The Lyme disease is quite a new disease. It has been found recently in the north and western parts of the US. The alarming think about this disease is that it can be transmitted form dogs to humans quite easily.

Since 1975 this disease has been a constant sign of concern in all the states of the United States of America.

The source of infection

The source is a microscopic parasite also named deer tick. The white-footed mice and the white tailed deer are the main hosts. When the mice or the deer is in the wood area or areas with plants, the tick attached itself to the body of the hosts. These ticks don’t fly or jump. They just sit there and wait for the host to carry them out.

Attack method

The ticks can attack a dog almost everywhere on the body. They can attach themselves to ears, neck, feat or head. The tick bites are not painful, they are like a bee sting. It is quite common that an infected dog doesn’t show distress from the tick bites.

The symptoms

The infected dog will show an elevated temperature. He can also be restless and show a bit of limping. Other symptoms that follow are the pain, warmth and joint swelling. Also, it is hard to notice, but underneath the dog’s coat, some inflammated areas can appear.

That is where the tick has bitten the skin. Make a habit of checking the dog’s skin form time to time and watch out for these symptoms.

The treatment

Once you have spotted some symptoms, take the dog straight to the doctor. The vet will diagnose the dog and give him the right medication. Don’t wait a while before taking the dog to the vet. The Lyme disease can easily spread to you too and in advanced stages it can even kill the dog.

Serious repercussions happen if it is left untreated. The dog can even get paralyzed on his limbs. After attacking the front and then the back limbs, the disease will for sure attack the chest muscles and disable them. This means the dog will no longer be able to breath on his own. He will choke and die of asphyxiation.

Learn more about lyme disease in dogs, causes of lyme disease in dogs and effective treatment for lyme disease in dogs at LymeDiseaseInDogs.Net.

Pet CPR is a very important skill for those who deal with emergency medical cases concerning dogs. Although not everyone learns it, those who do are a vital factor in saving the lives of many beloved pets. Do dogs get hepatitis? People obviously do. But do dogs get this disease? And how does this affect them?

Hepatitis is actually a very broad term. It will signify an inflammation of the liver, although the causes may actually differ. Since the liver is a very complex and vital organ a disease that incapacitates it will prove to be fatal. The livers primary functions are the detoxification, metabolism, the storage of glycogen and the synthesis of plasma protein. It also produces the bile that aids in digestion. The good news is, the liver is a large organ with plenty of reserves. The bad news is, since it has a large reserve, it won’t show apparent symptoms unless the liver is seriously damaged.

Although dogs do get hepatitis, it may be different in cause and effect from human hepatitis. There is what is called Infectious Canine Hepatitis. This disease is caused by a virus, and may prove to be a fatal disease in some dogs.

What is It? This disease is caused by the CAV-1 an adenovirus. Dogs typically acquire this virus from contact, either through inhalation or ingestion of urine, eye secretions, and nasal secretions of infected dogs. This type of virus does not affect humans or other animals, only dogs.

The virus will attack the liver, eye, kidney, and blood vessel cells upon entry into the system of the dog. Fortunately, not all of these infections are fatal. Some dogs, after acquiring this virus, will manifest a cough, lethargy, loss of appetite, moodiness and low grade fevers. In some cases, they do not show any symptoms at all.

Some will develop blue eye. Blue eye is a bluish discoloration of the cornea of the pets eye. Dogs that go through these become immune to re-infection from the disease. This will usually be the case in healthy, mature dogs with a healthy immune system.

However, there are some dogs especially puppies that will become very ill due to the virus. These dogs will develop internal bleeding, liver disease, tonsillitis, and general inflammation of the eyes and mouth. If left untreated, this condition could quickly deteriorate to shock and death.

The virus is also known to attack the dog’s spinal cord and brain. After infection the virus will take about five days to a week before manifesting openly. By this time the dog will be secreting the virus through its stool, urine, saliva, and nasal secretions. In two weeks time, the dog either succumbs to the illness or develops chronic hepatitis coupled with cirrhosis of the liver. This will seriously impair the dog’s capacity for converting glucose, and absorbing toxins.

This condition will reduce the liver’s capability to perform functions necessary for life. These functions include filtering harmful and toxic elements from the blood, storing blood sugar for conversion into usable energy, and creating many proteins that are necessary in the system.

