Dog Care

What a Dog Needs

Companionship - to be around other dogs or people as they do not like to be left alone for too long.

A balanced diet.

A constant supply of fresh clean water.

A bed and blanket.

A well-fenced garden to play and exercise in.

To be brushed every day, especially if they have long hair.

Help to clean their teeth. They will also need to have their teeth checked regularly by the vet.

Regular walks on a lead especially for walking near traffic or farm animals. Taking your dog for regular walks can also help to strenthen the bond between owner and pet.

Someone to clean up after them and to dispose of their waste in the correct manner.

Never to be left in a car in warm weather, even with the window open.

A collar and identity tag.

To be trained correctly.

To be taken to a vet if they are ill.

Injections to prevent serious diseases.

Worming and regular flea treatments.

To be looked after when you are on holiday.

Common signs that your dog may be sick

• Ears: discharge, scratching, crusted tips, twitching or shaking.

• Eyes: redness, swelling or discharge.

• Nose: runny, crusty.

• Coughing, sneezing, vomiting or gagging.

• Shortness of breath, irregular breathing.

• Evidence of parasites in the dog’s stool, blood in the stool, constipation.

• Loss of appetite and/or thrust.

• Weight loss.

• Strange color of urine.

• Bad odor coming from mouth, ears, or skin.

• Hair loss, wounds, tumors, change of the skin’s color.

• Biting of the skin, parasites, scratching or licking the skin frequently.

Worms

Worms can be suspected in all dogs which have not been recently treated for them, as well as in cases where the dog is run down, and not their usual selves.

The main symptoms are a hot dry nose, weak watery eyes, pale lips and gums, foul breath, hacking cough and a red scurfy, pimply or irritated condition of the skin and harsh, dry, staring coat that is constantly being shed.

Dogs with worms will sometimes loose their appetite and will eat dirt and rubbish and other days they can be ravenously hungry, the next day they will not eat at all. The dogs sleep pattern is usually affected, they will usually urinate more frequently and they will have irregular bowel movements. They will also usually vomit a watery muscus.

Puppies which have worms will bloat easily and are pot-bellied. After feeding their stomachs distend disproportionately to the amount of food consumed. They will not grow as rapidly as healthy puppies, they get thinner, weaker and more lifeless from day to day which when they are grown up can lead to them being coarse-jointed, rickety and misshapen. If you suspect your puppy to have worms take them to the vet as soon as possible as this can be fatal.

If you suspect your dog has worms take them to a veterinarian.

Fleas and Allergies

Fleas and Allergies

The most common allergy is the flea allergy dermatitis. Other types of allergies include atopic dermatitis, food allergies, and inhalant allergies.

The most common signs and symptoms are persistent itching and discoloration of the skin (most common in skin allergies), coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and mucus discharge (most common in inhalant allergies), and nausea, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea (common to food allergies and other ailments.)

Over-the-counter medications can be bought for common dog allergies. If you suspect that you dog has an allergy then we would recommend that you contact a veterinarian for advice.

Parvo virus

Puppies are more likely to have parvo virus, but it can also affect adult dogs as well.

The most common symptom of this illness is diarrhea. Your dog or puppy may also vomit, seem tired, and not interested in eating. If your dog has diarrhea and you feel that it is more than a usual stomach upset, visit your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Rabies

This virus is transmitted by bites or a fluid transfer from an infected animal. This illness is prevented in most cases by a vaccination.

Symptoms include your dog showing signs of personality changes, including things like the dog wanting to be left alone, becoming hostile, not being interested in their normal activities and their eating and drinking habits will change. Soon after the above symptoms your dog will become vicious, aggressive, have seizures, and become fearless of all things and people. You may also notice the classic foaming at the mouth symptom as paralysis sets in. Unfortunatley once you dog starts to show symptoms this illness is usually fatal. If your dog has been bitten take them to the vet to be vaccinated or revaccinated immediately.