Dog Having Seizures

Seizures are always a rather scary experience to have witnessed, whether it affects a human being or an animal. Actually witnessing the occurrence of a person or animal losing complete control over itself is rather frightening because of the raw physicality of the episode. Essentially, a seizure is the result of a rather sudden and abnormal neurological activity – which most scientists will describe as being an electrical storm in the brain. Seizures are also accompanied by altered or complete loss of one’s consciousness. Each seizure will have a certain duration – which needs to be recorded for medical reasons as it will help the attending veterinarian get a better insight into the seriousness of the problem. Some seizures may last not more than a few seconds while others may last a number of minutes. Seizures in dogs are classified into two categories – generalized and focal seizures. Generalized seizures will affect the entire body of the animal and include overall stiffness as well as involuntary actions and limb movements. Most dogs will also experience full body rigidity while the animal may also lose control of its bladder and bowels.

Focal seizures in dogs are usually isolated to a certain part of the brain and, therefore, will affect only a certain part of the animal’s body. One example of the same include facial twitching but will also feature a sudden disorientation or fainting spell. Some of the most common causes that influence a dog having seizures include a reaction to some kind of toxin or allergen, a systemic disorder much like thyroid disease or liver shunt, a brain tumor, structural or developmental abnormality and a bacterial or even viral infection. As with most serious medical complications such as this one, it is important to be able to identify anything you notice may have triggered the reaction in the animal. Factors like stress, the sudden explosions of fireworks, excessive exercise or playing as well as consumption of some strange product or food item. If it is the first time that the animal has suffered a seizure, it is important that the veterinarian be contacted as soon as possible. Some breeds are known to be at a higher risk of suffering from seizures than others. These breeds include beagles, British Alsatians, Dachsunds, golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers. Some of the tests that the veterinarian may run in order to aid diagnosis include an MRI or CT brain scan to help identify the presence of a tumor, toxin tests, antibody titers and spinal tap.

Dog Vomits Yellow Mucus

The tendency of most dogs to eat almost anything they find lying by the way side means that most of them are likely to, at some point of time or the other, vomit out any consumptions that do not agree with their digestive system. This can become a rather grave concern for the dog owner in cases where the condition appears to be chronic. When dog vomits yellow bile, it can be a symptom that there may be something medically wrong with the animal as well. When instances like this occur rather frequently, it is important that the dog owner look for any traces of red in the vomit while also looking to identify the presence of any blood in other secretions. It is also important to remember and recall the last meal that the animal consumed and identify if there is a possibility that one of the ingredients in the meal is a likely allergen – triggering an allergic reaction to take place. Some of the more prominent symptoms that any dog owner should look out for when they find their dog vomiting yellow mucus include a disinterest in eating, noticeable weakness and lethargy as well as a rise in the animal’s body temperature. Also keep a track of how often the animal appears to throw up in a period of 24 hours. Unfortunately, one aspect that very often interferes with the effective treatment of the condition is the fact that it is very often confused with a number of other medical conditions. For example, it is very often misdiagnosed as being gagging or retching which then results in the dog vomiting white foam. This occurrence is more often the result of a respiratory condition much like kennel cough or a throat irritation.

The yellowish substance that the dog is vomiting is, in all likelihood, under-digested and lacking in any acids. As a result – most animals will even choose to eat up the vomit. While this may appear rather disgusting to most owners, the dogs are unlikely to pay much attention because of the fact that it is going to taste very similar to the food before ingestion. However, it is important to be able to effectively differentiate between dog vomiting and regurgitation because of the fact that it will greatly hamper the treatment process. In puppies, the tendency to vomit can also be a sign of an adapting digestive process, and therefore, is merely a part of the animals growth.

Swollen Lymph Nodes in Dogs Groin

Swollen lymph nodes in dogs are a rather common condition that can cause your beloved pet a significant amount of discomfort and pain. In order to properly grasp the details of the condition, it is important to understand the role played by the lymph nodes in the animal’s body. The lymph nodes are part of a network known as the lymphatic system and are visually similar to tiny sacs. These tiny sacs are spread all over the animal’s body and are primarily concerned with the filtration of blood – helping remove any foreign bodies or even debris. The secondary purpose of lymph nodes is the storage of white blood cells until the body requires them to fight off some kind of infection. Because of the fact that the lymph nodes are more exposed than most to infection, the chances of them becoming infected in the process of fighting off the foreign agent are significantly higher. The swelling will usually occur in the areas such as the animals jaw, shoulder, joint of the leg and groin. In the cases where the inflammation occurs in the swollen lymph node in the dog’s groin, the animal is likely to experience significant discomfort while performing actions such as passing stools. There are a number of causes that can lead to the development of swollen lymph nodes in dogs groin such as the presence of a rather minor, localized infection as well as the possibility of an allergic reaction to some kind of substance. In any case, it is of prime importance to identify the root cause of the problem as soon as possible because of the fact that early detection will increase chances of effective treatment. In order to properly identify the causing factor of the condition, the veterinarian will use blood tests, urine tests and even possibly a physical examination of lymph samples.

