Keep Your Dog In Good Health By Eric Hartwell

Taking your dog to the vet can be a harrowing experience for you and your dog. However, it is necessary to ensure your dog of a healthy, happy and long life. Your dog should see the vet once a year for annual checkups, shots and a blood test for heartworm. Always take your dog to the doctor immediately if it is sick or injured.

Puppies will need to be vaccinated with a “5 in 1” combination vaccine at 2, 3 and 4 months old, followed by annual shots. This vaccine inoculates your pup from hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and distemper. Larger dogs such as Doberman Pinschers, American Staffordshire terriers/pit bulls and Rottweilers will need the combination vaccine up until five months of age. An unvaccinated dog that is older than four or five months old will be required to have a series of two vaccinations administered two to three weeks apart. After these shots, be careful that your puppy does not walk outside or sit or walk on the floor of an animal hospital until a few days after the last vaccination is completed, thus avoiding infection. Some states require a rabies vaccination for your puppy which should be given annually for two years and followed up by boosters every three years. If your animal becomes sick and was not properly vaccinated, be sure to administer the vaccine once the animal has fully recovered.

Heartworm is a common and deadly parasite. It lives in the dog’s heart and is transmitted by mosquitoes. Every spring, it is a good idea to get your dog tested for heartworm. This test will determine whether or not your dog was infected the year before. During mosquito season, you can give your dog a once-a-month pill to protect it. If you travel out of your area and weather to a tropical or warm place where there will be mosquitoes, your will want to give your dog or puppy preventative heartworm medication for the duration of the trip. If you live in a warm climate all year long, it is advisable to constantly monitor and administer heartworm medication.

Roundworms and hookworms are also on the roster of disabling doggie diseases. Dogs can be exposed to these infections through microscopic eggs in another dog’s infected feces It is common for puppies to contract hookworms or roundworms and this can be treated by your trusted veterinarian.

Whenever you kiss or get licked by your dog and you inhale the “dog breath” this may not just be a case of gingivitis. Your dog’s bad breath is an indication to you that your dog may have a serious liver or intestinal disease, diabetes, kidney disease or just needs to go to the dentist. A regular dental check-up and cleaning will determine if your dog’s mouth has bacteria and plaque which would require professional treatment. You can maintain your dog’s good dental health by brushing the teeth on a regular basis and feeding it dental treats to chew on. With a child’s soft toothbrush, the owner can clean the canine’s teeth with dog toothpaste or baking soda and water paste weekly. If your dog’s bad breath is accompanied by other symptoms of ill health such as depression, loss of appetite or vomiting, take your dog to the vet to get a full check-up.

Always check your dog for fleas and ticks and never feed your dog medication that has not been prescribed!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=140760&ca=Pets

Ear Mites In Cats By Evelyn Dayag

Cats, more than of the other common house-pets, are susceptible to ear mites. Fortunately, when caught early, an ear mite infestation can easily be treated. Knowing the early warning signs makes the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major irritation. If your cat experiences these warning signs, you should see a veterinarian as soon as possible:

* Itching
* Scratching the ears and/or head
* Head shaking, as if trying to shake the mites out
* Scabs and/or hair loss on the head or around ears

To completely eradicate the ear mites is, unfortunately, difficult. On the bright side, your cat has a number of treatment options to alleviate the irritation.

As many people know, including practicing veterinarians, the flea treatment called 'Frontline Topspot,' can also be used for treating ear mites. Frontline has been tested on cats and approved by vets to treat both fleas and ear mites at the same time.

Ear mites can spread! Sometimes, they leave the ears and settle on different parts of your cat’s body. Ear mites especially like to settle on the head. This is when flea control products work best. Another option is to use a 'once-a-month' topical treatment.

Ear mites can spread! Yes, we say it again, because ear mites are highly contagious and can easily spread from cat to cat. If you have two or more cats in the household and one of them exhibits symptoms, it would be wise to have all your cats examined for ear mites.

Armed with knowledge, and the latest medical products, you can protect your cherished pets from the terror of ear mites.

Even if cats can’t talk and tell us about it, we can guess fairly well that mites in their ears are a terrible discomfort for them. Fortunately, there are common cures to alleviate the condition. These are: topical treatments, oral medication and injections.

Topical preparations should be used for about a month, or enough time to cover the life cycle of the ear mite. The reason is that creams and ointments kill only the mites themselves but not the eggs they have laid inside your cat’s ear. Hence eradication will be complete only when the mites born out of the hatched eggs are eliminated.

Some topical ointments like Tresaderm contain antibiotics and other ingredients that treat secondary effects, such as inflammation and infection. They are more potent and can be used for as short a period as two weeks. Most of these types of ointments are popular among veterinarians.

Some veterinarians continue to administer medication directed at curing ear mites in cats via injection, without approval of the FDA for mode of drug delivery. Ivermectin is an anti-parasite delivered in shots numbering from two to four in frequency, depending on the severity of the cat’s condition. Frontline, a proven eliminator of ear mites, is another veterinary drug known to be dispensed in injectable form. Pet cat owners should proceed with caution if they want to try these injectables, since possible adverse reactions they may cause are not well known.

Remember that build up in the cat’s ears, especially those brown crusty debris caused by the mites, should be dislodged thoroughly prior to treatment proper. You can ask for help from the veterinarian if you do not know how to flush feline ears, or are not comfortable with the procedure.

As mentioned earlier, it is indeed fortunate that there are common cures that alleviate the problem of cat ear mites. Perhaps a complete solution or preventive system is just around the corner?

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=139497&ca=Pets