October 2013 archive

09
Oct
2013

Topical Solutions for Dog Allergies

categories: Dog Allergies
itchy dog

itchy dog (Photo credit: Ikayama)

Dogs will itch for all sorts of reasons, but without knowing what the cause is, a pet owner can go through a lot of mistakes trying get his canine friend some relief. Dog allergies can be caused by many of the same things that cause humans to have allergies. These can include:

  • Food reactions – certain foods will cause some dogs to break out in hives and skin irritations. It’s not common but some dogs due have reactions to what they are eating. Protein reactions and wheat gluten are both known to trigger reactions.
  • Mold – When dog food is stored in large quantities, it can develop mold, especially if some type of moisture is present. Most dog food ships dry, but that doesn’t mean it can develop spores quickly when the conditions are right. Ingesting mold can trigger skin reactions in some dogs by causing an immune system drop.
  • Other animals – Dogs can react to other dogs hair and dander just humans in terms of allergies.
  • People – Believe it or not, your dog can be allergic to human beings too.

In terms of topical treatment, pet owners have a bit of a challenge because dogs are covered with fur. This makes it a bit hard to apply a topical treatment effectively. However, a good bath cleaning with a pet shampoo and an application of tea tree oil can alleviate itching from a topical perspective, at least providing temporary relief.

Other topical treatments aren’t so much applied to the dog’s skin as it applies to the surroundings. Using air filters cut down on animal dander and fur flying around. Frequent vacuuming of the indoor areas where the pet frequents does the same. Air conditioning cuts down moisture which removes mold potential where the food is stored. All combined and applied regularly can help reduce allergy sources for a pet. All of the above are natural approaches to treating a pet without resorting to drugs or chemicals. This provides a healthier remedy for the pet as well as less chances of side effects.

07
Oct
2013

Dog Diarrhea Symptoms

categories: Dog Diarrhea
Fany Dog

Fany Dog (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A lot of owners see diarrhea in dogs as just a messy proposition. However, an episode is often a sign of a medical problem.

Causes of Canine Diarrhea

Diarrhea in dogs occurs when the animal passes loose or unformed stools. The dog typically passes large amounts of stool and has more frequent bowel movements than normal. Dogs can have repeated accidents in the home because of urgency.

There are many causes of diarrhea in dogs:

  • Food intolerance – The pooch either eats something he shouldn’t have or has an intolerance to ingredients in some commercial foods.
  • Parasites – Especially common in puppies, the big offenders are roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, giardia and coccidia.
  • Gastroenteritis – A common culprit is idiopathic hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, particularly in small dogs.
  • Viruses – They most often occur in puppies not yet fully vaccinated. Dangerous viruses include distemper, coronavirus and parvovirus.
  • Bacteria – Many dogs have them without showing any symptoms. The most common are Clostridium perfringens, salmonella, E. coli, spirochetes and campylobacter.

One way to pinpoint the likely cause of diarrhea and probable location of the problem in the gut is by noting the characteristics of the dog’s stool, such as color, amount, odor, consistency, frequency and whether it contains red blood or clots. A dog’s weight and condition are also important.

Traditional vs. Natural Treatments

Unfortunately, some of the traditional treatments for diarrhea in dogs have potential side effects. Veterinarians prescribe wormers for common parasites. Sometimes they use antibiotics like sulfa, albendazole, febantel or metronidazole that can actually cause diarrhea.

For severe cases, a veterinarian might need to administer subcutaneous fluids. Some dogs with virus-caused diarrhea have intravenous catheters.

The goal of natural dog diarrhea treatments is providing allergy-free care that normalizes the dog’s stool without harmful side effects. One natural treatment for a dog that has eaten something undesirable is withholding food for a day, then feeding rice coupled with chicken or ground beef until the diarrhea ends. Changing from a commercial product to a natural food can often resolve diarrhea caused by a food intolerance.

It’s a good idea for a vet to examine any dog with diarrhea. Owners should always get a vet’s recommendation before starting any treatment.

04
Oct
2013

Safe Dog Seizure Treatment

categories: Dog Seizures

More and more dog owners are seeking alternative treatment methods for their dog’s illnesses and disorders. Canines experiencing seizure disorders should be put on the safe dog seizure treatmentalternatives.

