Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Causes and treatment of yeast infection in dog skin
A yeast infection is a typical example of a beneficial organism revolting and causing harm if other systems of the body are not functioning properly. Yeast, a single-celled fungus that reproduces asexually by budding or division is present in the body and intestinal tracts of a dog. In a healthy dog, yeast identifies and destroys harmful bacteria and is controlled by the immune system.
A weakened immune system drastically reduces the number of friendly bacteria in the body. Without the active support of these friendly bacteria, yeast undergoes a dramatic change from a non-invasive and sugar fermenting organism to an invasive and mucus damaging organism.
This is the start of a primary yeast infection. Secondary yeast infection occurs when yeast penetrate skin that has already been damaged by scratching or injury. Skin problems in dogs and other pets produce symptoms that can bring about significant changes to the look of your pet.
Conditions like canine and feline acne, dog and cat dandruff, dog ear mites, pet intestinal parasites, imbalanced diet and eczema can cause an itchy skin. The resultant scratching can lead to skin damage and this increases the risk of penetration by yeast. Yeast infection mostly affects moist parts but can prevail in almost any part of the skin.
Giving frequent baths to dogs, which they actually do not require, leads to depletion of essential oils in the skin rendering it dry and vulnerable to yeast infection.
Major symptoms of yeast infection surface in the shape of skin rashes, itching, redness, pimples and sometimes greasiness. A veterinarian will take the help of a microscopic examination or culture of skin scrapings or conduct a smear test to confirm the diagnosis. Itching induced by yeast infection further leads to skin damage. If not attended to in time this may lead to canine or feline hair loss and further complications that may become difficult to handle.
More often than not, yeast infection is caused by some medical condition that has rendered the immune system incapable of functioning properly. Treatment of the underlying condition will effectively cure your dog of yeast infection. Topical treatments are not very effective as the dog is prone to lick them off. Shampoos containing antifungal agents in the form of a nitrate can help in treatment but only to a certain extent. A natural approach to health is any time better than going in for medication and treatment. A healthy, balanced and nutritional diet, avoiding commercial dog foods and keeping the dog dry whenever he gets wet are effective ways of preventing yeast infection.
References:http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_yeast_infection_of_the_skin.html http://www.priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm http://www.doggiesparadise.com/dog-skin-disorders-yeast-infection.shtml
A weakened immune system drastically reduces the number of friendly bacteria in the body. Without the active support of these friendly bacteria, yeast undergoes a dramatic change from a non-invasive and sugar fermenting organism to an invasive and mucus damaging organism.
This is the start of a primary yeast infection. Secondary yeast infection occurs when yeast penetrate skin that has already been damaged by scratching or injury. Skin problems in dogs and other pets produce symptoms that can bring about significant changes to the look of your pet.
Conditions like canine and feline acne, dog and cat dandruff, dog ear mites, pet intestinal parasites, imbalanced diet and eczema can cause an itchy skin. The resultant scratching can lead to skin damage and this increases the risk of penetration by yeast. Yeast infection mostly affects moist parts but can prevail in almost any part of the skin.
Giving frequent baths to dogs, which they actually do not require, leads to depletion of essential oils in the skin rendering it dry and vulnerable to yeast infection.
Major symptoms of yeast infection surface in the shape of skin rashes, itching, redness, pimples and sometimes greasiness. A veterinarian will take the help of a microscopic examination or culture of skin scrapings or conduct a smear test to confirm the diagnosis. Itching induced by yeast infection further leads to skin damage. If not attended to in time this may lead to canine or feline hair loss and further complications that may become difficult to handle.
More often than not, yeast infection is caused by some medical condition that has rendered the immune system incapable of functioning properly. Treatment of the underlying condition will effectively cure your dog of yeast infection. Topical treatments are not very effective as the dog is prone to lick them off. Shampoos containing antifungal agents in the form of a nitrate can help in treatment but only to a certain extent. A natural approach to health is any time better than going in for medication and treatment. A healthy, balanced and nutritional diet, avoiding commercial dog foods and keeping the dog dry whenever he gets wet are effective ways of preventing yeast infection.
References:http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_yeast_infection_of_the_skin.html http://www.priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm http://www.doggiesparadise.com/dog-skin-disorders-yeast-infection.shtml
Saturday, September 20, 2008
10-Week Basic Dog Obedience Training Formula
Learning new things can be stressful for your dog especially in the beginning when concepts and teaching methods are new. If your dog refused to eat during the early stages of training, stop the program and have a play session or calm your dog until it is relaxed and begins to accept treats again. This process may require 3 to 4 sessions but it is worth going through it to develop your dog’s positive attitude towards obedience.Conduct 3 training sessions a day, each session lasting approximately 20 minutes while allowing at least 1 hour rest in-between sessions.
