PETS CARE

Tips & Warnings

• Feeding smaller meals throughout the day instead of two larger meals is often easier on dogs with sensitive stomachs.
• An enzyme/probiotics powder can be mixed in with your dog's food to help aid in digestion. NaturVet makes a good one that is sold at pet supply stores and online at sites such as 1800PetMeds.com. Enzyme supplements have been proven effective for dogs with digestion problems and recurring pancreatitis.
• Famotidine (Pepcid and generic versions) is an over-the-counter drug for human indigestion that can be given to dogs with sensitive stomachs before their meal. Veterinarians usually prescribe one 10-mg. tablet per day for most dogs. It's mild enough that certain dogs with digestive issues can take it most of their lives, but always have your dog examined by a vet first and get the vet's OK.
• Control the urge to share what's on your plate with your pooch (as much as she loves Italian cuisine and stares at you with those hard-to-resist eyes).
• Avoid dog food containing corn and wheat, which are not easily digestible. Also, some dogs may develop allergies from corn and wheat or other grains and low quality dog foods containing meat by-products. There are various allergy formula, grain-free and limited-ingredient dog foods on the market. Dick Patten's Natural Balance, for instance, combines one protein source and one carbohydrate source and no grains in order to decrease the risk of allergies.
• The following foods can cause allergies in some dogs and actually aggravate a sensitive stomach: chicken, turkey, beef, dairy, corn, wheat, soy and eggs. A vet may need to test your dog to narrow it down.

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Take your dog to the vet for an exam to make sure the problem is not more serious than a "sensitive stomach." There are a variety of medical conditions that can cause digestive problems such as colitis and pancreatitis. Only a blood test will tell for sure.

2. Step 2
    

   Use an elevated dog bowl. This aids in digestion, especially with larger dogs, since that they don't have to bend over as far. There are a variety of styles that can be found at most stores that sell pet supplies.

3. Step 3

   Feed a diet consisting of easily digestible ingredients such as chicken, rice and oatmeal. If feeding a commercial dog food, a special formula for sensitive stomachs may do the trick, or if the problem is more severe and recurring, your vet may suggest a prescription dog food. Whatever the case, stick to a quality food.

4. Step 4

   Feed your dog treats that aid in digestion or are made specifically for sensitive stomachs. Charcoal dog biscuits, for instance, are recommended for settling upset stomachs and easing gas.

5. Step 5

   Supplement your sensitive stomach dog's diet with boiled chicken and rice, oatmeal, cottage cheese or yogurt. If you don't have the time to do the research and feed your dog a nutritionally-balanced homemade diet, it's better to feed a quality dog food and supplement with the aforementioned human foods.

Dog tummy-problem treatment

Tips & Warnings

• Buy a vacation food block if you are going to be away from the tank for more than a weekend.
• Overfeeding your fish will pollute the tank, which could easily endanger your fish's life. Err on the side of caution.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Aquarium Fish Nets
• Goldfish Food Packages
• Brine Shrimp
• Weekend/holiday Fish Food

1. Step 1

   Purchase the right kind of food for your fish. Goldfish need protein and a wide range of vitamins and carbohydrates, so choose a nutrient-rich food specifically for goldfish. Use either flake-form or floating pellets. Ask at the aquarium store for food recommendations for the specific type of goldfish you own.

2. Step 2

   Consider occasionally offering snacks, such as leafy vegetables (lettuce and spinach) or live food (brine shrimp and mosquito larvae), for variety.

3. Step 3

   Feed your fish once a day by adding one small pinch of food to the tank at a time. In general, provide as much food as the fish will consume in 2 minutes. (Vary this accordingly for larger fish.) Remember to offer just a tiny amount in each pinch.

4. Step 4

   Remove excess food with a net after the feeding session, to avoid polluting the water.

5. Step 5

   Consider using a feeding ring, which attaches to the side of the tank and allows better control, thus reducing the risk of overfeeding your fish.

6. (Tips of Goldfish Feeding)

 

