It will probably not come as too much of a shock that most of the common forms of dog cancer treatment effectively mirror those of human cancer treatments. Most of the time if your veterinarian tells you that your valued four-legged friend has cancer, there is a strong chance that they will prescribe one of standard courses of dog cancer treatment. Unfortunately, these treatments have serious shortcomings and limitations.

The Ever Popular Surgery

Cutting out the cancer, whether it is human or canine cancer, will likely seem backwards and somewhat barbaric in just another twenty or thirty years. Medical breakthroughs in nanotechnology, for example, will likely replace most forms of current dog cancer treatment. But for now, surgery will continue to be the “go to” player for dealing with human and canine cancer.

Canine cancer surgery, just as with cancer surgery in humans, can be effective. However, there are serious problems with this dog cancer treatment. Surgery can be quite traumatic to the body, and it has the very real pragmatic problem of not always being completely effective. Since canine cancer and human cancer are both diseases that occur at the cellular level, it is impossible for even the greatest surgeon to be certain that he or she has removed all the cancer from a given area. This, of course, tragically means that the cancer can indeed return. Thus, it is possible that you might have your dog operated on to remove his or her cancer, only to see it return months or years later. Clearly, if this happens you may feel frustrated with this surgical form of dog cancer treatment .

Chemotherapy-A Very Demanding Course of Treatment

Chemotherapy is dreaded by most for a good reason. Chemotherapy drugs are extremely powerful. Those who have to undergo chemotherapy often have an extremely difficult experience that can leave them very frail and weak. Chemotherapy drugs are loaded with side effects, and one’s general quality of life, while undergoing chemotherapy will generally be rather poor.

Yet as bad as this news is, unfortunately it can get even worse. Once again, chemotherapy drugs are very powerful and some are even known to potentially produce cancers of their own. This, of course, means that if you opt to use chemotherapy as a dog cancer treatment, you may find that he or she may develop subsequent cancers as a result.

Exploring Other Options

When you take into account how serious surgery and chemotherapy will be for your dog, it only makes sense to explore every other available option. You should make sure that you have explored different treatment paths and options before making this important decision. Remember your dog is depending on your to choose the best dog cancer treatment to help him or her fight canine cancer.

Caninecancercenter.com is one of the leading canine Cancer Care Center for Dog cancer treatment. We provide the latest technology of cancer care that remains your dog happy and healthy.

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.

In dogs bladder tumors are a rare occurrence. Bladder tumors are of two different forms, one is potentially fatal while the other is benign. To ensure your dog remains healthy and free from such tumors continue reading this article.

The symptoms of bladder tumors in dogs are as follows:

1. The dog may go to the toilet a lot more than usual
2. There will be a slight amount of blood in the urine produced.
3. They dog may struggle to produce any urine.

As mentioned above there are two different forms of bladder tumors one being malignant which can be potentially life threatening while the other being benign. The benign or non progressive type of bladder tumors usually leaves the tissue which surrounds the growth relatively unharmed and does not spread to other parts of the body.

Squamous cell carcinomas and transitional cell carcinomas are the two most common types of bladder tumors . Both of these are highly malignant which means that they may spread to other parts of the body. Polyps are very rare but unlike the two mentioned above they are benign and do not spread to other parts of the body.

To make sure that the dog remains healthy any such growth will be need to removed. Complications arise depending on where the tumors is located inside the body. If it is close to an organ or a vital body part then the risks of surgery increase.

Treatment is not really effective when it comes to dealing with cancer and tumors in a dog’s bladder and this can prove to be a very costly option. Most people try and keep their dog on antibiotics and painkillers to try to relieve the pain as much as possible as the dog begins to suffer and then on a later stage the dog is put down as humanely as possible.

Your vet may conduct a number of tests such as ultrasound scans, x-rays and even passing a camera through the bladder of the dog. Only after all these tests will the vet know for sure whether the dog has been affected by a tumors or not. To determine the type of tumors the dog has the vet will have to conduct a biopsy.

If it is a polyp tumors then it will require surgery to be removed. Potential complications arise depending on the location of the tumors . If it is located at the bladder neck skilled surgery or complicated reconstruction would be required to keep the connection between the bladder and the urethra intact and even if the surgery goes as planned there are always chances that the dog may become incontinent for a short while after the surgery.

If the tumors is either squamous cell carcinomas or transitional cell carcinomas the vet will have to conduct further x-rays of the abdomen and the chest in order to determine how far the tumors cells have spread.

If the vet has determined that the tumors hasn’t spread then they may try and remove the malignant cell. Of course there are many difficulties and risks in doing this. A Lot of healthy tissue may need to be removed in order to remove a cancerous tumors from the dog’s body and to be certain that all the effected cells have been removed. This results in the vet having a lot less room to work with as compared to the polyp tumors . It is also likely that vital body parts and organs will cause hindrance.

