The first Abyssinian cat was brought to England in 1868. In the book Cats, Their Points & Characteristics (published in 1874), author Gordon Stables mentions the following…”Zula, the property of Mrs. Captain Barrett-Lennard. This cat was brought from Abyssinia at the conclusion of the war…”

Color: Ruddy, red, blue and fawn
Coat: Ticked, richly colored tabby coat without markings on legs, tail and neck, but with dramatic facial markings.
Grooming: The Abyssinian’s resilient, silky coat makes grooming a breeze. An occasional bath and brushing should suffice. Routine dental checkups are also recommended.
Best Home: Abyssinians are social cats. Some form of companionship is highly recommended.

Personality: Active, intelligent and loving, Abyssinians breathe life into any household. They’re loyal, love a good shoulder ride and are apt to teach their owners to play fetch.
Appearance: Abyssinians dazzle observers with “ticked” fur that glistens with bands of color, particularly in sunlight. Lithe and graceful, these elegent cats are often described as a happy medium between the cobby body type of the American Shorthair and svelte Siamese.

Source : cat-world

Choose a home. they are fitted to living in relatively shallow but spacious environments. However, consider giving your betta a decent sized tank to help prolong its life.

Decorate your Betta’s home. One of the Betta’s distinct features is its ability to breathe oxygen in air and water, so aeration is not required. Decorate their home with gravel stones, silk plants, and a small cave-like structure to hide.a gentle filter and a small heater.Avoid jagged rocks or decorations

Avoid hard plastic plants, as they can be rough on the fins. Use the ‘pantyhose test’:

Prepare the water. Use a water conditioner before putting fresh tap water in the tank, as chlorine and chloramines can harm Bettas. Older sources may suggest aging the water (standing it for a time) but it’s best to use a water conditioner, as aged water removes chlorine but not chloramine and heavy metals. It is a good idea to use spring water or purified water but it is good to add a water treatment specifically for betta fish that makes tap water safe to any water because they have almond oil extracts and other things to reduce stress in your Betta

Fill your tank. If your tank is without a top cover, fill it about 80% high to ensure your fish won’t leap out. Bettas are very active and can jump over 3 inches when motivated!If your tank is without a top, use a mesh cloth on top to discourage jumping. Your betta will be much happier with the extra water and access to surface air.Test the water temperature. Your tank must be maintained at a constant 72-82 degrees.

You can fill the tank up with tap water but put some water conditioner in it you wont need much but betta’s like to swim around the tank just like all the other fish. you should have at least 10g to make it happy. Your Betta may lie at the bottom at the tank sometimes or gulp air from the top of the tank, and it is normal. Some people panic when their Betta does this.

Source : wikihow

Feeding pet birds the right foods is important for their health. A balanced diet based on sound bird nutrition recommendations is the key. Balancing a parrot’s diet from the beginning may prevent many health and behavior problems. But it’s never too late to get your pet bird on a firm nutritional footing. It is something you will want to do since an unbalanced diet is a main cause of disease and early death in pet birds. Malnutrition is a human-made disease. Fortunately, it is also preventable.

Seeds are very high in fat (especially sunflower, safflower and peanuts), low in calcium, low in protein and almost devoid of any vitamins. The alternative to seed diets is offering a balanced diet of table foods. Foods that are healthy for you are also healthy for your bird. A balanced diet provides some of each of the four major food groups. You can still offer seeds, but they should make up no more than 50 percent of your bird’s total diet. you can offer whole grains, such as wheat, along with grain products, such as whole wheat bread, pretzels and pasta.

Dairy and poultry products are excellent sources of calcium and protein; many birds learn to relish yogurt, cheese, eggs and chicken. Meat also provides a good protein source. You may substitute beans and legumes for meat as excellent protein sources. Finally, fruits and vegetables are a must for a balanced diet; they provide many essential vitarnins. Avoid feeding your bird any foods high in fat. Avocados are toxic to pet birds.

Formulated diets: Formulated foods are readily available from many reputable manufacturers, pet stores, and veterinarians, and include Harrison’s, ZuPreem, and Roudybush. The food is a blend of grains, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and various types of proteins, as well as additional vitamins and minerals. The ingredients are mixed and then baked. This formulated diet may be in the form of pellets, crumbles, or nuggets. Unlike a seed mixture, the bird cannot select particular components out of a formulated diet, so nutritional imbalances are much less likely to occur. There are commercial foods for different species, so be sure to select one appropriate for your bird. Some foods have higher fat levels for those birds with higher caloric needs such as macaws and Golden conures. Other foods are lower in fat and higher in protein to provide better nutrition for birds such as cockatoos and Amazons. Realize that some species, such as the Hyacinth Macaw, have very specific dietary needs and need special diets.

Feeding times

Formulated diet can be available at all times. Natural feeding times in wild birds are about a half hour after sunrise and again at 5-6 PM, so these would be good times to offer the fresh vegetables. Always remove any uneaten vegetables or fruit at the next feeding. Foraging toys can be left in the cage throughout the day for snacking and entertainment.

