Kissing Your Dog Could Give You Gum Disease

It’s time once again to look to a 90s Romantic Comedy for sage advice to guide us through our every day lives.

In the words of Janeane Garofalo in the 1996 movie “The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” “You can love your pets, but just don’t LOVE your pets.”

Another lesson learned from this film: Be yourself. Don’t try to be Uma Thurman.

It seems the latest from the journal Archives of Oral Biology holds that kissing a dog straight on the mouth can actually exchange diseases between canine and human. It sounds crazy, I know, but Japanese researchers have found that this form of sharing affection with a pet could lead to gum disease.

These aforementioned researchers studied the plaque from 66 dogs and 81 humans. These researchers found this plaque from pet and owner alike at a dog-training school and an animal clinic in 2011. The researchers then took these plaque samples and began scraping them to find a specific species of bacteria (known as theperiodontopathic species) which is known to cause gum disease.

Periodontal Disease in Dogs

Periodontal disease is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding a tooth (essentially, the tooth's support system). It can affect as little as one or two teeth or as much as a dog's whole mouth. Left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to severe oral pain, loss of teeth, other dental diseases and a wide array of complications throughout the body. Proper dental care can prevent periodontal disease and is an important aspect of keeping your dog healthy.

Causes of Periodontal Disease in Dogs:

The development of periodontal disease is a gradual process that begins with the formation of plaque on the teeth. Bacteria in the mouth form plaque, a bacterial film that adheres to the teeth. Next, minerals in saliva harden the plaque into dental tartar (calculus), which becomes firmly attached to teeth. The plaque and tartar, both of which contain bacteria, spread under gum line. The bacteria secrete toxins and cause damage to the supporting tissues around the tooth, creating a pocket around the tooth.

Certain dogs seem to have a genetic predisposition to periodontal disease. This often relates to the dog's breed. Many small breed dogs, such as Dachshunds and Chihuahuas are especially prone to periodontal disease.

Signs of Periodontal Disease in Dogs:

The signs of periodontal disease depend upon the severity of the disease. They may also vary from dog to dog. The first thing most people will notice is halitosis. Contrary to what many people believe, dogs are not supposed to have bad breath. This is a sign of dental disease that should be addressed right away. Dogs with advanced periodontal disease tend to have especially foul breath.

As periodontal disease progresses, so does oral pain. Dogs may become reluctant or unable to chew food and treats. They may also lose interest in chew toys. Often, dogs will begin to salivate more than usual. The saliva may even be blood-tinged. Upon closer inspection of the teeth, you or your vet will notice gingivitis (inflammation/reddening of the gums) at the very least. As periodontal disease advances, teeth will eventually become loose.

Periodontal disease is diagnosed and numbered from one to four (based on severity). Grade I is the earliest form of the disease, when only gingivitis is present. Periodontitis (loss of bone and soft tissue around teeth) is present in grades II, III and IV. Grade IV is the most advanced stage, when loss of more than half of the tooth's supportive structures is noted.

Is Your Dog a Victim of Canine Gum Disease

Are you a dog owner? If so, you probably want the best for your dog which means giving him preventive health care to prolong life and improve health. Unfortunately, one area of health care that many pet owners neglect is care of their dog's teeth and gums. Canine gum disease is more prevalent than many pet owners believe. The startling statistics are that 85% of dogs suffer from some degree of canine gum disease. This is sobering indeed when you consider the consequences of untreated gum disease. Sadly enough, canine gum disease can not only lead to tooth loss, but can also give rise to an inflammatory process that can have unfavorable consequences for the entire body. In extreme cases, untreated gum disease can lead to chronic inflammation and death.

What are the symptoms of canine gum disease? Symptoms of gum disease in a dog can range from difficulty chewing or eating to persistent bad breath. Other signs include loose teeth, visible plaque at the roots of the teeth, bleeding gums, and pawing at the mouth. If left untreated, gum disease can progress to the point where your dog is unable to chew bones or even dry food. This can be quite distressing to a dog who loves to chew as a form of entertainment.

Fortunately, canine gum disease can be prevented with routine tooth brushing and regular dental care. It helps to avoid feeding your dog soft, canned food, instead opting for dry dog food which has more of a stimulatory effect on the gum tissue. Of course, dogs shouldn't be given table food, especially foods that are high in sugar content. Giving your dog bones designed specifically for cleaning teeth can also help to reduce the incidence of canine gum disease.

How often should you brush your dog's teeth to avoid canine gum disease? The simple answer is as often as possible. Although it's not always practical, a daily brushing is ideal to remove plaque that may have accumulated throughout the day.  Your dog should undergo a professional cleaning by your veterinarian about every six months.

