Puppy Care

Puppy care can be a lot of work, but is also quite rewarding. This article should answer a lot of your questions you might have about your new puppy, or the puppy you are thinking about getting. Here we cover the basics you need to know.

Feeding

Most people will have received their puppy after they are weaned. But if you actually need to wean your puppy, starting at about 2-3 weeks of age your puppy should start to eat solid food. Offer the puppies solid food at least three times a day. You can start by offering dry puppy food mixed with some warm water to soften it.

When the puppy reaches about 12 weeks of age, slowly start feeding dry puppy food only twice a day. Only offer the food for about 15 minutes and then take the dish away, to train the dog for eating twice a day. Between 6-9 months of age start mixing puppy food with an adult dog food over the course of a month.

The dry food should be specially formulated for puppies. If you have a large breed puppy feed a large breed formula. But be careful not to over feed large breed dogs. If you do they are more prone to joint and bone problems. Also stay away from a lot of extra treats, and be careful not to over feed your puppy over 6 months of age to prevent obesity.

Vaccines

Vaccinating your puppy is the basis of good puppy care. Vaccines help reduce the risk of you puppy acquiring diseases like parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough, and rabies. Vaccines are given when puppies reach 6-8 weeks of age and are given every 2-4 weeks until the puppy reaches 16-20 weeks of age. Boosters are then needed every one to three years. There are many different vaccine schedules your veterinarian might use. For example you puppy might receive shots at the following ages: 6, 9, 12, and 15 weeks of age.

Puppies are usually vaccinated against: Distemper, Adenovirus (hepatitis), Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza. All of these vaccines are usually combined in one vaccine typically referred to as “the distemper shot.” Also depending on where you live, you may also need vaccines against Coronavirus, Giardia, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, and Bordetella. Also Rabies is needed as well. Usually at sixteen weeks of age, and then boostered a year later, and then boostered one to three years later depending on the local laws and regulations. Rabies vaccine is the only vaccine that you must absolutely get for your dog. Only a veterinarian is licensed to administer rabies vaccine.

Parasites

1. Heartworm prevention
Most puppies should be started on a heartworm preventative at least by two months of age. And now in most areas of the United States, it is recommended that heartworm preventative be given all year long, although the risk of getting heartworms is still greatest in the summer months.

Heartworm preventative is usually given monthly in the form of a chewable tablet. The most popular brands are Heartgard and Interceptor. It is important the you give this tablet every month and if you miss a month, to tell your veterinarian.

2. Intestinal Parasites (Worms)
It is important that you get your puppy dewormed. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidian, and giardia are the most common parasites that can affect your puppy. It is recommended that you have a fecal done on your pet, and then yearly after that.

Deworming medication is commonly placed in heartworm medication these days, these include Heartgard plus and Interceptor. Intestinal parasites can cause diarrhea, weight loss, and death. Tapeworms often found around the anus of your puppy. They look like grains of white rice. These are the egg filled segments of the tapeworm.

3. Fleas and Ticks
Most flea products these days are also effective against ticks as well as fleas. The most popular of these is Frontline. It is a medication that is applied once a month to help prevent fleas and ticks. It is a liquid product applied topically to the skin between the shoulder blades.

Grooming

Grooming is also a part of good puppy care. All pets need some degree of grooming. It is an important part of taking care of your new puppy. By starting to brush and bath your puppy while they are young, they will grow accustomed to the contact as they grow up.

Exercise and Training

It is important for you to provide plenty of space for your puppy to run and exercise. Also, now is the right time to begin training your puppy to help avoid unwanted behaviors. Also be sure to avoid taking your puppy to dog parks until after they have had their full series of vaccines.

If you take the time to learn about proper puppy care, you soon will have a healthy happy dog. Take the time to ask lots of question when you see your Veterinarian. They are the best source for puppy care and health information.

Find out what additional steps you can take to help your puppy at free-online-veterinarian-advice.com free-online-veterinarian-advice.com

You can submit a question to the veterinarian by clicking here free-online-veterinarian-advice.com/askavet.html free-online-veterinarian-advice.com/askavet.html

Chris Suckow, DVM, currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

Tags: dog food, groom, heartworms, parasites

Related posts

• What Influences A Healthy Dog Coat? (0)
• Taking Care of Your Dog (0)
• Shih Tzu - Coat Care (0)
• New Technology in Dog Health Care (0)
• How to Take Care of a Black Lab Dog (0)

Tags: dog food, groom, heartworms, parasites

The inside lining of the ear is normally smooth with a small amount of wax buildup. Many problems can cause the ears to be irritated, inflamed and/or infected. Any of these causes left untreated can lead to more complicated problems, including middle and inner ear damage and hearing loss. Most cats let you know that their ears are uncomfortable by scratching, shaking and/or tilting their heads.

