Dog fleas are a pesky nuisance. Any time your dog has them, not only do they annoy your pet and make her scratch constantly, they also infest the whole house, it seems.

You can easily tell when your dog has fleas. She will scratch furiously, over and over. It is important to check that there are no signs of other parasites such mange. Mange results in red skin patches and loss of hair.

Some people seem to be particularly attractive for fleas, mosquitoes and other biting insects. If you have a person like that in the house, they may know that the dog has a problem before you even notice the dog scratching.

Of course there are plenty of commercial products to get rid of dog fleas, but these are often chemical insecticides that you may not want to use on your pet or in your house. So what is the solution?

Fortunately there are some natural treatments for dog fleas. The traditional flea comb is one of them. It will get rid of a certain number of adult fleas by simply combing them out of the dog’s hair. Most dogs enjoy being combed, but be sure to do it outside or the parasites will just stay in the house and jump right back onto the dog.

Regular flea collars are to be avoided because of the harsh chemicals that they contain, but you can find all natural versions of a flea collar. Alternatively, rub a couple drops of essential oil of eucalyptus and rosemary onto a regular canvas or fabric covered collar. This will not work so well on bare leather. Watch that the dog does not chew the collar, because essential oils are strong and can burn the tissues of the mouth.

You can also get natural flea powder from many sources. Try asking in your local pet supplies store or health store, or order online. These natural dog flea treatments are usually made up of plant extracts including eucalyptus, fennel, rosemary and wormwood.

To prevent further infestations, try giving your dog garlic regularly in his food. The smell will keep parasites away. Brewer’s yeast is another natural food that has the same effect, so you can try this if your dog will not eat garlic.

At the same time as you are getting rid of fleas on your dog, it is important also to treat the house. Fleas will lay eggs and hide out in all kinds of soft furnishings including your sofas, rugs and beds.

For the house, be sure to get something that will not harm children or other pets. Usually the flea powder that you use on your dog can be sprinkled onto furnishings too, but try a spot test to be sure that it does not discolor fabric. You will need to treat furniture and mattresses, and wash sheets. Repeat the treatment twice more, every 2-3 days, to deal with any eggs that were left. You should find this is an effective way to get rid of dog fleas naturally.

Tweet This Post

A dog not eating can be worrying. Clearly, a dog who does not want any food is not the healthiest of animals. But what is wrong? In this article we look at some of the possible causes of a dog not eating and what you should do.

Like children, dogs often lose their appetite when they are sick. This actually helps the body to recover because it can concentrate all of its resources on the illness without having to handle digestion of food at the same time. Any kind of minor bacterial or viral infection may cause this to happen.

If the dog is also coughing, it may have infectious bronchitis, also known as kennel cough. This is a very common mixture of viral and bacterial infection that is easily passed from dog to dog. The symptoms are a lot like flu in humans, including fever and lethargy or depression, but may last for up to a month.

There is no complete treatment for kennel cough and in most cases you just have to keep the dog home and let it rest. However, you might want to have it checked by a vet. Sometimes antibiotics are necessary to prevent pneumonia. As with flu in humans, kennel cough can sometimes be serious or fatal, especially in old dogs or those with impaired immune systems.

Lyme disease is a more serious infection that is passed on to dogs from ticks. A dog with Lyme disease will often have painful joints and may limp. It will probably also have a fever and bad breath. Lyme disease must be treated as soon as possible to prevent serious complications from developing.

A puppy not eating may be suffering from red or demodectic mange. This is a parasite that lives on virtually all dogs and many humans, but only causes problems in puppies up to one year old or adult dogs with depressed immunity.  The skin becomes itchy, reddened or scaly and the puppy loses hair in circular patches.

Another possible cause of a dog not eating is that the dog has an abdominal obstruction. This means that they have swallowed something that is causing a blockage somewhere in the digestive system and will not pass out. It could be a bone or anything that they swallowed that is indigestible. These obstructions can cause serious problems and you should see the vet with your dog to check this out. Surgery is sometimes required to remove the obstruction.

More rarely, loss of appetite in a dog may be caused by rabies, heart disease or heartworms. Of course, these are serious conditions that will have other symptoms too.

In summary, there may be many different reasons for your dog’s loss of appetite. It would not be possible to be sure what is wrong without seeing the dog. However, you can be sure there is something. Dogs do not stop eating for no reason at all. Therefore, it is important to take your pet along to the vet’s office so that the problem can be investigated and the vet can discover the cause of the dog not eating.