What should you do if you believe your dog has the signs of canine gum disease? Your dog should be assessed by your dog's veterinarian who can schedule a deep cleaning for your dog along with scaling to remove inflamed, diseased tissue located along the gum line. With proper treatment, canine gum disease can be successfully controlled and your dog can enjoy his favorite bones and rawhides without pain and discomfort.

help a dog with Cushing’s disease

Question: My 11-year-old Dachshund, Hannah, has Cushing’s disease and the only comfort my veterinarian can offer her is radiation. I don’t believe that the quality of life my pet would have as a result of this treatment would be acceptable to me.

She drinks water by the gallon (if I don’t give it to her in an attempt to try to cut back, she sits and cries and it hurts me to see her so unhappy), so I give her the water, then she urinates anywhere she is, as long as it’s in the same room as her papers. I am constantly cleaning up wet floors and wee wee pads.

I am trying a homeopathic tablet, but it doesn’t seem to change anything. She has recently started to steal food from the cats and the other dog, and tries to steal food from my plate. (I have restricted her ability to steal from the other pets.)

Do you have any suggestions for ways I can help her?

Answer: I can sympathize with your situation with Hannah drinking and urinating too much (polyuria and polydipsia), along with excessive hunger (polyphagia). All are among the most common symptoms we see with Cushing’s disease due to an excessive amount of cortisol production from the adrenal gland(s). Other common problems include muscle weakness, hair loss, urinary or respiratory infections from a suppressed immune system, and a potbellied appearance from tremendous liver enlargement.

Cushing’s disease is usually diagnoses through hormone testing (ACTH stimulation or low dose dexamethasone suppression testing), before any treatments are administered. It is one of the most common endocrinopathies (glandular diseases) we see in older dogs. Because most of the dogs are older and often have concurrent medical conditions, the workup before treatment includes basic blood chemistry and urinalysis, chest radiographs, urine culture, abdominal ultrasound and blood pressure testing.

Pituitary dependent Cushing’s disease (PDH) is the most common form of the disease. In this form of the disease, a small tumor (microadenoma) exists in the pituitary gland. Occasionally Cushing’s disease is due to a tumor in the adrenal gland rather than the pituitary gland.

The most common treatments for Cushing’s disease are medical for PDH, and surgical for a single adrenal mass. In the rare instances of a pituitary macroadenoma, identified by MRI imaging, radiation therapy is recommended. Although it requires close monitoring, medical therapies are usually successful in controlling the symptoms of Cushing’s disease and improving the quality of life for both the patient and pet owner.

Lysodren (generically known as mitotane) has been the traditional medical therapy until recently. It directly destroys the part of the adrenal gland responsible for the production of cortisone.

I was involved in a multicenter study to test a drug called trilostane on newly diagnosed Cushing’s disease patients or patients who had not responded well to Lysodren. Trilostane — which was new at the time to the U.S., but had been used in Europe for many years — is an inhibitor of an enzyme called 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. This enzyme is involved in the production of several steroid hormones, including cortisol. The FDA approved the drug in February 2009. It is marketed under the name Vetoryl. I use the trilostane almost exclusively to treat Cushing’s disease in dogs and have been extremely pleased with the results.

Although both drugs can have side effects and require frequent monitoring, most patients appear to handle trilostane better. I would consider seeking the advice of a veterinary internist as to the type of Cushing’s disease Hannah may have and the possible therapies to address it.

PDH due to a macroadenoma requiring radiation therapy would be extremely rare. I have not found holistic therapies to be of use in the management of this condition, but have been very pleased in the response of most patients to medical or surgical therapies.

Except in rare circumstances, diagnosis and treatment are not considered a medical emergency. Although fatal complications from Cushing’s disease can occur, the condition is usually a chronic one, and some patients may go for years untreated.

Best of luck with Hannah, and I hope she does well.

Cushing's Disease In Your Dog - hyperadrenocorticism

Cushing's Disease In Your Dog -hyperadrenocorticism- What Happened And What You Need To Do

What Happened - And What You Need To Do

My Adrenal Glands Are Producing Too Much Cortisol

Some dogs develop just the opposite problem, their adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol. 

Sometimes The Problem Is Due To A Tumor In My Adrenal Gland, But More often, It Is Due To A Tumor In My Pituitary Gland - That Small Gland Lies Just Below My Brain. To See That Gland Better, 

Lots of my articles are plagiarized and altered on the web to market products and services. There are never ads running or anything for sale with my real articles - other than my time. 

Cushing's Disease, Hypothyroidism and Diabetes are the most common hormone problem that veterinarians see in older dogs. And of the three, Cushing's Disease is the most complicated and difficult to treat.

The disease has been known for a very long time. Dr. Harvey Cushing first took note of its peculiar symptoms in a young woman he was treating in 1912. ref Vets and physicians still call it Cushing's Disease because its scientific name, hyperadrenocorticism, is so hard to pronounce.

