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Dog kidney disease is probably one of the leading causes of death in older dogs. There are two forms in which the disease can manifest itself, acute or chronic. The acute form can happen so quickly and suddenly, while the chronic form begins slowly and progresses over time. Sadly for the owner, news of either form of disease is upsetting.

Kidneys are an important organ for the body – human or canine. They are responsible for ridding the body of toxins by filtration. Kidney disease causes the kidneys to function at only about thirty percent of their capacity. If the kidneys stop working, the toxins accumulate in the blood and get deposited in other organs. Subsequently, the dog dies.

As the toxins start building up in various organs, they start to ‘shut down’ that organ. The owner can notice the apparent symptoms in such cases. The kidney disease hinders the body from functioning properly and the warning signals become more obvious. The signs can vary between the two types of kidney disease. Sudden dehydration is a sign of acute kidney disease. If you gently pull the skin of the stomach on your pet and it doesn’t spring back, then it could be that he or she is dehydrated.

You may have noticed your dog not wanting to pass urine or no urine production at all. This is also is a warning sign that your pet may be a victim of acute kidney disease. This disease can lead to your dog having extremely painful kidneys; or you may notice the animal moving with stiff legs or an arched back. These symptoms are signs for any dog owner to watch out for.

Chronic kidney disease shows different symptoms. They may well have a change of appetite with no desire to eat where normally they would gulp food. They may perhaps go off their food altogether. This will, over time, lead to weight loss. The first warning signs which highlight the start of the disease are increased thirst and water consumption. These are frequent exhibits of the condition. Sadly the dog may lose control of its bladder with frequent increased urination occurring. As time goes on urination will become painful, some cases impossible and blood may appear in the urine. Canine kidney disease can be deadly and serious, any signs of urine symptoms, vomiting, lethargic or depressed in your pet treat this as a warning sign and alert your vet straight away. If caught quickly it may be possible to gain control over the disease.

If the veterinarian suspects kidney disease he will usually follow four steps to decide if the dog has the disease or not. A thorough physical examination is what he will normally do first. The dogs relevant history will be gone over with the owner next, things such as their home behavior and symptoms. A blood test and urinary test are the two steps he will take after the first two steps are done. Both tests have to be done to make sure of a correct diagnosis. Whether or not your dog has acute or chronic kidney disease will be confirmed by both of these tests.

Guinea pigs are one of the most popular household pets, next to dogs and cats.  These fluffy little creatures require very little care and take up hardly any space.  Given proper care and nutrition, they can live for many years and we can form quite an attachment to them.  A proper diet that mimics as closely as possible is the best way to insure that your pet guinea pig lives out all his years in good health.

Guinea pigs have diets in nature that are extremely high in fiber.  This fiber is essential to the proper workings of a guinea pig’s intestines and digestive system.  They require both fiber that is indigestible, that helps move the digestive process along as well as digestible fiber for nutrition.  The proportions should be near equal in ratio, so it’s important to feed the guinea pig the right mix of the two foods in order to avoid problems.

The best and easiest way to ensure that your pet is getting the proper nutrition is to feed them a high quality pellet specifically designed for guinea pigs.  These animals cannot produce their own vitamin C and therefore they require supplements.  Specifically designed guinea pig food allows for this through supplementation.  These pellets are a mix of a wide variety of plants, seeds and vegetables.

The pellets alone provide satisfactory nutrition, but you are free to spice up the diet with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables..  Carrots, lettuce and broccoli are good choices and help provide additional nutrition as well as variety.  Guinea pigs can eat almost any vegetable so don’t be afraid to experiment with different things.  Fruits are also a welcome treat for guinea pigs.  Strawberries, melon and apples are some of their favorites.    Some form of hard to chew food should be given since the pigs need to grind down their constantly growing teeth. A fresh supply of hay will help with this, round out the diet and keep the animal healthy.  Uneaten food should be removed from the cage before it begins to decompose and become a health risk.

