Injuries & Remedies
Kennel Cough
12/01/09 11:38
Kennel cough is most commonly associated with a bacterial infection caused by the organism Bordetella bronchiseptica. While it is hard to be certain in veterinary medicine when discussing statistics, it is estimated that 80 to 90% of the cases of kennel cough are due to this organism. The other 10 to 20% of cases are caused by a variety of other infectious agents, most of them viral. Kennel cough has been associated with parainfluenza virus, adenovirus and canine distemper virus as well as the Bordetella bacteria.
The incubation period from the time a dog is exposed until clinical signs appear varies depending on which infectious agent is the cause. In general it appears to be about 3 to 5 days with Bordetella. The infection tends to be mild except for a very harsh cough that often prompts owners to think that their dog "has something caught in his throat". In some dogs it can lead to pneumonia or more serious signs. Cough suppressants can be used to control the cough and antibiotics may be necessary for stubborn infections or to try to stop the spread of the bacteria in multiple dog households. It is probably a good idea to vaccinate dogs who will be exposed to large numbers of other dogs, such as at shows, obedience classes or the classic cause -- when left in kennels. The intranasal vaccine is pretty fast acting, providing some protection in as little as 5 days. The injectable version of the vaccine may provide longer immunity, though. Some vets use both to get maximum protection.
The incubation period from the time a dog is exposed until clinical signs appear varies depending on which infectious agent is the cause. In general it appears to be about 3 to 5 days with Bordetella. The infection tends to be mild except for a very harsh cough that often prompts owners to think that their dog "has something caught in his throat". In some dogs it can lead to pneumonia or more serious signs. Cough suppressants can be used to control the cough and antibiotics may be necessary for stubborn infections or to try to stop the spread of the bacteria in multiple dog households. It is probably a good idea to vaccinate dogs who will be exposed to large numbers of other dogs, such as at shows, obedience classes or the classic cause -- when left in kennels. The intranasal vaccine is pretty fast acting, providing some protection in as little as 5 days. The injectable version of the vaccine may provide longer immunity, though. Some vets use both to get maximum protection.
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HOCK FRACTURES
11/01/09 23:48
Whilst we hope that all the injuries and remedies articles are of some sort of guidance for you we MUST stress that these should only be used as a guide and a qualified Vet should be called at all times to diagnose exact problems and treatment.
Suzanne Stack, DVM
"Right hock fractures are the most common career ending injury of racing greyhounds. Certainly, more toes and metacarpals/metatarsals (“quarter bones") are broken, but their racing careers are more often salvageable. The right hock is usually the one to go, most commonly in the first turn, where the greyhound pushes off with it on the banked curve. There is perhaps one fractured left hock for every 30 fractured right hocks.
My feeling is that adoption groups should not reject these greyhounds because they lack funds to fix the hocks. It's been about 10 years since I've been around racetracks --but back then, unless an owner planned to continue the dog's racing career, a broken hock was never fixed. To heal adequately for pet purposes (though they will lack the few 1/100s of a second needed for racing), all the majority of hock fractures need is 6 -- 12 months of house or kennel rest somewhere. The 'how long' depends on how picky the adopter is -- does the gait need to be perfect before they will accept the dog? Is there an adopter who will take the greyhound if the gait never does become perfect in one of the "bad" fractures?
The reason hocks heal so well with so few repercussions is that the usual fracture is a slab fracture of a tiny (<1") bone (central tarsal bone) in a non-moving joint. Sometimes, more than one of these tiny tarsal bones is involved - there are 5 of them, plus the larger talus and calcaneus bones making up the hock joint. Since the fracture is in a non-moving joint to begin with, the arthritis that develops around the site is fairly insignificant to the dog's movement. And it takes movement to cause pain.
There are a few more disastrous hock fractures, such as when the tip of the calcaneous bone (tip of the hock) breaks off and the dog's Achilles tendon goes with it. This is a dog that really needs surgery to function right. But, the bottom line is, I still wouldn't let him die for lack of funds for an orthopedic surgery. My old lady, Jamie, is living proof that while these greyhounds are gimps (mechanically, their Achilles tendon does not work), they're not in pain for the rest of their lives.
