Canaan Dog

The Canaan Dog is also known as: Kalef K'naani, Kelev Cana'ani

Fast Facts
Group classification: Herding Country of origin: Israel Date of origin: Antiquity
Weight (M): 45 - 55 lb Height (M): 20 - 24" Life expectancy: 12 - 13 years
Weight (F): 35 - 45 lb Height (F): 19 - 23"

1.General Description of the Canaan Dog

A sturdy dog of medium-size built along the lines of a racing hunter rather than a heavy plodder, the Canaan Dog is the only breed originating in Israel and is a member of the Herding Group. Squarely proportioned without extremes, the Canaan moves with athletic agility and an efficient ground-covering trot vital for survival in the wild. The head is wedge-shaped with prick ears, the nose is dark and slightly slanted, and almond-shaped eyes are dark brown and have an alert expression. The front legs are straight with round hard padded cat-like feet. The bushy tail curls over the back when the dog is excited or alert. The medium length double coat is harsh, straight, and lies flat. Canaan Dogs range in color from red to sand or may be black or white. They are often solid colored but may have white trim on the chest, feet, and tail tip; conversely, they may have a patched pattern of white with black or brown. In all color patterns there may be some ticking. The majority of US dogs are white and black, probably because the first four imports were white with black masks and patches.

2.Canaan Dog Temperament

While reserved and aloof with strangers, the Canaan Dog is inquisitive, loyal, and loving with his family. The dog gets along well with pets and other dogs. This is a highly territorial guard dog as well as a vocal watchdog. The Canaan Dog tends to be a one-person dog or one-family dog. Highly intelligent, the Canaan Dog is easily trained and excels in obedience, agility, tracking, and sentry work. They may also demonstrate the herding instinct. Somewhat independent, they require an owner who is firmly in charge.

3.Caring for a Canaan Dog

The Canaan Dog is a worker by nature, and needs plenty of physical and mental exercise everyday. Herding exercises, games, or vigorous training will help to satisfy these needs. Because Canaans are very defensive of their territory, they need socialization when young. If introduced as a puppy to people (especially children) and other dogs, their tendencies toward aloofness and dog aggression will be diminished. Canaans are moderately active indoors and can reside in an apartment if they get enough exercise. However, a sizeable yard would be preferable. Their dense undercoat protects the dog from extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold — so they can live outdoors, but they also make wonderful housedogs. Grooming requires little more than a weekly brushing. An extremely healthy breed, the Canaan rarely needs to see the vet and has no documented hereditary illnesses or conditions.

Dog Paw Care

Your dog's footpads are the toughest part of his skin, and absorb the shock and pressure on his joints from standing, walking and running. Due to their function, paws are prone to injury and dog paw care should be a part of your regular care routine.
I briefly inspect Zoe and Fritz's paws each evening as I outlined in an earlier post about getting your puppy used to being handled. It doesn't take long and is as simple as ensuring nothing is stuck between their toes and their pads are clean and free from mud and dirt.
Typical paw injuries include: abrasions, lacerations, punctures, burns and blisters to the footpad, dry, cracked pads and foreign objects lodged between the toes.

Symptoms of a paw injury: these include bleeding, limping, holding the injured paw off the ground, discoloration of the pad (difficult to see if the paws have a very dark pigmentation) and excessive licking and/or chewing of the paw.
If your dog is showing any of these symptoms, then you'll want to identify what is causing the problem. Be extremely careful handling an injured dog, even the most mild mannered dog can bite if he's in pain and feels threatened by you touching him. Putting a muzzle on your dog is a good way to protect yourself from a bite.
Treating abrasions, lacerations and punctures: the footpads contain a great number of blood vessels, so even a superficial paw cut can result in what seems like a serious amount of bleeding. The bleeding should stop relatively soon after you've treated the wound; if it doesn't, then contact your vet.
For abrasions and small cuts, clean the wound yourself with an anti-bacterial wash ([tag]chlorhexidine[/tag] diluted with water will suffice) and wrap the paw with a light bandage.
You will want to stop your dog from licking and chewing at the bandage - a good way to do this is to put an Elizabethan collar around his neck for a few days.
Your dog sweats through his footpads, so the bandage will become moist within a couple of days. Moist bandages slow down the rate of healing and can result in infection, so you should change the bandage every two to three days.
Depending on how deep the cut is, it should heel within a few days; if it doesn't and you are unsure how to carry on treating the wound, contact your vet.
With deep paw lacerations, I'd recommend you take your dog to your vet for treatment. He will suture (stitch) the pad, bandage it and probably apply a splint. Without the splint, every time your dog puts his paw to the ground, the pad will spread due the weight of your dog's body being applied to the paw - when this happens it's likely that the cut will open up again.
Burns and blisters: your dog's pads can easily burn and blister as a result of walking on a hot pavement or through hot sand.
If you look at your dog's pad there will either be a loose flap of the pad itself, or this will have becopme detached leaving a red, ulcerated patch.
The best thing you can do is to apply anti-bacterial wash and cover the paw with a bandage until the pad has healed. If your dog has a loose flap of pad you'll need to wait for this to come off, which it will do on its own or you can ask your vet to trim it off.
Dry, Cracked Pads: you dog's pads are naturally rough, they have to be so he has traction when he needs to turn quickly, sprint off and stop quickly. If the pads become cracked they are prone to collect dust and debris, which can cause further injury to the pad. Pads can be moisturised using a special footpad cream.
Try to avoid using human hand moisturiser as this tends to soften the pads to much and makes them prone to injury.
Foreign objects between the toes: the most common culprits are burrs, small stones and pieces of glass, dried mud and also your dog's matted fur.These can usually be removed with a pair of tweezers and matted fur can be trimmed back.
When to go to the vet: always contact your vet if you are unsure of the cause of the injury, you are not comfortable treating the injury yourself, the wound does not appear to be healing, or if your dog's paw becomes swollen.
Your vet will either recommend further treatment you can carry out at home or suggest you visit the clinic.
Prevention: sometimes accidents will happen, but to reduce the risk of a footpad injury keep your home and yard clear of sharp objects, take care when you are out to avoid hazards such as broken glass and other debris on pavements, walking on gravelled areas for a long period of time, hot pavements in the summer and road salt in the winter.
The best way to think about it is, would you be happy walking barefoot on that ground? If not, don't make your dog walk on it.

Dog Distemper Symptoms

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is an airborne type and highly contagious viral disease that is often fatal and can affects the respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal, optic nerves and central nervous systems.
Canine distemper is closely related to measles in human so if human has vaccine and immune to measles then they will also has immune to dog distemper. However there is a report that humans can possibly be infected with dog distemper disease but will show no signs or symptoms at all.
Large number of animal species and weasel-like animals such as lion, ferrets, foxes, wolves, coyotes, skunks, wild hogs, badgers, raccoons, pandas etc. can also develop this type of diseases. Dog distemper cannot affect or pass on to cat except other problems like skin irritations, mange, fleas, etc. Cat distemper is known as feline panleukopenia.
Puppies between 3-6 month of age are most susceptible to diseases infection and may suffer from more serious illness conditions such as inflammatory illness of the lung (pneumonia) and acute inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) when compare with older dogs. Around 15 percent of canine inflammatory central nervous system diseases are caused by canine distemper virus (CDV).
Nursing puppies has lower chance of CDV infection because a certain degree of immunity is passed down to puppies by colostrum-milk but this can only be done by giving colostrum-milk during the first 8-24 hours after birth.
Older dogs has little or no opportunity to become infected or exposed to the CDV virus because of the immunity build up but however there is a case that 7-8 years old dog has been infected with distemper.
Seasons has direct effects on the spread of dog distemper virus. Summer season and warm weather can force CDV to become dormantand lower their prevalence rate while CDV can be most virulent during early spring, fall and winter season.
Dog distemper incubation period ranges from 3-21 days in approximation and may be longer depend on other factors such as seasons, temperature etc.

