There are several varieties of dog illness caused by ticks and some of them can prove to be fatal if not treated. The secret to a good prognosis is much the same as with any infection... early diagnosis and treatment. If you feel that your dog is unwell or is showing signs of fever, having trouble walking or seems to be in pain, you should seek medical attention for him as soon as possible. Other symptoms to look out for include a loss of appetite or any swelling around the joints. If you have been in an area that you think may be a prime ground for ticks, such as areas of long grass, woodland or scrubland areas and your dog seems unwell, please get him checked out and make sure that the medical staff are aware that you suspect a tick bite. Ticks are not always easy to see.
One very worrying dog illness caused by ticks is Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The symptoms to look out for are those above but may also include a swelling of the face. You may also notice that your dog is unsteady and seems to be suffering from dizziness. This is a sign of neurological problems and could be accompanied by depression or seizures. A good many dogs suffering from the disease will show signs of blood in their eyes and could develop nose bleeds. Blood may also be present in their stools. These symptoms will appear anytime from a couple of days to two weeks after infection by the tick. Your pet could go on to suffer from other more serious problems if he does not get rapid treatment. Your veterinarian can diagnose the disease by blood test and if confirmed then he will treat it with antibiotics, usually successfully.
Lyme disease is another problem that is transmitted by tick. The symptoms can be very similar to those of Rocky Mountain spotted fever but there is often more of a chance of lameness with Lyme disease. The disease is often very difficult to diagnose so if there is any possibility that the symptoms present may be due to a dog illness caused by ticks, make sure you let the veterinarian know. Any time saved in the diagnosis of Lyme disease will help the prognosis for your pet.
A tick will draw blood from your dog, but, when you look at the size of a tick the amount it can take seems minimal. If, however, your dog were to have an infestation of ticks all having a free meal, there is a possibility that your dog could suffer from anemia. This is not a common problem as you would probably notice that amount of ticks on your pet. It is more a dog illness caused by ticks that would affect stray dogs or perhaps working dogs that live outside and do not have much human contact.
Tick paralysis is not an infection caused by ticks but a problem caused by toxins in the tick's saliva. Onset of the paralysis could be between 5 and 7 days after the tick has started to feed. Once it is becoming gorged some of the saliva containing the toxins may enter the dog's blood stream and cause the problem. It would normally take quite a few ticks to be present to cause this paralysis. Tick paralysis may affect just the hind limbs or right the way through the body to the front limbs. The problem becomes potentially fatal if it remains untreated and affects the respiratory system. The paralysis will used abate and things return to normal after the tick has been removed. Take your dog straight to the vet if you notice any paralysis as this is a dog illness caused by ticks which can be treated easily but can be fatal if left undiagnosed.
Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about tick problems, please visit Tick Treatment Site for current articles and discussions.
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A Natural Remedy for Dog Dandruff
What you should do about your dog's dandruff is a concern that faces many dog owners or dog care givers. To somehow get oil into their coat or skin is the thing to do for the dog. Dandruff is uncomfortable, it itches, flakes into their eyes, leaves residue all over your nice furniture or nice sweater when you are handling the dog and is probably a sign of a less healthy diet or a sign of vitamin deficiency.
Many products are developed for dogs in forms of shampoo, supplements, coat conditioner, itch remedies and fortified dog foods. Products that help the dog retain moisture in the coat and its underlying skin are found beneficial by most pet owners of dogs. Of the products that are used by dog owners and approved by veterinarians, oatmeal shampoos are a very popular and basic stand-by staple to use often and keep on hand. Some owners wash their dog up to four times a week, while other dog care takers wash their dog every two weeks, either way oatmeal helps to lock in the natural oils, versus other shampoos, which may strip the coat or skin of its natural oil.
Treating the underlying itch can give the skin a chance to heal and replenish itself with natural oils from the inside of the dog's system. Iodine containing medicine that you add to the bath water, or human anti-dandruff shampoo that you mix into the pet's oatmeal shampoo can relieve the dog from itching, but you will still need to provide some additional oil producing agent for the time being, until the pet has no more dandruff. You can get additional oil by adding a little grease or oil from your kitchen, but this isn't as good as supplementing the dog's diet with Salmon Oil. Salmon Oil with Omega 3 fatty acids can be added to the bowl of dog food and found at most any pet shop for $14 or even lower if you shop around. Salmon oil hosts Omega 3 fatty acids of the type readily available to a dogs digestive system.