CAUSES

Ear mites are most common in ear problems adult cats and puppies. These microscopic mites have hairs on their body that irritate the ears. They are also responsible for the itching and the dark brown, coffee-like residue. Mites live primarily within the ear canal. They can also live outside of the ear and on other parts of the cats body, they do not infest your home.

* Trauma to the ear from foreign materials like plant seeds or over-aggressive cleaning can also cause pain and inflammation of the ears.

* Flea allergies can occasionally involve the ears.

* Allergic reactions to pollen, mold, and dust are not common in ears. Ear infections associated with allergies often recur until the underlying cause of the allergy is determined and treated.

SYMPTOMS

* Scratch ears often.

* Shake or tilt head.

* Odor and/or discharge from ears.

WHAT YOUR VET CAN DO

* Diagnosis involves examining a sample of the ear discharge under the microscope. This is called a Cytology and will identify the problem. The most effective treatment will be determined according to whether mites, yeast or bacteria are present.

* Ear mites can also live outside of the ear, on other parts of your cat’s body. Flea control products can help to manage this problem.

* Instead of using eardrops to treat mite infections, you can now purchase a new topical treatment called Revolution (selamectin), applied onto the skin at 30 day intervals, which controls fleas, ticks, heartworms, intestinal worms and ear mites for cats and dogs.

* To prevent ear problems, check your cat’s ears regularly. Only use products recommended by your vet to clean your cat’s ears, and never clean any deeper than you can see.

* Long-term and/or recurrent ear infections may require a culture to pinpoint the exact agent responsible and the medication best suited to eliminate the infection.

NOTE: An otoscope is designed and illuminated to allow complete visualization of the ear canal

HEMATOMA (BLOODCLOT) OF THE EAR

* Hematomas usually occur as a result of self-inflicted trauma to the ear. Many cats vigorously Itch their ears because of a persistent underlying ear mite problem. A blood vessel in the earflap ruptures which causes bleeding into the earflap tissue. Treatment usually requires surgical

removal of blood clots and drainage of blood under anesthesia. Hematomas tend to recur until the underlying problem is eliminated because the cats continue to traumatize their ears by itching. Many ears scar down into an abnormal appearance.

TREATMENT

Milbemycin, is the active ingredient in Sentinel, a tablet given monthly to prevent heartworms, fleas, intestinal worms, and ear mites in cats. Selamectin is the active ingredient in Revolution, approved in cats, a monthly product that kills ear mites and walking dandruff mites, and prevents heartworms and fleas. New monthly flea preventative products have replaced ear drops to treat ear mites.

COMPLEMENTARY EAR TREATMENTS

Yeast Infections: Mixing equal parts of white vinegar and water (50:50) makes a good ear cleaning solution for yeast.

Bacterial Ear Infections: Garlic can be added to the diet only occasionally, continual high doses can cause anemia:

* Garlic has antibacterial and antifungal effects.

HERBALEAR REMEDIES

* Mullein (Verbascom thapsus)

* Mucilage or Sapenins have a demilucent effect.

* Use topically for bacterial ear infections.

* Calendula makes an effective ear cleaning solution: Mix one teaspoon of Calendula with ½ teaspoon sea salt and one cup of water.

* Calendula Oil is soothing to red inflamed ears. Apply two drops into ears once daily.

* To eliminate ear mites, Yellow Duck (Rumex crispus) two drops every 3rd day for three to six weeks.

HOMEOPATHIC EAR REMEDIES

For red, irritated ears try Pulsatilla (6c Windflower) one pellet every third day for two weeks. Withhold food ten minutes before and after treatment. Sepia officinalis (30C) two whole or three crushed pellets by mouth twice a day for three days then once a week, until the ears are healed. Helpful with itching and head shaking.

VESTIBULAR (MIDDLE EAR) DISEASE

Long-term and/or recurrent ear infections can spread to involve the middle ear. The middle ear houses nerves, called Vestibular nerves, which are responsible for balance and equilibrium. If these nerves are irritated, cats can lose their balance, tilt their heads, stagger and often fall over. This is called Vestibular Disease. Some cases are associated with ear infections and rarely brain tumors are responsible but the cause in most cases is unknown or idiopathic. The term Idiopathic Vestibular Disease is used in these cases.