Dog distemper symptoms

Early signs and symptoms of dog distemper

• fever
• loss of appetite (anorexia)
• mild eye inflammation (usually last two day)
• temperature rise to above 103 degree fahrenheit
• depression
• nasal discharge
• discharge from eye (conjunctivitis)

Dogs will have following symptoms when CDV affects theintestinal tract.

• vomiting
• diarrhea
• loss of appetite
• suddenly weak
• lethargy

Dogs will have following symptoms when CDV affects the lungs and upper respiratory tract.

• coughing
• sneezing
• vomiting
• green discharge from nostril
• discharge eye (conjunctivitis)
• diarrhea
• cough and labored breathing (pneumonia)
• runny nose (rhinitis)
• fever (usually unnoticed)

Dogs will have following symptoms when CDV affects the brain and spinal cord (encephalomyelitis), secondary bacterial infections.

• seizures
• muscle incoordination (ataxia)
• uncontrollable muscle twitch (myoclonus)
• hard pad disease
• depression
• abnormal increase in sensitivity to stimuli of the senses including hearing, tasting, feeling sense (hyperesthesia)
• partial or incomplete paralysis (paresis)
• deterioration of mental abilities

Dog Diabetes Symptoms

Dogs suffer from many ailments the same way as human do and diabetes is one of them.
Female dogs have nearly twice the risk of developing diabetes when compare with male canine. Middle-old age dog also have chance of developing this diseases.
Other factors that cause this illness is poor diet for a long time, obesity, cortisone treatments, genetic predisposition and stress etc.

Dog diabetes symptoms

• Suddenly weak
• Unable to sleep
• Low energy level
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Excessive water consumption (polydipsia)
• Frequent urination (polyuria)
• Increased appetite (polyphagia)
• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain
• Depression
• Vomiting
• Rapid breathing
• breath have an odor of acetone
• Liver malfunction
• Cataracts (cloudy eyes)

Diagnosis

Dog diabetes mellitus can be detect by doing urine analysis first then follow by blood tests. At first veterinarian will check your dog health to cut out other types of diseases that can cause false diagnosis. Veterinarian will then analyse urine for glucose because a diabetic dog will be spilling glucose into its urine. If an evidence of infection in the urinary tract is found then veterinarian will do the blood check to determine the level of sugar in blood. Normal blood sugar level for most dogs is around 70 - 150 mg/dl and dog that developed diabetes will have blood sugar level above 200 mg/dl.

Dog Fever Symptoms

Dogs are very similar to humans and they can have fever the same way as we do.
There are usually indicators and change in your pet behaviours to tell us that something is not normal.
Since your dog can't talk it is the your duty to watch for signs of dog fever symptoms and take care of them when they have don't feel well.

Dog fever symptoms

These are the signs to tell that your dog is not feeling well and starting to have fever.

• Overheated or body temperature raised above 103 degree fahrenheit
• coldness and shivering
• depression and sad expression
• respiration rate or pulse rate increase
• coughing
• sneezing
• watery eyes
• drooling a lot
• red gum or swollen
• lethargy
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• faints or collapses
• rough or dull coat
• clearly decreased in activity
• urinating problems or excessive urination for more than 12 hours
• loss of balance while walking, staggering and falling
• scratching at eyes or ears for a long time
• discharge from eyes, nose or ears
• breathing difficulty
• hot and prolonged panting
• whining for unclear reason
• increase or loss of appetite for more than 24 hours
• eat more but losing weight
• restlessness
• unusual lack of activity or excessive sleeping
• excessive water drinking

Other related symptoms are scratching, itching, painful movement or even bloody stools.
Some of the dog symptoms mentioned above are quiet serious and need to check with your vet because it may related to parasites, bacteria infections and diseases.

Dog fever prevention

Dog grown up in the house and they have no nature sense of survival like wild dogs. It is the owner duty to keep their dog in good health by giving them a regular exercise, proper diet and routine health check with your veterinarian. It is very important that you must memorize and remember your dog normal habits so the owner can detect their dog fever and symptoms when they are not feeling well. Always remember that prevention is better than cure.

Dog Chocolate Symptoms

Giving a small pieces of chocolate to your dog can spoil their habit and make them crave for more.

You can give chocolate or sweet candy when he behave well but you should aware that there are some types of chocolate that can be poisonous for your dog and lethal in some case.

Why is chocolate poisonous or lethal ?

Cocoa beans that were used in the chocolate production contains theobromine which can be toxic for your dog. Metabolise of theobromine in dog is very slow so it can stay in the bloodsteam for many hours which can affects and interferes with the central nervous system causing heart and kidneys problems.

Dog chocolate symptoms

The symptoms of theobromine poisoning can be clearly seen within 4 - 24 hours after chocolate has been consumed by your dog. The early signs of chocolate symptoms that can be seen from external are excessive thirst for water, vomiting, urination increased, diarrhea and restless.

As time passed, more theobromine will be absorb into the blood stream which will now affects the central nervous system causing heart rate to increase, serious muscle twitching, raise in blood pressure and hyperactivity. For worst case dog may have heart arrhythmia, seizures, abnormally high body temperature or hyperthermia and death.

Even if the small pieces of chocolate is consumed dog may vomit and having diarrhea due to high sugar and fat contained in the chocolate.

Treatments

You will have to do anythings to make your dog vomit the eaten chocolate out from his stomach. This will clearly reduce or decrease the amount of theobromine that can be absorb into your dog body. Call your local veterinarian and describe everythings that you know such as behaviour, symptoms, amount of chocolate consumed by your dog, previous record of allergy etc.

Many dogs usually recovered from dog chocolate symptoms and poisoning effects within 1 - 3 days after taken effective treatments from veterinarian.

Dog Illness Symptoms

Dog has become a part of our family now a day and they are certainly our best friend. Everyone want their dog to be healthy, live longer and happy all the time but sometimes they can get sick, behaviour changes and shown difference kind of illness symptoms.

Whatever your worries and concern may be, it is your duty as their owner to take care of them when they don't feel well and bring them back to their normal conditions as quick as possible.

Here is a few signs of dog illness symptoms that you should know.

dry nose

You can check by touching your dog nose gently but in some case watching closely is enough to detect their sickness. Their behaviour will also change for example feeling down, depress etc. However there are also other reasons that can be the cause of dog dry nose such as dehydrated that cause the reduction of liquid production inside your dog's body which lead to other kind of dog illness symptoms. If the surrounding temperature is hot around your dog then they can have temporary dry nose. There are also dog that recover from distemper when they are puppies may have permanently dry nose. The good treatment is to take your dog exercise often and feed them with good nutrient food.

significant increase or decrease in weight

Underweight is usually a sign of illness so if your dog is underweight then you must check with your veterinarian immediately. The basic treatment for underweight is giving more food and exercise. For overweight case is usually happened when your dog eat the left over food from human, over eat when they feel bored etc. The treatment for overweight case is choosing food carefully with low calories and do more exercise.