Many kudos to the groups who do fix these fractures. And also to racing owners who will pay for surgery even when the greyhound is "all done.” But, for those groups who can't afford it - if you have a foster home that can give a hock fracture house rest (no galloping) for a long, long time, please take these greyhounds and give them a chance. Except for the big calcified bump on that hock, they will be "good as new" once healed.
That was an Excerpt from an article I was reading and its 1 I totally agree with and wanted to share it..
"Right hock fractures are the most common career ending injury of racing greyhounds. Certainly, more toes and metacarpals/metatarsals (“quarter bones") are broken, but their racing careers are more often salvageable. The right hock is usually the one to go, most commonly in the first turn, where the greyhound pushes off with it on the banked curve. There is perhaps one fractured left hock for every 30 fractured right hocks.
My feeling is that adoption groups should not reject these greyhounds because they lack funds to fix the hocks. It's been about 10 years since I've been around racetracks --but back then, unless an owner planned to continue the dog's racing career, a broken hock was never fixed. To heal adequately for pet purposes (though they will lack the few 1/100s of a second needed for racing), all the majority of hock fractures need is 6 -- 12 months of house or kennel rest somewhere. The 'how long' depends on how picky the adopter is -- does the gait need to be perfect before they will accept the dog? Is there an adopter who will take the greyhound if the gait never does become perfect in one of the "bad" fractures?
The reason hocks heal so well with so few repercussions is that the usual fracture is a slab fracture of a tiny (<1") bone (central tarsal bone) in a non-moving joint. Sometimes, more than one of these tiny tarsal bones is involved - there are 5 of them, plus the larger talus and calcaneus bones making up the hock joint. Since the fracture is in a non-moving joint to begin with, the arthritis that develops around the site is fairly insignificant to the dog's movement. And it takes movement to cause pain.
There are a few more disastrous hock fractures, such as when the tip of the calcaneous bone (tip of the hock) breaks off and the dog's Achilles tendon goes with it. This is a dog that really needs surgery to function right. But, the bottom line is, I still wouldn't let him die for lack of funds for an orthopedic surgery. My old lady, Jamie, is living proof that while these greyhounds are gimps (mechanically, their Achilles tendon does not work), they're not in pain for the rest of their lives.
Many kudos to the groups who do fix these fractures. And also to racing owners who will pay for surgery even when the greyhound is "all done.” But, for those groups who can't afford it - if you have a foster home that can give a hock fracture house rest (no galloping) for a long, long time, please take these greyhounds and give them a chance. Except for the big calcified bump on that hock, they will be "good as new" once healed.
That was an Excerpt from an article I was reading and its 1 I totally agree with and wanted to share it..
Greyhounds and Worms
08/01/09 20:38
Learn about the different types of worms in dogs and cats...
roundworms,tapeworms,hookworms,whipworms. Other intestinal parasites such as giardia and coccidia are displayed. Your veterinarian can check your pet's stool sample to be certain pets do not harbor intestinal parasites such as you see here.
Consult your veterinarian about routine worming of dogs. CAUTION! Intestinal parasites of dogs and cats are potential health hazards for humans, too. If hookworm larvae penetrate the skin they can cause "cutaneous larval migrans", a potentially serious and scarring inflammation results. Ascarid (roundworm) eggs if ingested can cause a disease called "visceral larval migrans" where tiny worm larvae migrate through the person's intestinal wall and into the body tissues. They then grow to larger size almost anywhere in the body. Ocular disease is a common sequel "visceral larval migrans". Children are at most serious risk especially if play behavior is in an environment where dog, cat, or raccoon feces may be present... such as in a sandbox. A single adult Toxicara canis female can shed up to 100,000 eggs a day which pass into the dog or cat's environment with the stool. Please take the worming advice of your veterinarian seriously and adhere to strict sanitation principles whenever pets and children are in close contact. Note... roundworms are not spread to people simply by close contact with dogs or cats. The individual must ingest (eat!) the infective stage of the roundworm eggs; since the eggs are primarily associated with feces, humans would somehow need to consume the egg contaminated feces for contagion to occur. If you search for "Prevention of Zoonotic Transmission of Ascarids and Hookworms of Dogs and Cats" you can see information about roundworm and hookworm hazards for humans.
