Wednesday, February 16, 2011

A Guide To Puppy Urinary Tract Infection

Did you know that puppy bladder infections are very common? It's easy to miss a puppy urinary tract infection simply because puppies do tend to piddle a lot. But if you're having trouble housetraining your puppy, and she can't seem to hold her urine for more than a few minutes, you should investigate this possibility further.

*symptoms Of Bladder Infections In Puppies*

We all know our dogs are super-smart, but even the smartest pup can't talk to you and tell you what's bothering her. It's up to us as responsible dog owners to keep our eyes open for the symptoms of canine urinary tract infections:

* Bloody urine

* Urine that smells really bad

* Straining while urinating

* No energy; just lays around a lot

* Lower abdomen is tender to the touch

* Urinating all over the house

This last symptom is the one you'll want to watch for with a puppy.

*What Can Cause A Puppy Urinary Tract Infection?*

There are several reasons why your little buddy develops a puppy bladder infection. Female dogs are more prone to this problem because their urethras are shorter and broader than a male dog's urethra. This makes it easier for bacteria to get in the bladder and start causing mischief in the form of a canine bladder infection.

It's also important that your puppy is drinking enough water. If her urine is too concentrated, this can set the stage for a puppy urinary tract infection.

You may be surprised at how quickly your puppy matures. Her hormone balance will be changing as she goes through puberty. When this happens, her body's ph balance changes. Just like in humans, this can make her more prone to a canine urinary tract infection. You can avoid this whole scenario by having her spayed before her first heat.

We all want to save money, but cutting corners on your puppy's diet isn't the way to do it. Making the investment in the highest-quality dog food possible will pay itself back many times by avoiding health problems and high vet bills later on in your dog's life.

A good quality canned food is probably the best, but if you feed dry dog food, look for one that has lots of meat or chicken in it. Avoid dry dog food that's mostly grain. Grain-based dog food changes the urine ph, which can lead to recurring urinary tract infection in dogs.

*Natural Remedies For Pets With Puppy Bladder Infections*

There are many natural ways to treat bladder infections in puppies. You can try giving her 1000 mg of vitamin C every day for a couple of days. Be sure she's drinking lots of water. Adding a broth with salt in it to her food will make her thirsty and encourage her to drink more water and flush her system.

People have been using certain herbs and homeopathic remedies to treat bladder infections for many years. You'll be happy to know that there is now a safe, effective herbal pet remedy that you can give your puppy every day to support bladder health and prevent bladder infections in dogs. This remedy is manufactured by a long-established company with a sterling reputation for producing the highest-quality pet remedies.

If your young dog is already having problems with puppy bladder infections, do yourself and your little friend a favor and learn how herbal pet remedies can treat and prevent this problem.

Are you aware that your pup could be suffering from a puppy urinary tract infection, and you may not even know it? Learn how to recognize puppy bladder infections, and how to treat and prevent them with natural remedies for pets.

*Information about the Author:*

Pets Articles : http://www.article-buzz.com

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Dog Hot Spots: How to Get Rid of Them Fast

In this article "Dog Hot Spots: How to get rid of them fast", I'll explore the causes of dog hot spots and suggest how you can get rid of them.

symptoms

Does your dog have the following symptoms?

· Licking, biting and chewing a spot on the skin endlessly. · The spot suddenly increases in a matter of hours, sometimes with pus inside. · The sore may sometimes ooze pus or blood out. · The hot spot loses hair. · The sore smells funny. · Your usually friendly hairball best friend is now bad tempered and growls at you when you accidentally touch him/her.

If your dog has these symptoms and if the spot seems to breed other spots like it, then your dog may be experiencing what veterinarians call pyotraumatic dermatitis, or hot spots. A dog hot spot is a very annoying skin lesion that can grow rapidly if left untreated. These infuriating nuisances on your little pooch are not only making him or her suffer, it can also make your doggie friend look like he or she has a contagious disease.

Causes

Here are 3 of the main causes of a dog hot spot:

1. Hot spots are usually seen in dogs that have furry coats like Shih-Tzu's or Pomeranians because they are more susceptible to get tangled and matted hair that causes these irritating pyotraumatic dermatitis. Also, dogs with long coats are more prone to have trapped dead hair inside the skin which is also something that causes hot spots.

2. Dogs with allergic reactions to house dust, household chemicals, commercial dog food and even plant pollen are also vulnerable to hot spots.

3. Other dogs are just plain hyper and will end up biting, licking and gnawing at themselves if left alone. This can also cause hot spots to appear.

Solution

If you see that your loyal four-legged best friend has a hot spot then you must act quickly. Below are steps you can take to treat this horrible condition:

1. First of all, isolate the area by trimming the hair around the sore itself to prevent the spreading of the infection. Some find it easier to wipe away the fur if you put some water-based jelly on the fur that you will trim off. Trimming the hair around the spot not only makes it easier to treat the spot, it will also lessen the cause of itchiness.

2. Clean the sore well by using a mild antiseptic soap. Thoroughly wash the area to make sure no residual soap is left that can cause further irritation.

3. You need to dry out the sore so that it will not flame up and have some pus in it. Do this by applying wet tea bags on the sore.

4. A number of natural products have also proven to be very effective against dog hot spots. Among these are witch hazel and apple cider vinegar. Tepezcohuite, which forms the foundation of one of my pet related products (k9klearup.com), has been found to be quite effective on hot spots as well, so much so that we guarantee it's efficacy

Prevention

In preventing hot spots, you need to address the causes of course. So make sure you brush your furry friend's coat all the time to avoid tangles, clean your home or the area where your pooch loves to play regularly and give him or her proper exercise so your doggie pal will not get restless and mutilate his or her own skin.

So there you have it, some simple solutions to help get rid of a dog hot spot. Your dog should be wagging his tail again in no time!

In this article "Dog Hot Spots: How to get rid of them fast", I'll explore the causes of dog hot spots and suggest how you can get rid of them.

*Information about the Author:*

Pets Articles : http://www.article-buzz.com