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When a puppy grows older, the dog may suffer spinal damage resulting from degenerative processes. In popular parlance, these conditions are referred to as 'slipped discs'. However the term used to describe the spinal damage is not apt as a dog does not have any discs in its spine for any slippage to occur. The problem that occurs in the dogs can be described as loss of resiliency between the vertebrae of the spine of the dog. The problem may arise due to an accident or due to a gradual degeneration due to age.

One reason for spinal problems in the dog may be the fact that the owner of the dog encouraged a sedentary life style of the dog. As the dog grows older, it becomes lazy and prefers a sedentary life style. The onus is upon the owner to prevent the dog from becoming lazy. Lack of exercise decreases blood flow to various parts of the body of the dog. Decrease in blood flow leads to slackening of muscles and allows the spinal shock absorbers to lose their thickness and their resilience. Upon a sudden impact, they may be come perforated. If the sedentary life style is combined with lack of nutritious food, the shock absorbers may be starved of nutrients as well. This impairs their regenerative abilities.

Irrespective of the cause of the problem, the rehabilitative measures for this problem remain the same. The diet of the dog must be repaired and it must be fed lots of Vitamin C and bioflavonoids. The digestive potential may be enhanced by making use of enzyme therapy. The therapy may be undertaken by internal feeding as well as external injection at the site of the diseased vertebrae. The diet must be enriched with raw grated vegetables and sprouts. These form sources of live enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Comfrey, which is a herb, is very useful to heal bone disorders. Make sure you interact with your vet in all stages of the treatment.

If your dog is suffering from this problem, prevent it from walking up and down the stairs. This form of exercise shall put additional pressure on the weakened spinal joints. Place the dog on a level ground. As the dog improves, make it walk on level ground. Only when the dog becomes stronger should you allow it to undertake vigorous exercises like climbing stairs etc.

It is very important to remember that slip discs in dogs do not appear out of the blue. They cannot be merely wished away either. It occurs due to lack of attention towards the diet and lifestyle of the dog. It shall be eliminated only when the diet and the lifestyle improves along with the administration of medicines. To avoid slip discs due to accidents, do not take your dog out if it not on the leash. Slip discs can lead to paralysis and even impairment of motor functions and excretory functions. Once this occurs, death is the only consequence.

Unless it is an emergency, the owner of the dog should not take the temperature of the dog. There always is the risk of breakage of the thermometer and the absorption of the thermometer in the rectum of the dog. Further, mere knowledge of high temperature will not be sufficient to diagnose the disease. Hence, it is always better to call the vet.

How Your Dog Can Suffer From a Slipped Disc



I'm believe you remember the horrors of the Pet Food Recall of 2007, and if you want to prevent tainted dog food in the future, you will want to pay close attention to the information in this article. I'm going to show you why the commercial brands are dangerous, what ingredients should be in your dog's food, which foods you should never give your dog, and how to make your dog's meals yourself. When you're done with this article, you will always be sure that if there is ever another recall, your dog won't be in any danger.

Stop feeding your dog commercial food
The best way to prevent tainted dog food in the future is to stay away from the source - commercial brands. It's the least healthy food you can give your dog. Even at it's best, it is still toxic. The industry isn't regulated very well so they can get away with a lot of deceptive practices. For example, the meat in the store brands can consist of euthanized dogs that may still have some of the chemicals and poisons in them, road kill, and by-products that are unfit for human consumption and have very little nutritional value. They can also contain fillers like corn, which dogs cannot digest. I'm sure you can see how easily these dangerous products can become contaminated. To prevent tainted dog food, always avoid them completely.

Learn what foods and ingredients are healthy for dogs
Fortunately, we don't need to depend on commercial brands to nourish our dogs. There are many foods that we can buy that are much healthier. Among those foods are chicken, turkey, fish, beef, and eggs. They should always be cooked thoroughly, never given raw. These whole foods are great natural sources of protein. Other healthy ingredients are vegetables such as celery, spinach, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, and peas. Another important component of a dog's diet is starch. This requirement can be satisfied with cooked potatoes or brown rice. Using these foods is a great way to ensure that your dog is getting the proper nutrition. But not all healthy people foods are good for dogs.

