Arthritis
Atopy (Inhalant Allergy)
Bufo Toad Poisoning
Cat Home Safety Tips
Collar Hazards
Common Things to Watch for
Dental Disease in Pets
Diabetes
Dog Safety Tips
Feline Heartworm Disease
Mallassezia (yeast) Dermatitis
Reasons to Neuter
Noise Phobia in Dogs
Weight Problems in Pets
Otitis (Ear Infections)
Parvo Virus
Pruritis (Itchiness)
Rabies
Seizures and Epilepsy
Senior Pets
Reasons to Spay
Toxoplasmosis, Cats and Women
people consider their pet to be a close family member, and when it is ill, it is
a time of tremendous stress and worry, not only for the pet’s health, but often
times, also for the cost of treatment.
What can make it even worse for the owner is when they realize that they
either caused or could have prevented their pet’s illness or injury. Now they
are faced with terrible feelings of guilt in addition to everything else.
While it is impossible to prevent every accident or illness from happening,
pet owners can take steps to minimize the chances that their pet will be
injured or made ill. Here are some tips to help keep your dog healthy.
Do not switch your dog’s food abruptly. In an attempt to give their pet
some variety, many owners will change brands or types of food abruptly.
This usually results in a bout of diarrhea, since the animal’s intestinal tract is
not used to the new food. Although this is a relatively minor illness, the
owner is usually faced with a huge mess. When switching foods or adding
something new it is best to do it gradually over a week to prevent GI upset.
Pancreatitis, a serious inflammation of the pancreas, can be caused by
feeding the pet a large helping of a holiday meal, fatty meat trimmings, or
bones. It is very painful and results in severe vomiting, diarrhea and
dehydration which may require several days of hospitalization and
intravenous fluid therapy.
Don’t feed bones. Feeding bones can lead to intestinal obstruction requiring
emergency surgery, or "peritonitis", a serious infection of the abdominal
cavity that can happen if the wall of the stomach or intestines is pierced by a
sharp point of the bone. Bones can also lodge in the oral cavity and obstruct
eating and drinking.
Vaccinate your puppy. Parvo virus is by far the most common disease of
puppies that can be prevented by vaccination. The disease is highly
contagious and causes extreme weakness and severe, bloody vomiting and
diarrhea. Many puppies have to be euthanized either because they are too
sick to survive or their owner’s can not afford treatment which can cost
hundreds of dollars.
A simple series of vaccinations starting at about 8 weeks of age and given
every 2-3 weeks until the pup is 16 weeks old is very effective in preventing
this serious illness and is much less expensive than a week in intensive care!
Give your pet a heartworm preventative. Heartworm disease is another
example of a serious disease that is easy to prevent. It is transmitted by
mosquitos. The adult worms live in and damage the right side of the heart
and the arteries leading to the lungs. Treatment can be expensive and may
have serious side effects.
Both dogs and cats are at risk for this disease, including indoor-only pets,
since mosquitoes frequently get inside of homes. Several excellent
medicines are available and are 100% effective in preventing this disease. It
is recommended that all dogs and cats living in Florida be on heartworm
preventative year round.
Restrain your pet in your vehicle. Many owners love to take their pets for
car rides but have never given a thought as to what would happen if they
were involved in a traffic accident. An unrestrained pet is likely to be
severely injured or even ejected from the car. Seat belts for dogs are
available at pet stores and may help to prevent injury.
Never let your dog lean out of an open window, it’s an accident waiting to
happen. A little swerve or a quick stop will send the animal flying. Many
animals have been severely injured or killed falling from a moving vehicle.
Often times they break both front legs or are run over by the car behind them.
It is also very dangerous to let a dog hang its head out of a partially opened
window. Serious injury to the eye can occur if it were to be struck by a bug
or other object.
Pet proof your house. Because of their inquisitive nature, many dogs are
harmed by things commonly found in the house and yard. Many owners are
lulled into a false sense of security because their pet is well-behaved for
years on end without getting into anything. They begin to think that their pet
would never misbehave.
The important message here is that if tempted, even the most well behaved
animal can do something to injure itself. It only takes one time for a pet to
eat something it shouldn’t and then the owner is faced with a seriously ill pet
and a large vet bill. To prevent poisonings and other injuries, owners need to
take the same precautions in keeping harmful items out of a pet’s reach that they would
for a small child.
Dogs commonly get into the kitchen garbage pail. If ingested, items such as
bones, corncobs, shish-kabob skewers, and plastic food wrap can cause
serious illnesses such as pancreatitis, peritonitis, or an intestinal obstruction.
Dogs also love to consume food left out on the counter or tablet or they may
get into the newly purchased bag of dog food mistakenly left out of the
pantry. This usually results in a bout of diarrhea and vomiting or a more
serious condition such as pancreatitis.
So, before you leave your dog home alone, look around the kitchen and
make sure there is nothing left out that your dog could get into, empty the
trash can and securely close all cupboard doors. (I am speaking from
experience as my dog Nikki has gotten into the garbage and eaten a whole
bag of cat food.)
Other items that dogs are commonly poisoned with include rat poison, insect
baits, antifreeze, cleaners and other home chemicals, and human
medications. Some owners have induced serious stomach ulceration in their
dogs by giving them medicines such as ibuprofen or naproxin.
Always check with your veterinarian before giving your pet any human
medication.
For more information on home poisonings in pets click here
fed grapes or raisins.
These fruits may cause
acute kidney failure
in dogs.
More Info