Processed human foods should be avoided.  Even cereals that are mostly grain contain fillers and sugar which will not be good for the animal.  Just like humans, guinea pigs will quickly develop an affinity for these types of junk foods and will forego eating the healthy food they are given.

Last of all, fresh drinking water should always be on hand.  A high fiber diet requires a lot of water to digest.  Follow these healthy diet tips and enjoy your guinea pig’s company for many years.

Keeping your pet well groomed is an essential part of being a new pet owner. We have compiled a few tasks that each owner should do on a regular basis. If you make sure these things get done, you will keep your pet happy and healthy.

Trimming your dogs’ nails is critical in keeping your pet free from toe infections. You should always keep your pet dogs nails trimmed to the proper length. Taking a daily walk with your pet will help wear down their nails. If trimming their nails doesn’t make you queasy, you can pick up a pair of nail clippers at your favorite online pet store and trim them yourself. You want to be sure not to cut them too short as their nails will bleed and cause them discomfort. If you don’t feel that you can trim their nails or that your dog might be aggressive when you’re trying to trim them, you can take your pet for a minimal charge to your groomer or veterinarian.

Keeping your dogs ears clean is necessary to prevent excessive wax build up and prevent diseases or pests from settling in. Since most dogs’ ears lie down and cover the bigger opening they aren’t susceptible to most ear problems. However, dos with ears that stand up are especially vulnerable to many dangers. Most online pet stores carry a variety of dog-ear cleaners, which are very simple to use. In most cases, you simply put a small amount of ear cleaner on a cotton ball and swab the outer surface of the inner ear. Regular cleaning of your dogs’ ears will reduce the chance of ear infections and help eliminate pests such as ear mites.

If you’re not comfortable cleaning your dogs ears, you can always take your pet dog to your groomer or veterinarian and they will clean your ears for you. If you’re cleaning your dog’s ears and notice that they have long hairs you can remove those gently by using a set of hemostats. In most cases, we believe this to the groomers or veterinarians’ job.

Giving your dog a bath is a great way to bond with your pet. You can purchase shampoos and conditioners designed and formulated specifically for your pet. It is not recommended to use flea and tick shampoos unless your pet absolutely needs it to get rid of those nasty pests. One of the most important things you should be aware of when giving your pet a bath is to make sure you thoroughly rinse your pet so that it does not cause any skin problems. Leaving the shampoo on your pet can cause extremely dry skin, which will cause your dog to scratch and ultimately end up in a nasty skin infection. Any dog that has a thick or matted coat should always be brushed out before giving them a bath. This ensures that you can adequately bathe all layers of your dogs fur. Bathing them before you do this will only make the problem worse Towel drying your pet dog is recommended, but you can use specially made doggie hair dryers. Be careful not to bathe your pet too frequently, only once every couple of months unless they are extremely dirty.

Brushing your dog regularly will keep shedding at bay and also help the coat to shine. Regular brushing of your pet stimulates natural oils in the skin and help to keep it healthy in shining. Frequent brushing will also help eliminate problems such as matting and tangles. While brushing you also get hands-on time, which keeps you well informed of your dogs health. This allows you to notice if there’s a new growth, cut or bite that you’ve never noticed before. If you see anything unusual, be sure to inspect it further and take your pet to the vet if necessary.

These simple tasks will keep your pet healthy and free from major medical problems. It is important to be diligent about the things you can control, because there are always circumstances you can’t. Take care of your pet and they will reward you for years to come.

Many of us dog owners get really amazed to see our dogs scratching away to glory in spite of the fact that there is not a single flea on its body! This is one thing that most dog owners will know. Many a time, our dogs just keep on scratching their skin although they do not have fleas or any other parasites. This is one thing that all dog owners have to be careful about. Continuous itching without any reason might have larger health implications.