Find out what foods and Ingredients to avoid and why
It's essential to know what foods are not good for dogs. Bones of any kind are very dangerous because they can splinter and choke your dog or the sharp fragments can become lodged in or puncture his intestines. Definitely stay away from feeding your dog chocolate, grapes, and raisins. They are toxic to dogs. In addition, milk products are bad because dogs don't have enough of the proper enzyme to digest them properly. Corn should also be avoided because dogs can't digest it at all. Can you believe it's the main filler for many commercial dog foods? Other ingredients to steer clear of include onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, avocados, white bread, white rice, and any food that is going bad. Please remember that dogs are not garbage disposals.

Learn how to prepare your dog's food yourself
It's not as hard as you think as there are many recipes that you can find to make fresh, natural meals for your dog. And since you know what ingredients you can use and what you shouldn't use, you can prepare his food with confidence and peace of mind. It's nice to know what is actually in the food you are giving your dog. Not only will he love it, but he will also be healthier, more active, and will live longer. Your beloved K-9 companion is definitely worth the effort.

You have just learned the 4 simple steps to prevent tainted dog food. Remember to stop feeding your dog the commercial brands, feed him healthy whole foods, keep far away from ingredients that are bad for dogs, and begin making your dog's meals yourself. Armed with this important information, you should now be able to easily make your dog's meals and rest assured that you are doing everything in your power to prevent tainted dog food from ever being a problem in your household again.



How to Avoid Contaminated Dog Food



Dogs are amazing pets and as a dog owner, it is your responsibility to be aware of the many dog health problems. This article is about one dog health problem – Face licking.

Just about all dog owner has observed this common vice in a pet. There are a lot of reasons dogs engage in face licking and not all face licking can be conclusively considered related to health problems. The following are some of the reasons dogs lick their face.

Biological: A mother dog will always lick her newborn puppies. This helps to rouse them from their post-partum stupor and clean away the birth sac. It also stimulates their breathing and to pass feces and urine. This is also the beginning of the bonding between a mother and her puppies. Even if the dog owner cleans the puppies, the mother will still lick them. Sometimes, a puppy may be observed licking the mother lip to stimulate the mother to vomit. When this vomiting occurs, the puppies will eat it.

Psychology: When nervous or stressed, dogs will exhibit certain behaviors just the same as humans. The next time you are stopped at a traffic light, observe the driver of the car next to you. He or she may be paying with his or her hair or chewing the fingernails. Dogs will also exhibit odd behaviors, such as lip licking, as an expression of nervousness or stress. Visiting the same vet's office where a previous visit had been unpleasant or painful may very well cause such a behavior.
Psychopathology.

Under conditions of stress, dogs of a sensitive nature will often lick themselves. This can possibly cause acral lick dermatitis, depending on where the dog licks. Sometimes, a dog under stress will lick walls, floors, and furniture rather than its own body. To put a stop to this kind of licking behavior, the root cause, such as stress or anxiety, must be identified and treated.

When the owner doesn't like the licking, regardless of the reason, the best way to stop it is with reward and mild punishment. A reward is the most likely way to elicit a positive response according to psychologist BF Skinner.


When a dog responds in kind to its owner's affectionate hug or kiss greeting, or stress or anxiety causes it to lick other things like the floor or furniture, a gentle tap on the face will gradually teach the dog that licking is not acceptable. Sometimes this will keep a dog health problem like licking from becoming difficult to stop later.

How to Stop Dog Licking


There is no doubt that owning a dog is one of the greatest privileges that any person can have. Dogs are loyal, friendly, and funny and they provide people of all ages the opportunities to learn and grow. Bringing a new puppy home can be fraught with lots of challenges that many people are not prepared for. Maybe you just adopt a new puppy Or, your female dog has had a beautiful litter of puppies but for some reason or another is not nursing them.

If these scenarios sound familiar, or if you've found yourself in a situation where you have a puppy that cannot be nursed the natural way, you are going to have to feed him or her by hand. The most effective means for accomplishing this is via bottle feeding.

When you first take on the task of bottle feeding a puppy it is extremely important to remember that the younger your puppy is, the more often you are going to have to feed him or her. During the puppies first two or three days of age you will need to bottle feed approximately once every two hours and for the rest of the first week a minimum of once every three hours.