Increased water consumption, Increased urination, dehydration, eat more and gain less weight

This is the sign that your dog is having diabetes illness. The treatment for this case is controlling insuline and special diet course given by your veterinarian.

Changes in behavior

Yor dog illness signs can also be seen by symptoms such as sleep all day or sleep less than usual in some case, lethargy and irritation.

Loss of appetite

There are many reasons that make your dog eat less or stop eating such as problem with teeth and chewing, stomach problem caused by food that was eaten earlier, constipated, having depression feeling, adjusting problems due to change in season and temperature, hormone disorder, kidney or liver problems which is mainly cause by eating commercial food, having heart disease and cancer etc. The basic treatments for loss of appetite is to give fresh, different food and toppings everyday. If it doesn't work then you must talk with your vet to find the exact cause of this problems.

Dog Labor Symptoms

After two months that your dog are carrying puppies in her body. It is now almost time to let her puppies out to see the world but before that happen you might want her to play with small stuffed animals toy first to build guarding and nurture sense.

Here are the signs of dog labor symptoms

Rectal Temperature Drop

Normal temperature is about 101 fahrenheit or 38 celsius. If the measured temperature drop down below 97 fahrenheit or 36 celsius that mean your dog is about to give birth to puppies usually less than 24 hour. If your dog doesn't shown any signs of labor after 1 day from the temperature drop then you should contact your local veterinarian to check for the problems and do more accurate measurement by using dog thermometer.

Reject food

Most pregnant female dog will refuse to eat anything before they go into labor period. This is early sign that your dog will have labor symptoms soon.

Finding a den

This is a nature behaviour of most female dog. She will try to find a den or a hiding place that she feel safe and comfortable to give birth to her puppies such as under your bed, bathroom etc. During pregnancy period she can be more aggressive to other peoples too.

Sickness and vomiting

This is a normal symptoms for pregnant dog. she will begin to vomit to empty her stomach and this is usually happen few day before she go into labor and also make sure that you have fresh water available for her all the times.

Wanting to be near you all the time

She will follow you everywhere you go even sleep under your bed when you are sleeping so don't be surprise by this behaviour when this happen.

You Should call veterinarian if your dog have the following symptoms

Strong contraction for about an hour or more with no puppy out and you know that there are still more puppies inside her body.

About 3-4 hour pass and there are still more pups inside your dog body.

Fail to have labor after 1 day pass from the period of temperature drop.

Gestation for more than 70 days and no sign of labor symptoms.

Dog Heat Symptoms

Female dog can get pregnant during their heat cycle which is also called estrous cycle.

Adult female dog will usually experience the heat cycle every 9 to 12 months, one or three cycle a year depend on the breed and type of your dog.

The four stage of estrous cycle and Dog heat symptoms

The first stage is proestrus which has the average of 9 days for most female dogs. This period is often called "pre-heat". The symptoms for this period is vulva swells and bloody vaginal discharge. Female dog will produce hormone (estrogen) which attracts male dog but she will still reject the male during this period.

The second stage is estrus which last about 9 to 12 days depend on the type and size of your dog. Female may still have a discharge and will accept male dog at this stage. There will be significant increase in progesterone and luteinizing hormone which cause ovulation. The eggs that was released from ovulation will go into oviduct. Eggs can be fertilized if it is healthy enough and sperm from male dog are present.

The third stage is diestrus which range from 2 to 3 months. During this stage female dog will no longer accept male. The symptoms for this period is pregnancy, mammary glands swell and some dog may experience false pregancy. Progesterone hormones wii still remain high throughout this period.

The final stage is anestrus. This is the resting period preparing for the next heat cycle which last about 5 months. Hormone is reduce at this period.

If you are planning on breeding your female dog then you should talk with your veterinarians to determine the estrus stage, measuring progesterone hormones level etc. The reasons for doing analysis is to help timing the mating period.

Pregnant Dog Symptoms

Most dog owner usually keep their pet away from each other when they are in breeding season. Eventhough the owner do their best to prevent and protect pregnancy but sometimes breeding can take place. In some case it is hard to detect the clear sign of symptoms and most dog owner won't realized about it at all.
It is very important that every dog owner must learn and know the signs of pregnant dog symptoms to solve the problems when it occur. A female dog can only become pregnant when she is breed at the right time, conditions and heat cycle. The duration of pregnancy is usually last about 60 days however this number is only approximation and the real period duration can be shorter or last longer depend on the surrounding conditions and other factors.

Pregnant dog symptoms at the early stage

Your dog will eat lesser and show clear sign of decrease appetite. During gestation period your dog will feel exhaust easily and do less activity because their is a change in their hormone level to support the process of embryo production.
Another good indication is the increase in size and growth of nipple. Normally the abdomen area of an unbread female dog will be flat and has small nipple size. After breeding and pregnancy progress start to take place, breast will begin to develop for the process of milk production.
Most female dog behaviour will change at the pregnancy period. If you notice a sign that your dog wanted to be alone on her own then you can be sure that she is in her pregnancy period.

Pregnant dog symptoms at the middle stage

After one month of pregnancy, your dog will show sign of increase appetite and decrease when the heat cycle period ended. Pregnant dog will gain more weight during this period and you can check by touching the abdomen area, it will be thick and firm.

Pregnant dog symptoms at the last stage

The abdomen part of your dog will be hard and increased in size which depended mainly on the number of puppies she is carrying. Larger dog will have more room and space to carry puppies when compare with the smaller dog size. You can felt puppies movement during the last weeks of pregnancy and this shown a clear sign that your dog will give birth to these puppies soon.
Sometime you will see a bit of milk leakage which is called the first milk which is for delivering to the puppies when they are born.
Rather than doing your own observation on pregnant dog symptoms, it is much easier that you take your dog to the veterinarian and do the accurate check by ultrasound method.

Dog false pregnancy

The progress and change will be the same as the normal pregnant conditions such as milk production process, doing all the nesting activity, playing with toys etc. These changes will begin about 3-4 weeks after the heat cycle begin. False pregnancy is unpredictable and the symptoms can shown up on any female dogs whether they are mating or not. If your dog has a false prenancy before then there is a probability that she might have this symptoms again.

Treatment for false pregnancy in dog

You don't have to give any treatment at all because about ninety percent of false pregnancy problems is resolve on it own after three to four week period from the first sign of false pregnancy. However there are about ten percent chance that your dog will develop the psychological effects of mothering behavior that make her feel bad and sad. She will continue to search for her little puppies and begin to engorgement her own mammary glands. If your dog are in the 10% and having this symptoms then you should give treatment because there is a chance that your dog can have mastitis problems which have direct effect on the health of your dog.

Dog Pneumonia Symptoms

Dog pneumonia is a disease that refers to infection of the respiratory system which occur when the air sacs of the lungs tissues is filled up with fluid by aspiration.
Dog pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi.
Since there are many different types of bacteria that can be the cause pneumonia in dog so the symptoms is often confuse with Canine Influenza (dog flu) during the early stage.
Inflammation which is causes by lung irritation is known as pneumonitis. Aspiration of a liquid into the lung can lead to secondary infection and heart problems.

Causes of dog pneumonia

Fungal

Coccidioides immitis, Cryptococcus neoformans etc.

Bacterial

secondary infection after kennel cough (tracheobronchitis), malfunction of dog's esophagus (Megaesophagus) etc.

Viral

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) or Upper Respiratory Infection (URI).

Parasitic

lungworms or any other types of worms that can migrate to the lung.

Allergic

absence of cells due to infection, inflammatory and extreme infiltration of the lung.

