mix)
4. Jack-A-Poo (Jack Russell Terrier Poodle Mix)
5. Irish Doodle (Irish Setter Poodle Mix) to name but a few.
Verdict: Sniff! These dogs may go under the guise of designer dog…but let’s be honest, they are no more than glorified mutts!
The Humble Yet Ubiquitous Mutt
So where does the lowly mutt fit in this picture of brave new doggy world; that is to say, other than bearing the brunt of the purebred afficionado’s scorn! Well as I have amply illustrated in the paragraphs above, all dog breeds are essentially mixed breeds even the purebreds. Purebred dogs are so entitled because over several generations they have been specifically bred for selective traits. But therein lies their Achilles’ heel or weakness. Due to such selective-trait breeding, purebred dogs have an inherently high prevalence of genetic disease.
A classic example illustrating some of the problems encountered in trait-selective breeding can be found in the history of the Dalmatian. Breeding for the sharply-defined spot trait unintentionally also led to selective breeding for an abnormal uric acid gene (case of gene linkage). The result was that the Dalmatian dog breed was dogged (no pun intended) with hereditary urine stone disease. In an attempt to rectify the problem yet retain the desired spot pattern, the Dalmatian was crossbred with various Pointer breeds (Sniff! Sniff! What did I tell you…all mutts the lot of them!).
Conversely the lack of trait-selective breeding and a diverse gene pool in the mutt makes such dogs so much healthier and more robust than their purebred counterparts! Thus unless you’re going to develop your own dog breed, if all you’re looking for in a dog is a pet, do yourself, your pocket as well as the millions of dogs on death row a favor and adopt a dog from a shelter! Trust me, they make excellent pets. (Shelters cannot house dogs forever and each year more than 7,000,000 cats and dogs are euthanized!)
Verdict: Hmmm…the lowly mutt. At last! A dog without pretensions!
Designer Dog Breeds
GUS
Ever noticed the sniffy hauteur with which purebred dog owners appraise mixed breed dogs? You can almost see them flinch as their condescending eye roves across the form of the objectionable mutt while they grudgingly concede that perhaps their refined canine specimen and that pollutant mutt do indeed belong to the same species! In fact you need only trawl various online dog forums to experience firsthand just how contentious the issue of mutt versus purebred really is. Yet much as purebred dog owners may put down the humble mutt or mixed breed dog the strange thing is:
Purebred Dogs Are Merely Strain-Refined Mutts!
Doberman Pinscher: The Doberman Pinscher dog breed was the brainchild of door-to-door tax collector Herr Louis Doberman. Whether Herr Doberman developed this dog breed as enforcer or protector has never been truly established but one aspect that is not in contention is the fact that his was an unenviable profession! It is well documented that since biblical times the tax collector has been much reviled; even today the tax collector is the subject of scorn and disgust. If you truly want to belabor the point, the next time you are at a social gathering, casually mention that you work for the IRS and watch the little-witnessed phenomenon of how so many can disappear so quickly!
However back to Herr Doberman and his dangerous profession; tired of being pushed about and quite possibly being set upon by irate tax payers, poor Herr Doberman came up with the novel yet economic solution of developing a dog breed that would be both enforcer and protector! The “ingredients” for his new dog breed included the following: Rottweiler; German Pinscher; Greyhound and the Manchester Terrier. Though some wishful fanciers contend that the German Shepherd dog was also involved in the genetic compilation of the Doberman Pinscher, this is highly unlikely since the development of the German Shepherd occurred a little later than that of the Doberman Pinscher.
The early form of the Doberman Pinscher dog was not the sleek lean machine that epitomizes the breed today, but it was a heavier-boned dog somewhat more similar in appearance to the Rottweiler dog breed. Subsequent tweaks by later breeders eventually resulted with the sleek contemporary dog that defines the modern Doberman Pinscher. The point of note here is that the Doberman Pinscher, a well-known dog breed that is officially recognized by countless of International Kennels such as the AKC, was a crossbreed developed from various other dog breeds before it attained the holy-grail status of purebred!