After the first week your puppy is going to need to be fed at least five or six times per day. As puppies get older the frequency with which you will need to hold a bottle feeding session will decline.

You're first order of importance when considering to bottle feed a puppy, or making the preparations to do so, that what you feed him or her is nutritionally balanced to fit the puppies needs. There are a number of puppy milk formulas on the market that will take the guesswork out of mixing your own formula, three of the most common are: Esbilac, Puppylac and Hartz Advanced Care Puppy Milk Replacement.

Now that you've determined what you're going to feed your puppy, you need to have a bottle to actually perform the task of feeding. Most veterinary clinics, pet stores and pet departments in larger department stores will have bottles specifically designed for nursing puppies. If you are unable to procure an actually puppy nursing bottle you can substitute a human infant bottle equipped with a preemie nipple.

The actual bottle feeding process is really quite simple. First mix the formula and be sure that it is mixed well and without clumps as otherwise will cause the formula's nutrients to not be dispersed well and also bottle nipple will plug. While the formula is cooling to room temperature make sure you puppy is lying on his or her belly.

Gently insert the nipple into the puppy's mouth. If you're puppy doesn't take the nipple directly let a small drop fall on his or her mouth and with an extremely gentle prying motion open your puppies mouth and insert the nipple that way. Once the nipple is in place your puppy should take to the nipple and begin sucking naturally.

Be careful to not overfeed your puppy, play it safe and allow them to only drink a little less than they desire. Overfeeding can result in a number issues that can be detrimental to your puppies health that may require veterinary assistance to correct. It is always better to feed a lesser amount but increase the frequency of feeding sessions.

Just as with a human infant, puppies need to be burped too. At the end of a feeding session hold your puppy upright against your shoulder and gently pat his or her back. By doing so you will decrease the likelihood that your puppy's belly will bloat and will lower the chances for your puppy to become colicky.

How to Bottle Feed a New Puppy


Puppies are like human babies. They need tender care and are very subtle creatures. Giving them the care that puppies need is no different from taking care human babies. The minute a puppy is born until it is six months old, it can be very helpless and needs all the care in order for it to survive. A puppy should be fed four to six times a day if possible. Puppies needs to feed four times the amount of food that adult dogs feed on and it is in the food that puppies eat where they can grow healthy and gain weight and be old enough to care for themselves.

What happens when a mother dog can't care for her pups, died during childbirth, or can't produce enough milk for them all? Often these puppies be become orphaned and are picked up by humane organizations. If you are willing to work hard caring for a puppy, these new orphans can fill your heart with warmth. Be sure to begin with a visit to the vet so that he can get them started on all the right shots and feeding schedule.

Puppies are a lot of fun, but you must be very responsible as well. You'll need to establish a regular feeding schedule and begin to housebreak them immediately. It can be time-consuming, but if you can make this commitment, you'll have a lifelong friend. Puppies must be nurtured and socialized. Orphaned puppies will not have the benefit of natural milk, so nutrition will be very important to prevent diseases. Sanitizing the area where the puppy sleeps is also important.

Remembering all of the puppies needs will help you to make a realistic decision as to whether or not you truly have the time for a new puppy. An orphaned puppy will need to start out with either bottle feeding or tube feeding. Bottle feeding is usually the best option. Tubes can be risky to the puppy, as the tube can move into the lungs and cause choking. When bottle feeding, avoid choking by feeding the pup while it is on its' belly.

So what puppy formula should you use? It's a good idea to ask your vet, however Esbilac or Puppylac are widely used formulas. Cow milk, goat milk, raw egg whites, and honey should never be given to a puppy. Egg whites contain an enzyme that is dangerous for puppies, and honey can be fatal. Finally, you'll need to monitor the calories your puppy is taking in each day in order to keep a healthy weight. Begin with 60-69 calories per pound in week one. Then move up to 70-79 calories per pound in week two, 80-89 per pound in week three, and 90-100 in week four.

How to Care for a New Puppy


Sometimes it seems like a dog will eat almost anything. It can be very tempting to share what you are eating because of those big eyes that follow every move that you make. You may find yourself tempted to slip your dog some scraps from the dinner table. Before you do, however, you should know that there are some foods you should never feed to your dog. The following are the six most fatal foods your dog should avoid, some of them may surprise you.

