Entries Tagged 'Dog Health' ↓

Certain factors make it is very difficult to diagnose liver disease in dogs.

* Symptoms of liver disease in dogs are difficult to pin point as they are subtle and vague and often mimic those relating to other diseases.
* Liver cells can continue to perform their dedicated functions despite the liver mass being affected.
* The liver has a great reserve capacity.
* The liver can be affected by other diseases as it supports and is supported by many other organs and systems in the body.

All these factors can lead to frustration for a veterinarian to diagnose whether the liver is affected and to what extent. One of the tools that the specialist will use is to get a complete chemistry profile of a blood sample.

Although, clinical pathological tests and enzymology play a crucial role in arriving at correct diagnoses, it seldom indicates any deviation from a healthy condition of the liver. Enzymology is a branch of biochemistry that deals with the chemical nature and biological activity of enzymes.

Another factor that complicates diagnosis of liver disease is that the levels of even enzymes that are specific to liver can be disturbed by secondary hepatic disease also.

ALT (alanine aminotransferase) or SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) is a liver specific enzyme. It is concentrated in the cytosol and is released when localized liver cells die from infection or the interruption of blood supply. Serum levels increase two to three days after the liver has been affected and return to normal after a couple of weeks of treatment.

Generally, two to three times the normal level is considered as insignificant and only a persistent increase is considered to be abnormal. ALT levels may go up to four to five time the normal level even in non-hepatic disorders like inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, hemolytic anemia and heart failure. A dog undergoing treatment with anticonvulsants and glucosteroids or those that have an inhibited flow of bile may also show a moderate increase in ALT levels.

AST (Aspartate aminotransferase) or SGOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase) is another liver enzyme, also found in muscle tissue and red blood cells. An increase in levels of AST indicates a more severe liver disease than ALT.

SAP (Serum alkaline phosphatase) levels increase in certain forms of cancers including liver cancer. Elevated levels of SAP are more significant in cases of feline liver disease than in dogs.

GGT (Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) levels signify liver disease caused by blockage of bile ducts.
Vague symptoms of liver disease in dogs like diarrhea, vomiting and anorexia are often misread as relating to indigestion and other mild ailments.

Symptoms like jaundice, which are specific usually surface at a later stage of liver disease. In such a situation, despite the confusion over reading the results of laboratory tests and the accompanying emzymology, a complete chemistry profile is of utmost necessity to diagnose liver disease in dogs.

While inefficient or over active immune systems can cause diseases, other diseases can also compromise the immune system’s ability to combat diseases. Many times a certain drug used during the course of a treatment negatively affects the immune system, which in turn can be a cause behind the occurrence of another condition.

A dog’s body is capable of fighting minor diseases on its own. Frequent occurrences of skin disorders, allergies, respiratory and eye disorders and other general problems are sure signs of dysfunction of the immune system in pets. It is important to be on guard rather than letting the situation go out of hand. Maintaining the health of the immune system of your pet will not only restrict frequent occurrences of disease but also help in improving chances of survival in the event of a serious disease.

Antioxidants are one of the proven supplements that help in fighting disease. Antioxidants also limit cell damage and thus provide support to the immune system when disease occurs. Vitamins are a group of organic substances that are essential in small quantities to normal metabolism.

Vitamin C and E are specific antioxidants that are normally used as supplements to counter the oxidizing chemicals originating during cell damage. Vitamin C also plays a key role in enhancing the T-cell production for an increased resistance to bacterial and viral infection and allergies. Vitamin E, on the other hand prevents oxidation of Vitamin A, red blood cells and unsaturated fatty acids.

Carotene, an orange compound of an unsaturated hydrocarbon found in many plants is converted into vitamin A in the liver. It is indispensable for a healthy skin, growth, digestion and repair of body tissues and protecting mucous membranes of mouth, nose, throat and lungs for reducing vulnerability to infections.

Bioflavonoids or simply flavonoids, a group of antioxidant chemical compounds widely found often as a pigment in plants, fruits and vegetables, are termed as ‘nature’s biological response modifiers’. They have a strong inbuilt capacity to affect the way the body responds to allergens, viruses and carcinogens. Flavonoids are widely present in plants and protect them from microbes and insects.

Diseases like liver disease in dogs or feline liver disease are highly progressive diseases that are also difficult to diagnose and even lead to the death of your pet. Moreover, symptoms of liver disease in dogs and cats are varied and subtle and the disorder is likely to be diagnosed late. It would be unwise to look for vitamin supplements at the time of illness. The preferred approach should be to maintain the health of the immune system for reducing the incidence and severity of diseases in pets.