The most effective treatment of the condition will be very subjective to the root cause of swollen lymph nodes in the dog’s groin. Because of the variety of infections that are likely to cause the occurrence, there are a variety of different methods that will help in treatment. In most cases, the more minor complications will see the veterinarian use antibiotics, symptomatic treatments or even anti fungal medication with only the more serious conditions prompting the use of more aggressive treatment options. Also keep in mind the fact that most causing infections are known to be zootonic – meaning they can be easily transmitted to humans by their canine host.

Swollen Glands in Dogs Throat

Dogs are one of the most affectionate and loving pets to have around and are extremely good companions. Their wide array of natural hunting skills usually also make them very able watch dogs while their undying loyalty means that they can usually be trusted very highly. Seeing your favorite pet suffer from any medical condition can be heart wrenching, but given the fact that most dogs prefer to suffer in silence means that most symptoms of the condition will only become apparent once the condition has developed significantly. Swollen lymph nodes in dogs are a rather common condition for a canine to suffer from. The lymph nodes are a rather important part of the dog’s immune system and are concerned with the filtration of the blood flowing through the blood stream as well as acting as a storage space for white blood cells. The lymph nodes are distributed all over the animal’s body and will usually become inflamed as a result of the increase in the number of white blood cells required to fight off the infection. Contrary to popular belief, lymph nodes do not swell up in only in response to any particular infection, but can also easily be the result of the development of some kind of cancer. Some of the more noticeable symptoms of swollen lymph nodes in dogs include a swelling at the base of the jaw, joint of the leg, shoulder or even groin. As in your case, it is not uncommon to find swollen glands in the dog’s throat. Some cases of swollen lymph nodes will also see the animal suffer from distinct bouts of nausea as well as vomiting just after having eaten some food.

Because of the fact that there are a number of possible causes for the development of dog swollen glands, it is almost essential that you take your dog to a licensed veterinarian as soon as possible to help identify the root cause. This will significantly speed along the recovery as the veterinarian will then be able to draw out a treatment plan that acts specifically on the causing factors. In most cases, the minor infections will be treated with the help of some antibiotic, symptomatic treatment or even anti fungal medication. Only the more serious causes will require the veterinarian to use a more aggressive form of treatment. One aspect to keep in mind is that most causing infections are considered to be zootonic  - meaning that they can easily be transferred over to  any human that comes in contact with the animal.

Dog Spleen Rupture

Dog spleen rupture or a splenic hemorrhage occurs when a dog spleen tumor bursts and begins to bleed. Continuous bleeding of a spleen tumor can invade a blood vessel and cause the blood to enter the abdominal cavity. Though splenic rupture is most often caused due to tumors, it may also bleed if it has been fractured or lacerated due to any injury or trauma.

The tumors in the spleen can be formed due to a local collection of blood. Such tumors can be either benign or malignant. Almost any tumor in the spleen has the potential to rupture and bleed, though many will not. Dog spleen rupture may turn out to be an emergency situation depending on the amount of lost blood and the rapidity with which blood has been lost.

The first symptom of the presence of a tumor or abnormality in the spleen is enlarged spleen in dogs. Some of the other symptoms of spleen rupture in dogs include complete collapse, increased effort in breathing, abdominal distention, and pale mucus membranes. Some of the more serious signs of chronic blood loss due to a rupture of spleen include lethargy, intermittent weakness, anorexia, and weight loss. For an accurate diagnosis of the dog’s condition, the vet will usually take down a thorough history of the dog’s health followed by a physical examination. The doctor also takes abdominal radiographs, complete blood count, and abdominocentesis, a test in which a needle syringe is inserted into the abdominal cavity and fluid obtained from the probe is evaluated.

There may be some other tests required for completely diagnosing the condition of the dog. However, these tests are largely dependent on the condition of the dog. Some of the tests are biochemical profile, abdominal ultrasound, coagulation panel, and a CT or MRI scan. The approach to treatment is determined by the condition of the dog and the amount of blood that has been lost due to the rupture in the spleen. The first part of the treatment includes intravenous fluid therapy, analgesic therapy for pain relief, a belly wrap, blood transfusions, and oxygen therapy. If these therapies are not making a difference in the dog’s health, an emergency exploratory surgery may have to be performed. Spleen rupture is almost always an emergency situation and veterinary care should be made available to the dog as soon as possible. It is important to keep the stress of the dog minimized to the lowest levels. If there has been a traumatic injury because of which the spleen has been injured, there may be physical signs of it and that too may need attention.