In a 2-week period, there should be a total of 30 sessions.
Week 1 And Week 2
1) Teach your dog the “heel” command.
Repeat a series of 3 to 5 circles and perform 5 series of 4-step “heels” per session.
2) Teach the “sit” and “release” command. Command your dog to “sit”, let it stay in the sit position for a moment then give the “release” command to release your dog from the “sit”.
Repeat this series 5 times per session.
3) For each session, work on a series of 1 exercise and move to another exercise (i.e., work on one series of 4-step “heel”, then a series of “sit” and “break”, and finally a series of 4-step “heels”’).
Although dogs need repetition to learn a skill, you need a variety of exercises to keep them interested as they bore easily.
Week 3 And Week 4
1) Reinforce the “heel” command.
Test the “heel” command from lessons learned from week 1 and week 2.
2) Reinforcing the “sit” and “release” command. Begin training your dog to hold the “sit” position starting from 5 seconds and gradually stretching the time to 10 seconds.
3) Begin teaching your dog the “down” command (use treats to lure your dog to teach it the command).
Repeat the series 2 times per session in week 3 and 3 times per session in week 4.Week 5 And Week 6
1) Continue to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands. Begin to include distractions when training “heel” and “sit” to train your dog to continue focusing on you even there are distractions.
2) Extend the concept of holding position to build patience by extending the “sit” from 5 – 10 seconds to 30 seconds – 1 minute before releasing the “sit” command.When you test your dog, you should repeat each test until it passes the test 3 consecutive times.
3) Start to reinforce the “down” command in week 5 by removing the treat and shoulder help. During week 6, begin reinforcing without any bodily assistance. You can reintroduce treats as the reward but do not tempt your dog. Only reward your dog after it has successfully completed the “down” command.Training sessions may become more stressful for both you and your dog as you progress from the teaching phase and enter into the more difficult reinforcing phase. If you find a particular test too tough for both of you; stop the exercise and continue to practice the skills individually, you can repeat that particular test a few days later.While the length and regularity of the sessions remain unchanged since the first week, the sessions are becoming less predictable and require varieties to make them as interesting and effective as they can be.
Week 7 And Week 8
1) While continuing to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands, don’t forget to reinforce the “down” command as well.
“down from a stand” exercise with the “down” command.
2) Extend the time-span of the holding position and begin teaching the “stay” command.
3) Begin combining the different commands when training. Teach “sit” and “down” from your front and testing motion “down” and motion “sit”.
4) Start teaching the “come” command. Put your dog on “sit/stay” position, while walking backwards monitor the position holding skills. Body language plays an important role in teaching this command and sending the wrong signals sometimes causes your dog not to hold the position.
Week 9, Week 10 And After
1) Reinforce “stay” and “come” command. Always practice a short leash recall to reinforce the final finish position. Repeat at least 10 times per session. “Come” is the most important command but the least practiced of all the other commands.
2) Conduct test and reinforce all obedience commands. Practice all commands equally, working on each command as little as 1 or as many as 5 repetitions per series though you should avoid creating patterns.
Make exercises targeted towards your practical obedience application. Include distraction training in at least 1 out of every 3 obedience practice sessions.
DogTrainster aims to educate dog owners and lovers to adopt positive training approaches in training their dogs.
To learn more us, visit us at DogTrainster.com - Ultimate Resource and Tips for Dog Training
Source: Free Articles
In a 2-week period, there should be a total of 30 sessions.
Week 1 And Week 2
1) Teach your dog the “heel” command.
Repeat a series of 3 to 5 circles and perform 5 series of 4-step “heels” per session.
2) Teach the “sit” and “release” command. Command your dog to “sit”, let it stay in the sit position for a moment then give the “release” command to release your dog from the “sit”.
Repeat this series 5 times per session.
3) For each session, work on a series of 1 exercise and move to another exercise (i.e., work on one series of 4-step “heel”, then a series of “sit” and “break”, and finally a series of 4-step “heels”’).
Although dogs need repetition to learn a skill, you need a variety of exercises to keep them interested as they bore easily.
Week 3 And Week 4
1) Reinforce the “heel” command.