Dog Pneumonia Symptoms

• cough
• fever
• loss of appetite
• difficulty breathing
• listlessness
• exhausted rapidly

The Dog Rabies Symptoms

Rabies is one of the most well-known and deadly virus that attacks the nervous system which is commonly called hydrophobia.
Rabies is a viral zoonotic neuroinvasive disease that cause brain inflammation (acute encephalitis) in mammals and dog is significant source that carried rabies disease in many other countries.
Dogs that infected with rabies will show signs and symptoms such as foaming at the mouth, extremely mean and aggressive. However in some case infected animals can be very calm and tame so you must be really careful not to stay near or get biten by strange animals.
Death is always certain once a dog is infected with rabies virus. This deadly disease can be prevent with a proper vaccination from veterinarian.

Spread and Transmission of the Disease

Rabies are transmitted by infected animal biting a non-infected animal.
Travelers, veterinarians or peoples who work closely with wildlife animals have highest risk of exposure with rabies disease because animals in wildlife nature are not vaccinated but luckily there are prevention vaccine available.
Rabies remain viable for less than one day and cannot live long outside the host.
The rabies virus can be carried by warm-blooded mammals such as

• Human
• dog
• cat
• monkey
• cow and cattle
• skunk
• wolf, coyote and fox
• bat
• squirrel
• raccoon
• rabbit

Other non-mammals such as fish, bird, reptiles and amphibians do not carry rabies disease.

Dog rabies symptoms

The infection of virus are divided into 3 stage: prodromal, furious (or excitative) and paralytic.
Prodromal stage can last up to 6 months long as the virus slowly spreads over the nervous system and travel to the brain. During this period infected dog sometime may not show any signs or symptoms at all.

• fever
• lethargy
• loss of appetite
• changes in behavior
• tone of bark change
• chewing at the bite site

Furious or excitative stage may last for several days (usually 2-4 days) after the prodromal stage however not all dogs experience this stage. This is the most dangerous period because infected dog can spread rabies disease and the symptoms are as follow.

• extremely mean and aggressive
• totally uncontrollable
• break it own teeth by biting objects
• constant growling
• biting
• dilated pupils
• restless
• disorientation
• seizures

Paralytic stage last for 2-4 days and the symptoms are as follow.

• choking
• dropping of the lower jaw
• unable to swallow any food
• foaming at the mouth
• paralysis of jaw, throat and chewing muscles

After the paralytic stage infected dogs will usually be in coma. It may also experience respiratory problems and failure then pass away.

Symptoms of Dog Worms

Dog worms are responsible for many symptoms and sickness. There are five different kinds of dog worms that can attack your dog.

These are tapeworm, hookworm, whipworm, roundworm and the most dangerous heartworm.

When your dog is infected their feces will be filled with over millions of worm eggs. These worms are scattered all over the places such as on the floor, sleeping places, eating pans etc. When your dog licked off or swallowed up these worms will enter the digestive system then hatch out and fully developed in approximately 10 days.

Dog worm symptoms

• Coughing
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• low energy level
• pot-bellied appearance
• loss of appetite
• Weight decrease instantaneously
• dull coat

Other symptoms of dog worms that can be seen from external such as hot and dry nose, red and scurfy pimple, irritated condition of the skin, pale lips, watery in the eyes, gums and foul breath.

Types of dog worms and symptoms in detail.

Roundworms

Roundworm is the common type of worm that can be found inside most dogs and they are divided into two main types.

Toxocara canis

Parasitic worms or helminth parasite that feed and live inside the intestine of their host causing nutrient absorption problems which can further leads to weakness and disease. Toxocara canis are white and yellow in color. Adult worm can have the size ranging from 9 - 18 centimetre.

Toxascaris leonina

Toxascaris leonina are usually found in feces and vomit remain of the animals. When toxascaris leonina eggs are ingested, they will hatch inside small intestine of their host. After fully growth and molt, they will return to the intestinal lumen and live there.

Toxascaris leonina absorb the nutrients from their host that can interfere with digestion system and also damage the inner lining of the intestine. Adult worm usually have 3-4 inches long. The adult female worm lays her eggs which will later passed into dog feces. The eggs can become infective after three to six days exposure in the environment.

Diagnosis

Roundworms can be detected by examining the feces for the presence of eggs.

Characteristic

Roundworms have a spaghetti-like appearance and the length of their body can grow up to 7 inches long. Eggs of roundworms are sticky and can easily adhere to any objects or any part of human body.

Symptoms

Infected dog may not show any signs at first but in more severe cases may experience dull hair coats, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and develop a belly appearance. If round worms is build up in dog intestines then there is a chance that these worms can block the path and result in death.

Prevention

Clean up feces or any dirty objects around your backyard regularly to prevent your dog from contracting roundworms.

Roundworm can also be transmitted to human by eggs ingestion so you should wash your hands after doing activities or before eating any food that have direct contact such as hamberger, french fries etc.

Treatment

Oral medication is given to puppies ar weeks 4, 6 and 8 then followed by fecal analysis using microscope at around weeks 11-12. Annual fecal examine are recommended for adult dog to remove all of the asymptomatic infections.

Veterinarian can use medications for deworming process. Medications essentially anesthetize the worms which make them unable to grip onto the host intestine and passes on along with the stool. Roundworms cannot survive long in the environment. You may be surprise by their long length and see them moving when they come out.

Symptoms of Dog Poisoning

Dog poisoning can be caused by many ways such as ingestion, gas inhale, absorbed through the skin by direct contact with certain type of substances etc.

All dogs are curious by nature and they love to explore dirty places. This can make them have direct contact with poison insects, dead animals remain and toxic plants.

Dog poisoning diagnosis

If you suspect that your dog may have been poison by some chemical products then you must identify the poison as quick as possible. Read the identification label on the chemical products and if it is unclear on the toxic informations then call the poison control center.

Symptoms of dog poisoning

Ingestion, inhaled or absorbed of poison substances can causes a wide range of symptoms such as:

• mouth irritation
• skin rash
• lethargy
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• lack of appetite
• drooling
• staggering
• hallucination causing over-reaction to sound or light
• breathing difficulty
• bleeding disorders
• muscle tremor and rigidity
• seizure
• heart failure
• kidney or liver problems
• coma and death.

The effect of poisoning may take time and not always visible at first. Most signs of poisoning symptoms will be apparent within 3 days and some case of illness will take up to months or even years to show the signs of symptoms. The conditions and expose of dog poisoning depended mainly on the quantity of the chemical substances taken into the body and time that the chemical substances remain in the body before the treatment begun. Faster treatment given to your dog may prevent significant and serious illness but you should be aware that some poisoning can cause permanent damage and even death eventhough the treatment is given right away.

If you has seen your dog eaten poisonous substance but still feeling well at the moment then don't assume by yourself that he is going to be fine. Call your local veterinarian immediately and tell them all the informations you can give such as what kind of chemical substances ingested by your dog, quantity, approximate length of time that the incident occur etc.

Dog poisoning treatment

For contaminated atmosphere case move your dog away from the position of the poisoning source as quick as possible. If your pet stop breathing and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required then do not inhale your pet exhaled air.

Lower poison absorption rate by coating it in the intestinal tract with a blinding substance. After that laxative will be given to to speed up the elimination process.

When the signs of dog poisoning symptoms is visible then do not force your dog to drink anything or attempt to induce vomiting. Call your veterinarian immediately for effective treatments.

Dog poisoning prevention

Keep all the poison chemical products away from your pets.