Heartworm in Canines

Canine heartworm is a parasitic worm that is left unattended can do extensive damage to the canine’s body. Canine heartworms enter in the canine’s body through mosquito bites and although canines are the primary known source of these parasites there have also been cases where cats have also been known to have heartworms and in some rare cases humans too. Canine heartworms are basically worm parasites that tend to live in the canine’s lungs, hearts and arteries and they generally tend to have a life span of six to seven months within which they can severely damage the canine’s body and overall dog health. Heartworms in canines are caused by the bite of an infected mosquito which tends to deposit heartworm larvae into the coat of the canine. From there the larvae will burrow into the canines skin and then grow into worm like parasites. Symptoms of heartworms in canines may not be noticed until the situation gets really bad. So basically a canine can be afflicted with heartworms but may not show any outwardly signs unless they are checked thoroughly.

Some known symptoms of heartworms in canines include severe loss of weight, short or heavy breathing, fainting, nervousness, coughing and even loss of energy or appetite. In extreme cases dog heartworms may even be fatal for the canine resulting in death arising on account of heart failure. There are certain heartworm preventative pills that can be given to the canine to protect them from the parasite infestation. Additionally the canines can also be put through various tests by the veterinarian to decide whether it is infected with heartworms of not. Most of the times, unless a canine goes through an X-ray the heartworm may go undetected until it is too late. In such cases the only option for the canine’s survival is to go through extensive medicinal therapy which may have some other side effects as well. One of the major risks of treating heartworms in canines is that as the adult heartworms begin to die on account of the treatment they tend to emboli to the lungs thereby causing damage within the lung tissue. This problem can be combated by severely restricting the canine’s levels of activity which can be achieved by restricting the canine to a cage for a few days during the treatment. Additionally there is always the probability of the treatment not successfully killing the heartworms that live deep within the heart of the canine.

Dog Eye Injury

Dogs are susceptible to a number of eye injuries and the reasons for getting them in the first place are also many. Dog eye injury maybe caused either due to a blunt injury or a sharp injury wherein the former occurs due to a flat object that hits the dog and the latter is because of the dog being hit by a sharp object that damages the eye. In case of a blunt injury, the particular object does not come in direct contact with the eye but it may result in an injury of the eye. Dog eye injuries can be a result of an external material entering the eye and damaging it, a bacterial infection, an allergy or viral illness, bruising or a corneal ulcer in which case there are scratches on the cornea of the eye. You can identify an eye injury or infection by looking out for the following symptoms that include a yellow, white or green color discharge, squinting, blood present in or around the eye, tearing, swelling, eyeball being enlarged, pupils unable to respond to light or darkness and so on. Flushing can provide your dog with temporary relief from any irritation but it is mandatory to get your dog checked by the veterinarian who will prescribe a few medicines and other treatments.

Infection in the eyes is another very common problem in dogs and occurs when bacteria makes its way into the eyes through the skin or fur. Infection can also happen through mucous that has been infected. You will know that your dog is having some problem with the eye if he is perpetually pawing and rubbing the eye or rubbing the face constantly on a pillow or a carpet. Also, if you have taken your dog for a walk and he is all of a sudden bumping into things, there is a possibility that he is suffering from an eye injury. You will thus, be able to figure out that there is something wrong with your dog if you are a little attentive and alert towards the dog behavior. It is important that you take care of any eye injury that your dog suffers from because even though the injury may seem very small it can have a serious damage on his eyes leading to permanent loss of sight. Besides, the eye is extremely delicate and therefore, needs a lot of care and attention.

Cat Urinating in House

A cat urinating in the house is what every cat owner dreads. An important point to keep in mind when this occurs is that cats are fastidious creatures. Urinating outside their litter box is a sure sign that there is something wrong with them. The first question you should therefore ask your self is “why is my cat urinating in the house?” He is probably doing this because he does not want to urinate in the litter box. A cat will associate a litter box with urination and if urination has become painful an association of pain may develop with the litter box. In several cases, the cat is in pain and urinating outside the box is not simply bad behavior but simply an effort to urinate without the pain. Your cat may be suffering from a urinary tract infection. This is called Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Your cat will need medical care if this is the case. Ensure you take your cat to the vet as this disease could be life threatening if ignored. Other medical problems that could be responsible for urination outside the litter box are liver disease, trauma, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, adrenal gland disease, bacterial infection, phyercalcemia, pyometra, colitis, diabetes mellitus, calculi, diabetes insiidus and phyocalcemi.

