Dog Health Care Blog

Carrie Adkin asked:




If you're a dog owner, it's highly likely that at some point you have fed your dog scraps from the dinner table. While this act of giving your furry friend some food may seem like a loving, harmless gesture, there is actually a wide variety of negative health effects certain foods can have on dogs. Some foods may cause only minor discomfort, while others can lead to digestive problems, severe illness, or even death.

Perhaps one of the most widely known hazardous foods for dogs is chocolate. Chocolate, which contains a compound called Theobromine, is a cardiac stimulant and diuretic. ADT Home Security . Taken in large enough doses, chocolate can cause dogs to have diarrhea and can cause vomiting.

Another well-known food for dogs to avoid is grapes. While the specific toxin in grapes that is harmful to dogs is not known, grapes, raisins and currants can cause damage to your dog's kidneys.

Other harmful foods and beverages include, but are not limited to:

Onions and garlic. Both contain a toxic ingredient called Thiosulphate and can lead to anemia Avocados. Essentially every component of avocados, from the seeds to the leaves, can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Coffee and tea. Like chocolate, they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and is harmful to the heart and nervous systems. Milk and other dairy products. These can also casuse diarrhea. Mushrooms. They contain multiple toxins that can lead to shock and even death. Raw eggs. An enzyme called avidin is found in raw eggs, and decreases the absorption of a B vitamin, which ultimately causes skin and coat problems. Raw meat. Salmonella and E.coli can be present in raw meat both of which can cause diarrhea and vomiting Yeast dough. Just as dough rises for baking, it can expand in the digestive system, leading to pain and a potential rupture of the intestines or stomach. Ciatica Tratamiento . Macadamia nuts. These can affect the digestive and nervous systems

It is important to remember that the dietary needs are of dogs are dramatically different than ours. And keeping an eye out for these and other dangerous foods is one way to ensure that our dogs live longer, healthier, and happier lives.



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Michelle Johnson asked:




As a dog owner most of us don't think of taking care of our dog's teeth and gums. We all must be aware of how important it is. Just like humans, if not taken care of the long term affects can cause gingervitis, infections, bone loss and eventually loss of teeth.

In order to prevent dental problems it is of vital importance that you do a home examination. Check for plaque, tooth fractures and check their breath. Usually if they have bad breath it is caused by bacteria in their mouth. At the first sign of plaque, it must be taken care of immediately. If not caught in time it will form into tarter. Tarter is very common in dogs or best known as periodontal disease. It is caused by plaque, food debri, cell mucus and bacteria. This results in a milky white film on the dog's teeth as well as their gums. When the film gets combined with saliva it becomes tarter. At this point it is very hard to remove.

The best way to start brushing his teeth is by mixing some garlic salt with water, dip an old toothbrush into the mixture and have your dog smell, taste and chew on it. As soon as he is comfortable with this try brushing his teeth. This will take time so remember to be patient and consistant. Eventually it will become apart of your daily routine. Do not raise your voice in anyway or he will assocciate the toothbrush as a bad thing. Do Not use human toothpaste, as these are made to be spit out. Since dogs can not spit it out there are various toothpastes you can buy made specially for dogs. You can buy them from your local pet store. The fingure brush is also a great way to keep your dogs teeth clean. Apply it on your fingure tip and rub your dogs teeth and gums. Although it is recommended to use a toothbrush this is an alternative. To kill the bacteria in your dogs mouth and help heal damaged gum tissues is mouthwash. This is used by simply putting a few drops in your dogs water. Follow the directions on the label carefully. Again, Do Not use human mouthwash, there is mouthwash specially made for dogs. To keep plaque at bay there are various bones and treats you can give your dog.

If your dog doesn't cooperate with you while trying to brush his teeth you can have them professionaly cleaned by your veterinarian. They will put your dog under anesthetia, scrape the buildup of plaque from the gum lines and polish them. This procedure is highly recommended. Check with your veterinarian on how often it should be done.

It is up to us as the dog owners in keeping our dogs happy and healthy.

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Carol Matthews asked:




In 2007, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced that the Golden Retriever was the fourth most popular breed in the country. They have routinely been in the top ten most popular breeds for a long time now. Chances are, you know somebody who has a Golden Retriever. Their beauty, trainability and friendliness make them extremely popular with people living alone, with couples and with families.

However, being in demand for so long can bring problems as well as rewards to any dog breed, including Golden Retrievers. Because they are in demand, there have been very unscrupulous breeders who are concerned about producing as many puppies as they can, not about the quality of these puppies. Where you go to find Golden Retriever puppies for sale is vitally important to find a good pet for you. Take your time, use both your common sense as well as your heart, and you should be able to find your new best friend.

Now that you know where not to go find Golden Retriever puppies for sale, where should you go? You can go to one of two places. You can go to a Golden Retriever breed rescue or go to an American Kennel Club licensed breeder. Golden Retrievers are one of the breeds recommended for a first time dog owner. If you fall in that category, then you are best off going to a breeder.

You can find these breeders from recommendations by Goldie owners, from shows, from websites that do not ship puppies anywhere and only have a few for sale a year and from classifieds in dog magazines. You will usually have to answer a lot of questions about your store of Golden Retriever information. You will often be put on a waiting list. You will usually get to meet the parents. Never buy a puppy that you haven't met first.

The best place you can go to find Golden Retriever puppies for sale is from an AKC licensed breeder. You can find them on the web, by going to dog shows, through classifieds in dog magazines or from personal recommendations by people you know with well-behaved Golden Retrievers. When looking online, ignore any site that has puppies 365 days of the year. That's a puppy mill (or puppy broker) in disguise as a breeder.

A Golden Retriever breeder knows the personalities of all of his or her puppies and knows how to best match a puppy to your home, lifestyle and level of Golden Retriever experience. Fortunately, there are far more breeders who love dogs and treat them well then there are evil breeders. Go to see the parents of your prospective puppy to see what kind of dogs they are - and what conditions they live in. Never buy a puppy you have never met.

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Babies were born to breastfeed. asked:


We will be staying with a family member for three weeks over the end-of-year holidays. We have a 6-month-old baby who will (of course) be with us. Recently this family member has demonstrated irresponsible dog-owning behavior, which resulted in a family friend being "nipped" at a party. I have spoken with this individual and communicated my concerns. What else can we do to help ensure everyone's safety? The baby is not yet mobile (i.e. not yet crawling or walking).

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