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By Lana Foster Pets n Vets Veterinary Nurse
Dogs
are very intelligent animals and need mental stimulation regularly to
keep them happy. Very intelligent or highly strung dogs such as border
collies and pointers need more stimulation than other breeds.
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Diabetes is a common illness present in middle-aged to older dogs and cats. It
occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. Insulin is
required for the body to efficiently use sugars, fats and proteins.
Certain conditions predispose a dog or cat to developing diabetes.
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If your cat
or dog seems to be drinking more water than usual it is worth taking note of
this as it could be the first sign of a health problem. Sometimes it can be a sudden change and
other times it can be a gradual increase over several months, either way it
would be advisable to take your pet to see their vet.
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Infection of the ear canal (outer ear) is one of the most common infections seen in dogs. Breeds with large hairy ears, such as Cocker Spaniels, are particularly prone to developing ear infections.
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Mammary gland tumors are common in unspeyed bitches. Female dogs that have been spayed before their first heat cycle rarely acquire breast caner. Statistics show that if a female dog is speyed after her first heat cycle but before her second cycle, her potential to develop mammary tumors is greater than the dog that was speyed prior to a heat cycle. The more heats a dog has, the higher chance the dog has to developing mammary tumors.
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Urinary incontinence is an involuntary loss in the ability to control urine. It occurs in dogs of both sexes and of all ages. There is no 100% cure for the condition, but treatments are available to manage the symptoms. Dogs will leak or dribble urine, often while sleeping and they awake to wet spots. They are often unaware of the accident. Female dogs are more commonly affected, and in more than 20% of cases the symptoms appear after the female has been spayed. Older dogs tend to develop incontinence as part of general aging, regardless of breed or sex.
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Feeding bones to your dog can be potentially dangerous. Small bones like chicken bones, lamb, steak and pork bones are the worst as they are easily chewed into sharp splinters. These splinters and other bone fragments can lodge in the GI tract and cause life threatening lacerations, obstructions and perforations. Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea, gut pain, reluctance to eat, and lethargy. If your dog exhibits any of the above signs after being fed bones it is important to seek veterinary attention immediately.
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Chocolate poisoning is a common problem in dogs, especially around holidays. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is toxic to dogs. Dogs will readily eat a toxic dose of chocolate. Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity, abnormal stiff gait and increased urination. In severe cases the dog may suffer muscle tremors, convulsions, heart arrhythmia's, and they may fall into a coma.
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Chewing is a natural dog behavior. Dogs chew to relieve stress and to occupy the time. Bored dogs often relieve stress by keeping busy with a chew object. Puppies tend to chew to alleviate the pain and stress of teething. Problems occur when dogs are left to select the objects of their chewing pleasure as they often make inappropriate choices. Dogs acting on impulse destroy furniture, shoes and toys daily. You can't stop a dog from chewing, it's in his nature, but you can direct him to appropriate objects.
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