This incessant itching can highly be an early symptom of dermatitis. Dermatitis is similar to fever in human beings. When we have fever, we just start sneezing like crazy or have congestions. But in case of dogs, their skin becomes itchy and they keep on scratching their skin. Fever in dogs happens generally when they inhale a large amount of pollen.

If you notice, you will see that your dog starts itching more during the months of August and September. This is a time when you need to take extra care of your beloved pet. Pets become especially sensitive to things around them during these months. Thus, this is the time when you have to look out for Dermatitis because your dog will be highly susceptible to it.

The other months when your dog will start itching indiscriminately are March and April. Since these two are the pollen months, dogs become very likely to catch hold of Dermatitis during this season. The grass pollen season of May, June and early July are also particularly troublesome months.

This dog health symptom is something that affects your dog particularly badly. Once your dog gets affected by Dermatitis, it will practically suffer from scratching problems throughout the year. This gives rise to another problem of increased sensitivity which means that something like dusting your sofa will also make your dog uncomfortable and scratchy.

The owners who have a dog who is less than six months old are lucky because young dogs do not get Dermatitis. It is a disease seen in dogs that are three or more years of age. Also, almost every breed of dog can get Dermatitis as it is not a breed specific disease.

However, despite of not being a breed specific disease, Dermatitis is something that affects certain breeds of dogs, like Dalmatians, West Highland White Terriers, White Haired Fox Terriers and Poodles particularly badly. Dermatitis is something that should be treated immediately because it can make your dog suffer a lot and live in great discomfort.

As for the treatments of Dermatitis, you must consult your dog’s vet. There are multiple treatments available but you have to choose one that suits your dog’s breed and age, so it is best to go for whatever your dog’s vet suggests.

Apart from the treatment, you also need to take care of the fact that your dog gets regular grooming so that its skin remains in perfect condition. If your dog is not groomed regularly, it might suffer from skin problems that are extremely uncomfortable.

You might think that fleas are nothing more than a minor irritant, like mosquitoes, but if you’ve ever seen a dog with a severe flea infestation, you’ll think otherwise.

Dogs can develop skin allergies, balding, skin rashes, dermatitis and other conditions including worms if fleas are not controlled. In severe cases, the dog will become restless.

Flea bite allergy is a common condition that causes the dog to scratch incessantly. If the scratching does not provide sufficient relief, the dog will bite at his skin and tear out patches of hair trying to get rid of the itch.

Dogs can become extremely irritated and sensitive to other disturbances, such as a family member attempting to play with the dog or even to pet him. Dogs in distress are likely to bite family members out of frustration.

It’s important, therefore, to make sure that your dog is clear of fleas. This can be difficult if your dog has the run of the yard or goes on frequent trips to the park or is allowed to run free. Fleas are everywhere and are spread by wild animals. Squirrels are a particularly troublesome source as they tend to carry them from nest to ground on a regular basis.

While it’s not feasible to eliminate fleas from your yard, it is relatively easy to rid them from inside your house and from your dog.

There are many products available that will do the trick. You can get flea collars for your pet, use a flea spray or bathe your dog with flea soap. Some products that you give your dog orally will protect your dog for up to a year. If you have multiple pets, treat them all so the fleas have nowhere to hide and cannot be transferred to your treated animals.

Of course, treating the dog isn’t enough. Fleas jump off your dog from time to time and hide in carpets, bedding, and other soft materials. If your dog has his own chair or is allowed on your furniture, the fleas will take refuge there until feeding time. Then, they will seek the closest source of food which includes humans, dogs and other household animals.

To be sure you get rid of as many fleas as possible, take the animal bedding outside and shake it out, then spray it well with a flea repellent. Better yet, wash it if possible. Spray into the carpets and along the baseboards of your rooms, especially those where the dog and any other house pets hang out.

Follow the directions on the flea treatment products for best results. It will likely take several treatments before the fleas are all gone, but they will return. It’s important to maintain monthly spraying during the warm months when fleas proliferate to ensure the best protection for your animals and your family.