While professional veterinarians are the people who we rely upon in order to treat and diagnose what are dogs may or may not be suffering from, in reality, it is quite possible for the typical dog owner who has a little common sense and knowledge to do the same. While this is definitely not true for all health conditions or problems, it is true when it comes to arthritis in dogs as well as another common issue called hip dysplasia.

A few of the most typical indications that your dog might be suffering from one of these health problems are as follows: (1) Your dog has an awkward gait (walking pattern) or limps. (2) It is a struggle to rise after lying down or it is a struggle to sit after it has been standing up. (3) Aversion to going out, and reduced enthusiasm when outside. (4) Constantly behind you whenever you go for a walk. (5) Whimpering or shying away when someone approaches or tries to pet them.

Glucosamine for dogs is one of the most effective methods of both preventing and dealing with the osteoarthritis from which a dog may suffer. Therefore, it needs to be a high priority on the list of things for your dog for any dog owner who truly cares for their pet.

A few people have had concerns about the usefulness and validity of glucosamine for dogs, stating that it might be nothing more than a placebo and therefore not a good thing to buy. The whole premise of a placebo is that the subject does not know that they are receiving a placebo, and instead thinks they are receiving cutting edge medication to reduce their pain.

Due to this, a placebo requires a lot of psychological thought and willpower in order for the person to think that it is helping their body. Without trying to do a disservice to dogs in general, they simply are not intelligent enough to know what a placebo is. Therefore, when the dog shows improvement after taking the glucosamine for dogs, it is a direct result of the supplement helping them and not a placebo effect. In short, if you provide glucosamine for dogs to ones with arthritis, and they seem generally happier as well as more active, then this is a direct consequence of the glucosamine for dogs supplement.

A fundamental component to all bones, and more specifically the synovial fluid and cartilage of the joint, is glucosamine. Cartilage is the shock absorber of the joint which cushions neighboring joints and prevents them from rubbing against each other like sticks. Arthritis is caused when cartilage wears away and the bones then press upon one another. Glucosamine for dogs will ease the pain of your dog as it will help to increase the deficit of chemicals that your pet has endured. You may find that glucosamine in liquid form is better for your pet, as they may have an aversion to swallowing pills. A liquid can also be easily put in dog treats or other foods like braided bully sticks or peanut butter.

Originally posted 2011-06-26 09:48:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Arthritis Displacement Dog Hip Remedies. Hip dysplasia is a condition where your dog’s hip joint does not come together properly, causing painful arthritis.
www.ehow.com/list_6635657_arthritis-displacement-dog-hip-…

Originally posted 2010-08-01 11:03:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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In the last year I’ve learned that I have to re-train myself to deal with my senior dog. She keeps impressing me daily #dogs

Originally posted 2010-01-01 12:19:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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So your dog has got a upset stomach and now experiencing the awful effects of diarrhea. Or your dog has gotten into something and you’re not quite sure what to do about it?

Well there is help and its something you can easily do yourself to help your dog out. This does not mean you have to invest more money on something like probiotics for your dog to help or regular human methods of controlling diarrhea.

But by simply reducing your dog’s meal to a bland meal, but not using beef or salmon but chicken. Having well cooked chicken and brown rice will help to restore your dogs digestive enzymes in his/her stomach. Enzymes are what control the rhythmic activity of your dog’s stomach and aid in the digestion of food. There is a flow that your dogs body has, and when there is something that interrupts that flow the end result is messy..

Having just water for the first day after the evidence your dog has diarrhea. Then a full half and half meal of brown rice and chicken the next day then toning it down to smaller portions of the chicken and rice and reintroducing slowly regular dog food. Over the next three days it should take to get your dog back in proper barking order.

If the diarrhea continues past the third day there could be something your dog got into and you should seek your vet’s advise. Water for 24 hours then chicken and rice meal is what any veterinarian will tell you. This can help prevent costly vet visits by troubleshooting the situation yourself.

As always get advise from your veterinarian and give them notification that your dog is experiencing diarrhea as this could be the precursor to a underlying condition. Best not to gamble with your dog’s life.