DISEASES	SIGNS
Abscesses (according to site)	difficulty moving, fever, loss of appetite, pus
Arthritis	painful to touch
Burns	rapid breathing, shedding coat, ulceration
Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder)	abdominal pain, blood in the urine, difficult or no urination, painful urination, urinary incontinence
Dermatitis (skin inflammation)	shedding coat, skin irritation, ulceration
Diabetes Insipidus	intense thirst, urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence, voracious appetite
Diabetes Mellitus	bad breath, coma, frequent urination, intense thirst, urinary incontinence, voracious appetite
Distemper	abdominal pain, convulsions, cough, diarrhea (normal), loss of appetite, fever, low spirits, poor appetite, rapid breathing, trembling, vomiting, voracious appetite
Eclampsia	changes in behavior, convulsions, bedsores, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of balance, painful breathing, trembling
Eczema	shedding coat, skin irritation
Enteritis (inflammation of the intestines)	abdominal pain, diarrhea (normal), loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss
External Parasites	scratches the ears, shedding coat, skin irritation
Foreign Bodies	abdominal pain, constipation, cough, cyanosis, diarrhea (normal), difficulty swallowing, intense thirst, loss of appetite, painful to touch, scratches the ears, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Gastritis	abdominal pain, bad breath, loss of appetite, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Hemorrhage	conspicuous inner eyelid, painful breathing, rapid breathing, shock
Heart Disease	abdominal distension, convulsions, cough, lethargy, mucous tissues pale, painful breathing
Heat Stroke	changes in behavior, coma, bedsores, fever, intense thirst, loss of appetite, loss of balance, low spirits, painful breathing, painful to touch, rapid breathing, shock, ulceration
Infectious Hepatitis	abdominal pain, diarrhea (with blood), fever, intense thirst, jaundice, lethargy, loss of appetite, painful breathing, rapid breathing, vomiting
Internal Parasites	cough, diarrhea (with blood), diarrhea (normal), mucous tissues pale, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting, voracious appetite, weight loss
Intestinal Blockage	abdominal pain, constipation, convulsions, lethargy, loss of appetite, poor appetite, vomiting
Leptospirosis	abdominal pain, blood in the urine, cyanosis, diarrhea (normal), difficult or no urination, fever, jaundice, lethargy, loss of appetite, painful urination, poor appetite, rapid breathing, vomiting
Leukemia	lethargy, loss of appetite, low spirits, mucous tissues pale, conspicuous inner eyelid painful breathing, rapid breathing, vomiting
Metritis (inflammation of the uterus)	abdominal pain, convulsions, cyanosis (low blood oxygen), lethargy, loss of appetite, conspicuous inner eyelid, pus, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Nephritis	abdominal distension, abdominal pain, bad breath, cyanosis (low blood oxygen), difficult or no urination, fever, frequent urination, lethargy, low spirits, painful urination, swelling of the abdomen
Otitis	convulsions, loss of balance, pus, scratches the ears, skin irritation
Para-Influenza	cough, painful breathing
Parvovirus	convulsions, diarrhea with blood, diarrhea (normal), fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, low spirits, conspicuous inner eyelid, poor appetite, rapid breathing, vomiting, weight loss
Poisoning	changes in behavior, convulsions, cyanosis (low blood oxygen), diarrhea (with blood), diarrhea (normal), poor appetite, rapid breathing, shedding coat, shock, trembling, vomiting
Rabies	changes in behavior, convulsions, fever, intense thirst, loss of balance, low spirits, mucous tissues pale, conspicuous inner eyelid, poor appetite, trembling, weight loss
Ringworm	shedding coat
Stones	abdominal pain, blood in the urine, difficult or no urination, painful urination, urinary incontinence
Tartar	bad breath
Tonsillitis	cough, difficulty swallowing, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting
Toothache	bad breath, difficulty swallowing, intense thirst, loss of appetite
Torsion of the Stomach	abdominal pain, changes in behavior, coma, convulsions, difficulty swallowing, intense thirst, loss of appetite, conspicuous inner eyelid, mucous tissues pale, painful breathing, painful to touch, poor appetite, rapid breathing, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Tuberculosis	cough, loss of appetite, low spirits, conspicuous inner eyelid, painful breathing, rapid breathing, trembling, weight loss
Tumors	abdominal distension, loss of appetite, mucous tissues pale, conspicuous inner eyelid, painful to touch, weight loss

 

Intestinal Worms
Worms are common to dogs and puppies, and some may be passed to humans. Worms are usually passed to puppies via the mother's milk, which is why veterinarians administer worming medications to young puppies to treat and prevent worm infection. It is recommended to check adult dogs every year for worms and even the people the infected animal has been in contact with.
Types of Intestinal Worms
There are five main types of worms in dogs, and all with the exception of heart worms, affect the intestines of the animal. The most common intestinal parasite is the canine hookworm which attaches itself to the lining of the small intestine and lives off the blood of the dog. Tapeworms are also common and can be detected as small and flat rice-like objects that wriggle about in the feces of animals. They can be passed to humans and are resistant to over-the-counter deworming medications. Roundworms and whipworms are also intestinal parasites that attack dogs and other mammals. Whipworms, however, are not quite as common as the others and is difficult to diagnose. Whipworms do not lay many eggs, so multiple stool samples are usually required for proper diagnosis and treatment.
How Dogs Get Worms
Dogs can contract intestinal parasites like worms through a number of different ways and that's what makes the issue so common. Not only can the eggs of intestinal worms be passed through the milk of a lactating mother and the feces of other infected mammals, they can also be found in foods, soil and even carpet and linens. In rural areas, it is not unusual for roundworms and even heart worms to be contracted from horses and other livestock.
How Dogs Get Intestinal Worms - By C Hoffman

My dog? Overweight? Couldn’t be. Surely my dog is not fat! Ah, the song of denial by so many dog owners. But how can you be objective about your lovable pet? Here is how to know if your dog fat.


Step 1 Don’t expect yourself to be objective about your pet. Check your dog directly and try not to judge what is good and what is bad.

Step 2 Check you dog’s body. Run your hands over your pet and see if you can feel the ribs on either side of the body. You should be able to feel his or her individual ribs. If the ribs feel smooth, your dog is probably too fat. Run your fingers down the spine. There should be a sense of solidity on either side of the spine. You should not be able to feel any ribs at the top of his/her back. A bony back could mean your pet is too thin.

