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| Have a problem with your dog eating poop? Okay, let's cut to the chase. Watching dogs eat poop is disgusting. So is the thought of the bacteria that spread to everything they lick after doing that! There are many reasons for which dogs eat their poop. When a dog is fed low-quality and/or inappropriate dog food, he feels compelled to eat more of it in an attempt to satisfy his body's craving for nutrients. As a result, the dog is ingesting excess food, and a large proportion of the food goes through his digestive system undigested. The resulting stools smell and look fairly close to the food that the dog previously consumed, so the dog tries to consume the 'food' again. This is not just a vulgar habit; it is a cry for health. The dog needs a better diet that will enable him to absorb the nutrients his body needs. When dogs consume feces from other animals, they may be seeking minerals lacking in their regular dog food. The dog may be consuming feces out of boredom, loneliness, anxiety or stress. A dog who is confined to a kennel, chained, or restricted to a small yard or other space may eat his feces to occupy himself or clean his personal space. This dog needs to be exercised and played with several times a day. Some breeds instinctively like to carry things in their mouths. Picking up feces and carrying it around may signal that the dog needs more daily exercise, mental stimulation and interaction with his people. A yard or kennel where stools are allowed to pile up may prompt a dog to 'clean up' his stools. Be sure to clean the dog's area every day, and preferably right after the dog eliminates. The emotional stress of being left alone or restricted to a small area for long periods of time without the companionship of the caregiver can result, for some dogs, in the eating of his own feces. Internal parasites may lead a dog to consume feces, because the parasites can leach nutrients from the host animal's system. Thus, the dog will feel unusually hungry. If a dog is punished for defecating in the house, she may eat her feces in order to hide the evidence and avoid punishment. Typically, when a dog defecates indoors, it is because she feels unable to hold it. It is a myth that dogs poop indoors for spite; spite is a human, not a canine, emotion. More responsive management and training by the owner is the solution, not punishment. Also realize that elimination in the house can be a sign of a health or medical problem, from parasites to a serious condition. Feed your dog fresh pineapple or spinach. He will love it, but his poop will taste really bad to him once he eats that. (Always check first with your veterinarian before changing his diet.) |
Robyn@PharrBetterPetCare.com
| Common Parasites To Watch Out For: Fleas Nasty little buggers that cause you and your dog to itch like heck. If your dog is allergic to fleas symptoms may be more severe causing inflammation and hair loss in the bitten area. How Do I Know My Dog Has Fleas? If you’re not sure your dog has fleas try looking for little black specks scurrying along the surface of the skin. The easiest places to look are on the belly and inner thighs. You can also look for flea dirt which is actually flea feces. Flea dirt looks like dark flecks of black pepper on the surface of the skin. Take some of these dark flecks and put them on a wet paper towel if they spread out like a small stain of blood then your dog has fleas. What Can I Do To Treat My Dog? There are tons of different flea products on the market including pills, flea collars, flea powders, shampoos, and topical medications like Advantage and Frontline Plus. I use Frontline Plus for both of my dogs. It’s a topical treatment that I apply between the shoulders of my dog once a month. If you’re looking to treat you dog for flea infestation please consult with your veterinarian. Ticks Ick!!! That pictures disgusting! Ticks are little blood sucking parasites that attach themselves to your dog (or you) by burying their head into your dog’s skin. Very disgusting! They become engorged with blood and can expand to several times it’s original size. How Do I Know My Dog Has Ticks? I haven’t seen ticks on my dog in a while…thank goodness. From my experience a dog will usually get ticks by brushing up against grass or bushes. Ticks cannot run, hop, or fly and usually climb up onto higher places like tall grass, weeds, or sides of building or fences. When they detect vibration or chemical cues from an oncoming host they will either reach out or let themselves fall from their perch. What Can I Do To Treat My Dog? Once again, I’d consult my veterinarian before doing anything. Currently I use the same medication for fleas and ticks. Frontline Plus is a topical medication that prevents flea and tick infestation. However, if you