Dog constipation

Post by கால்நடை மருத்துவர் பக்கம்.

ONE of the BIGGEST Pet Problems in the Spring

This is one really common problem that us vets see every single spring..and it's already started. You want to take your dog out on a car ride but you can't find their harness or don't want to deal with a crate, and you know that they love to stick their head out the window to enjoy the breeze. You have an idea that it might not be the best idea, but they just love it so much and just a little can't hurt them...right?

Every spring and summer, vets see countless injuries caused by dogs riding with their heads out car windows. What seems cute at a stoplight can be very dangerous as your car picks up speed.

Here are just a few of the things that can happen to your dog when they're allowed to ride with their head out the window.

1. Jumping or running away  - it doesn't take much (an interesting smell, a scary noise, or the sight of another dog) to get dogs to make a run for it. If they get loose into traffic they can be hit or even cause an accident.

2. Abrasions and soft tissue injuries - anything from major to minor injuries can occur should your dog hit the pavement or get hit by flying debris. Eye injuries are particularly common.

3. Dogs can get lost. If your dog leaps out while you are driving, it can take merely seconds for them to become lost. By the time you are able to stop the car and turn around they could be long gone. This is why it's so important to make sure they have at least one form of identification with your current address.

So....if you drive with your dog in the car, please make sure they are properly secured. A good seatbelt harness can save their life. For more tips on safe driving with your dog, go to: The Dangers of Driving With Dogs.

3 Simple Things That Could SAVE Your Sometimes it's the little things that count.

We all want our pets to be safe, but how we do that can be quite different. Some people are so concerned over their pets' well-being that they are constantly watching for danger. In other cases, the owners figure that "dogs will be dogs" and don't watch too carefully.

Honestly, the best way is something in between these two. It's important to be aware of dangerous situations, but some of the best choices you can make for your pet are very simple-and they can save your dog's life. You may not realize how important these things are until something happens. And things always happen--my vet friends and I see it all the time.

Vets do talk about the cases that they see, and about how to prevent them. I love having these discussions as it helps me find more great tips that can really help keep dogs safe and healthy. There aren't many as simple as the tips I'm sharing today, though.
Here are the 3 things that we've seen that can REALLY help save your dog's life.

1. Keep Your Dog On A Leash . People don't realize how important this is ... until it is too late. If you are walking your dog by a highway or anywhere that has cars (and that's pretty much everywhere) this may be the #1 way to save your dog's life. Do you know what separates good leashes from the bad? Learn more; go to The Best Leash For Your Dog.

2. ID Tags . Yep, this is another simple one. I've seen so many lost dogs with no identification that are never returned to their owners, or injured dogs without an ID tag that are euthanized because the shelter doesn't know who owns them. Don't underestimate the power of a simple ID tag. There are several different forms of identification for your dog, and having at least one can definitely save their life.

3. Use the Right Kind of Fence. Many people purchase a fence that looks great, but neglect to notice that their small dog can wiggle right between the slats. Others install an invisible fence but don't train their dogs to use it, resulting in dogs who are either terrified of the fence or will fearlessly run through it. Learn the best type of fence for you dog. Go to: Fencing For Your Dog.

A few other things you can do to keep your dog safe: 

• Keep all toxins out of reach. This is especially important in your garage, where oil and cleaning solutions pose danger.
• Keep a current picture of your dog on hand in case he goes missing. Posters with photos are much more effective than those without.
• Invest in basic obedience school. Teaching your dog to come back when called can mean the difference between life or death.                                    Pl.visit www.veterinary.tk

Mastitis In Dogs

Mastitis In Dogs

Mastitis is an infection of the milk ducts. Also called mammitis or mastadenitis, during nursing, it can be caused by a breast (teat) engorgement (swelling). Mastitis can also be caused by a blocked milk duct. You may see cracked or damaged skin or tissue around the nipple. Bacteria get inside, either by a crack or even through the pores, and can infect the dam suddenly, even if the teat is not engorged. An engorged breast is a mild form of mastitis. Mastitis, if not treated, can lead to gangrene mastitis. Gangrene mastitis is caused by bacteria that do not require oxygen in order to grow (anaerobic bacteria). The skin turns black and dies, leaving a huge hole that will drain pus-blood. The dam will have a high temperature and needs antibiotics. Gangrene mastitis results in the dam losing the teat. If your dam develops mastitis, begin treatment immediately to avoid it turning into gangrene mastitis.

