Cattle

Archive for August 4th, 2008

Dog Addison’s disease or Canine Hypoadrenocorticism is caused by a lower than normal production of hormones by the adrenal glands (a small gland located near the kidney that secretes several different substances such as salt, sugar and water that help regulate normal body functions) that results from the reduction in corticosteroid. Adrenal gland responsible for producing cortisones (glucocorticoids), hormones that helps your pet’s body deal with stress, and mineral corticoids that regulate the quantity of potassium and sodium in the bloodstream. Addison’s Disease can cause many serious health complications, and has a high probability of being mis-diagnosed as another disease. This is because the symptoms of Addison’s disease in dogs are relatively general, including fatigue, diarrhea, sweating, and muscle pain. The most difficult aspect of dealing with Addison’s disease in your dog is receiving a positive diagnosis for the disease.

Certain dog breeds are suspected to be more prone to develop Addison’s disease. These breeds include Portuguese Water Dogs, Bearded Collies, Standard Poodles, Great Danes, and the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. Dogs that have had surgery near the pituitary gland or hypothalamus may also develop Addison’s disease. It is not a common disease but when it does occur it is primarily in young or middle-aged female dogs averaging on 4-7 years of age although any age or gender may be affected. Usually, it is only the outer portion of the glands that are affected. There are two different classifications for Addison’s disease, which depend largely on the underlying cause of the adrenal insufficiency. In primary Addison’s disease, the adrenal insufficiency is directly caused by improper function or damage to the adrenal glands. In secondary Addison’s disease, the adrenal insufficiency is not because of malfunctioning adrenal glands. Secondary Addison’s disease is caused by the improper transmission of the hormone ACTH from the pituitary gland, or a reduced production of corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) by the hypothalamus. In secondary Addison’s disease, the adrenal gland is still functioning normally.

Common causes of dog Hypoadrenocorticism are: 1) Adrenal Dysgenesis is a rare genetic condition in which the adrenal gland has not formed properly during a dog’s early development.; 2) Adrenal Destruction, the adrenal gland is progressively damaged by disease, and is subsequently unable to function.; 3) Impaired Steriodogenesis, the adrenal gland is unable to produce cortisol on a biochemical level.; 4) Damaged Pituitary Gland; 5) Prolong use of steroid hormones; and 6) Lack of Aldosterone that causes drop in blood pressure and severe dehydration. Genetic continuity between dogs and humans helps to explain the occurrence of Addison’s disease in both species.

Blood drawn from dogs with Addison’s disease is deficient in cortisol. Sick dogs often show a pattern of changes in their white blood cells (WBCs) called a stress leukogram. This pattern of changes in the WBCs is caused by cortisol. The absence of a stress leukogram in a sick dog may be a clue to consider Addison’s disease. The urine is often dilute.

The standard treatment involves replacing the mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids in the body. There are two stages of treatment for Addison’s disease; in-hospital treatment and long term treatment. Very sick dogs with Addison’s disease require intravenous fluids, cortisol-like drugs and drugs to neutralize the effects of potassium on the heart. Long-term treatment involves the administration of hormones in one of two forms; either a daily pill or a shot that is given about every 25 days. Because dogs with Addison’s disease cannot produce more cortisol in response to stress, stress should be minimized whenever possible. It may be necessary to increase the amount of hormones given during periods of stress (e.g. boarding, surgery, travel, etc.). Most of the medications used in the therapy of hypoadrenocorticism cause excessive thirst and urination. It is absolutely vital to provide fresh drinking water for the canine sufferer. A newer option in the treatment of Addison’s disease is a drug called DOCP. The injection is long acting and only needs to be given once every 25 days. DOCP has been intensively tested and been shown to provide better electrolyte regulation than Florinef. Some animals on DOCP may also need to be placed on a low maintenance dose of prednisone.

