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Canine disease

By Brian on Friday, November 25th, 2011 | No Comments

canine disease

Coccidia Is Forever Present Among Shih Tzu And Other Canine Breeds

Coccidia is a common problem in Shih Tzu and other breed. It is most serious in cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. In dogs, cats, and horses, it is less often diagnosed, but can result in clinical illness in some animals, which includes the Shih Tzu. Coccidiosis is actually “always” present among canines, but not all dogs or Shih Tzu show clinical signs of the disease. Shih Tzu puppies and other breeds of puppies as well are especially susceptible to coccidiosis and it can be fatal for a puppy.

Symptoms of coccidiosis include:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss or no weight gain
• Emaciation
• Sometimes death, especially in Shih Tzu or other dog breed puppies

Clinical coccidia is most prevalent under the following conditions:

• Poor nutrition
• Poor sanitation or overcrowding
• After the stresses of weaning, shipping, sudden changes in feed or severe weather changes

Shih Tzu can acquire coccidia between one month of age and one year of age. Older Shih Tzu is usually resistant to clinical signs, but may have sporadic symptoms and may remain carriers. This is especially true of Shih Tzu mothers who can pass coccidia onto her offspring during nursing, yet show no signs of the parasite herself.

Diagnosis under microscope can be difficult. It is not always possible to find coccidia in single fecal samples. Multiple fecal examinations may be required to make a definitive diagnosis under microscope.

Treatment of coccidia

The life cycles of Eimeria and Isospora (the germs that cause coccidian) are considered self-limiting and end spontaneously within a few weeks unless a re-infection occurs. In other words your Shih Tzu and Shih Tzu puppies could have coccidia and recover without any kind of treatment. It is important to remember that coccidia is most likely forever present wherever there is more than one and especially several Shih Tzu adults and/or puppies.

A good rule to follow is to always treat very young Shih Tzu puppies, or Shih Tzu puppies at least 6 weeks of age with 5 to 10 days of medication such as Albon. Prompt medication may slow or inhibit development of stages that may result from re-infection (which could be the case of a nursing adult Shih Tzu mom) and thus shorten the length or magnitude of the illness. A treatment plan such as this will also alleviate or prevent diarrhea, lessen the likelihood of secondary infections and death.

Sick Shih Tzu or Shih Tzu puppies should be isolated (this would be Shih Tzu definitely showing signs of infection of the parasites that cause coccidia. Sulfonamides has been reported to give excellent clinical results in beef and dairy, calves, sheep, dogs and cats.

Prevention of coccidia

Prevention plans are based upon limiting the intake of sporulated oocysts which causes coccidia so that an infection is established to create immunity (since coccidia is most likely present or could become present at anytime especially when several Shih Tzu are housed together). This practice should help to avoid clinical signs such as diarrhea, etc., of coccidia. Prevention includes good management which includes:

• sanitation
• Newborns should always receive colostrum (obtained from mother’s milk to help build their immune system and ward off all canine diseases). In the case of orphan Shih Tzu puppies, be sure to feed your orphan Shih Tzu puppies commercial milk with colostrum.
• Young Shih Tzu puppies should be housed in clean and dry quarters.
• Feeding and watering devices should be clean and disinfected with a solution of water and Clorox bleach
• Feeding and watering devices should be protected from fecal contamination.
• Stresses to the young Shih Tzu puppy should be kept at minimum

Some Shih Tzu puppies react adversely to weaning and seem to absolutely refuse to be weaned from their mothers. This type of Shih Tzu puppy is experiencing stress and should be watched and handled with extra care during the weaning process. They are a candidate to acquire “stress coccidia.” During weaning time, you can also try giving this type of Shih Tzu puppy medication (as long as the puppy is 6 weeks or older, or at the advice of your vet).

Shipping and sudden changes in feed can also trigger an episode of coccidia in some Shih Tzu puppies that experience stress and fear during these processes.

As a new owner of a Shih Tzu puppy, just always keep in mind the puppy you purchased may have been kept in the best of quarters and taken care of with hands of expertise, yet will still present you with a coccidia problem upon arrival in a new environment solely due to the stressors of change.

You might compare the “stress coccidia” in Shih Tzu puppies to some individuals who experience “stomach upset” when first boarding and riding an airplane. Some individuals may arrive at their destination in great shape, no problems at all, fit to spend the next 24 hours in the flashing lights of the big city. Other individuals may have to spend the next 24 hours resting in a bed closest to the nearest bathroom for vomiting and diarrhea.

