July 28th, 2011
What Causes Dog Shedding
Many pet owners experience the frustration that comes with their dog shedding. While the amount of shedding ranges between breeds, many dogs shed continuously all year long. Instead of getting overwhelmed with vacuuming several times a day to help remove dog hair from the carpets and floors, an individual can look into the different causes for shedding. Getting an idea of what triggers dog shedding and what can be done to prevent it can help a lot in reducing the amount of hair to clean.
Common reasons for shedding
One of the most common reasons for shedding is the breed being vulnerable to seasonal shedding. While not all breeds lose hair at a particular time each year, many of them experience a lot of hair loss at the beginning of summer. This is due to the temperatures rising and the dog no longer needing their winter coat to stay warm. It is important to note that this is mostly true for outside dogs, since indoor ones will not grow a long coat in the winter since temperatures remain relatively stable indoors.
Another reason for dog shedding that is actually quite common is due to a poor diet. Dog food that does not contain the right nutrients and vitamins can result in a lot more hair being loss than there should be, along with the coat looking dull and brassy instead of shiny. Instead of simply brushing out hair and hoping that dog shedding will stop, the owner should switch the food and watch as their hair quality improves and shedding slows down.
While shedding will not be the only symptom, a lot of dogs experience hair loss due to a sickness or infection. Everything from ringworm, stress, mange, skin infections, to cancer can be the cause of hair loss and shedding. In this situation, an owner will likely notice large patches of hair missing. If dog shedding and bald patches are appearing, an owner should take their dog to the vet immediately to check for any health issues.
Even with the switch to a natural food, a visit to the vet and using a brush regularly can still result in a large quantity of dog hair accumulating in a home. Heading over Evolution Supply here, http://www.evolutionsupply.com/dog-shedding.html, can help a dog owner reduce excessive shedding and get their dog’s hair to appear healthy and strong again.
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June 5th, 2011
What is Sarcoptic Manage?
Sarcoptic Mange can be a troublesome condition for dogs and dog owners. Also known as canine scabies, this condition is the result of a parasitic mite infestation, aka scabies, in this case from the mite scabiei canis. These mites cause extreme irritation for the dog.
Once on a host, scabiei canis mites burrow through the skin where the females deposit their eggs. After several days, these eggs hatch and become larva and nymphs before maturing to adulthood. These new adult mites then begin the cycle over again, burrowing, mating, and producing more mites and scabies. The constant burrowing causes the dog to scratch in an attempt to relieve its discomfort.
Dog owners may be alerted to the condition when their dogs begin losing hair or developing crusty patches. Areas with less hair such as the ears, elbows, and stomach are often the first site of infection as mites prefer these areas. If an infection of mites is allowed to continue, secondary infection and skin damage from constant scratching are likely to occur.
Symptoms of Sarcoptic Mange
The symptoms of Sarcoptic Mange mimic those of severe skin allergies in dogs. For this reason, a diagnosis of canine scabies from mites is often delayed while vets pursue allergy treatments. Some vets will treat for scabies regardless, as it is such a common infection and diagnostic testing is often expensive and inconclusive. Treatment typically involves insecticides delivered through dips or pills to kill the scabies. Anecdotal evidence suggests that bathing dogs in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and borax is also effective.
Scabiei canis can survive on any mammal, not just dogs. They can also survive off of a host for several days, making Sarcoptic Mange very contagious. Dogs can pick up an infestation without ever coming into contact with an infected animal. Humans can also acquire a scabies infection, either from their infected dog or from their environment. Therefore it is important that owners with infected dogs treat the environment as well as the dog when trying to eradicate an infestation. Spray pesticides are typically effective for killing mites in the environment.
Sarcoptic Mange is a common ailment for dogs. Dogs can pick up an infestation from other dogs or from their environment. Treatment is needed to rid dogs of an infestation, and care should be taken to rid the dog’s environment of mites as well so that reinfection does not occur.
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October 13th, 2010
How to Keep Safe During A Dog Seizure
Each and every kind of dog can experience attacks. Like other human conditions, epilepsy has different stages that can predict the occurrence of the seizure. There are a lot of possible things that can happen during canine seizures and it is always important to take note of some precautionary measures whenever your dog is experiencing a seizure. If it is your first time to find out that your dog has epilepsy, then it is highly suggested that you take a short read on epilepsy in dogs and get some advice from your veterinarian. You can also join some organizations that cater to owners or pet lovers who would like to learn more about epilepsy in dogs.
As aforementioned, there are a lot of safety measures to be taken whenever a pet is experiencing an attack. If you are not aware, loud and sharp noises can worsen or increase the duration of dog seizures. It is always important to keep your animal as quiet and as calm as you can.
You should also make your surroundings peaceful and quite to avoid distractions. If you have other dogs at home, it is very possible that they will interrupt or attack the dog that is experiencing the seizure. It is important that you take away other dogs from the scene to avoid this kind of disturbance. Pet health problems usually last for about 10 minutes or more if it is extremely severe but around 1-3 minutes if mild. If you would like to keep your dog safe, staying with it during the seizure will ease your worries. Apart from that, the dog itself will feel safer if there is a sight of its owner or master. Also, never forget to take note of the duration of the seizure whenever it occurs. It will help the veterinarian diagnose the condition and will also help in deciding on what treatment measures to take.

Treating the problems is not an overnight thing. There are a lot of steps to consider before being able to fully prevent dogs from having seizures. There are a lot of medications for epilepsy in dogs that are already sold in the market. However, keeping your animal safe during a seizure should always be an important thing to remember. Through this, you are also helping your pet to cope up with the situation when a dogs attack or seizure is occurring. Here’s to great pet health!
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