Originally posted 2010-07-18 16:40:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Dogs are wonderful, loyal companions and an integral part of our families. Time flies, though, and in a few short years we start seeing changes in our faithful friends. There may be white hair around their muzzle, they may be less active and energetic, and they may be a little slow getting up. As a dog ages, his metabolism also slows, just like ours, and his health care and nutritional needs may change. Here is a look at how we can make life a little easier for our aging pets.

Exercise

Exercise is important even for older dogs. They need to keep their muscle tone and weight in control as they age, just like we do. Mature dogs may not have the stamina they once had and do better with frequent, brief walks or short swims. If your dog still likes being active, don’t forget to play his favorite games, like fetch or tug-o-war. Further, older dogs tend to urinate more often so they may need more frequent walks.

Get an Elevated Feeder

Elevated water and food dishes can be helpful. The height makes it more comfortable for dogs (not just older dogs, by the way) to eat and drink because it prevents strain on the neck and the feeding position is easier on their digestion.

A Comfortable Bed to Cushion Joints

Dogs often develop arthritis to some degree or another as they age. We can help them stay comfortable by providing them with a dog bed with firm orthopedic foam to support and cushion their bones and joints and help insulate them from the floor. There are many styles available, from traditional style dog beds to nests with orthopedic foam bases, to bolster beds and mats.

Give Him a Boost

A ramp to get up or down safely from high areas such as a car, or a step to give him a boost to his favorite chair or your bed (if you allow him on it) may make it easier on your dog’s aging joints. They’re especially handy for larger dogs that are too big or heavy to lift easily. They come in a variety of styles and prices.

Review Your Dog’s Nutritional Needs

As you dog gets older, his nutritional needs may change. Generally, senior dogs need to eat a balanced diet that is lower in calories, protein, and fat than the food they ate as youngsters. Mature dogs may experience constipation, so a diet high in fiber is recommended. If your dog is still active and healthy, you may be able to continue feeding him his regular food, but a lesser amount. You can add oat bran or wheat for extra fiber. There are also commercial senior dog foods available.

Also consider nutritional supplements. I have been giving my dog a supplement of glucosamine and chondroitin since she was a puppy to help keep her joints healthy. Hopefully this will help reduce the possibility/effects of arthritis as she gets older. Also, if you feel your dog is not getting his nutritional needs met through diet, there are number of good canine nutritional supplements available.

Pay Attention to Changes in Behavior

You may see signs in your dog like loss of appetite, weakness, irritability, changes in his gait, incontinence, or slowness in getting up. Typically, these are signs that your pet is getting older and will need extra care and attention. Talk to your vet about what you can do to help your pet as he ages, and have your vet perform a yearly geriatric exam so he can try to take care of any new health issues before they progress.

Love and Attention

Most of all, give your mature dog extra love and care. Our dogs give us years of affection, loyalty, and attention; don’t they deserve the very best care we can give them?

Learn more about Dog Health and Care by visiting Valerie Goettsch at www.My-Favorite-Dog.com featuring articles and information on dog health care and puppy training.

Originally posted 2010-02-15 16:13:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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As with everything in life,  you should always check with your health professional first. Or in this case your dog’s veterinarian. Most vets will take a look at any pamphlets or brochures you have brought in with you. Even products that you have bought and brought in with you. That is how I introduced my veterinarian to Syn-flex , originally it was made for humans but it is gentle enough for all dogs. They make a animal version too that has beef flavor but I’ve been giving my pooch the original type as she believes its more like human food and she loves human food.  This was after the huge failure with that powdered glucosamine that you would sprinkle on the food. But I found most of it being left behind. So as in my previous post I experimented with sauces and gravies. Some of them looked pretty good too..

But it lasted for awhile about a couple weeks to a month then she turned her nose up at that. That’s when I really started taking a look at what she would eat and started devising a plan to make weekly meal planning.  When I told my Vet about this plan she was very impressed with it. She did say to start out slow and work up to what I had planned because at that time she was only 7 or 8 years old. Plus also if your dog is as finicky as mine is you need to start out slow. And she has a very sensitive stomach too, so things react rather.. well let’s just leave that subject alone..

What I did find out is a good well balanced meal preparation was essential for her health, a lot of dry dog food doesn’t include a lot of what they need. So supplements are a good way to help them out keeping their coats not only shiny but also their skin healthy plus teeth and bone!

