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Things You Should Know About Your Dog - But Don't Want To Talk About!
By Edwina Hanson
When you decided to get a dog, I'll bet you daydreamed about the great times
you'd have with your new best friend. However, there are many things that you
need to consider in order to keep your pooch happy and healthy. Things that
perhaps you'd rather not even think about!
When you go to the veterinarian he may ask you to bring along a urine sample
from your dog. How do you do this? Your dog surely won't be able to hit a sample
bottle. The easiest way to accomplish this is to tape a polythene container to
the end of a yard stick. While your dog is out doing his business, position the
container underneath his urine stream. This is easier to do with male dogs than
female dogs but you can usually get a sample with one or two tries. Your
veterinarian will want as fresh a sample as possible so if you won't be taking
the sample to the vet right away, keep it refrigerated until you bring it in.
Your veterinarian will be checking the sample for a variety of things like
bacteria and crystals. If bacteria is found it could mean that your dog has a
urinary tract infection and will most likely require your dog to be put on a
course of antibiotics. Crystals form in the urine whenever minerals bind
together, there are several different kinds of crystals and these are most often
treated with prescription diets.
If your veterinarian asks for a stool sample it could mean that he suspects that
intestinal parasites are bothering your dog. They can get these by eating fecal
matter from another affected animal, carcasses, or other unsavory things. You
will want to bring in a fresh sample. The doctor will examine it under the
microscope and look for telltale eggs of parasites. Commonest parasites are
roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. Several of today's monthly
heartworm medications also protect against roundworms and hookworms. If you live
in the country or your dog is outside for much of the day, he may need to be
treated with a tapeworm wormer on a quarterly basis. Other diseases like
coccidia, can also be seen under the microscope from your dog's stool sample.
What about anal glands? The anal glands are two small glands located just on the
inside of your dog's anus that secrete a foul smelling liquid. Usually the
glands will be emptied when your dog defecates. Unfortunately, in some dogs, the
anal glands become impacted and do not empty properly. If your dog is urinating
more than usual or licking his hind quarters more often, there may be a problem
with his anal glands. In this case it's important to make an appointment with
your veterinarian who will check the anal glands by gloved touch. If the anal
glands are full, he will be able to empty them manually. it is possiblen,
however, to learn how to do this yourself at home. Some dogs require their anal
glands be manually emptied regularly. Some owners have their dog's anal glands
surgically removed but if you choose to do this, discuss the possible outcomes
with your veterinarian as there is often a risk of fecal incontinence if the
surgery goes awry.
Occasionally in dogs, dandruff is just dandruff caused by skin allergies,
nutritional deficiencies, or improper grooming. Sometimes, however, dandruff can
be a sign of a parasite called mange of which there are a few different types:
a) Demodectic Mange is caused by a mite which all dogs have but are rarely
adversely affected by it. Sometimes however, there can be an overabundance of
these mites which causes skin irritation and hair loss.
b) Sarcoptic Mange (also known as scabies) is caused by another type of mite. A
female mite buries herself in the dog's skin and lays her eggs there. When the
eggs hatch, the cycle begins again. This causes severe skin irritation and hair
loss in dogs but is easily treatable.
c) Cheyletiella Mange is caused by a large mite that lives on the surface of the
dog's skin. This infestation is also known as 'walking dandruff'. This type of
mange causes minor skin irritation but is easily treatable with topical
medication.
So, now you can talk about those unpleasant things! It's important that you are
properly educated and can recognize signs and symptoms so that you keep your dog
as healthy as he can be. About the Author Edwina Hanson is a dog care and training professional. Click on the link for a free 73 page report entitled
Complete Dog
Care. You'll also get a nice little ebook entitled "20 Natural and Healthy Recipes" (for your dog!).
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Some other articles by Edwina Hanson | A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is
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Dealing With Dog House Training Issues The best house training uses the dogs own instincts to avoid soiling its bed.
That is the basis behind crate training, in which the dog is confined to its
crate in the absence ...
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