Verdict: The Doberman Pinscher, like all the other so-called purebred dogs is nothing more than a strain refined mutt. Sniff! What can I say…these pesky mongrels are everywhere, most of them disguising themselves as well-established purebreds!
Designer/Hybrid Dogs
Though the Labradoodle is widely accredited as the crossbreed dog that set the whole designer-dog movement rolling along at a good clip, the truth of the matter is that other well established crossbreeds already existed. One such crossbreed or so-called designer dog is the Cockerpoo (Cockapoo), a cross between the American Cocker Spaniel and a Miniature Poodle. The Cockerpoo has been in existence since the 1960s (in contrast to the Labradoodle which was developed in the 1980s). The Cockerpoo is currently so well established in North America that there is a strong movement to consolidate a breeding standard.
These days “Oodles” or “Poos” (Poodle hybrids) are practically everywhere in North America for the simple reason they translate into mega bucks. Though the Labradoodle (perhaps the best known Poodle derivative) was developed with a utilitarian purpose in mind, most designer dogs have no other function than to propel a burgeoning and lucrative market for these hybrid dogs; as it so happens, backyard breeders very quickly recognized the enormous profits to be had from designer dogs.
To date the designer dog market is flourishing, strong evidence that people are quite willing to shell out mega bucks so as to differentiate themselves from the rest of the crowd. And perhaps you’ve noticed, nobody refers to these mutts as well…mutts, for the simple reason crossbreeds do not satisfy people’s sniff factor! (Sniff Factor defines the human tendency to snobbishness; in earlier times the upper classes were predisposed to strolling about with their noses pointed skywards as an expression of their obvious class superiority (as though reaching for air unpolluted by the masses!) Calling a mongrel a designer dog is certain to guarantee a far better price than if the animal were addressed as a crossbreed.
The unfortunate fallout of this whole designer dog issue, is that there’re now many more dogs in shelters and rescues, as well as dogs being euthanized, because of unethical breeders, who without regard to genetics, breed thousands of these dogs every year in a bid to capitalize on the public’s ignorance and insatiable appetite for “exclusive” or “limited” dogs.
So how did this designer dog brouhaha really begin?
Good Intentions Open Pandora’s Box
Sometime during the 1980s, Wally Conron, the breeding manager for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia embarked on a quest to develop a non-allergenic guide dog for a visually impaired client whose husband happened to be allergic to common dog fur. Conron settled on the standard Poodle as the ideal cross with the already established Labradors in use at their center, for the simple fact that the Poodle,s as a highly trainable working dog with tightly curled coat, constituted a the best-fit match.
After two years of trials including 33 successive disappointment runs, Wally Conron hit pay dirt! A cross mating between one of their most prized Labradors and a Poodle specimen resulted in a litter of 3 non-allergenic puppies. Sultan the 1st ever Labradoodle destined for guide-dog greatness was introduced to his new owner amidst great fanfare. The bonding was a great success and Conron was confident that the remaining two puppies would quickly be snapped up; after all, the center at which he worked had a 6-month backlog of requests from people hoping to foster a dog. But he miscalculated; nobody it seemed wanted a dog that was associated with the dirty word crossbreed.
As eight weeks rolled by, the remaining two pups still hadn’t found homes and the critical-period window in which they needed to bond with a new owner and thus become successful guide dogs was closing fast. Out of sheer frustration Wally Conron decided to call his new dog breed the Labradoodle and thenceforth stopped referring to them as crossbreeds. That was the eureka moment he had been waiting for (evidence of the sniff factor in play again)!
Within weeks, requests for this new “miracle dog” inundated the center…the rest as the saying goes, was history! Other than the Labradoodle, few designer dogs have been developed for utilitarian purposes and in fact for the most part new breeds are introduced for purely cosmetic purposes. Having said that though, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the fact that some new dog breeds are currently being developed to address the all pervasive problem of genetic disease in the canine; especially in the more popular breeds.
