What You Need To Know About Lyme Disease In Dogs

Lyme Disease is a zoonotic, bacterial, vector borne disease of the Borrelia burgdorferi group. It got its name from the towns of Lyme and Old Lyme, Connecticut, because in 1975, numerous cases with similar symptoms suddenly emerged in that region. In 1982, the bacterium was isolated and named. It was also recognized to be transmitted when the bacteria found in the saliva of an infected blood-sucking insect, such as nymph and/or adult deer ticks, fleas, and lice, is injected into a host, while the parasite is feeding.

It causes painful inflammation in one or more of your dog's joints. It can be reoccurring.

Even though the disease has expanded worldwide, in the United States, the Atlantic Coast, Northern Midwestern states and the Pacific Coast are where it is most prevalent.

Checking for ticks

Some believe the seriousness of the disease can be reduced, or avoided, if the tick is extracted within the first 50 hours of affixing to the host. That's why it is so important to regularly check your dog. Run your hands over their entire body to feel for, and remove ticks before they attach and start feeding.

Even check in your dog's mouth.

All dogs could be potential candidates for Lyme Disease. However, young, senior and dogs with suppressed immune systems are more vulnerable.

Additional complications, although not common, are the risks of pulmonary, cardiac, renal, and neurological problems. Kidney failure is rare, but sometimes found in Bernese Mountain Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers, suffering from severe or prolonged cases.

Signs & Symptoms

The sooner there is a diagnosis and it is treated with antibiotics, the greater the likelihood of minimizing or eliminating the debilitating effects of the disease. The longer the symptoms are ignored or are left untreated, the greater the possibility of cardiac, neurological, pulmonary, renal problems.

The most common early signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogs include, fever, breathing difficulties, depression, bull's-eye rash, lack of appetite, fatigue, sensitive to touch, arched back, swollen lymph nodes nearest the site of the bite, painful joints, stiff walking and lameness.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will review your dog's medical history, perform a physical, concentrating on the site of the bite, and order a complete blood profile, and urinalysis. They may also suggest x-rays of the infected joints. They may also draw and test fluids from the inflamed joints.

Snap Test

There are a group of tests known as the SNAP Tests. They are accurate, can check for other parasitic problems too. Your veterinarian can perform these tests, in their office, with immediate results.

Treatment

Unless your dog's case is extremely severe, he or she will be treated with antibiotics as an out-patient. Treatment commonly lasts 3-4 weeks. Re-occurrences can happen, so be mindful and continue to monitor your dog.

Prevention

Avoid wooded areas and fields of tall grass, as much as possible.

Applying a spot -on preventative treatment

You can find over-the-counter products, such as collars, spot-on, and topical treatments for repelling and killing ticks.

Although not recommended for all dogs, there are vaccines available to help prevent disease. Speak to your veterinarian, to see if using a vaccine would put your dog at any risk. Two to four weeks after initial vaccination, immunization would be followed up by a booster shot. Many veterinarians recommend annual booster shots, especial for dogs that go regularly go camping, attend sporting events and/or go hunting in fields or wooded areas, known for the possibility of tick infestation.

Manually inspecting your dog following field trips to tick-infested areas is strongly recommended. Preventing, finding, and destroying a tick before it has a chance to infect your dog is always the best option.

Bottom line: By being informed and perceptive, you will do your dog a great service, and spare them unnecessary pain.

Source:https://ezinearticles.com/?What-You-Need-To-Know-About-Lyme-Disease-In-Dogs&id=7691087

What to Expect From a Service Dog

A Service Dog is a dog that is specifically trained to help people with disabilities such as visual, hearing impairments, seizures, post traumatic stress disorders autism, mental illness and ambulatory issues.

The service dog must have desirable character traits including good temperament, psychological makeup such as trainability and must be in good health. They must be physically fit and have sufficient stamina. Many of the service dogs are bred and trained by an organization. The most common breeds that are easy to train include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds. However, it is worth noting that any breed or mix of breeds is capable of being trained as a service dog depending on the temperament qualities and health status.

In the US, service animals are defined as dogs that are trained to perform a myriad of tasks including guiding people who are blind, deaf or those pulling the wheelchair. It may also alert people who are having seizure or individuals who are mentally ill so that they may take medication. The dog is also responsible for calming people with Post Traumatic Stress disorder when they are under attack. Ideally, service animals are considered as working dogs and not pets. The dog must be trained to provide the service to persons with disabilities. They provide comfort, emotional support and other duties.

Well trained service dogs are expected to do the following when in public:

• Focus on its handler at all times unless it is doing the task that is trained to do

• Be stable, not be anxious or react aggressively.

• Walk nicely without pulling, lunging, straining, circling, lagging or forging

• Remain quiet and walk by the handlers' side. When the handler stops, the dog should not wander or lose focus.

• It should lie quietly besides the handlers chair and should not get up and move excessively.

• It should ignore distractions and remain quiet unless performing a specific task it is trained to perform. If it is not performing its work, the dog should not grumble, bark, whimper or make unnecessary noise.

• The dog should appear professional, should be well groomed and should be well taken care of.

• The dog should keep to herself and should not sniff people or objects even when there is food or exciting and interesting things within its visibility.

• It should respond fast to the handler's command, direction and cue. They should be obedient, be of average manners, and should be of god demeanor.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?What-to-Expect-From-a-Service-Dog&id=9178040

Understanding Canine Hip Dysplasia

It is an unfortunate truth that dogs of all different age groups can fall victim to hip dysplasia. In more severe cases, puppies that are as young as only five months old will start to show discomfort and pain either during exercise or shortly after. This is a condition that can and will worsen until some of the most normal daily activities become painful. If not taken care of, these dogs may end up with an inability to walk, which calls for an understanding from dog owners as to the causes, symptoms and treatment options for this condition.