Destroy all the unuse medicines and poison chemical products whenever possible.

If you are using rat bait then be sure to put them in the container to prevent your dog from direct contact with the bait.

Dog Broken Leg Symptoms and helf it

Dogs aren't different from human. They sometime broke their bones due to their mischief or accident.

The common broken bones are leg fracture, tail and other bones break. The injury can lead to other types of infection so proper treatments must be given during healing periods.

Common causes of dog broken leg is accidentally hitted by car, falling from high place, direct blow and repetitive forces caused by running etc.

Dog broken leg symptoms

• Misshapen or visible out-of-place of joint
• Limited mobility
• Unable to move a limb
• Refuse to sit or lie down
• Cannot support body weight
• hangs limply
• Swelling or swollen
• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Licking and whining
• Intense pain
• Numbness or confuse
• tingling

Signs of shock

• Pale
• White gums
• Rapid heartbeat
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid but weak pulse

Cost for fixing dog broken leg

Veterinarian must examine your dog first to be able to determine the estimate cost by looking at the x-rays result. The approximate cost range is about $200 to over $1000 depend on how serious the fracture or broken bone is.
The cost of fixing dog broken leg also depend on other factors that must be taken into consideration such as:

• Age of your dog
• Position of broken bone
• Front or back leg
• Angle of break
• Type of break such as horizontal, oblique, spiral and comminuted etc.
• Time from injury
• Break is open or closed
• Condition of the muscles around the area of break
• Splint, bone plates, intramedullary pin (IM), wires and cost varies with the size of your dog
• Health status
• the skills and experience of your vet
• country where you live
• Location for example clinic in city will be more expensive than clinic in rural regions

You should be aware that if your dog have intestinal worms then the bones won't heal properly due to lack of nutrients drain by worms. If the conditions is serious then leg amputation is always the best and better option than euthanasia. Remember that dog is your best and most trusted friend you will ever have in your life so be sure to treat them well.

Cone Degeneration, Achromatopsia in dogs

Achromatosis relates to a deficiency of pigmentation in the tissues or lack of staining power in a cell or tissue. 2

Segregation of the domestic dog population into separate breeds, driven by artificial selection for defined phenotypic and behavioral traits, has been marked by the emergence of inherited canine diseases that are often directly comparable to those observed in humans. In humans, a condition referred to as achromatopsia, total color blindness, day-blindness or rod monochromacy has been extensively described. 4

Cones are light-sensitive structures in the vertebrate eye. They are found throughout retina and are concerned with discrimination of color and visual acuity. There are three types of cone cells each containing a different iodopsin and each giving maximum response when stimulated by the blue, green and red. A pigment defect in one or more of the types of cone cells can lead to color blindness.

Breeds Affected by Achromatopsia

Cone degeneration (CD) is an autosomal recessive canine disease that occurs naturally in the Alaskan Malamute , Miniature Poodle and German Shorthaired Pointer breeds, although this condition may exist in other breeds of dogs 3. Canine cone degeneration (CD) was first observed in an inbred strain of Alaskan Malamute dogs in 1960, and is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

Signs of Cone degeneration

Cone-degenerate pups develop day-blindness and photophobia between 8 and 12 weeks postnatal, the age when retinal development is normally completed in dogs. Symptoms are present only in bright light; vision in dim light is normal. Affected dogs remain normal throughout life. It is similar to human achromatopsia, a heterogeneous autosomal recessive disorder (caused by more than one factor). Both the canine disease and its human counterparts are characterized by day-blindness and absence of retinal cone function in adults 2. You will know that your dog has day-blindness when you notice him colliding with obstacles in daylight.

Acral Lick Dermatitis, Lick Granuloma in dogs

Acral lick dermatitis, lick granuloma, or acral pruritic nodule is a single or multiple lesion on one or more extremities resulting from excessive and persistent licking. Acral lick dermatitis in dogs is one of the most common and frustrating dermatological problems encountered in general practice. The condition is now accepted as being caused by a multiple factor disease, and attempts to manage it with a single treatment are usually doomed to failure.

Causes of Acral Lick Dermatitis

Many factors, or triggers, have been suggested to predispose to or cause acral lick dermatitis, including allergy (atopic dermatitis, food), psychogenic causes, boredom, bacterial folliculitis, foreign bodies, neurologic disorders, local trauma, and joint or bone diseases. Independent of the contributing factor, once the lesion has developed it will contribute to the perpetuation of the compulsive licking behavior.

Signs of Acral Lick Dermatitis

Lesions are usually single but they can be multiple. Large breeds are predisposed (Doberman Pinscher, Labrador Retriever, Dalmatian, Irish setter, Weimaraner, Great Dane, German Shepherd Dog). Onset of lesions can occur at any age, but it is more common in dogs more than 5 years of age. Lesions tend to be recurrent, either at the same or different sites. There is often a history of poor or partial response to many therapeutic treatments. Lesions are created and maintained by constant licking or chewing. Clinically the lesion is characterized by bald, red, eroded or ulcerated, firm, nodular plaque(s).
Diagnosis of Acral Lick Dermatitis

Diagnosis of acral lick dermatitis is based on history, clinical signs, and elimination of other primary causes. It may include skin scrapings, impression smear cytology, and fungal culture (to rule out dermatophytosis). Biopsy of the lesion is helpful to rule out neoplasia (e.g. mast cell tumor). If joint or bone involvement is suspected, radiographs are taken. If there is a history of intense itchiness pruritus (either seasonal or nonseasonal) an allergy test is performed.

Treatment of Acral Lick Dermatitis

Approximately 65% of the cases can be satisfactorily controlled with medical and/or behavior management. However, even if an underlying problem has been identified and treated, concurrent treatment of the skin condition is essential. It is important to treat the frequently associated secondary bacterial infection with appropriate long-term (6 to 8 weeks) antibiotics. Treatment of this condition can be complicated, and in selected cases surgical removal of the affected area is indicated, particularly if the lesion is small, although
complications may develop.

To stop the lick cycle, several devices to prevent licking are recommended : elizabethan collar, bandaging, bad tasting topicals, basquet muzzle. The following drugs aimed to alliviate anxiety are used: phenobarbital, diazepam (Valium), hydroxyzine (Atarax); tricyclic antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), and clomipramine (Anafranil).

The successful treatment of lick granulomas relies on a thorough investigation of potential underlying causes and a combination of treatments that may include systemic, topical, behavioral, and surgical methods.
Prognosis for Acral Lick Dermatitis

In most cases a fair to guarded prognosis is given to dogs with acral lick dermatitis. If the underlying condition can be determined, the prognosis improves dramatically.

Achondroplasia in Dogs

Achondroplasiais in dogs is variously referred by orthopedic specialists as ACH, Achondroplastic dwarfism, Chondrodystrophia fetalis, Chondrodystrophy syndrome, Congenital osteosclerosis, Dwarf, achondroplastic, and Osteosclerosis congenita. These various definitions mean the same abnormal development of bone from cartilage. 1

Offspring can look normal at birth and weaning, but at the age of 2.5 to 4 months the longitudinal growth of the spine and leg bones can retard in the dwarfs compared with the normal littermates. Most dwarfs perform well, even in the field.5 In dogs, achondroplasia can be a mild condition, with slightly bowing or simply short legs, causing no discomfort to the animal, or severe, in which case extensive orthopedic surgery may be needed to both alleviate pain and allow the dog to function normally. This surgery, most frequently an ulna, or radius/ulna surgery, is generally performed at one year of age, when bone growth is nearly complete. Surgical success is variabl

Acanthosis Nigricans in Dogs

This is a rare disease of melanosis type with seen exclusively in Dachshunds. It begins with subtle symmetrical hyperpigmentation in the armpits. The early lesions then progress slowly to hair loss. Greasy, smelly debris accumulate in more severely affected dogs. The abdomen, groin, chest, anal area, forelimbs and hock may all be involved.