Tweet This Post

Dog ear infection is one of the most common conditions seen by a veterinarian. In most cases the problem is otitis externa, or infection of the outer ear canal, which is caused by bacteria developing in a moist ear.

In humans, this condition is called swimmer’s ear because it often develops when water is trapped in the ear. In dogs, it tends to occur most frequently in breeds that have floppy ears or long, hairy ear canals where the hairs can easily trap moisture after a swim, a bath or even a walk in the rain. Bacteria breeds in this warm, damp environment causing infection.

It is also possible for a dog to develop a bacterial infection in the inner ear. Inflammation of the ear may also be caused by a yeast infection or by ear mites, which affect puppies in particular.

It is easy to spot a dog with an ear infection. The dog will be constantly trying to rub the ear, which will be very sensitive. It may shake its head a lot to try to shift the fluid that is collecting inside. You may see signs of redness and swelling if the dog allows you to look into the outer ear. A vet will examine this more closely with an instrument called an otoscope.

Canine otitis externa often causes a dark or yellow discharge that smells bad. For this reason, this infection is sometimes called stinky ear syndrome.

In most cases, a dog ear infection will be treated with antibiotic ear drops. The vet will usually show you how to administer the medication. As with antibiotics for humans, it is important to give the medication at regular intervals and to complete the full course.

When applying ear medication to a dog you normally have to hold the ear up straight and apply the medication with a dropper. Dogs’ ear canals are L shaped, and the infection is normally located in the horizontal section, so the medication must travel all the way down the vertical section to reach it. Once this is done, you can allow the dog to shake its head. This will help to distribute the medication and dislodge any blockage in the ear.

If a dog repeatedly gets ear infections, there may be an underlying cause that should be investigated. For example, the dog may have an allergy or hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). If an ear infection is treated without tackling an underlying problem like these, the infection will usually clear up during treatment with antibiotics but then reappear soon after the treatment stops.

Some dogs develop chronic ear infections. This usually happens when either the infection or an underlying cause goes untreated. In this situation, the ear canal may become almost completely closed, or the eardrum may be penetrated by the infection. Surgery is often required to correct these problems.

There are many different bacteria that can cause an ear infection in dogs. It is also possible for the same symptoms to be caused by some object being trapped in the ear, or even a tumor. Therefore it is best to see a veterinarian who will investigate the cause, analyze the discharge if any and prescribe the appropriate treatment for dog ear infection.

Tweet This Post

Dog health problems symptoms are something that you should know about when you own a dog. Any dog is sure to get sick from time to time and you need to know what to do. Here are some of the common symptoms that a dog may suffer from and some of the diseases that these symptoms may indicate.

Abdominal swelling or pain: may be caused by a digestive disease such as enteritis, or by constipation, canine bloat or hepatitis. In puppies, abdominal swelling can be a sign of roundworms.

Aggression: if the dog is showing unusual aggression and an apparent change in personality, it may have rabies. Rabies is sometimes accompanied by breathing difficulties.

Blood in urine: may be a sign of kidney disease. Blood in feces is not necessarily so serious and may be caused by constipation.

Coughing: a dog that coughs may have distemper, kennel cough, an allergy, worms, canine parvovirus, hepatitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia or even heart disease.

Diarrhea: digestive disorders, food poisoning, worms, allergies, or disease of the pancreas.

Excessive drinking: indicates kidney disease or diabetes.

Fainting: heartworms or heart disease.

Fever: like humans, dogs develop a fever with many illnesses, including kennel cough, parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, rabies, Lyme disease, food poisoning, or heatstroke.

Fits, convulsions or seizures: may be canine epilepsy.

Flaky or scaly skin or scabs: mange, scabies, dandruff, allergies.

Hair loss: usually caused by parasites such as mange, fleas, scabies or ringworm. Can also be caused by allergies, Cushing’s syndrome or overactive thyroid.

Lameness and difficulty walking: arthritis, hip dysplasia, Lyme disease, rabies, thrombosis, cysts, patellar luxation (dislocation of the kneecap).

Losing weight: probably worms, although this might also be a symptom of a serious condition such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

Nasal discharge: distemper, kennel cough, allergies.

Not eating: could be caused by Lyme disease, kennel cough, mange, rabies, heartworms, heart disease, any virus.

Panting (other than after exercise): often a sign of heart disease.

Scratching ear: a sign of fleas, allergies or ear infection.

Shaking head: ear infection or fleas.

Vomiting: many possible causes including distemper, canine bloat, enteritis, hepatitis, parvovirus, worms, kidney disease, allergies, food poisoning, diabetes, Addison’s disease, or just over eating.