Unfortunately, there is no way to destroy the virus after it has entered the dog’s system. Veterinarians will treat the disease by good supportive therapy intravenous fluids, good diet, rest, medicines to lighten the liver’s workload, and good care all aimed to strengthen the dog’s ability to recuperate. They will also give antibiotics to treat secondary infections.

There is a vaccine for this disease. It is a routine part of a puppy’s vaccination plan. And partly due to its efficiency, the cases of canine hepatitis in the United States are low. Therefore, the best way to keep your dogs free from this disease is a proper vaccination plan, and prompt and periodic visits with the veterinarian.

Canine hepatitis can prove to be a troublesome disease that, if unattended, will surely result in a dog’s death. With proper information about this disease dog owners will be able to take preemptive steps to assure themselves that their pets are safe from this debilitating diseases.

Chronic Active Hepatitis: As opposed to the previous disease, this form of hepatitis is harder to treat and the prognoses are not very promising. This usually occurs in dogs of advanced age. The disease is caused by other factors such as toxins and molds in the dog’s diet. Infectious Canine Hepatitis can also cause this.

The symptoms of this disease are hard to pinpoint, but generally they will include lethargy, diarrhea, loss of appetite, swollen abdomen, jaundice (or yellowing eyes, gums, and skin). This disease could advance into the nervous system and render the dog blind. Seizures, coma and death usually follow.

To avoid this disease, good health habits including a good diet that emphasizes foods screened for toxins and molds should be exercised.

To read about beagle adoption and lemon beagle, visit the About Beagles site.

Exercise is important for everyone including your pet. Too much confinement can result in stress, emotional and behavioral problems, and a generally unhappy dog.

Unhappy dogs result from negative environments, experiences, and inconsistent interaction with their owners, along with a lack of exercise, an unstable routine, inappropriate social interactions, and underemployment where the instinctual desires to perform an activity are not met.

Emotional stress and loneliness alter neurochemical and vascular functions and can increase susceptibility to major diseases.

A lack of exercise leads to obesity, poor muscle tone, heart, bone, and emotional problems.

The opposite scenario occurs with exercise. Exercise leads to longer life, increased strength and endurance. Your dog will rest more calmly and be less nervous when left alone. Exercise can improve dog bone and joint health, heart, and lung function.

Your dog’s metabolism is geared for field work, pulling sleds, or other vigorous tasks.  Pent-up energy demands an outlet and it is up to the responsible dog caregiver to channel this energy constructively through exercise.

The most effective exercise engages both mind and body.

It’s important to understand what your dog’s instinctual traits are and incorporate them into activities and exercise. For a working breed, performing a task would be naturally satisfying, possibly pulling a wagon or carrying a pack with your water bottle. For a retriever breed, engage your dog in ball throwing and retrieving.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that dogs need a big yard to get plenty of exercise.

The truth is that most dogs do not exercise when they are alone outside or indoors; they spend most of their time lying in a comfortable spot waiting for “their guardians” to play with them.

Exercising with your dog creates a human-dog bond in which the dog will sense you care as a good pack leader, which will make your dog happy.

A brief daily walk sometimes is not enough.

The exercise you choose for your dog should depend on the age, weight, health and breed characteristics. A Border Collie or Parson Russell Terrier needs more play and exercise than an English Bulldog or Pug.

For small dogs, vigorous play activity for exercise can be accomplished indoors; for larger breeds, outdoor activity needs to be given unless the weather is especially dangerous or conditions are too extreme. 

Daily exercise is recommended and is a great stress reliever.

Dogs on average should be exercised aerobically for at least 20-30 minutes each day, of course taking into consideration health and age limitations, unless there is a medical problem or a pregnancy.

Keep in mind that obese dogs and those with heart and lung diseases may have a problem, and be sure to consult with your vet before starting any exercise regime.

Healthy dogs need interaction with other dogs and people for proper socialization. Dog parks are great for this and some of them allow the dogs to play and walk unleashed. If you participate in off-leash activities, be sure you are in control and can reliably recall your dog.