Veterinarians diagnose this disease in pets more and more frequently. It is unclear if this is because it has become more common, or if we are just looking for it more than we once did. 

Understanding this disease requires understanding your pet’s endocrine gland system. This system delivers instructions (in the form of hormones) , through the pet’s blood, to all parts of its body. The two endocrine glands that are the problem in Cushing's Disease (= Cushing's Syndrome = hypercortisolism) are its pituitary gland, which sits at the base of its brain, and its two adrenal glands, which sit just ahead of its kidneys.

About Canine Cushing's Disease

Cushing's Disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is a common condition in older dogs, often mistaken for the aging process itself. Dogs gain weight, lose hair, urinate in the house, and make owners begin to prematurely consider euthanasia. Yet Cushing's disease is treatable and that treatment can result in a longer, more comfortable life for the dog and its owner. Thus, it is important for the regular pet owner to learn the basic facts about Cushing's disease.

In health: In order to understand Cushing's disease, one needs to understand the basics of the negative feedback loop that operates in a normal, healthy dog. The pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, produces ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone), as directed by the hypothalamus (another part of the brain). This hormone is released into the bloodstream and stimulates the body's two adrenal glands, located near the kidneys, to secrete glucocorticoid (cortisone-like or cortisol) hormones into the bloodstream. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress. It is necessary for life and impacts a wide variety of bodily functions including blood sugar levels, fat metabolism, skeletal muscles, kidney function, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and immune response. ACTH/cortisol secretion is increased due to stress, including infection, pain, surgery, trauma, cold temperatures. When the blood cortisol levels are high enough, the pituitary stops secreting ACTH. When the blood cortisol levels dip low enough, the pituitary secretes more ACTH. The adrenals respond by secreting glucocorticoid hormones in response to the pituitary, just as the pituitary responds by secreting ACTH in response to the adrenals. The net effect is that a mildly fluctuating balance is achieved. This is an oversimplified picture of cortisol homeostasis in the healthy dog.

Honoring your Pet's Memory through Pet Cremation

Pet loss, whether anticipated or sudden, is a tragic event. Pet Owners facing the loss of their pet are often overwhelmed, finding themselves unprepared to handle the proper disposition of their beloved companion.

If you are a Pet Owner whose pet is in failing health, or if you have sadly experienced the recent passing of a pet, the following is an informative guide to help you move through this difficult period with knowledge and understanding.

Choosing pet cremation as a memorial

Because we form special bonds with our companions, it is only natural that many of us wish to follow the human model of burial or cremation to respect and remember our pet’s devotion. An option such as burying your pet at home sometimes necessitates meeting stringent health department regulations, and you may find that pet cemeteries are either hard to find or costly.

Today many Pet Owners opt for cremation since it both provides a way to keep your pet near you and allows you to bury or scatter some of your pet’s ashes in your yard or a favorite place your pet enjoyed. With our mobile society many families choose pet cremation in order to keep their pet’s memorial with them when they move. You may be surprised to know that cremation is available for pets of all sizes, from birds to horses.

parasites in dogs

There are more than a dozen parasites that can infect your dog causing serious health problems, and in severe cases even death. Not recognizing the symptoms of a parasite infection may lead to illness, spread of disease, and general discomfort of your dog. Parasite infections can also shorten the life of your dog unnecessarily. Although some parasite infections can be life threatening each one is completely preventable. There is no reason any dog should have to suffer with worms, ticks, or fleas. Parasite infections left unchecked can also spread to humans causing various illnesses. Learn about some of the more common parasites that affect dogs so you can recognize the symptoms and provide preventative care.

HEART WORM 

Heart worms in dogs are found within the walls of the heart and also in some of the larger blood vessels of the body. Heart worms in dogs can cause heart failure, heart disease, liver failure, and kidney failure. Left untreated, heart worms can be fatal for your dog. Because symptoms may not always be present it is wise to have your dog tested yearly for heart worms. A simple in office blood test at the veterinarian can tell you if your dog has heart worms. Some of the symptoms a dog may have heart worms includes coughing, fatigue, labored breathing, and weight loss.

Any dog is at risk for contracting heart worms, but dogs that spend most of their time outdoors are more susceptible. Heart worms infections begin with a mosquito that bites an infected animal, and then bites your dog spreading the larvae. As the larvae matures to adult it uses the heart and blood vessels as home and can cause severe damage to the tissues including ripping, tearing, and in severe cases bursting of cells and muscles. Heart worms are easily treated with the use of medication which may be administered orally, topically, or by injection. All dogs should be treated year round for heart worm and testing should be a part of your dog's annual checkup.

