The liver is a major organ that helps in detoxification of the body. Carcinogenic and toxic compounds consumed by dogs pass through it, which can potentially cause primary liver cancer in dogs. The liver is also a front-runner in destinations for metastatic tumors in humans as well as dogs. Primary cancer tends to metastasize to other parts of the body quite easily and this can happen before the disease has even been diagnosed.

A liver than functions improperly is tantamount to shutting down the multiple functions that the liver has to perform. These include:

* Detoxification of toxins and drugs.
* Storage and dispersion of nutrients.
* Regulation of body temperature and circulation.
* Metabolism.
* Digestion of food.

Initially the symptoms of liver cancer in dogs appear as abdominal pain when the dog is lifted from the stomach, a large mass felt in the abdomen or excessive weight loss. High levels of bilirubin in the blood stream or urine and an ultrasound that shows an enlarged liver or inflammation in the pancreas are indicative of liver cancer. A definitive diagnosis, however, is done with a liver biopsy.

Out of the numerous liver functions, filtering of blood is perhaps one of the most important and crucial to the health of your dog. After the food has been digested in the intestines it is absorbed into the portal blood stream and carried to the liver. The liver works upon it to:

* Store some of the food for energy.
* Filter bacteria, chemicals, toxins and nutritional byproducts.
* Produce proteins and other substances necessary for life.

A liver shunt is a condition where the portal blood vessel, instead of carrying blood through the liver, carries it around it. In dogs with a liver shunt the unfiltered blood is carried into the body and toxins accumulate in the blood stream and kidneys, a condition that ultimately causes serious problems.

There are reasonable indications that suggest that liver shunt is a congenital liver disease in dogs and mostly the young puppy dies within weeks after birth. Some dogs do survive for years before some of the symptoms of liver disease in dogs like seizures, abnormal behaviors and serious illnesses become noticeable. In certain cases, however, liver shunt is acquired later in life due to insult to the organ due to a disease or injury.

Just because you are dealing with a disability does not mean you can’t have a dog in your life. Studies indicate doing so will benefit you and the dog. There are some things you can do to make the experience easier.

If you need help giving your dog medicine, fluids, or shots, ask your veterinarian if he or she knows of anyone who will make home visits. If not, contact local pet-sitters to find ones who will assist you. Many pet-sitters are trained to perform these functions for the sick pet for owners who cannot perform them for themselves or for owners when they are away.

To play with your dog, use flashlights or laser pointers. Dogs love chasing the light, and you won’t have to make a move. An alternative is a remote control car for him to chase. He gets exercise and you do not get over-exhausted.

Diabetes 3 Ways To Keep Your Dog From Getting Diabetes

There are essentially three ways that you can help prevent your dog from getting diabetes. This disease is one that you want your dog to avoid so that he lives as long and healthy as possible. And although it’s rare, there are many dogs whose diabetes go into remission just by having their diet, supplementation, and exercise all in good order.

1. Lower the carbohydrates. Most dog foods sold in pet stores contain ingredients that are as high as 98% carbohydrates. By reducing the amount of carbs in your dog’s daily meals, this moderate carbohydrate level can go a long way towards diabetes prevention.

Diet is especially important for dogs that are genetically at risk for diabetes. It is critical that you study up on your dog breed and make sure that he is getting the right nutrients so that the gene which can store diabetes will not be triggered off.

Golden retrievers are among the most popular pets that dog owners have in the United States. Unfortunately, many of these retrievers get diabetes because their owners did not do enough research for their breed type in order to get their diet correct from puppy hood.

Most dog owners are familiar with diarrhea in their pets; the condition is a very common one. But only a handful of owners really know anything about diarrheas varieties and causes.

Perhaps the greatest single cause of diarrhea is a change of diet. Thus, a dog that has been used to eating a commercial brand dog food and is suddenly given table scrapes is very likely to suffer diarrhea. A change in drinking water, especially when traveling, can also cause temporary diarrhea.

Abrupt changes in diet are particularly distressing to puppies whose intestinal tracts are still very sensitive. If you purchased your puppy from a breeder, you have probably been told what to feed the dog based on what he had been fed in the past. If, on the other hand, you got the dog from other sources such as a friend or an ad in the paper, it is advisable that you find out what he is eating. In any case, you should consult about your dogs diet with a vet. There is always the chance that the dog is not getting the proper nourishment he needs.