The term "acanthosis nigricans" also has been used generically to describe clinical skin reaction pattern which is characterized by visually similar lesions and is seen in a variety of breeds. Acanthosis nigricans is similar to chronic hyperplastic dermatitis, particularly due to allergy, but may be less inflamed.

Diagnosis of Acanthosis Nigricans

A careful history and physical examination is performed to identify an underlying cause. Skin scrapings are performed to rule out demodicosis, especially in young dogs. Impression smears are useful to identify bacterial and Malassezia infections.

Affected animals should not be bred in order to avoid possible propagation of the defect, in the event that there is an inheritable basis.

Treatment of Acanthosis Nigricans

Primary acanthosis nigricans in Dachshunds is not curable. Early cases may respond to shampoo therapy and local topical glucocorticoids, for example, betamethasone valerate ointment. As lesions progress, more aggressive systemic therapy may be useful. In secondary acanthosis nigricans, the lesions will spontaneously resolve after identification and correction of the underlying cause. However, this will not occur if secondary bacterial and yeast pyodermas are not treated appropriately.

Vitamin E has been successfully used in the treatment of a variety of skin diseases including discoid and systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and epidermolysis bullosa simplex. Vitamin E is rarely successful alone in the management of these conditions, but offers a relatively nontoxic aid to therapy.

Chronic Hyperplastic Dermatitis

Chronic hyperplastic dermatitis, sometimes referred to as "dermatitis reaction", is seen primarily in the dog. The main signs of this condition is intense itch and self-trauma. Crusting is another common feature. Chronic allergy is the most common cause. It may look like other chronic skin diseases such as pyoderma or cornification disorders.

Use of Betamethasone

Betamethasone is an anti-inflammatory (corticosteroid) drug which depresses the formation, release, and activity of elements involved in inflammation, such as prostaglandins, kinins, and histamine. This drug may cause immune suppression. Prolonged use of steroids may promote the development of cataracts and glaucomas.

the Signs of Dog Disease

Following is a list of most common diseases and in a dog and signs that characterize them. However, this list is not intended to be used to diagnose and treat your dog, but rather as a tool to tell when your dog is ill. Communicating with your veterinarian is a key part of ensuring good health care for your dog.

DISEASES	SIGNS
Abscesses (according to site)	difficulty moving, fever, loss of appetite, pus
Arthritis	painful to touch
Burns	rapid breathing, shedding coat, ulceration
Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder)	abdominal pain, blood in the urine, difficult or no urination, painful urination, urinary incontinence
Dermatitis (skin inflammation)	shedding coat, skin irritation, ulceration
Diabetes Insipidus	intense thirst, urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence, voracious appetite
Diabetes Mellitus	bad breath, coma, frequent urination, intense thirst, urinary incontinence, voracious appetite
Distemper	abdominal pain, convulsions, cough, diarrhea (normal), loss of appetite, fever, low spirits, poor appetite, rapid breathing, trembling, vomiting, voracious appetite
Eclampsia	changes in behavior, convulsions, bedsores, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of balance, painful breathing, trembling
Eczema	shedding coat, skin irritation
Enteritis (inflammation of the intestines)	abdominal pain, diarrhea (normal), loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss
External Parasites	scratches the ears, shedding coat, skin irritation
Foreign Bodies	abdominal pain, constipation, cough, cyanosis, diarrhea (normal), difficulty swallowing, intense thirst, loss of appetite, painful to touch, scratches the ears, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Gastritis	abdominal pain, bad breath, loss of appetite, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Hemorrhage	conspicuous inner eyelid, painful breathing, rapid breathing, shock
Heart Disease	abdominal distension, convulsions, cough, lethargy, mucous tissues pale, painful breathing
Heat Stroke	changes in behavior, coma, bedsores, fever, intense thirst, loss of appetite, loss of balance, low spirits, painful breathing, painful to touch, rapid breathing, shock, ulceration
Infectious Hepatitis	abdominal pain, diarrhea (with blood), fever, intense thirst, jaundice, lethargy, loss of appetite, painful breathing, rapid breathing, vomiting
Internal Parasites	cough, diarrhea (with blood), diarrhea (normal), mucous tissues pale, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting, voracious appetite, weight loss
Intestinal Blockage	abdominal pain, constipation, convulsions, lethargy, loss of appetite, poor appetite, vomiting
Leptospirosis	abdominal pain, blood in the urine, cyanosis, diarrhea (normal), difficult or no urination, fever, jaundice, lethargy, loss of appetite, painful urination, poor appetite, rapid breathing, vomiting
Leukemia	lethargy, loss of appetite, low spirits, mucous tissues pale, conspicuous inner eyelid painful breathing, rapid breathing, vomiting
Metritis (inflammation of the uterus)	abdominal pain, convulsions, cyanosis (low blood oxygen), lethargy, loss of appetite, conspicuous inner eyelid, pus, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Nephritis	abdominal distension, abdominal pain, bad breath, cyanosis (low blood oxygen), difficult or no urination, fever, frequent urination, lethargy, low spirits, painful urination, swelling of the abdomen
Otitis	convulsions, loss of balance, pus, scratches the ears, skin irritation
Para-Influenza	cough, painful breathing
Parvovirus	convulsions, diarrhea with blood, diarrhea (normal), fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, low spirits, conspicuous inner eyelid, poor appetite, rapid breathing, vomiting, weight loss
Poisoning	changes in behavior, convulsions, cyanosis (low blood oxygen), diarrhea (with blood), diarrhea (normal), poor appetite, rapid breathing, shedding coat, shock, trembling, vomiting
Rabies	changes in behavior, convulsions, fever, intense thirst, loss of balance, low spirits, mucous tissues pale, conspicuous inner eyelid, poor appetite, trembling, weight loss
Ringworm	shedding coat
Stones	abdominal pain, blood in the urine, difficult or no urination, painful urination, urinary incontinence
Tartar	bad breath
Tonsillitis	cough, difficulty swallowing, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting
Toothache	bad breath, difficulty swallowing, intense thirst, loss of appetite
Torsion of the Stomach	abdominal pain, changes in behavior, coma, convulsions, difficulty swallowing, intense thirst, loss of appetite, conspicuous inner eyelid, mucous tissues pale, painful breathing, painful to touch, poor appetite, rapid breathing, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting
Tuberculosis	cough, loss of appetite, low spirits, conspicuous inner eyelid, painful breathing, rapid breathing, trembling, weight loss
Tumors	abdominal distension, loss of appetite, mucous tissues pale, conspicuous inner eyelid, painful to touch, weight loss

A Comprehensive List Of Dog Diseases

A list of dog diseases is worth having for any animal lover as it will indicate what can be wrong with a dog. The following is a fully compiled list of dog diseases which will be extremely helpful in determining certain conditions in a dog which may otherwise be inexplicable. Otherwise healthy dogs and puppys can contract certain mentioned sickness, infections even with being cared for well. Gastrointestinal illness can be prevented with proper feeding, although muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular, cancers and many others mentioned below are often found in birth or in ageing of animals.

