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They are making a number of good pointers relating to Dogs overall in the article on the next paragraphs. Good Morning from the Golden Retriever Channel. This pupper is taking-in rain. Who turned on the sprinkler in the sky? Another good day in his life, so far.
(Lifeofsterlingnewton IG)#dogs #puppies #cute pic.twitter.com/ooQqHn9XIf — Golden Retriever Channel (@GoldretrieverUS) August 20, 2021 Get Questions Answered About Dog Care Here
(Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Cats_and_dogs_29.pdf/page1-71px-Cats_and_dogs_29.pdf.jpg)Are you thinking about adopting a dog from the pound? Are you interesting in getting a pure bred dog? No matter what type of dog you want, your dog is going to bring you plenty of love and happiness. It also comes with responsibility and you can learn about that in the following article.
external frameMake sure your house is free of doggy danger. Before you bring a new dog home, make sure the whole area is safe. Hide medications and chemicals, cover your trash, and put food where he can't get to it. Since some plants are very harmful because of their toxicity, it's best to get rid of them or put them in an area that the dog cannot get to.
Start training your dog as soon as you bring them home. Create a vocabulary list that all your family members will use to command the dog and stick to it. Dogs can become confused if the same words are not used to give them directions. The dog will see “get over here”u009d and “come”u009d as two different commands.
Your dog needs to be secured when in a car. Not only will it make the journey safer, as it will lead to fewer distractions for the person driving the car, but in the event of an accident, it could also save your dog's life. Look for a seat belt harness, often sold at pet stores, that you can put in your car for your pet.
No matter how nicely your dog behaves, never take it off your property unless it is on a leash. Wild animals can get his attention and cause him to run out into the street, or a provocation could startle him and cause unpleasantness with other dogs or people. Ultimately, you're the one who's responsible for your dog's safety, as well as its actions.
If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, he needs a dog house. Adverse weather conditions can be detrimental to your pooch, causing illnesses, anxiety and poor behaviors. Give your dog a shelter that is spacious and dry, and your dog will be protected from the hard winds and dampness.
Talk to your vet to learn which foods are appropriate for your particular dog. Sometimes, your puppy may not be developed enough to consume certain brands, as this can lead to an upset stomach or sicknesses. You should be careful when you are feeding your dog.
Pet boarding and day-care services are a billion dollar business, so make sure you get your money's worth if you have to leave home without your dog. Although kennels offer interesting opportunities to socialize, your dog will be happier with familiar surroundings. Thoroughly check references for a sitter-service and keep him in his own home if at all possible. Otherwise, put him in a reputable kennel and check up on him oft
Designate a family member or close friend to be responsible for your dog, should something happen to you. If you are in an accident and unable to get home, your dog will need someone to feed him and address other needs. Perhaps you trust a neighbor with your house keys and they could act for you in a time of need.
Getting a dog on a whim is rarely a good idea. You need to make sure you can afford to feed a dog and cover medical expenses before getting a pet. Research different breeds to figure out which dog would be best for your family, your lifestyle and the size of your home.
Keep your dog mentally active along with providing him plenty of opportunity to get physical exercise. Make sure he can get the paper and help you around the house. Your dog will feel like a useful member of the family, and the reinforcement will keep his training sharp.
If you have a smaller breed dog, make sure everyone who touches him knows the proper way to hold him. Small dogs can be easily injured by inappropriate handling and many owners find this out the hard way. Gently lift at the belly from under his front legs and secure him with both hands.
If you have younger children in the home, make sure that you try to teach them what behavior is appropriate with your dog. Let them know the rules and what they are allowed to do. Some dogs are more tolerant of being jumped on, pulled on, and played with than other dogs.
Just like people, dogs need their exercise too. Playing a game of fetch or Frisbee is a great way to get your dog to burn some calories, while having fun at the same time. Dogs should also be walked everyday. Some dogs require more exercise than others, which is why it is so important to understand your dogs needs.
Know the symptoms of dehydration in your dog, as it is a common ailment that can be dangerous. Particularly during hot dry summer months, your dog may pant excessively and experience a loss of the elasticity of his skin. If you see this, encourage him to drink water and add a little Pedialyte to rehydrate him.