Coccidia is something a new Shih Tzu puppy and any breed of dog owner should always be aware of can occur. Be on the watch for an animal who just lies around as with “fatigue” and/or has some vomiting or diarrhea. Sometimes there might be a little blood or mucous in the diarrhea as well to alert you that a vet visit is in order very soon. Very young Shih Tzu puppies can die easily from coccidia of any origin.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

About the Author

Written by: Connie Limon I raise Shih Tzu puppies for pet or show at reasonable prices with a health guarantee. Visit
http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
to purchase puppies. Visit
http://smalldogs2.com/ShihTzuCastle
for pet care information.

Dog & Cat Diseases : About Canine Skin Disorders

Canine liver disease

By Brian on Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 | No Comments

<h2>An Introduction to Canine Lymphosarcoma

Canine lymphosarcoma is a deadly cancer in dogs. The disease can occur in various parts of the body, but commonly affects the lymph nodes. It can also invade the liver, spleen, and other organs.

Symptoms

Dogs display different symptoms based on where the tumor is located. If the disease only affects the lymph nodes, then they will simply swell up. The dog will likely show no other symptoms. If the lymphosarcoma occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, your dog will experience vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. He will probably lose weight also. Canine lymphosarcoma can also affect the skin. This will cause lumps to form that may be red and itchy. If the disease affects your dog’s chest cavity, he may start having trouble breathing.

Diagnosis

Your dog will have to undergo a battery of tests if the veterinarian suspects this disease. The bone marrow may have to be analyzed to ensure that cancerous cells haven’t invaded. The veterinarian may also perform blood tests, an ultrasound, and an x-ray.

Treatment

Canine lymphosarcoma can affect many parts of the body at the same time. Therefore, radiation therapy and surgery are not effective treatment methods. The best method of treatment for this disease is chemotherapy. The chemotherapy medication is given orally and via injection once a week.

Prognosis

With successful treatment, your dog may survive for months or even years. If the condition is left untreated, then your dog probably won’t survive for two months. Since the disease is almost always fatal, you will have to make the decision on whether or not to treat your dog.

About the Author

Lymphosarcoma is a very serious disease. However, there are many other diseases and conditions that may affect your dog in the future. Click over to dog-illnesses.com to learn about some of these conditions such as canine lupus and canine kidney failure.

Related Blogs

Canine Diabetes: Caring For Diabetic Dogs

By Brian on Monday, September 26th, 2011 | No Comments

<p>By Cristian Stan

Diabetes is a silent killer. Slowly, it can take the life out of your pet. This disease may not show any outward symptoms, which actually makes it deadlier.

Most dog owners don’t know that their pet is suffering from this disease until it is too late. Dogs with diabetes should be cared for accordingly for their condition not to exacerbate.

Just follow the guidelines below and your dog will be in the pink of health at all times despite its present condition.

1. Visit the vet regularly.

Once your dog has diabetes, it would require regular appointments with the doctor. The vet would diagnose the present condition of your pet and would provide it with the right medications. It is very important that your pet’s health is monitored as frequently as needed because its condition may change from good to worse without you knowing about it.

2. Give your dog its medicines.

The vet would give your dog the necessary medications it needs to manage its disease. It is best that you follow all the vet’s instructions from dosage to the frequency of shots. Dogs suffering from advanced cases of diabetes may require regular insulin shots in order to experience immediate relief from their condition. You would have to give the shots yourself so make sure that you do it well.

3. Give your dog regular exercises.

Exercise is very important for dogs with diabetes. Take your dog out for a walk more frequently this time around. Doing so would allow the dog to manage its insulin levels and keep it active. It is possible that your dog would experience lowered energy after the walks. This is one of the effects of diabetes. To counter this, try to you can give your pet healthy honey or anything that the vet recommends.

4. Provide your dog with a high fiber diet.

More than anything else, your dog needs added nutrients in the food that it eats. Dogs with diabetes need a fiber-rich, low fat, and high carbohydrate diet. It may also be necessary for you to change your dog’s feeding schedule for it to correlate with its shots. The quantity of food you should give your pet must be monitored closely as well. Let the veterinarian guide you accordingly so you’ll know which foods to give and which foods to avoid.

5. Give your dog some vitamin supplements.

Most dogs with diabetes have problems meeting their nutritional requirements for the day. If this is your biggest problem with your pet, it is best that you give your pet some helpful supplements that can help improve its health. You may have to give your pet Vitamin A, B, and C. Regular intake of the mineral Chromium would help a lot as well.

Dogs with diabetes can still live a normal life. It is but a matter of managing the disease well. Pet owners should be very wary that their pet’s condition may worsen anytime soon so they have to do everything that it takes to make sure that their dog is living as comfortably as possible. Work closely with the veterinarian and your dog will continue to live a happy and a contented life with you.