already have ticks try using tweezers to remove the littler bugger. Grasp the tick with the tweezers as close to your dogs skin as possible. Pull straight out and be sure not to pull to hard and leave the head lodged under your dogs skin. This can lead to secondary infection and inflammation. Apply antiseptic ointment to the bite. Hookworm What do you think of the picture? The hookworm looks prehistoric doesn’t it? This picture is an extreme closeup. There are several ways your dog can get hookworms including orally, through the skin, through the mothers placenta before birth, or through the mothers milk. How Do I Know My Dog Has Hookworms? You normally won’t see these guys as they are diagnosed through your dogs stool sample. They are very easily detected by your vet as a female hookworm will produce approximately 20,000 eggs a day. Some symptoms your dog may show are pale gums, diarrhea, and weight loss. Skin irritation and itching may be the result of a heavily infested dog. What Can I Do To Treat My Dog? Once again consult with your veterinarian. There are several drugs that can be prescribed to effectively treat your dog. The drugs are normally injected or given orally. Tapeworm I know what your thinking: “What’s up? That’s not a very good picture…That doesn’t scare me at all.” I wanted to include a realistic example of what you might see. Unfortunately there were no videos or pictures of these little white specks crawling through your dogs poop, but that’s what you’ll see. Trust me when I say, “These things will creep you out!” Tapeworms attach themselves to the small intestinal wall by a hook like mouth part. As these critters mature they can grow up to 8 inches long and segments will eventually break off and pass into your dogs stool. You may be wondering how did my dog get tapeworms? In order to get tapeworms your dog has to swallow a flea that contains tapeworm eggs. How Do I know My Dog Has Tapeworms? Tapeworms are usually detected when they are passed through your dogs poop. They appear as tiny pieces of rice crawling around in your dogs stool….ewwwwww….You may also see the same tiny segments near your dogs anus. The segments may also appear dry and golden in color. These little segments are the mechanism that releases the tapeworm eggs into the environment. What Can I Do To Treat My Dog? My thought has always been since your dog gets tapeworms by ingesting fleas if I can keep fleas away from my dog they will not get tapeworms. As a preventative measure again try Frontline Plus to keep the fleas away. If your dog already has tapeworms then consult your veterinarian. There are drugs that can effectively treat tapeworms by either injection or taken orally. Heartworm See all that stringy spaghetti looking stuff. That’s Heartworm…pretty gross. You’ll probably never see heartworm in person. As you can see it can be a very nasty parasite and it can be fatal. Heartworm are developed in mosquito’s and contracted to dogs when an infected mosquito bites your dog. How Do I Know My Dog Has Heartworm? The most common symptoms are your dog may appear to be more tired then usual, they may experience coughing, and respiratory distress. What Can I Do To Treat My Dog? If you suspect your dog of having heartworm I highly suggest you consult your veterinarian. The process for treating heartworm is a lengthy process and if you’d like to read more about it try googling “heartworm treatment. This is important: You need to get your dog tested for heartworm before you start them on heartworm preventative medication. |
Giardia Giardiasis is an intestinal infection caused by a parasitic protozoan (single celled organism) called Giardia lamblia. These protozoans are found in the intestines of many animals, including dogs and humans. This microscopic parasite clings to the surface of the intestine, or floats free in the mucous lining the intestine. The giardia trophozoite - which is the active stage of the organism - inhabits the small intestine of the dog. The trophozoite stage is tear-drop shaped, binucleated, and has four pairs of flagella. It attaches to the cells of the intestine with its adhesive disc and rapidly divides to produce a whole population of trophozoites. As they detach they may be swept down the intestine. If intestinal flow is fast then they may appear in the feces. However, if they have time, encystment occurs as the parasite travels to the large intestine. The cyst is fairly resistant, and can survive for several months outside of a host's body as long as sufficient moisture is provided. The cyst is oblong in shape with four nuclei that are sometimes distinctly visible. Mature cysts are usually found in the feces of infected animals. Other animals become infected by ingesting the cysts that passed from the body in feces. These ingested cysts then break open inside