Wheezing: probably kennel cough.

When dog health problems symptoms develop in your much loved pet, it can be very worrying. You cannot ask the dog to tell you exactly what is wrong and often times, the same symptoms may have many different causes.

Some of these canine health problems are common illnesses that are not grave at all, but sometimes there can be an underlying condition that is potentially serious or even life threatening. Therefore, if you see any dog health problems symptoms developing in your pet, consider taking your dog to the veterinarian right away to discover exactly what is wrong.

Tweet This Post

Currently there are millions of dog owners all around the world and most of them enjoy the companionship that they provide. For the couples out there that are unable to have any kids or another even another child for that matter, having a dog can feel like having a child that you enjoy taking care of. The problem with this is that dogs are often sold by puppy mills that are concerned with the bottom line and making profits off of each dog.

Because of this, they tend to focus on the ability to sell the dog to the customer without letting them know dogs take a lot of care and effort. In order to properly care for a dog you will need to invest dedication, time, effort and hard work. You may also want to learn about dog behavior control in order to minimize the stress in the house.

Dogs are much like humans and you will be able to read what they are feeling after spending some time with them. If the dog is experiencing sudden bursts of energy and barking at company, he may simply be experiencing nervous energy. When you notice this occurring you should take the dog for a walk right away and try to spend some time with him or her.

Half an hour should be a decent amount of time to allow some bonding while the dog is working off some steam. You should realize that what may seem perfectly natural to a dog is often undesirable behavior to a human. It will take some time to teach your dog what is acceptable behavior.

Establish a routine for dog behavior control by taking the dog out for the same walk every day. Humans base their actions from habit and so do dogs. Keep this in mind and walk the dog during the same time and through the same path every day. When the dog knows what to expect it will reduce the amount of anxiety that is experienced when you are unavailable.

Going to the bathroom in the house may seem like the dog is doing something wrong. You should realize that this is a call from nature. The dog doesn’t know it is inappropriate until you teach him where he should do his business. Take the dog for more frequent walks and practice encouragement before heading back home.

If you notice that the dog is nipping at strangers playfully, you should invest in getting the dog trained. Dogs nip each other in play and will do the same thing with people if they are not taught otherwise. Hiring an experienced professional is well worth the money invested because of the results. You will not only have a better trained dog but will also learn how you can better handle your dog and how to give them the right behavior cues.

Obedience is one of the most important milestones in any relationship between dog owner and pet. Dog behavior control is possible with the assistance of a qualified professional and you will often find local dog training classes that can save you money.

Are you searching for dog behavior control methods to help you get a better handle on your dog? If you are be sure to check out this dog training site and learn about fixing dog behavior problems.

Tweet This Post

Training Yorkies is a tedious task because they can be a little stubborn at times and very resistive when you are trying to train them. You have to follow some guidelines if you wish to successfully train your terrier or dog in general.

Like every training schedule, be it human or otherwise – a consistent and regular approach is necessary for completing it successfully. Similarly, work with your dog everyday because their attention span and memory is short.

Yorkies are great companions but they love to bark which is troublesome to their owners and neighbors, too. The best time to teach them anything is between 5 to 12 months of age. Talk to them in a strong tone when they do something that is not acceptable so that next time they will recognize from your tone that they have offended you. 

Take your Yorkie for a daily walk for at least half an hour or so and spend some time playing with him or her at home, too. This is a method of exercise for them and most of their energy is used in play, so they tend to bark less. Train your Yorkie so that she knows when to bark and when not to. You can also try using some dog toys to keep her from barking all the time. Because toys will keep her busy and involved, she will refrain from barking automatically.

Teaching her one thing at a time will help her to get the hang of it. Do not move to the next lesson before making sure that the first one was well practiced and the Yorkie is thoroughly versed in it.

While training Yorkies, make sure it’s just you in her vicinity. Generally, they tend to get distracted by other animals or human beings in the house. Yorkies are very fond of treats. So whenever they follow your command during training sessions, give them a treat so that they feel appreciated. Being appreciated and getting a reward is always very motivating.

They are not human and thus might not understand a slight difference in our commands. It is better to use exact commands every time. Keep it simple and clear and avoid confusing your Yorkie.

Training Yorkies to potty where you want them to takes considerable time and effort. Take her out when she wakes up in the morning or after a meal. Be a little patient, if she does it inside the house. Next time be aware and take her out numerous times a day. Again praise and give her treats when she potties outside. Just a little effort every day will turn them into an obedient companion.

