As with humans the skin communicates sensations such as pain, heat, cold, touch, etc. to the brain. An animals skin also processes vitamin D just as we do. When we take our pet to the veterinarian, one of the usual examinations done is one of the skin. When the veterinarian back brushes the fur he/she is not only looking for parasites such as fleas and mites, but they are also looking at the skin. Dry skin and fur can indicate illness. Yellow skin can indicate jaundice and blue skin can indicate heart problems. Rashes can mean allergies.

Dogs can have seasonal and environmental allergies as well as food allergies. Food allergies may not always be associated with new foods but can also come from foods they have eaten for years and have become sensitive to due to many reasons. So called “hot-spots”, for example may be a result of a dog no longer being able to digest a certain food. Your veterinarian will recommend ways to test your dogs diet and recommend a course of treatment. Many dogs such as spaniels have seasonal and environmental allergies which can manifest themselves not only with sneezing and watery eyes, but also with skin rashes.

Allergies to fleas and medicines can also cause skin rashes. There are now veterinarians who are specializing in animal allergies and dermatology. Should your veterinarian find it necessary a referral could be made for diagnosis and treatment.

There are also genetic skin disorders and glandular skin disorders. There are several diseases associated with ovarian and testicular problems. Diagnosis and treatment can be made by your veterinarian. Dogs are also susceptible to various types of skin fungus. They are highly contagious to humans and other animals. Mange is another skin disease that is contagious. Quick diagnosis and treatment is essential.

In addition to the previously mentioned skin problems, there are also seborreic (seborrhea) skin diseases, tumors, melanomas, infected sores, mites, etc., that can be diagnosed by your veterinarian.

The purpose of this article is to make owners aware that the care and regular examination of your dogs skin is essential. Before buying a dog, consult with the breeder and a veterinarian. Know the diseases which are specific to the breed you desire. Know your dogs body as you should know your own. Check for skin problems during regular grooming.

If you find an area of concern, consult your veterinarian immediately. Do not make a self diagnosis and start a course of treatment. Only a veterinarian can make a proper diagnosis and recommend oral and/or topical treatments. Delay in proper diagnosis and treatment can cause delay in recovery and possible spread of the ailment and unnecessary prolonged discomfort for your beloved pet.

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These are natural normal signs of elderly dogs, and are inevitable. Depending on the breed and size of your dog, the rate of aging can be quite different. For example at 10 years of age, a dog under 20 pounds is approximately equivalent to 56 human years. Compare the same aged dog (10 years old) that is over 90 pounds, and they are equivalent to approximately 78 human years.

Vets usually consider a small dog to be senior citizens around the 12th year. A large breed dog reaches the same stage around their 7th year. This is according to a report from Tuft’s University.

Using established guidelines to determine when your dog starts entering their golden years will help to understand any changes in behavior and health. Keeping regular checkups with your vet is also most important as your dog ages, as any irregularities can be found early.

Signs of aging and tips to help keep your senior pet as perky as possible are:

Difficulty getting up from lying down, or limping and difficulty moving could indicate arthritis. Your vet can help recommend supplements or proper modified exercise routines to relieve discomfort, and increase mobility. Usually the proper supplements such as glucosamine will relieve mild arthritis symptoms.

Although graying hair and drying skin are quite normal in aging canines, a nice daily massage and a regular grooming routine can help your senior pet’s skin condition improve. Also, because of the slowing down in daily routines for your senior dog, this can be your special bonding time set aside to make him/her feel special and also break up a boring day and give you both something to look forward too.

Certain breeds such a Labrador Retrievers are also known to be genetically predisposed to arthritis and hip problems. Every dog breed seems to have their own specific genetic downfalls that you should make yourself aware of when you adopt your puppy.

Excellent nutrition from puppy hood will help delay or decrease the speed of which the aging process proceeds. Your dog’s life will definitely be shortened if he is overweight because more diseases and illnesses are likely to be caused by obesity.

The dog’s environment should be kept clean and free of parasites, fleas, and ticks. This will certainly help increase the chances of a longer life.