An easy way to implement a change in feeding schedule is to offer your parrot dry foods (seeds, breads, cereals, dog kibble, etc.) in the morning and then to share your dinner with your bird at night.

Successfully providing nutritionally sound diets comes with patience and persistence. It may take many weeks, even months, of offering new foods before your bird will accept them. Some birds like foods warm and some prefer cooked vegetables to raw. you will discover your bird’s particular preferences.

Changing your bird’s diet from seeds to a more nutritional one requires patience, persistence and time. Twice-a-day feedings will make this change possible. Your pet will reap the greatest benefit of your efforts: a longer, healthier and happier life.

Source : animal-world
 

The following are the information on Dog Cryptorchidism

Dog Cryptorchidism Information

• The Cryptorchidism occurs when either one or both the testicles fail to travel from the abdomen to the scrotum. It is a very common disorder among both dogs and cats where the incidence is more among the dogs. It is found that about every three incidence of the disease among dogs takes place with every one incidence among cats. This disorder is more common among pure bred dogs.
• This disorder is a genetic disorder and the dogs breeds that are mainly affected by the disorder is the miniature schnauzers, Chihuahuas, cocker spaniels and such. Though the above mentioned breeds mainly suffer from the disease, any breed of dog can get exposed to the disorder.
• The dogs are generally sterile that have both the testicles in the abdomen. When temperature of the abdomen is actually 4 to 5 degrees more than that of the scrotum. As a result of which the testes in the abdomen fail to manufacture sperms as they get damaged in high temperatures. This further affects the production of the male hormone called testosterone leading to non-male like characters in other wise male dogs.
• In case the testes happens to be having a single testes descending in the scrotum or the testes though present in the abdomen but are close to the skin of the scrotum the dogs may be fertile. But being a responsible pet owner you are recommended not to breed such dogs as the disorder is genetic in nature and the incidence of disease would transfer from the father to the son.
• Cryptorchid dogs are prone to the development of are certain type of cancer known as the sertoli cell tumor. The sertoli cells are actually the cells found in the testes that nourishe the sperm and are also responsible for the secretion of feminine hormones like the estrogen. The symptoms that are associated with the cancer are thin skin texture, loss of hair, aplsatic form of anemia, enlarged breasts and getting attracted to other male dogs. The hair loss related to the cancer is very unique as the loss of hair takes place bilaterally on the both sides of the body of the pet.
• In most cases the sertoli tumors are cancerous but they can be treated successfully with chemotherapy.

The best possible way to get rid of such incidences of cancerous tumors the vet surgeon removes the testes or relocates the testis in the scrotum. Another characteristic of the pets with cryptorchidism is that they have twisted or torson spermatic chord or the duct of the testicle.

source from: petcaregt

The major signs of shock are:

1. Pale or muddy gums.

2. A weak and rapid pulse.

3. Capillary refilling takes longer than two seconds.

4. Rapid breathing (over forty breaths per minute).

5. A low rectal temperature (below 100°F), with skin and legs cool to the touch.

Shock requires prompt veterinary attention. For immediate aid you should be sure the cat’s airway is clear so it can breathe. If not, administer artificial respiration, check the heartbeat and pulse, and control any bleeding. If necessary, apply CPR.

Maintain body heat (with a blanket or coat) and very gently transport the cat to the veterinary hospital. If your pet is unconscious. keep its head lower than the rest of the body. If possible, phone the hospital so that the staff can prepare for your animal.

Large quantities of intravenous fluids, critic aster and oxygen given in can save your pet’s life. In shock, the capillaries are like a dry riverbed. The intravenous fluids flood the capillaries and renew the vigorous blood flow that nourishes the dried-out cells.

Do not change the injured pet’s position rapidly. A fast lift or rotation can cause shock to move into the irreversible stage.

If the cat is in electrical shock from chewing on wires, there is an added precaution: do not touch the cat if it is still in contact with the current! Unplug the electrical cord from the outlet and then check the cat’s pulse and heartbeat and continue treating as for shock. You may also need to treat for burns in the mouth.

If you find your cat to be in shock, try out the following remedial steps to recover your pet from the shock.

• At first gently lift up the upper lip of the cat so that the gums and upper lip gets visible. If the color of the gums is white then the pet certainly is in shock and is not if the color is pink.
• Place the cat sideways on a blanket or a towel with its head extended.
• Then gradually try to clear the airways of the cat.
• Lift up the head and rest in your hand while put the other hand over its head so that the thumb and the index finger is just behind the fang teeth or the canine teeth.
• The slowly move the head towards the back so the nose points upwards. Then push your thumb towards the index finger so that the mouth gets wide.
• Pull the cat’s tongue out to clear the air passage.
• Elevate the hind parts of the cat by placing it on a raised pillow or folded towels.
• Try to stop the bleeding as early as possible.
• The wrap the body of the pet with blanket or towel in order to preserve the body heat of the animal.