Hip dysplasia is a condition that can take place in dogs, but also in cats and humans as well. Within the canine world, this is usually a condition that impacts the larger breeds, including Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds and so on. However, this is a condition that can impact all different breeds and sizes of dogs.

This condition is caused by what is known as a subluxation in the joints of the hips. When this happens, there is wear and erosion of the joint that can cause pain and arthritis. There have been studies done that have tried to determine if the number of calories that a dog has taken in throughout their daily life has been a factor as well as any predisposed factors in their genetics. Of course, obesity in any animal can lead to a problem of the joints and make it very difficult for them to get around, such as hip dysplasia can.

Liquid Dog Vitamins

It is very important that your dog is able to get just the right amount of calcium as well as other valuable minerals in his or her diet so that they have less of a chance of developing issues with their hip joints. If you are still unsure if your dog is getting the right nutrition or if you own a breed that is highly susceptible to dysplasia, it is important that you talk to your veterinarian about nutrition as well as supplementation that can be helpful to your dog's joints and bones.

Liquid Glucosamine for DogsVegetarian

The right amount of exercise, without overexertion, can have a lot to do with how your dog progresses once diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Again, working closely with your veterinarian will be the best way to ensure that you are doing all that you can to improve the quality of life and range of motion that your dog has.

Liquid Glucosamine for Small Dogs

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Canine-Hip-Dysplasia&id=9116129

Why Puppies Annoy Older Dogs

There are many reasons puppies like to annoy older dogs, and while most of them are innocent, such as boredom or bonding, the behavior can still stress out the animals and lead to a less than pleasant living environment. Understanding the behavior can help correct or avoid the behavior, teaching your puppy how to properly interact with the other dogs in the home. The following are a few of the most common reasons puppies annoy older dogs.

Lack Of Exercise

Puppies are like children, if you leave them inside all day with little activity they will become a ball of energy and wreak havoc. This is especially true for energetic breeds, such as Dobermans, Schnauzers and Golden Retrievers. Make sure your puppy gets enough exercise, with at least two long walks a day or several hours outside in the yard, running and playing. Once the puppy has had his exercise he is less likely to get out his puppy energy annoying and irritating the other dogs in the house.

Boredom - A Bored Puppy Is Trouble

Buy an abundance of puppy toys and entertainment options to give your puppy something to play with. Even if your puppy gets plenty of exercise, making sure they have things to play with inside can prevent them from seeking entertainment by annoying your older dogs. Try out a variety of options, toys that make noise, rattle, squeak, light up or move to find out what is his or her favorite, and keep them interested.

Start Obedience Training Early

One of the most common issues is that owners underestimate their puppies ability to learn and wait too long to start obedience training. Start obedience training as early as possible in order to teach your puppy self-control and discipline. Starting earlier will help you be able to teach your puppy and establish boundaries between your dog's much easier.

If you see your older dog is getting annoyed, make sure you stop your puppy, admonishing him in authoritative voice. Send him to his bed, or order him to sit and stay allowing the older dog time to find a quiet spot to rest.

There are many reasons puppies annoy older dogs, but thankfully most of the time the behavior can be corrected with a little care and training. So get out there and spend some time exercising your pup.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Puppies-Annoy-Older-Dogs&id=9029149

The Right Dog For Your Lifestyle

Dogs make wonderful pets and companions; anyone who loves dogs, want them to be a part of their family. Most of the time, we seek cuteness and a friendly nature when buying a dog. But, today every experienced dog owner will tell you differently. It is best if you choose a dog that fits your lifestyle. Just as every individual is different, dogs are different too. Every breed has certain characteristics which should match to your lifestyle.

Different types of lifestyle-

The geek lifestyle - If you are a person who can just never leave the computer alone for a single minute and loves to play games, it is best you opt for low-maintenance dog. Low-maintenance dogs will happily watch you tap on the keyboard all day and will not complain much. Example - Pugs

Active lifestyle - In case you are a great sports fanatic, love running and live an active life, you need an outdoor dog. It will match your fitness levels and will love to play with you. Example - Golden or Labrador Retrievers

Small children in the family - For a situation like this, it is best to go for a dog that has a record of friendliness with children. They have more patience than other breeds and love playing with them. Example - Spaniels

Small space - If you live in small flat, you would need a small dog, so that the dog does not feel suffocated. It is best to buy small breeds of dogs. Example - Dachshunds

A Big House - If you have a big house, you may want a dog that can guard the house. These dogs have special skills and are trained for this. Example - German Shepherds, Dobermans

Other factors to consider-

One should also consider the following factors before buying a dog-

• The space available for the dog- Dogs love roaming around the house the whole day and just cannot sit idle. Choose a breed according to the space available

• Willingness to spend- If you have a big budget, you can look for big dogs as they have huge appetites, if you have budget constraints it is best to go for small dog

• Time available- If you are buying a dog, you or someone in the family should have time to take it for regular walks, medications and time to train them

Your desire to buy a dog, is just part of the story, the main thing is to get the priorities right. When the breed of dog matches your lifestyle, it is easier for the entire family to enjoy the dog.

Of course another decision to be made is whether you want to start with an adult dog or a puppy.

Your new dog is a member of the family, it is alive and it has feelings. It should be loved and treated fairly. After all, as the old saying goes." Dog is man's best friend!"