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By pet-admin, October 30, 2007 1:22 pm

CAUTION!  Intestinal parasites of dogs and cats are potential health hazards for humans, too.  If hookworm larvae penetrate the skin they can cause “cutaneous larval migrans”, a potentially serious and scarring inflammation results.  Ascarid (roundworm) eggs if ingested can cause a disease called “visceral larval migrans” where tiny worm larvae migrate through the person’s intestinal wall and into the body tissues.  They then grow to larger size almost anywhere in the body.  Ocular disease is a common sequel “visceral larval migrans”.  Children are at most serious risk especially if play behavior is in an environment where dog, cat, or raccoon feces may be present… such as in a sandbox.  A single adult Toxicara canis female can shed up to 100,000 eggs a day which pass into the dog or cat’s environment with the stool.  Please take the worming advice of your veterinarian seriously and adhere to strict sanitation principles whenever pets and children are in close contact.  Note… roundworms are not spread to people simply by close contact with dogs or cats.  The individual must ingest (eat!) the infective stage of the roundworm eggs; since the eggs are primarily associated with feces, humans would somehow need to consume the egg contaminated feces for contagion to occur.  To learn more about parasites of man and animals look at the Centers For Disease Control site at cdc.gov.  If you search for “Prevention of Zoonotic Transmission of Ascarids and Hookworms of Dogs and Cats” you can see information about roundworm and hookworm hazards for humans.
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By pet-admin, October 29, 2007 2:08 pm

Acupuncture and Your Dog

You may have heard of or even experienced the benefits of acupuncture yourself and still have never thought of applying the medicine to your four-legged friend. Well, here at Lucky Dog Health, we believe that many of the very things that aid and improve our own lives can and should be used to aid and improve our dogs’. Of course, the practice of canine acupuncture does differ from its human counterpart in a couple of ways. First of all, while many dogs are surprisingly fine with the idea of having small needles stuck into them (some have been known to fall asleep during treatment!), others need a small amount of reassurance from their owners, while still others will need to be treated using photonic or laser therapy. Laser acupuncture therapy is more and more common in the dog acupuncture world. It works the same way, but without the actual needle, however its effects often last for a slightly shorter amount of time.

At the Acupuncturist

Your first appointment will be, like most initial veterinary visits, a consultation where the dog is assessed and therapy options are discussed. This might last 30-60 minutes. After that, be ready to dedicate yourself and your pet to about one session per week for at least 4-6 weeks, at which point progress can be determined and a continuing schedule arranged. The actual acupuncture sessions will last up to an hour, as the needles need to be left in for 15-20 minutes. There will be very little pain associated with the entire process. While there is what might best be considered a “sensation� upon each needle’s entrance, it is very rarely identified as painful or upsetting to the dog.
Find a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Acupuncture is a deep treatment technique that should be performed by a certified professional. To find a certified veterinary acupuncturist registered with the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, or find a holistic veterinarian. Acupuncture by no means replaces regular veterinary care. However, it is a wonderful supplement that can be used to relieve pain, reduce muscle spasm, support healing, and strengthen the immune system.

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By pet-admin, October 29, 2007 1:51 pm

“It’s just fascinating to watch that they are doing so first, it really prepares pain and then it is much calmer within seconds.” Horse owner Jutta Where swears on acupuncture, the Belgian veterinarian Dr. med. Jean-Yves Guray carries.

Dr. Guray has been no thorough study may lead: “If I put a needle, my patient can say, it kribbelt there. If I see a needle into the leg of a horse set, it hurts. But exactly where it hurts, I not to say. This means that when the course of human meridians now known. In animals, but not yet. ” But he has a map of the meridians. “Through experiments, we now get a more detailed map with ever more points.”

He has in the past 13 years, the acupuncture to some 50,000 horses. Paralysis and tension could otherwise lead to the exclusion of a race, Medikamention would with the doping suspicions.

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By pet-admin, October 28, 2007 2:30 pm

Vets who practice on dogs and cats a lot of skin problems. There are numerous conditions, the problems with a dog or cat skin, but the most common, by far, allergies.

Symptoms of allergies

Dogs with allergies May show the following symptoms:

* Chewing on feet
* Rubbing the face on the carpet
* Scratching the body
* Recurrent ear infections
* Alopecia
* Damaged Skin
A dog who are allergic to show something, it is about the problems and skin itching, ie, itching. It seems logical that if a dog is allergic to something, which he inhaled (atopy), as certain pollen grains, it will have a runny nose; If he allergic to something he eats (food allergy), such as beef, it can vomit; Or allergic when an insect bite (urticaria or hives), so can he swelling at the site of the bite. In fact, the dog will rarely have these characters. Instead, he is a moderate to severe itching sensation on his body, and perhaps a chronic ear infection.

Moreover, it is often allergic dogs chew on their feet until they are irritated and red (the feet are the only place dogs have sweat glands, and these are inflamed allergies). You can rub their faces on the carpet or couch, scratches or their sides and belly. Since the wax-producing glands of the ear overproduce as a response to the allergy, she ear infections. Bacteria and yeast often “grow over” the excessive wax and debris.