Test the “heel” command from lessons learned from week 1 and week 2.
2) Reinforcing the “sit” and “release” command. Begin training your dog to hold the “sit” position starting from 5 seconds and gradually stretching the time to 10 seconds.
3) Begin teaching your dog the “down” command (use treats to lure your dog to teach it the command).
Repeat the series 2 times per session in week 3 and 3 times per session in week 4.Week 5 And Week 6
1) Continue to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands. Begin to include distractions when training “heel” and “sit” to train your dog to continue focusing on you even there are distractions.
2) Extend the concept of holding position to build patience by extending the “sit” from 5 – 10 seconds to 30 seconds – 1 minute before releasing the “sit” command.When you test your dog, you should repeat each test until it passes the test 3 consecutive times.
3) Start to reinforce the “down” command in week 5 by removing the treat and shoulder help. During week 6, begin reinforcing without any bodily assistance. You can reintroduce treats as the reward but do not tempt your dog. Only reward your dog after it has successfully completed the “down” command.Training sessions may become more stressful for both you and your dog as you progress from the teaching phase and enter into the more difficult reinforcing phase. If you find a particular test too tough for both of you; stop the exercise and continue to practice the skills individually, you can repeat that particular test a few days later.While the length and regularity of the sessions remain unchanged since the first week, the sessions are becoming less predictable and require varieties to make them as interesting and effective as they can be.
Week 7 And Week 8
1) While continuing to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands, don’t forget to reinforce the “down” command as well.
“down from a stand” exercise with the “down” command.
2) Extend the time-span of the holding position and begin teaching the “stay” command.
3) Begin combining the different commands when training. Teach “sit” and “down” from your front and testing motion “down” and motion “sit”.
4) Start teaching the “come” command. Put your dog on “sit/stay” position, while walking backwards monitor the position holding skills. Body language plays an important role in teaching this command and sending the wrong signals sometimes causes your dog not to hold the position.
Week 9, Week 10 And After
1) Reinforce “stay” and “come” command. Always practice a short leash recall to reinforce the final finish position. Repeat at least 10 times per session. “Come” is the most important command but the least practiced of all the other commands.
2) Conduct test and reinforce all obedience commands. Practice all commands equally, working on each command as little as 1 or as many as 5 repetitions per series though you should avoid creating patterns.
Make exercises targeted towards your practical obedience application. Include distraction training in at least 1 out of every 3 obedience practice sessions.
DogTrainster aims to educate dog owners and lovers to adopt positive training approaches in training their dogs.
To learn more us, visit us at DogTrainster.com - Ultimate Resource and Tips for Dog Training
Source: Free Articles
Monday, September 15, 2008
SlenderPet Testimonials
"I have a chocolate Labrador who loves to eat - ANYTHING!!!
She was growing fatter and fatter and was waddling like a duck everywhere she went.
My vet told me to 'harden my heart' and change her diet and she had to go for a run every day. To be honest, the same could be said for me, so I decided to join her! It was the EcoSlim Drops for me and SlenderPet for her and we are both looking slimmer and healthier. We have our run everyday and we are eating well, but no more junk for me and my 'Lady'!" Mal.
"I wanted to write and thank you for recommending SlenderPet for my overweight cat. Along with the dietary changes you suggested, she has never looked better and is also far more active than she used to be. It must have been as you said that she had a sluggish thyroid. She used to sleep all day and all night and never show an interest in anything. I thought she was just lazy but she is now behaving almost like a kitten again!" Regina L.
"Thanks to you and your wonderful team for the kind help and advice which have assisted me to find something that works for my pets. I have two dogs one is very fat and one is normal but they eat the same, yet the one is always hungry for more! When I used SlenderPet and then your Parasites remedy, my dog is not stealing food from his sister anymore and is proving to be very effective with your treatment" Gabby R.
Monday, September 8, 2008
WHY DO DOGS HAVE SEIZURES
The question about why dogs have seizures is a difficult one to answer since no one knows exactly what causes seizures in dogs. A seizure is a complicated condition in which a dog may become rigid, the head may seem as if it is twisted back as if someone is pulling it back and the lips may become contorted over the teeth. The dog may fall by his side as if unconscious, at times. Although the first seizure may lead to panic, canine and feline seizures last only for a couple of minutes and may extend up to five minutes. Only in the severest form of epilepsy known as status epilepticus, do seizures last for hours with without intervals. Extended seizures can cause brain damage and can threaten life.