Some other well-established crossbreeds are the Bull Boxer which is a cross between the Boxer and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The Bull Boxer is said to be a more affable dog, especially towards other pets, than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and is also reputed to be less inclined to exhibit the immature behaviorisms characteristic of the Boxer. By and large though, the substantial prevalence of the designer-dog set is to be found firmly within the realm of Poodle mixes. Such Poodle mixes usually go by names, which if not exactly flattering, are to say the least, colorful:
1. Doxiepoo (Dachshund Poodle Mix)
2. Papipoo (Papillon Poodle Mix)
3. Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever Poodle Mix)
4. Jack-A-Poo (Jack Russell Terrier Poodle Mix)
5. Irish Doodle (Irish Setter Poodle Mix) to name but a few.
Verdict: Sniff! These dogs may go under the guise of designer dog…but let’s be honest, they are no more than glorified mutts!
The Humble Yet Ubiquitous Mutt
So where does the lowly mutt fit in this picture of brave new doggy world; that is to say, other than bearing the brunt of the purebred afficionado’s scorn! Well as I have amply illustrated in the paragraphs above, all dog breeds are essentially mixed breeds even the purebreds. Purebred dogs are so entitled because over several generations they have been specifically bred for selective traits. But therein lies their Achilles’ heel or weakness. Due to such selective-trait breeding, purebred dogs have an inherently high prevalence of genetic disease.
A classic example illustrating some of the problems encountered in trait-selective breeding can be found in the history of the Dalmatian. Breeding for the sharply-defined spot trait unintentionally also led to selective breeding for an abnormal uric acid gene (case of gene linkage). The result was that the Dalmatian dog breed was dogged (no pun intended) with hereditary urine stone disease. In an attempt to rectify the problem yet retain the desired spot pattern, the Dalmatian was crossbred with various Pointer breeds (Sniff! Sniff! What did I tell you…all mutts the lot of them!).
Conversely the lack of trait-selective breeding and a diverse gene pool in the mutt makes such dogs so much healthier and more robust than their purebred counterparts! Thus unless you’re going to develop your own dog breed, if all you’re looking for in a dog is a pet, do yourself, your pocket as well as the millions of dogs on death row a favor and adopt a dog from a shelter! Trust me, they make excellent pets. (Shelters cannot house dogs forever and each year more than 7,000,000 cats and dogs are euthanized!)
Verdict: Hmmm…the lowly mutt. At last! A dog without pretensions!
Designer Dog Breeds
GUS
Feb
23
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
John Williams Dog Training asked:
The ‘no’ command is a widely used command throughout dog training and is used to tell your dog not to do something or to stop them in their tracks to avoid dangerous situations or general bad behavior.
I think of the no command as more of a training technique rather than a command and to perfect the technique you will need to be consistent for most of your time with your pet dog. The no command isn’t like other commands and is taught over several years rather than a ‘learn it and forget it’ dog training technique.
You can start to teach your dog the no command as soon as you see your cute little puppy doing something wrong for the first time, to most people the command will come naturally when they see their dog causing terror in the house and it will not be too hard for them to remember how to execute the technique.
The no command should come part and parcel with punishing your dog, the idea behind the no command is to teach your dog that ‘no’ means bad behavior and punishment, after teaching this command the end result will be that your dog should stop whatever they are doing when you say ‘no’.
So to make this command work you will need to enforce and recite ‘no’ in a very assertive way whenever you are punishing your dog or see your dog behaving badly that will result in punishment. By doing this your dog will associate ‘no!’ with being punished and making you the owner, unhappy.
If you do this consistently through your dogs earlier years, especially when your dog is a puppy and very impressionable you will gain respect from your dog and just saying ‘no’ alone will be enough to stop your dog in its tracks and save you punishing your dog.
EDWARDO
The ‘no’ command is a widely used command throughout dog training and is used to tell your dog not to do something or to stop them in their tracks to avoid dangerous situations or general bad behavior.