Sweets: Although most people already know that chocolates are definitely a no-no for your dog, you should also avoid feeding your dog any types of sweets at all. Sugary foods and drinks can cause your dog to suffer from obesity, dental problems or even diabetes just as it can in humans. Baked goods, gums and other candies can lead to possible liver failure or possibly even seizures.

Onions:  Onion powder and garlic are some other foods that can wreak havoc. All types of onion and garlic are problem to dogs. This includes cooked, raw, dehydrated, powders or those in foods. They can break down a dog's red blood cells and drastically decrease the oxygen that gets in to its blood. While the problems might not show up right away, they can accumulate over time. Look out for symptoms like diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and a general malaise.

Bread Dough: Avoid bread dough. Its soft consistency may cause the dog to think that it can swallow the dough whole. The dough can then rise in your pup's stomach and cause bloating and nausea. Pets that have eaten bread dough may experience abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation and depression. As the dough rises, it expands in the stomach making it difficult to "vomit". Several dogs have to have the dough removed surgically in some strange situations.

Alcohol:  Dogs and alcohol are a bad combination; their bodies simply cannot handle it. Giving a dog alcohol can very easily lead to alcohol poisoning, Signs of alcohol poisoning may include odor of alcohol on the animal's breath, , behavioral changes, staggering, excitement, increased urination, depression, cardiac arrest or slowed respiratory rate and death.

Certain Fruits: There are certain fruits that you should also avoid giving to your dog. Avocado is just one of them. Avocados contain persin, which is harmless to humans but possibly toxic to dogs. Grapes and raisins can also cause kidney failures. You'll notice a change in your dog's behavior when he starts becoming lethargic. Repeated vomiting can also be a sign of illness from eating grapes and raisins. Fruits that have seeds in it such as persimmons, peaches, and plums can lead to intestinal inflammation as the seeds can obstruct the intestine or stomach.

Drinks: Be warned, that large amounts of caffeine can be fatal to your dog. Watch out for signs of caffeine poisoning. Your dog’s rapid breathing, muscle tremors, and even bleeding can detect these. Some medicines also contain caffeine so be careful of the home medications that you give to your dog. Alcohol, of course, shouldn't be given to your dog. Any drinks with alcohol such as beer, wine, or liquor can affect your dog's liver, brain, and central nervous system.

As most vets would advise, you should always give your dog a high-quality grade of dog food. Vitamins will also help boost your dog's immune system to fight off diseases and other possible sicknesses. If your dog may have ingested any of the foods mentioned above, make sure to contact your vet and ask for advice and medication that will ensure your dog isn't affected long term.

Six Most Fatal Foods Your Dog Should Avoid



Taking your pup for a walk is an amazing task. In a perfect world, he will calmly walk by your side or a little behind you hardly paying attention to other animals and people. Unfortunately, this is generally far from the truth. No matter where we walk our pooches we need to teach them manners and respect. That way the walks are pleasurable instead of stressful. The following are the 5 guidelines for better walks with your dog.

1. Use the right tools. The kind of leash/harness/collar combo you use is dependent on your particular dog's needs. Pretty much any dog can walk nicely on a standard flat collar if taught how to do it using techniques such as the red light/green light game. Front-attaching harnesses and head halters can be helpful for pullers. And back attaching harness are good for small dogs with a delicate trachea, or for doing behavior modification work such as BAT. But no dog, I repeat - NO DOG - should be on a retractable leash. Please, if you have one, throw it in the can right now. I have seen retractable leashes snap in two more times than I care to recall. They are a major safety hazard. In regards to teaching your dog to walk nicely, they will do the exact opposite by encouraging pulling, lack of focus and disengagement with the handler. When it comes to retractable leashes, just say no.

2. Play Red Light/Green Light. This is really more of a rule than a game, but games are fun and rules aren't, so let's call it a game. Every time the dog pulls and the leash gets tight - stop abruptly. That's your red light. Now do absolutely nothing and wait for your dog to slacken the leash on her own. This means no giving verbal cues, manipulating the leash or prompting in any way. Wait it out. The dog will eventually either shift her body back, turn to look at you, circle behind you or sit down, and the leash will slacken. The moment the leash is loose, mark the behavior verbally ("yes") or with a clicker and begin moving forward again. This is the green light. The consequence for pulling is we stop and remove the reinforcer (moving forward). The reward for putting slack on the leash is we resume moving forward. This technique works wonders on even the worst pullers, but it does require a bit of patience.

