Frequently Asked Questions about the Health of your Dog

2008-06-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

The dog is a fascinating animal. The person can train this to do a variety of things if this is related for work or just to have as a companion in the house. Those who have never had this for a pet should understand that the task is not easy.

The person has to pay special attention to this animal since this is very sensitive to disease and if not treated early can become fatal. When the person sees the tail wagging and the eyes are watery, this means the pet is active and normal.

What are the usual sickness the affect dogs? There are a lot of diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, canine adenovirus and leptoespirosis. The dog can get these from interacting with other dogs or animals and staying in an area that is not clean.

How can the disease be prevented? Veterinarians recommend that the puppy should be given booster shots in the first 3 months after birth. These usually come in batches which are good for one to three years.

What are the signs that people should take notice of? When the dog seems to be distant or refuses to eat, then the person should rush the pet to the clinic. The veterinarian should be informed of everything that happened at home.

Once this has been assessed, the doctor will check the temperature and other physical features for anything amiss. Some medicine will be given if this is nothing serious but may have to keep the animal in the clinic for observation should the condition become serious.

Dogs love to play around in some cases get hurt. Is it easy to distinguish between a fracture and a dislocation? The answer is yes. In cases of a fracture, the dog will be limping to get from one place to the next.

If this is a dislocation, the pet will not be able to move but in both cases, the animal should be kept warm probably in a blanket to keep warm before being brought to the vet.

What should the person do if there are grass fragments? There are some things the pet owner can do for the pet without going to the vet. In this case, the individual should get some tweezers to pluck these out. The animal may be in pain and will choose to fight so another person should be there to hold the dog so these can be removed safely.

If the family lives in a hot climate, should special care be given to the dog? The answer is yes. This is because the hair is not enough to protect the animal from sunburns. The animal can also die of sunstroke or hypothermia in cold conditions. In both cases, the dog must be kept indoors and given lots of liquids to prevent any problems from happening.

There are many questions that people especially first timers will want to know about taking care of a dog. The person should get a book and read up on this and ask the veterinarian other concerns.

The dog is a very sensitive and sometimes curiosity can get the better of the animal. This is the reason that the dog must be kept on a leash or locked in a dog house to prevent the animal from going out and getting sick.

Dog pregnancy symptoms : Is My Dog Pregnant?

2008-06-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

Symptoms of dog pregnancy?

Your dog may not show many obvious symptoms that she is pregnant during the first three weeks that she's become pregnant. Maybe she is more affectionate with you and a little hungrier.

If that doesn't tune you in, perhaps, when her nipples slightly enlarge, you'll get 'it'. When a clear mucus vaginal discharge starts four to five weeks into pregnancy, you'd really have to be inattentive not to notice! Btw, the discharge continues until the dog gives birth.

Generally, you should be able to tell whether your dog is pregnant at around the one month mark after she has mated. However, you must see a vet for a proper diagnosis and care recommendations.

Proper Diagnosis

Your veterinarian can perform a blood test, which checks for the hormone relaxin, which is produced when the fertilized egg implants. However, this cannot be done until 28 – 30 days into the suspected pregnancy. Keep in mind that false negative results are known to occur with small litters. Small litters are considered less than three puppies.

In addition to a blood test, a vet can perform an ultrasound which is the most common method. The ultrasound would pick up any fetal heartbeats and allows the vet to estimate how many puppies your dog will have. Around this time, your vet may be able to palpate the uterus and feel the fetuses. However, this is not always possible with large dogs or dogs carrying puppies under her rib cage.

X-rays can then be taken about two months in. This will verify the number of puppies your dog is carrying, as well as make sure that they can fit through her birth canal, size-wise. It is not recommended to perform any x-rays earlier than 60 days since the radiation exposure can be potentially harmful to developing fetuses. Many veterinarians prefer not to use x-rays at all for this reason.

Dog Pregnancy Symptoms

Frequently Asked Questions about the Health of your Dog

Dog pregnancy symptoms : Is My Dog Pregnant?