ROUND WORM 

Roundworm is a parasitic worm found in the digestive tract of dogs. Infection is often spread by small rodents but can also be contracted by eating or drinking contaminated food and water. Roundworm can be diagnosed with a fecal test performed by your veterinarian. Roundworm infections may cause diarrhea, stomach pains, and changes in your dog's appetite. As with most parasitic infections treatment consists of an oral or topically applied medication. Often, one medication is enough to treat and prevent all kinds of parasitic infections. Symptoms of roundworm infection in dogs may include passing of eggs or dead worms in feces, and anal irritation.

HOOK WORM 

Hookworms are especially dangerous to dogs because they have sharp, teeth like grippers that allow them to latch onto the walls of the intestines. Hookworms are usually found in the small intestine and may even burrow through the walls causing further internal damage to your dog. Like most parasitic worms, hookworms feed on a dog's blood and can cause anemia. Infection in dogs may be caused by consuming contaminated food or drink and contact with other dog's fecal matter. Eggs may be passed in the feces and can latch onto other dogs. Once a hookworm latches on it burrows through the skin and tissues until it reaches the intestines, where it attaches itself to the soft tissue of the walls to feed on blood.

Hookworms can cause severe anemia but are easily treated with medications. Preventative care should include a monthly regiment of oral or topical medications, and a once yearly complete physical. As with any other parasite, treatment should be year round. Symptoms of hookworm infection in dogs are similar to other parasite infections. Hookworm eggs can be passed with feces and in severe cases you may be able to see them on the fur around the anus or on the underside of the tail.

WHIP WORM 

Unlike most parasitic worms, the whip worm is generally found in the large intestine. Tran mission occurs in the same way as any other parasite and is equally as dangerous to your dog's health. Instead of attaching itself to the intestinal walls the whip worm uses it's tail like a propeller and burrows into the walls of the intestine. This can be especially uncomfortable and even painful for a dog. Whip worms also feed on blood and eggs may be passed with feces. Whip worms can be treated with medication very easily and it is recommended to follow a monthly treatment schedule to avoid infections.

TAPE WORM 

Tapeworms are very similar to hookworms but they differ in body shape and size. Tapeworms have a flat, segmented body with a distinct head. Like hookworms tapeworms attach themselves to the walls of the intestines with teeth like grippers. Tapeworms are especially dangerous to dogs because they do not only feed on blood but they also "steal" vital nutrients through absorption. Tapeworms in dogs can cause serious digestive problems and possibly cause blockages. Tapeworms have both sexual organs and once attached to the intestines of a dog continue to reproduce sections and grow. Sometimes old sections dry up and pass through feces. Dried up sections look like grains of rice and may be seen in the feces or on the fur.

Of all the internal parasites, the tapeworm can cause significant damage because it robs your dog of vital nutrients. Tapeworms are most often spread by fleas. Symptoms of tapeworm infection in dogs may include abdominal bloating or swelling, increased appetite, and lethargy. Treatment is just about the same as for any other intestinal parasite. Your veterinarian should test yearly for tapeworms and other internal parasites. As with most infections, dogs that spend more time outside are more likely to become infected.

FLEAS AND TICKS 

Fleas and ticks can spread all kinds of diseases and infection. Both act similarly by biting and feeding on a dog's blood. Unlike fleas ticks bite and latch on to dogs skin usually near the ears, neck, face, head, stomach, and on the legs. It is not unusual to find a tick or several ticks on a dog, especially if they spend a lot of time outdoors unsupervised. Fleas and ticks can be dangerous to both humans and dogs spreading disease. Fleas can be especially hard to detect because most of the time you cannot see them. Symptoms of a fleas or ticks may include scratching and biting skin, a visible flea or tick, or irritated skin.

Regular bathing and grooming will keep infestations down. When brushing or combing your dog shake out the comb onto a white paper towel. If black spots appear and turn red when water is added you know your dog has fleas. When grooming your dog, check areas where ticks may latch on. It's easier for ticks to attach themselves to parts of the dog's body where there is thin or no hair. Check around the neck, in the folds of the legs, on the stomach, and around the ears. Ticks should be removed by a professional veterinarian. If a tick is not removed properly the head may remain under the skin and can cause an infection or abscess.

One hundred percent of parasite infections can be prevented in dogs with a regular treatment plan. Your veterinarian will be able to assist you with diagnosis, treatment, and medications. Some parasites can be life threatening so it is imperative as a dog owner to take the proper precautions. Always supervise your dog when outdoors to make sure they are not eating contaminated foods, drinking dirty water, or rolling around in the woods and grass. Regularly bathe and brush your dog's coat to minimize the spread of parasites. Because some diseases can pass from dog to human you should see the vet at least once a year, and up to three times a year with older dogs.

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