posted by Tess on Jun 24
Although there are other causes as well, dogs that do not drink enough water or those that are not allowed to urinate frequently are at a greater risk of forming bladder stones. Diet plays an important role since excess amounts of magnesium, calcium or phosphorus can lead to the formation of bladder stones.
Other causative factors are the pH balance and urinary tract infection. In dogs urine normally tends to be more acidic. Stones of different composition of minerals can form in both acidic and alkaline urine.
Many medications like diuretics, cortisone, sulpha drugs and tetracycline increase calcium levels in the urine that sets the stage for the formation of crystals and stones. Ammonium urate bladder stones are also among the many consequences of a liver shunt, a condition of abnormal blood flow to the liver.
The treatment of canine bladder stones depends upon the type, size and composition of the stones. Almost fifty percent of the bladder stones are struvite and are predominantly found in female dogs. Excessive struvite crystals are normally formed due to urinary tract infection.
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posted by Tess on Jun 23
Undesirable and abnormal behavior in dogs is a result of inept training, lack of nutrition and inadequate exercise. Aggressive dog behavior is perhaps one such abnormal behavior that annoys dog owners the most.
Although in certain cases dog aggression may be a direct result of an underlying medical condition, your handling may be playing an important role in encouraging aggressive behavior in your dog. If you ignore or encourage aggression, the dog is most likely to presume that it as acceptable.
Behavior issues like separation Anxiety, unnecessary barking and fear of the leash or a car ride are far removed from aggressive dog behavior that may include dog Biting and refusal to submit to discipline. Some of these behaviors ultimately lead to further aggression as the dog starts to assume leadership of the pack. Dogs may have evolved to live peacefully with humans but they are unable to shed their genetic traits.
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posted by Tess on Jun 20
Whichever treatment for cancer in dogs you may opt for, the major aim of all cancer treatments boils down to eliminating cancerous cells by all means. The best cure for cancer in dogs is one that kills cancer cells, does not kill normal cells and at the same time ensures that there are no or manageable side effects. This is not possible in all cases as practically all therapies have drawbacks in one sphere or the other.
The most common therapies for cancer treatment include:
* Surgery, a partial or total excision of a tumor, has limited success ratio in cases where cancer has spread to various organs in the body.
* Chemotherapy, the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, has serious toxic side effects.
* Radiation therapy, the use of high intensity radiation, cannot guarantee that only cancer cells will be targeted.
There has been a significant development in the field of discovering newer therapies for treating cancer. Drugs and techniques that target only cancerous cells and spare the normal cells are in different stages of development and are being termed as ‘magic bullets’ Some of these therapies include the following:
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posted by Tess on Jun 19
The liver has innate properties of regenerating itself and can function easily even when a major part of its mass has been affected by a disease. This is the double edged nature of the largest organ in the body. It is advantageous in as much as it means that it keeps on working to its full potential for a long time even when it is affected by a liver disease. On the other hand, it also restricts manifestation of symptoms of liver disease in dogs while the disease continues to progress.
Liver disease in dogs throws up multiple symptoms, which are often confusing as they can relate to many mild disorders. The liver being the main industrial center in the body, performing multiple functions, is connected with practically all the biochemical processes that a body needs to function at optimal levels. As such, liver disease can affect any part of the body and in turn be affected by viral or Bacterial Infections in other organs or body systems. Some of the main symptoms of liver diseases in dogs are:
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posted by Tess on Jun 17
There are always some cancer cells in the body, which the body can effectively kill on its own if the immune system is strong. Despite this fact pets still develop cancers that need treatment. Cancer in dogs and cats may not be a very common condition but it can be as problematic and fatal as in humans.
Pets cannot speak about the discomfort that they are facing and therefore, it is upon the pet owners and veterinarians to use their observation and knowledge to establish prevalence of, say, symptoms of liver cancer in dogs and cats among other health conditions.
Feline cancer can occur in any part of the body. If cancer has been diagnosed in certain specific areas, radiation therapy is one of the treatment options that should be considered.
Radiation therapy involves the same X-Rays that are used for a normal X-Ray for clinical investigation. The difference is that the levels of the X-Rays that are used for the therapy are thousands of times more powerful.
