Caring for a Dog
Tagged: animal, cat, dog, petsEveryday Care
Dog owners are responsible for feeding, housebreaking, and grooming their pets. They should also oversee the health of their dogs. It’s best to consult a veterinarian at the first sign of a dog ailment. A dog can be fed either the dry meal, biscuit, semimoist, or canned type of dog food. Whichever type is selected must contain the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins essential for the animal’s well-being. As a rule, the cost of feeding a large dog can be kept low by giving it the less expensive dry meal type. A puppy should be housebroken as soon as possible. When the puppy takes its first water or food, note how long it takes for the puppy to urinate or defecate. When you discover the schedule, take the pup outside when the prescribed time has elapsed after feeding or drinking. Praise the pup when it urinates and defecates out-of-doors. Soon, the puppy will associate the outdoors with toilet function and will no longer soil the house or the newspapers that have been spread around its living area. Young puppies should not be excessively groomed. A daily brushing with a soft brush is sufficient to remove surface dust and dirt. Some authorities believe that to conserve its natural skin oils a pup should not be completely bathed until its first birthday. Mud and deep dirt in its coat, however, can be removed with a damp, warm cloth. Afterward, the puppy should be completely dried with a rough towel. A dog can then have a complete bath when it is old enough, but it must be kept in the house until thoroughly dry, especially during winter. Dog’s nails should be trimmed periodically if they are not worn down from walking on sidewalks or other hard surfaces. Cut only the transparent part of the nail past the foot pads. Close clipping can cut into the “quick†the portion of nail that has nerves and blood vessels and hurt the animal. Special clippers can be purchased for trimming dog nails.
Canine Pests and Diseases
The flea is the dog’s most common pest. In addition to causing itching, fleas also carry tapeworms and disease. Some dogs are allergic to fleas and have serious reactions to them. Washing the dog with special soap can remove fleas. Flea-preventive collars are also available to protect dogs with thin coats. Flea collars, however, should not be used on short-haired, single-coated dogs such as greyhounds, whippets, and pointers because of skin irritation. Fleas can be effectively managed with spot-on liquids. A few drops applied to the dog’s upper back once a month takes care of the problem. The tick poses a greater danger to the dog. This pest attaches itself to the dog’s skin and sucks its blood. It also carries certain canine and human diseases. An owner can remove ticks from his dog by first dabbing alcohol on the infested area and then picking the parasites off with tweezers, making sure that the entire tick is removed. Many flea-prevention products also kill or repel ticks. Worms and other intestinal parasites often infest puppies. A puppy’s fecal stools should be checked periodically for them. If worms are detected, take a sample of the infested stool to a veterinarian so that the type of parasite can be determined and the proper treatment rendered. Commercial deworming medicines should be avoided unless prescribed by a veterinarian. Heartworm is a more serious pest in that it can cause death. It can be prevented by giving the dog a monthly pill. Treatment for existing heartworms must be given under a veterinarian’s guidance. A dog is obviously sick when it becomes listless and loses its appetite. Its bowel movements may be irregular. It might also have pale, whitish gums and tongue, dull eyes, and a dry coat. A sick dog often runs a fever. A dog’s temperature is best taken with a rectal thermometer. Normal body temperature of a dog is 101.5°F (38.6° C). A dog’s pulse can be taken by pressing your finger against the blood vessel in the V formed where the undersides of the hind legs attach to the body. Normal pulse rate of a dog is between 75 and 100 beats per minute. A dog can be infected by several viruses, including those that cause distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies. A spirochete caused ailment called leptospirosis is also common among dogs. Puppies should be vaccinated against each of these diseases. If any of them should arise, however, the suffering dog must be taken to a veterinarian for treatment. Distemper affects the mucous membranes of the dog’s respiratory tract. The symptoms resemble those of human influenza. Distemper causes the dog’s temperature to rise two to three degrees above normal. Canine hepatitis affects the dog’s liver and abdominal organs. It is marked by a fever as high as 105°F (40° C), thirst, diarrhea, and vomiting. A dog with hepatitis may hump its back and try to rub its belly against the floor to relieve the pain. Leptospirosis is sometimes confused with hepatitis. However, leptospirosis is characterized by discolored and abnormal-smelling urine. At the onset of the disease, the dog’s body temperature might soar as high as 105°F. Rabies is a disease that can pass to humans who have been bitten by infected dogs. Rabies is almost always fatal when the virus gets to the brain. Brain inflammation causes the erratic behavior that is sometimes seen in a rabid dog. Parvovirus infection causes serious intestinal ailments in dogs. It is highly contagious and can result in death in just a few days. It causes vomiting, severe diarrhea, and fever. Prevention through vaccination and good sanitation is the best defense against this often fatal disease. Once a dog has become infected, there is no treatment that will kill the virus. Treatment consists of controlling the symptoms and supporting the dog with good nursing care.
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