Your exercise should include activities the dog finds stimulating and enjoys — games of catch, long walks, jogging, swimming and biking. A Ruff Dawg K9 flying disc is similar to a Frisbee, only more rugged, flexible and non-toxic for on-land or in water. Try a simple game with a rope tug toy, a Hyper Disc which is floatable, durable and soft on your dog’s mouth, or a Hyper Ball Launcher that allows you to launch a ball up to 220 feet. These and other quality dog exercise toys are available at CalloftheDogShop.com

Caution should be used when exercising in the hot weather.

All dogs, especially those with heart and lung ailments and dogs with thick hair coats will likely have trouble with hot and humid conditions.

Use precaution when temperatures are approaching and greater than 100 degrees and for at-risk pets when approaching and at 90 degrees. Exercise your dog in the early morning or evening and when the temperature is less than 80 degrees and humidity heat index is less then 30 percent. When the heat index greater then 72 use precaution for at-risk breeds. Any relative-humidity reading above 17 % will make the heat index higher if the actual temperature is above approximately 68 degrees, and full sunshine can increase heat index values by up to 15 degrees. Always avoid hot and humid conditions.

Dogs do not get rid of heat the way we do.

Sweat cools our skin; however, dogs do not sweat. They have a few sweat glands in their feet, but mostly they dissipate heat through their paws and mouths.

Dogs do not dissipate heat as fast as we can, which makes heat stroke a real possible danger. While they are having fun, many dogs will run themselves even to the point of collapse, which can prove to be fatal. Limit sun exposure during the mid-day hours and provide plenty of water in a shady area

People assume that if your dog is in water, your pet won’t overheat. This just isn’t true when the water temperature gets much above 75 degrees and if the dog is working hard in the water.

Keep in mind that searing hot asphalt is not good for your dog’s paws.

Consult your veterinarian before you decide on a fitness program for your pet.

CalloftheDogShop.com specializes in DOG EXERCISE TOYS, and supplies for all pet needs.
We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs that inspired the creation of CalloftheDog.com and CalloftheDogShop.com. Be sure to see our About Us page.

Is your dog sick? What are your dog’s symptoms? We all know that your dog can’t tell you if it feels bad (at least not in so many words), so it’s your responsibility to take care of your dog and to understand when your dog is feeling bad.

Just how do you do that? Well, the best thing I can suggest to you is to know exactly how your dog feels when it is not sick. If you know this, and you know it well, you will be able to tell the difference when your dog is really sick without anyone else having to tell you otherwise.

When your dog feels bad he will probably exhibit some sort of symptom that should communicate to you, if you’re really paying attention, that he does not feel well. What is a symptom? Well, to be precise, a symptom is often defined as “a physical sign that a disease or sickness is present”. Knowing exactly what kind of symptoms your dog has can usually guide your veterinarian toward diagnosing your pet illness.

Here are just a few of the more common symptoms your dog may exhibit if it is injured or feels “under the weather”, including: vomiting, diarrhea, going off it’s food, stumbling, seizing, drooling or limping.

The ability of recognizing your dogs symptoms and knowing when they need to be treated professionally is very important. This is a skill that everyone does not have but learning it can be the difference between life and death in many instances. The best thing I can tell you is to watch carefully. If your dog exhibits any thing out of the ordinary, and if that symptom continues or worsens over time, then it could very well become a problem.

Certain symptoms, such as seizures, breathing problems, or any kind of collapse should prompt you to get your dog a veterinary exam immediately. If there is ever any kind of doubt about the seriousness of any symptom then please contact your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency facility immediately and ask. Don’t wait to see if it’ll go away on it’s own. Explain the symptoms to the pet professional and ask for their advice. It is always better to be safe than sorry if you’re not sure whether or not your dog is in serious trouble.

There are all sorts of serious symptoms that should never be ignored in your dog. Potentially any of these symptoms could easily indicate an underlying disease and might even be your first clue to the presence of a life-threatening conditioning in your dog. You never know. So, here are a few symptoms that should never be ignored if you see them in your own dog!

Seizure. A seizure is often a symptom of some sort of neurological disorder. They can be caused by several things including epilepsy, toxins or tumors. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Collapse or Fainting. Any reasons for collapse or fainting should always be considered serious and should not be ignored. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Breathing Problems. Respiratory distress, labored or difficult breathing or even shortness of breath are all very serious symptoms and should be taken care of immediately.