As much as you can, try to feed a natural diet to your dog. If you must buy commercial pet food gather enough information so that you can understand the contents mentioned on the label so as to be able to avoid those containing chemical preservatives. Chemical preservatives do more harm than the possible benefits of the ingredients.

To ensure that your dog is eating the best food, feed a home cooked diet that is rich in Vitamin C, E and A, antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids for best possible benefits for immune system. Even though dogs need meat based proteins, a healthy mix of meat and vegetables will go a long way to derive benefits that both vitamins and flavonoids can provide to the immune system.

Diabetes mellitus or simply diabetes is a common condition in dogs. However scary it may sound it is not the end of the world for your dog because diabetes in canines is manageable if proper care is taken. Diet, regular monitoring of blood sugar levels and medication are key aspects of adequate care.

Diabetes, however, can cause an early death of the dog if it is not treated. High blood sugar levels produce clinical symptoms of diabetes in dogs and cats that can help in early detection.

Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels rise due to the inability of pancreas to produce enough insulin to manage glucose (a primary sugar) in the food that the dog ingests. In another situation, cells become resistant to the action of insulin, which also results in a high blood sugar level. If not managed within reasonable time, it leads to abnormally high blood sugar levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia.

High blood sugar results when the dog’s body is unable to process and convert glucose to energy for maintaining healthy growth. The excess glucose in the blood has to go somewhere if it is not used by the body’s systems and it leaks over to the urine. This leads to excessive urination (polyuria). As fluids in the body reduce, the dog feels the need to drink more (polydipsia) to compensate the loss due to excessive urination.

Besides these two most prominent symptoms of diabetes in dogs and cats some of the other symptoms indicative of diabetes are:

* Weight loss
* Poor skin and hair coat
* Frequent bladder infections

On observing these signs, a veterinarian should be consulted at the first opportunity because untreated diabetes can lead to:

* Loss of appetite
* Vomiting
* Diabetic neuropathy, especially weakness in rear legs
* Dehydration

Left untreated, diabetes can progress and cause some life threatening disorders like diabetic acidosis, a condition of abnormally high acidity accompanied by an accumulation of ketone bodies. Some of the other complications arising out of unregulated blood sugar levels include liver and kidney dysfunction and canine blindness.

The cause of diabetes still remains a mystery despite large amounts of research that has been initiated in this area. Chronic inflammation of the pancreas and genetic predisposition are often suspected to be the cause in most of the cases. Breeds like Poodles, Schnauzers, Keeshounds, Cairn Terriers, Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels and Beagles are more predisposed to developing diabetes.

Once your dog has been diagnosed for diabetes, close monitoring of diet and regular checking of blood sugar levels is necessary. Minor increase in blood sugar can be managed by controlling and regulating diet. Abnormally high levels require insulin injections. Injection of insulin needs to be correlated with the amount, quality and timing of food intake.

If you are taking care of your dog at home, make sure you get proper instructions about how and when to inject insulin on your own. Since excess insulin can lead to hypoglycemia or extremely low blood sugar levels, this is another area that you must understand well.

What is canine hypothyrodism?

The thyroid gland consists of two lobes located at the base of the neck. This gland produces thyroxine, a hormone that regulates the body’s metabolic rate -that is the rate at which it burns calories. When thyroxine is not produced in sufficient quantity a number of things happen, such as weight gain, changes to the hair and skin, and infertility.

Most cases of hypothyroidism stem from the dog’s own immune system attacking thyroid gland tissue. This condition is called autoimmune thyroiditis. Common hypothyroidism is further broken down into two types, lymphocytic thyroiditis and idiopathic thyroid atrophy. In both cases, the gland fails to produce enough of the hormone, thyroxine.

Canine hypothyrodism and skin problems

Adequate levels of thyroid hormone are necessary for hair to grow. When hormone levels are low, hair growth sparsely over the lumbar or back area equally on both sides. The back of the rear legs is also commonly affected. The pet’s hair coat is often scruffy, flaky and dull, and the undercoat and finer body hairs are lacking. Occasionally, the tail may look like a rat’s tail – bald and hairless. An important clue pointing to thyroid deficiency is that this hair loss is not itchy as it would be from fleas, allergic skin or infectious skin disease. Hypothyroid dogs commonly have excess black pigment in the skin of their groin. This pigment results in a condition called canine acanthosis nigricans. Sometimes this pigment is present over much of the body and the skin becomes oily and thickened. Broken toenails and toenail infections are common. Hair coat color may change.