If you want your dog to learn to “sit”, start by holding a cookie, or other treat, above his head. This will cause him to look up. When he looks up, gently push his hind end down, and give the command to sit. Give him the treat, and praise him. Soon, he will sit just by hearing the command and seeing your hand go up, and eventually will obey to the “sit” command alone.
Your dog should always have access to fresh water. You should always keep a bowl full of water where your dog can access it or purchase a small drinking fountain for your dog. If you have to leave your dog alone for long hours, so not leave more water than your dog needs.
If your dog makes messes in the house or chews when you are away, consider crate training. Crate training involves providing your pet with an appropriate sized crate to,stay in while you're out of the house. It can keep your pet and belongings safe. Just make sure to never leave him in the crate for a very lengthly period of time.
The knowledge you have gained from this article will ensure that your dog is as happy and healthy as can be. That is what you are striving for, right? As long as you put in the effort to use this knowledge, you will benefit from it every single day. Love your dog and enjoy them! (Image: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=11QlA14kQBKY6KKlCkWkxVUac4a2dUUEp) Best Advice for Dogs with Skin Issues
I still need to publish a real post about Mr. Stix's full backstory, but this feels more pressing. For nearly 18 months, Mr. Stix's permanent nakey spot (from unknown injuries before he was rescued, including 15 fractures and this big patch of coat missing) has featured several inflamed, peeling areas. Initially I tried to fix it myself at home with things like aloe vera, vaseline, a veterinary ointment called animax that the shelter had give us while we fostered him most of 2019, etc. It's sort of a combination of steroids, antibacterial, and antifungal stuff. I took him to see our main veterinarian in spring 2020, when there was a 2-month wait to get into see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. It has been quite a journey since then, and it's nowhere near over. Here's my best advice for dogs with skin issues.
Before I tell the ongoing saga with Mr. Stix's skin. Here is my best advice for dogs with skin problems.
See a board-certified veterinary dermatologist as soon as you can. Yes, your main veterinarian can probably help, but it's honestly best to go right to the top experts.
Agree to whatever skin scrapings / cytology the veterinary dermatologist recommends. This provides information about what types of secondary infections currently grow on your dog's damaged skin.
Do NOT assume every skin issue is allergies. It often is some sort of allergic process, but NOT always and assuming so (and acting accordingly may only delay real solutions and subject your dog to all kinds of quack advice and home remedies).
Buy the best quality fish oil and Vitamin E supplements you can afford, if it's recommended for your particular case of a dog with skin issues.
When necessary, agree to the skin biopsies (yes, like minor surgery) and have them reviewed by a veterinary pathologist that specializes in dogs with skin issues. The one we used is at Texas A&M.
Follow your veterinary dermatologist's advice and plans, and keep the faith. These dogs with skin problems often don't improve quickly. (I need to take my own advise. See below.)
Mr. Stix's Story as a Dog with Skin Problems
This is what Mr. Stix's nakey spot looks like when it's normal. Photo from May 2019 soon after his hip surgery. The bald patch is permanent. That's not the issue.
This is how bad the red / peeling areas got in mid-2020 when we saw our main veterinarian, who added a low-dose of oral Vitamin E and some topical too and told me to keep using the animax.
This is how it looked when Mr. Stix first saw the board-certified veterinary dermatologist in early August 2020, but the specialist had me STOP the animax and instead use a prescription anti-bacterial ointment (mupirocin) … as well as add a better quality oral fish oil and continue both topical and oral Vitamin E (but at a higher dose twice a day). We knew from the skin scrapings / cytology they did onsite that Mr. Stix had a bacterial infection.
But, without the daily topical steroids (which long term are a bad idea), Mr. Stix's skin got much, much worse – even breaking open and scabbing over.
Our veterinary dermatologist had recommended doing the skin biopsies right away in August 2020, and I *almost agreed to it then, but I was VERY worried about the cuts resulting in skin that would NOT heal. And, I figured it was at least worth a try to use the prescription antibiotic ointment and other supplements and stuff.