Vision and hearing ultimately become diminished in your aging dog. Try not to startle your dog by changing his environment (moving furniture, changing the location of his bed, etc.). With diminished hearing you will have to attempt to get your dog’s attention in other ways, such as clapping your hands, or standing in front of him and using hand motions.

Sudden weight loss or loss of appetite needs to be checked out immediately by your vet.

Also a sudden increase in appetite, especially with no weight gain involved may indicate diabetes. Also a sudden increase in thirst is also a sign of diabetes. This also needs immediate attention from your vet.

Excessive panting in your senior dog may indicate heart disease. If this continues for more than a day this is another reason to get to the vet as soon as possible.

As with any dog, diarrhea and vomiting lasting more than a day needs to be checked right away.

And finally, and possibly the worst problems to watch out for in your aging dog are the behavioral changes. Just as when we deal with our elderly family members who have dementia or Alzheimer’s, dealing with a pet with drastic personality changes can be traumatic for both of your. Some symptoms to watch for are: Confusion, lack of attentiveness, disorientation, roaming in circles, barking for no reason, elimination accidents and being withdrawn. Also uncharacteristic aggression may start in old age. Try to keep your old dog’s environment as stable and unchanging as possible as this may help.

It is difficult to watch the deterioration slowly change our robust, vibrant and active puppy into a slow moving, tired and sometimes cranky family member. The transition to the “golden years” do not need to be traumatic if you watch carefully and notice the gradual changes. As they happen, taking care of them will minimize their severity, and your dog can be eased into senior status with minor problems. We can always enjoy our pets at any age, just as long as our expectations change with their needs.

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If the pug’s nostrils are narrow or constrained, he has a problem called “stenotic nares,” which can strain his body and lead to an enlarged heart. This condition’s symptoms include breathing through the mouth and foamy nasal discharge, and both can be corrected with surgery.

A problem in which the pet’s eyelids will roll in making the lashes to rub irritably against the pet’s eyes is termed entropion, and is an important health concern because it can facilitate other issues such as ulcerations, scratches and irriation of the pet’s eyes which only makes a bad situation worse. The usual way to treat your puppy dog for this malady is surgery, but it’s important to note early on the signs and symptoms for it to be successfully controlled.

Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. A disorder of the eyes leading to poorly functioning ocular surfaces is Dry Eye, in which tear liquid is not produced as fast as it is evaporated. When not enough tears are being produced by our tear ducts, this may be caused by blockage of the duct or the lack of nerve stimulation, and treatment depends on how severe the condition is.

Demodectic skin mites is a common problem among many dogs and comes in two forms. With the first form, localized demodectic mange, appearing as small hairless patches of skin, is seen in dogs under one year of age. The second form is generalized demodectic mange, which appears in one large patch of hairless but healthy looking skin and can appear in a dog of any age.

There are many more health conditions that you should look out for if you own or intend to own a pug, so if you suspect that your dog has any of the problems listed above or problems that may not be listed make an appointment with your vet and have your dog evaluated.

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Homeopathic remedies are becoming more popular in pets and people and are the opposite of traditional Veterinary care which relies on chemical-based medicines. Homeopathic treatment requires administration of heavily diluted and distilled doses of certain substances such as wolf’s bane, oysters, cinchona plants and other natural ingredients to boost the immune system. An overall health history is taken and a homeopathic Veterinarian creates a plan of specific dosages to treat the whole animal, not merely the symptoms of one condition. Remedies are also created from diseased fecal matter, blood and tissue samples. The diluted doses of these materials often contain none of the original material upon dosage. While some owners swear by homeopathic remedies for their dogs, the FDA has not approved these methods for Veterinary use. Clinical trails have proved inconclusive for this method of holistic care; however, it continues to increase in popularity.

Another popular holistic treatment for dogs is acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient medical treatment practiced for over 5,000 years beginning in the Stone Age in China with fish bones used as needles. Acupuncture was once popular in the United States; however, it slipped into obscurity with the wide spread use of antibiotics in the 1940s. The majority of modern Veterinary text books now contain information on acupuncture. Acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into certain pressure points within the body in effort to relieve pain by increasing the flow of energy within the whole body. Acupuncture is used in the treatment of a variety of canine health problems including respiratory conditions, dermatological, gastrointestinal and immune-mediated disorders. While westerners find it hard to explain; there is irrefutable proof supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture in people as well as dogs. Whether you choose to use it in conjunction with regular Veterinary care, as exclusive treatment or as a last ditch efforts when other methods have failed; it is a valid and respected treatment method amongst Veterinarians and their owners.

