Pet Health Guide

Distemper: Spotting This Dog Killer Before it’s Too Late

Canine distemper is a devastating disease. It often crops up in seemingly healthy pets without any warning. What’s more, distemper often mimics benign problems, like the common cold. This is truly the most insidious aspect of this illness. Sadly, many cases progress to the point where they are no longer treatable before the owner even realizes what’s happened.

How to spot the early signs of distemper

First and foremost, understand that distemper can often be diagnosed very early if regular trips to the veterinarian are scheduled and kept. This cannot be stressed enough, especially for new puppies! Because afflictions like distemper most often strike very young pups when they have weaker immune systems, it’s crucial that owners visit the vet often in the first few weeks of life. Early diagnosis means a chance to survive distemper.

Owners who suspect distemper, but haven’t had the animal seen by a vet yet, can detect it by a couple of signs. First, yellowish-green or dark green discharge from the eyes and nose is a classic symptom. It’s often accompanied by sneezing and general lethargy. Unfortunately, many pet owners assume this is just a sign that their dog has contracted a cold or has allergies and they ignore it.

If you remember nothing else about what you read here, remember this: any greenish discharge from the eyes or nose means distemper is a real possibility. RUSH your pet to the vet at the first sign! In most distemper cases, the only chance your puppy or dog has is early detection and aggressive medical therapy.

While distemper can manifest differently from one dog to the next, another hallmark of it is constant shaking or twitching. This happens in the more advanced stages of the disease, when the infected dog’s neurological system has been compromised and muscles fire continuously. Unfortunately, by this stage it’s rarely treatable and the humane step is euthanasia. Having said that, always get your pet checked out thoroughly to rule out some other condition that may be causing the tremors. You never know. Dogs are like people, in that they are susceptible to a wide range of illnesses and diseases that can share very similar symptoms. Never assume!

It isn’t easy for pet owners to prevent diseases as serious as distemper. It’s infamous for sneaking up on otherwise healthy puppies. But starting a new puppy out right - with good nutrition and regular visits to the vet for vaccinations and check-ups - will go a long way toward keeping him healthy and disease-free. Know and watch for the signs of distemper and your dog will have a strong ally in you!

© John Schwartz http://www.puppies-dogs-supplies.com (all rights reserved)

John Schwartz is a web site publisher and professional writer. For more information about dog toys and other dog supplies, visit his site at Puppies-Dogs-Supplies.com today.

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Emergency pet care starts with trying to define what an emergency is in terms of pet health.This can be more difficult than one would expect because what constitutes an emergency is usually defined by the pet owner.

The interpretation of an emergency therefore can vary widely
depending on that person’s previous experience, there knowledge of what is normal, and the extent of the human- animal bond.

An emergency can usually be divided into 2 broad categories. The first is usually an obvious emergency e.g. Pet is run over by a car or bitten by a known poisonous snake. In these cases the pet has been fine up till the incident that triggers the emergency.

The second broad category is the “end stage” of a medical condition and for most people this is far more difficult to recognise as an emergency. In these cases the pet may not have been 100% healthy for a preceeding period of time, but this might not have been evident or the pets altered behaviour was deemed to be of no consequence.

An example here would be a male cat with a blocked bladder.
The signs might have been there for a few hours or days (e.g. spending long periods in the litter box) while the condition developed. However, once the urethra becomes totally blocked and the cat cannot pass any urine, the situation rapidly becomes a life threatening one.

There is probably very little you can do from a first aid point of view for the second broad category of emergency. The best thing you can do for a pet in this situation is to get the animal to a vet as fast as you can. Phone ahead if possible to alert the vet to the situation and try to write down as much as you can about the pets behaviour over the past few hours/days/weeks.

For most pet owners, pet emergencies are a traumatic experience usually undertaken in a blur of activity. By writing everything down, you force yourself to slow down and think. Once at the vet
the written notes decrease the chance of you forgetting to tell the vet something that might be of importance. Although you might be in an agitated state, remember that the vet will have
to ask you a range of questions in order to focus the search for a diagnosis and then institute the appropriate treatment.

Category one emergencies such as wounds, snake bites, heat stroke etc lend themselves more to first aid procedures. This does not mean you should delay getting to a vet as fast as possible as emergency pet care is only a stopgap, albeit a very useful one, that can be applied between the occurrence of the emergency and getting professional help.

Keith Perrett is a qualified Veterinarian
http://www.pet-health-for-humans.com

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To many people, pets are like members of the family. For this reason, your pet’s health is a huge priority. If you want to keep your loved one around for a long time, you’ll devote the time and attention needed to ensure that they remain healthy.

The fact that your animal is growing older is inevitable. If your pet has become tired and a bit lazy, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t need to keep moving and keep his joints active. This is just one way to ensure your pet keeps good health.

Aging is to be anticipated, and it is something you have to deal with. Don’t pretend to yourself that your beloved pets will stay forever young. Just as humans do, they get older. Since aging is inevitable, you need to watch your pet’s health. When your child gets sick, what will be your first action? Of course, you will bring him to the doctor. The same is true for your pet. They need care and attention when they are not in the best of health. Your pets need to have an annual visit to the veterinarian in order to set the tone for a healthier and greater program. You need to provide your dogs the proper nutrition. Although aging is unavoidable, we can prevent our pet’s aging teeth through regular teeth cleanings to prevent gum diseases. Checking ears for dirty wax and odor will prevent the cause of infection.

Regular grooming is also important so that your pet will smell great and look great. Your kids are often the ones that get to play with your dogs, so that makes it especially important to keep them clean. You would hate to spread germs and possibly illness to your children. Buying pet products like pet shampoo is essential for grooming. It rids your pet of flees and other insects that spread illness. Regular bathing should be practiced so that they will stay healthy and clean. Brushing their hair can also be helpful in order to keep the strands healthy and untangled.

When your pet is asleep, make sure that you do not make unnecessary sounds. If you do so, make sure that they are aware that you are in the rooms that they will not be startled. Their hearing and sight may get a little dim so keep it slow so that you will not frighten them. A frightened dog may bite or snap you. The same is true for cats. So when you are entering a room, you can start calling them or talk to them as you enter the room so they will be aware that you are getting near.

Annual vaccination is necessary to a preventive health care. If a dog is older, his immune system may not be as efficient as that of a younger dog which makes older dogs more susceptible to possible diseases. Vaccines are useful in maintaining pet health. Some pet owners will only have their pets vaccinated with the present diseases. You should make sure that your dog has all the allowed vaccination. Taking care of your pet isn’t difficult, but it’s very important and should be treated that way.

Simon Oliver has an interest Recreation & Hobbies related topics. To access more information on pet health or on pet health insurance, please click on the links.

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