I think of the no command as more of a training technique rather than a command and to perfect the technique you will need to be consistent for most of your time with your pet dog. The no command isn’t like other commands and is taught over several years rather than a ‘learn it and forget it’ dog training technique.
You can start to teach your dog the no command as soon as you see your cute little puppy doing something wrong for the first time, to most people the command will come naturally when they see their dog causing terror in the house and it will not be too hard for them to remember how to execute the technique.
The no command should come part and parcel with punishing your dog, the idea behind the no command is to teach your dog that ‘no’ means bad behavior and punishment, after teaching this command the end result will be that your dog should stop whatever they are doing when you say ‘no’.
So to make this command work you will need to enforce and recite ‘no’ in a very assertive way whenever you are punishing your dog or see your dog behaving badly that will result in punishment. By doing this your dog will associate ‘no!’ with being punished and making you the owner, unhappy.
If you do this consistently through your dogs earlier years, especially when your dog is a puppy and very impressionable you will gain respect from your dog and just saying ‘no’ alone will be enough to stop your dog in its tracks and save you punishing your dog.
EDWARDO
Feb
05
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
John Williams Dog Training asked:
Dog tooth cleaning is essential for your dog’s dental hygiene and after your dog reaches the age of two to three years plus, dog tooth cleaning will become more and more essential as your dog grows up.
Every time your dog has a bowl of food or some treats (some treats help with cleaning teeth) some of the food gets stuck around the gums and mouth of the dog. This food then turns into plaque and after staying there for a short period of time of about one to three days, this plaque turns into tartar which is a key element in gum and mouth diseases which can put your dog in a lot f pain.
To combat these diseases you will need to get rid of the plaque and you do this in much the same way as us humans do it, witch is by brushing them. Dogs are a little bit trickier to deal with than humans so training will be needed.
First you need to get your dog to sit using the commands learnt on this site. If you cannot do this yet then it should be taught first. Start by gently breaking your dog into the habit of you playing with their teeth and around the mouth area by rubbing a tasty nice tasting treat around the teeth and mouth, if your dog acts well and lets you do it you should reward him/her for their patience with a treat every time.
After your dog is comfortable with you playing with their teeth, start to do the same but with dog toothpaste so they get used to the taste and sensation. When you and your dog are comfortable with you using your finger instead of a toothbrush its time to make the swap to the real thing.
To brush effectively you should move the dog toothbrush in circular motions to dislodge plaque and start from the back teeth working your way to the front, don’t be too rough with your dog and always try to keep it fun for them and you shouldn’t have too many problems.
CHRISTIAN
Dog tooth cleaning is essential for your dog’s dental hygiene and after your dog reaches the age of two to three years plus, dog tooth cleaning will become more and more essential as your dog grows up.
Every time your dog has a bowl of food or some treats (some treats help with cleaning teeth) some of the food gets stuck around the gums and mouth of the dog. This food then turns into plaque and after staying there for a short period of time of about one to three days, this plaque turns into tartar which is a key element in gum and mouth diseases which can put your dog in a lot f pain.
To combat these diseases you will need to get rid of the plaque and you do this in much the same way as us humans do it, witch is by brushing them. Dogs are a little bit trickier to deal with than humans so training will be needed.
First you need to get your dog to sit using the commands learnt on this site. If you cannot do this yet then it should be taught first. Start by gently breaking your dog into the habit of you playing with their teeth and around the mouth area by rubbing a tasty nice tasting treat around the teeth and mouth, if your dog acts well and lets you do it you should reward him/her for their patience with a treat every time.
After your dog is comfortable with you playing with their teeth, start to do the same but with dog toothpaste so they get used to the taste and sensation. When you and your dog are comfortable with you using your finger instead of a toothbrush its time to make the swap to the real thing.
To brush effectively you should move the dog toothbrush in circular motions to dislodge plaque and start from the back teeth working your way to the front, don’t be too rough with your dog and always try to keep it fun for them and you shouldn’t have too many problems.