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posted by Tess on Jun 15
All species of animals, including humans, have an underlying aggressive trait, which surfaces in specific situations and events. Cats are fairly predictable creatures. Despite this, there are instances when cat owners are startled by a sudden and abrupt change in behavior.
This can cause a seemingly content and friendly cat into a spitting and aggressive cat. Cats normally do not do anything without reason and there is always an understandable reason behind the Aggression. Like dog Aggression, feline aggressive behaviors also need to be understood before any specific action can be taken.
The most common type of aggressive behavior observed in cats is playful Aggression. Young cats that are less than two years of age love to play and indulge in activities that appear aggressive to humans. Young cats do not let go of any opportunity to practice skills that they need for survival.
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posted by Tess on Jun 13
The first ten week period of a newborn puppy’s life is the best time to teach a puppy that biting is not acceptable. And training your puppy to avoid an incidence of dog biting is crucial.
This is especially because biting comes naturally to them and it is the easiest form of dog aggression that he can resort to in situations that induce fear, anxiety and aggression. And such training is best done before strong adult teeth take the place of small nibbling ones. Curbing aggressive dog behavior among adult dogs is far more difficult than training puppies.
While training puppies, always remember that physical punishment does not work. Punishment is tantamount to making the dog more resolute in his behavior and in such cases aggression is likely to become a permanent concern.
The approach that you take should clearly indicate to the puppy that you love him but hate the biting habit instead. At the same time you must assume leadership as the dog considers you as part of the pack. Unless he perceives you to be the leader he is likely to let go of aggressive dog behavior easily.
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posted by Tess on Jun 12
The success of any cancer treatment is directly related to the stage at which it is detected. There are strong possibilities of cancer in dogs spreading to vital organs making surgical removal an impossible task.
All cancers do not occur as tumors that can be seen on the surface of the body. And therefore these tumors are not too easy to notice and monitor. In many cases malignant cancer symptoms manifest themselves as symptoms that are related directly to the organ it affects.
Symptoms like gastrointestinal bleeding or diarrhea are associated with a tumor in the stomach, small and large intestines or colon. Similarly, cancer in hormone producing organs surfaces in the shape of endocrinal disorders and brain or spinal cord tumors are associated with neurological symptoms.
However there are instances where cancer produces general symptoms that do not point to a specific organ. For example, the symptoms of liver cancer in dogs like loss of appetite, a distended stomach and weakness can be associated with cancer as well as other ailments. Some of the other non specific symptoms include weight loss, low grade fever, muscle weakness, skin rash, hair loss and lethargy.
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posted by Tess on Jun 11
The question what causes cancer has been one of the most frustrating questions for scientists involved in cancer research. Despite huge amounts of funding and resource being spent on the subject, there is still an element of doubt behind what causes cancer. At the most we know what the risk factors are because most of the causes carry an element of doubt along with them.
An important risk factor behind the development of lung cancer in humans is cigarette smoking. But cigarette smoking does not cause cancer on its own because there is strong evidence of many heavy smokers who do not develop cancer. Genetic predisposition and a change in genetic messages caused by carcinogens combine to cause cancer. For example, age may be one factor that has been identified. This is because advancing age allows for a series of changes in the body that can lead to the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones. Risk factors are important in as much as they have the ability to affect genes responsible for normal cell functioning.
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posted by Tess on Jun 10
Dog biting makes up for almost half the claims made under homeowner’s insurance policies. Nearly two thirds of the cases relate to biting incidents that occur with an acquainted dog. At the same time, healthy and well trained dogs are not aggressive and they normally do not bite.
There is evidence of a genetic disposition of dog aggression in certain breeds. However, that is not the only cause of aggressive dog behavior. There are other factors that influence aggressive behavior in dogs and the best way to guard against such a situation is to start dog training when you purchase or accept a puppy.
Select a puppy that suits your family. Puppies that are too shy need large amounts of coaxing in various situations. Shy puppies will need more time in each activity. Before selecting a shy puppy, make sure that you are ready to spend some time with for him.
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