January 20th, 2009 by Thomas
There comes a time when your dog will no longer be as young as they used to be and more care and attention might be needed. Everyone and every living thing gets old at some point and there’s nothing anyone can do.
There are however, things that can help dramatically in keeping your dog young and healthy and to set them up for a much better and happier aging. Don’t wait till your dog is old before thinking of the care he will need, you need to constantly look after your dog’s health to stop any unnecessary suffering later on.
The main things that affect your dog’s later life are the diet he/she is on and the exercise they get, along with other less important needs such as grooming and others, feeding and exercise are the main factors in determining your dog’s health later in life.
So what can happen to your dog in later life I hear you ask? Well there are plenty of illnesses and situations that may occur with age because of things not working as well as they used to much the same as human illnesses. Middle age for a dog is around the seven years mark although it depends on dog size and this is when the dog’s body will gradually start to deteriate.
One of the most common of old age symptoms for dogs is hearing and sight deteriation, this can cause the dog to be much more frightened and feeling more vulnerable than they used to. Old Dog personalities may begin to change in affect to this making some more friendly and other more grumpy and snappy. Other old age side effects include putting on weight, weaker muscles and bones, memory loss and being less able to fight off infections and diseases.
Weight gain is a big issue in old dogs and needs to be monitored and acted upon often to make sure your dog doesn’t get unwanted problems through obesity.
In general, if you pet is getting old and you can see he/she is feeling the pain, then take them to the local vet to get advice on any questions you have and have them checked over by an expert.
January 15th, 2009 by Thomas
Dog comfort is a big issue for your dog and getting it wrong can cause your dog to be grumpy, aggravated more easily, and in a worse state of health than if they sleep in a more adequate place, but what is perfect sleeping conditions for your dog?
Much research has been done on the way dogs sleep and what they find more comfortable and where it is best for it to be, but in this article we will only cut out the uninteresting bits and give you the best requirements for your dog.
Your dog will sleep an average of 11-12 hours a day, and as they get older that number will increase more because older dogs need more time to regain their energy back. If your dog isn’t getting enough sleep it may be because you’re not doing one of the following requirements of a dogs sleeping comfort.
To begin, the chosen area needs to be well away from drafts and doorways which could cause drafts and cold air to circulate around your dog, if your dog is cold any muscle and joint pains they have will worsen and make it hard for your dog to sleep.
For padding, you should ensure a really soft space that will help to support the body fully. Use a cushion or lots of blankets to make the padding, to again help any aching joint problems and give maximum support and sleep comfort to your dog.
The last issue is the placing of your dogs bed, dogs need to be easily accessible for the family to care for them, but they don’t like to have their routines broken all the time so keeping the dog bed in the same place is essential to keep you dog happy, if the dog bed is always moved it will cause them to be uncomfortable in their new surroundings and be overly aware of unfamiliar noises.
January 13th, 2009 by Thomas
So you’re either in the unfortunate situation where you, some one you know, or a family member has received a dog bite or maybe you’re just curious of what steps to take in the case of this kind of situation. Well there are different types of dog bites, some are really bad, some are just minor injuries, and then there’s everything in-between.
The first thing you need to do is assess the situation and see what step needs to be taken next, you will most probably be able to assess whether the dog wound is serious enough for hospital straight away, or if you are the stubborn sort then if bleeding doesn’t stop within 15 minutes or so then you will need the hospitals help.
Other situations when you may need to see a doctor or go to hospital are if you think the bone may be broken, if the dogs bite is deep or gaping, if signs of infection are starting to appear like fever or wound puss, or if you have not received your tetanus injection in the last 5 years.
All the cases above could lead to much more serious problems than you might think and are all seriously recommended procedures for dog bites.
If your dog bite is serious enough to warrant hospital, then on your way to the hospital or until you get to see a trained professional about your wound you should keep firm pressure on the wound to stop any bleeding, and trying to clean out the wound of any dirt may be a good idea.
When you get to the hospital or medical department, they will need to know current medication and must know of any allergies that may affect the patient’s condition. Along with this they may need or you may want to tell a figure of authority where this attack happened, if the dog was provoked and if anyone else may be in danger so local authorities and laws may be contacted.