You are recommended to take your pet to a veterinary clinic for proper treatment.

source from: petcaregt

Veterinarians are occasionally confronted with an injury or minor illness thathas healed itself even when the owner did not use the medication or follow theinstructions. The owner calls a week later to say that the ear infection is completelyhealed or the diarrhea has disappeared. This does not mean that you should notfollow your doctor’s instructions!

The following is a list of medications that are good to have on hand, as well as the ailments they treat. Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Constipation

Laxatives should not be used on a regular basis unless recommended by yourveterinarian. Safe laxatives are made from psyllium (see below). Alternative laxa-tives are milk of magnesia or mineral oil. If an enema is needed. use warm water(best) or a Fleet enema.

1. Bulk Laxatives

Products such as Metamucil and Mucilose are refined from the psyllium seed.The substance from this seed is not absorbed by the digestive tract; it only passesthrough. Thus, it is a natural product and one with essentially no contraindicationsand no side effects. It provides bulk by drawing water into the stool. If youthink your cat has an intestinal obstruction or impacted feces, do not use a laxative.

Dosage:

1 teaspoon mixed in the food once or twice daily. Be sure to mix water82into the food and supply drinking water at all times.

2. Milk of Magnesia

The active ingredient, magnesium, causes fluid to be retained within thebowel and in the feces. It is also helpful in speeding passage of any poisons throughthe digestive tract.

Dosage:

1 teaspoon per five pounds of body weight. (One dose should do the job.)

Be sure to mix water

Side Effects:

Milk of magnesia is nonabsorbable, but it does contain magnesium and somesalt and should not be used if your pet has kidney or heart disease.

3. Mineral Oil

This is the cheapest and most effective laxative, but it can be dangerous ifadministered improperly or given for a long period of time. Mineral oil should neverbe given directly in the mouth because it is bland and may enter the breathingtubes and lungs before your pet can cough. Mineral oil in the lungs will cause asevere pneumonia. Instead, mix it in the food. If mineral oil is given for a longperiod of time, it can cause deficiencies of the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.

Dosage:

1 teaspoon per ten pounds of body weight, mixed in the food once daily, fortwo days at the maximum.

Side Effects:

Pneumonia or vitamin deficiency if administered improperly.

Constipation

1. Fleet Enema

If your pet has obstipation (impacted or hard feces in the lower intestine andrectum), you should see your doctor. If you must give the enema, use the Fleetpediatric enema. This may lubricate and soften the hard feces. Use only the mineral oil enema, not the phosphate type.

Dosage:

The lubricated nozzle is inserted into the rectum, and one ounce of the so-lution is gently administered. Another enema can be given half an hour later, ifnecessary.

Side Effects:

Severe complications can result if used when fever, nausea, vomiting,or abdominal pain is present. Do not use in cats that are dehydrated or have knownkidney disease.

Coughs

The only safe cough medicine I recommend for use without veterinary con-sultation is an expectorant. The expectorant liquefies the secretions and allows thebody’s defenses to get rid of the bad material. Cough suppressants should not be used without your doctor’s advice, because they contain such narcotics as codeineOver-the-counter cough suppressants may contain dextromethorphan. a closechemical relative.

1. Glyceryl Guaiacolate (guaifenesin)

If your cat has a dry, hacking cough, a lubricant soothes the inflamed area. Ifyour pet has a cough with mucus, glyceryl guaiacolate liquefies the mucus secre-tions so that they may be coughed free. It does not suppress the cough reflex, butrather encourages the natural defense mechanisms of the body.

Read the label: Do not use Robitussin or 2-G with the additives PE (for thedecongestant phenylephrine), CF or DM (for the cough suppressant dextromethor-phan), or AC (for codeine). Use Robitussin or 2-G with only glyceryl guaiacolate(guaifenesin) in 3.5 percent alcohol.

Dosage:

I/4 teaspoon every four hours.

Side Effects:

No serious side effects, but check with your doctor if the cough persists.

2. Kaopectate

Kaopectate is a very safe medication for cats. Do not use paregoric – it maybe toxic to your cat. See your veterinarian if diarrhea persists.

Kaopectate contains kaolin and pectin, which coat the intestinal tract andhelp to form a solid stool.

Dosage:

2 teaspoons per ten pounds of body weight every four hours.

Eye Irritations

For short-term use, apply an ophthalmic ointment such as Neosporin or Neo-polycin to your cat’s eye three or four times daily. These ointments contain threeantibiotics: polymyxin, bacitracin, and neomycin.

Fungus

1. Tinactin

If your pet has only one ringworm lesion, you can use this cream. It is avail-able over the counter in drugstores.

Dosage:

Apply the cream to the skin lesion with a Q-tip twice daily. Do not touchthe lesion with your finger.

Side Effects:

If the skin becomes more irritated, stop the medication and see your veteri-narian. Do not get the medication in the eye.

Hair Balls

Brushing and combing your cat frequently will help prevent hair balls (swallowed hair from self-grooming). If your cat still vomits hair balls, a lubricant such as white petroleum jelly may help. A commercial hair-ball medicine (Ka t-a-I.,Lax atone) from your veterinarian or pet store can also be used.