Some of the most important, and sometimes deadly, and treatable syndromes, and infections found in dogs are following.

1. Infectious diseases
2. Bacterial infections
3. Viral infections
4. Protozoal infections
5. Fungal infections
6. Other infections

-Muscular and skeletal syndromes-Parasites-Circulatory and cardiovascular diseases-Eyes-Ears-Nervous system-Cancers-Skin-Environmental-Behavioral-Gastrointestinal ailments-Endocrine illness-Reproductive and urinary system-Overdoses and poisons

A closer look at the different viruses and infections and symptoms there of which can be found on a list of dog diseases, some which are treatable, where as others are deadly.

Bacterial infections such as Lime illness, which starts from spreading of ticks and symptoms, are anorexia, lethargy and arthritis. Brucellosis, which is sexually transmitted and Kennel cough results in respiratory problems, which usually occurs when dogs are in close confinement. Clostridium causes diarrhea and Leptospirosis which cause kidney and liver failure.

A viral infection includes Canine parvovirus, a gastrointestinal problem which usually occurs in puppies. Canine distemper is often fatal with neurological and respiratory signs. Canine corona virus is a gastrointestinal illness which is normally asymptomatic with mild clinical signs. Hepatitis which is often fatal in the liver of dogs.

Protozoal infections such as Giardiasis is an intestinal disease with common symptoms, diarrhea. Coccidiosis has no specific known symptoms although weight loss and diarrhea can occur. Leishmaniasis which is commonly caused by the sand fly. Babesiosis is caused by hard ticks which causes hemolytic anemia in dogs.

Not unlike humans there can be found on a list of dog diseases muscular and skeletal ailments commonly found in humans.

Osteoarthritis, Hip dysplasia which usually occurs in large breed dogs, Elbow dysplasia, also in large breeds. Luxating patella is usually inherited and is found in smaller breed dogs.

There are a very large variety of parasites found in dogs, which can be prevented and must be treated as soon as possible to prevent great discomfort and worse sickness is dogs.

Parasites such as intestinal parasites include hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms which cause diarrhea, vomiting and weight-loss in dogs. Fleas and ticks are a common parasite in dogs and heartworm causes coughing, difficulty breathing and often death. Mites cause itching, burning and crusting.

Again much like humans, included on the list of dog diseases dogs are commonly dogs either born with a defect heart or can develop heart problems over the years which can result in the death of the animal. Circulatory and Cardiovascular diseases include the following:

Von Willebrand disease is inherited found in dogs as well as humans which is caused by protein deficiency and signs are spontaneous bleeding as well as excessive bleeding following injury or surgery. Thrombocytopenia is caused by a low platelet count as oppose to Thrombocytosis which is caused by an excess of platelets.

All animals should be properly nourished and cared for either to prevent them from disease or cure them. Most infections and contagions found on a list of dog diseases are curable and owners of animals should realize that prevention is often possible which will result in a healthy and happy animal.

Why Do Dogs Lick People?

You’re taking a moment to relax in front of the television. The family dog wanders over to you and plops down at your feet. Your furry canine friend begins to lick the exposed skin on your leg and continues until you’re all slobbered up. The licking continues until you feel that your skin has been cleaned to the point where it may disappear. Have you ever wondered just what your dog gets out of licking you?
Most dogs are so intent on the licking process that you know there has to be a good reason for doing it.

Some people say the dog’s licks are canine kisses that prove the dog likes or loves you. Fido is showing you that he cares about you. While this may be one reason that dogs lick people, it is clearly not the only reason why they perform this act.
Another theory is that dogs lick you because they were taught to do so by their mother from birth. Female dogs that give birth lick the new puppies to stimulate them to start breathing and to clean them up. Licking is important to the survival of puppies. The licking process is a natural instinct that they quickly learn from their mothers.
Licking is also a submissive gesture. In the wild, the more subordinate dogs will lick the more dominant ones. This helps to maintain harmony among the members of the pack. By licking you, the dog is showing you that you are the dominant being and you are in charge.
Another reason that dogs lick humans is to gather information about them. Dogs use the scent receptors located in their nose and mouth to process information about a person. A person who is secreting sweat from his or her body is actually unknowingly sending information about him or herself to the dog. This is one reason why a human’s feet are so attractive to a dog. Human feet contain many sweat glands. Eccrine glands release moisture that contains salts, water and waste products. Some dogs love the taste of salt.
Sebaceous glands, which are found near hair follicles, release sebum. The combination of the sweat and sebaceous gland secretions provide a lot of detail about you to an inquisitive dog that can tell if you are afraid, stressed or happy.
Dogs also enjoy licking because the act releases endorphins that allow the dog to feel pleasure and a sense of security and comfort.
In some cases, a dog will go all out to lick his or her owner’s face, hands or legs when strangers are around. Experts believe that this could be the dog’s way of showing that you are important to them and that they care more about you than they do the stranger.
While dogs do have good reasons for licking people, some folks don’t understand nor do they care to try to grasp why they are being slobbered on. It is important to train your dog in a manner that he or she does not get carried away with the tendency to lick people.

Why do dogs lick their feet

Dogs lick their feet for a variety of reasons. A dog will spend time cleaning its feet with its tongue especially if it is active outside. Dirt, stones and pieces of wood and other material can become lodged under a dog's nail and between the pads of its feet.

A splinter or cut can easily become infected if it is not kept clean. A dog must spend time licking its feet to keep them clean. Dogs that spend much time outdoors will have to clean its feet often. Reasons that may cause a dog to lick its feet include stress, boredom and hygiene. Regular exercise and quality time spent with the dog will improve a dogs stress and boredom. Other causes that can make a dog lick its feet include injury to the toenail, foot pad and between the foot pads.

Splinters, cuts, insect bites and burns can cause a dog to lick its feet. Medical conditions that cause irritation to the skin and foot area cause licking. Unless the injury or condition is effectively treated, a dog may lick its foot so that the area to develop a condition called lick granuloma. Lick granuloma may also develop if a dog is bored from either not enough socialization with its family or exercise. Red and raw sores are the symptoms of lick granuloma.

Allergies can cause a dog to lick its feet. Allergic reactions may be caused from plants, foods and substances. Injury including broken bones and infections may also cause a dog to lick its feet. If a nail is broken or becomes ingrown, the dog may lick at the area. Arthritis may cause a dog to lick its feet.

When a dog licks its foot or limps, it is important that you determine the cause of the activity. Your dog's feet are important to its health and if your dog suddenly begins licking its foot, you must find the cause for the licking.

Your dog's travels on its feet so it is important that a dog's feet are well maintained and healthy. You can help your dog by watching for any signs of unusual licking that may indicate a problem. You can keep the skin on the pads of a dog's feet by providing enough water and a healthy diet. You should take your pet to the veterinarian if you suspect that the dog has a problem underlying any foot licking activity.

do bull terriers get along with other dog

Bull Terrier Advice? Getting Along With Other Dogs?

