Animal Parasites

Stay calm. The first step you need to take is to see your vet. There are many reasons your dog may be in pain and these may be diagnosed as:

Injuries from accidents

Degenerative diseases

Arthritis

Dental problems

Infections

Parasites

After consulting with your vet your dog will be prescribed the appropriate cause of treatment. This could be a course of anti-inflammatories, flea and worming treatments, or even surgery. Natural dog pain relief can have successful responses when used alongside conventional treatments, and your vet may advise complementary treatments for the control of pain including acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic methods.

Laser therapy can help speed up the healing time of stitches and incisions after surgery, and help with arthritis and reduce pain from nerve damage. Hydrotherapy can be very effective in promoting muscle recovery after injury or surgery and helps reduce inflammation caused by arthritis.

= Sickness = Alopecia - Thinning hair can be caused by the smell of Clorox and other cleaners. Alopecia Ear Infections - Ear infections are very uncomfortable for your pet. Your dog or cat will show his discomfort by shaking his head or scratching at his ears. Often, the ears will become red and inflamed with an offensive odor and perhaps a black or yellowish discharge. Because many different culprits can be the cause of your pet's ear infection, it is important to have your dog examined by a veterinarian, who can then determine the proper medication or treatment. Your veterinarian will also make sure the eardrum is intact, as some medications can result in hearing loss if administered to a pet with a ruptured eardrum. Treatment prescribed by the doctor usually includes administering medication to and cleaning the ears daily for one to two weeks. Remember, your pet's ears are painful, your dog might not appreciate what you are about to do, so use caution. Ask your veterinarian for a demonstration on how to treat the ears properly. Anemia (Low Blood Level) - The most easily observed sign of anemia is a loss of the normal pink color of the gums. Anemic dogs also have little stamina so they seem very listless or tired. Pale gums and lethargy symptoms to perform some tests on blood to document anemia.

There are several tests that are performed on the red blood cells. The most common test for anemia is the packed cell volume (PCV); it is also called the hematocrit. A blood sample is placed in a centrifuge to separate the red blood cells from the plasma (the liquid part of the blood). If the PCV is below 35%, the dog is anemic. Other tests to determine anemia include the red blood cell count and the hemoglobin count. If these are below 5.5 X 106/mm3 or 12 g/dl, respectively, the dog is anemic. It is important to know if the bone marrow is producing an increased number of new red blood cells. Often, this can be determined by a study of the stained blood smear. The presence of increased numbers of immature (young) red blood cells usually means the bone marrow is responding to the need for more red blood cells.

If your dog's anemia is so severe that it is life-threatening, a blood transfusion is needed. This may be performed immediately after a blood sample is taken for testing. The main purpose of a blood transfusion is to stabilize the dog long enough that a determination of the cause of the anemia can be made.Further treatment will be determined once the underlying disease has been diagnosed. False Pregnancy - When false pregnancy persists it can be a nuisance. The female dog can show the following signs: * Nesting * Mothering inanimate objects * Lactating (giving milk) * Abdominal distension * She can even appear to go into labor Some female dogs are very sensitive to the hormonal fluctuations of the cycle. Diagnosis is made by history and physical examination rather than by blood test. The key is to find symptoms of pregnancy in a female dog who is not pregnant. Symptoms generally become noticeable 6-3 months after estrus.