Let's examine each type of worm individually:
Worms in Dogs!
Why does the veterinarian want to check a stool sample? Dogs are victims of several internal parasites frequently referred to as worms. The most common are the roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. Of these four only two are commonly seen in the stool with the unaided eye...roundworms and tapeworms. Look at the photo on the right and you can see that roundworms can assume different sizes. Plus when they are fresh they are whitish in appearance. The single entire tapeworm usually will not be seen externally, and all you might see in the stool or attached to the fur would be the small segments that detach from the end of the tapeworm... (See photo.) Hooks and whips are so small that they seldom are seen in the stool. A tapeworm and segments plus a number of roundworms...That's precisely why a stool sample is often required in order to discover which parasite is present; the EGGS of all these worms can be seen under the microscope and that's how their presence is detected...by looking for their eggs under the microscope! Keep in mind that it is the goal of each parasite to stay in the safety of the intestinal tract; if they come out, they'll die! They don't want to be detected!
Most worm infestations cause any or all of these symptoms: diarrhea, perhaps with blood; weight loss; dry hair; general poor appearance; and vomiting, perhaps with worms in the vomit. However, some infestations cause few or no symptoms; in fact some worm eggs or larvae can be dormant in the dog's body and activated only in times of stress, or in the case of roundworms and hookworms, until the later stages of pregnancy when they activate and infest the soon-to-be-born puppies and kittens.
Why should the vet check a stool sample!
Early diagnosis for the presence and type of intestinal parasite is very important. The stool (only about a teaspoonful is needed) is mixed with a special solution to make the microscopic eggs more visible. Depending upon which kind of worm is present a certain type of wormer may have to be used. For example, if a cat has roundworms the veterinarian will want to prescribe a certain kind of medication specific for the elimination of roundworms. If tapeworms are present, a different wormer will be used. Not all worms respond to the same treatment and no single wormer works against all kinds of parasites. And some non-prescription wormers are quite ineffective in removing worms from the dog or cat. Your veterinarian will havePet Foods and Supplies! available for you the best kinds of wormers for the particular type of parasite your pet has. Therefore, stool samples should be taken to the veterinarian for microscopic examination for the worm eggs if worms are suspected. Many veterinarians include the stool check as part of the annual health examination.
Giardia and coccidia are single celled organisms that can cause loose stool, gas production and poor health. Learn more about Giardia parasites.
Prevention.
Remove dog feces from back yards at least weekly, use the correct wormer under veterinary supervision, and have the dog's feces checked frequently in persistent cases. Do not mix wormers and do not use any wormer if your dog is currently taking any other medication, including Heartworm preventative, without consulting the veterinarian. In persistent reinfestations, some veterinarians will prescribe worming treatments on a routine basis all year long. Generally, prescription wormers will be safer and more effective (although often more expensive) than over-the-counter worm medications.
When walking the dog in a neighborhood or park, remove all feces so that the dog does not contribute to contamination of soil. Dogs and cats that are in generally good condition may not act threatened by worm infestations and may not even show signs of having worms. However, it's a good idea to keep your dog and cat as worm-free as possible so that if disease or stresses do occur, the pet has greater reserves and defenses to handle the crisis.
Tapeworm eggs do NOT show up well in routine fecal analyses! Tell your veterinarian if you spot these rice-like segments in the stool or caught in the fur under the tail.
Roundworms
A large percentage of puppies are born with microscopically small roundworm larvae in their tissues. The larvae got there via migration through the mother's tissues right into the developing pup in the mother's uterus! The worm larvae can also be transferred to the nursing pup or kitten from the mother's milk. The larvae make their way to the intestinal tract where they can grow up to five inches in length. They start shedding eggs and try desperately to keep house in the small intestine of the pup . The eggs that the adult worms pass in the stool can now reinfest the same pup or other dogs if somehow the egg-bearing stool is eaten. When the worm eggs hatch, larvae are released internally to migrate to the animal's lungs where the larvae (remember, the larvae are microscopic in size) are finally coughed up, swallowed, and finally grow up to adults in the small intestine. So you can see that repeated exposures to egg-bearing stool or stool-contaminated soil can cause additive numbers of parasites to a dogs load. Not good! NOTE: If the mother has no risk of worm infestation. intestinal parasites and no encysted larvae in her tissues...the pups will be born worm free.
