Dog Allergies Are More Common Than You May Think

Many people may not realize that dogs, just like human beings, can suffer from allergies. In fact, about twenty percent of the dogs in the United States alone suffer from allergy at any one time, with flea allergy dermatitis being the most common form of allergy in dogs. Other types include atopic dermatitis, inhalant allergies, and food allergies.

Signs and symptoms of dog allergies may vary but are often marked by persistent itching and discoloration of the skin (most common with skin allergies), coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and mucus discharge (most common with inhalant allergies), and nausea, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea (common with food allergies.)

Over-the-counter preparations and treatments for common dog allergies exist and may be purchased at any good pet supply store, but care should be taken when choosing such treatments. Consultation with a vet is the best first course of action for several reasons. First of all, what you think is an allergic reaction may actually be signs of a more serious ailment and a vet should be the one to determine whether that is the case. Secondly, if the allergy is severe enough, over-the-counter treatments may not be sufficient to treat the symptoms. There is also the chance that the dog does not have an allergy at all. The last thing you want to do is medicate your pet unnecessarily.

If you do think your dog has some type of allergy, consult your vet. He or she will be able to perform tests to determine whether an allergic condition exists, how severe it is, and what the appropriate treatment should be. If the dog has an allergy to certain foods, it will be imperative to restrict the animal?s diet to eliminate those items that cause a reaction. The vet?s testing methods can help to determine whether this type of allergy exists as well. If the dog has flea allergy dermatitis (an allergic reaction to the saliva of fleas, rather than to the insects themselves), an strict flea prevention regimen will be recommended.

The vet may also recommend cortisone or steroids. Many vets are conventionally trained and do not offer holistic alternatives, which can be just as good as the toxic drugs which vets routinely prescribe. So before you accept your vet?s recommendations for drugs, do investigate the alternatives:

1. Natural Flea Treatments

2. Natural Worm Treatments

3. Detoxification of Your Dog?s System if your dog has taken toxic drugs or been exposed to chemicals (household cleaners, insecticides, etc.) in the past.

4. Past steroid use may have compromised Your Dog?s Immune System (characterized by such chronic illness as Lyme?s Disease and many others). Your dog's immune system can also be boosted by natural means.

5. Treat your dog's skin allergies naturally from the inside and out.

You should always discuss your intentions with your vet, when proceeding with any new regime, whether natural or otherwise, but knowledge is power. And being armed with the knowledge of the harm that conventional medicines can cause, and the effectiveness of holistic, natural, alternative methods, will stand you in good stead. Many vets are open to such alternatives when asked directly about them by a pet owner who has done research and is looking for a more natural way of dealing with illness, and this case specifically, allergies, in their dog.

Just like humans, dogs that suffer from various allergies can live comfortably with them if they are detected and treated properly. It is important to bear in mind that this is not a time to ?play doctor? by attempting to diagnose and treat a possible allergic condition yourself. Only your veterinarian is qualified to determine whether your dog is suffering from allergies. What course of action to take, however, may well be a matter for discussion between you and your vet.

(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs

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Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural dog health, including: Natural Flea and Worm Treatments Detoxifying Your Dog's System Immune Support for Your Dog Skin Allergies

A Guide To Dental Care For Your Dog

Have you ever come across a case where your dog is having awfully bad breath? So awful that you wish you do not own a dog? If it is the case, then it is time to take you pet to the veterinary. Like human, healthy dogs do not have smelly breath. According to a finding by the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs show some signs of gum disease by age three, a full grown dog. This shows the lack of oral hygiene in people having dogs at home.

Why dental care? Lack of dental care can cause severe dental diseases in dogs, which can prove fatal. After dog finishes his meal, minute food particles remain inside his mouth. These food particles, and bacteria accumulate on the surface of the tooth causing plaque. Continuous formation of plaque can cause tartar (or calculus) to form, and the gums get swollen up and become red color. This stage is called gingivitis. If the tartar is not removed, it accumulates up under the gums, and this slowly separates gums from teeth. This encourages more bacteria. This stage is called "periodontal" disease. The dog has awfully bad breath (halitosis) at this time, and it is necessary to see your veterinary.