The lesions in an allergic dogs are usually the result of him mutilating his skin by chewing and scratching. Sometimes there is hair loss, which is incomplete or contradictory on the body of a marbleized appearance. The skin itself can be dry and crusty, redness or oily depends on the dog. It is very common to secondary bacterial infections of the skin because of this self lesions. Such infections, which are treated with antibiotics.

Allergens

If a dog is allergic to something, his body reacts to certain molecules as allergens. ” These allergens can:

* Trees
* Grass
* Weed pollen
* Materials such as wool or nylon
* Rubber and Plastics
* Foods and food additives such as individual meat, cereals or dyes
* Dairy products
* House dust and dust mites
* Flea bites

The body of the response to an allergen

The reason that all these allergens cause skin itching is that simplistic, if inhaled allergens, food, or contact with the dog’s body, they cause the immune system to produce a protein to IgE. This protein is then in the cells as a “tissue mast cells,” are in the skin. When IgE lays on these mast cells, so that the release of various irritating chemicals like histamine. In dogs, the chemical reactions and cell types in significant amounts only in the skin.

Genetic factors influence allergies and time

Remember that dogs must be exposed to the allergens for some time before the allergy. Exceptions may occur, such as an allergy to insect bites, which can be after only a few exposures. The dog must learn the body to react to the allergen. It is a phenomenon learned of the immune system, are genetically programmed and from generation to generation in different races. Allergies are especially common in certain how the Scottish Terrier, West Highland White, Cairn and Wire Haired Fox; Lhasa Apso; And major races such as the English and Irish Setters, Retrievers, and the Dalmatian. Allergies are also well documented in the Pug, Miniature Schnauzer, and English Bulldog.

Continue reading 'Allergies & Atopy'»

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By pet-admin, October 28, 2007 2:26 pm

Allergic contact dermatitis occurs in dogs as a hypersensitivity reaction to certain molecules in the pet environment. Irritant contact dermatitis results when the skin is exposed to harmful substances in the environment. The symptoms and biological mechanisms of these two diseases are similar, they are often together.

What is allergic contact dermatitis?

Allergic contact dermatitis is a rare disease, which occurs when an animal skin overreacts to certain small molecules in the environment. Substances which may cause allergic contact dermatitis certain antibiotic on the skin; Metals such as nickel; Materials such as rubber or wool; And chemicals such as dyes and carpet deodorizing.

What is irritant contact dermatitis?

Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when the skin is exposed to highly irritating chemicals such as poison ivy juice and salt on the road.

How do these two diseases?
Continue reading 'Allergic & Irritant Contact Dermatitis'»

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By pet-admin, October 27, 2007 3:58 pm

One of the unpleasant or negative parts of having a dog is the fact that most dogs tend to chew all sorts of things from the house as well as some of your clothes and belongings, usually looking for your favorite pair of shoes or boots, the new couch or the fur that you kept well hidden in the closet. It’s funny how the dog seems to find everything so easily, don’t you agree? So you need to do something about this aspect and you would like to stop dog chewing, no matter what.

As a matter of fact, dog chewing is a behavioral problem. Dogs don’t know chewing is not allowed and they seem to like chewing things. So, don’t spoil this pleasure of your pet, instead, make it understand that your things are not to chew and offer it alternatives. A chewing toy is a good solution in order to stop dog chewing and your dog will be happy with such a chew toy. Even if your dog is a pup or if it is a grown up dog, you will still see that it takes pleasure in chewing. You must understand that puppies chew because they are bored or because they need to spend their energy somehow and this is a good outlet to do so.

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By pet-admin, October 27, 2007 3:56 pm

Dog health care is a very broad term covering a wide range of topics. You need to focus on specific problems that you are interested in to find appropriate solutions. Among the major dog health care problems the most recurring problems are fleas, worms and poisons. If these issues are neglected it might lead to other serious issues. For instance worms and external parasites waste the dog’s body of nutrients and energy; “Neglected dogs are full of toxins because of the parasite overgrowth” says one of the dog health care providers.

Continue reading 'A Few Tips on Dog Health Care'»

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By pet-admin, October 27, 2007 3:52 pm

Providing your dog with good nutrition is very important for his health and will largely affect how long he will live as well. This is the most vital component of successful dog care that we as dog owners can do.

It is such a huge topic of interest right now that finding the right food and following the correct guidelines can be quite a challenge. Many dog food owners complain that they need to be scientists to understand dog food labels.

Because there are now a vast amount of different dog breeds, pet food manufacturers have developed different types of food best suited for optimum dog nutrition for the specific breed of dog. Being aware of your own dog’s specific nutritional requirements can be a difficult task in itself, and if you are not sure you can always speak with your Vet who will advise you on the best avenue to take.

Dog nutrition will change depending on the dog’s age and the possibility of developing bad health. Thus, providing the utmost nutritional base for a dog that is going through a difficult stretch for whatever reason is very important.
Continue reading 'Is Dog Nutrition Vital For Your Dog’s Health?'»