Daily supplementation will increase the coat luster, improve any skin issues and lower any allergies incurred through breathing that your pet may have. The salmon oil has an antihistamine effect on the dog as well as the ability to improve the skin and coat health of the pet.
Mike writes about dog dandruff with product reviews. If you are interested in dog dandruff then visit his website for further information and solutions. http://dogdandruffguide.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Gentleman
Dog Skin Problem - Caring for Your Older Dog
Your dog, just like you, will go through different stages of aging. It is often difficult to tell one stage from the next but it is important to be on the lookout for signs of aging in your dog so you can give him the proper, care, treatment, and love he deserves. In this article, we will cover what constitutes old age in dogs, signs of old age, and how to keep your older dog as healthy as possible.
In humans, 55-plus is considered to be the senior age category. With dogs, it is based on the size of the dog. Old age is usually determined by size with smaller dogs tending to live longer. Large dogs begin to show their age at 8 or 9 years of age, with middle-sized dogs (50 lbs) showing age at about 10 years. Small dogs and toy breeds generally live longer and dont show age until around 12 years or so.
The good news is that just as the human life span has increased, so has your dogs. In the 1930s, the average life expectancy for dogs was 7 years and it is now 12 years. Today, it is not uncommon for some dogs to live up to 14 or 15 years of age.Increasing Your Dogs Life and HealthYou can't keep your dog from aging, just as we can't keep ourselves from aging, but there are things that you can do to increase the life and health of your beloved dog. These include annual checkups by your dogs vet.
As well as getting your dogs yearly rabies vaccination, this will protect you dog from diseases such as hepatitis, septospirosis, parvovirus, kennel cough and distemper. At these annual checkups, make sure you dog is checked for heartworms and intestinal parasites and keep fleas and ticks controlled at home. As your dog ages, his immune system becomes weaker and cannot fight off germs and parasites as well as a younger dog.Other ways to keep your aging dog healthy is to control his diet in order to keep his weight down.
As your dog ages, he is naturally less active and doesnt need to consume as many calories. So, limit calories and keep up a good exercise program. Good nutrition is critical for the health of your dog. Make sure you avoid cheap or generic dog food that can be harmful to your dog and lack proper nutrition. Your dog may seem happy being fat, well-fed and babied, but he will live longer and have a life that is enjoyable if he is kept in shape by regular exercise.
Periodontal disease is next to obesity as the most common problem with aging dogs that vets see. It is important to keep your dogs teeth clean to prevent gum disease because the bacteria can build up and enter your dogs bloodstream. Other steps a pet owner can take to delay the onset of aging in their dogs include grooming him to keep his skin and coat healthy and to discover any problems such as dry skin, thin or brittle coat, thin coat, body odor, or sore spots; and checking his ears for odor or gunk produced by infecting organisms.
Keeping your dog strong and healthy dog will help him age later than a dog that is stressed by disease or environment early in his life. Spaying and neutering your dog before six months of age usually adds to your dogs life expectancy. Signs of Aging - How can you tell your dog is aging?
One of the first signs of aging is when your dog starts to slow down. They just arent as active and playful as they used to be and take more frequent naps. It takes them longer to get up from a lying position and they go slowly up steps one at a time. You will begin to notice that your aging dog can no longer tolerate extreme temperatures.
They no longer enjoy lying out in full sunshine but rather seek out cooler shady spots to relax. Immune system is less able to fight off attacksSigns that indicate that your dog is aging include being stiff after waking. This is a normal part of aging and you just need to allow your dog time to slowly wake up and walk off the stiffness.
You might also notice some hearing loss and changes in their skin and coat. Wounds heal more slowly, they acquire allergies or their current allergies worsen. Oftentimes, your dog will start getting benign tumors that appear in their mouth or on their extremities.
Special Care for Your Older Dog
There are many ways in which you can care for your older dog that will make him more comfortable.
- Because you dog will tend to be stiff, allow time in the mornings for your dog to leisurely walk about to loosen up.
- Make sure he has a good bed that has the proper support and is a comfortable size for him.