Step 3 Another way to check your dog’s weight is to look at his or her tummy. A dog in good condition should have a deeper chest with a noticeable tuck that lifts the tummy and creates a narrowness in the second half underneath. This is less reliable in an older dog as, just like with humans, organs tend to push down with gravity and that ‘trim waistline’ is less defined.

Step 4 If your dog is fat you are not only making him/her more vulnerable to disease and injury, but you are denying your pet his/her chance to feel good and energetic. Just like people, dogs feel happier when they don’t have to lug around a lot of extra weight. So check you dog regularly to keep weight under control.


4 steps know your dog fat or not-By Gardengates

If your pet starts to innocently explore outdoors—as in, put his nose where it may not belong—he may end up with a spider bite. The two main types of spiders to watch out for are: the black widow and brown recluse. Both of these spiders bite, and release venom when they do. Pets are commonly bit by the black widow (identified by their red hourglass-shaped marking) when they invade their nests. Although black widow bites are rarely fatal, smaller pets may have a more severe reaction, which can turn out to be fatal if not treated properly. Brown recluse spiders (recognized by the fiddle-shaped mark on their back) tend to hang out in dark, secluded areas and bite when they feel their space is invaded. Pets usually recover well from brown recluse bites, although a full recovery make take several weeks. Here are the steps for treating both of these types of spider bites.

Tips
Signs of a black widow bite occur immediately.There is a black widow antivenin available at hospitals for humans that can be also be used to treat pets, but always consult with a veterinarian before administering this type of treatment to your pet.There is a variety of topical treatments that you can apply to the bite area including antibiotic ointment and natural remedies that will prevent infection and aid in healing.Smaller pets may have more severe reactions to black widow venom due to their size, and cats normally have a more severe reaction than dogs.Pets with shorter or thinner fur are more prone to spider bites and scorpion stings.Do not place a tourniquet above or over a spider bite, as it will cut off circulation. With a black widow bite it will not stop the venom from spreading and with a brown recluse bite the venom normally stays in one place, anyway.If a brown recluse bite wound doesn’t heal, surgery may be required to remove the skin from around the affected area.


How to Treat a Black Widow Bite
Step 1 Keep your pet as calm and quiet as possible to slow down the venom from spreading. If the bite was on a limb, make sure to keep the limb lower than your pet's heart level.

Step 2 Give your pet 1 mg. of Benadryl per pound of body weight after checking with your pet’s vet to make sure it’s OK. This will help reduce swelling, inflammation and itching.

Step 3 Apply a cold or ice pack to the area to reduce swelling. A bag of frozen vegetables will work also.

Step 4 Schedule an appointment with your vet as soon as possible. If you notice any unusual redness or swelling, or your pet has difficulty breathing or moving (paralysis), get her to a vet or animal emergency clinic immediately.

How to Treat a Brown Recluse Bite
Step 1 Most pets won’t realize they were bitten by a brown recluse, but look for redness to appear after a while.

Step 2 Clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine or povidone iodine.

Step 3 If your pet develops a rash, fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea or appears lethargic, seek veterinary attention immediately. If the wound becomes larger or there is constant drainage, it is also a good idea to seek veterinary care.
Spider Bites treatment in Dogs - By Melissa Maroff

Venomous snakes pose a threat to pets as well as people. When our pets spend time outside in warmer weather (or in the case of climates like California, year 'round) there is always the risk of snake bites. As you are probably aware, snake bites can often be fatal—therefore how you treat the bite can be a matter of life and death for your pet. Here are the steps to treating snake bites in pets.


Tips
There is a rattlesnake vaccine available for dogs and cats. If you spend a lot of time camping or hiking with your pet or in an area frequented by rattlesnakes, consult with your vet about administering the vaccine. It won’t necessarily save your pet’s life, but can buy time until you get to the vet.A snake bite can cause your pet’s face and neck area to swell up, which could close the respiratory tract and cut off breathing. This can cause more immediate danger than the bite itself.Even if the snake that bites your pet isn't poisonous, snakes transmit bacteria, so veterinary care is still essential.

Step 1 Keep your dog or cat as still and calm as possible, and if you can, pick your pet up. The slower his pulse and breathing, the slower he will absorb the venom.

Step 2 If your pet was bitten on the neck, remove her collar. If it’s a bitten limb, keep the limb below your pet’s heart level.

Step 3 Immediately call the closest vet or animal emergency clinic if it’s after hours and see if they have antivenin for snake bites (not all vets stock it). Ask the vet if you should administer Benadryl in the meantime (usual dose for snake bites is 2 mg. per pound of pet’s body weight).

Step 4 Identify the type of snake or try to describe it without getting near it.

Step 5 Never do any of the following: try to cut out the wound, suck out the poison, apply ice, a cold pack or tourniquet. Although you don’t want the poison spreading to the vital organs, you also don’t want it concentrated in one place.

Step 6 Get your pet to the vet immediately. The vet will likely administer antivenin along with intravenous fluids.

how to handle a snake bite in dogs - By Melissa Maroff