CHRISTIAN
Feb
05
Filed Under (Animals) by dog
johnnyb0y187 asked:
SO Cute
ALTON
Feb
02
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
Jeremy C.W asked:
In the United States, one common canine disease is dog heartworm. Dog heartworm was first discovered in 1856. Heartworms in dogs are often found residing in the dog’s heart and the major blood vessels.
The heartworms in dogs can seriously prevent a dog’s heart from functioning properly. In worst cases, dog heartworms can cause blockage in the blood vessels. Dogs with heartworms tend to lose weight, have chronic coughing, be short of breath, develop chronic heart failure, have problems with their vision and eventually die.
Early Signs of Dog Heartworm
The signs or symptoms of dog heartworm are not the same for every dog, so the best coming to do is to take your dog to a veterinarian for proper diagnosis. Be aware that most dogs with heartworm problems tend to exhibit visible symptoms of the disease only when it is too late for it to be cured. Thus, when it comes to heartworms in dogs, early detection is important so that treatment for dog heartworms can be administered quickly.
Below are some of the early signs of dog heartworm. If your dog shows any of these dog heartworm symptoms, don’t hesitate to take him to your veterinarian.
* Your dog tends to get tired quickly and easily.
* Your dog often has to gasp for breath.
* Your dog starts coughing more often.
* Your dog, if it is a hunting dog, can’t keep up with the chases anymore and often falls from exhaustion.
* Your dog develops jaundice, experiences convulsions and have vision problems.
* Your dog becomes emaciated, a serious symptom of dog heartworm that is often followed by death.
What Dogs Can Become Infected by Dog Heartworms?
Years ago, it was believed that short-haired dogs were more prone to becoming infected by dog heartworms. The long-hair dogs were thought to be resistant to dog heartworms since the worm-carrying mosquitoes had a much more difficult time penetrating through their hair. However, this belief has been disproved. Both long-haired and short-haired dogs can become infected by dog heartworms since mosquitoes attack on a dog’s abdominal area. Both long-haired and short-haired dogs tend to have lesser hair in the abdominal area. In addition, the muzzle and ears are other areas where the infection can begin.
Treatment for Dog Heartworms
If detected early enough, dog heartworm can be treated using chemical therapy. Heartworm treatment is usually administered over a period of time. The heartworms are not killed in one fell swoop as the dead worms would end up being deposited into the lungs and kill the dog. In addition, the chemicals used to kill the heartworms in dogs can also be lethal to dogs. This is why any treatment for dog heartworms that involves the use of chemicals should only be administered by a veterinarian.
Apart from chemical therapy, surgery is also a treatment option for dog heartworm. However, surgery is only done if the veterinarian warrants this need and if it is the only option for curing the dog heartworm infection.
You can also prevent your dog from developing dog heartworms through medication. There are dog pills specifically designed to destroy the heartworms inside your dog’s body so that the worms do not grow into full-blown heartworm adults. However, dog heartworm medications will not keep your dog 100% heartworm-free. Your dog can still become infected with dog heartworm during mosquito season so you would still need to keep a close eye on your dog and watch out for the early signs of dog heartworms.
Heartworm medications, however, can cause complications if your dog is already infected with heartworms. Basically, the drugs won’t do your dog any good if the heartworm infection is already serious. In this case, your best and only option is to take your dog to a veterinarian who can prescribe the right medications for your dog as well as take some blood tests.
Preventing Dog Heartworms
Be aware that mosquitoes are the carriers of heartworms. Keep your dog from being bitten by mosquitoes, particularly if you live in a hotter region with a higher humidity level or if it’s mosquito season. Keep your dog’s sleeping area clean and screened. You can also use repellent sprays. Talk to your veterinarian and ask him if he can prescribe any preventative medication or heartworm medicine for dogs. If necessary, take your dog for regular blood tests to make sure that he does not have dog heartworm.
You need to be especially vigilant as the symptoms of dog heartworms are not easily and quickly visible. It is recommended that you take your dog to the veterinarian for a full check up once a year.
