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- Apart from parasites are there any other causes of skin disease in dogs?
- Are some breeds much more subject to inherited diseases than others?
- Are some breeds of dog more prone to certain illnesses?
- How long is the average length of pregnancy?
- How serious an operation is neutering?
- How should I clean a wound?
- How should I deal with heat stroke in my dog?
- If your dog keeps shaking his head does it mean there is anything wrong?
- My dog appears to have no control over her urination, what could be the cause of this?
- Should a tick be pulled from a dog's body?
- What are the effects of having your dog neutered?
- What could be the cause of my dog having diarrhea?
- What is a hot spot?
- What is a proper way to give my dog a tablet or capsule?
- What should I do if my dog's anal sac does not empty properly?
- Why is it important to get rid of fleas on my dog?
- Apart from parasites are there any other causes of skin disease in dogs?
Yes, itching or pruitus is an obvious sign of skin disease, and although frequently caused by parasites, itching occurs whenever the skin is damaged or inflamed. Itching is one of the major signs of allergic skin diseases. Important allergies in dogs are due to inhalation of pollens, moulds or house dust, insect bites and stings and direct skin contact with chemicals in soaps and detergents, carpets, flea collars, plastics etc. Although foodstuffs are often blamed they are rarely responsible. Bacterial infections can cause skin diseases. Hormonal disorders can cause loss of hair, which is identical on both sides of the body, occurring without any skin irritation. Skin can also be involved in the growth of tumors and at times is affected by very bizarre conditions such as cutaneous asthenia in which the skin can be stretched to extremes but also tears very easily and canine icthyosis where much of the body surface is covered with grey scales and feather-like projections.
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- Are some breeds much more subject to inherited diseases than others?
There are seven breeds which it is known can suffer from twenty or more different disorders of genetic origin: American Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Bulldog and toy and mini Poodles. A further ten breeds are each subject to at least ten separate inherited diseases: Chihuahua, Collie breeds, Dachshund, Fox Terrier, German Shepherd, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, Pekingese, St. Bernard and the Shetland Sheepdog.
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- Are some breeds of dog more prone to certain illnesses?
Yes, most canine breeds are likely to suffer from one or more specific types of disorders, some of which are definitely known to be inherited. Hereditary cataract can occur in Boston Terriers, American Cocker Spaniel, Miniature Schnauzer and Old English Sheepdogs ultimately resulting in complete loss of vision. Collie eye anomaly is an inherited defect of the Collie breed which causes poor vision Hip dysplasia can occur in all breeds but affects more than 20% of dogs in some of them, including German Shepherds and Retrievers. Chihuahuas may suffer from hydrocephalus due to an excess of cerebral fluid. In Bull Terriers, Dalmatians and Sealyhams deafness is commonly found in dogs with a white coat or predominantly white marking and so on and so on.
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- How long is the average length of pregnancy?
The average length is around nine weeks (63 days), but there is a good deal of variation depending on the breed; three days either side is quite common and even a week either side is not unusual.
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- How serious an operation is neutering?
It is not as serious as the pet population problem. In males it is a relatively minor operation; castration involves removing the testicles of the anesthetized dog through a small incision into the scrotum. The surgical wound requires two or three sutures and heals quickly. In the female, spaying is a little more serious because it involves opening into the abdomen. Usually the incision is made on the underside of the abdomen. Between four and eight sutures are usually required. She should be restrained from running and jumping or walking long distances for a few days.
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- How should I clean a wound?
The wound should be cleaned out within the first six hours of injury. In the next six hours bacteria multiply considerably. Any large foreign bodies should be picked out and any soil washed away. It will be easier to wash the wound, especially in long haired dogs, if the area is clipped of hair. Clean the wound using a pad of clean gauze or even paper towels. Soak the pad in water with a small amount of antiseptic or peroxide. Gently dab away and wipe away the dirt and/or pus. Dab the wound dry with clean gauze.
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- How should I deal with heat stroke in my dog?