1. White Petroleum Jelly

Dosage:

1/2 teaspoon per ten pounds of body weight. Apply it to the cat’s nose and it will be licked off. This can be given once weekly. The jelly melts in the stomach to an oil that lubricates the hair ball for easier passage in your cat’s bowels.

Side Effects:

Keep in mind that white petroleum jelly has the potential to decrease the absorption of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E. and K) if given in large doses or for prolonged time.

2. Bo nine

If you are unsuccessful, an antihistamine called Bo nine (medicine hydrochloride) can be used. It is effective against the apprehension, salivation, and vomiting or diarrhea that some pets experience when traveling. If Bo nine is not successful eliminating the motion sickness, your veterinarian can provide you with tranquilizers or antihistamines that are effective.

Dosage:

12.5 milligrams given on an empty stomach one hour before traveling. The dose can be repeated in twenty-four hours.

Side Effects:

Your pet may experience drowsiness. Do not give Bonnie to a pregnant cat – it may cause birth defects.

Pain and Fever

Do not give aspirin or Tylenol to cats without your veterinarian’s recommendation. Cats have problems detoxifying and excreting these substances.

Poisoning

1. To Induce Vomiting: Hydrogen Peroxide

If your cat swallows a poison that can be expelled by vomiting, a 3 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide works very well. Do not induce vomiting if the poi-son swallowed is a petroleum-based compound or a strong acid or strong alkali . Be sure that the hydrogen peroxide purchased is not a higher strength (such as for bleaching hair).

Dosage:

1 teaspoon every ten minutes until your cat vomits. You can repeat this two or three times, if necessary. If this treatment is unsuccessful, 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt or a mustard-and-warm-water solution put on the back of the tongue should induce vomiting.

2. To Absorb Poison: Activated Charcoal

After vomiting, a few teaspoons of activated charcoal mixed in milk or water can be given to absorb the poison if the specific antidote is not known. Activated charcoal can be purchased in drugstores.

To Speed Passage Through the Digestive Tract: Milk of Magnesia

Dosage:

1 teaspoon per five pounds of body weight once daily.

Skin Irritations

1. Sterilizing Agents and Antiseptics

Soap and water is the best way to clean a wound. Hydrogen peroxide (3 percent strength) foams and cleanses wounds very well, and is inexpensive. Beta dine,a non stinging iodine preparation, kills germs and is a good agent to use on the skin, but it is expensive. To soothe the skin temporarily, calamine lotion can be applied, but it loses its effectiveness when it dries out. It must be washed off and reapplied frequently. Do not get it in the eyes.

Dosage:

Cleanse the wounds three times daily. Trim the hair around the wound, if necessary.

2. Domeboro Solution

This is a soothing wet dressing for relief of skin inflammation. It has antiseptic properties and reduces itching.

Dosage:

Dissolve one teaspoon or tablet in a pint of warm water. Bathe or apply wet dressings of the solution to the affected skin for fifteen minutes. You can repeat this three or four times daily.

Vitamin A & D Ointment soothes irritated skin and can be applied three or four times daily to affected areas. The ointments containing antibiotics (Newsprint,Nonpaying, and Maintain) can be applied to affected skin three times daily.

Urinary Infections

Acidifiers help control bacterial infections of the lower urinary tract and help prevent a recurrence of crystal or stone formation in the tract.

1. Vitamin C and Juices

Tomato juice and cranberry juice are excellent urinary acidifiers – if your pet will drink them. You can measure their effectiveness by testing urine with litmus paper. If blue litmus paper turns red, the urine is acidic.

Dosage:

1/4 to 1 cup of cranberry juice or tomato juice per day should be adequate.100 milligrams of vitamin C three times daily.

Vomiting and Stomach Upsets

Apostate, Maalox, Mylanta, Poeticism

All of these products soothe the stomach lining.

Dosage:

2 teaspoons of Apostate per ten pounds of body weight every four hours. 1 teaspoon of Maalox or Mylanta per ten pounds of body weight very eight hours. 1teaspoon of Poeticism per ten pounds of body weight every four hours.

Side Effects:

Maalox and Mylanta may loosen the stools a little. If your pet has a history of heart or kidney disease, consult your veterinarian before using either of these.

THE FIRST AID KIT

This is a must. Keep the kit in a convenient location but out of the reach of
small children. A fishing-tackle box works very well, by the way.

- Adhesive tape, 1 inch wide
- Gauze bandages, 1-inch rolls Absorbent cotton
- Sterile gauze pads, 3 x 3 inches Cotton-tipped swabs (Q-tips)Rubbing alcohol
- Rectal thermometer
- Teaspoon
- Tweezers
- Sharp scissors with rounded ends
- Medications

source from: petcaregt

Although excellent screening of young dog has been done by breed clubs with the help of veterinary ophthalmologists, the problem is all too frequent. This is because there are a lot of people who can’t be bothered with such testing and, since PRA appears to be a recessive trait, a normal female when bred to even a normal male carrying the trait will produce puppies with the problem.

Usually PRA is diagnosed in a dog anywhere from six months to five years old when it is brought in to a veterinarian because of progressive loss of sight. There is no treatment and no preventive for this problem other than the use of proper breeding practices.