I currently have two dogs. One is a 3 year old male Miniature Schnauzer. We've had him since he was a puppy. About 2 years after we got the Schnauzer, we adopted a female Shar-Pei/Lab mix. They both get along really well. The female is spayed, but the male is not neutered. We were recently offered the opportunity to adopt a male Bull Terrier (Spud/Frankenweenie). The bull terrier isn't neutered, but it's still a pup. Does anyone have any experience with Bull Terriers and other dogs? Would the fact that both of the males aren't neutered be a problem? Any thought or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

bull terriers are very hard to handle, even though they aren't the biggest things. they will try to be top dog, especially males. unless you plan to breed, i would not recommend keeping him unneutered.

another issue that you might find absurd (i assure you, i'm being serious) is that male bulls like to hump everything. this can be frightening to kids and smaller dogs, and it might start fights with bigger dogs. i was at a show once and i was walking my dog around when a bull terrier jumped out from under a judging table and latched onto my leg. they are strong. they can bruise you.

on the british show… i can't remember the name… they help people train their dogs. one episode was with a hyperactive, obsessive humping bull terrier. it took neutering and tons of training before anybody felt safe around him. so clearly this breed has a reputation.

of all the breeds i've dealt with, this is THE most difficult to handle. if he's still young you hopefully have a chance at instilling some manners and self control. if you do, he will be an awesome dog. if you don't, he might be a nightmare

how to Reviews Dog Food

Choosing the best dog food can be extremely intimidating. There are hundreds of different dog food formulas available for purchase, all of which claim to be a superior source of nutrition for your dog. Navigating the world of dog food can be difficult, though can also be made much easier if you have access to the right information. By keeping up-to-date with the latest dog food reviews, you can gain a better understanding of which dog food formulas are best for your dog.

Where to Find Dog Food Reviews

The best place to begin searching for dog food reviews is online. There are many sites which are devoted to collecting customer responses to specific dog food brands and formulas. However, it's important to be careful when navigating these sites, since some of them are funded by certain dog food companies. In order to ensure that you obtain a generally unbiased dog food review, try to compare customer responses to a product on several websites. This will allow you to obtain a better understanding of benefits/problems that people associate with a specific dog food formula.
You can also find out about the best dog food by simply asking fellow dog owners. Chances are, a few of your friends or neighbors also own a dog. Don't be afraid to ask them about their experiences with different dog food formulas, as well as any brands that they recommend.

Best Dog Food Formulas

In general, it's possible to figure out the quality of a dog food formula simply by reading its ingredients. For most dry dog food, reading the first five ingredients will give you a better understanding of the formula. This is also true of canned dog food formulas, though canned dog food has a higher water content. At least two of the first five ingredients should be based off of a high quality protein source. Avoid any dog food formulas that include corn in their first five ingredients. Corn can cause digestive upset in many dogs, as you may be able to tell from dog food reviews of some low quality formulas. Corn is often used as a filler ingredient, in order to cut the cost of manufacturing a dog food formula.

Dry Dog Food Reviews

Dry dog food is generally more popular than canned dog food, so it is a bit easier to find dry dog food reviews. Dry dog food is generally well received due to its ability to keep a dog's teeth clean, as well as promote healthy growth of jaw muscles during early development. However, since dry dog food needs to maintain a "kibble" shape, it sometimes contains more carbohydrates than your dog's digestive system can handle. Be wary of any dry dog food reviews that cite a formula as being full of starchy ingredients, or causing indigestion in dogs.

Canned Dog Food Reviews

Since canned dog food formulas are more expensive, they tend to be less popular than dry dog food formulas. However, they are also sometimes much higher in nutritional value, since they don't need to add filler ingredients in order to maintain their shape. To find canned dog food reviews, you can do a quick search on the internet for the specific formula that you're looking for. Try to obtain dog food reviews from several different sites, and not only from sites that are directly selling the product.

Reading Dog Food Reviews

When reading dog food reviews, it's important to keep a few things in mind. First, people are much more inclined to write a review of a product to say something negative. Watch out for reviews that don't state a particular reason for giving a dog food formula a low rating. By contrast, be wary of positive dog food reviews that are suspicious. Sometimes, a dog food company will hire people to write fake positive reviews, in order to artificially boost their rating on a specific site. This is the main reason why it's extremely important to thoroughly research a dog food formula before deciding if it's the right type of food for your dog.

Grain Free Dog Food

Many dog owners aren't familiar with the concept of grain-free dog food. Due to the increase in dogs developing diabetes and other disorders, some dog food companies have decided to produce formulas that are completely free of all grains. Most grain free dog food formulas are subject to positive dog food reviews, due to the higher nutritional content and lower amount of filler ingredients. However, switching your dog to a grain-free dog food formula can result in digestive issues at first, if the switch is not done gradually. This is why it's important that some of the digestive problems that are present in grain-free dog food reviews may be due to a sudden change to the formula.

Train a Dog with all people

When understanding how to train a dog, you need to understand the reasons behind your dog’s specific behavioral traits. Dogs are not like humans, and may exhibit behavior that is “bad” when not properly trained. In order to avoid this, it’s important that you know how to train your dog correctly and efficiently. Here is a general guide to help familiarize you with the process of dog training, and the methods you can use to understand how to train a dog.

Socialization

Many people fail to realize that an important part of understanding how to train a dog involves socialization. Socialization is just as much a part of dog training as obedience-related commands. The concept of socialization is fairly simple: expose your dog to as many situations, events and environments as possible. Dogs that are not properly socialized at a young age will tend to be fearful of new situations, which may cause aggressive or defensive behavior. This is also one of the most important concepts to understand about how to train a puppy, since puppies will be the most open to a socialization dog training program.

How to Socialize a Dog

To socialize your dog, begin by first making it a point to bring them outside of the house each day. Take them for walks in areas with a lot of people, such as a park or crowded street. Make sure your dog is well-behaved enough so that they can interact in these environments without getting excited. You can even take your dog to designated “play-dates” with friends or family. Simply explain to them how to train a dog, and how socialization is a very important part of that training. It’s best to do this when your dog is still a puppy, since they are more prone to being open to new experiences. The concept of “how to train a dog” involves the willingness to expose your dog to new activities.

Puppy Training

Aside from socializing a puppy with the outside world, it’s also very important to start a home puppy training program as soon as your puppy becomes a member of your household. Puppies are open to learning new things, and will respond best if you begin establishing their role at an early age. When understanding how to train a puppy, it’s important that you are extremely patient. Not all puppies are able to understand commands right away, and may require some time to become acquainted with their new home.

How to Train a Puppy

Spend at least 4 hours with your puppy each day, though this time should not be dedicated entirely to training. Take your puppy out into the yard, engaging in healthy outdoor playtime. You can also help expend some of their seemingly limitless energy by taking a quick jog around the yard, while having them harnessed on a leash. When understanding how to train a dog, it’s important that you are first familiar with how to train a puppy.

Potty Training

Potty training is one of the most important parts of understanding how to train a dog. Proper dog training also involves potty training, since it involves the teaching of desired behavior. How to train a dog (correctly) to be potty trained involves patience, timing and a willingness to ignore accidents. Though it’s natural to be upset when your new puppy decides to go to the bathroom on the carpet, knowing how to train a dog also involves knowing when to let small accidents go.

How to Potty Train a Dog

The best way to understand how to train a dog to go to the bathroom outdoors is through crate training. Most dogs will respond well to crate training, and will be able to be potty trained in a few weeks. This is also dependent on your dog’s rate of learning. A lot of knowing how to train a dog involves being patient with your dog’s ability to understand new concepts, such as potty training. Use the crate to confine your dog when you aren’t able to watch them, which will prevent early accidents.

How to Train a Dog – Playtime

Another important part of understanding how to train a dog involves being willing to engage in playtime. Just like humans, dogs need some time to play and relax. In order to make obedience training more effective, you need to understand that knowing how to train a dog will also require you to designate a period of time each day to playing with your dog. Having this time to relax with your dog will not only teach you how to train your dog more effectively, it can help you to de-stress as well.