My dog has Bloat.What should I do?

Bloat in dogs ( known as Gastric dilatation volvulus) is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate veterinary care.  When bloat happens, the dog’s stomach fills fluid and food. The bigger stomach sets pressure on other organs and eventually may decrease blood supply to a dog’s vital organs. Even with immediate treatment, approximately 25% to 40% of dogs die from this medical emergency.
Causes of Bloat in Dogs
Bloat in dogs is likely caused by a multitude of factors, but in every case the immediate prerequisite is a dysfunction of the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach and an obstruction of outflow through the pylorus. Certain risk factors include: rapid eating or eating one large meal daily, dry food-only diet, overeating and heavy exercise after eating, fearful temperament, sometimes is stress, trauma and abnormal gastric motility or hormone secretion. Dogs with inflammatory bowel disease may be at an increased risk for bloat.
Symptoms of Bloat in Dogs

Dog bloat

Distended abdomen                
Excessive salivation
Pale gums
Rapid heartbea
Retching
Unfortunately, not all cases of bloat present with typical signs. A high rate of dogs with bloat have cardiac arrhythmias (40% in one study).  A dog that stands uncomfortably and seems to have abdominal pain for no apparent reason may be suffering from bloat or from a number of unrelated conditions. When a large, deep-chested dog is retching, restless and trying to vomit unproductively, painful and drooling, with a distended abdomen, he must be rushed to the nearby veterinary hospital, time is of the essence. Bloat can become fatal within a matter of minutes.
Treatment for Dogs bloat
Depending on your dog’s situation, a veterinarian will take an X-ray of the abdomen to assess the stomach’s position. The vet can extract the stomach and relieve gas and fluid pressure by inserting a tube down the esophagus.  Intravenous fluids may be started to reduce shock; bloodwork may be done to check for abnormalities, and a heart monitor may be set up. Most vets will still recommend surgery to permanently attach the stomach to the side of the abdomen in an attempt to prevent future episodes.
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Valley fever in dogs- Symptoms and Treatment for Canine Valley Fever

Canine valley fever originates in a dog as he inhales the coccidioidomycosis fungal spores. These spores are frequently found in dirt as well as in arid areas of the desert. The fungus thrives well in sandy alkaline soils in regions with low rainfall, very high temperatures, as well as low elevation and dusty areas of the deep southwestern United States & especially in Arizona and California along with Texas. It also exists in Mexico and in parts of Central and South America. Although it's not typically fatal, the condition will progress to more severe health concerns, such as pneumonia and the symptoms becomes more detrimental and more pronounced.
Cause of Canine valley fever
Canine valley fever originates in a dog as he inhales the coccidioidomycosis fungal spores. When dogs disturb the soil when digging, they will breathe some of the fungus spores. Usually, the immune system will kill the infection. Even so, if the immune system won't act quick enough, the infection will spread to the lungs and the rest of the body.
Symptoms of valley fever in dogs
The symptoms of  valley fever in dogs do not usually start to surface until about three weeks post-infection. Sometimes, the dog don't possess any signs of a primary infection in the lungs, such as coughing, but is going to develop symptoms of disseminated disease(ie, lameness or seizures). Owners of affected dogs may notice one or more of the following signs in the early course of the disease:
Coughing
Fever
Difficulty breathing
Loss of appetite
The lungs are most often affected by this fungus. The lungs are certainly not really the only organs affected, as this illness may affect any tissue in your dog's body. Frequent symptoms include neck and back pain or seizures, a few dogs also develop skin ulcerations.
Treatment for Canine valley fever
Most dogs with Valley Fever are treated as outpatients. The vet may choose to administer an antifungal treatment (azoles include ketoconazole, itraconazole and fluconazole). For a ample antifungal therapy most dogs recover from the disease. Also,  dogs should be fed a high quality, particularly tasty diet with free access to fresh water. When this disease is properly treated, your dog will probably recover. Almost dogs begin back acting normally 7 days after treatment has begun. However, this illness might be fatal. Older dogs and puppies with a weak immune system have the most risk of dying from this disease.
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All about Worms in Dogs