Immediately apply cold water to the dog's skin. If the animal is unconscious, it can be carefully placed in a cold bath or a small pool. Usually, there is an obvious improvement within five to ten minutes. Make sure you don't lower the dog's body temperature too much. If you have a rectal thermometer (and if you don't it is a good idea to get one) use it to determine your dogs temperature. When the dog's temperature has fallen to 102.5 F it is wise to stop the treatment. A dog's normal body temperature is around 101.5 F. Dry the dog and let it rest in a cool place with plenty of drinking water. If your dog's temperature begins to rise again....get the animal to your veterinarian.
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- If your dog keeps shaking his head does it mean there is anything wrong?
Yes, almost certainly the external ear canal of one or both of his ears is severely inflamed, a condition known as otitis externa. Ear mites is another culprit and will cause your dog to to considerable head shaking and ear scratching. Foreign bodies in the ear canal can be responsible for ear irritation also. To identify and treat the cause the dog should be examined by your veterinarian.
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- My dog appears to have no control over her urination, what could be the cause of this?
The involuntary passage of urine producing constant or intermittent dribbling, of which the animal is often unaware, constitutes true urinary incontinence. It needs to be distinguished from conditions in which so much urine is produced that the animals's bladder is unable to retain it for any appreciable period and from dogs that are not adequately house-trained or in which training has broken down, and from submissive urination.
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- Should a tick be pulled from a dog's body?
No, pulling a tick off usually causes its deeply embedded mouthparts to remain behind, and this may result in an abscess forming. You should try to make the tick slacken it's grip by applying alcohol, or ether, or by spraying it with an insecticidal aerosol spray, before carefully removing it with forceps. Any ticks removed should be burned.
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- What are the effects of having your dog neutered?
In the female it is called spaying and means the removal of the uterus and the ovaries and in the male it is called neutering and is the removal of the testicles. In the female the main change is that the typical behaviour shown during 'heat' and its possible sequel-a 'false pregnancy', will not occur. She will not produce a discharge and she will not attract every male dog for miles. Otherwise the female appears unchanged. In the male neutering reduces roaming in about 90% of male dogs, in about two-thirds it stops aggression between males, and in about 50% it stops urine-marking in the house. There is no evidence that neutering/spaying causes a dog to be less active or reduces its prowess as a guard guide. There may be a greater tendency for a neutered animal to gain weight but this can be checked by reducing its food intake. Spayed females may develop urinary incontinence later, either because of the lack of estrogen or because of a change in the position of the bladder. Surveys show that only about 10% of females become incontinent.
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- What could be the cause of my dog having diarrhea?
Virus such as distemper or parvo, irritant poisons, food poisoning or dietary allergies are the most common causes of diarrhea. In all cases where diarrhea persists or your dog is passing blood or rapidly becoming weak, veterinary attention should be obtained immediately.
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- What is a hot spot?
A hot spot is a painful circle of inflammation that occurs when pets rub, scratch, lick or bite their way into baldness. It usually occurs when something irritating, like fleas, starts bothering the skin. The more the spot itches, the more your dog will scratch and the larger the spot will get. Hot spots usually disappear on their own, but if the spot hasn't disappeared in 24 hours see a veterinarian.
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- What is a proper way to give my dog a tablet or capsule?
Often the easiest way a dog will accept a tablet or capsule is to conceal it in a tidbit of meat or cheese. You could also crush the tablet and add it to something appetizing like sardine oil or his favorite can dog food. If this doesn't work then the thing to do is to open the dog's mouth, place the tablet at the back and ensure that it is swallowed.
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- What should I do if my dog's anal sac does not empty properly?
You will need to remove this accumulated material by squeezing the sacs. It can be done either by gently squeezing both sacs together into a pad or cotton wool held over the anus, or with a hand covered by a plastic glove, inserting a finger throught the anus and squeezing out each sac in turn. If the secretion has solidified it may be necessary to flush the sac out while the dog is anaesthetized.
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- Why is it important to get rid of fleas on my dog?
Adult fleas are parasitic and survive by sucking the blood of their hosts. They are the most important single cause of skin disease in dogs. A heavy infestation may result in anemia. Fleas can transfer some infectious diseases from one dog to another. Fleas can transmit tapeworms to the dog.
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