let the title speaks itself
Saturday, October 20, 2007
How To Treat Dog Allergies
Dog allergies are one of the most common conditions affecting dogs. Dog allergies can be very frustrating for both yourself and your dog. The constant itching and scratching, paw licking and chewing, skin rashes or chronic ear infections can make life very unpleasant.
Dogs allergies become noticeable when your dog's immune system reacts excessively to substances (called allergens or antigens) to which she has been exposed. Generally, allergies show up in three ways. The most common is with the skin – your dog will itch and scratch either in one area or all over, or you will see skin sores or lesions. Another way involves the respiratory system and your dog may cough, sneeze, and/or wheeze, and there may be an associated nasal or eye discharge. A third type of allergic reaction involves the digestive system, when your dog vomits or has diarrhea.
There are several types of dog allergies. Conventionally, Veterinarians focus on five different types, but I have grouped them into three areas – these are the most common allergies you will see with your dog. The first is external allergies, and these include flea allergies; the second allergy group is with food; and the third is environmental, and this includes inhalant, from allergens such as pollens and house dust mites.
Dog allergies can be difficult to diagnose. Many of the symptoms you may see can be a result of allergies or of another illness. It is best to get your pet examined by your Veterinarian first, before trying any home or alternative treatments.
If you know or suspect your dog has an allergy, you do have options. There are conventional ways to treat allergies that your Veterinarian will discuss, but I would like to focus on alternative methods in this article. In my book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed (available at veterinarysecretsrevealed . com), I focus on alternative home treatments for dogs and cats. Here are a few of the solutions you can try at home that I recommend for dog allergies.
For Fleas - here is an obvious solution: eliminate the Fleas! Practice regular flea-control. Two natural ways to battle fleas include using aromatic herbs, such as Pennyroyal and Catnip, and Chinchilla Dust ("diatomaceous earth" – but make sure this is the type meant for pets).
If you suspect that your pet is allergic to something in their diet, the first step is to stop all traditional treats (i.e. - milk bones) and table scraps. If your dog is still reacting after 3 weeks, then she may be allergic to her regular food. At this point, try the elimination diet. This means chancing your dog’s food to an entirely different type which she has never eaten before.
The most important part is a unique protein source. There are a number of commercially available allergy diets for pets - one that I prefer for dogs is Fish and Potato. For cats, it can be more difficult, but one I have had luck with has duck as the protein source. The difficulty is that your dog can be allergic to anything in the food. Regardless, I highly advocate a more natural, simple diet that is naturally preserved, or a home-made diet. See my book or join my membership site, theonlinevet . com, for a choice of allergy diets.
Whatever food you choose, it must be fed for 12 weeks. If after 12 weeks your pet it still scratching, then she probably doesn't have a food allergy.
With environmental allergies, dogs can react in a way that is very similar way that we as humans do. One way to help deal with an allergy to pollen and/or house dust mites is to purchase an air purifier for your home.
For itchy skin, try an oatmeal shampoo bath with cool water - this can ease the itchiest skin. Leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes then rinse well. With the most severe allergies, bathe your pet twice weekly. Also, Calendula ointment (herbal medication) has been successfully used to relieve the itch. Apply a thin coat twice daily to affected areas.
There are many herbal solutions for allergies. Phytopica, a combination of 10 different Chinese herbs, has been shown to be effective in scientific studies in decreasing the severity of itching. Xiao Feng San is a common Chinese herbal combination useful for atopic dermatitis (allergy to inhalants). The dose is 1/8 of a teaspoon per 10lbs of body weight daily.
I hope you have found this article helpful. If you would like natural, holistic solutions for many common dog or cat health problems, visit my site at Veterinary Secrets Revealed.
To your pet’s good health…
6 Tips Sites on Choosing a Vet
Your vet is an important partner in caring for your pets. Regular visits to the vet for checkups allow both you and your vet to spot any problems before they become serious. Sometimes, small changes that you have not notice but are serious can be very obvious to the vet. By spotting these small changes early, these changes can be eradicated before the problems become too serious to solve.
Therefore, it’s important to select a vet that you and your pet are absolutely comfortable with and always go to the same vet if possible. Below are some pointers that you can use in selecting your vet.
Recommendation from fellow pet owners
Ask a pet owning friend or neighbor for recommendations is a good way to start looking for a reliable vet. Another alternative is to ask for recommendation from your local pet shop.
Proximity of your vet
Distance from your place to your vet is important here. Most family pets tend to get distressed when they travel too far and the journey is too long. In case of an emergency, a longer distance is a serious drawback. If you do not drive, make sure your vet is accessible by public transport.
Operation hours
Select a vet that opens his clinic at least one evening per week or on Saturdays if you work during the day.
Specialist clinic
In looking for a veterinary hospital, choose one that has a particular pet only clinic like dog-only clinic or cat-only clinic. Reason for doing so is to ensure your pet will not be distress or upset by the presence of other species of pets in the reception areas.
Talk to the staff
Arrange a visit and meet up with the staff there to find out whether they are helpful and friendly. Another thing to take note is their competency level in dealing with pets. One way to find out is to ask them a few basic questions. As for the vet, make sure you and your pet are comfortable with him or her.
View the facilities
Arrange a meeting to view the facilities that the center have. Larger centers are more likely to provide more specialist services such as behavior therapy, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, internal medicine, neurology than smaller ones.
When taking your pet to the vet, carry your pet in a carrier or escape proof box with visibility. You must be prepared and able to reply to questions pose by the vet in regards to your pet’s general health and problems. If possible, bring along your pet past medical records or other relevant documentation. Collect any sample that the vet requests in a clean sealed container.
Do not ask anyone to bring your pet to the vet in your stead. As the pet owner, you are the only one that know the most about your pet’s symptoms. Unless it’s an emergency, please do not call your vet at night or over the weekend.
Your vet is an expert who should love animals and want to help. Building a three-way relationship is the key to providing the best care for your pet.
guide for dog training
Are you a new pet owner?
do you want to gain experience about training your dog?
CABI Livestock Handling and Transport
At first when i saw this book title about transport i thought it's useless to me but when i saw its content and the amazing part about handling animals i find it amazing
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Guide to a healthy cat
Are you a cat owner?
Or you are a vet interested in pet animals?
this is a great book about everything you need to know about cat health
Books name is Guide to a healthy cat , and you are gonna find it a real guide to you
Download
http://www.4shared.com/file/26736430/23e55e99/Guide_to_a_Healthy_Cat_-_EWexler_Mitchel.html
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Normal calving
Wonderful this thing called birth or in cow it's calving and the more wonderful is to see it
you can watch the video here
or you can download it from here
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