Perhaps the most popular holistic treatment for dogs includes nutritional therapy. Nutrition experts suggest that the modern Western diet is responsible for many of the diseases and illnesses in modern society. Nutritional therapy in dogs suggests a return to a macrobiotic diet and a departure from commercially processed dog foods. The earliest recorded use of a macrobiotic diet was found in the writings of Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine. Macrobiotic type diets for dogs include a combination of 1/3 each of brown rice, lean meat and vegetables. Therapists also suggest feeding the proper combination of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. These natural diets are thought to prevent some of the diseases caused by over processed commercial dog foods including hypertension, heart disease and skin disorders. These diets are time consuming to prepare, but many owners are making the leap in reaction to wide spread pet food recalls caused by toxic materials found in dozens of popular dog food brands.

Other popular holistic methods gaining popularity include hypnotherapy and massage. When deciding on a course of treatment, make sure to get several opinions and consider all of your options. While some of these methods are not proven effective; others are and should be considered as valid courses of treatment. While it is easy to point out the shortcomings of medicine based treatment, dogs are living longer lives than ever because of them.

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Your dog is your very best friend. Every single time you walk through the door your dog is so happy to see you that he wags his tail and practically smiles at you. How can you show your pet how much they mean to you? Well, one way is to take care of that smile for your pet. Did you know that your dog’s diet can influence their oral health?

Humans need to brush and floss their teeth regularly to keep their teeth, tongue, and gums in good condition. Research has recently shown a link between good oral health in humans and a lower risk of heart disease. If good oral health can have such a profound affect on people, then it only makes sense to consider the impact it can have on man’s best friend.

It is important to brush your dog’s teeth frequently to keep plaque and tartar from becoming an issue. Even wiping his gums with a clean, damp cloth can be beneficial.

Your dog’s diet also plays a role in your pet’s oral health. Do you typically feed your dog canned or dry dog food? What kind of treats and toys do you provide for your pet? All of these things can affect the likelihood of trouble with your pet’s teeth.

When your dog’s diet is nutritionally sound, containing essential vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes, your pet’s oral health will be at its very best. Feeding dry dog food rather than a moist canned variety is best for your dog. The tiny kibbles’ hard surface rubs against the teeth to remove and reduce plaque. The simple act of moistening the dry dog food with water or gravy eliminates this property from dry dog food. Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

The treats you give your pet are part of your dog’s diet just like snacks are part of a person’s diet. As humans, we tend to want to overlook our snacking habits, so it can be easy to overlook the treats you give your dog. This is not a good idea. Carefully consider any and all items your dog will consume.

Do you give your dog bones, rawhides, jerky treats, or dog biscuits? Maybe your pet prefers greenies or corn starch chews. You may not have considered it, but tossing Spot a rawhide chew is like giving him a candy bar. The rawhide, for example, contains calories and is often provided between meals.

Many of the treats and snacks you provide in your dog’s diet can be just empty wasted calories. Some treats, alternatively, provide excellent opportunity to improve oral health. Greenies, rawhides, bones, and hard dog biscuits all help to keep tartar at bay. The softer snacks, such as jerky treats, do not provide much relief from plaque. The healthy treat, on occasion, will also prevent your dog from having bad breath.

Your dog’s diet must be healthy to ensure excellent oral health. Dry dog food is best whenever possible. Don’t forget to select treats for your pet that will enhance your dog’s diet. Consciously monitoring your dog’s diet will positively influence your best friend’s oral health.

This article’s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

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Your dog is your very best friend. Every single time you walk through the door your dog is so happy to see you that he wags his tail and practically smiles at you. How can you show your pet how much they mean to you? Well, one way is to take care of that smile for your pet. Did you know that your dog’s diet can influence their oral health?

