Questions About Dog Health - What Dog Lovers Need to Know
Have you always been plagued with worry over anything to do with your pet pooch? Put your worries to rest because here are some of the most common questions about dog health you’ll ever come across.
It’s certainly fulfilling to be a dog owner, but it’s hard if you don’t know everything about your pet, and it can get confusing if you have a lot of questions about dog health. To help you along, we are answering some of the most important questions about dog health you may already be asking.
Question #1: How can I tell if my dog is sick?
When a person is sick, you can usually see it in his appearance or you notice an overall dip in his mood and energy. Your dog is the same way, although it always helps to be certain in its case. That’s why it’s best for you to really pay attention to any changes to aspects such as your pet’s behavior and eating habits.
Every single change in your dog’s daily routine, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is worth taking a closer look at. Take note of aspects like his appetite, his liquid consumption, urinary frequency, general appearance, sudden weight loss, and drops in energy level. More drastically, you should be able to notice if he refuses his food. Is he vomiting? Does he limp or have difficulty getting around? Any of these symptoms should ring warning bells and require a trip to the vet.
Question #2: How often should I have my dog checked at the vet?
Taking your dog on annual checkups is advisable. It should be more frequent than that if your dog is still very young, or has a medical condition that requires constant monitoring. As he gets older, starting around the age of six, take him to the vet twice every year. This is so any health problems that may come with age may be detected and fixed straightaway, and that the right course of action may be taken to ensure good and continued health as he matures.
Question #3: Should I have my dog neutered/spayed?
This is another problem that many dog owners have. Unless you’re planning on putting up a breeding facility, it is highly recommended that your dog be neutered (if it is a male) or spayed (if female) once it has reached six months of age.
This makes them less aggressive and can also boost their health. A male’s chances of getting prostate and testicular cancer falls to almost zero, while the same rate holds true for females getting mammary cancer.
Spaying significantly reduces their risk of contracting a form of diabetes, as well as womb infections or pyometra. It prevents overpopulation or the swelling in numbers of poor, unwanted puppies in rescue shelters.
Another advantage of this is that it saves you the trouble of having to deal with the horde of male dogs trooping to your house each time your female dog is in heat.
Question #4: Is excessive drooling normal?
Dogs drool. This is perfectly normal. But relative to his size, a good tip would be to take note of whether or not there is a sudden increase in his salivary output as this could be an indication of periodontal disease, tongue injuries, or even cysts, in which case you must take him to see the vet immediately.
Question #5: How do I deal with ear mites?
Before using your vet’s prescribed ear mite medication, you must first clean off the deposit of hardened debris in your dog’s ear by applying some drops of baby oil in the ear canal and letting it stand for a few hours.
Once the coating has softened, you can flush it away with vinegar and distilled water (avoid tap water) in equal parts using a rubber ear-cleaning syringe. Do this with extra care as too much pressure will cause pain.
Once clean, apply a few drops of the medication; after which, gently massage the ear’s base for a few minutes so that the medicine can be properly absorbed into the affected area.
Don’t forget to read the medicine’s instructions first before applying. When in doubt about the procedure, your vet could always do the cleaning and medicating for you, though it would be good for both you and your pet if you knew how to do it yourself.
By observing your veterinarian perform this, you will be able to see and learn how it’s done. It will prepare you for the next time your dog encounters ear mites, and it will be a big plus for you to be able to do this if you have other dogs who might suffer from ear mites too.
Did we miss your other questions about dog health? You can drop by your veterinarian’s office and get more detailed informationand don’t forget to take your dog with you as well for a check-up!
Get the controversial FREE course that reveals shocking truths about bad dog food and dog health problems at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/dogs-exposed.htm
| By Michael Lee Published: 8/27/2007 |
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