About the Author: DiabetesInDogs.Net – visit us for more articles and information on the diabetes in dogs condition and read more on the natural remedies for diabetes in dogs and proper cures for diabetes in dogs!

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=328682&ca=Pets

See more here: Canine Diabetes: Caring For Diabetic Dogs

Your Questions On Canine Hip Dysplasia – Answered.

By Brian on Saturday, September 17th, 2011 | No Comments

<p>By Jack Russell

What is canine hip dysplasia?

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is one of the most frustrating diseases in veterinary medicine today simply because it is so difficult to prevent and treat. CHD is a developmental disease of the bones in which the head of the thigh bone poorly fits the hip socket, causing damage to the cartilage, gradual destruction of the joint, pain and swelling. This disease should not be confused with hip arthritis. Rather, it is the most common cause of arthritis in the hips.

How is canine hip dysplasia transmitted?

CHD is a heritable disease. It is passed on by the parents to the offspring. The only effective measure therefore to eradicate the disease is to prevent dogs with hip dysplasia from breeding. However, this is easier said than done, because not all dogs with hip dysplasia show signs of the disease. Seemingly normal dogs still carry the gene for CHD and are bred, causing the disease to stay within the genepool.

How does one know if a dog has hip dysplasia?

A dog with hip dysplasia generally has less energy and movement. It has difficulty rising from a sitting position, lameness in the back legs, is hopping like a rabbit when running, and is reluctant to go up the stairs. However, these symptoms are usually not evident till the dog reaches middle age. In extreme cases though, some dogs exhibit obvious hip problems as early as 5-6 months of age.

How does a vet confirm if a dog has hip dysplasia?

Sad to say, there is no blood test or genetic test yet that will detect if a dog is a carrier of CHD or not. Diagnosis of the disease is routinely done through physical examinations and x-rays. X-rays help in assessing how bad the condition is, and through comparison with future x-rays, it can also serve as a gauge of how well the chosen treatment is working. Two techniques for taking x-rays of CHD-afflicted dogs are listed below:

1.hip-extended ventrodorsal view x-ray – It provides a frontal view of the pelvis and hip-joints and best assesses the degree of severity of arthritis present.

2.PennHIP radiography technique – It is used to detect hip looseness in dogs as young as four months of age.

What are the treatment options for canine hip dysplasia?

There is no real cure for CHD just yet, but there are conservative or non-surgical ways to relieve its symptoms. These include the use of drugs to relieve pain and inflammation. Rimadyl, Ectogesic and Deramaxx are effective and have given a lot of suffering dogs the relief needed to live a normal life. Weight loss programs, controlled exercise and physical therapy are also very effective in certain cases.

When conservative treatment is not enough, the only other option is surgery. Surgery can be very effective as it corrects the underlying cause of hip pain which is a malformed joint. Surgery is approached in two different ways when dealing with hip dysplasia. Prophylactic surgery is done to prevent the progression af arthritis while therapeutic surgery aims to treat already arthritic hips.

Triple pelvic osteotomy is the primary preventive procedure available. It involves cutting the pelvis in three places and rotating the hip sockets to provide better coverage. This procedure is effective as long as it is done before arthritis sets in or before the joint is damaged. Another kind of preventive surgery, although still being studied if it is effective or not, is pubic symphysiodesis. This involves manipulating the way the pelvis grows to ensure a tighter hip. This procedure is done on very young dogs.

Therapeutic procedures include total hip replacement and femoral head ostectomy. Total hip replacement is performed mainly on larger dogs. High density, medical plastic is used to replace the socket and a high-quality, non-corrosive alloy is used for the ball. This procedure has a high success rate, almost completely eliminates pain and enables the dog to completely resume activity.

Another therapeutic procedure for hip dysplasia is femoral head ostectomy. It involves the removal of the top of the femur which then eliminates the painful grinding at the hip joint. The femur is then allowed to float freely causing the formation of scar tisue which then serves as a false joint. This procedure is not recommended for mild cases of arthritis and is generally effective only on smaller, well-muscled dogs.

Can canine hip dysplasia be prevented?

The best measure of prevention is of course careful breeding since hip dysplasia is a heritable condition. The onset of hip dysplasia can be delayed in many dogs with a genetic predisposition by preventing excessive weight gain during the early months and by making sure that the puppy does not place undue stress on the hips.

OFA and PennHip offers information on breed risk. Prospective puppy buyers are advised to check for pedigrees for OFA, PennHip or GDC certifications.

About the Author: Jack Russell is a a long time dog fancier, visit his Dog Resources Blog and download his Free Dog Owners Handbook – it’s Dog Gone Good! http://www.daveshealthbuzz.com/dogcare/

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=22094&ca=Pets

Originally posted here: Your Questions On Canine Hip Dysplasia – Answered.

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