Roundworms are active in the intestines of puppies, often causing a pot-bellied appearance and poor growth. The worms may be seen in vomit or stool; a severe infestation can cause death by intestinal blockage. Females can produce 200 thousand eggs in a day; eggs are protected by a hard shell and can exist in the soil for years.
Roundworms can infest adult dogs too. However, as mentioned above, the larvae can encyst in body tissue of adult dogs and cats, remain dormant for periods of time, and can activate during the last stages of pregnancy to infest the puppies. Worming the mother has no effect on the encysted larvae in the body tissues and cannot prevent the worms from infecting the newborn. Almost all wormers work only on the adult parasites in the intestinal tract.
Hookworms
These are much more common in dogs than in cats. They are very small, thin worms Whipworm and Hookworm eggs under microscopic view. that fasten to the wall of the small intestine and suck blood. Dogs get hookworms from larval migration in the uterus, from contact with the larvae in stool-contaminated soil, or from ingesting the eggs after birth. As with roundworms, the hookworm larvae can also be transferred to the nursing pup from the mother's milk.
A severe hookworm infestation can kill puppies, often making them severely anemic from the loss of blood to the hookworms' vampire-like activities! Chronic hookworm infestation is a common cause of older dogs not performing optimally, having poor feed efficiency and weight maintenance, and having poor stamina. Often the signs include bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and progressive weakness. Diagnosis is made by examining the feces for eggs under a microscope.
Whipworms
This parasite is more often seen in dogs than cats. Adult whipworms, although seldom seen in the stool, look like tiny pieces of Whipworm eggs under the microscope. thread with one end enlarged. They live in the cecum, the first section of the dog's large intestine. Infestations are usually difficult to prove since the whipworms shed comparatively few eggs; so an examination of even several stool samples may not reveal the presence of whipworms. If a dog is presented with chronic weight loss and passes stool that seems to have a covering of mucous (especially the last portion of stool the dog passes), and lives in a kennel situation or an area where whipworms are prevalent, the veterinarian may prescribe a whipworm medication based upon circumstantial evidence. Repeat wormings may be necessary especially if there is a probability that the dog will become reinfested. Although they seldom cause a dog's death, whipworms are a real nuisance for the dog and can be a problem for the veterinarian to diagnose.
Tapeworms
Dried tapeworm segments are displayed in the images below...
Tapeworm segments caught in the fur under the tail.Tapeworms... Another intestinal parasite, the tapeworm, is transmitted to dogs and cats that ingest fleas (fleas think tapeworm UP close and personal with tapeworm segments.eggs are real tasty!) or that hunt and eat wildlife or rodents infested with tapeworms or fleas. If you were to see an entire tapeworm you would notice that they are arranged with a small head at one end and many tiny brick-like repeating segments making up the rest of the worm. There are generally two types that infest dogs and cats; tapeworms can reach 4 to 6 inches in length within the intestine. It is the last segments in the chain that are released from the worm that can be seen in the dog or cats' stool or as in these photos, attached to the fur under the pet's tail. An entire tapeworm may have 90 segments! Many cases are diagnosed simply by seeing these tiny terminal segments attached to the pet's fur around the anus or under the tail; they even move around a bit shortly after they are passed and before they dry up and look like little grains of rice or confetti. These segments of the tapeworm contain the eggs. Tapeworms cannot be killed by the typical generic, over-the-counter wormers; see the veterinarian for prescription-only treatment that really works.