Years ago a Collie male won best-of-breed at the Westminster Ken-el Club dog show. He was a beautiful specimen – but had a problem. He was blind when he won that show and only the handler and the owner knew it. Being in great demand at stud, he sired many litters before the truth was out. No doubt he was not the only dog to perpetuate this inherited eye disorder, which often leads to blindness, but he was part of the problem that responsible breeders have fought quite effectively at a great expense in recent years – not to let this happen.

To this we might add all sorts of “monster” puppies which are founding all breeds from time to time: puppies with one eye in the middle of the forehead or those with crooked tails, extra toes, deformed jaws, and cleft lips and palates, to name a few.

With such an imposing list, the problems with trying to improve a breed seem insurmountable for all but the breeder with large numbers of dog who works diligently at it for a lifetime. Moreover, this kind of breeder must either keep the progeny until they are old enough soothe problems can be identified or the puppies must he farmed out and not bred until they are obviously free of one or more genetic defects. About the best contribution most breeders can make is to breed sound dog and either destroy defective dog or sterilize them to prevent defective genetic specimens from perpetuating the problem.

Dog Progressive Retinal Atrophy Information

Generalized PRA – The symptoms of the early stages of the eyes disease includes failure of night vision from the very age of 6 weeks and the complete loss of vision takes place by the time the dog reaches the age of 1 to 2 years.

Generalized PRA (progressive rod cone degeneration) – The night blindness of the affected dogs takes place when they are in between 2 to 5 years of age. The peripheral vision gets entirely lost.

Central PRA or retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy consists of loss of vision at a much slower pace compared to the generalized PRA. The affected dogs lose vision completely as the center of the retina gets damaged. The disease may not include the initial symptoms like night blindness.

source from: petcaregt

One of the first observations made by veterinarians in the evaluationof skin disorders is to note the locations of lesions and whether or notthey are symmetrical. If the lesions are equal on both sides of the dogthe condition is suspect of being of internal origin. If asymmetrical, it isthought to be of external origin.

Many skin problems are self-limiting in that even after extendedperiods of severe dermatitis the problem disappears permanently with-out treatment. Many, perhaps most, young dogs develop this problem, which usually but not always disappears with maturity. The question is askedof veterinarians, why, if the problem is contagious, doesn’t the seconddog in the house have it too? The answer is that some dogs have animmunity to a particular disease to which another may be susceptible.

Pruritis or Itching. One of the more perplexing dermatologic prob-lems in dogs is pruritis, or itching, which is usually seasonal in the latesummertime and into the fall. Dermatitis and eczema are catchallwords, but since we like labels, many in the profession call the condi-tion “summer eczema.”

Once a name is given to a problem we veterinarians are as human as anyone.

After grass allergy came the term “grass fungus”; a fungus that was also found on grass could be cultured from the skin of affected dogs.More recently many veterinarians have decided flea bite dermatitis isthe cause, the theory being that affected dogs are allergic to the saliva of fleas and, theoretically, even one flea can bring on the condition andwhen are most dogs without one flea in the summertime? There is littledoubt that some dogs are allergic to flea saliva, but this should not besweepingly considered the cause of all summer itching.

We would like to offer quite a different opinion. Affected dogs are sensitive to some unidentified substance given off in the mois-ture secreted by the skin. Dogs don’t sweat as we do because they have few sweat glands in their skin, but moisture is given offnormally.More moisture forms in hot weather and dogssusceptible to this irritant in the moisture suffer.

There is no doubt that baths give temporary relief to the itching ofsummer eczema but often for only twelve or so hours. Medicated soapsare effective but an oily solution which we call “yellow oil lotion” seemsto be better. Perhaps the oil prevents the contact of the irritatingunknown substance with the skin. The formula of one third each byvolume fine sulphur powder, corn oil, and kerosene has been a greathelp to relieve the itching but has the disadvantage of messiness.Pursuant to our belief that moisture is the cause of itching, we haveasked owners of dogs with early-stage summer eczema to dust their petswith an antiperspirant powder human antiperspirant not a deodorant daily. Many believe it has brought great relief and prevented theproblem of previous years.

Only in desperation should steroids be given to stop itching, as ste-roids depress the immune system. It is suggested the route of adminis-tration should be through the mouth and not by injection; once in-jected steroids cannot be withdrawn.

Lip-fold Pyoderma. Some breeds have folds of skin along the lowerjaw that are subject to an infection that usually produces a foul odor.Many owners think the problem is halitosis perhaps caused by badteeth or gums, but touching the area with a fingertip and smelling itreveals the odor. Antibiotics and even tamed iodine will correct thisproblem. An occasional dog experiences this problem even withouthaving the deep lip folds.

