Entries from July 2007 ↓

Think for a minute about your dog… Is there something in particular that you would love to correct in your dog, but not sure how to? Perhaps your dog doesn’t respond to your commands, or has an annoying behavior you’d love to stop like jumping or chewing.

The good news for you is, that there is a groundbreaking NEW Special Report called “The Importance Of Leadership Training” that I think will help you tremendously!

Although you will find it quite hard hitting in some parts, it is actually a timely reality check for all of dog lovers - Even if we think our dog Is PERFECT!

This Report covers ten of the most commonly seen dog problems (some which you may be experiencing yourself), and then provides significant detail around the 8 proven leadership exercises you can start using to help correct your dog’s behavior.

I really think you should go ahead and grab a copy of this Report right away, as it contains some really valuable info that just might be what you need to help you correct the behavior that’s bothering you.

Now listen closely!

I managed to secure “Private Access” rights to this Report (worth $29.95), so you won’t have to pay a thing for it. I am not sure for how long this will be open to us, so do what I did, and get a copy ASAP and then tell all your other dog loving friends about it as well.

To receive this Report for FREE, simply enter your name and primary email address (as I will email you the download link to this Report) below:

Privacy Note: I will NEVER, EVER sell, rent or give away your email address to anyone for any reason. I hate spam as much as you do and I will never be part of it.

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Pet health issues plague everyone who has a pet at some time or another. Among other areas of concern, the one that can area that can pose a fair number of problems are ear infections. Ear mites, and ear infections are some of the major problems that can discomfort your pets and can lead to many a sleepless nights for you too. A dog with ear mites is a less common phenomenon than a cat ear with mites but if contracted, it can cause high levels of stress for the dog and the owner.

The one way in which you can ensure that you never have to face issues related to dog ear infections is to adopt good hygiene practices. Once these practices are made into a regular habit, the chances of your dog contracting any kind of ear infection reduce considerably. It is therefore, important to include ear cleaning and examination as part of a weekly ritual. If you use a professional grooming service, make sure that they include ear cleaning along with the regular bath, grooming and styling services.

In case you do not use these services, you can ensure that your dog’s ears are cleaned every week. Cleaning the ears on your own is not really a difficult job. All you need to do is to remember to clean this oft ignored part of the body while giving your dog a bath. Lift the flap and expose the canal. Cover a finger with a soft moist cloth and clean the inside of the ear flap and the exposed area. You can use a homemade cotton swab to clean the inaccessible parts.

Another aspect of dog ear hygiene is concerned with hair growth. Hair can grow in the ear canals in large quantities and this is true especially in the case of Poodles, Terriers and some other hairy breeds. The hairs are mainly responsible for trapping water and creating a warm humid environment wherein the mites and bacteria can breed and grow. It becomes pertinent, therefore to remove excess hair from the inside of the ear to ensure that bacteria and mites do not breed there. A simple procedure that involves the removal of excess hair every fortnight can help maintain good hygiene and save you from many ear infections that may otherwise happen. To remove hair, lift the ear flap, expose the inside and remove the excess hairs that you see on the external ear opening. Make sure that you pull in the direction of the hair growth and remove only small amounts of hair at a time. Make sure that you do not pull any hair if you see some signs of inflammation or infection.

Dogs with ear that droop over are likely to face issues with ear infections and ear mites more than dogs that have ears that are erect. Excessive bacteria and mites can cause ear infections, swelling, inflammation and painful redness if not treated well in time. Some severe cases can also lead to deafness.

Unfortunately many dog owners realize what their pets are going through after it is too late. Symptoms like excessive shaking of the head and scratching ears are often ignored and accepted as normal. Any kind of an ear infection that occurs due to ear mites needs to be referred to a veterinarian. Keeping a check on ear hygiene can help you avoid such an eventuality. And even if your dog does get infected, there are home remedies for dog ear mites that you can explore if you spot the issue in advance.

Roundworms have evolved in a manner that they can thrive in almost any environment. They can be found in freshwater, sea water and even in terrestrial environs. There are nearly 20,000 species of roundworms out which 15,000 are parasitic. They are also the most prevalent of the worms as compared to all other types of worms in dogs.

Many dogs are born with roundworms. These are generally passed to them by their mothers through the uterus or through the mammary glands. A mother can transmit larvae that are lying dormant in her tissues or organs to the fetus of her puppy. She can also transmit the larvae while nursing since the larvae can enter the mammary glands and pass on to the young one.

There are, however, other ways in which roundworms can enter the body of a dog. The most common among them is by ingestion. Dogs can consume roundworm egg or larvae infected feces since many dogs do have a tendency towards coprophagy (eating feces). They can also ingest larvae by eating other infected animals like rodents.

Roundworms have a complicated system of migration in the body. The migration process depends upon the age of the dog. In adult dogs, roundworm eggs hatch inside the body and the larvae migrates to the respiratory system or other parts of the body. They can remain encysted in a tissue or an organ for years and can resurface after a long time.

In young dogs the larvae generally migrate to the respiratory system. These are then coughed up as vomit. In most cases the dogs eat the vomit back and the larvae enter the stomach. On maturing in the intestines, the adult worms produce eggs that are excreted in stool and the process goes on and on.

All parasites feed off the host. Unlike dog tapeworms that absorb food through their skin, roundworms have separate orifices for ingestion and excretion. Roundworms intake what ever they can from what the dog eats, depriving the host dog the nourishment that it is necessary for its growth and health.

