Preventing Your Dog From Catching Diseases

by: Jack Russell
Like any other pet, dogs, if not properly cared and maintained, could get diseases. Here are some parasites that cause dog diseases.
- Heartworm. Mosquito bites cause heartworm to exist in a dog and will reside in your pet’s heart and nearby blood vessels. A dog infected by heartworms looks dull and may even have a chronic cough. If possible, ask your veterinarian if your dog could be given a heartworm medication when it is the season of mosquitoes.
- Hookworm. Hookworms can be given by the mother dog to a puppy during the nursing period or even before birth. Hookworms cause dog anemia and appetite loss.
- Roundworm. The transmittal of roundworms is very much like how hookworms get transmitted in a dog. An infected dog usually has a potbelly. Roundworms cause pneumonia, diarrhea, dehydration, stunted growth, and vomiting.
- Tapeworm. A dog gets tapeworms if it swallows fleas that are larvae-laden. Much of the symptoms that are obvious rarely show, but in the dog’s feces, you could see deposits of rice-like appearance.
- Whipworm. A dog infected with whipworms may have diarrhea and other ailments like, stool mucus, and serious bowel inflammation. Extreme weight loss is also a symptom caused by whipworms.
- Fleas. Fleas, the commonest among external parasites, cause the dog to continuously scratch various parts of the body. This results to fur loss. Ask your veterinarian on a good flea-control program, since fleas could become resistant to some products over time.
- Lice. Lice can infect less common compared with fleas. Plus, they can be controlled easier.
- Ticks. Ticks can pose more serious problems than fleas because diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or Lyme disease, can be contracted with ticks. Tweezers can be used to remove ticks one by one. If you do not know how to remove ticks properly and carefully, ask your vet first. If you do know how, ticks should be placed in a can with soap and water.
Treating dog diseases
Some ways of treating dog diseases that your vet might use:
- Pills
- Liquid medicine
- Eye drops and ointment
- Ear drops and ointment
With proper care and prevention, your pet dog would be generally free and safe from various diseases. If you notice something’s wrong with your dog, immediately consult with your vet. You will never know what might happen.
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/.

Building A Dog Kennel

by: Simon Oldmann
Should I get into Dog Kennel Building? Anyone who owns a dog as a pet will tell you that maintaining one can make a considerable dent in your wallet. The expenses of keeping a dog includes dog food costs and vet bills. Some pet owners find these costs over whelming and as a direct result many dogs end up in animal shelters. Genuine dog lovers often refrain from getting a dog for themselves, simply because the costs of owning one are too high. However, there are several ways of cutting down on unnecessary costs and to keep your pet happy and healthy at the same time. For example, if you want a kennel for your dog, buying one can turn out to be an expensive affair. Building your own dog kennel cuts this cost half. Many dog owners share their living space 24x7 with their pets. This can result in a lot of hassles like cleaning up after your dog leaves muddy footprints on your floor or spending precious time vacuuming fur off carpets, sofas and other furniture. For those who like to give their pets their own cozy home, a doghouse or a kennel is the way to go. Now the best part about dog kennels, especially for do-it-yourselfers, is that you can build one your self. Although, you will still need to bear the costs of building supplies as well as give your own labor input, the biggest advantages here are that costs are a mere fraction of those incurred when purchasing a ready made dog house and that you can customize the kennel to suit your puppy’s needs. Most of the kennels available on the market are of a fairly standard size and if you have a particularly large or small dog, this may pose a problem. Building a dog kennel means you will have to make one large enough so that your pet can comfortably turn around, but at the same time not too large, since it helps retain your dogs body heat and allows self-insulation to a degree. Dog kennel building is a fairly easy task if you have even the tiniest bit of experience in carpentry. When building a custom doghouse, make sure the kennel is raised a few inches off the ground to prevent seepage of moisture into the wood. Also, when shopping for plywood, make sure to purchase exterior grade plywood instead of pressure treated plywood. At the same time, ensure that your dog is not in the habit of chewing wood because the chemicals used to treat exterior grade plywood may be harmful to your pet. When building dog kennels, keep these three factors in mind. That is, the size of the doghouse, the right type of wood and the height at which the kennel is raised from the ground. Once the basics are in place, you can do what you want in terms of design and building. You may even design the kennel according to your pet’s personality, giving it the ultimate designer home.
About The Author
Simon Oldmann is an avid dog lover, now living in the countryside he setup a dog kennel for his dogs, Simon currently writes tips and advice about dog kennels at http://dogkennel.zupatips.com/