Seizures are considered to be a neurological problem. However, it is also known that seizures can occur due to an underlying disease, genetic predisposition or a low seizure threshold as well. Seizures and epilepsy have become interchangeable terms over the years. Some professionals refer to epilepsy as recurrent seizures that are induced by an unknown cause. At other times, seizures that are unrelated to brain disorders or any other underlying disease are called epileptic seizures.
When the underlying cause of canine or feline epilepsy is not known, it is commonly classified as primary or idiopathic seizures. Cases where the cause is known are called secondary epilepsy.
Certain dog breeds like the German and Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren), Beagle and Dachshund have a higher suspected predisposition to seizures. Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Golden, Labrador, Wire-Haired Retrievers and Siberian Huskies are some of the other breeds where the incidence of seizures is higher.
In dogs that are more than the 4 years old the underlying cause is most likely to be found in metabolic diseases like hypoglycemia (low blood pressure), arrhythmia (abnormal rate of muscle contractions in the heart), hypocalcemia (abnormally low level of calcium in the blood; associated with low secretions of parathyroid hormone or kidney malfunction or vitamin D deficiency), brain tumors and cirrhosis (chronic liver disease).
In dogs below one year old, the most common causes of seizure are:
─ Developmental disorders like accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.
─ Toxicity due to lead, arsenic, insecticides that interfere with an insect's nervous system or chlorinated hydrocarbons.
─ Viral infections like distemper and inflammation of the brain.
─ Metabolic disorders like deficiency of metabolic enzymes, liver or kidney disorders.
─ Nutritional causes like thiamine efficiency or parasitism.
Genetic causes are often suspected in dogs between the ages of one to three years. Physical trauma, of course, can occur at any age. Head injuries, brain tumors and other types of brain damage caused by cysts can cause undue pressure on different areas in the brain. When this pressure is applied on the areas responsible for balance, consciousness and muscle movements, it can cause the dog to have seizures and accompanying symptoms.
Whatever the cause, the symptoms that a dog shows during a seizure should be noted down carefully and reported to the veterinarian so that a reasonably correct cause may be found.
Word Count: 528
References:
http://ak.essortment.com/seizuresdogsca_rfmm.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061120172125AA4VBUx
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/seizures_overview.htm
http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/Why.html
http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/underlying.html http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1828&articleid=433
Seizures are considered to be a neurological problem. However, it is also known that seizures can occur due to an underlying disease, genetic predisposition or a low seizure threshold as well. Seizures and epilepsy have become interchangeable terms over the years. Some professionals refer to epilepsy as recurrent seizures that are induced by an unknown cause. At other times, seizures that are unrelated to brain disorders or any other underlying disease are called epileptic seizures.
When the underlying cause of canine or feline epilepsy is not known, it is commonly classified as primary or idiopathic seizures. Cases where the cause is known are called secondary epilepsy.
Certain dog breeds like the German and Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren), Beagle and Dachshund have a higher suspected predisposition to seizures. Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Golden, Labrador, Wire-Haired Retrievers and Siberian Huskies are some of the other breeds where the incidence of seizures is higher.
In dogs that are more than the 4 years old the underlying cause is most likely to be found in metabolic diseases like hypoglycemia (low blood pressure), arrhythmia (abnormal rate of muscle contractions in the heart), hypocalcemia (abnormally low level of calcium in the blood; associated with low secretions of parathyroid hormone or kidney malfunction or vitamin D deficiency), brain tumors and cirrhosis (chronic liver disease).
In dogs below one year old, the most common causes of seizure are:
─ Developmental disorders like accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.
─ Toxicity due to lead, arsenic, insecticides that interfere with an insect's nervous system or chlorinated hydrocarbons.
─ Viral infections like distemper and inflammation of the brain.
─ Metabolic disorders like deficiency of metabolic enzymes, liver or kidney disorders.
─ Nutritional causes like thiamine efficiency or parasitism.
Genetic causes are often suspected in dogs between the ages of one to three years. Physical trauma, of course, can occur at any age. Head injuries, brain tumors and other types of brain damage caused by cysts can cause undue pressure on different areas in the brain. When this pressure is applied on the areas responsible for balance, consciousness and muscle movements, it can cause the dog to have seizures and accompanying symptoms.
Whatever the cause, the symptoms that a dog shows during a seizure should be noted down carefully and reported to the veterinarian so that a reasonably correct cause may be found.