Bloated or Distended Abdomen. Abdominal distension is an abnormal enlargement of the abdominal cavity and can often be a symptom of potentially life-threatening disease. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Unproductive Vomiting. Dogs that attempt to vomit over and over and are never able to bring anything up is very serious. You should call your veterinarian immediately.

Trouble Urinating. This can range from: straining to urinate, frequently attempting to urinate, or even great discomfort when urinating. This can be very serious. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Bruising and/or Bleeding. This should be evaluated immediately by your veterinarian.

Not Eating or Loss of Appetite. This is often the first indication of illness in your dog. This should be evaluated immediately by your veterinarian.

Pacing and Restlessness. In dogs, pacing and/or restlessness can usually be indicative of pain, discomfort or distress in your dog. In many cases it an indicator of a serious problem. This should be evaluated immediately by your veterinarian.

Losing Weight. There are several causes for this, if you’re not actually trying to help your dog lose extra pounds – some of which can be very serious. This should be evaluated immediately by your veterinarian.

Urinating and Drinking Excessively. Either of these are often the early signs of several diseases such as: kidney failure, diabetes, thyroid problems, uterine infections, etc. If you think that your dog is drinking excessively, make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately.

Fever. The normal temperature in dogs is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If your dogs temperature is higher, call your veterinarian asap.

Excessive coughing. Don’t think that this is no big deal. Coughing is a common protective reflex to clear the throat, etc. It can also affect the respiratory system if the coughing is excessive. Common causes of excessive coughing can be quite severe, such as: an obstruction in the windpipe, heartworm disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, lung tumors, kennel cough or even heart failure. This should be evaluated immediately by your veterinarian.

Bloody Diarrhea – Bloody Urine – Bloody Vomit. Any of these should be evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Some may be the result of minor ailments, while others could be severe or even life threatening. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

While the list of dog symptoms above is not at all all-inclusive, it is meant to be merely a resource of symptoms of which you should always be aware of as a dog owner. Keep an eye on your dogs health in much the same way you would do so for your own child and you will be well on your way to a long and lasting relationship with your own dog. Your dogs health is important so watch for any symptoms your dog may exhibit closely and be ready to act on them as necessary.

If you’d like to learn even more about your dogs health and how to keep your dog healthy, please check into the book called Veterinary Secrets at: http://www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com for more information or visit my website at: http://www.pedigreedpups.com

There is a large disparity between the life spans of dogs and humans. After having loved a pet and lost one, it seems unfair. The best we can do is to keep our friends as healthy as possible and “forever young.” Here are My Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Dog Forever Young:

1. Know When Your Pet is “Old.” The time when your dog is considered a “senior” depends largely on his or her breed and size. According to Dr. Johnny Hoskins in Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat, small breed dogs (less than 20 pounds) are in their senior years around nine to 13 years of age. Medium sized dogs (21 to 50 pounds) around nine to 11. 5 years; large breed dogs (51 to 90 pounds) around 7.5 to 10.5 years and giant dogs (more than 90 pounds) between six and nine years. In general, smaller breed dogs live longer.

2. Wellness Exams. When your pet is considered a senior, you should bring your dog for regular geriatric examinations. These examinations help identify early diseases or problems in older pets. Exams should include a history and physical examination with evaluation of the teeth, listening to the heart and lungs (by stethoscope), abdominal palpation (feeling of the abdomen) and inspection of your dog’s ear and eyes. Weight monitoring, parasite check (fecal examination) and blood work and urine tests are also often recommended. Other tests may be indicated depending on your pet’s symptoms.

3. Watch for Illness. Careful observation at home is extremely important. By nature of survival, dogs are very good at hiding their illness until it is too late. Take time to examine your pet. Feel him or her for masses and indications of weight loss or loss of musculature. Things to watch for include changes in water consumption or patterns of urination, poor appetite, weight loss or gain, coughing or difficulty breathing, changes in activity level, vomiting, diarrhea and skin lumps or masses. If you have questions or concerns about your pet, play it safe and have him or her evaluated by your veterinarian. Early diagnosis is vital to the success of treatment.

4. Weight Control. Obese dogs have shorter life spans than non-obese dogs. Obesity may lead to a number of health problems. Excess weight puts excess stress on your dog’s heart. When the heart doesn’t function properly, other organs may suffer including the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. Over time, these problems may become severe enough to cause life-threatening conditions.