If you are looking out for a purebred dog, you will probably want to find a breeder from whom you should purchase the animal. You might think that it is as easy as looking into the classified section of your newspaper, but you will want to be certain that the breeder you choose is reputable. There are a number of ways of determining whether the breeder you have chosen knows enough, is professional, trustworthy and reliable.

Seek References
A good breeder should be able to give you references of the clients he has previously worked with. These people who had purchased a puppy and utilized a stud service should be more than willing to share their experience with you. It is always safe to choose a breeder who was used by a person you know. If your family member or friend was satisfied with the breeder and the service, chances are that you will be satisfied too.

Be prepared for questions
You know your breeder is good if he or she has as many questions to ask you, as you have to ask them. A good breeder is always dedicated to the dog’s welfare and will want to place the dog he or she breeds with the right people. Some of the questions you can expect are whether you have children, the size of your home and yard, and other related questions that can help them determine what kind of dog is suitable for you and also if you can provide the required environment and atmosphere for the dog. If your breeder does not ask you these kind of questions, he or she is probably just out for the money and you probably do not want to seek the services of such a breeder. A good breeder always thinks of the welfare of both the client and the dog.

Guarantees
The breeder you choose should check the puppy for potential health risks before selling you the animal. There are, however, some problems that go undetected till too late. For instance, if you are purchasing a golden retriever, and 6 months later discover that it suffers from hip dysplasia (a defect in the hip joints of the animal, virtually undetectable till several months after birth), your breeder should be willing to issue you a refund, no strings attached. These kinds of genetic disorders can be avoided by using selective breeding (there is a 25%-85% chance that hip dysplasia in a dog is genetic), but it is possible for the pup to suffer from such disorders even if it was absent in the parents.

Other sources
Besides searching for a dog breeder in the newspaper and the internet, they can also be found through references from veterinarian’s offices, dog shows and pet supply stores. Dog shows are one of the best places to find good breeders, as usually the breeders who attend them are showing one of their own dogs or have come to see one of their clients dogs.

Proper aquarium maintenance is very crucial in goldfish care. Goldfish are relatively easy to care for and if you maintain your fish tank properly you will see that keeping goldfish health is quite an easy task.

If you feel like you can always hire an aquarium maintenance service which may come to your office or home and take care of your fish. However, it is an always great to take care of your beloved fish yourself. It will give you a lot of satisfaction and pleasure and can be a rewarding experience.

Important steps in goldfish care

Very important equipment in your fish tank is its filtration system. You can choose from a wide range of filtration system available in the. However, the most common one resembles a box which fits over one side of the aquarium. The tank water will circulates through this filtration system and it generally uses charcoal. Again, another variety of filtration system can be biological filter. This type of filter can be used in along with a charcoal filtration as well. One advantage of this filter is that it allows good bacteria to grow inside the tank.

The number of fish you have inside your aquarium is also of extreme importance. This is because it can influence the quality of water. If you have too many fish in a relatively smaller tank the water will tend to deteriorate very fast. So always maintain correct fish population inside the tank. Next you must be careful not to over-feed your goldfish. You must feed that much only which your fish can eat up within a few minutes. Because uneaten food can rot and give birth to bacteria.

Change water partially water

It is always essential to change your tank water partially in every week. In fact it is central to your goldfish’s care. Changing a portion of fish tank water every week will help you to keep the level of alga down and also to maintain a proper environment inside the tank. Moreover, you can siphon around 20 percent of the water in every few days. If your tap water has chlorine in it you must add a chlorine neutralizer before pouring it into the tank.

Observe the behavior of your fish daily

It is always handy to observe the behavior of your goldfish regularly. By doing this you can ensure that everything is fine inside the tank. Always check your filter and see if kit is running properly or not. If you have experience a power cut make sure that the air pump is running well.

Furthermore, if you see any behavioral change in your fish you must know that there should be a cause behind it. You must take a proactive step to determine the cause of this change or else it may hamper your fish in the future.