BERNARD
In the United States, one common canine disease is dog heartworm. Dog heartworm was first discovered in 1856. Heartworms in dogs are often found residing in the dog’s heart and the major blood vessels.
The heartworms in dogs can seriously prevent a dog’s heart from functioning properly. In worst cases, dog heartworms can cause blockage in the blood vessels. Dogs with heartworms tend to lose weight, have chronic coughing, be short of breath, develop chronic heart failure, have problems with their vision and eventually die.
Early Signs of Dog Heartworm
The signs or symptoms of dog heartworm are not the same for every dog, so the best coming to do is to take your dog to a veterinarian for proper diagnosis. Be aware that most dogs with heartworm problems tend to exhibit visible symptoms of the disease only when it is too late for it to be cured. Thus, when it comes to heartworms in dogs, early detection is important so that treatment for dog heartworms can be administered quickly.
Below are some of the early signs of dog heartworm. If your dog shows any of these dog heartworm symptoms, don’t hesitate to take him to your veterinarian.
* Your dog tends to get tired quickly and easily.
* Your dog often has to gasp for breath.
* Your dog starts coughing more often.
* Your dog, if it is a hunting dog, can’t keep up with the chases anymore and often falls from exhaustion.
* Your dog develops jaundice, experiences convulsions and have vision problems.
* Your dog becomes emaciated, a serious symptom of dog heartworm that is often followed by death.
What Dogs Can Become Infected by Dog Heartworms?
Years ago, it was believed that short-haired dogs were more prone to becoming infected by dog heartworms. The long-hair dogs were thought to be resistant to dog heartworms since the worm-carrying mosquitoes had a much more difficult time penetrating through their hair. However, this belief has been disproved. Both long-haired and short-haired dogs can become infected by dog heartworms since mosquitoes attack on a dog’s abdominal area. Both long-haired and short-haired dogs tend to have lesser hair in the abdominal area. In addition, the muzzle and ears are other areas where the infection can begin.
Treatment for Dog Heartworms
If detected early enough, dog heartworm can be treated using chemical therapy. Heartworm treatment is usually administered over a period of time. The heartworms are not killed in one fell swoop as the dead worms would end up being deposited into the lungs and kill the dog. In addition, the chemicals used to kill the heartworms in dogs can also be lethal to dogs. This is why any treatment for dog heartworms that involves the use of chemicals should only be administered by a veterinarian.
Apart from chemical therapy, surgery is also a treatment option for dog heartworm. However, surgery is only done if the veterinarian warrants this need and if it is the only option for curing the dog heartworm infection.
You can also prevent your dog from developing dog heartworms through medication. There are dog pills specifically designed to destroy the heartworms inside your dog’s body so that the worms do not grow into full-blown heartworm adults. However, dog heartworm medications will not keep your dog 100% heartworm-free. Your dog can still become infected with dog heartworm during mosquito season so you would still need to keep a close eye on your dog and watch out for the early signs of dog heartworms.
Heartworm medications, however, can cause complications if your dog is already infected with heartworms. Basically, the drugs won’t do your dog any good if the heartworm infection is already serious. In this case, your best and only option is to take your dog to a veterinarian who can prescribe the right medications for your dog as well as take some blood tests.
Preventing Dog Heartworms
Be aware that mosquitoes are the carriers of heartworms. Keep your dog from being bitten by mosquitoes, particularly if you live in a hotter region with a higher humidity level or if it’s mosquito season. Keep your dog’s sleeping area clean and screened. You can also use repellent sprays. Talk to your veterinarian and ask him if he can prescribe any preventative medication or heartworm medicine for dogs. If necessary, take your dog for regular blood tests to make sure that he does not have dog heartworm.
You need to be especially vigilant as the symptoms of dog heartworms are not easily and quickly visible. It is recommended that you take your dog to the veterinarian for a full check up once a year.
BERNARD
Feb
02
Filed Under (Music) by dog
joeyfanatic asked:
George Clinton - Atomic Dog Video
CLEVELAND