Moist Eczema or “Hot Spot.” Moist eczema begins as a spot thesize of your little fingernail one day, grows to the size of a silver dollarthe next, and is the size of your palm on the third day. The hair fallsout; the area is yellow, glistening, and painful. One of our colleaguessaid he thought that seven days in the hospital with treatment threetimes a day cures this disease; if treated otherwise it takes a week. The yellow oil lotion is the best treatment to be used on dogs with this problem. It must be applied liberally twicedaily until the scab that forms works off. The hair grows back with noaftereffects. This treatment usually reduces the discomfort and correctsthe problem in less than a week.

Shedding. It is perfectly normal for a dog to shed. The denser thecoat, the more obvious the condition. Even what may appear to a petowner to be excess shedding is a sign of good health. Dogs maintainedoutside tend to shed twice a year, in spring and fall, but pets living inthe house and exposed to the outside a few tinier a day tend to shed365 days a year. Breeders refer to a dog “blowing its coat” when shed-ding is at its peak. It is not normal for shedding to leave nude areas andif this happens you take the dog to the vet.

That hormonal problems are reflected in problems of the skin is well established. One good exampleis the loss of the coat in a female a month or so after whelping a litterof puppies. Many females in the wild lose a good deal of their coats toline their nests prior to whelping, but perhaps in domestication wehave altered the dog’s physiology.

Allergies. Allergies may be caused by inhalation or ingestion of aller-gens. Once the cause is established some dogs may be desensitized byinjections.

One city dog had been treated for recurrent attacks of itching,scratching, localized hair loss, and open lesions off and on for a year. Allergy problems due to ingestion are in effect year-round. One ofour canine patients cannot tolerate meat but can cat eggs with no illeffects. Remember, commerical dog foods have meat and fish in dehy-drated form. Food allergies can often be diagnosed by the owner whoselectively withholds a particular food from the diet over a two-weekperiod. Milk and eggs must be high on any list of allergic foods and,since these foods are commonly used in baking, all foods with anycombination of these should be withheld.

One of the more dramatic allergy reactions to food manifests itselfby large hivelike lesions that expand as you watch them. Some reachtwo inches in diameter and rise over half an inch above the normalskin. A dog with such a reaction usually shows no discomfort from this”hob-nail” pattern of swellings all over the body. This dog may berushed to a veterinarian as an emergency and the veterinarian maywatch the swellings recede before his or her eyes. If this condition ispersistent, steroids are helpful. One problem lies in the difficulty in thedetermination of the cause. It may be food ingested twelve or morehours prior to the reaction. The instance of a dog on a commercial foodthat has received a specific food in addition may give us the clue neces-sary, but as so many dogs either forage outside or are fed a variety ofleftovers it may be difficult to pinpoint the causative agent.

Food and Skin Disease. It is often said that certain foods are too”heatening to the blood,” that they cause skin disease. There is verylittle truth in that idea. Never feed fat or starches in hot weather becausethey cause eczema.

But let’s put the old cliches aside and recognize that whatever thecause and effects there are some foods that affect some dogs adversely.We are inclined to think the cases are rare but some are so dramaticthey should he mentioned. Although many diet changes had been advised, including one week when onlyraw hamburger was fed, there was always the common denominator:meat. Of course dry commercial dog foods contain meat in a dehy-drated form.

The vegetarian diet consisted of a mixture of one half soybean mealcooked in a pressure cooker with one quarter of either boiled rice oroatmeal and one quarter crushed cooked mixed vegetables. A vitamin mineral mixture and two tablespoons of corn oil.

The dog has been normal since that time except for one twenty-fourhour period after a cookout, when someone fed the dog half a ham-burger.

Since the meat-sensitive German Shepherd we have found anotherdog that can eat only small amounts of meat without breaking out withan itchy rash. However, many’ of our vegetarian clients’ owners arefeeding our vegetarians formula out of choice.

Many dogs have a violent reaction to pork not small amounts buton that rare occasion when they are fed a meal of leftover smoked orfresh pork. The results are usually vomiting and diarrhea for part of aday.

Lick Granulomas. Chronic thickened skin on the surface of a fore-leg and occasionally on a rear leg where it is convenient for a dog to lickmay be a lick granuloma. The hair falls out and the skin appears to betoughs and featherlike. When medication is applied without a bandage,the dog promptly licks it off. At one time these lesions were treated byinjecting them with snake venom. Cobra venom was the choice and didhelp many such cases, but steroid injections seem to be more effectivewith topical antibiotics. Bandaging may help but often the dog licksthe edges of the bandage, resulting in a new lick granuloma. Surgeryhelps some cases but not infrequently the dog licks the healing woundand produces another area of involvement where the affected tissuehad been removed. There is good evidence that if the dog stops lickingthe lesions heals. And one wonders if the saliva contains an agent capa-ble of causing a lick granuloma.

Interdigital Pyoderma. Pyoderma means pus in the skin, and somebreeds appear particularly susceptible to this disagreeable problem. Ab-scesses develop between the toes, swell and rupture, then drain andheal. In a few weeks the swelling returns and the same sequence ofevents happens. Some dogs develop these abscesses between all the toeson all four feet but more often there will be only one or two at any onetime. The cause is not understood but experience indicates small dosesof the antibiotic tetracycline in the food daily does control but not curethe problem. Surgery helps to correct some of these lesions.