Humans need to brush and floss their teeth regularly to keep their teeth, tongue, and gums in good condition. Research has recently shown a link between good oral health in humans and a lower risk of heart disease. If good oral health can have such a profound affect on people, then it only makes sense to consider the impact it can have on man’s best friend.

It is important to brush your dog’s teeth frequently to keep plaque and tartar from becoming an issue. Even wiping his gums with a clean, damp cloth can be beneficial.

Your dog’s diet also plays a role in your pet’s oral health. Do you typically feed your dog canned or dry dog food? What kind of treats and toys do you provide for your pet? All of these things can affect the likelihood of trouble with your pet’s teeth.

When your dog’s diet is nutritionally sound, containing essential vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes, your pet’s oral health will be at its very best. Feeding dry dog food rather than a moist canned variety is best for your dog. The tiny kibbles’ hard surface rubs against the teeth to remove and reduce plaque. The simple act of moistening the dry dog food with water or gravy eliminates this property from dry dog food. Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

The treats you give your pet are part of your dog’s diet just like snacks are part of a person’s diet. As humans, we tend to want to overlook our snacking habits, so it can be easy to overlook the treats you give your dog. This is not a good idea. Carefully consider any and all items your dog will consume.

Do you give your dog bones, rawhides, jerky treats, or dog biscuits? Maybe your pet prefers greenies or corn starch chews. You may not have considered it, but tossing Spot a rawhide chew is like giving him a candy bar. The rawhide, for example, contains calories and is often provided between meals.

Many of the treats and snacks you provide in your dog’s diet can be just empty wasted calories. Some treats, alternatively, provide excellent opportunity to improve oral health. Greenies, rawhides, bones, and hard dog biscuits all help to keep tartar at bay. The softer snacks, such as jerky treats, do not provide much relief from plaque. The healthy treat, on occasion, will also prevent your dog from having bad breath.

Your dog’s diet must be healthy to ensure excellent oral health. Dry dog food is best whenever possible. Don’t forget to select treats for your pet that will enhance your dog’s diet. Consciously monitoring your dog’s diet will positively influence your best friend’s oral health.

This article’s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

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To help get you started, here are a few of the most common problems that your puppy may experience that you don’t have to seek veterinary care for.

Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and scrapes are part of the life of a puppy; just like children, they tend to get into everything and part of learning what is safe and what is not is getting into things that are not the best idea. This means that cuts, scrapes, and scratches will occur in the life of your pet, and it is your responsibility to discern between what things are safe to have in your small dog’s environment, and what things are not.

Whether your dog stays in the house all day or they spend a majority of their time outside, it is going to be difficult to pick up any and everything that could potentially draw blood from their delicate skins. Sharp objects, rocks, and even other pets can cause cosmetic damage to the skin of your pet, but remember that it is just that-cosmetic. They won’t kill your pet, and if you clean them right and do the right thing you might not even have to worry about a scar later on down the line.

In this case, some warm water and antibacterial soap is the best thing to have around. Your dog’s skin heals a lot like yours, so keeping the wound clean and bandaging it if necessary can make all of the difference in the world.

Paw Problems

Again, remember that your puppy is new to the world and they are going to have to find out a lot of things the hard way. Chances are that whether you have them inside or out, they are going to stick their noses-and their paws-where they don’t belong. This means that somewhere along the line they may end up with an object or a piece of an object in their delicate little paw pads.

While your little guy may be wailing like there is no tomorrow, don’t let that fluster you. This type of thing happens all the time but as dogs get older the skin on their paw pads gets tougher, as do they. You may see a bit of blood, but what is important is removing the object (usually with the help of a pair of tweezers) and cleaning the area as you would any other wound. Paw pads go directly on the ground, so it may be harder for them to keep this area clean than other wounds they may incur. Be careful to pay close attention to the area and make sure that it looks clean and that is as comfortable for them as possible.

Internal Parasites

Another part of puppy-hood is contracting internal parasites. They can come from a variety of places, and they can be pretty nasty at that. If not treated, worms and other parasites can do harm to the inside of your dog’s body and so it is your responsibility to make sure that your pet is de-wormed and ready to go. Luckily, this does not require the services of a veterinarian, at least in common cases.