Another factor that could be responsible is stress. If you have a new pet in the house, a new baby, or if you have moved recently- all these can stress out your cat. If your cat has recently been declawed and a rough substance in the litter box causes pain to the declawed paw, he will associate the pain with the box. If the litter box is dirty or you are using a new brand of litter, the cat might move away and urinate elsewhere. Cats also urinate to mark their territory. An older cat may not make it to the box in time.

So, how does one stop a cat from urinating in the house? Address the reason behind this. If it is a medical problem, ensure you see a vet and treat the cat accordingly. Pay more attention to the cat if he is jealous of a new arrival. Keep the litter box clean and make sure it is large enough for your cat. Place more boxes around your house if your cat is old. Put aluminum foil over the area the cat has urinated. Cats do not like the feel or noise the foil makes. Never punish the cat for urinating in the wrong place.

Cat Red Eyes

Cat red eyes are symptomatic of an eye infection known as conjunctivitis. It is an infection of the conjunctiva tissue in the eye. When this tissue gets inflamed, it leads to swelling and redness and there could be eye discharge too. The cat’s eye may not open fully, due to this inflamed conjunctiva. If you notice that your cat has red eyes that are partially closed, take him/her to the vet. Red eye in cats may result in vision loss, if not treated.

The discharge from the eye may be watery or thick. The color can range from transparent to yellow to green. Greenish and yellowish discharges will be thicker. The color and consistency depends on the severity of the condition. It is also a key factor in deciding the course of treatment for cat red eyes. There are many causes for a cat to have red eyes. The most common cause for cat conjunctivitis is infection with the Herpes virus. It is also called “rhinotracheitis”. This is a painful virus and can cause some discharge and redness and often attacks only one eye. Some others causes of cat red eye are listed below:-

• Eyelid tumors
• Inflammation of the cornea which is known as Keratitis
• Glaucoma
• Keratoconjunctivitis also known as dry eye
• Problems with the third eyelid
• Exposure to smoke/pollen/dust/mold/grasses
• Uveitis, which is an infection of the uvea
• It can also be brought on by bacteria, fungi, chemicals or viruses
• Trauma (like a cat fight)

Diagnosis can be made by a vet after certain tests are performed. Be sure to inform him of any symptoms your cat has displayed. Fluorescein staining may be carried out to detect any ulcers on the cornea or superficial abrasions. A shirmer test may be performed to check if the cat’s tear glands are working well. Other special tests such as complete blood work, a glaucoma test, bacterial cultures, conjunctival biopsy or scrapings to study conjunctival cells may also be required.

The course of treatment will depend on the cause of the cat’s conjunctivitis. If there are any substances in the cat’s eye, the eye will be washed thoroughly. Medication may be prescribed if Herpes is the cause. Eye drops or ointments will be given if allergies or inhalants are the reason. Injections can be given directly into the conjunctiva as well. Oral pills or liquids are an option for treatment too.

One cannot prevent cat conjunctivitis but one can ensure that the cat recovers from it quickly.

Canine Training Information

While starting to train your canine it is advisable to not begin his training in a canine park as they tend to be rather dangerous for the canine and especially puppies on account of the unpredictable nature of certain breeds of canines which may result in your canine getting hurt or injured. Secondly on account of the hug amount of distractions in the canine park, it may be difficult to hold onto your canines attention while training him a particular command. Canine training information on early puppy training is easily available over the internet or you may even speak with a professional trainer or the vet. The first thing to train a canine or a pup when you bring them into the house is where they are required to expel. Housebreaking is an essential part of any canine training info as it establishes the basic discipline in the canine and also ensures that the canine does not become a nuisance. Canine training information should also cover how to train and manage canines when there are multiple canines in the same house as canines tend to get very territorial and possessive about their space and their belongings which could result in aggression.

Training a canine would invariably also include different form of positive reinforcement in the form of treats praise, petting and even the clicker which is a fairly new development in canine training. Some trainers or canine owners may actually reinforce negative behavior by giving the canine a treat or hugging or petting the dig is he behaves badly like barking excessively. Sometimes a canine may also obey the command out of fear for the trainer or the handler rather than him wanting to actually please them. This is not desirable while training a canine. Another section of canine training info typically covers crate training which is a method of housebreaking a canine wherein the dig is put into a crate which it cannot get out of during the night and for short periods of time during the day as it is observed that a canine would almost never urinate or defecate in its den. Canine training should be an integral part of owning a canine as it helps in developing a mature and responsible canine. The owner is also able to command the respect of the canine as he has more control on the canine’s behavior and actions thereby not allowing it to be a nuisance to other people.