February 17th, 2009
Like us, even our pet dogs age. And just like us, they have similar age related problems. But there’s one main difference, that is, they are unable to express their problems directly. This is where, as a good pet owner, you need to know what your dog can suffer from, so that in the future, if ever your pet begins to suffer from any condition, you can detect it and get treatment at the earliest.
One such condition is arthritis. This is a highly limiting condition, where, due to the pain in the joints, dogs tend to become less and less mobile as the pain increases. Sometimes, if the pain is too high, they may not be able to support themselves on their feet and may fall down. Other signs and symptoms that the dog can have are sluggish motion, and it may begin to gain a lot of weight due to reduced movements and lack of exercise. It may show disinterest in taking walks or playing and may spend a lot of time sleeping. Other points that you may need to look out for are if he puts his weight more on a specific limb and takes a lot of effort standing up or sitting down.
All these signs point towards arthritis and in case you notice any of these signs in your dog, you must take it to the vet at the earliest. An early treatment is more effective and also helps avoid a lot of pain for your dog. Drugs such as Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs, NSAIDs in short, combined with regular exercising and nutritious diet can help in the treatment of arthritis.
Only give those medicines which the vet prescribes and not any other human medicines as the dosage may vary based on the body weight of your pet. Self-medication could be very dangerous, so always consult your vet for any query about your pet’s health.
Tags: Arthritis, Arthritis In Dogs
Posted in Arthritis In Dogs | No Comments »
February 17th, 2009
With the advent of technology, everyone turns to the internet for some information or the other, especially when they want it at a short notice. Among most of the health conditions of dogs, irritable bowel syndrome is a common condition people search for. This may seem like quite an intimidating condition, but more often than not, the cause is relatively simple, and its easy to cure as well.
On an average, most of the dogs suffer from irritable bowel syndrome at some point or the other. Most frequently, this condition involves loose motions, which has a slightly viscous consistency and not infrequently, it is associated with blood too. Add to that, your pet will strain a lot to pass motions causing a lot more discomfort to it. As bad as it may look, it is not that big a thing to worry. Most of the time, irritable bowel syndrome is due to some irritant, mostly a new type of dog food, which cause irritation in your pet’s stomach, leading to inflammation of the gastro intestinal tract, which is counteracted by its body by expelling the content either by loose motions, or by the dog vomiting the contents on its own.
Even the cure for this condition is relatively easy. You need to cut off the food intake of your dog for the period till it is having loose motions. This ways, its body is able to flush out the irritants completely and henceforth the inflammation subsides. Subsequently, the body is able to absorb nutrient at the previous rate.
However, if your dog’s condition doesn’t improve even after a few days, it is advised to take him to the vet, so that he can treat the condition more aggressively and improve your dog’s health.
Tags: Irritable Bowel, Syndrome in Dogs
Posted in Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Dogs | 1 Comment »