3. Use life rewards. Life rewards are simply things that your dog enjoys and finds rewarding that are part of daily life. The life rewards that you may encounter on walks are things like greeting dogs and people, sniffing interesting smells, playing with or carrying sticks or having the freedom to choose which direction to go in and what area to explore. One of my favorite life rewards combines sniffing and exploring. When I notice that the dog I'm walking is drawn to a particular area, I will stop, have her sit and give me eye contact and then say "free" and point to the area. At first, the dog usually needs a little coaxing since they know I make decisions about where to go on the leash, but once they get the hang of it, they learn that 'free' means "OK, take a moment to sniff around and explore freely." I make sure to follow the dog closely wherever she wants to go so that we keep the leash loose. After 30 seconds or so, I'll give a command that indicates to the dog that free time is over and I expect them to follow me again. Usually, that will be a heel command. The beautiful thing about this is that we teach the dog that they can have their cake and eat it too. They can have what they want, they just have to ask nicely for it and earn access to it. In this case, the dog did it by sitting and giving me attention. Life rewards are everywhere. Use them.

4. Reward natural behaviors. Dogs are always doing awesome things that usually get completely ignored. When I'm training with puppies, I'll make a huge deal about it every single time the dog looks up at me while we are working on lead. Attentiveness on the leash is a wonderful behavior to reinforce, and when you do, you'll get a lot more if it. If you notice that at times, your dog walks easily at the heel, make sure to let her know that you like what she is doing. You can praise, treat, and/or use life rewards.

5. Be decisive. This is a big one for many dog owners and it raises the question, who's walking who? So often, it is the dog making all the decisions on the walk while the human trails along. This is no good. At best, it's simply giving your dog the wrong idea about who is in charge and can lead a dog to ignore attempts at leadership in other situations. At worst, it could mean a dog being hit by a car or a fight that ends in a vet or hospital visit. So let's make the decision to make more decisions! You will make the decisions about which way to go, where to stop, how long you wait when the dog can greet, how the dog can greet, when the dog crosses streets and goes through doors, how fast or slow you move, and what behavior is acceptable on the leash. This is a far safer approach to walks and it is also an approach that teaches your dog that you are the decision maker. Our dogs need that from us - particularly the working breeds. Teach them to defer to you and to follow you, and life with your dog will be far easier and more enjoyable.

5 Guidelines for Better Walks with Your Dog

 
Dog owners always say they wish they had held their dog more because as they look back, although their dog is only few years old, they are not small puppy anymore and the time seems to have passed so rapidly. It is common knowledge that dogs age faster than humans and you may notice certain signs when the aging process starts. What is important to note is that dogs do not all age in the same way and at the same pace. Much of the pace depends on their up keep. A properly fed, exercised, loved and well socialized dog will likely age better with a stronger body and mind. However, they do age and seeing the signs ahead of time can make the difference between a well, gracefully ageing dog or a sick ageing one.

Signs Of An Ageing Dog

Stiffening joints and arthritis. These the two most common dog ageing conditions. It is likely your dog will be less interested in joining in the fun of playing ball or going out for a run. He may seem reluctant to partake in much activity. Cold wet weather will contribute to his discomfort.

Doesn't recuperate at a normal pace. When your dog doesn't recuperate from injuries or illnesses as fast it's can be a sign his ageing years are setting in and his physical health is changing. At seven years of age the bones begin to lose density making it harder to heal. If they are already exercising less muscle is losing mass and cartilage is wearing thin. It is often at this stage that signs of arthritis begin to show. An ageing dog's immune system also weakens which is why it is so important what he is fed in young life.

Ensuring your dog has a strong immune system from the beginning and throughout his young life is a dog wellness practice that should not be ignored. Natural pet health care is the best way to ensure your dog is living on the wellness side of life to make him strong for his ageing years.

Loss of hearing. Although usually at a slow pace, loss of hearing takes place as the nerve cells begin to deteriorate. Take note if you have to call your dog more times than normal or if you find you are calling him and he is not coming at all.

