Canine Hip Dysplasia
Published by doggie health care on Tagged Keep Them Healthy & Safe!, Health
Canine Hip Dysplasia is seen as a mystery for most of those in the veterinarian field. Since the early seventies many dogs have been affected by hip dysplasia. In fact beginning in the seventies hundreds of dogs suffering from the disease were euthanized so that they would no longer have to suffer. It was a very practical choice back in the seventies because we didn’t know what affected the dog’s diagnosis of the disorder and therefore we didn’t have a way to help them feel better. Hip dysplasia can lead the dog to being severely crippled if it is not seen to. In the past euthanasia was the only offer once a dog was diagnosed with the disease, but many vets strived for some way to correct the genetic disorder.
The facts discovered during the later seventies and early eighties is that any dog with hip dysplasia didn’t have to be euthanized. Instead the dogs could lead a pretty normal life if the diagnosis was made as a puppy. As a puppy the canine would need some corrective procedures so that as an adult the dog would not suffer. Many vets began researching the type of surgery that would be needed to correct the problem in a younger dog. Unfortunately many found that in some cases correcting the dog while he or she was still young could create hip dysplasia by harming the tendons. Vets have offered surgery on many dog breeds that are subject to hip dysplasia. In some cases they have actually removed the dog’s tail or shortened it in order to keep hip dysplasia from happening. By changing the weight that is placed on the hips it has been thought that the hips will not hurt as much or end up in a position that is uncomfortable.
At the moment it is uncertain if hip dysplasia in dogs is genetic. Many believe it is genetic because certain breeds are more affected from the disorder than others. A common breed is the English Sheep Dog. English Sheep Dogs tend to develop or are born with hip dysplasia. A Swedish study done on 11,036 dogs resulted in information that hip dysplasia is not necessarily genetic. The study was completed on German Shepherds over a ten year period. In fact they tried selective breeding to reduce the occurrence of hip dysplasia. In other words they breed dogs that didn’t show the traits of the disorder in their bones were breed, yet their off spring still had the disorder. This led the Swedish to believe that it is not influenced by genetics. There were other findings with the pelvic inlet that showed the rate of bone maturation could be the cause of the hip dysplasia.
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Does Your Dog Stress from Separation Anxiety Whenever You Leave The House?
Published by doggie health care on Tagged Did You Know?/Information
In order to make your dog feel more secure when you are away, there are many ways to ease the separation anxiety he or she experiences. Here are some practical tips to help you achieve the fastest results.
1. When you become the proud owner of a new puppy or an adult dog you will have so many moments of enjoyment. You automatically shower the new family member with lots of love and attention. However, spending all your time with your new pet can create problems when you have to return to your normal routine and may well be out of the house at work for hours on end during the day or night .
This is why it is important to get the balance right from the beginning. Whilst showing your new pet lots of attention also get the dog to accept that some time has to be spent on his or her own, even when you are there and if this is done gradually it will ensure a less traumatic time when you have to leave the dog to go out.
You could begin by going into another room, closing the door as you leave the dog in the first room on his or her own. Carry out this routine several times each day and then try leaving the house for five minutes, then ten, then fifteen until both you and the dog feel comfortable about the pet being left on their own.
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Vet-Stem Is A New Proven Treatment To Help Releive Canine Arthritis
Published by doggie health care on Tagged Did You Know?/Information, HealthThis post was submitted to me by one of my readers, Callan Green, who made me aware of this therapy a short time ago. This was written by Linda L. Black, DVM, PhD, who is affiliated with Vet-Stem, Inc. in Poway, California. Callan asked if I could put this on Doggie Health Care in the hopes that it will inform more people about this latest advancement to help ease the pain of our four-legged buddies. Thank you to ALL of you!
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Common Indoor Houseplants - These Can Kill Your Dog!
Published by doggie health care on Tagged Did You Know?/Information, Keep Them Healthy & Safe!Many owners prefer to keep their dogs indoors for the most part and away from the dangers lurking within outdoor poisonous plants. However, even though you may feel your dog is overall safer indoors, there are certain precautions you should take when choosing how suitable your indoors plants are for your pet to live amongst and which are less likely to damage his or her health.
Like many other people you may adorn the inside of your home with plants such as elephant ears, caladium, a few philodendrons, alocasia, and a sprinkling of skunk cabbage to add a bit of sparkle. Ask yourself - could there possibly be anything to fear in this beautiful setting?
All of the plants mentioned above contain a substance called calcium oxalate which is in a sharp crystal form. When your pet takes a bite of these plants he or she will not only feel soreness from the crystals sticking in his mouth but the swelling of the tongue, preventing the dog from breathing in a normal way is highly likely to cause suffocation and the dog may die as a result.
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