DIAGNOSIS

X-rays are initially used to evaluate the middle ear. The bone housing the middle ear is called the Tympanic bulla and is located within the brain. The series of x-rays taken in this case, is respectively called a “Bulla Series”. A CAT scan or MRI are more sensitive imaging techniques that may be necessary to allow visualization of this area of the brain if the x-rays are inconclusive.

Typically, most cases of Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome occur for some as of yet unknown reason in the spring and fall. Cats suddenly tilt their heads and begin staggering, for no apparent reason. Cats generally improve within 72 hours and symptoms usually resolve in a couple weeks. Occasionally the head tilt persists.

Copyright 2007 Dr. Carol Osborne

Dr. Carol Osborne is the inventor of PAAWS, the pet anti-aging wellness system seen on TV. VitaLife is Dr. Carol’s newest line of pet vitamin supplements and is the best supplement available for arthritis and anti-aging in dogs and cats. PAAWS and VitaLife are revolutionary breakthroughs, with all natural nutrients that virtually peel away the years, seeming to reverse the aging process normally experienced by pets.

Get FREE pet advice from Dr. Carol at CarolonPets.com/ CarolonPets.com/

Visit Dr. Carol’s blog at CarolonPets.com/blog/ CarolonPets.com/blog/

Buy PAAWS and VitaLife dog and cat vitamin supplements and other pet health products at DrCarol.com/ DrCarol.com/

Tags: heartworms

Related posts

• Your Dachshund’s Health (0)
• Worms in Your Dog… Gross! (0)
• What Are The Top Ten Dog Diseases? (0)
• Understanding the Symptoms of Heartworm in Dogs (0)
• Top 10 Common Dog Health Questions (0)

Tags: heartworms

With Cat health worm problems result from internal and external worms that cause many different health problems. Thinking internal worms, there is the heartworm, tapeworm, hookworm and roundworms. Usually you see no signs of worms unless you really know what to look for. Because these worms, except for heartworm, can infect people as well. Some common signs might include lack of the ability to gain weight, dull coats and in some cases diarrhea.

Cat Health Worm and the Heartworm
Heartworms do affect cats, but not as much as they do dogs. The sign of heartworm in cats is anorexia. A cat will become so underweight and experience bouts of vomiting causing concern in for owners. These worms are deadly and need prevention rather than treatment to protect the kitten and full-grown cat.

Roundworm and the Cat Health Worm Issue
Roundworms grow to be about four inches long and live in the intestine of the cat. Roundworms appear in the stool and vomit of a cat as they populate inside the cat. The cat may also show signs of bloating and in some cases, will block the intestines to prevent bowel movements. If you catch this problem early enough, you can prevent some further complications that may put your cat at risk of death.

Hookworms and the Cat Health Worm Problem
Hookworms live inside the cat and suck the blood from the cat usually causing the cat to become anemic. These worms live in the intestines and are generally found in younger cats rather than in older cats. Older cats seem to develop an immunity to fight the hookworm that kittens do not have at such a young age.

Cat Health Worm Problems and the Tapeworm
Tapeworms feed from the cat and cause the cats to become weak and listless if not treated. In young kittens, these worms hinder the growth and can cause death if not treated early. You see these worms by the rectum and they appear to be little pieces of rice.

Treatment of Intestinal Worms
If you bring a kitten home without treating it for worms, chances are, if you have other cats, they will become infected. The thought that all kittens have worms, is not true. Kittens born outside probably do, but kittens born inside to a properly cared for mother may not. If you have a kitten with worms, an over the counter de-wormer works great. You may need to treat more than once, but generally speaking, one dose for an inside cat usually cures the problem.

aboutcathealth.org/cat/Cat_Care_Articles/Cat_Insurance.php Heartworm prevention is the only way to protect the cat. If an animal contracts the heartworm, killing the worm may and not of the time does kill the pet. These worms affect cats and dogs, but for cats, it appears to cause health problems earlier than with a dog. Prevention always saves lives and keeps the cat happy and healthy. Cat health worm and potential problems need immediate attention to prevent further health complications.

You can also find more info on aboutcathealth.org/cat/Cat_Care_Articles/Neutered_Cat_-_Post_Operative.php Neutered Cat Post Operative and aboutcathealth.org/cat/Cat_Care_Articles/Pregnant_Cat_Health.php Pregnant Cat Health. Aboutcathealth.org is a comprehensive resource to find more information about cat health.

