Tuesday, 3. November 2009
People tend to treat pets as little furry members of the family and protecting the health of loved ones is very important. In order to prolong the life of household pets, namely cats and dogs, annual vaccinations are required. Preventing diseases is less costly than waiting until a disease develops, then trying to treat it. Puppies and kittens both have different vaccinations that are needed to keep them healthy, these shots continue on into adulthood and can be received by animal hospital vaccines london on.
For Puppies- Puppies require vaccines for Kennel Cough, parvovirus, Hepatitis virus, and distemper virus. Puddle drinkers may benefit from being vaccinated for leptospirosis as well. The occurrence of this infection has been increasing greatly. The first visit for most puppies is around 6 to 8 weeks of age. The vaccination schedule is listed below:
When it comes to the puppy vaccinations, starting as early as six weeks, the pup should get the Coronavirus vaccination. They should also get the Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza at six, nine and twelve weeks of age. Other vaccines include Lyme's Disease, Rabies and Giardia.
9 and 12 weeks – Lyme's Disease Vaccine (if dog will be in contact with ticks) with a yearly booster. At 12 weeks Rabies vaccine with a booster 1 year after puppy dose, then however often they are required by the local authorities. 16 weeks – Kennel cough (Bordetelle) is needed if dog is to be boarded, in shows, or attends obedience classes with a yearly booster. 12 and 15 weeks Giardia is recommended for outside dogs, then a yearly booster.
Leptospirosis hasn't always been part of the vaccination schedule. There are a couple of reasons believed to be the cause of the rise in this illness. One reason is that there has been an increasing number of raccoons and skunks in urban areas. The second reason has to do with climate change and how this has caused certain bacteria to flourish. Rabies vaccinations are considered to be important for cats and dogs. Keeping this vaccination current is also beneficial for humans. Animals that are possible carriers of rabies include; bats, foxes, skunks, and raccoons.
For Kittens – Vaccines for kittens are needed for Upper Respiratory Viruses and Feline Leukemia, both of which occur more often in outside kittens. The age at which a kitten should have its first visit to the veterinarian is around 6 weeks. The typical vaccinations for kittens include Herpesvirus, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia. You also have rabies, felines infectious peritonitis and feline distemper.
A vaccine against Lyme's disease has only recently been added to the schedule of shots. The bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, is located inside some ticks and is then transferred when the tick bites the cat or dog. This disease has been growing because of the extended range that diseased ticks travel.
Lyme's disease vaccinations haven't always been part of the vaccination schedule. This tick borne illness has been growing in numbers as well. Prevention is always the best medicine, by being better for pets and humans alike. Keeping vaccines current on household pets will prevent any senseless suffering to be endured from an illness that could have been avoided. Obtaining animal hospital vaccines london on, costs less than trying to cure an illness after it begins. In the end, the best interest of your cat and dog should be in your heart. If your pet is ever acting different, you should take him or her to the vet/
Canines and Felines both have varying vaccinations that are needed to keep them happy, healthy and full off life, these shots continue on into adulthood and can be received by animal hospital vaccines london on. More info on Canine, Cat Vaccines London, Ontario,Canada, a mere click away.
Posted in Pets by Trevor Weir -
Friday, 18. September 2009
The Anatomy of the Canine Ear
Dogs, just like humans have ears that function to hear sounds in the environment. The difference is that while the outside of a human ear is straight, a dogs ear can be floppy or straight. This area is referred to as the Pinna. Its main function is to funnel sound into the ear canal. A dogs ear canal is “L” shaped while a humans is straight. A dogs ear canal is made up of the descending canal or vertical canal and the horizontal canal which ends at the eardrum or tympanic membrane. A canine eardrum is clear and separates the external, middle and inner ear.
Common Causes of Dog Ear Infections
The most common ear infection in dogs is an infection of the external part of the ear including the horizontal and vertical canals. This type of infection is called otitis externa. Otitis externa in dogs is really only caused by three things, namely ear mites, bacteria and yeast.
Ear mite infections are caused by the mite Otodectes cynotis. Ear mite infections are seen more in puppies than adult dogs, but any dog can get ear mites. A dog gets ear mites from other infected dogs. Ear mites can live in the ear and on the head and neck.