Teat with mastitis, which is very common in Mastiff dams. This dam needs to go on antibiotics NOW. This is a medical emergency where TIME is of the essence. Mastitis is very aggressive and fast-moving, so the sooner antibiotics are started, the better chance of not having a blowout. A blowout is the swelling/infection that will try to come out the side of the breast, like a volcano that wants to erupt. Visit this site

Diagnosing and Managing Tetanus and Botulism in Horses

  Tetanus and botulism are two diagnoses horse owners never want to receive, both of these equine illnesses are known for moderate to high fatality rates. But fortunately, owners can protect their horses from these diseases by staying up-     to-date with annual vaccinations.
                                     During a presentation at the 2012 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum, held May 30-June 2 in New Orleans, La., Allison Stewart, BVSc (Hons), MS, Dipl. ACVIM, ACVECC, associate professor of equine internal medicine at Auburn University, lectured on diagnosing and managing both tetanus and botulism.
Tetanus
An often fatal disease, tetanus (also called lockjaw) is caused by toxins released by Clostridium tetani, a bacterium that Stewart explained lives in soil, especially in areas with feces present. Horses generally contract tetanus via wound contamination with affected soil.
Stewart said that clinical signs typically take two to four weeks to develop after infection and include:

• A stiff gait;
• A "sawhorse" stance, in which the front legs are extended out in front of the horse and the back legs are positioned further out from the back of the horse;
• Prolapsed third eyelid;
• Flared nostrils;
• Retracted lips;
• Perked ears;
• Exaggerated response to stimuli; and
• Respiratory paralysis.

Veterinarians generally diagnose the disease based on clinical signs and rarely require a culture confirmation, she said.
When caring for an affected horse, Stewart recommended the following treatment protocol:

• Place the horse in a quiet, nonstimulating environment (such as a dark stall), and consider plugging his ears to reduce external stimuli;
• Provide deep bedding or, if necessary and tolerated, a sling;
• Administer sedatives and muscle relaxers to keep the patient as quiet and comfortable as possible;
• Identify any wounds or hoof abscesses and ensure they are well-drained and have good oxygen exposure;
• Treat wound infections with the antibiotic metronidazole;
• Administer antitoxin as soon as tetanus is suspected; and
• Make use of parenteral (intravenous) nutrition and intravenous electrolytes or feeding and watering via a nasogastric tube.

"The prognosis is good if 1) the horse can still drink; 2) the horse remains standing (there's an 80% mortality rate if recumbent); and 3) the horse survives more than one week after the onset of signs," Stewart said.
Although fatality rates for tetanus can reach as high as 50% to 75%, there is some good news: Tetanus is largely preventable, and an antitoxin can be effective if administered early in the disease process.
"Although horses are traditionally vaccinated with tetanus toxoid each year, protection is probably longer lasting," Stewart said. "The vaccine is cheap and effective and the best insurance you can ever buy for your horse. There is no excuse not to vaccinate horses, but in an emergency an antitoxin can be given to horses to provide very rapid, but short-lasting immunity to the toxin produced by C. tetani."
For horses without a vaccination history or not previously vaccinated against tetanus, Stewart recommends prophylaxis (disease prevention) if wounds are sustained. She recommended administering 1,500 IU of tetanus antitoxin and simultaneous vaccination with tetanus toxoid.
Botulism
Switching gears, Stewart turned her attention to diagnosing and managing botulism, an often fatal disease that affects horses of all ages.
"Botulism is caused by a toxin produced by C. botulinum," she explained. "Eight types of toxin--A, B, Ca, Cb, D, E, F, and G--have been recognized," with type B being associated with the majority of equine botulism cases each year.
Stewart said there are three ways horses can contract botulism:

• Toxin ingestion (via contaminated forage);
• Wound contamination; and
• Toxicoinfections (also known as shaker foal syndrome, this form occurs in foals when spores are consumed, germinate, and are absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract).

Clinical signs of botulism typically arise three to seven days after infection and include:

• Dysphagia (the inability to swallow);
• Progressive muscle paralysis;
• Restlessness;
• Incoordination (ataxia);
• Inability to stand or shaking as they stand up;
• Lateral recumbency;
• Decreased tongue and tail tone.
• Veterinarians generally diagnose the disease via clinical signs and identifying the toxin in feces, serum, or other tissue, she said.
• Treatment includes:
• Multivalent (multi-strain) antiserum administration;
• Movement restriction;
• Ventilation or oxygen therapy, if needed;
• Antibiotics for secondary complications;
• Cathartic (a purging medication) administration;
• Parasympathomimentic drug (which stimulates or mimics the parasympathetic nervous system) administration; and
• Supportive care.