Worms are one of the most common health problems for dog. There are five types of worms that generally affect dogs: heartworms and roundworms, hookworms or tapeworms, and whipworms. Of these four only two are commonly seen in the stool with the unaided eye: roundworms and tapeworms. Therefore, it is important for you to learn how to tell if your dog has worms and obtain the appropriate medication.
Types of Worms in Dogs
+Roundworms
Roundworms are the most common type of worms, that can infect your dog's intestines. Usually spread in feces or while pregnancy and nursing, the roundworm causes a serious infection in dogs and puppies. They eats the food of its host and could cause diarrhea and other symptoms. If your dog is infected by these worms, then he will experience symptoms as:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Weight loss
Itching
+Hookworms
Hookworms can enter through the skin of your dog to reach the lungs. Living mostly in the small intestine, hookworms suck the blood of its host. Young dogs  becomes infected from their mothers. Adult dogs is usually infected via their skin or when cleaning themselves. Infections will cause weakness and malnutrition or anemia and can lead to death in puppies. Also, hookworm infestation can also cause:
Coughing
Diarrhea
Skin dryness
Itchy feet
Bloody stools
Weight loss
+Heartworms
Heartworms are spread to dogs through mosquito bites. Out of all the worms, heartworms can be the most dangerous worms that can cause serious illnesses and even death of your pet dogs. Heartworms affect how the heart functions and how blood clots and is likely to cause death if untreated. Per month heartworm preventives are helpful. Symptoms of heartworms include:
Cough
Breathing difficulty
+Whipworms
As the name suggests these worms look like a whip and inhabit the intestines of the dog, especially the large intestine. Dogs can pick them up from contaminated soil or by grooming. Whipworms usually don't cause severe blood loss or other serious symptoms unless large numbers embed in the intestine. Symptoms of whipworms include
Weight loss
Bloody stools
+Tapeworms
Tapeworms are one of the most common parasites, that can infect your dogs. Dogs get tapeworms from licking themselves and eating fleas, which have them. Tapeworms absorb some of the dog’s nutrients from the intestine, the place they add. He tapeworm is composed of small segments, every about the size of a grain of rice. These segments can break off in the intestine of your dog and then come out with stools.
Vomiting
Weight loss
Abdominal pain
Treatment for Worms in Dogs
Worms in dogs are treated by first evaluating the severity of the infestation and determining what type of worm is involved. To cure dog worms, veterinarians would prescribe some wormer or medications such as ivermectin or pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel or fenbendazole and milbemycin oxime. The treatment and medication can differ substantially, based on the types of worms that have infected your dog.
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How Effective Are Joint Supplements For Dogs With Arthritis?

Just like humans, many dogs suffer from arthritis pain and inflammation over time. Joints and bones naturally degenerate over time. So, Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate supplements are fast becoming the most widely used supplements in dogs' diets. Reason is Glucosamine and chondroitin are two ingredients of supplements that have become widely used in treating both animals and humans for osteoarthritis. Because of the overwhelming success in treating patients with osteoarthritis, these products came to the forefront of therapy and are becoming the most popular products for managing arthritis today. Natural and alternative therapies are generally safe, effective and is usually used in conjunction with western medicine. If your dog is suffering from arthritis, these are some natural remedies that are helpful:
+Supplements Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Glucosamine & Chondroitin are naturally sourced and rarely show any side effects. Occasionally a dog will vomit or diarrhea if started on high doses, however, this might be alleviated if the dose is reduced or given with food. Glucosamine is studied for over 20 years in humans, and is proven effective to relieve arthritic joint pain in animals and humans. The safety of joint supplements makes them well suited for long term use. Please note that it may take four to six weeks before your dog show significant results from these supplements.
+Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Acids Omega 3 essential fatty acid supplement from fish oil or flaxseed oil also works as an anti-inflammatory. These help to lube the joints and help with inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA and EPA are often used for the management of the signs of atropy in dogs. Also, Omega 3 oils will also improve the health and appearance of your dog's coat. Omega 3 oils is proven to help reduce excess weight in dogs, a very useful effect as a heavy dog puts more stress on arthritic joints.
+Antioxidants: Nutritional supplements containing enzymes and antioxidants have been shown to reduce inflammation, promote healthy joints, improve circulation and support immune function. Besides Vitamin C, other beneficial antioxidants include Vitamin E, Zinc or Manganese, and Citrus Bioflavonoids.
+Vitamin C & Manganese: Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and is an important nutrient in the synthesis of collagen and cartilage. Supplementing with Vitamin C at a reasonable level will not result in a toxicity and may prove to have a beneficial effect. While,  Manganese ascorbate, in combination with glucosamine and chondroitin, are already found helpful in treating osteoarthritis pain.
+Acupuncture & Physical Therapy: Study after study has shown that acupuncture and Chinese herbs are effective to relieve the pain and inflammation of arthritis in both humans and dogs. Most dogs feel relaxed and pain free after an acupuncture session. Over time, the treatments build on one another, giving much better results with each successive treatment.
In generally, natural approaches to treatment for canine arthritis are generally safe and effective.
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Guide choose Shampoo for Dogs

