Sharpdog's blog

Diarrhea is a sign of intestinal disease in dogs just as in humans. Eating inappropriate food is one of the main causes of diarrhea. There are also worms, bacterial infections, viral infections, and parasites causing diarrhea in dogs. Many dog owners feel frustrated because what’s good for them might not necessarily be good for their pets. When a diarrhea is severe you might need a solution from the vet. Your dog will lose lots of fluids & therefore dehydration is inevitable. In any case, better safe than sorry. Contact your vet immediately if your dog has diarrhea.

Each year vets report more cases of dogs poisoned by chocolate. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine which can be very toxic to dogs. Theobromine is found in cocoa beans, caffeine in coffee and tea. The highest concentration of theobromine is found in dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is less dangerous as it contains less amount of caffeine. Chocolate could be very harmful even if you administer moderate amounts to your dog. One of the symptoms of chocolate dog poisoning is fever*. Other symptoms might include low blood pressure, increased heart rate, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.

Dog’s Addison disease occurs generally when your dog is under heavy stress. This disease is more common in dogs than in humans and it happens more often in female dogs. The dog’s adrenal glands stop working properly. These glands regulate the way a dog's body controls levels of water, sugar and salt. There are two hormones normally deficient in dogs with Addison disease: cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol helps to deal with stress besides converting food into energy and managing the inflammatory response of the dog’s immune system.

Aspirin can affect dogs as much as it affects humans. It causes renal failure and affects the circulatory system. However, if you give your dog the right dosage it’ll alleviate pain, reduce fever* and inflammation. Make sure you take your dog's temperature with thermoPet, the only non-contact dog’s thermometer I know of. Ask your vet about the right dosage to give to your dog. Aspirin can be very toxic. Some symptoms might include anxiety, blood vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, extreme thirst, etc.

Your doggy will love it since is non-contact. I purchased this thermometer* at Amazon for $89.99 USA dollars and thought was a good investment since there is nothing like it out there. I read on a website that the only way to know if your dog has a fever is by taking his rectal temperature but that’s not true. I searched on Google bar for a dog’s thermometer and this one came out. It takes your doggy’s temp without touching your pet. Due to the toxic risks of mercury, glass thermometers aren’t that popular any more.

Usually people are allergic to dogs with lots of hair. However, some people are allergic to dog saliva and urine. The best way to find out if you are allergic to certain type of dog is trying being around it for some time. You might need to spend at least a week with the dog you are purchasing and observe how you react to it. Keeping your dog in the patio, bathing your pet weekly, keeping your pet away from the furniture, washing your hands after touching your dog, and using allergy-reducing sprays might help.

Try brushing your pet’s teeth regularly and provide your dog with a healthy diet. Some people give their dogs treats that help remedy bad breath. However, a healthy diet will not only eliminate displeasing odors but it will also promote your dog’s health*. Some people recommend a raw diet as this is what dogs are designed to eat. Most commercial food has artificial color, salt, sugar and flavoring added to make your dog eat it. Dogs get addicted to junk food just like humans.

The first thing you do is monitoring the temperature regularly and specially 4 days before the due day. It takes about 58-63 days from the time your dog was bred. Your dog’s temperature is supposed to drop down to 98. The normal body temperature* of a dog is 101.5° F. She will probably vomit and stop eating. She’ll be restless and seeking for a quiet place to have her puppies. However, she’ll have no pain from contractions. Some people recommend preparing a box for her to have her pups. About 24 hours before the labor milk is produced.

Let your dog take a 24 hour break when he has upset stomach. After that give him some boil rice and skinless chicken. Yogurt and cottage cheese will help the inflamed intestines. You can also mix Gatorade into the dog’s water bowl. Animals, unlike humans stop drinking when they feel sick. You need to do everything in your power to avoid dehydration. Some symptoms of upset stomach are lethargy, vomiting, persisting high fever*, increased thirst, abdominal pain, constipation, and loss of appetite.

Just like humans most pets don’t like drinking water or they might just simply forget. They usually like fresh water so adding a couple of ice cubes to the water might help and also in order to provide a better taste try giving them some filtered water. If your doggie is very sick try giving him/her some beef or chicken broth. They love how it tastes. Dogs should drink 1/2 to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. Every time you take your dogs for a walk take some water with you. You should contact your Vet if your dog is under or over drinking. That could be a sign of illness.