the small intestine to release the motile feeding stage (trophozoite). Giardia increase their numbers by each organism dividing in half which is called binary fission. Giardia lives and reproduces in the small intestine of host animals. Giardia trophozoites, the free living stage of the organism, form infective cysts that are passed out in the feces. If the cysts are present in a wet or damp environment they can survive in a viable state for a few weeks to several months. Giardia is so prevalent throughout North America because it is highly contagious. The ingestion of as few as one or more giardia cysts may cause the disease, as contrasted to most bacterial illnesses where hundreds to thousands of organisms must be consumed to produce illness. Giardia causes its unpleasant effects on the body not by invading the tissues, but simply by being in the way. It multiplies to the point where it sort of paves the lining of the intestine and blocks normal digestion. (malabsorption). This causes only partially digested food to get lower in the digestive tract than it should, causing diarrhea. The trophozoites divide to produce a large population, then they begin to interfere with the absorption of food. Clinical signs range from none in asymptomatic carriers, to mild recurring diarrhea consisting of soft, light-colored stools, to acute explosive diarrhea in severe cases. Other signs associated with giardiasis are weight loss, listlessness, fatigue, mucus in the stool, and anorexia. These signs are also associated with other diseases of the intestinal tract, and are not specific to giardiasis. These signs, together with the beginning of cyst shedding, begin about one week post-infection. There may be additional signs of large intestinal irritation, such as straining and even small amounts of blood in the feces. Usually the blood picture of affected animals is normal, though occasionally there is a slight increase in the number of white blood cells and mild anemia. Without treatment, the condition may continue, either chronically or intermittently, for weeks or months. Diagnosing giardia is not easy. Diagnosis can be done in one of two ways: via fecal sample by a Vet or via educated evaluation of clinical findings by the breeder/owner or the Vet. Via fecal sample is not straightforward. Even when a flare is at it's worst, the cysts will not be shedding in every single stool. Therefore, a negative report does not rule out giardia. The most thorough way to assess is to collect a sample from every single stool produced for 48 to 72 hours and have a Vet examine it using the giardia test kit. More info on Giardia at: http://www.beaglesunlimited.com/beaglehealth_giardiasis.htm |
Toy aggression will not go away on its own. Rather, it will turn your dog into a lean, mean possessive machine who sees you as the thief out to rob him of his hard-earned treasures. Make no mistake. When it comes to dog behavior, toy aggression is neither normal nor healthy. It turns an otherwise mild-mannered dog into a four-pawed savage. If you want what's best for your pup, don't tolerate this hostile dog behavior. Toy aggression should be nipped in the bud as soon as you see it occur. These tips can help. 1. Get your dog used to having his mouth touched. Once he learns this dog behavior, toy aggression won't be a problem. You can remove anything from him without getting bitten. 2. Offer your dog something while commanding him to "Take it." A few minutes later, tell him to "Drop it." How can this game prevent hostile dog behavior? Toy aggression occurs when your dog sees you as the taker of doggie treasures. By conditioning him to view you as the provider of good things, you show him there's no need for him to guard his pile of goodies so compulsively. 3. Establish a hierarchy. Dogs believe in a pecking order so early on, show your dog that he is on the bottom rung. As such, any family member can rightfully take anything away from him. Once you show your dog his rightful place is not on the rung between dad and mom, he will modify his hostile dog behavior. Toy aggression won't be a problem because he will be more than willing to share his precious hoard with the higher-ups in the pecking ladder. Naturally, it will take time and a lot of patience to help your dog overcome toy aggression. But if you really love your four-pawed pal, you will go the extra mile to help him become a model of good dog behavior. Toy aggression will then be a problem as stale as yesterday's leftovers. Correcting your dog's behavior problems doesn't stop with the quick read of this article. Take action today to turn your misbehaving pet into the loyal and loving companion you've always wanted. It's really as simple as following the Step-by-step dog training course through the link below. The course will solve all your dog's behavior problems immediately after application...especially dog aggression. You can learn right now to correct all your dog behavior problems right now at Dog-Training-Works.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rex_Krisinsky |