As with tetanus, botulism caused by C. botulinum type B is largely preventable via vaccination administration, Stewart said. There are not yet vaccines available to protect against the other types, she noted.
"To prevent shaker foals, vaccinate the mare three times at monthly intervals (with the last dose coming) two to three weeks before foaling," she recommended. During subsequent pregnancies she suggested a single injection during the last month.

Learn more about the importance of nutrition, vaccinations, and deworming programs designed to keep your horse healthy in Understanding Equine Preventive Medicine.

"For the protection of adults, (administer) yearly vaccinations after the initial series of three doses," she said.
Take-Home Message
Both tetanus and botulism can be fatal if contracted, but annual vaccination reduces horses' risk of contracting. Discuss individual vaccine recommendations if questions arise about a particular anima

COURTESY: To  "THE HORSE " & Editor

The Truth About Internet Vets Inbox x

You can find almost anything on the Internet these days. In the space of 2 short decades it has gone from a relatively uncommon technology to being considered a necessity for many people. You can find information on almost anything online. In just a few minutes you can learn about current events, entertainment, history, hobbies, and yes…even pet health.

But just because something is online doesn't make it true. It's easy for anyone to put information out there and when it pertains to our pets it doesn't take long for that false information to become dangerous. For example, today I met a family with a tortoise who was very ill. It turns out that they were feeding him the wrong diet and he was very malnourished as a result. When I asked them where they got their care information they told me that they found it online. Oh dear! (Don't worry, the little tortoise is on a better diet now and his family now knows much more about caring for him. It will take some time but he is on his way to recovery.)

This made me appreciate just how wonderful all of the PetPlace.com vets are. Every single one of the articles on Pet Place is vet-approved, so that means that they are assessed for accuracy before we ever put them on the website. And every person who works for Pet Place is a pet lover themselves so we really care about “getting it right.” It's our mission to help you give your pets the very best care and the longest life possible.

Did you know that PetPlace.com has over 10,000 vet-approved articles for you to read? They cover everything from cat nutrition to dog breeding and even yes…tortoise care. And with so many articles to read we even have a handy search bar as well as sections for popular subjects. Best of all, it's all FREE!

If you haven't looked around our website lately, I strongly encourage you to do so. There's so much to see and I guarantee you will learn something! Drop by PetPlace today and see what's new.
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When is My Dog Considered a Senior?

At some point in your time as a dog lover you have probably come across the term “senior.” You might even be preparing for your own dog to enter their golden years, or have a dog who already qualifies as a senior. Many dog lovers have an idea of what being “senior” entails but aren't quite sure if their dog is there yet.

Part of determining whether your dog fits into this category is their age. When is the cut-off point? Well, there are two answers, a simple and a complex one. In the simplest terms veterinarians typically consider the last 25% of a dog's life to be their senior years. The more accurate but more complex answer is based on your dog's breed. Different breeds have different life expectancies and might age slightly differently. The following article offers a handy list of life expectancies according to breed. Please remember that these are just general guidelines and that many factors can affect your dog's health. Furthermore, if your dog is a mixed breed you can consider the expectancies of both of them.
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To see the list of expectancies by breed, go to: When is Your Dog Considered a Senior?


No matter your dog's age, I know you will give them the best care and lots of love. Senior dogs are such a joy - consider yourself lucky if you share your life with one!Having an older pet can mean you need to make special considerations for their health. For tips on giving them the best care, go to: Keeping Your Dog Healthy

WOOF! WOOF! - What Are Our Dogs Saying to Each Other?

It's not uncommon for two strange dogs to meet and either become fast friends or the biggest enemies within seconds. How does that happen? It's all about the little signals passed between dogs as they communicate.

Canine communication is just as important with dogs who know each other as it is with dogs who have just met. The sweetest, gentlest dogs might get frustrated and show some signals of irritation too. Or maybe you have a shy dog who hides from everything…until he or she meets that special friend that brings out their playful side. What are our dogs saying to each other?

Well, the answer is pretty complex, but I'd like to share an article that's a good place to start. It is an excellent insight into the way that your dog communicates with other members of its species. Go to: Dog to Dog Communication