If symptoms are mild, treatment is unnecessary as the condition resolves within 3 weeks. It may be tempting to put warm compresses on the breasts or wrap them to prevent milk leakage causing stains in the house. It is important to remember that any touching of the mammary tissue is what stimulates milk production so it is important to minimize tactile stimulation. If the female is licking herself, she may need an Elizabethan collar to minimize stimulation. Parvo - The source of Canine parvovirus (CPV)infection is fecal waste from infected dogs. It has been diagnosed anywhere groups of dogs are found: dog shows, obedience trials, breeding and boarding kennels, pet shops, animal shelters, parks, and playgrounds. Dogs that spend their time confined to a house or yard and are not in contact with other dogs have much less chance of exposure to CPV. It's easily transmitted via the hair or feet of infected dogs, and also by contaminated objects such as cages or shoes. CPV is hardy and can remain in feces-contaminated ground for five months or more if conditions are favorable. Although most disinfectants cannot kill it, chlorine bleach is quite effective. Diarrhea syndrome, or enteritis, has an incubation period of five to fourteen days. Dogs with enteritis act like they are in extreme pain. Early symptoms are depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, high fever, and severe diarrhea. Feces can be either grayish or fluid and bloody. Rapid dehydration is a danger, and dogs may continue to vomit and have diarrhea until they die, usually three days after onset of symptoms. Parainfluenza - 'Kennel Cough' is the term that was commonly applied to the most prevalent upper respiratory problem in dogs in the United States. Recently, the condition has become known as tracheobronchitis, canine infectious tracheobronchitis, Bordetellosis, or Bordetella. It is highly contagious in dogs. The most common symptom is a dry hacking cough sometimes followed by retching. A watery nasal discharge may also be present. With mild cases, dogs continue to eat and be alert and active. In more severe cases, the symptoms may progress and include lethargy, fever, inappetence, pneumonia, and in very severe cases, even death. There are two treatment options depending on the severity of the disease. In the most common mild (uncomplicated) form of the disease, antibiotics are usually not used. If the dog has a good appetite and is alert but suffers only from a recurrent cough, we will often let the disease run its course just as we would with a cold in humans. Treating the mild case does not shorten the length in which the animal will be a potential spreader of the disease. Many times, prednisone is given to help reduce the severity and frequency of the cough and to make the dog more comfortable. Distemper - Distemper is still a common and deadly viral infection of dogs that is most common in young puppies. Distemper virus can affect many systems of the body. The most common signs are nasal and eye discharge, coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, and seizures. Mildly affected dogs may only cough and be misdiagnosed as "kennel cough." Others may develop pneumonia. Puppies that recover may have severe enamel damage. Treatment is usually ineffective and most dogs with the illness die. Adenovirus 1 & 2 - Canine adenovirus type 1 causes canine hepatitis. The virus invades the dogs liver, causing swelling, cell damage sometimes liver haemorrhage and often acute death due to shock. An infected dog will shed the virus in the feces and urine. The virus is not airborne. The incubation period is 4 to 7 days. Symptoms include fever, lethargy, tonsillitis, abdominal distension and pain, loss of appetite and a pale color. Often there is vomiting. Some dogs will develop the classic hepatitis blue eyes. The is due to odoema (fluid swelling) of the cornea of the eye. In severe acute cases, especially pups, death can occur in 1 to 2 days. If dogs can survive the initial few days, they should recover and have lifelong immunity. However, regular vaccination is a preferntial. Canine adenovirus type 2 is related to the hepatitis virus and is one of the causes of infectious tracheobronchitis, also known as kennel cough. Vaccination against adenovirus-2 will not prevent infection with this virus but limits its severity so the chance of secondary bacterial infection and complications occurring is minimized. In most cases of kennel cough, the disease is multifaceted and will include a combination of bacterial and viral agents. Normally, symptoms of kennel cough will develop within a week after a dog has been exposed. The most common symptoms are a dry, hacking cough followed by retching, and coughing up a white foamy discharge. The cough is brought on by an inflammation of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (the air passages to the lungs). Some dogs also develop conjunctivitis ("pink eye"), rhinitis (inflamed nasal mucous membrane), and a nasal discharge. Coronavirus - Usually, when a dog contracts coronavirus, the worse case scenario is that the animal will suffer from diarrhea and related symptoms for several days. Signs can vary tremendously, but commonly include vomiting, diarrhea that may contain mucus or blood, depression, anorexia, and occasionally fever. Puppies that are infected by the virus, however, can develop severe dehydration from persistent vomiting and diarrhea caused by the inflammation occurring in the small intestine. The coronavirus is transmitted when a dog ingests feces from another dog that has the virus. Because the coronavirus is highly contagious, animals that live in kennels or participate in dog shows are at a high risk for contracting it and should be vaccinated. There is no specific treatment for coronavirus, but supportive care such as fluid therapy and antibiotics is sometimes needed, especially for young puppies that develop more serious symptoms. Leptospirosis -The first signs of leptospirosis are fever and depression. Dogs developing this disease are cold and shiver. They appear to ache and be tender all over. Soon they develop fevers of 103-104 degrees Fahrenheit. Joint pain and excessive bleeding sometimes occur. The dogs stop eating and drinking and often drool and vomit. Through vomiting they loose fluids and become dehydrated. Dogs with fulminating infections soon become subnormal in temperature (hypothermia) and may die before signs of kidney and liver failure develop. In other dogs, infection of the kidneys leads to blood tinged reddish urine, oral ulcers and uremia. Treatment consists of antibiotics, fluid replacement, and controlling the vomiting and the problems associated with the corresponding kidney or liver infections. Penicillin, or one of its derivatives is the antibiotic of choice for treating the initial infection. After the initial infection is controlled, doxycycline is often used to cure and prevent a potential long-term carrier state. Intravenous or subcutaneous fluids are often given to correct dehydration while the corresponding liver or kidney problems are treated. Rabies - After coming in contact with the virus, the bitten animal may go through one or all of several stages. If the bitten animal is a skunk it may not show any symptoms at all but could become a lifelong carrier. With most animals, however, the virus will spread through the nerves of the bitten animal towards the brain. The virus is relatively slow moving and the average time of incubation from exposure to brain involvement is between 3 to 8 weeks in dogs, 2 to 6 weeks in cats, and 3 to six weeks in people. However, incubation periods as long as 6 months in dogs and 12 months in people have been reported. After the virus reaches the brain it then will move to the salivary glands where it then can be spread through a bite. After the virus reaches the brain the animal will show one, two, or all of the three different phases. The first is the prodromal phase and usually lasts for 2-3 days in dogs. Apprehension, nervousness, anxiety, solitude, and a fever may be noted. Friendly animals may become shy or irritable and may snap, whereas, aggressive animals may become affectionate and docile. Most animals will constantly lick the site of the bite. From the prodromal phase, animals may enter the furious stage. The furious stage of the disease in dogs usually lasts for 1 to 7 days. Animals become restless and irritable and are hyper responsive to auditory and visual stimuli. As they become more restless, they begin to roam and become more irritable and vicious. When caged, dogs may bite and attack their enclosures. Animals progress to become disoriented and then have seizures and eventually die. Animals may develop the paralytic phase either after the prodromal or furious stage. The paralytic phase usually develops within 2 to 4 days after the first signs are noted. Nerves affecting the head and throat are the first to be involved and animals may begin to salivate as a result of their inability to swallow. Deep labored breathing and a dropped jaw may result as the diaphragm and face muscles become increasingly paralyzed. Animals may make a choking sound and many owners think that there is something lodged in the dog's throat. The animal will get weaker and eventually go into respiratory failure and die. The current way to diagnose rabies in animals is to submit the brain for microscopic exam.There is no treatment. Once the disease develops in humans, death is certain. There have a couple of reported cases of dogs surviving the infection, but they are very rare.