Dog Health with Natural Remedies Tips

Dog Health with Natural Remedies Tips

As your pet ages, senior dog health should become a priority. Certain breeds develop age-related problems as they get older. Other dogs develop issues that have to do with diet and lifestyle, so it's important to come up with a preventative plan, just as you would for your own health. In this article, you'll learn what you can do to boost your dog's vitality and immunity.

Any dog over seven years of age can begin to show these age related symptoms, and larger dogs are more likely to suffer from age related problems. Senior dog health problems, like senior human health problems, vary from bone and joint related problems, dysfunction of organs like the liver or kidneys. Metabolisms tend to slow down, and eyes and ears get weaker. Skin and coat loose their youthful glossy look, and teeth and gums begin to rot, as they do in humans.

Senior dog health is an iffy thing, and takes a lot more maintenance than that of a younger dog or a puppy. Older dogs not only tend to be less energetic, they also have lower recuperative powers. So, if an older dog falls ill, she takes much longer o recover, especially after a harsh treatment by conventional antibiotic drugs. This is where natural homeopathic treatments can make a large and significant difference to the ongoing maintenance of the health of your pet.

Problems of the bones and joints, like arthritis, which are chronic, are also helped enormously by natural remedies. Weakened eyesight, and weakening of the heart, lungs, liver, etc, can be arrested, and slowed significantly by herbal remedies, and long term natural treatment. Older dogs are more prone to infectious diseases as well, because their immune systems become weaker with age, which leaves them vulnerable to viral and bacterial attacks. Any of these infections can cause serious and life threatening senior dog health problems.

The right and continuous administration of holistic and natural treatments can make a big difference to how your dog deals with infections too. Herbal treatments help to bolster the immune system, making your dog stronger, and better able to resist or deal with infectious agents.

Maintaining the health of an older dog entails paying more attention to age-related health issues. Do the research, and make sure you are up-to-date as far as possible problems are concerned. Find out the specific health issues that your dog is likely to face. There are problems associated with specific breeds and age groups of dogs.

Help your dog adjust with advancing age by changing her lifestyle and diet to go with her lower energy and metabolism levels. Adding daily herbal supplements like Huang Qi, Mistletoe, Purple Coneflower, Indian ginseng, and Milk Thistle can help improve senior dog health by boosting immunity and fighting diseases like cancer. Just remember that homeopathy or holistic treatments must be continued long term, and as specified, for full effects to be felt.

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Exercise Improves Your Dog's Health

Exercise Improves Your Dog's Health

Just like with humans, your dog getting exercise is great for them. It keeps their weight in check, and helps maintain healthy vital organs-especially the heart and lungs. It creates endorphins which stimulate a more positive attitude. Dogs who don't get to go out and who don't get to stretch their legs and use their noses to explore or play with others, literally go crazy and in turn drive their human companion's nuts! It's a sad scenario that is so easily avoided!

If you were able to ask your dog how often they should be exercised, and how much, they would probably say "always!" Unless they are a working farm or service dog, this isn't going to be possible. So what are some guidelines that the average dog owner can follow to help their companion get in a good amount of exercise?

Just like humans, dogs are individuals and every dog has their own level of exercise that would be best suited for them. You can own several dogs of the same breed and soon learn that while some of them may be able to go all day, others are just content to lounge around. So with that being said, there is some truth to stereotyping certain breeds and their exercise requirements. Ask your breeder about the overall energy needs of your dog. This knowledge will help you prepare you for making the adequate exercise of your dog a priority.

Your dog should be walked at least twice a day as an older dog, and several more as a puppy. "Walks" mean outings of at least a half-mile, during which your dog should be allowed to sniff and investigate things along the way. It's also important to teach your dog to eliminate at the start of the walk so the exercise becomes the reward.

Most dog owners take their dog out in the morning and the evening in order to schedule at least two adequate walks a day. The morning walk is the one during which you want to help your dog release their energy and satisfy their need to explore through sniffing and greeting others. If you are forced to keep your dog on a leash, try to use a long one so they can at least get some running in and feel like they can explore more freely.

As a puppy, your dog will need more frequent but shorter walks as they build up their bones and muscles. As an adolescent, your dog will need frequent and longer walks, ideally with a solid period of "off-leash" running and playing time included. As your dog ages, you will get to know the signs that tell you to cut back on the length of time or intensity of exercise.

