Keep Your Dog Healthy, Safe, and Happy

When I was growing up in the country, everyone had several dogs. They ran free, chased the chickens, sucked eggs, and ate everything they could run down and kill: rabbits, squirrels, birds, and the chicken who couldn’t run very fast. They never seemed to get sick. A dog with cancer?? Never heard of it. A dog with kidney or bladder stones?? A dog with back problems?? Allergies??? Diabetes?? Almost any ailment man gets, dogs now get. Go figure. Well, times have changed.

Now, we have pets in a modern world where they are loved, pampered, and protected. Our pets now have more health problems than ever before, and our Vet. bills reflect these problems. That’s a subject for later discussion. Right now, I’d just like to comment on some common health problems we face every day with our beloved pets.

Let’s start with the head:

Ears: Dog’s ears need to be cleaned out. Yep, Mother Nature doesn’t seem to take care of this department. If your dog is shaking its head a lot, bet its ears need to be cleaned. Your Vet can prescribe drops to be placed down into the ear canal that does a good job. There are homemade remedies for this, but I’m not putting vinegar, peroxide or any of those things in my dog’s ears. I feel safer using the Vet’s. medicine.

Dogs can also have a problem with ear mites. These tiny little bugs can get down into the ear canal and cause a lot of discomfort. Only your Vet can diagnose and treat this condition.

Eyes: If you have a dog that tears like some of the breeds, it causes an unsightly stain down the face. When my Shih Tzu’s face gets stained, I use a product the Vet. sold me. I’ve tried peroxide, but it didn’t work.

Teeth: I’m lucky to get my teeth cleaned twice a year, but I’m told that my dog must NOT have tartar on her teeth. It can lead to multiple health problems. I don’t want that, now do I? She sees her Vet/Dentist twice a year to have this procedure done. The dog must be heavily sedated; otherwise it won’t hold still for the Vet to do the necessary scraping and polishing. I can relate to that. I wish my Dentist would sedate me, too.

Skin: If your dog is scratching and driving you crazy, it could be caused by MANY different things. The Vet will run allergy tests, and maybe come to some conclusion and treatment. I took my dog to the Vet. because she kept me up all night scratching. After running all these expensive skin tests for allergies, and prescribing multiple prescriptions for the itching: ointments and pills, she still scratched and gnawed at herself. That, itself, is a major problem. The dog will actually chew right down through the skin, exposing raw tissue. A special collar is placed on the dog’s neck to prevent them from scratching. It’s a pathetic sight. The poor dog has a bite, and can’t get to it to scratch. I can sympathize with that. After 4 days of getting absolutely no where with the treatment of the symptoms of itching, I found ONE FLEA. Turns out, she is terribly allergic to flea bites! So, now I give her a pill to kill any fleas and the flea eggs, and I have my yard sprayed with a chemical to keep the fleas out of the grass

Food Allergies: Dogs can get food allergies that make them itch, too. In the wild, dogs didn’t have this problem. They ate raw meat only, I’m told. The commercial dog food we feed our dogs contain a lot of preservatives (just like our human food). Lord only knows what we eat that is bad for us, and we just don’t know it! I was buying commercial dog food from my Vet. thinking I was pretty smart. I wasn’t smart at all. After talking to some dog breeders who are really smart about diets for dogs they said: Cook for your dog! What! It’s all I can do to keep my family fed, I’m not cooking for any dog! As much as I love my dogs, I drew the line on that one! Guess who now gets cooked chicken, rice, and yogurt? They say the yogurt is good for the intestines, who knows?? I cook the chicken and rice ahead of time, and keep it refrigerated for their din-din. They both think they have died and gone to heaven. I think chicken is a dog’s favorite food.

Kidney and Bladder: My little Shih Tzu had a bout with bladder stones. She had surgery to remove 20 of these tiny little monsters. She couldn’t go pee, and it was life threatening. She was only two years old at the time. She was fed only commercial dog food until this happened. Here again, I blame the store bought food. I could be wrong, but she gets my diet now.

Only time will tell. The Vet says that once a dog gets stones, chances are they will get them again. If my theory is true, she won't get them again because she doesn't get commerial food any longer. I have my fingers crossed. I would not want to see her go through that ordeal again.

Back Problems: I did a Hub about my Miniature Schnuzer’s back problems. It’s called Intervertebral Disc Disease. It’s more prevalent in dogs with a long back like the Dachshund, but of course, my dog seems to have inherited the trait. It’s a reoccurring problem. Once they “go down” in their back, it’s common for it to happen again. The first time her back went out, she just jumped down from the back of the couch, then she couldn’t walk. The Vet took x-rays and made the diagnosis. She was given tranquilizers to keep her still, and placed in the doggie crate (which she hates). This same thing has happened to her three times in the past year. I have moved the couch so she can no longer jump from the back, and I prevent her from running up and down stairs.

Emotional Problems: Dogs have these, too. Certain dogs can’t deal with loud noises, such as thunder storms and fireworks. Baby is one of these. I hate the 4^th. Of July and storms. I have to tranquilizer her. All the reassurance I can give her at those times doesn’t work. She is just scared to death.

Dogs also can become Senile and suffer from Disorientation as they age.

Hair and Coat: It’s very important to keep your dog clean and free from hair mats. They need to be bathed once a week, and brushed every day. My dogs have to be professionally groomed every six weeks because their hair grows SO fast. I can’t afford to get my hair done that often, but the dog’s looks are more important than mine. If you don’t want this expense, get a short haired dog. Then you have another problem: those breeds shed a lot, where the Shih Tzu and Schnauzer (among others) do not shed and are hypoallergenic.

Nails: Dogs feet have to be care for also. Never let their nails grow too long. They can become crippled. I'm afraid to trim my dog's nail for fear I'll cut them too close, and that is extremely painful for them. It's hard to tell how far down to clip them, especially if the nails are black. I have the Groomer do that as part of their service.

Use a Leash: It goes without saying that your dog should be leashed at all times for their safety. I personally like to use a halter rather than a collar. I’m afraid if they pull while wearing a collar, the throat could be damaged. See, I try to think of everything! I have fenced in my front yard so my doggies can play in safety.

Heartworms: This is a real problem here in South Florida. Your dog HAS to be put on a prevention method. Heart worms are caused by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is NO other way dogs get heart worms. The treatment for heart worms is very severe, so you DON'T want your dog to get these monsters. Your Vet will advise you on which prevention to use. I like the pill that tastes good and the dog eats it as a treat.

Play: Dogs are very social creatures. They love to play and entertain their owners. Always take some time out of your day to interact with your pet. Evenings are the best time for me. I take my dogs for a walk, then we play ball or some dumb game they like. I like to get them TIRED so they sleep well!

How could anyone NOT love this little girl and want what is the very best in life for her??

There are many other ways to keep your pet healthy, safe and happy. I’ve only touched on a few that are personal to me. My dogs mean the world to me. They have added SO much to my life. By the way, I would recommend pet insurance. I’m glad I have it!