Shampoo for Dogs

Anyone who has ever tried to buy dog shampoo will know there are almost as many different types of shampoo for dogs as there are for humans. In a market flooded with numerous brands of dog shampoos on offer it is imperative to be very keen when identifying the shampoo that best suits your dog. So you need to know what kind of shampoo you need for your dog. This article is a guide to the various uses and benefits of dog shampoo, and it also talks about some of the different kinds available.
How is Pet Shampoo different to Our Shampoo?
The most important thing to remember when shampooing a dog is that you should never use human shampoo. That is because shampoos designed for human skin have a higher PH level than those designed for dogs, and this will cause irritation and allergic reactions on their skin.
+Quality ingredients:
When the composition of the shampoos is not good for your dog numerous things will go wrong. Read through the product label to check if your dog is allergic for any elements in the shampoo composition. Efficacy‐ Every pet owner wishes to leave a bright, soft and ecto‐parasite free skin coat after every bath of the pet. The shampoo must achieve its wanted objective within the shortest time possible without having to use much of the shampoo.
+Physical Properties of the shampoos:
This is because shampoos designed for human skin have a higher PH level than those designed for dogs, and this will cause irritation and allergic reactions on their skin. Good dog shampoos should lather very easily, there low PH, have a best scent and retain moisture to the surface of the skin. Different shampoos are formulated according to the different needs of various skin types, so there are many products suitable for normal skin, a few suitable for dry skin, and some designed for particularly oily skin.
If you're looking for something to treat a skin condition, you will discover dog shampoos that help with this as well. Medicated shampoos are prescribed by the doctor in serious cases of pruritis such as part of the management .They is also prescribed in the event of the mange. They include anti inflammatory elements like non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and corticoids derivatives like hydrocortisone. For example, Allergic dogs could have the hypo‐allergic shampoos that decrease the amount of irritation on the skin. These types of shampoos are helpful in the event of hypersensitivity of the skin that results in varied skin reactions manifesting such as rashes with no specific etiology.
+Cost effectiveness:
Some dogs shampoos are designed to cater for the dirt removal and hair brightening while others are purposely for parasites elimination. One shampoo which has both characteristics is the best since it is relatively priced yet it achieves two main objectives.
Safety and Buying Tips for Dog Shampoo
Be sure to look at the ingredients of your dog shampoo and check for anything that might irritate your dog. Heavy scents and some flea and ticks shampoo may irritate the skin. Follow the guidelines on the bottle and always keep even tearless shampoos out of your dog's eyes. If you try a new shampoo on your dog and it does not react well to it, you must cease applying it immediately. I hope this guide has helped you.
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All about Dog Pregnancy

Dog Pregnancy

To understand dog pregnancy, you should first get a general comprehension of how her body works. If you have a dog that is pregnant, it is a great idea to learn about the dog pregnancy stages so you know what to expect during the approximately 63 days that your dog will be pregnant.  It averages 63 days from the day of ovulation (the normal range is 56 to 66 days). Note that the day of ovulation is not usually the same as the day of breeding.  Pregnant dog symptoms are the same from dog to dog.
The Signs of Dog Pregnancy
Your dog could be pregnant and you may not notice anything at all, because the first symptoms are more subtle than any other time. The first pregnant dog symptoms might include a few different things.
+First Stages with Morning Sickness
One of the first things that you will realize in your pregnant dog is a change in your dog’s behavior. You could see your dog vomiting from morning sickness or you might notice that you dog is hungrier than usual. If your dog has morning sickness, your dog may not want to eat much, yet it is important that you feed your dog small meals throughout the day. You need to certainly keep track of how much your dog is drinking to be sure that she does not get dehydrated. Almost dogs won't skip more than one day or two without eating at least a little bit. If your dog decline to eat 3 days in a row, it will eventually then be time to call your vet for a few advice.
+Second Stage with Little Babies in the Belly & Increased Appetite
The second stage occurs at about 30 days. Now, it is very important to see that your dog is eating regularly and well. Some dogs practical experience a marked increase in their appetite nearly immediately on becoming pregnant. If this is the case, your dog may gobble down her food quickly and then remain by her bowl as though asking for much more. It is important to talk to your vet about your dog and what she should be eating and if there are vitamins or anything else you dog should be eating.
+Check Your Dog’s Temperature
The final pregnant dog symptoms that you will notice is a temperature change just before your dog gives birth. If you know the day that your dog mated, you may have a small window of time that your dog will give birth. If you will not know the day, then the best way to tell when your dog is ready to give birth is to monitor her temperature. Dogs have a standard temperature, just as humans, but dogs have a temperature of 101 degrees Fahrenheit. When your dog goes into labor, the dog’s temperature will raises and then drop to under 98 degrees Fahrenheit. When your dog’s temperature drops, you will expect to see puppies during the next 24 hours of time.
In summary, if you think that your dog may be pregnant, you should take your dog to the vet who will do an ultrasound to determine if your dog really is pregnant. Almost vets will want to wait until your dog is at least 21 days into the pregnancy, since it is easier to see the little puppies in the uterus.
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Canine Skin Allergies- Cause, Symptoms and Treament of Skin Allergies in Dogs