Be sure you don't "skimp" on the evening walks because you are tired or overcommitted. If you can't do it, hire a dog walker. After being isolated and obeying your house rules for several hours, your dog is going to want to "hit the streets." So work your schedule around making sure your dog gets all the exercise your dog needs and they will stay healthy and be happy for years to come.

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Your Dog’s Health Symptoms

Your Dog’s Health Symptoms

As a pet owner, you are the one who is responsible for your dog. You know its feeding, sleeping and other habits.

When their usual habits start to change abruptly, usually you are the one who notices it.

There might have developed a disease or might have an injury, whichever way you become concerned and its quite understandable.

There are many pet diseases out there, including rabies, corona and so on. You can protect your dog from these diseases by having it vaccinated. However, not all diseases can be vaccinated against.

Needless to say, there are some symptoms of your dog’s health that can be of assistance in helping you spot illnesses before they become fatal. Here are some of the dog health symptoms and bad health in your dog:

Firstly, there are dog health symptoms that show good health. These include a healthy appetite, a dry nose without any discharge, free movement that is pain free, clear bright eyes, clear skin, good weight depending on the breed, and a normal body temperature.

However, there are some symptoms that can tell a different tale on your dog’s health. These symptoms include a runny nose, lack of energy, weight loss, loss of healthy appetite, lack of energy and blood discharge.

When you start noticing these changes and symptoms, it is best that you contact your vet immediately for early treatment. The disease or illness might be fatal and the longer you wait, the chances of it being fatal are increased, especially if your dog is not vaccinated.

Get your dog vaccinated

If your dog isn’t vaccinated, it makes it liable to a whole list of viral disease. Some of these are transmitted through human contact, airborne and through saliva from animal bites (such as in the case of Rabies where infection is spread via bites from infected animals.

The longer you wait before you get your dog treated, the severe and complicated the problem might be. It might have stated minor such as a skin or itch. This might be made worse by your dog‘s continuous scratching which will lead to raw skin and bacterial infections.

The above dog health symptoms are brief and comprehensive to allow you to spot both the good and bad health symptoms of this dog. If truth be told nobody really knows your dog more than you do, don’t ignore any unusual changes in your beloved furry friend. Instead, take a step towards bringing your dog back to health.

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How to Calculate a Dog's Age in Dog Years

How to Calculate a Dog's Age in Dog Years

A popular misconception is that dogs age 7 years for each calendar year. In fact, canine aging is much more rapid during the first 2 years of a dog's life. After the first 2 years the ratio settles down to 5 to 1 for small and medium breeds. For large breeds the rate is 6 to 1, and for giant breeds the rate is 7 to 1. Thus, at 10 years of age a Great Dane would be 80 years old while a pug would only be 64.

How to Tell a Dog's Age

If you've taken in a dog whose age is unknown, there are some ways to determine his age. Here are some things vets check to get a general sense of how old a dog is:

The Teeth: Dogs usually have a set of permanent teeth by their seventh month, so if you've come across a dog with clean pearly whites, he is likely a year old or thereabouts. Yellowing on a dog's back teeth may put the dog between one and two years of age, while tartar build-up at a minimal level could mean you have a dog between 3 and 5. Missing teeth or severe wear usually means the dog is a senior and could use some special dental care.

Muscle Tone: Younger dogs are more likely to have some muscle definition from their higher activity level. Older dogs are usually either a tad bonier or a little fatter from decreased activity.

The Coat: A younger dog usually has a soft, fine coat, whereas an older dog tends to have thicker, coarser (and sometimes oilier) fur. A senior dog may display grays or patches of white, particularly around the snout.

The Eyes: Bright, clear eyes without tearing or discharge are common in younger dogs. Cloudy or opaque eyes may mean an older dog.

Old Age in Dogs

The age at which a dog can be considered elderly varies widely among models. In general, the larger the dog, the more quickly it declines. For instance, a Great Dane could be considered "senior" at age 5, while a smaller toy poodle would still be spry at twice that age. Remember, however, that just because a dog is chronologically old doesn't mean that an endless series of malfunctions is in store. In many cases an elderly dog can enjoy many healthy, active, pain-free years.

One of the best ways to prolong the life and improve the functions of an elderly dog is to carefully regulate its fuel intake. Older dogs exercise less and thus need fewer calories. And since age reduces their ability to digest and absorb nutrients, high-quality food specifically formulated for their needs is a necessity. Excessive amounts of protein, phosphorus, and sodium can aggravate kidney and heart problems, so most such foods contain smaller amounts of higher-quality protein, along with reduced quantities of other elements. Levels of vitamins, zinc, fatty acids, and fiber, however, are increased.