Originally posted 2009-09-11 12:25:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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At first it can be confusing to see all the types and shapes of dog bed available and then choose one that's appropriate for your dog. However your dog actually tells you what type of bed it wants every time it sleeps. You'll find it will usually either curl up to some degree, or it will stretch itself out.

As such you should look for a bed for your dog that matches its sleeping style. For convenience the types of bed are listed according to the two different dog sleeping styles.

Curl Dog Beds

Pillow Dog Bed or Cushion Dog Bed. Usually round, square or rectangular in shape. Like with human pillows or cushions, they are soft. Most are stuffed with foam. Or foam and cedar chips. Cedar chips act as a flea repellent, however cedar chips may not be ideal for dogs with skin allergies.

Nest, Donut or Cuddler Dog Bed. These terms are often used interchangeably, although there are two distinct styles. Both are usually round or oblong in shape to accommodate the dogs body in a curl sleeping style. The edges are usually subtly raised in height in the cushion style beds or more pronounced and rigid in the enclosure style beds.

Bolster Dog Bed. Like the above enclosure style beds, except usually having more pronounced raised sides, hence the term bolster.

Dome Dog Bed. These are similar to a nest bed except they are fully enclosed at the sides and overheard apart from the one side that the dog will enter and leave the bed from.

Stretch Dog Beds

Dog Mat – square or rectangular in shape, suitable for a daytime resting place or to line an outdoor dog kennel. They are a step up from the dog sleeping on a cold and/or hard floor. They are usually made from a thin layer of foam. Memory foam is used in the more expensive mats for support.

Dog Mattress – like with a human bed mattress, a dog mattress is large and rectangular in shape. It's designed to be a soft platform for dogs that like to stretch out as they sleep.

Specialty Beds

Designer Dog Bed or Luxury Dog Bed. These are designed as dog sized replicas of human furniture such as a bed or sofa. A sofa style is particularly good for your dog if he changes between curl and stretch sleeping styles as it provides room for the dog to stretch and raised sides for the dog to curl against. There are many great styles to choose from to enhance the decor of the room the bed is situated in. However bear in mind that the dog's needs must come before decor.

Orthopedic Dog Bed. Orthopedic dog beds are designed for dogs suffering from arthritis or hip dysplasia, or dogs that are more at risk of suffering from hip dysplasia. Orthopedic dog beds come in a variety of the above forms. The difference is in the type of material use. Orthopedic canine beds are popularly lined with material called memory foam which is both sturdy and comforting at the same time thus helping to support the joints.

Heated Dog Bed. These come in the above forms and as the name suggests, a heating facility is provided. This is good for beds located in an area susceptible to colder temperatures, or may be considered as a desired feature in an orthopedic dog bed to keep the dog's joints warm.

Travel Dog Bed. These come in many varieties, for example roll up mats, sleeping bags, house/cages. Obviously most are designed to be compacted when not in use. Many are machine washable. Some come with waterproof fabrics for outdoor use.

DON'T FORGET – The Size of the Dog Bed

The bed should be larger than the dog's sleeping size so the dog has room to make itself comfortable and adjust itself as necessary while it sleeps. For the curl style beds you'll want at least an extra 8 inches in diameter than the dog's sleeping length and about an extra 12 inches for the stretch style dog beds.

John Goodyear has a website on dog beds: Orthopedic Dog Bed, plus a section on dog health supplements including Glucosamine for dogs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Goodyear
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dog-Beds—How-to-Choose-the-Correct-Type-and-Shape-of-Bed-For-Your-Canine&id=2009017

Originally posted 2010-05-20 12:55:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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As usual you should never just rely on a website to replace a actual vet. So just use this site to determine if what is wrong with your pet.

But in saying that I do see the value in having such a site available because sometimes it’s not always a emergency.

http://www.vethelpdirect.com/

Originally posted 2009-11-08 13:25:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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When I met my future husband three years ago, he told me straight up about Scarlett. She was the other woman in his life. He told me how, …
www.helium.com/items/525299-signs-a-dog-is-getting-older

Originally posted 2010-08-04 11:50:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Originally posted 2010-05-19 12:55:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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