Five things to consider before choosing your dog by Sarah Beston Dogs can be a wonderful addition to any family, but there are several factors involved in finding the right fit for your lifestyle. Often times, people choose their four-legged friends based on the 'cute' factor, but decisions based solely on appearance can quickly lead to disaster. It is important to do your research and make your choice with careful deliberation. Here are a few things to chew on before making your decision: Temperament Temperament is the general demeanor a dog displays toward people and other animals. Make sure to consider the natural predisposition and innate qualities of the breed. There are eight recognized groups of dog breeds established by the American Kennel Club (AKC): Toy, Sporting, Non-sporting, Working, Terrier, Hound, Herding, and Miscellaneous. Each group shares common traits and characteristics and serve as a good starting point for your search. Do you want a calm and relaxed dog, or a dog that is more energetic and playful? Do you want a dog that is more dominant and protective, or would you prefer a dog with a more submissive temperament? If you want your dog to be more protective, you probably want to get a working class dog. A toy dog, as fashionable a statement they may make, probably won't be much use as a guard dog. Likewise, a working dog may protect you and pull your sleds, but certainly won't be fitting into your new handbag. Temperament is particularly important to consider if you have kids and other pets. Do you need a dog that is comfortable around children? Try this site for searching dog breeds based on temperaments. Size Size matters. Puppies, as adorable as they may be, don't stay small forever. Some puppies can grow to be the size of a small horse. It's important to consider whether or not you have room for a big dog and ample yard space for the dog to get proper exercise. If you have an apartment, most likely you will want to look at smaller breeds that don't need as much space. Size can also be deceiving. Some smaller dogs that have lots of energy need just as much space as larger dogs to run around and get their crazies out. Larger dogs, like larger people, consume more. Make sure your pet budget allows you to spend the amount of money that it would take to feed a larger dog. Time All dogs need constant care and attention, but some breeds are more demanding of your time than others. How much exercise does the dog require? How long will it take to train the dog? Would it be better to adopt an older dog that is already housebroken? Having a dog is like adding another member to the family. Even though a friend of mine with kids gets really insulted when I say that dogs are a lot like children, it's true! You may need doggie daycare or at least a dog walker if you are away from the house all day. Time is a critical factor to consider before adopting a dog. Health Specific health problems are often times attributed to a certain breed of dog. Some breeds are more prone to certain hereditary diseases and conditions. It's a good idea to request the health history of the dog's bloodline to try and avoid any bloodlines with a history of ill-health. Maintaining a dog's health can also become pretty expensive and you may want to look into insurance for your dog. As much as I adored my boxer Zoey, her $3,000 vet bill resulting from her mast cell tumors, had me wishing I had invested in pet insurance when it was offered. That doggie in the window cost a lot more than I had bargained for. You also have to think about the health of you and your family. Is anyone in the family allergic to dogs? Being educated about the health considerations of your chosen breed can help you to avoid or alleviate future problems. The AKC offers a great guide to dog related health information with various tips on how to keep your future dog healthy. Grooming Needs Dog grooming is a basic need for all dogs to stay clean and healthy, but some dogs require a lot more upkeep than others. Your furry friends grooming needs generally depend on the breed and hair type. Dogs with long hair and fancy trims need a lot more maintenance. Take into consideration the time, cost and energy it takes for grooming when deciding what breed is right for you. All of these factors should be taken into consideration not only to fit the needs of you and your family, but just as importantly, to meet the needs of your future dog as well. If you take the time to do the necessary research the payoff will be more than worth it. Good luck, and enjoy-they call them man's best friend for a reason! |