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Tips For Have a safe Halloween with your pet

Tips For Have a safe Halloween with your pet

Halloween can be a lot of fun for you and your pet. Plan ahead, so you make sure you both won’t be exposed to dangerous or uncomfortable situations. Here are ten tips so you prepare yourselves for Halloween:

1. Check if your pet enjoys wearing a costume before you make him go through Halloween with it. Don’t force your pet to wear it. If he’s not enjoying it, he can get upset or angry and get hurt trying to get rid of it.

2. If your pet loves costumes, make sure the one you choose doesn’t have small or hanging parts that can get him tangled or make him choke.

3. Do not choose a costume that impedes your pet to move, breathe, hear, bark or meow.

4. If your pet doesn’t enjoy loud noises, sudden moves, strangers or crowds, leave your pet at home for Halloween. He may get scared and escape, or get angry and hurt someone or himself.

5. Don’t forget to put a collar on your pet with an ID tag if you plan to open the door frequently for trick or treats. A tag may be your pet’s only chance to be identified and brought home if he darts outside when the door is open.

6. If your pet is prone to escaping or isn’t social with visitors, lock him in a room with food, water and a blanket during the trick or treat time. If you have a dog, don’t forget to take him out to do his business before you lock him. If you have a cat, you may want to place the litter box in the room with him.

7. Don’t leave lit candles and jack-o-lanterns around pets, even if you are around. Your pet can get curious about the flame and easily knock them down, causing a fire or getting burned.

8. Keep cords from electric lights and decorations out of reach of your pet. He can damage them and swallow shards, get hurt or electrocuted.

9. If your pet likes to chew on things, be careful about leaving Halloween plants like pumpkin or decorative corn around him. They aren’t poisonous but can produce gastro-intestinal upset and blockage if large pieces are swallowed.

10. Make sure your pet doesn’t get near Halloween candies. Chocolate and candies with xylitol are very toxic to cats and dogs. Foil and cellophane candy wrappers can make your pet choke or cause an intestinal blockage.

With the right tricks and treats, you and your pet can have a lot of fun together during Halloween. Boo!

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How to keep Dogs away from Poison

How to keep Dogs away from Poison

You love your best friend, and can’t imagine losing him. However, one of the biggest mistakes we tend to overlook is placing rat poison in an area which is easily accessible to your dog. Rat poison has a purpose, which is to kill rats and mice. Rat poison is designed to taste really good and smell great to rats and mice, unfortunately this also true for dogs. Dogs love the smell and taste of rat poison, and therefore, will actively seek out rat poison. Thus, no matter where you place rat poison, be it in your garage, your backyard, or behind your couch, your dog will find it and eat it.

In case your dog eats rat poison and you luckily catch him eating it, you need to force a teaspoon or two of hydrogen peroxide down his throat, which will make him throw up. Next you need to take him to your local vet immediately; your vet may administer vitamin K to your dog to counteract the poison. However, if you are not sure and suspect that your dog has eaten it, then look for the following symptoms of poisoning: blood in the stool, blood in the urine, bloody nose, and bleeding from his gums. Rat poison stops the blood from clotting and basically is designed to bleed the animal to death.

Thus; if you have dogs or any other pets at home, it’s not recommended that you use rat poison as it can be fatal to your dog or cat. Instead use glue traps to trap rodents, which are safe for your pet.

Another common household product is antifreeze, which is fatal for dogs. Your dog may be attracted to Antifreeze which may have leaked from under your car or you may have an unsealed bottle of antifreeze placed insecurely in your garage, furthermore, in freezing climate if you find a puddle of water, it’s certainly contaminated with antifreeze therefore, don’t let your dog drink from puddles during freezing weather. Your dog will naturally be attracted to its sweet smell and will lick it. Antifreeze will damage your dogs liver and death can result in a matter of few hours. Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning can be vomiting; listlessness, weaving, and sometimes you can simply smell the antifreeze on the dog’s breath. If you suspect that your dog has consumed antifreeze, then take him to the vet ASAP.

Therefore considering all these points; one should be extra careful and keep poisons out of your dog’s reach, as well as prescription drugs. Keep antifreeze away from a dogs reach preferably on the top of a shelf, where your dog can’t reach it. Moreover, don’t use rat poison in your home. In addition, prescription drugs should also be kept in a safe secure area where your dog can’t reach them.

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