Chemicals, fillers, stabilizers and coloring are not appropriate or safe for dogs with seizure disorders. There are several remedies for treating dog seizures. Aside from the recommendations of vets, there are always home remedies and natural herbs to consider.

Seekins dogs

Seekins dogs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Healthy living is the safest most natural way to treat seizures in your dog. Changing what your dog eats, and the way your dog eat can greatly reduce the number of seizures your dog experience. Your dog needs to eat foods that are naturally high in Vitamins and minerals.

Most dog seizures are caused by deficiencies in vitamin A, B6, and D. The lack of folic acid, zinc, calcium, taurine and magnesium also contributes to seizures.

Environment and exercise are other key factors that play a role in reducing or eliminating your pet seizures. Your pet living and eating environment should be mold and allergen free. When you are shopping for dog food, be sure to check the ingredients.

Restrain from buying foods that are high in chemicals, artificial flavoring and processors. Aside from eating right, make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. A word of caution; be careful not to over stimulate your dog. Some seizures are caused by over stimulation.

The electrical brain waves in your dog could be over stimulating for your dog. There are natural medications that can keep your dog calm, if you feel your dog is too excited and too energetic.

Natural ingredients found in supplements, vitamins and dry foods are always safe for your dog. Natural ingredients contain no harmful chemicals, no preservatives and no additives. Keeping your pet safe from products that can trigger an epileptic seizure is your main priority.

With the proper homeopathy treatment and nutritional therapy seizures can be controlled or reduced. Building up your pet’s immune system is even better. Consider a raw food regimen for your dog. It helps with his digestive system. He needs to take in good enzymes.

03
Oct
2013

Kidney Stones in Dogs

categories: Dog Kidney Stones
Dog waits outside Kiasma

Dog waits outside Kiasma (Photo credit: hugovk)

Many people are not aware that dogs, like humans can get kidney stones. This is a dangerous illness because a lot of the time, there are no signs or symptoms that you need to watch for. The only way to know for sure if your dog is suffering from kidney stones is to have them tested in your veterinarian’s office. This condition is often diagnosed when testing is being performed for other illnesses. A few symptoms that you may happen to notice include:

  • Vomiting
  • Blood within the urine
  • Urinary tract infections

You may or may not notice all of these symptoms at one time. It is important that you know that all, none or some of these symptoms may occur. The symptoms that you are able to notice and recognize will depend on where the stones are located.

There are quite a few causes of this condition in dogs. The most common causes of this condition are increased levels of calcium that are found in the urine. These calcium levels can be found in the blood as well. Other instances that may be causing your pet to have kidney stones include frequent urinary tract infections and certain diets that have the ability to product high urine pH, also known as alkaline.

When it comes to the diagnosis in your pet, your veterinarian will need to be aware of all of your dog’s medical history. It will be a good idea to take notes as soon as you suspect that your pet is acting strange. The more that the veterinarian knows about your pet and the events that have taken place, the sooner they will be able to assist you and provide your dog with some form of relief. Once a diagnosis has been successful, you can move on to the options of treatment that you have.

As far as treatment is concerned, there is usually more than one form of treatment available. In the unfortunate event that your dog is suffering from kidney stones, you may be given the basic form of treatment for this illness. In this instance, you will be given medication to give to your pet once or twice each day for one or two weeks. The medication that is prescribed will dissolve the kidney stones and have your furry friend back to go spirits in no time.

01
Oct
2013

Testimonial Tuesday: Lax-eze Edition

categories: Testimonial Tuesday
Two Cats

Two Cats (Photo credit: smokebook)

I ordered the Lax-eze spray for two of my cats that have problems with bowel movements from time to time.

One of my cats has IBD and the spray does exactly what it says. I spray three times in his mouth, then later if no bowel movement. Then, I put some Lax-eze in his canned food and before evening ends he has had a painless bowel movement.

My other cat all I have to do is give him three sprays and within the hour he is having a normal bowel movements!

Excellent product, I highly recommend to any pet owner who has an animal with either occasional or frequent elimination problems…Saves money from not having to take your pet to the vet for an enema and keeps your pet happy and stress free.

Shop Lax-eze from Allergic Pet.

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