Tweet This Post

Dog constipation can be an uncomfortable and painful condition for your pet. Just like humans, there are dogs who have a tendency to become constipated. However, once constipation has been identified, it is usually relatively simple to treat. There are both medications and natural remedies for dog constipation.

How Do You Know If Your Dog Has Constipation?

If your dog is constipated, you will probably notice that he or she has difficulty passing feces. The feces are small and very dry. You may also notice blood in the feces or bleeding from the rectum.

Dog Constipation Treatment

Mild constipation can be treated at home. The usual way is to give the dog more fiber in food, just as you would with a human.

Canned pumpkin is very effective in treating dog constipation. Be sure to get the unsweetened kind. Most dogs will like the taste if you serve it along with their regular food and they don’t need much. 1 tablespoon twice a day is enough for a small dog (under 25 pounds), 2 tablespoons for a dog weighing 25-50 pounds and 3 tablespoons for a large dog (over 50 pounds).

If your dog is prone to constipation, you should probably add fiber to the diet all of the time, not only when constipation appears. Some grated vegetables or canned pumpkin can be added to the main meal of the day.

Another source of fiber is psyllium husks which are sold in health food stores and can be used for treating constipation in humans too. You may find it under the brand name Metamucil (R). Do not use sweetened or flavored varieties.

To give psyllium, sprinkle a little on the dog’s food either once or twice a day, from a quarter teaspoon for a very small dog to 1 whole teaspoon for a large dog. Be sure that water is freely available to a dog who is taking psyllium because it absorbs a lot of water in the stomach.

Milk gives many dogs diarrhea and therefore some owners give milk to constipated dogs. In most cases, this is not an ideal solution. The dog may be allergic to lactose, causing not only diarrhea but perhaps other symptoms too. If you do want to try milk, give it one time only, just a quarter cup to half cup depending on the size of the dog.

Mineral oil is frequently used to lubricate the digestive system, although it can deplete the dog’s stores of vitamin A and other essential nutrients so it should not be used for more than 7 days and some vets do not recommend it at all. Mineral oil is almost tasteless so you can just mix it with a little food and the dog will eat it. The dosage is from 1 teaspoon for a very small dog, to 4 teaspoons for a large dog, twice daily.

If your dog is not eating, or if your dog’s constipation continues despite treatment or recurs after treatment stops, it is important to see a vet to rule out other problems. Constipation can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition, such as hernia or intestinal obstruction. In some cases these require surgery. Do not assume that dog constipation is always a minor condition.

Tweet This Post

Dog health insurance is a way of spreading the cost of veterinary care for your pet. Almost any dog can be covered from a 6 week old puppy upward.

If you are wondering about the benefits of dog health insurance, keep in mind that one in three dogs will need unexpected medical care within the next 12 months, and two in three dogs suffer from a serious (i.e. expensive) medical problem at some time in their lives.

Veterinarians are now able to treat many diseases that in the past would have been fatal for a dog. However, the cost of these new life saving treatments can be prohibitive. It would be terrible to be in a situation where complicated surgery could save your dog’s life, but you could not afford to pay for it. This is happening to more and more people as the boundaries of veterinary medicine are extended.

Having insurance makes it easier for you to deal with situations where the cost of your pet’s care would be very high. If your pet develops a serious illness or has a medical emergency, it can save you a lot of money to be able to claim the costs on insurance.

Another benefit of dog health insurance is that if your pet is insured, you are more likely to take him to the vet whenever he has a health problem. Although we all like to think that our pet’s health would come first in most situations, there might be times when a trip to the vet was put off because of financial concerns. If you have insurance you do not have to be so worried about the cost when your pet is sick.

As with health insurance for your family, you will find that the different plans offer different coverage. Before you decide on any dog health insurance, take some time to consider various plans from several different companies. Some companies will not cover certain breeds, or they may exclude certain conditions that are common in certain breeds, like hip dysplasia.

If your dog has suffered any health problems in the past, you may want a plan that covers pre-existing conditions. This can mean higher monthly payments but could save you money if the condition recurs. For a puppy, you will want to know if the plan covers vaccinations.

You may also want to discuss dog health insurance with your veterinarian. Some vets are linked up with particular pet insurance companies. This makes it easier to make a claim, but you may not necessarily get the best value for your circumstances.

You can often save on the monthly cost of a pet health care plan by accepting to pay a certain amount of the cost each time that your dog needs treatment. For example if you pay the first $50 or even $25 of any claim, you will pay less per month than if you want the insurance to cover everything.