Word Count: 528
References:
http://ak.essortment.com/seizuresdogsca_rfmm.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061120172125AA4VBUx
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/seizures_overview.htm
http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/Why.html
http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/underlying.html http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1828&articleid=433
Monday, September 1, 2008
Symptoms of Worms in Cats
Parasitic worms in dogs and cats normally reside in the intestines. The one aspect of these parasitic worms is that worm larvae and eggs can remain dormant for years in tissues and wait for an appropriate trigger to surface and infest your pet. In many cases it is the stress factor that acts as a trigger for worms to migrate. Feline parasites like roundworms and hookworms can surface abruptly in advanced stages of pregnancy and transmit to the young ones.
Kittens can get infected while in the womb of the female cat or through the milk of the infected mother. Adult cats can get infected by ingesting worm infested feces. They can also fall prey to these parasites if they consume a prey that is infected. Larvae of roundworms can migrate to various parts of the body and can travel up to the eye and cause damage to vision.
Vomiting, diarrhea, an extended abdomen, dehydration, weight loss and listlessness are other common symptoms that manifest themselves among cats infested with worms.
Cat and dog tapeworm are made up of segments. These segments are shed periodically and are ejected through feces. They stick to the area around the anus and can cause irritation since they are alive. Excessive licking of the anus is a behavior that can lead to further investigation and reveal tapeworm infestation in many cases.
A severe infestation by tapeworms causes abdominal pain and an abnormal increase in appetite. An exceptionally severe infection manifests in symptoms like coughing, high temperature, pneumonia and heart and liver diseases.
Symptoms of worms in dogs and cats are not always conclusive. Sometimes there are no specific symptoms that surface. But in some cases, worms can lead to death due to the sheer numbers. Worms multiply in geometric progression in the intestines. A single female roundworm can lay up to a hundred thousand eggs in a day. If left untreated the worms can block the intestinal passage and cause death.
Nearly all types of worms are passed through the feces into the environment. Unless the symptoms are very prominent, the only way that infestation can be diagnosed is by visibly detecting live worms or their eggs in the feces. Roundworms are long, round and slimy looking creatures. Live tapeworms can be seen moving and look like grains of dried brown rice when dry. Since worms in cats can remain in the body without causing any symptoms, it is imperative that you get your cat’s feces checked regularly for larva or worm eggs. Outdoor cats need more frequent checking since they are more susceptible to the problem.
A cat infested with worms becomes more vulnerable to other diseases. Some type of worms can potentially infect humans too. It is necessary to carry out a regular examination of your pets’ feces in order to avoid such eventualities.
Kittens can get infected while in the womb of the female cat or through the milk of the infected mother. Adult cats can get infected by ingesting worm infested feces. They can also fall prey to these parasites if they consume a prey that is infected. Larvae of roundworms can migrate to various parts of the body and can travel up to the eye and cause damage to vision.
Vomiting, diarrhea, an extended abdomen, dehydration, weight loss and listlessness are other common symptoms that manifest themselves among cats infested with worms.
Cat and dog tapeworm are made up of segments. These segments are shed periodically and are ejected through feces. They stick to the area around the anus and can cause irritation since they are alive. Excessive licking of the anus is a behavior that can lead to further investigation and reveal tapeworm infestation in many cases.
A severe infestation by tapeworms causes abdominal pain and an abnormal increase in appetite. An exceptionally severe infection manifests in symptoms like coughing, high temperature, pneumonia and heart and liver diseases.
Symptoms of worms in dogs and cats are not always conclusive. Sometimes there are no specific symptoms that surface. But in some cases, worms can lead to death due to the sheer numbers. Worms multiply in geometric progression in the intestines. A single female roundworm can lay up to a hundred thousand eggs in a day. If left untreated the worms can block the intestinal passage and cause death.
Nearly all types of worms are passed through the feces into the environment. Unless the symptoms are very prominent, the only way that infestation can be diagnosed is by visibly detecting live worms or their eggs in the feces. Roundworms are long, round and slimy looking creatures. Live tapeworms can be seen moving and look like grains of dried brown rice when dry. Since worms in cats can remain in the body without causing any symptoms, it is imperative that you get your cat’s feces checked regularly for larva or worm eggs. Outdoor cats need more frequent checking since they are more susceptible to the problem.
A cat infested with worms becomes more vulnerable to other diseases. Some type of worms can potentially infect humans too. It is necessary to carry out a regular examination of your pets’ feces in order to avoid such eventualities.
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