But, by around Thanksgiving, it was clear we had to do the biopsy. That photo is kind of gruesome, so you can see it here, if you want. I wish I had done the biopsy sooner. I feel like I wasted time from August through November.
Post-Biopsy Diagnosis
As I expected, despite all the know-it-alls trying to tell me it was an allergic issue, it turns out that Mr. Stix instead has an autoimmune condition called erythema multiforme. They believe it was triggered by the trauma of his earlier injuries. They don't think it is life-threatening. They don't think it will spread to other areas of his skin. Just the already damaged, permanent nakey spot.
With that information in hand, we updated the treatment plan to include a topical, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointment (tacrolimus – often pricey, but we used a Good RX coupon at Costco to get the cost down). They use a version of this medication orally for people who have had various kinds of transplants. It's the smallest / safest option for treatment, and that's where we started.
I was so hopeful it would work at the once-daily application, but the skin still didn't heal completely.
So, in early 2021, we started applying it twice daily on the advice of our veterinary dermatologist.
But, it still hasn't healed completely. It often improves a lot and then comes roaring back, so we had another appointment to see the specialist last week. We had to try something new.
Enter the Big Immune-Suppressing Drug
Despite my concerns and form of veterinary PTSD about major immune suppression drugs (after our experiences with Lilly), I agreed last week to add oral cyclosporine, which is also a drug that people get after various transplants. Mr. Stix would need to take it daily for life.
It smells like it's made from skunk butts, so each gel-cap pill is individually packaged, and you keep them in the freezer because that can help with nausea it can cause (since it's recommended you give on an empty stomach).
I found some good info on this med, and our veterinary dermatologist assured me that it has been safely used in veterinary medicine for like 20+ years, etc.
The med only comes in doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, and at his size Mr. Stix's ideal dose is around 88 mg once a day. So we went with 75 mg (25+50) to err on the lower side.
It takes like 3-7 days for the med to build up in the blood to therapeutic levels, but it takes more like 4-6 weeks to know if it's going to help the skin (or not).
We made it to day 4, then the barfing started.
Anxiety
I wish I could say that this is all going to be fine, but I just don't know. I feel like I just have to accept that the skin will never fully heal, even though seeing his raw spots up close while applying the topical med twice a day and topical Vitamin E once a day causes me so much angst and anxiety.
I supposed to check in with our veterinary dermatology team next week to confirm that Mr. Stix's weirdness and apparent suffering has improved.
It took a lot of convincing to get Mr. Champion of My Heart to agree to try the cyclosporine, so even if the specialist comes back and recommends maybe a lower dose, I doubt we'll want to risk it … because Mr. Stix sure seemed to be having some neurologist issues to me, and after the Lilly situation, I just cannot do that again.
He is only 3 years old. I don't want to make anything worse. It honestly felt like I'd poisoned him.
The good news is that most of the time his skin doesn't seem to hurt or itch or anything – though I do have pain meds, if he needs them. It mostly just looks bad, and he has to wear a no-lick collar for about 20 minutes after I apply his meds so that he doesn't lick it off.
His nakey spot is prone to sunburn anyway, and the topical tacrolimus increases the risk of burning, so I used his earlier sun-reflecting coat (which started to look ragged) as a pattern and sewed him a new / light sun protection coat. He looks very cute in it.
https://championofmyheart.com/2021/08/05/dogs-with-skin-issues/
Easy To Follow Tips About Dog Care
We all love to ask for advice. Sometimes we ask about our children, or a house repair, or even financial situations. Asking for advice about dogs is also great, and this article is a perfect place to start. You'll find a ton of tips which really change how you view your dog.
Never hit your dog. There are better ways to train a dog without having to resort to violence. The best way to train a dog is to reinforce positive behaviors with treats and attention. Negative behavior should be handled with a stern and disapproving voice as opposed to striking the animal.
Never allow your dog to ride in a car unsecured. Sitting on your lap or in the front seat is dangerous both to him and your ability to drive. Always place him in an appropriately sized pet carrier or invest in a pet seat belt that will keep him snug and safe in the middle of the back seat.