More and more responsible dog owners are taking out insurance these days. Take a look at a plan for yourself. Dog health insurance can protect your pet as well as your finances.

Tweet This Post

If your dog has a tendency to pick up ticks, you should watch for dog Lyme disease symptoms in your pet. Lyme disease is a serious illness that can even be fatal in some cases. It is a bacterial disease spread by ticks, especially deer ticks in the USA and sheep ticks in Europe. It was named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where the disease was first identified in 1975.

Dog Lyme disease symptoms are a lot like the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Joints can become inflamed, and feet and legs become sore. This means that the dog will start to limp and may have swelling around the joints or lymph nodes.

A fever usually develops, with the dog running a temperature a couple of degrees higher than normal. Normal body temperature for a dog is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit (around 38 to 39.2 degrees Celsius). 103 or above indicates a fever.

A dog with Lyme disease will probably not eat at all and may throw up. His or her breath may smell bad, like ammonia, and the stomach may be bloated and tender to the touch.

In the later stages, dog Lyme disease symptoms include confusion and seizures. If untreated, the disease can eventually cause kidney failure, neurological disabilities and myocarditis, which is similar to a heart attack.

In most cases, the tick has to be on the dog’s body for at least 24 hours before it will transmit Lyme disease. So if you always remove ticks from your pet quickly, then he or she is not so likely to develop this illness. However, it can be hard to know how long a tick has been on your pet, so keep your eyes open for symptoms of canine Lyme disease any time that your dog has had a tick.

Note that Lyme disease may not develop until several months later. It can take 2-5 months for this illness to become apparent in your dog.

It is possible for humans to get Lyme disease too, but it is always caught directly from ticks. So you do not have to worry about catching it from your dog. You will only get it if you have had an infected tick settle on you.

There is a vaccination for Lyme disease which can be given to dogs. However, there is some controversy around its use. Some vets feel that the vaccination is not effective enough to be worthwhile, as it is still possible for a vaccinated dog to contract the illness. But if you live in an area where Lyme disease is common and your dog picks up a lot of ticks, vaccination might be something to consider. You can discuss this with your veterinarian.

If your pet appears to be suffering from dog Lyme disease symptoms, take him or her to the veterinarian right away for treatment with antibiotics.

Tweet This Post

Dog vomiting is annoying and messy, and in some cases also damaging for the dog’s health. So how do we stop it? This article considers how to deal with a dog throwing up, and prevent it from happening again.

Many things can cause a dog to vomit. It may be something that they have eaten, and in that case it will probably just happen once. It your dog is vomiting repeatedly, it could be a sign of another disease.

This could include distemper, allergies, parvovirus, worms, or something more serious like hepatitis or kidney disease.  If you are not sure why your dog is having this problem, it would be wise to take a trip to the veterinarian’s office.

Like diarrhea, repeated dog vomiting can lead to dehydration. In some cases this can be fatal. If the vomiting continues and especially if it is accompanied by diarrhea, see the veterinarian for treatment to prevent dehydration. A small dose of Pepto Bismol works on many dogs but you should only give medications with your veterinarian’s approval.

Some dogs just seem to have a delicate digestion that makes them throw up occasionally. It is likely to happen any time they eat too much or get a little over excited after a meal. Kids often do the same thing. If your dog is like this, try feeding them a little less, with more frequent meals. Do not feed them anything but regular dog food or something very bland like plain boiled rice.

Vomiting in dogs is often caused by eating too fast. This often happens when you have more than one dog in the household. They finish their food as fast as possible so the other dogs cannot compete for it. If this is happening in your house, try feeding each dog in a different part of the house.

You can also watch out for signs that the dog is about to vomit so you can cover floors or furniture. Many dogs will salivate a lot, lick their lips and swallow excessively when they are feeling nauseous. They will then start to heave right before the stomach contents come up.

Stop dog vomiting after the first episode by keeping the dog calm. Help him to rest and relax by speaking to him calmly. Do not show any anger or fear about what he has done. In hot weather, try to keep him cool by encouraging him to stay in a cool place or switching on air conditioning. Remove all food and edible toys from his environment for a few hours, and do not exercise him. If he needs to go outside for potty, keep him on a leash, even in the backyard.

After a couple of hours you can offer ice and see if he wants to lick it. If that does not cause a problem, he will probably be ready for some water after 4-6 hours and a small portion of his regular food after 8-12 hours. This will usually prevent a recurrence of dog vomiting.

Tweet This Post