Greyhounds and Fleas
08/01/09 20:27
Understanding the life cycle of the flea is necessary in order to control it. The flea has several stages to its life cycle. Adult fleas spend most of their time on the dog or cat - they must be dislodged to leave since they will not do so voluntarily. Despite this, when the flea population on the dog becomes excessive humans tend to be an acceptable alternative to the flea. The average life span of an adult flea is probably about 6 weeks - but fleas can live as long as a year under certain conditions. A female flea can lay 20 to 28 eggs a day. She may lay several hundred eggs over her life span. These eggs fall off the pet and develop where they land. They are small and can even develop in the cracks in wood floors or other small crevices. A larvae hatches from the flea egg. It takes as few as 9 days to as long as 200 days to go through its growth stages. At this time is forms a pupae and waits for the right time to hatch. Fleas prefer temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees and humidity of 75 to 85 per cent. This range determines the period of time that fleas are a problem in your particular area. For some areas of the country, this is all year. In others, the flea season is relatively short. It is estimated that for every adult flea found on the pet, there are about 10 developing fleas in the pet's environment.
Do you have fleas!
How do you know if fleas are causing all that itching (called pruritus)? Generally, unlike the burrowing, microscopic Demodex or Scabies Mites, fleas can be seen scurrying along the surface of the skin. Dark copper colored and about the size of the head of a pin, fleas dislike light so looking for them within furry areas and on the pet's belly and inner thighs will provide your best chances of spotting them. Look for "flea dirt", too. "Flea dirt" looks like dark specks of pepper scattered on the skin surface. If you see flea dirt, which is actually flea feces and is composed of digested blood, pick some off the pet and place on a wet paper towel. If after a few minutes the tiny specks spread out like a small blood stain... it's definitely flea dirt and your pet has fleas! Flea dirt may be your only evidence of a flea infestation but believe the evidence! If there is flea dirt there are surely fleas present. You need to begin your war on the pests.
NATURAL FLEA and TICK REPELLANTS
1) Neem products work really well. It is a herb. You can spray the pet spray directly on the dog (nontoxic if eaten), you can shampoo w/ the shampoo or add a few drops neem oil to regular shampoo, you can mix neem oil & water & spray around the house, you can attach it to the garden hose for the yard, you can even use it as a supplement for killing the fleas from inside out. You can also put neem oil on the back of the neck like you would frontline, but you have to reapply weekly.
2)Recipe for natural flea, tick, mosquito repellant.
2 lemons...slice thin w/ skin on
Rosemary leaves or dried rosemary
Cover w/ water and boil for 15 min, strain, let cool & spray on dog twice weekly.
3) You can make a tea out of Eucalyptus leaves to spray the house and yard. Take a bunch of Eucalyptus leaves and pour boiling water over them & cover the pot. I let them steep and cool and then strained and put in a sprayer & spray the whole house & yard.
4)You can also use diatomacous earth sprinkled inside & outside the house. It punctures the fleas shell and dehydrates them & is totally safe. Just don't inhale it when you apply it because it is a dusty substance. It is safe to let the dog on it right after you apply it. Some people even feed it to their dogs as a natural wormer.
5) Beneficial Nematodes......these can be purchased form an organic gardening store. You put them in the yard and they eat the flea larvae.
6) LymeDyp for Ticks.....For a particularly heavy infestation. The dog can be dipped in lymdyp, a natural dip made form Sulferated Lyme.
7) Most importantly, keeping your dog healthy and on a good diet will make him/her much less attractive to fleas & ticks.
Natural FLEA Dog WASH - Add 40 to 60 drops of Eucalyptus Oil to soapy washing water and wash dog - reputedly rids fleas.
To stop the cycle of eggs (usually in carpets) ..... Sprinkling Borax Powder over carpet area in house and dog and cat beds, shake out, and vacuum carpets within a few minutes of coating carpet. Put some Borax in the Vacuum bag also. Repeat as often as needed to stop eggs/fleas
Organic Tick, Flea and Mosquito
Ingredients are full strength oils (Important! NEVER put undiluted oils directly on yourself or your dogs):
Tea Tree Oil
Rosemary Oil
Sage Oil
Cedarwood Oil
Peppermint Oil
Sweet Orange Oil
Eucalyptus Oil
Citronella Oil
Pine Needle Oil
(also heard you can add almond oil)
Shampoo:
Mix 4-6 drops each with 32 oz of any natural shampoo and you have a natural flea shampoo
Repellant:
Mix 2-3 drops each with 16 oz of (not chlorinated) water in spray bottle - shake before each use and spray lightly over entire body.
Repels fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, flies and makes the van smell great. Can spray on blankets, beds, too. Good for people & dogs.