Dog Hospital

Worms can make your dogs very sick if not treated properly. There are some species of worms that can be transferred to humans, with young children being most at risk. You must make sure that grown up dogs are de-wormed at least every 3-6 months.

This regular de-worming including puppies and pregnant bitches will minimize infestation of your dog and prevent infection to humans.

Make sure that you maintain a hygienic environment by regularly removing faeces and disposing them properly in sealed bags off your property. Most important is to remember to wash your hands after handling your pet and before eating. make sure you teach this important tip to your children as they tend to forget and are very vulnerable.

A good question to post to dog owners is : How do you know if you dog is overweight or obese? There is a very easy way of doing this.

Your dog is a healthy normal one If you run your hands along the dog or puppies’ ribs and can easily feel them with the gentlest of pressure, it feels like a t shirt is covering the ribs and you can see a faint outline of the last rib or two.

Your dog is probably overweight if you need to apply firm pressure with your fingers to feel the ribs, and it feels like your dog is wearing a thick fleece and you cannot see their ribs. Your dog may be obese if he runs away from you because you are digging your fingers into their rib cage so hard to find their ribs that you are tickling them.

How do you solve this problem? Simple – just cut back on the calories, carbs and sugar, and increase the amount of exercise. Chubby puppies lead to chubby dogs and an unhealthy, overwiehg dog will lead to an increase in vet bills and an early death.

Itchy ears or Otitis Extrna, is the 3rd most common reason why we take our dogs to the veterinarian. If you are a dog owner, chances are that you consistently forget to clean your dog’s ears when you groom them.

If you clean your dog’s ears every week with a Q-tip, you will be doing your dog and yourself a favor. The ears produce wax for protection,, and the same wax accumulates dirt on the surface of the year. If this is left untreated the accumulated dirt can build up and become infected. An infected ear is painful for the dog, and ironically the more the dog scratches the ear to clear the dirt, the more infected it becomes.

The easiest way to clean your dog’s ears is by taking a q-tip soaked with a non-toxic or alcohol free ear clearner, and gently swabbing the dog’s inner ear. Once you do this frequently, your dog will get used to it and not resist you “poking around” in his ear.

By keeping your dog’s ears clean, you are ensuring that the dog’s discomfort is reduced and you are saving on your vet bills.

Getting a new puppy is similar to having a new baby. You have the responsibility to teach them where to use the bathroom and how to behave in the house. If you get these rules straight from the onset, you will have a very healthy relationship with your pet. When you first get your puppy, make sure you spend the entire first few days with it. It should get used to your voice and you can familiarize it with its surroundings.

The first priority should be training it to do its “business” outside the house. This means taking the puppy every hour outside for a few minutes. If it does its business, then shower it with praise. When you take it outside, try not to play with it until it learns what it is supposed to do. Remember, accidents will happen and you have to be patient.

Start walking with the puppy around the neighborhood using a leash. This will get it used to its surroundings and it will learn to walk beside you while on a leash.

Also make the rules on whether it is allowed to sit on the furniture or lie on a bed, from the beginning. If you do not want it on the bed or furniture, then you should allow them to run freely around the home. When the puppy jumps on the furniture or bed, then firmly push it off with a verbal “NO” command. Keep doing this until they understand that they are not supposed to be doing certain things.

Positive reinforcement is a great way to teach the puppy to behave in the way you want it to. By giving treats to them when they behave properly or do something that you want them to, you will be encouraging the proper behavior.

Always be consistent in the way you handle them. If you allow them to sit on the sofa, and then refuse them later, you will confuse the puppy, making the task of training much harder and longer. Always use a firm voice and never raise your voice too loud as you will scare it and the animal will loose its confidence.

If you have a dog in the house, below are some very useful safety tips that could save the life of your canine:

1) Keep chocolates and baked goods containing nuts and raisins out of your dog’s reach. Chocolate contains theobromine which if ingested may cause vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, hyperactivity or even death.
2) If your dog eats holly or mistletoe, it may experience severe bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal upset.
3) Xmas tree lights, decorations and electrical chords are very tempting playthings for dogs, which may lead to a blocked airway if the objects are ingested. Electrocution may occur if the chords are chewed. Keep all the decorations high on the tree and tape down all dangling electrical chords.

These are very simple tips which will keep your dog safe and ensure that you have a hassle free holiday season!

Dogs, like all of us, suffer from various health related issues, such as a broken leg, worms in the stomach, fleas, ear problem, pregnancy or maybe even cancer. When you take them to the vet the treatment, the medicines, etc., usually costs a lot. Hence, the need for a dog health insurance. This insurance is just like the normal health insurance we all buy. It helps in protecting the dog from any kind of large veterinary bills. It also safeguards your dog against any damages caused to the third party by your dog. Here’s a list of certain things that the dog health care insurance covers:

- Injuries caused by accidents
- Surgeries – major and minor
- Dental problems and skin allergies
- Bites or injuries to a third party
- Routine check ups
- Death and mercy killing
- Long term illnesses

Make sure you compare various insurance covers offered by the large pet insurance companies. If you do your homework properly, you will not run into any surprises should you require the insurance to pay for an injury or treatment.