5. Keep Close Tabs. In general, “outdoor” free roaming dogs have shorter lives than indoor animals. Infectious diseases, poisonings and trauma are common killers. Senior dogs have decreased reflexes and may not see and hear as well as they used to. This makes them vulnerable to outside dangers such as predators or cars. Keep dogs on leashes or in fenced-in yards.

6. Monitor Your Environment. Keep poisons up and out of your dog’s reach. Common toxins include antifreeze, rat poison and slug bait. Keep trash out of reach. Don’t count on your pet to “know better.” It doesn’t take a large amount of a dangerous substance to make your dog seriously ill.

7. Nutrition. Feed your pet a premium high quality diet supplements such as Hill’s Science Diet®, Iams® or Eukanuba®. Feed low fat and high fiber foods since high fat and/or low fiber foods are thought to decrease life expectancy. Minimize treats and make them nutritious and low in calories. Air-popped popcorn is often a good treat for dogs. With your veterinarian, you should discuss the merits of a diet formulation for your senior dog.

8. Exercise. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy body weight, strengthens joints and muscles and provides mental stimulation for your dog.

9. Spay and Neuter. Spayed and neutered dogs tend to have fewer health problems. Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Without these organs, ovarian cysts, uterine infections and cancer of the reproductive tract are no longer a concern. Studies have shown that dogs spayed before puberty have a significantly lower chance of developing breast cancer than unspayed dogs, or dogs spayed later in life. Health problems that can be associated with birthing are also eliminated with spaying. Neutering is the removal of the testicles. Without these organs, testicular cancer is no longer a concern and the risk of prostate problems is reduced. In addition, the desire to “wander” is diminished, which lowers the chance of your dog running away and suffering trauma, such as being hit by a car.

10. Mental Stimulation. Provide your pet with toys, games and quality time. Most pets are never too old to play. Encourage mental stimulation. It is never too late to teach old dogs new tricks. Follow these top 10 tips, and you’ll keep your dog forever young.

With her PetPlace.com columns, Dog safety and health expert, Dr. Debra Primovic has helped thousands of dog owners keep their dogs living longer and stronger.For more information, check out www.petplace.com for 8,000+ veterinarian approved articles guaranteed to keep you from compromising the care of your dog.

Caring for the health of your dog’s teeth and gums is crucial to his, or her, overall health. It is important therefore that your dog’s teeth are brushed regularly and care is taken to prevent the risk of gum disease and abscesses, which can lead bacteria to pass quickly through the bloodstream and infect the kidneys, liver or brain with life threatening consequences.

The following tips are intended to help dog owners care for the dental health of their animals and ensure that potential health issues are prevented.

The Problems Caused by Poor Dental Care

Because of their diet, dogs, unlike humans, are unlikely to suffer with cavities. However, if a dog’s teeth and gums are not cared for correctly, they are likely to develop gingivitis, an inflammation of the gum, and plaque.

Plaque is a build-up of bacteria, which is cause by food caught between the teeth and along the gum line. If left, these bacteria can cause serious health issues, such as abscesses described above.

The good news is that all that is needed to prevent plaque formation is general oral hygiene. In other words, brushing your dog’s teeth regularly.

How to Brush a Dog’s Teeth

Obviously, as with any task that your dog may find unpleasant, the best way to tackle brushing your dog’s teeth is to begin at an early age.

It is wise to bear in mind that you do not need any expensive equipment. In fact, using a child’s soft bristled toothbrush will suffice. However, it is imperative that you purchase canine toothpaste, which can be found at all good pet stores or from your veterinarian.

When training a dog to accept having its teeth brushed, you should start gradually. For example, first, you may like to simple lift the sides of the mouth. If your dog accepts this, offer plenty of praise. Begin brushing the sides of the teeth, but do so for only a few seconds at a time. Again, if the dog reacts well, give him, or her, lots of praise.

Eventually, you will find that you are able to increase the amount of time you can spend cleaning the teeth and the areas that your dog allows you to touch. If brushing is difficult for your dog, be sure to concentrate on the rear teeth on both sides of the mouth, because this is where plaque will begin to build.

Treats and Chews

One way of helping your dog to shift food debris is to provide a crunchy treat after meals. Typically, it is the wet foods, canned and pouched, that will pose a problem, so if your dog is eating a dry, crunchy diet, extra chews may not be necessary.