The bacterium most commonly involved in ear infections is Staphylococcus and the yeast most commonly seen is Malassezia. Bacterial and yeast infections are more common in dogs than ear mite infections. Even though there are only a few causes of ear infections, many things predispose a dog to getting an ear infection. Some of the most common predisposing factors are:
Malformed Ear Canal – When a dogs ear canal is too long or too small, this provides ample opportunity for moisture and debris to become trapped leading to an infection.
Excessive hair in the ear canal – Excess hair in the ear canal can trap water and debris leading to an ear infection.
Residing in Humid Climates or Swimming – In a humid environment, water from the air can become trapped in the ear. In addition, a dog that swims can end up with water retained in both the horizontal and vertical canals, both of which can lead to infection.
Folded or Floppy Pinna – If the pinnae are folded over or cover the vertical ear canal, debris and water can become trapped, thus resulting in infection.
Food Allergy – When a dog is allergic to certain foods, skin reactions can occur as well as changes in the ear canal environment. When this occurs, water is retained and the ending result is an ear infection.
Inhalant and Seasonal Allergies – These are also referred to as Atopy and include reactions to dust, mold, trees, grass and other environmental factors. Not only will your dog experience skin irritations, the environment in the ear canal will change resulting in moisture buildup which then leads to ear infections.
Systemic Disease – Hypothyroidism or other diseases that affect the endocrine system hamper the immune systems ability to fight infection. When both of these afflictions occur, an ear infection is inevitable.
A Growth or Foreign Object – If there is an abnormal mass or some kind of foreign particle in the ear, it can trap debris and moisture causing an ear infection.
Over Ear leaning – If a dog’s ears are cleaned too often, excess water and cleanser can be left behind. These two things can trap debris and eventually lead to an ear infection.
Heather Fox is an experience veterinarian who loves to share her knowledge about Dog Diseases Symptoms. She has an online classroom at Clivir.com where you can find more of her articles about Dog Ear Infections Causes.
Posted in Pets by Heather Fox -
Tuesday, 15. September 2009
Premium dog foods are most certainly better than an economy dog food. But it’s sometimes hard to figure out the difference between a premium dog food and the rest. Do you go by price alone? A lot of companies are betting on it. Does it say premium on the bag? What makes a premium dog food premium?
The main difference between premium and economy dog foods is the quality of the ingredients and the amount of actual nutrients digestible by your dog. Ignore any of the fancy wording or delicious looking pictures on the bag of food. Look, instead, at the dog food ingredients first.
The first 2 ingredients tell you a lot about the dog food you are about to purchase. The difference between an economy and premium food are the quality of the grains and meats used. Premium dog foods list an animal meat as the first ingredient. Economy dog foods, and premium dog food impostors, will list grains and meat by-products as the first two dog food ingredients.
Grains: Premium dog foods will use better grains (rice, oats) than economy foods (corn, soy, wheat). Why are these better? Because your dog can digest and metabolize the nutrients from these grains better. Grains are top ingredients in the economy dog foods, not in premium ones.
Another problem with the type and quality of grains/carbs used by the economy dog foods is that they are common sources of food allergies for dogs. They are also usually the by-products of the grain, not the whole grain itself, and thus has virtually no nutritional value to your dog. The grains/carbs really turn out to be nothing more than a way to make your dog feel full.
Meat by-products are not a top 2 dog food ingredient in premium dog foods. Meat by-products are the slaughtered meat carcass parts that are left over after all the usable meat has been removed – like bones, necks, intestines, etc.
Again, like cheap grain by-products, meat by-products are just not an equal substitute for real animal meat for your dog. They are used to boost the protein percentages in the dog food and make pet owners feel like they are feeding their dogs animal meat.
Premium dog foods almost always have a meat or meat meal as the first ingredient, unless it is a special need dog food. This is because dogs need animal protein – plain and simple. Meat by-products just don’t cut it.
What about price? Is that a good indicator of the type of dog food? Not really. Of course if you see a really cheaply priced dog food, it is probably an economy food. But just because the food is expensive, does not automatically mean it is a healthy, premium dog food. Again, you need to take a peek at the dog food ingredients list to really know what you are getting.
And now there are more types of dog food, like holistic and organic. For more information about the different choices available for your dog and how to carefully select the best premium dog foods for your particular pet at the Healthy Dog Food blog.
Posted in Pets by K.C. Jones -