There is an increasing trend for pet lovers, to fly with their pets – especially dogs. If you want your holiday or journey to be trouble free, read and carefully consider the following points:
1) Make your reservations for you and your pet as early as possible. Some airlines have a limit as to the number of pets allowed on each flight. Others do not allow any pets, especially on international flights. Always confirm your flight a day or so before you intend to depart.
2) Before you travel. make sure you take your dog to the vet for a complete check up to make sure he or she is able to fly. Take the vaccination certificate with you and make sure the dog is wearing its current vaccination tag.
3) Have your pet micro-chipped. In this case, if your pet is lost and taken to an animal shelter or vet where its chip can be scanned, it will be easy to find it. Put your pets name and your destination address with telephone number on its identification tag. If you leave your home address on it, it will be of no or no use.
4) Always carry a current picture of you with your pet. In this way the question of ownership will be easier to ascertain.
5) If your pet is too large to fit into a FAA approved pet carrier, then it is not a good idea to allow it to be stored in the cargo hold. Keeping a pet in the cargo hold can be very traumatic and dangerous to its health. Its better to leave the pet a t home with friend or at a pet boarding facility.
6) Do not tranquilize your dog before flying. Dogs regulate their temperature when they pant. By sedating them, they will be unable to adjust themselves against the fluctuations of the air pressure and temperature that occurs in the cargo hold of each flight.

Not all dog diseases can be transmitted to humans, but there are a few known as “zoonotic” diseases which can be and you must make it your business to know about, especially if you own a dog.

Rabies: It is a very uncommon disease with domesticated dogs, but is very fatal to humans. Rabies can be contracted from dogs that have not been vaccinated. If you get bitten by a dog, then get an anti rabies shot if you are not sure whether the dog that bit you has had its rabies shot.

Internal Parasites: Tapeworms, hookworms and roundworms can be contracted from an infected dog. You need to avoid contact from dog saliva and feces which can contain worm larvae and eggs.

Fungal Infections: Ringworm is the main fungal infection that can be transmitted to a human. It is caused by a fungus and symptoms for humans can be itchiness, skin rashes and nail infections. The infection can be contracted by touching an infected dog or feces.

Leptospirosis: This is a bacterial infection that is found in the dog’s urine, and can cause severe internal damage to humans.

Always wash your hands after playing with your dog, and handle his urine and feces with gloves. All dogs, no matter how careful the environment they are in, are easily susceptible to infections.

Changing seasons from winter to summer impacts dogs as well as humans. This is particularly true about skin. Your dog’s fur is affected by the change of climate.

In winter, the fur becomes dry due to the cold dry air, and as we humans apply dry skin lotion, dogs who are constantly scratching, biting and licking their fur, are probably victims of the dry skin. When this happens, there will be red marks around the body of your dog. He or she will be concentrating on those spots, probably making them worse by constantly scratching and biting at those areas.

Keep alert for this, especially if your dog is continuously doing the above. Immediately take your dog to the vet for treatment.

It is important that you regularly give your dog a bath with a mild moisturizing shampoo that gives body to the coat. Moisture in the shampoo will help heal the dry spots, remove fleas and reduces itchiness in your dog’s skin

Have you noticed how many campsites have banned dogs from their properties? This is the fault of irresponsible dog owners who make it very difficult for others. So below is some common sense advice on what to do with your dog when you are lucky enough to visit a campsite that allows dogs.

Keep your dog on a leash or confined behind a portable fence when you are camping. Remember that not everyone who camps likes dogs. In fact, some people go to campsites to get away from dogs! Having strya dogs running around a campsite can be very stressful to say the least.

Always clean up after your dog. The last thing I want is to get dog poop smudged up against my sneakers, emitting a distasteful smell around my tent. Dog poop is a mess on the trails in your neighborhood at home, and just as much of a mess in the campgrounds.

Manage your dog’s barking. Keep them quiet so they don’t disturb the tranquility and peace of the campsite. Most of us go camping into the wilderness to get some peace and quiet. Dogs bark. We cannot stop that. But excessive dog barking should not be tolerated. Dogs bark more out in the country as they hear noises they are not accustomed to.

Don’t allow your dog to swim close to people fishing. This is the most annoying thing for a fisherman who has probably waited patiently for a catch, only to find a dog swimming nearby scaring off the fish. This is a point that many of us who do not fish understand.

By using these tips and employing a little bit of courtesy to our fellow campers, we will be able to enjoy our camping trips with our best friends for many years to come.