Tags: heartworms, kitten

Related posts

• Protect Your Pets From The Pound (0)
• Canine Selection: A Guideline for Picking Your Perfect Companion (0)
• Animals Are Forever (0)
• Your Purrrfect Companion (0)
• Your Pet’s Medicine Chest - Medications To Keep On-Hand (0)

Tags: heartworms, kitten

Pets are people, too. At least, that’s the way they should be treated by their owners. The sad reality, though, is that a lot people own pets when they’re really not ready to care properly for their little furry friends. Or they just don’t know how to love, clean, and treat a cat, dog, or other animal the right and humane way. What happens to these poor animals? Many end up in shelters, lost and unwanted—to the tune of 6 to 8 million every year according to the Humane Society. At least half of those end up being “put to sleep,” to put it nicely.

When they first start out looking to buy a pet, everyone says that they aren’t like that, that they won’t have their pet end up caged in a pound somewhere. If you want to be one of the people who says this and means it, read on. Your commitment shows you are ready to learn how to own a pet. Once you are trained in the following pet ownership basics, then you can take the next step and find the perfect pet for you.

But before you meet this furry companion, take these following tips to heart:

Go down the list of required health-care needs. This is especially important for puppies and kittens, who need an arsenal of vaccinations when they’re little. But even older pets require regular checkups and the occasional medication (such as for heartworms for dogs). Before you get a pet, locate a trusted veterinarian in your neighborhood and go over all of your soon-to-be pet’s health needs.

Neuter, neuter, neuter. Point blank, this is one of the most crucial things you can do to protect your pet’s health. Remember that number above from the Humane Society (6 to 8 million pets in cages)? Now consider that as many as 100 million other animals, mostly cats, live on the streets. Why? Their mommies and daddies weren’t neutered.

Look into insurance. Believe it or not, pet health insurance is all the craze in employer benefits packages. That’s because it comes in very handy nowadays, considering the importance of pet health and how pet pills and operations seem to be getting just as pricy as people medicine. Even if you don’t get pet insurance through work, look into a package on your own. While you’re at it, consider third-party liability insurance, too, especially for instances such as dog bites.

Tabulate the grocery tab. Perhaps the number one thing people don’t realize when getting a pet is how expensive their food can be. Figure out just how much your pet will eat before you get it, planning always to provide your critter more than enough in proper and balanced meals. Ask yourself, “Can I afford this?”

Pour attention and love on your pet. Why even bother having a pet if you don’t plan to give it affection? That’s the whole point of keeping a critter around, right? So when your little guy (or girl) greets you at the door after work, or wants to snuggle in your lap in front of the TV, don’t push them away. Award them for their faithfulness.

Groom your pet. Grooming counts toward that love and attention requirement, but it also is necessary for the animal’s health as well. Depending on your type of animal, grooming could involve a bath, the occasional haircut, regular hair brushing, tooth exams, and paw inspection.

Hop, skip, and a jump. Animals love exercise. Whether they’re normally cooped up in a cage, an apartment, or, well, a coop, be sure to free them from these confines as often as possible. Dogs don’t just like to take walks to go potty. Cats don’t like to tear up and down furniture just to shred it. They have energy to burn, and will be better off for it.

Teach your pet proper bathroom etiquette. Speaking of going potty, it is essential to train your pet at the earliest possible age to do so properly. Of course, this doesn’t mean training them to put down the lid when they’re done (although supposedly rabbits can be taught to do so!). But it does mean getting a cat to use a kitty litter box, for instance, or a dog to wait until it’s outside. If you don’t know how to train them, learn before you own them. Ask your parents or friends, read a book, visit a chat room, or talk with the vet.

Consider a proper place of higher learning. When training becomes an issue, whether it’s for potty training or how-not-to-chew-up-your-shoes training, consider obedience school. It is not a mark of shame for either you or your pet. In fact, it may be just what your fur ball needs to live the happiest, safest, and healthiest life possible.

To put it bluntly, if you can’t follow these rules, you shouldn’t own a pet. Buy a plant instead. However, if you’re up to the task—and really, most people are—your rewards will be immense. For a little bit of responsibility, time, and money on your part, you and your family will get a lifetime of love and unconditional adoration.

Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. Buy, Sell and trade: auto, computers, household items, real estate, pets and much more. For global and localized classifieds, please visit
buysellcommunity.com buysellcommunity.com
Free Buy & Sell Classifieds

Tags: groom, heartworms, kitten, potty training

Related posts

• Animals Are Forever (0)
• Your New Cat: Why Are the First 24 Hours So Important? Part 3 (0)
• Your New Cat: Why Are the First 24 Hours So Important? (0)
• You CAN Have Your Cats and Your Furniture Too (0)
• Which Of These Cat Breeds Is The Right One For You? (0)

Tags: groom, heartworms, kitten, potty training

Although heartworm disease is one of the easiest diseases to prevent in dogs, the number of canines being infected by such illness is on the rise in the US and even other parts of the world. The major reasons for the increase are negligence and ignorance by numerous pet owners throughout the country. A number of dog owners either have never heard of the disease or believe that no mosquito could penetrate the skin of their hairy dogs.