- Brush his coat more often to stimulate the oil glands which in turn will help his drying skin.
- Be patient and understand that his kidneys may be getting weaker and he will tend to have some accidents in the house. This is out of his control so be diligent in letting him have more time outside.
- Above all, spend time with him. He has been a loyal friend and deserves to be treated well.
By recognizing the signs of aging in your dog and taking care of your dogs needs, you can extend your dogs life. With the proper care, attention, and treatment, your dog can live a long, healthy and happy life.
In humans, 55-plus is considered to be the senior age category. With dogs, it is based on the size of the dog. Old age is usually determined by size with smaller dogs tending to live longer. Large dogs begin to show their age at 8 or 9 years of age, with middle-sized dogs (50 lbs) showing age at about 10 years. Small dogs and toy breeds generally live longer and dont show age until around 12 years or so.
The good news is that just as the human life span has increased, so has your dogs. In the 1930s, the average life expectancy for dogs was 7 years and it is now 12 years. Today, it is not uncommon for some dogs to live up to 14 or 15 years of age.Increasing Your Dogs Life and HealthYou can't keep your dog from aging, just as we can't keep ourselves from aging, but there are things that you can do to increase the life and health of your beloved dog. These include annual checkups by your dogs vet.
As well as getting your dogs yearly rabies vaccination, this will protect you dog from diseases such as hepatitis, septospirosis, parvovirus, kennel cough and distemper. At these annual checkups, make sure you dog is checked for heartworms and intestinal parasites and keep fleas and ticks controlled at home. As your dog ages, his immune system becomes weaker and cannot fight off germs and parasites as well as a younger dog.Other ways to keep your aging dog healthy is to control his diet in order to keep his weight down.
As your dog ages, he is naturally less active and doesnt need to consume as many calories. So, limit calories and keep up a good exercise program. Good nutrition is critical for the health of your dog. Make sure you avoid cheap or generic dog food that can be harmful to your dog and lack proper nutrition. Your dog may seem happy being fat, well-fed and babied, but he will live longer and have a life that is enjoyable if he is kept in shape by regular exercise.
Periodontal disease is next to obesity as the most common problem with aging dogs that vets see. It is important to keep your dogs teeth clean to prevent gum disease because the bacteria can build up and enter your dogs bloodstream. Other steps a pet owner can take to delay the onset of aging in their dogs include grooming him to keep his skin and coat healthy and to discover any problems such as dry skin, thin or brittle coat, thin coat, body odor, or sore spots; and checking his ears for odor or gunk produced by infecting organisms.
Keeping your dog strong and healthy dog will help him age later than a dog that is stressed by disease or environment early in his life. Spaying and neutering your dog before six months of age usually adds to your dogs life expectancy. Signs of Aging - How can you tell your dog is aging?
One of the first signs of aging is when your dog starts to slow down. They just arent as active and playful as they used to be and take more frequent naps. It takes them longer to get up from a lying position and they go slowly up steps one at a time. You will begin to notice that your aging dog can no longer tolerate extreme temperatures.
They no longer enjoy lying out in full sunshine but rather seek out cooler shady spots to relax. Immune system is less able to fight off attacksSigns that indicate that your dog is aging include being stiff after waking. This is a normal part of aging and you just need to allow your dog time to slowly wake up and walk off the stiffness.
You might also notice some hearing loss and changes in their skin and coat. Wounds heal more slowly, they acquire allergies or their current allergies worsen. Oftentimes, your dog will start getting benign tumors that appear in their mouth or on their extremities.
Special Care for Your Older Dog
There are many ways in which you can care for your older dog that will make him more comfortable.
- Because you dog will tend to be stiff, allow time in the mornings for your dog to leisurely walk about to loosen up.
- Make sure he has a good bed that has the proper support and is a comfortable size for him.
- Brush his coat more often to stimulate the oil glands which in turn will help his drying skin.
- Be patient and understand that his kidneys may be getting weaker and he will tend to have some accidents in the house. This is out of his control so be diligent in letting him have more time outside.
- Above all, spend time with him. He has been a loyal friend and deserves to be treated well.
By recognizing the signs of aging in your dog and taking care of your dogs needs, you can extend your dogs life. With the proper care, attention, and treatment, your dog can live a long, healthy and happy life.
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