Your lifestyle should be a determining factor in the breed of dog that you choose. For example, if you live an active lifestyle it is probably best for you to find an active dog instead of a little dog. When you prefer to stay home, choose a small dog who doesn't need much outdoor time. Both of you are sure to be happier if you choose a good match.
Have a rotating schedule for dog-related responsibilities in your home. It's not fair for one person to always be taking care of him, and he'll feel more like a family pet if everyone pitches in. Kids often lose interest in a pet and leave the work to parents, but it's important that you teach them to keep up the commitment!
Trim your dog's nails on a regular basis. If they start to curl, your dog may feel a lot of pain. You can trim them yourself with a pair of store bought clippers. If you don't feel comfortable doing this on your own then you can hire a groomer to do it for a little bit of money.
The pads of your dog's feet can become dry and cracked, so make sure that you moisturize them regularly. Ask your veterinarian for advice on which product to use. Avoid using moisturizers that are intended for humans, because they can make the pads too soft and your dog may get hurt.
Keep your dog's teeth in tip tip condition. For more info in regards to dog breeds that start with letter l look at the web-site. Just like humans, a dog can suffer from toothache, gum disease and even tooth loss. Regular brushing will ensure that that his teeth and gums stay healthy and strong. Without regular brushing, it is estimated that dental disease will affect up to 80% of dogs by the age of three. As well as dental cleaning by a vet, make sure that you brush your dog's teeth regularly.
Know the basics of pet first-aid if you have a dog in your family. Being able to react quickly in an emergency, such as your pooch being bitten by a snake, can mean the difference between life and death. Read a good book on the subject or ask your vet to brief you on the basics.
Be careful around Christmas time with a dog in your home; it's the busiest time of year at 24/7 animal clinics! Things like hanging and tree lights pose a danger to your dog, as they could become tangled or gnaw their way down to raw wires. The loveliest of Christmas plants are also hazardous to a dog's health, so take extra care during holidays.
Do you have a hard time keeping your dog from barking? You might be encouraging this behavior without even realizing it. Your dog will keep barking if you acknowledge this behavior. It is best to ignore your dog until it stops barking, even if your dog wants to come inside.
If you are training your dog, make sure the treat you are giving him really is desirable. Pets have preferences too, and if your dog does not like the treat you are providing, there is not going to be much motivation to do the right thing. Try out a few different brands, and remember that soft, chewy treats are generally the most well-received.
If you're going to be away from your dog for a short period of time, it might be a good idea to invest in a dog crate. A crate for your dog will provide it with a safe and secure area to go into when you aren't able to watch it for a period of time.
When choosing a vet for your dog, make sure that it is a good experience for both you and your dog. You want your dog to feel comfortable so that the visit will go smoothly. It's also important to find a vet that helps you fully with any concerns that you may have.
It is natural to want to get your dog trained as quickly as possible. However, remember that there is a limit as to how fast this process is going to go. If you are not realistic, you are much more likely to get frustrated with your pet, which could damage your relationship. Your pet will learn over time, but it may not happen as fast as you would like.
Shop carefully for a dog before you get a new one. Make sure that you have taken the time to research the breed and know how much exercise and grooming a new dog will need. If you take the time to choose carefully, you'll find that you are naturally a better match to the dog and both of you are happier.
Many dogs enjoy things like fruits and vegetables, rice, eggs and cottage cheese. There is nothing wrong with letting them have these things, but they should not make up the bulk of their diets. You should feed them dog food, and implement these items around 10 percent of the time.
Your puppy looks cute nibbling your slippers, but when he's full grown, it will not be cute to have him shred them into millions of pieces. The sooner you stop bad habits, the better. If your puppy engages in a behavior that you don't like, make sure it ceases right away. Doing this can prevent you from having big troubles down the line.
If you want a happy and healthy dog, you must be a responsible pet owner. There are many things you must do and that will not only help your dog, but will be helpful to you and your relationship with him, too. Use the tips here to make sure your time with your dog is the best it can be. (Image: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1dmGJRghgR-7uhsToHIw-1pgTjH63wE1g) I recently found that page on Dogs when doing a search on the search engines. Sharing is caring. Who knows, you may just be doing someone a favor. I cherish reading our article about Pets.