Other symptoms of canine hypothyrodism

Some other symptoms of sluggish thyroid function are seen occasionally and are seen with a number of diseases that are not related to the thyroid gland. These symptoms include mental dullness or depression, cold intolerance, slow heart rate, constipation, anemia, muscle weakness and atrophy, nerve disturbances, edema or swelling, stunted growth, and slowed clotting of the blood. Hypothyroid dogs have more than their fair share of joint pain and swelling and ear and skin infections. Lethargic behavior – such as increased sleeping, less play activity and easy fatigue may also indicate thyroid disease.

Canine hypothyrodism treatment

Canine hypothyrodism is conventionally treated with daily dose of synthetic thyroid hormone. Regular blood tests are required to determine the correct dosage. Excessive synthetic thyroid hormone can cause agitation, excessive thirst and diarrhea.

Natural remedy for canine hypothyrodism

PetAlive Thyro-Pet is a 100% safe and natural combination of herbal ingredients for treating hypothyroid conditions in pets. This remedy will improve your pet’s thyroid functioning and increase the production of thyroid hormones naturally as well as address all the major symptoms associated with hypothyroidism.

Thyro-Pet contains no added synthetic thyroid hormones and there is therefore no risk of inducing hyperthyroidism in your pet.

In convenient drop form, Thyro-Pet is easily mixed in a little bit of your pet’s favorite food and may be administered without a fuss.

What are the main causes of constipation in dogs?

The most common cause of constipation in dogs is an incorrect diet. A lack of fiber (and sometimes excessive fiber) can be a problem as well as indigestible bones which can be swallowed and produce a cork-like blockage in the digestive tract.

Other causes of constipation include worm infestation, lack of exercise and furballs (in cats). Symptoms of bladder infections (such as straining) can also sometimes be mistaken for constipation.

Constipation can lead to a build up of toxins, which can cause numerous health problems.

Symptoms of constipation in dogs:

• Straining to have a bowel movement with no result
• Abdominal discomfort
• Loss of appetite
• Bloating
• Going for long periods between bowel movements
• Hard, impacted stools

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The skin is the largest organ of your pets body and reflective of what is going on in the body. Regularly brush your pet looking for fleas, lice or ticks. The hair coat should be soft and shiny.

If you are seeing areas of excessive shedding in your pet then you may be dealing with certain skin conditions such as mange, ringworm, hypothyroid disease or allergies; treatments for these are discussed in detail Veterinary Secrets Revealed e-book and/or MP3.

If your pet has areas of hair missing around the face that are not itchy, then he may have a type of mange called demodex. This small parasite shows up in pets with depressed immune systems.

One very safe effective treatment is Vitamin E given at 400IU per 40lbs once daily for 3-4 weeks.

If your pet has an excess of flaky skin (dandruff), then she may be in need of a essential fatty acid supplement. Flax is the best source for dogs at a dose of 1 teaspoon per cup of dog food. For cats use the liquid supplement (such as fish oil).

Take note of any palpable lumps or bumps.

Lipomas (benign fatty tumors) commonly occur on the chest wall. If your dog has a soft movable lump on her chest, then it is probably a fatty tumor.

Sebaceaous cysts are another common lump; they can often be distinguished by squeezing out a cheesy substance. They are also very soft. Lumps and bumps become more prevalent as your pet ages and their immune system weakens.

The most important thing in helping your pet is having them on a premium quality diet and supplementing with additional antioxidants. The ones I suggest using are Vitamin E and Vitamin C and specific flavanoids.

Any lumps that are firm, rapidly growing, not easily movable should be considered serious and examined by your veterinarian.

Allergies are one of the most common reasons that I see pets. There are a huge number of allergens. The 3 main classes are, Food, Fleas and Environmental. The most common signs are excessive scratching, paw and anal licking, hair shedding and excess dandruff.

If you suspect that your pet has an allergy, then the first 2 things that I suggest are to eliminated external parasites as a cause, and to feed a hypo-allergenic diet for 4-6 weeks (there are many available).

Some very helpful at home remedies that I often use are:

TO THE BATH. An oatmeal shampoo with cool water will ease the itchiest skin. Leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes then rinse well. With the most severe allergies, bathe your pet twice weekly.

SOOTHE IT TOPICALLY. Calendula ointment is a herbal medication that has been successfully used to relieve the itch. Apply a thin coat twice daily to affected areas.

THE SUPPLEMENT CONNECTION. Fatty Acid supplements are very helpful in decreasing the level of inflammation. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are most important. A great, inexpensive source is ground Flax Seeds; I give 1 tsp per cup of dog food. Cats are unable to metabolize Flax, so I only recommend the liquid supplement for them. Other sources include fish oil, primrose oil and specific veterinary supplements.

Dr Andrew Jones
Author of Veterinary Secrets Revealed

Ear mites and ear infections are some of the major problems that cause much discomfort and stress to your dog.

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 often 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