Category Diseases conditions of dogs

Fly Strike in Dogs Fly strike is defined as irritation of the ear caused by biting flies. Fly strike is a warm weather disease that primarily affects dogs confined to the outdoors in the summer and fall. There are a variety of flies that bite and feed from the blood on the ears. These flies are very irritating and can cause painful, red and bleeding sores along the edges of the ears.

How to Remove a Fishhook in Your Dog Spring slowly turns into summer, bringing longer days and warm weather. During this time of year, you may want to grab your fishing gear and head for the peace and tranquility of nearby lakes or rivers. Frequently, you may want to take your dog with you, but unfortunately, fishing and dogs don't always go hand in hand.

Guide to Common Puppy Illnesses Puppies as so full of energy, it is difficult to think they could ever get sick. But with repeated exposures to various bacteria, viruses and parasites, sometimes a puppy's curiosity and immature immune system can do them in. If you have a puppy now or plan to get one, this article will help you prepare and keep your pooch healthy.

Overview of Canine Vaccine Reactions Immunizations (or vaccines) are intended to stimulate the immune system so as to protect the dog from the infectious agent. However, this stimulation may cause some minor symptoms. Your dog may react to immunizations in ways that range from soreness at the site of injection to mild fever to allergic reactions, which can range from mild to severe.

What to Do with a Canine Torn Toenail Suddenly you notice - there's blood on your dog's paw and he is limping and licking his paw. When you take a closer look you see the problem - a terrible torn toenail. Toenail problems, specifically torn or broken nails, are common in dogs but rarely life-threatening.

Overview of Dog Rabies: Questions and Answers Rabies is a much-feared disease of the nervous system that dates back to ancient times. It is caused by a virus and is transmitted by contact with the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite. The incubation period can last from several weeks to a year or more.

Overview of Foot and Mouth Disease in Dogs Fearing an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United States, the Agriculture Department has banned all meat from Europe. But though the disease is destructive to cloven-hoof animals and livestock, it poses no threat to common pets, including horses, or to people.

Getting Bad News on Your Dog You may have noticed small changes occurring for some time now, or perhaps it came quickly - in an instant, an illness or trauma. As you wait anxiously in your veterinarian's hospital, you have just been given the news that your beloved pet is very ill. What do you do when the news is bad?

Understanding Seasonal Allergies in Dogs Spring is here at last, and with it comes growing plants, blooming flowers, buzzing insects - and your dog scratching and scratching in the corner. Although pets sometimes cause allergies, they can also suffer from allergies, too. This time of year can cause your pet the same misery as any allergy sufferer.

Like their human companions, dogs can lose their vision to glaucoma, but veterinary medicine now offers treatments that preserve an animal's sight. It is important for dog owners to be aware of the symptoms of glaucoma and to act on them quickly because the disease can quickly devastate the eye. What is Glaucoma?

We all know spaying and neutering (sterilization) is the right thing to do for our dogs, don't we? Aside from preventing unwanted litters to offset the pet overpopulation problem, US veterinarians recommend the surgical sterilization of dogs for several reasons. Reasons to Sterilize Dogs In addition to unwanted litters, US vets recommend sterilizing dogs for the following reasons: Abolish heat cycles in females while diminishing unwanted behaviors in males Eliminate the dangers associated with whelping along with the possibility of pyometra (potentially fatal uterine infections) Dispense with the risk of ovarian, uterine, or testicular cancers Eradicate the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia and subsequent prostate infections Minimize the menace of mammary tumors in females Play down the prospect of perineal hernias in males What The World Thinks About Sterilizing Dogs Despite all these benefits, sterilization isn't universally well-received the world around.

Overview of the Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR1) Gene in Dogs The multi-drug resistance (MDR1) gene commonly comes up as it is related to how some drugs affect dogs. You may have a new dog and followed your veterinarians recommend for spaying and neutering. But what about the MDR1 gene? Has your dog been tested?

Lots of things can determine how common a disease or other health problem is in dogs. For example, injuries such as being hit by a car are usually seen in dogs that are allowed to roam or accidentally get off a leash. Certain infections such as parvovirus are common in non-vaccinated puppies. But is there any connection between where a dog lives and the health problems they experience?

The Controversy with Debarking Procedures A barking dog is frustrating - but does that necessitate having his vocal cords removed (commonly called a de-barking surgery)? Last week our hospital received a phone call from a prospective client inquiring as to our willingness to "debark" her dog. So you understand, debarking (also referred to as devocalization) is a procedure designed to remove the vocal cords of dogs whose owners believe engage in excessive barking behavior.

Veterinarian's "Dirtiest" Dog Jobs Being a vet isn't all puppy kisses. If I'm being honest, it involves a huge amount of work that is difficult, dirty, and sometimes just plain disgusting. Nearly every job in a veterinary clinic is tough, from the front desk to the vets themselves, and some jobs are dirtier than others.

Overview of Legionnaires' Disease in Dogs A client called and asked me a very interesting question: “Can my dog get or give Legionnaires' Disease?” They were right to be concerned; this disease, unknown to many, can be fatal. A hotel in Philadelphia, PA was the scene of a strange outbreak of pneumonia in 1976 that brought the disease into medical textbooks.

Understanding Canine Anesthesia Having your dog put under (anesthesia) is scary - but is it dangerous? Veterinarians often find themselves defending the need for anesthesia and sedation on a daily basis. After all, surgery's not exactly doable without anesthesia and our animals' limited ability to understand us means we often have no choice but to sedate them.

Understanding Canine Euthanasia Every so often I come across these odd news stories detailing strange tales of dogs and cats who somehow managed to cheat euthanasia. Like the Rottweiler who “awoke” and came wandering into the living room after being euthanized by his veterinarian in the garage.

Tips to Help Your Dog After Surgery Managing a dog's recovery after surgery can be immensely stressful. On top of vet bills and health concerns, you're trying to physically rehabilitate and assist an animal that is probably not so sure of what's going on in the first place. It's frankly heartbreaking at times.

How Does Wolbachia Affect Dogs? Heartworm disease in dogs is caused by the threadlike worm Dirofilaria immitis that lives in the pulmonary arteries (blood vessels leading from the heart to the lungs) of infected dogs. Wolbachia is a genus of bacteria that lives in the heartworm itself and serves a crucial function for the heartworm’s long-term survival and reproduction.