Of course, all the big dog food companies now offer chews and sticks that are specifically designed for dental care. These are effective and have the extra benefit of providing fresh breath. However, non-specific crunchy snacks are equally beneficial in ridding the teeth and gums of food debris.

Veterinary Cleaning: Prophylaxis

Prophylaxis is a thorough cleaning and examination of the teeth and gums while under anesthetic. This may be required for older dogs, those with dental problems or a rescued dog, whose dental health may have been neglected. Prophylaxis entails detailed examination of each tooth, X-rays and a thorough clean and polish of the teeth.

Your dog may require this procedure from time to time, but it should not be used as an alternative to regular brushing and care at home, because putting an animal under anesthetic always carries risk.

Remember, even if your dog is not keen on having his, or her, teeth cleaned, it is fundamental to their health and should be an important part of routine care. If you encounter problems with resistance, seek the advice of a veterinarian or a canine obedience expert.

Samantha Markham is a freelance writer from the UK. She is currently working for Remmeer.com, a high quality suplier of pet products. Visit Remmeer.com for unique gifts for dogs and dog owners and poignant dog memorial stones & markers.

The disadvantage of being a dog is – dogs cannot express fully whenever they feel pain or in what level of pain they are in. They can just give off hints that they are experiencing such; however, if we are really not that attentive to their feelings, we won’t easily acknowledge that they are anguished. Oftentimes, they are just left in agony. The only solution is to bring your dogs to their veterinarians and have a constant check up as much as possible, so that they can be given prescriptions on dog pain medications.

Mostly, dogs are the most favored pets because of their smartness and faithfulness. They are famously called and considered man’s best friends. They show their complete loyalty especially if they were treated nicely by their owners. And due to that, pet owners become very fond of them, that they eventually don’t notice at all that their pets are growing older, despite of their unchanging appearances. There’s no immediate physical alteration, unlike people. And obviously, if one starts to step on aging, various ailments can also come to them.

As a responsible pet owner, you must be attuned to your pet’s health condition and needs. Obviously, they are incapable of telling that they are suffering from grievances. But because of a dog’s exceptional ability, they can somehow voice out their pain through crying or whimpering. But it is not always advisable to wait for your dogs to exhibit such ability because there are some that shows off their pain until it’s too late. So be very heedful.

One of the most common dog pains is arthritis. Like aging people, dogs experience such disorder too. In order to avoid such ailment, be sure to give your dogs the proper supplements and vitamins to get rid of early pain experience.

Simple acts like running, walking, or getting into the car, or simply letting him rise to greet you can already become extremely painful for your pets. The possibility of personality changes, withdrawal and crabbiness can be seen from your pets.

A good indicator that a dog is in pain is when he has changes in temperament. Your dog may become uneasy and violent when they are in pain. So the best thing to do is to inform your veterinarians so that proper administration of treatments can be given to your suffering dogs.

It is not advisable to diagnose any treatments to your dogs when they are experiencing something not good. There are treatments that can trigger your pet’s hidden allergies. Do not give any medication when you know yourself that you are not an expert at it.

Dog pain should not be taken for granted. If we love them, we should make sure that we give them the best of all we have. As loving pet owners, we normally feel everything they feel especially when they are in pain. We are just lucky to have lived in this modern age as there are dog pain medications that are always available anytime, anywhere – whether it be just near your place or online. Just make sure that before you buy any medication, vet consultation and advice is a better option to take first.

To learn more about the different types of pet meds for your dogs, cats, horse, etc., and how to get discount and cheap pet medications, make sure to visit http://www.callpetmeds.com where you will find everything on getting quality yet affordable pet medications.

Alex was a happy dog. Always seeming to smile and even sometimes laugh at my early morning antics as I rushed about to get off to work. The one thing he never laughed about was the few times I actually forgot to leave his breakfast. I would rush home on my lunch hour and there he would be…staring at me with that quizzical, head-cocked–to-the-side look…as if I had lost what was left of my mind.

His ire would usually last an entire minute and then he would be his old happy-go-lucky self again. I was sure a few times I could hear him thinking, “This better be the last dam time you make me eat breakfast for lunch”.

When Alex died of spleen cancer last year, he was only 5 years old…still a puppy.