Most vets will still try to remove the tumors first and then use chemotherapy and radiation to remove the remaining cancerous cells. A histopathologist will decide the type of therapy depending on the samples given to them

For more information on dog bladder tumors or Dog Health take a look at this Dog Behaviour website.

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

Finding out that your dog has canine cancer is one tough experience. There is no easy way to hear the news. Likewise there is no easy way to deal with the ramifications. Consequently, it makes good sense to explore all of the available options to find what method of treatment is optimal in dealing with cancer for dogs. One of these options is radiation therapy. However, be forewarned that this approach is intense. In fact, the treatment of cancer for dogs is different from that of humans in some ways. Treating canine cancer with radiation therapy is extreme and will be tough on all involved.

Radiation therapy, as the name clearly indicates, is serious stuff. In fact, it is often characterized as menacing and intimidating. The concept is to shrink tumors by bombarding them with electrons, photos and good old-fashioned gamma rays. It should be noted that gamma rays are some of the most energetic rays known to nature. Or in other words, gamma rays pack a powerful pulse. If a gamma ray burst hit Earth from outer space, all life would end.

Radiation therapy destroys the DNA of cancer cells, and over time this can destroy the cancer as well. Yet, there are numerous problems with this approach in treating cancer for dogs. As the name would dictate, radiation therapy uses radiation. Clearly, this is very hard on any dog’s body and can have serious long-term health consequences. Additionally, it is extremely important to note that there are special considerations that must be made with using radiation therapy for treating cancer for dogs . The fact that dogs must be anesthetized in order to receive treatment greatly complicates the situation. Radiation therapy is usually given at least a couple of times a week or even every day. This could mean that your dog will have to undergo anesthetization several times a week for several weeks. The combination of anesthetization and radiation therapy may be more than many dogs can handle.

Clearly, radiation therapy is every tough. But it should also be pointed out that while radiation therapy might have sounded cool to people in the 1950s, it is deadly serious business. During the treatment of cancer for dogs, radiation therapy doesn’t just hit the cells that have canine cancer. Instead, all cells, regards of whether or not they are cancerous or healthy, are hit. Therefore, DNA is effectively damaged. There is little doubt that radiation therapy has been used successfully for years. However, it is also important to note that radiation therapy is very demanding physically. In terms of treating cancer for dogs, radiation therapy can be particularly tricky.

Caninecancercenter.com is one of the leading Canine CenterCare cancer for dogs Cancer Treatment. We provide the latest technology of cancer care that remains your dog happy and healthy.

You must have seen, a kind of discharge coming out from the ears, nose, anus and eyes of your dog, when the dog is not keeping well or going through some kind of disease. This is really sad, because as it is the dog is suffering, and to top it, these accumulations cause a kind of irritation to them. They come out in parts of the body where the dog cannot reach it, to clean by themselves.

You are the one who have to help him in this case, and below are a few cleaning tips.

Nose: Dank a piece of cloth and wipe off the discharge very slowly and carefully. As there are chances that the discharge might have dried up, so you need to have a lot of patience and time to clean them. It is better, if you don’t try to clean the whole thing in one short. One of the most sensual parts of the dog is the nose, so try and clean it in many sessions. Once you have done with the cleaning, slowly pat dry the place and apply some almond oil. You can either use the almond oil as it is or mix it along with some Vitamin E oil. Do this process couple of times in a day.

Ears: Take about half a teaspoon of almond oil and warm it up, you can do this by placing the oil on some hot container and then drop them into the years with the help of a dropper. This will help you clean the oily and waxy ear discharges. You might require help from somebody else, to hold the ears of the dog in the right position, so that you can drop the almond oil, without messing it all around. Now slowly pull up the flap of the ear and pour the oil into the ears, ensuring that the oil is running down straight into the ears. Now close the flap and massage the ears. While you massage, you will hear the noise of the oil squishing inside. This oil will help in liquefying the other fragments and wax. Then take a tissue paper, and wipe off the extra oil on the ears. You can also use cotton to wipe around the ears but be careful not to push it inside.

Eyes: Mix about quarter teaspoon of salt in a cup of distilled or purified water. Take this solution and apply on the eyes, this solution will help you dissolve the discharge around the eyes without any kind of irritation. After you clean the eyes, if you feel the eyes are getting irritated, then apply some almond oil. If the eyes are seditious then you can use some castor oil, if the eyes are ulcerated or dry then use cod liver oil.

Anus: If the dog is having diarrhea, then there are a lot of chances that they will have a lot of irritation and swelling in the area. Anus can get very easily infected during diarrhea, as there is growth of bacteria there. All you have to do to protect your dog from this kind of bacterial infection is to keep the anal are very clean. You can smudge the area softly with a damp cloth. Make sure you don’t rub, as it will cause further more irritation to the dog. Then pat dry the area and apply some calendula ointment for about 2-3 times a day with the help of some cotton.