Worse, the bacteria in mouth pass to intestine with food, and can cause heart, liver or kidney failure in dogs. The bacteria in mouth can go to the heart through the blood stream. These bacteria cause valve failure in heart, and your pet will get severely ill. Diseases of mouth are very painful for the dog, and being a dog lover you would certainly not want your dog to suffer this torture. It is therefore important that you practice oral hygiene for your dog, and protect him from severe diseases.

symptoms of dental diseases Bad breath is arguably the most common symptom of dental disease; there are many other ways to find out that your dog has a dental problem. Open the mouth of your dog, and check the teeth. If they are yellow colored, and have brown deposits on them, it indicates dental problem. Check if the dog gums are red and look swollen. More over, if the dog is unable to eat food, or cries in pain while eating, it means that there is severe dental problem with the dog.

Prevention and cure You might already be wondering what could be the remedy. Well "Prevention is better than cure". The best thing is to regularly brush your dog's teeth. It is your first line of defense against plaque, and tartar. Regular brushing keeps teeth healthy, and stops bad breath. Start brushing teeth from the time your pet is young. This will make him accustomed to your finger, and the taste of paste. Later you can start using toothbrushes.

There are also a number of commercially available dog-foods approved by vets, and these can be provided sometimes to your dog. These foods are made such that your dog chews them well, and in the process, the plaque and tartar gets removed.

In case of gingivitis, and "periodontal" disease the vets give anesthesia to the dog, and mechanically remove the tartar. Scaling is often done to remove the tartar that is accumulated under the gums. Once this is done the teeth are polished so that it is difficult for bacterial to develop on the teeth. After treatment, you need to regularly brush dog's teeth, feed hard food, and regular checkup is necessary.

It is therefore very necessary that you regularly brush your dog's teeth just like taking care of our own and our baby's, and maintain proper oral hygiene. Dental care is very important for the well being of your dog.

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More about dogs caring can be found in dogandpuppy.simpleusermanual.com/

Dog Diseases Copper Storage Disease

Copper Storage Disease or hepatotoxicosis is an ailment few dog breeds are prone to, but it is also very debilitating for those breeds that are. Basically Copper Storage Disease is where there are extra amounts of copper in the liver that the dog?s system cannot breakdown. When this disease is left untreated you will find it is fatal. Certain breeds are more at risk for this disease. These breeds are Bedlington Terrier, Doberman Pinscher, Skye Terrier, and the Western Highland White Terrier. You will also find that some other diseases can spring up because of the Copper Storage Disease. For Bedlington Terriers they can develop chronic hepatitis because of the genetic metabolic defect. For Doberman Pinschers you will find they can develop hepatitis or cirrhosis. For most of the breeds you will find the disease is genetically linked.

The cause of the disease, although genetically linked has not been determined for the exact genetic issue. Vets just know that the accumulation of copper in the liver begins to take an effect because certain proteins bind the copper or there is an abnormal secretion of copper in the bile. The good news is once you understand the cause of the disease and that your dog can be a carrier of the genetic disorder you can take precautions.

Part of the precautions you should take is in the care of your dog. It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms so that an early diagnosis is possible and the dog can be treated. symptoms associated with Copper Storage Disease include bleeding from the gums and nose, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. A symptom that is harder to see is anemia, which means the blood is actually affected and does not have the hemoglobin it needs. In some cases this can cause blood in the urine. If your dog experiences any of the symptoms you should take them to a vet right away for proper diagnosis. They will test the liver enzymes or do a biopsy of the liver to see if copper is present or if something else may be causing the symptoms. One of the things that can make diagnosis of the Copper Storage Disease harder is the actual symptoms because they are often common with certain types of cancer so there are a lot of things that need to be ruled out.

Prevention is very important in the dog breeds that are susceptible. You can closely monitor the food they eat to make sure it contains the proper enzymes and protein and you can also check to make sure your dog?s parents were not in the registry for having the disease.

For treatment of the Copper Storage Disease you have a few options. First pencillamine is offered to help the excretion of the copper. Zinc acetate can also help prevent the absorption of copper into the liver. Most often a low copper diet is preferable and extra vitamin E. Things to avoid are Vitamin C and a high copper diet for dogs that are susceptible. There is no surgery or other invasive treatments for the dogs. Mostly you just have to be aware of the disease potential and take the precautions of the proper diet. Most often when you are taking care with your dog you will find they can live a full and happy life even with the disease. It is only when the disease is ignored or the diet is not changed that can cause the illness to be fatal.

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Gerry Ronson writes articles for dog accessories and Hypnosis CDs .