My vet said that the only thing he could think of that would cause such a thing to develop and kill Alex so quickly was probably just bad genes. I asked him to repeat himself. I actually thought he had said that Alex died because I didn’t buy Gloria Vanderbilts for myself.

He said that Alex probably just had a proclivity for the disease already in his body from the day he was born. I couldn’t believe that. He was too happy to NOT be healthy. So I started my research. I was determined to find out what really happened to Alex. He was my friend. I felt I owed him that much.

It was shortly after I started scouring the internet for whatever I could find on cancers of dogs that I read a very shocking report of why thousands of dogs die early and painful deaths unnecessarily.

It was me. I had killed Alex. And I had killed him with my ignorance. I had always thought that I was doing so well with him. I fed him ONLY canned dog food, never dry…even though that got expensive as heck. I did it because I thought it was better for him.

I never fed him human food, except for an occasional steak bone. Something large with which he could get a good chew session going. And I always fed him at about the same time every day, three times a day (usually).

So what did I do that was so wrong? How did I murder my best friend?

When I read one of the cans of dog food that was still in my cabinet, it said,”…not recommended as a main source of diet for your dog”.

What?!

Since when isn’t dog food to be used as food for dogs?

I learned that day that most dog foods contain some horrible, horrible things that are banned from human consumption because they are known carcinogens (cancer causing agents).

I cried for days after that day. I cried for Alex and I cried for myself. If only I had had some inkling that something was wrong with what I was feeding him. I assumed that it had to be good for him because it was so expensive. Little did I know.

But now I do know. And although it is too late for Alex and me…there is still hope for you and your dog if you want to extend his life or just stop it from being cut short unnecessarily.

I couldn’t save Alex and I couldn’t bring to light any media exposure on this corrupt company, but what I can do is help other people who love their dogs to keep them.

They can’t stop me from doing that.

So go and watch the video…it may help save your dog’s life.

And, don’t you owe him or her that much?

Lynne Gordon
I am striving to save the world – one person, one cat and one dog at a time.

If you are looking for simple answers and facts for heartworm in canines you have come to the right article. As they say there will be no spin here. Canine heartworms are a serious condition that should be taken seriously for our pets. Imagine being armed with this information and some great home remedies in the process for all kinds of ailments and illnesses that affect our dogs.

You are intelligent enough to know that conventional medicines can have serious side effects which sometimes can be as bad as the symptoms of the disease itself. That is why many people are turning away from conventional medicines as a choice for treatment. More on that later so now to the facts.

WHAT CAUSES HEARTWORMS IN CANINES

Heartworms are caused in our pets when our pets are bitten by mosquitoes which have become infected with heartworms from biting other infected animals.  A number of animals can be host to heartworms. They include dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and even humans.  When the infected mosquito bites our pets the mosquito deposits larvae into the skin of our pets. The larvae are from the parasitic roundworm known as dirofilaria immitis. The larvae migrate to the heart and within 6 months they hatch or transform into worms that look like pieces of thread. The heartworms can in found in the chambers of the heart and in the two main arteries leading to the heart (Pulmonary artery and vena cava). From there they move to other parts of the body including the lungs and liver.

HEARTWORM SYMPTOMS FOR HEARTWORMS IN CANINES

Breathing difficulties Coughing Vomiting Weight loss Collapse Convulsions Sudden death Tiredness Decreased appetite Heart failure Difficulty exercising Bloody sputum Loss of consciousness Abnormal lung sounds May take years after initial infection to show up

VETERINARY ADVICE ON HEARTWORM MEDICATION FOR HEARTWORM IN CANINES

Because heartworms are such a serious issue you should not administer heartworm medication without consulting your veterinarian. It is just that simple. While you can also use home remedies to fend off heartworms infesting your pets these should be used at the advice of your veterinarian.

Many current medications produce harmful side effects in our pets. That is why a growing number of concerned pet owners have decided to use natural remedies. Many natural remedies work quite well and save you a bunch of money in the process. Read on through the last paragraph and find out home remedy secrets that are safe and effective.

Are you making any of the classic pet treatment mistakes which will cause you to improperly treat heartworm in canines? I hate to admit it but I have made most if not all of them myself. Find out what they are and how to avoid them by visiting http://www.natural-and-herbal-dog-remedies.com right now before you do any serious harm to your pet. They are a member of the family also.