Despite graphic posters showing the hearts of infected dogs, which are often displayed on veterinary clinics, many dog owners still end up losing their canine companions to this disease primarily because they do not take precautionary measures that could help detect such illness in dogs at an early stage. They pass up heartworm tests no matter what veterinarians say.

Dirofilaria immitis, the medical term for heartworm disease, is actually a parasitic infestation of nematodes that is transmitted through a mosquito bite. Heartworm disease is rampant in places with high mosquito population and in areas near the Mississippi River, including its tributaries, and the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, according to data from the Heartworm Society.

Heartworm disease is present in all continents except Antarctica. Heartworms grow and breed in areas with a type of weather that sustains the life cycle of the parasite, a constant reservoir of the illness, a huge population of mosquito, and a huge population of susceptible dogs.

The temperature of over 80 degrees is the ideal climate required by the microfilariae, which are larvae of the parasites, to develop. Although an untreated dog cannot directly infect other susceptible hosts, such as other dogs, foxes, and even cats, it can serve as a reservoir for the propagation of the disease. Mosquitoes transfer microfilariae from an untreated animal to another.

Symptoms of heartworm disease

It takes several months, usually about six or seven, before adult heartworms reach the heart of the dog. Thus, you might not be able to detect that your dog is suffering from the disease even months after your pet has been bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasites. Symptoms usually appear when there are already numerous heartworm adults living inside the heart of your dog or even a year after the initial infestation.

Heartworms can grow up to 14 inches in length and can stay inside your dog’s arteries, heart and lungs for years. However, symptoms usually appear earlier in active dogs.

The first sign of infestation is soft cough, which is usually dismissed by dog owners as cold symptoms. The cough may worsen when the number of worms in the dog’s heart has reached an alarming level. As the disease develops, your dog may appear listless and weak. You will find that your dog is losing weight and gets tired easily. Sometimes, dogs faint even from slight exertion.

As the adult heartworms increases in number, the chance of your dog’s survival gets slimmer. At the final stage of infestation, when over hundreds of heartworms enter the host’s heart, complications like clotting problems, embolism, and organ failure will lead to your pet’s painful demise.

Testing for the disease

In order to find out if your dog has heartworm disease, the animal must undergo some blood tests. The first test is filtration, which will determine if there are microfilariae in your pet’s blood. The other test is an occult test, which detects adult worms in the heart. It is advisable to get both tests since the absence of the heartworm’s larvae in the blood is not a guarantee that there are no adult worms in the dog’s heart. Aside from blood tests, vets also find worms in the dog’s heart and lungs by means of x-rays.

Treatment and Prevention

It is quite easy to get rid of the parasites when the infestation has not yet reached extreme levels. However, before any treatment is given to eradicate the worms from the dog’s system, the veterinarian would first check the dog’s condition and try to treat complications of the infestation, such as liver and heart failures, etc.

Two daily doses of arsenic compound or a new drug, which is safer for dogs, are usually given to dogs for two days. Dogs must not exert too much effort during the weeks following the ingestion of the drug. Too much exertion might cause the dead heartworms to travel to the lungs, which might result in suffocation.

After the adult worms have been eradicated, the dog will have to undergo a weeklong treatment for the killing of microfilariae in the blood. Your dog needs to undergo a series of blood tests and purging until all the traces of microfilariae and adult heartworms are gone.

If the infestation is already in its final stages, your canine companion might have to undergo surgery.

There are many medications, both topical and oral, that are available for the prevention of heartworm infestation. Just ask your veterinarian what drugs and other measures you could do to prevent your dog from getting such a debilitating, and often fatal, disease.

John S. Rhodes is the author behind Pet Comfort Products at pet-comfort-products.com Pet-Comfort-Products.com.

John also publisheds The Pet Comfort Newsletter, your trusted source of pet news. pet-comfort-products.com/free-pet-comfort-newsletter.html Sign up to receive a free newsletter now: pet-comfort-products.com/free-pet-comfort-newsletter.html pet-comfort-products.com/free-pet-comfort-newsletter.html

Tags: heartworms, parasites

Related posts

• Worms in Your Dog… Gross! (0)
• What Are The Top Ten Dog Diseases? (0)
• Tick, Tick, Tick…Time for Ticks (0)
• Puppy Care 101 (0)
• Puppies and Worms (0)

Tags: heartworms, parasites