Diagnosing prevalence of roundworms is relatively easy. A close examination of the stools shall reveal if your dog in infected with roundworm since the whole worm can be seem in the stool. The round spaghetti-like shape is also easy to decipher. It is possible that you observe symptoms of worms in dogs even when there is no physical evidence of the presence of roundworms in the stools. In such cases, a microscopic evaluation of the dog stools becomes essential. What is generally looked for in the stools is evidence of roundworm eggs. Many times you may actually see some common feline parasites in dog stools. This can happen if your dog has ingested infected cats’ feces.

Though roundworms have a role to play in the overall ecosystem, they can lead to unmanageable conditions inside a dog’s body. Early detection can prove to be very beneficial and can help you get rid of the menace sooner. Treatment is of prime importance and any treatment of worms in dogs should be repeated over a period to effectively kill all live and dormant encysted larvae.

“I have never liked the idea of the chemical products for de-worming my animals, but there did not seem to be much choice! Thanks for providing an effective alternative!” - Cindy B

“My daughter has been using your (people) products for her family for some time and she has always recommended them for me. As I am very healthy, I have not had much need for any medicine (thank goodness!) My cats do get worms no matter what I do and it was great to discover that you have a pet website. The Parasite Dr has lived up to its promise and I can certainly recommend it to other pet owners” - Carole

We all know that dogs are extremely attached to their masters. And many of us would have heard of instances where dogs whine and pine for their masters when they go away on a long vacation. Some dogs have also been known to exhibit mature behavior when their masters are in trouble or sick.

This attachment comes naturally to them especially if the dog has been brought into the house as a puppy. As a puppy the dog is genetically attached to the mother and the litter in which he is born. When he is taken away from the litter and placed in a ‘foster’ home, he seeks that attachment. Since the owner provides him with the food and the love that he so desires, the object of attachment becomes the master by extension.

However, this healthy relationship between dog and owner can give rise to undesirable behavior if the dog becomes excessively dependent on the owner.

Separation anxiety in dogs is actually a symptom of the pet’s disapproval of being isolated from the owner. When you see one or all of the following signs in your pet you can suspect that your dog’s uncommon behavior is due to being separated anxiety.

* Defecation and urination in inappropriate locations
* Destructive behavior like chewing and excessive digging
* Excessive barking and whining
* Depression or hyperactivity

These signs are not typical of only separation anxiety. But you can be sure that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety if these behaviors exhibit themselves when the master is not around or occur shortly after the master leaves the house.

The symptoms of separation anxiety can also vary among dogs. Some dogs get extremely aggressive while others show signs of depression. Aggressive behaviors include scratching and digging in an attempt to follow you, chewing on household items and whining and barking for long periods. This aggressive behavior normally peaks within half hour of departure.

Depressive behaviors include abstaining from food which can lead to bigger problems in cases of prolonged absences. Though quite uncommon, in some cases dogs develop conditions of diarrhea and vomiting or indulge in self mutilation.

Some dogs can sense an impending separation. This can give rise to undesirable behaviors even before the actual separation occurs. Your dog may follow you from room to room and show aggressive behavior the moment you show any signs of leaving.

Separation anxiety can be sparked off at any time due to certain environmental changes. Sudden change of place of residence, a drastic change in routine due to an event in the household or an event like a death in the family can lead to a sudden show of separation anxiety.

Learning the art of relieving stress in pets is not difficult. If you care enough for your pet, you will find solutions to the problem and go about desensitizing your dog to your absence.

Dogs are naturally curious. Some will just eat anything that they can sink their teeth in. However, if your dog has access to dangerous products at your home, his indiscriminate appetite can pose a a serious danger.

You may see evidence such as mangled wrapper or chewed container to indicate that your dog has been poisoned. Or you may see evidence of poisoning on your dog and then look for the source of the poison.

Watch out for these signs of poisoning:

• breathing problems
• seizures
• drowsiness
• abnormal heart beat (fast or slow)
• drooling/foaming
• bleeding from mouth, nose or anus
• burns around the mouth and nose

In extreme cases, your dog may behave wildly and out of control or he can lose consciousness. Perform life-saving measures such as CPR if necessary.

What To Do

Bring your dog and the source of poison to the vet immediately. The vet will determine whether to induce vomiting or not as some poison can cause further damage to the esophagus on the way up.

In addition, the vet may administer some form of antidote to dilute the poison, reduce its absorption and speed its way through your dog’s system. If you can’t make it to the vet immediately, call for advice on whether you should induce vomiting.

Prevention

Take precaution with your dog just as you would with a child. Keep chemicals, sharp objects and medications out of reach or locked in a cabinet.

On 1 July 2007, a new noise code takes effect in New York. It will bring some peace and quiet to the city as it targets pooches, jingles from ice cream trucks, restaurants, bars, construction, garbage trucks and other vehicles.

The code imposes various noise limits such as time, decibel level and distance.

What’s of interest here is the time limits imposed on barking and other pet noises:
10 mins during the day (7am to 10pm) and 5 mins during the night (10pm to 7am).

Now, if you live in New York and you own a dog that barks incessantly, it’s time to shut it up or else, expect to pay between $50 and $175 fine for the first offense, and higher for repeat offenders. Although you can’t tell your dog that it has 10 or 5 mins to bark, you can surely teach him when to or not to bark!

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