Fly Strike. In some areas of the country a blood-sucking fly willattack the ear tips of erect-eared dogs, causing bleeding and scabbingthere. These flies attack only dog that are kept outdoors. It helps tokeep the flies away by mixing a fly repellent, such as tolumide, withVaseline and applying it to the ear tips three times daily. Your veteri-narian can tell you whether these flies are a danger in your area.

Dandruff. The outer surface of the skin is shed constantly and evenwhen this shedding is normal it appears excessive in three- to four-month-old puppies. Many dogs have a coat texture that permits thedandruff to fall out unnoticed, but other coats seem to hold it, sug-gesting a problem. Any good shampoo and even dish-washing detergentwill remove it with a bath. But excess dandniff shedding can be abnor-mal and caused by many problems. A lack of fat in the diet predisposesmany dogs to have dandruff. Both allergy and the common types ofmange can cause it. Irritants such as too strong a soap used in a bathmay create large flakes of dandruff some days later.

Persistent excess dandruff may indicate the early stages of one ofseveral hormonal problems and a veterinarian should be consulted.

Coat Color Changes. Some dogs with dark coats may grow lighter-colored hair after a skin infection. Others with light-colored coats maygrow dark hair. Usually this color change returns to normal after shed-ding.

Ringworm. The term “ringworm” has nothing to do with worms butis a fungal infection that may be contracted from humans or vice versa.

Mange. Both demodectic and sarcoptic mange are skin problemscaused by mites.

Cheyletiella Dermatitis. Another less common suite-related derma-titis is cheyletiella dermatitis. It is easily destroyed by flea sprays,powders, and rinses.

Alopecia. There are more inherited skin problems affecting severalbreeds than space permits describing. One of these inherited problems,alopecia, may affect all breeds. The word refers to abnormal loss of hairwith no recognized infection or hormonal imbalance. There is no in-flammation and no itching involved, but unfortunately there is no reliable treatment.

Nasal Solar Dermatitis. Although also called “Collie rinse,” nasalsolar dermatitis is not confined to that breed. The problem is a sensitiv-ity to the sun that causes a dermatitis on the surface of the nose. Thecondition sometimes eventually extends up to the eyes. When theproblem is advanced, the nose becomes disfigured and erodes away.When the dog is kept out of the sun, the condition improves. Tattoo-ing, covering the nose with black ink from felt marking pens has con-trolled many cases, but the tissue may be so damaged that tattoos maynot “take.” Perhaps making the dog a nocturnal dog is most effec-tive. Steroids and antibiotics also help minimize solar dermatitis.

Canine Pemphigus. Superficial ulcers of the lips, eyes, anus, vulva,and penis that progress to deep ulcers which then spread to other areasis a condition called pemphigus. When present this autoirnmunc dis-ease is not correctible with antibiotics and antiseptics but steroids andother medications do help to control it. Pemphigus is considered incur-able.

Acanthosis Nigricans. With acanthosis nigricans a few breeds anddogs of mixed breeds develop a dark pigmentation, usually under theforelegs, that progresses slowly to other areas of the body. The skinbecomes thickened and is sometimes referred to as elephant skin. There is no external treatment to cure this nuisance disease but pallia-tive salves and lotions help to minimize it. It is found in dogs with adecrease of thyroid activity.

Seborrhea is a result of overactive glands of the skincalled sebaceous glands exuding a waxy substance often with a rancidodor in excessive amounts. When this occurs, the dog is miserable withsome itching and thickening and scaling of the skin. Although there isno known cause, seborrhea can be controlled by bathing at weekly orless intervals for the life of the dog. Special medicated soaps are neces-sary, which your veterinarian may prescribe.

Atopic Dermatitis. Skin inflammation from inhaling airborne parti-cles that produce an allergic reaction is called canine atopy. The agentsmost commonly responsible are pollens, dander, dust, and wool. Thetendency to get this dermatitis, which starts between one and fouryears of age, is thought to be inherited. Saliva-stained extremities anditching are common signs, but many dry itchy conditions may be atopy.Skin testing is usually helpful in a diagnosis.

Contact Dermatitis. Marry substances applied to the skin eitherintentionally or accidentally, such as acids, caustics, strong soaps anddetergents, may cause irritations. Synthetic fabrics including carpetingand wool have been found to cause this as have chemically impregnatedplastic collars. Some people claim poison ivy causes contact dermatitisbut our research, which involved massaging the leaves into our ownBeagles’ lower abdominal skin twice weekly for two months, producedno reaction, although one of us developed the typical poisoning. Eveneating from plastic dishes may cause dermatitis of the lips and nose insensitive dogs.

Frostbite and Burns. It requires prolonged low temperatures to causefrostbite in dogs and virtually never occurs if a dog is free to findshelter. If an dog is chained or otherwise confined where there isinadequate shelter, however, the ear tips and scrotum arc the mostvulnerable areas to be affected by frostbite. Systemic antibiotics andantibiotic ointments are the treatments that should be used. They areobtained from a veterinarian.