Canine skin allergy is a common condition that causes inflamed and itchy skin. The number of dogs with allergies has increased dramatically in recent years. It is now estimated that one in ten dogs suffer from allergic symptoms. The skin is the largest organ in the body and so it is not entirely surprising that skin diseases account for a significant proportion of visits to both doctors and vets. A wide range of causes including external parasites, infections and allergies, or metabolic problems and stress, or a combination of these might be affecting your dog’s skin.

Canine skin allergies

Causes of Canine Skin Allergies
The main causes of skin allergies in dogs are – atopy (allergies to things that are breathed in), food allergies and contact allergies, as well as flea allergies. Atopic allergies are the most common and are caused by allergic reactions to inhaled allergens such as pollen from trees and grass, which tends to be around for some weeks at a particular time of year. There are many causes of skin abnormalities in dogs, and identifying the main cause is not always simple. Thus, you should visit your vet for an exam as soon as you notice any abnormality in your pet’s skin or hair.
Symptoms of Skin Allergies in Dogs
Skin allergies are common in dogs. There might be all or some of these symptoms. A typical itchiness so that the dog is chewing, licking and scratching in a stressful way, often even stopping to scratch during eating or during a walk. The skin becomes red and inflamed and in extreme cases the skin is broken. The damaged skin eventually will become darkened and thickened. The damaged spots then get bacterial or fungal infections and may begin to smell.
Treatment for Canine Skin Allergies
Treating skin allergies in dogs is never easy and can often be a lifelong battle. Effective treatment of allergic skin reactions depends on the cause of the condition. For instance, if the dog has flea bite hypersensitivity, where by the allergen is flea saliva, treatment needs eliminating the dog’s exposure to fleas. Allergies cannot be cured and require lifelong treatment. Even so, with the appropriate treatments the prognosis is generally very good. If a food allergy is partly or wholly involved, a non allergic diet must be chosen. There are several measures that dog owners can take to help ease a dog’s skin allergy symptoms. They may be include:
+Immunotherapy
If the cause of the allergy has been identified, then the dog is usually treated by injecting it with increasing amounts of the allergen. This may take up to ten months of treatment and works in two thirds of the cases. The initial injections will probably be given at a vet's surgery, to make sure your dog doesn't have an allergic shock reaction. Althought this treatment is going on, your dog continues to need treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs like antihistamines or steroids. Shampoos and ear cleaners may also be useful
+Anti-inflammatory treatment
1. Essential Fatty Acids:These are fish and plant (e.g. Evening Primrose or Borage) oils.
2. Antihistamines:These are the same drugs used to treat allergies and sea sickness in humans, though they should only be given under veterinary supervision. Your vet might want to try several different drugs to find which works the best.
3.Steroids: These are very effective in stopping skin inflammation but in the long run may have side effects
4. Local applications: Peppermint oil or menthol compounds and camomile lotions can be soothing when put on skin that is acutely inflamed.
There is no realistic way to prevent a dog from becoming hypersensitive to things in its environment, which finally may cause intense, randomly skin itchiness and the licking, scratching, biting and self-trauma very often accompany skin allergies. Even so, once the inciting causes of skin allergies are identified, owners will prevent further allergic outbreaks by keeping their dogs away from those allergens.
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