Worms can be cured with a simple pill that can be bought over the counter, or picked up from your vet’s office. After they take the pill, the worms will likely be flushed out of the body; they should be fairly apparent in your pup’s waste material.

Of course, getting your dog to swallow the pill is half the battle. In most cases rolling it up in a piece of cheese or lunch meat or hiding it in a glob of peanut butter should do the trick just fine-your little guy probably won’t even notice!

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Stenotic Nares is when the nostrils of the pug are narrow or otherwise constricted, and this problem can put strain on the body making the dog have an enlarged heart. Signs of this condition, which can be corrected with surgery, include mouth breathing and nasal discharge that is foamy.

Entropion is a condition where the eyelids can roll inward causing the eye lashes to rub against the eye, which is a serious problem as it can cause ulcerations, scratches and irritation of the eye. The usual way to treat your puppy dog for this malady is surgery, but it’s important to note early on the signs and symptoms for it to be successfully controlled.

Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. Dry Eyes is a deficiency in producing enough tears to keep their eyes nice and lubricated. There are a few things that can cause the tear ducts not to produce enough tears, blockage of the duct, failure of the tear ducts or lack of nerve stimulation to the tear ducts, and treatment is dependent upon how severe the condition is.

One of the typical problems a lot of canines encounter is demodectic skin mites and they come in two types. With the first form, localized demodectic mange, appearing as small hairless patches of skin, is seen in dogs under one year of age. The second form is generalized demodectic mange, which appears in one large patch of hairless but healthy looking skin and can appear in a dog of any age.

If you currently own a pug or plan to in the future, there are many health problems that you should watch for; contact your vet if you suspect your dog may have any of the conditions listed above.

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Pugs are prone to cardiac issues due to the strain put on their hearts, which become abnormally enlarged, by their nostrils. They oftentimes are constricted or narrow, a nasal abnormality is known as stenotic nares. Signs of this condition, which can be corrected with surgery, include mouth breathing and nasal discharge that is foamy.

Entropion is a condition where the eyelids can roll inward causing the eye lashes to rub against the eye, which is a serious problem as it can cause ulcerations, scratches and irritation of the eye. The most widely used method for clearing this up is surgery and can remedy the situation; however, to find the problem and begin taking care to fix it is crucial to your pet’s welfare and healthiness.

Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. Having dry eyes can be defined as not being able to produce enough of your own tears to keep the eyes moist. There are a few things that can cause the tear ducts not to produce enough tears, blockage of the duct, failure of the tear ducts or lack of nerve stimulation to the tear ducts, and treatment is dependent upon how severe the condition is.

One of the typical problems a lot of canines encounter is demodectic skin mites and they come in two types. With the first form, localized demodectic mange, appearing as small hairless patches of skin, is seen in dogs under one year of age. The second form, generalized demodectic mange, appears as a large patch of skin that is hairless but healthy; this can appear on dogs of any age.

There are many more health conditions that you should look out for if you own or intend to own a pug, so if you suspect that your dog has any of the problems listed above or problems that may not be listed make an appointment with your vet and have your dog evaluated.

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If the pug’s nostrils are narrow or constrained, he has a problem called “stenotic nares,” which can strain his body and lead to an enlarged heart. This condition’s symptoms include breathing through the mouth and foamy nasal discharge, and both can be corrected with surgery.

A condition in which the eyelids fold inward, causing eye trouble including ulcerations and scratches, is called entropion. The usual way to treat your puppy dog for this malady is surgery, but it’s important to note early on the signs and symptoms for it to be successfully controlled.

Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. Dry Eyes is a deficiency in producing enough tears to keep their eyes nice and lubricated. When not enough tears are being produced by our tear ducts, this may be caused by blockage of the duct or the lack of nerve stimulation, and treatment depends on how severe the condition is.

Demodectic skin mites is a common problem among many dogs and comes in two forms. In the first type, namely localized demodectic mange, which is that which shows up in tiny areas of skin minus hair, is found in canines less than one year old. The next type is typically characterized by demodectic mange manifested by large areas of healthy looking skin without hair and dogs of any age can have this.

If you currently own a pug or plan to in the future, there are many health problems that you should watch for; contact your vet if you suspect your dog may have any of the conditions listed above.

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