Perhaps the most common cause of burns is hot fluids, such as coffeeor tea, being spilled from a stove. You should apply an ice pack forfifteen minutes and take the dog to your veterinarian. He or she willgive you an antibiotic with a steroid to be applied frequently. Moreserious burn cases should be hospitalized.

Removal of Paint. Most of us are cognizant of the dangers of lead in oil-based paints. Since some of these oil-based paint pigments are poisonous they should be removed immediately. If the dog comes home with still wet oil-based paint on its coat, turpentine will remove it, if plenty is used without allowing too much to come in contact with the dog’s skin. The turpentine must be removed by thorough washing with soap and water after each application.

If the oil-based paint is dry, first try to dissolve it. And if your dog’s skin is especially tender, use linseed oil to do this. When you have diluted the paint greatly, wash it and the oil out with soap and water.You may, however, have to cut the paint out with scissors as a last resort, even though this may make the dog look less attractive for awhile. Of course, water-based paints can be removed by washing with water.

Animal Odors. The sources of dog odors, aside from excrement of course, are ear canker, lip-fold or other infections, anal gland secretions, sebum from thousands of body glands, and dog collars, which absorb sebum. All of these can be eliminated by cleaning the ars, by treating the infections, by expressing the anal glands, and by thorough bathing.

Parasite Control. Bathing in itself will not eliminate parasites, as many people seem to think, but preparations of excellent efficiency for use with bathing are readily available. Some are used as a rinse or dip following the bath; others are liquid soaps or soap cakes with insect killers added. Some manufacturers claim that their products will pre-vent fleas and lice from re infesting dogs for several days to a week after use. Some claim their products will kill the eggs of lice (nits).

In eliminating lice, it is necessary to apply the killing agent every eleven days, as this breaks the generation and so eliminates the lice. If there is any doubt about the thoroughness of the treatment, apply the preparation once a week for three weeks.

The more effective way to control pests is to use a liquid dip, soap, or rinse to kill all the insect pests during the bath and then keep the dog well powdered with a nonpoisonous flea powder. Flea collars that were once effective are less so now, thanks to the emergence of resistant fleas.

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Some symptoms associated with this disease include depression, loss of appetite, fever, serious discharge from nose or eyes, thirst, coughing and tender abdomen. Severe cases can cause bleeding disorders which can cause hematomas (hemorrhages) to form in the mouth, lymph nodes, thymus, pancreas and subcutaneous tissues. Clotting time is directly correlated to the intensity of the infection. Death can occur secondary to either the hemorrhages or the infected liver. The mortality rate is the highest in very young dogs.

Diagnosis can be made by realizing the combination of symptoms. This disease is also sometimes confused the Canine Parvovirus in that both will cause bloody diarrhea and low white blood cell count. It has been noted that most dogs can recover spontaneously without treatment. This virus, CAV1, can be destroyed in the environment through thorough steam cleaning and through the use of ammonium compounds, and it survives in the environment for months under the right conditions. It can also be released in the urine of an infected dog for up to one year.

Upon recovery, dogs will eat well but regain the loss of weight very slowly.

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. Beginning

As the owner, you must have control over the situation. Many types of canine species are resistant to these procedures and they may get very nervous. Protect yourself using a muzzle to prevent any biting. Your pet may not intentionally bite you, but it may be a reflex action. A muzzle will keep your from injury and it will teach the dog that biting is not acceptable behavior. After a few sessions, you may be able to stop using the muzzle.

Give your pet plenty of time to get used to all kinds of loud equipment. Things like clippers and hair dryers can be very frightening to an animal, as their hearing is much more sensitive than humans. Show them the equipment, so they can see that there is no threat. When you use a hair dryer, start with the lowest blow setting, as it will not be as loud.

. The Importance of Brushing

Brushing is an excellent way to bond with your dog. Most animals love the feel of a brush on their fur, and when you first get a puppy, make sure that they get used to brushing. When you use the brush, talk very softly and let your pet know that all is fine. This is a very good way to start any type of grooming session.

. Trimming Nails

Most dogs will be hesitant about having their toe nails trimmed. It is always best to start then they are puppies, but it is not too late with older dogs. Take the time to relax the animal as much as possible. Praise them after each nail is trimmed and when it is over, give them their favorite treat. Do not forget to have something handy to stop any sudden bleeding.

It does not matter which foot you start with, but be consistent, as this way you will form a routine. It is a good idea to have an assistant for trimming nails. Your assistant can talk softly to the animal and distract him or her from the trimming process.

When cutting nails, longer is better. Cutting nails too short causes them to bleed and it can hurt your pet. Pain will make them afraid of the procedure, in the future. If you can see the vein in the nail, be careful not to cut it. If the nails are dark, err on the side of cation and trim them long.

. Conclusion

If you do not have the time or resources for proper dog grooming lessons, the basics are not hard to learn. Let your dog get used to all of the noisy equipment that you will be using. Do not forget to protect yourself with a muzzle, in the beginning. Start each session with a gentle brushing, as this will relax you both. Have someone help you distract the animal while trimming nails.

Source: ezinearticles.com