Loss of Vision. At some point the eye lens becomes cloudy and although this does not cause major vision loss, sometimes cataracts can develop causing vision loss.

Cognitive Dysfunction is a common ailment of ageing dogs, which has a huge impact on their daily life and you're as a pet owner as well. Dog wellness due diligence is recognizing and properly handling this situation for your ageing dog. People he knows well will suddenly feel like strangers to him. He may also become nervous for no reason which can be a sign he has suddenly forgotten where he is.

Decreased Activity means your ageing dog's metabolic rate is slowing down. This is of course after you have checked for any injuries or physical discomfort that may also be causing less activity. There can be other reasons for this so if you notice this in your dog your need to have it checked out immediately.

Weight Gain is a common factor of an ageing dog. Senior dogs require anywhere from 30 to 40 percent fewer calories. Dog wellness practices means ensuring you switch your elderly dog to a senior appropriate diet, with the appropriate amount of calories for his age. Neglecting this practice will result in obesity. Remember that ageing dogs also exercise less so they are not able to burn the calories they used to. Amend his diet to suit is ageing lifestyle.




7 Dog Ageing Signs



If you are looking for ways to allow your dog to enjoy all the freedom and, at the same time, keep the dog within certain limits, the wireless dog fence is the best choice. The dog will not need any leash and will not be restricted by any physical limits. The dog can also be controlled using a wireless fence even when the owner is not at home. If you decide to take your pet on vacation but do not want the dog to disappear from sight, a wireless dog fence will be very useful. The following are some of the most important benefits of wireless dog fences.

No visible boundary: The dog fence uses only one single wire as a boundary. So you don't have to assign an irritating fence around your home. Also, the fence can be hidden under the carpet or any other thing. So it will not be visible to disturb the decoration of your room or make it difficult to walk around the room.

Low cost: The wireless dog fence is a much more cost-effective way of protecting your dog from going outside than a visible fence. You don't have to build a conventional boundary with a lot of money and spending a lot of time. The wireless fence can save you a lot.

More effective: The wireless fence is much more effective than any other protection method. The dog will get a mild electric shock if it crosses the boundary. The shock will not do any major harm to the dog but will make the dog careful to cross the border. And it will eventually learn to respect the fence.

Effective for any size of room: The wireless dog fence is an effective method for any size of the place. You can define the dimensions of the boundary by the wire you use and it can be small or large. For a very large place, you can use the GPS enable technology. This will protect the wide area without any boundary. The wireless dog fence is a much more cost-effective way of protecting your dog from going outside than a visible fence. You don't have to build a conventional boundary with a lot of money and spending a lot of time. The wireless dog fence can save you a lot.

4 Reasons Why You Need a Wireless Dog Fence



Sully, with a silent shake of his paw, agreed to “support, comfort, as well as cheering the warriors and their families" at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Former President George H.W. Bush's service dog, Sully, is now a member of the United States Navy.

The Labrador retriever joined Walter Reed's military medical facility Dog Program in Bethesda, Maryland, on Wednesday, as a sworn service dog.

Sully, now known as the Navy Officer Corpsman (HM) Petty officer Sully, swore an oath in front of US servicemen and women and at least six other service dogs, while promising to "support, comfort and cheer warriors and their families, active service and retired. "

In addition, Sully accepted, with a silent shake of his paw, that he was taking the role freely, "without any promise of tummy massage or treats."

A photograph later posted on Sully's Instagram account celebrated his recruitment as "an honor and privilege to join a wonderful group of dogs at Walter Reed Bethesda."

"I look forward to continue my mission of serving veterans as my best friend wanted me to," the pot read.

The ceremony comes after Sully briefly serving as Bush's service dog before the president's death last November. Prior to that, Sully was trained by American VetDogs, a non-profit organization that collects and trains service dogs for disabled veterans and first responders.

Sully, named after retired aviation pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, who was famous for landed a damaged airline plane on the Hudson River in 2009, captured hearts around the world while attending the late president’s funeral of and memorial services. With the dog frequently seen lying and sitting before his casket.

Sully, George H.W. Bush’s Service Dog, Takes on New Role Helping Military Patients

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