Being the largest and the most exposed organ of the body, pet skin is likely to be affected with mild to severe conditions. One of the major dog skin problems arise from allergies. Allergies can cause canine or feline acne. Allergies may arise from contact with an allergen or from food that does not suit your pet.

Before starting treatment for any type of allergy it is of paramount importance that you establish the cause of allergy. It is erroneous to assume that only new foods cause allergies and consequent itching. The truth is that any food can cause an allergic reaction in dogs – new or old. The commonly known skin condition of ‘hot spots’ can develop if your dog becomes allergic to his routine diet that he is no longer able to digest.

Food allergy often forms a typical distribution pattern and your veterinarian is the best guide in this matter. You can suspect food allergy in your dog in conditions where:

* there has been poor response to treatment for mange
* there is little or no improvement on administration of steroidal treatment
* the dog has not previously experienced any seasonal allergies

An expert can ascertain the general health of a pet simply by keenly observing the skin and coat. Dry skin tends to spoil the glossy coat and often leads to excessive itching and scratching in pets.

Before you do anything about it, it is advisable that you ensure that the dry skin and the resultant itching is not a result of parasitic infection, immune mediated diseases, allergy or bacterial and fungal infection. Such disorders require immediate attention of a veterinarian and are better treated systematically.

Conditions like dog or cat dandruff, flaking dry skin and canine or feline acne can be addressed with diet supplements, healthy nutritional diet and medication.

Winter dries human skin, especially hands and feet and we need to keep the skin moist by applying different sorts of crčmes and lotions. Just like humans, dogs too face skin problems during winters. To ensure that your dog’s coat and skin remains in good condition you need to remember certain basic aspects of dog skin and coat care.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas that affects the body’s ability to control its blood sugar levels. The pancreas is responsible for producing a hormone called insulin which keeps blood sugar levels balanced.

Glucose is produced from the breaking down of starches and carbohydrates. It is absorbed through the wall of the digestive tract and passes into the bloodstream.

Insulin allows glucose to leave the bloodstream and enter the body’s tissue where it is then used as energy for the cells. With diabetes, the body either produces insufficient quantities of insulin or does not utilize insulin effectively. Glucose then builds up in the bloodstream and causes an elevated blood sugar level.

High levels of glucose can lead to a number of complications such as cataracts, liver and kidney disease, increased infections, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders and even coma and death.

What are the symptoms of Diabetes in cats and dogs?

Certain symptoms are common in cats and dogs with diabetes. However these signs may also indicate other diseases or conditions. The best way to determine if your pet has diabetes is to have his blood sugar levels checked by means of a blood test.

Pet owners are often confronted with pet ear problems. Even though there reasons other than ear mites are the most common cause of ear infections in pets. Some major causes of infections in dog ears are:

* Wet ears that do not dry on their own
* Dog ear mites
* Skin diseases
* Allergic reactions
* Injury to the ear canal
* Insect bites

The structure of a dog’s ear is such that water gets entrapped easily in the ear canal. A dog’s ears naturally produce some amount of wax. This wax should be cleaned regularly as part of normal grooming. Severe instances of infection normally leads to excessive wax production that refuses to go away despite regular cleaning.

Moist wax is an invitation for yeast infection. If your dog scratches or rubs his ears excessively or shakes his head without any reason, it is prudent to inspect the ears for any signs of yeast infection. A particularly foul odor, redness, swelling of the external ear and an oily discharge are sure indications of a yeast infection.

Shortly before 3 o’clock on the morning of August 5, 2007, Donna Hedl was jolted awake by shouts of her niece and nephew, who were visiting Donna and her husband Joe in their Roselle, Illinois, home.

Something was wrong with Congo, the family’s six-year-old German Shepherd!

He was retching, but to no avail, Mrs. Hedl recounted later. There was a slight foam around his mouth and he was constantly swallowing.

As she watched, Congo’s behavior became more peculiar. The dog would sit glassy-eyed and hang his head, or crawl behind a chair and stoop as if to defecate… but, again, to no avail.

Then Mrs. Hedl noticed a slight swelling in Congo’s abdomen.

My first thought was bloat… but of course that just couldn’t happen to my dog, she said. Besides, the last time he had eaten was more than twenty-four hours earlier.

When she called the animal hospital in nearby Dundee at 3 a.m., Mrs. Hedl said that the dog had been poisoned, an assumption based on the fact that the Hedl’s yard had recently been sprayed with weed killer. But when she mentioned the abdominal swelling, she was told to bring the dog to the clinic immediately.