Vaccinations
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It's startling for many pet owners to learn that their furry friends also are susceptible to allergies, including hives (urticaria). Contact with plants, insect stings, or certain types of food can cause a dog to break out in hives. While usually not serious and rarely lasting for more than a few days, these welts are extremely itchy, and many dogs will scratch themselves raw during an outbreak. In conjunction with this problem, many dogs also develop swelling of the face, a condition known as angiodema.
The good news is that hives aren't very common in animals. Those that are affected, however, tend to have them constantly, and it can become a challenge to identify the cause. Complicating the problem is that an animal may suddenly develop an allergy to something that it has been around its entire life without prior problems. [...]
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"Shock and awe" is more than a military tactic - it's a good description of a potentially deadly allergic reaction that occurs in all types of mammals and, without prompt emergency treatment, is fatal.
Anaphylaxis, commonly known as "anaphylactic shock," is a rare but rapidly-developing allergic reaction that results in respiratory failure, heart failure and death. It's most often caused by an allergic reaction to a bite from a stinging insect or snake, or after ingesting a certain food. It can also be brought on by vaccines, antibiotics and select hormones and medications. [...]
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It's not just toddlers that can get into your drain cleaner or antifreeze. Curious pets also frequently come into contact with dangerous chemicals. In fact, Animal Control Poison Centers around the globe log in hundreds of thousands of calls each year from worried pet owners whose animals have been accidentally exposed to household poisons.
Among the most frequent causes of poisoning in dogs are such items as human medications, insecticides and rodenticides. Obviously the latter two are direct poisons, designed to kill household pests, and in a dog they usually cause bleeding, seizures, kidney damage and death. Even flea and tick medicines designed specifically for dogs can occasionally cause problems if the animal proves to be allergic and/or the instructions are not followed exactly. [...]
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Bringing a new puppy home is a something that is highly anticipated, but it also comes with responsibilities. After the owner, the veterinarian is the most important person in helping maintain the health of a puppy. If you do not have a vet, be sure to check with the breeder or family or friends, and get recommendations for a good dog health provider. Choose a veterinarian that has an office, which is convenient, close, orderly, and clean, with office hours convenient to your schedule. Be sure the vet is someone you feel comfortable talking with. To ensure that your new puppy is healthy, you should arrange to take him to the veterinarian for an examination within the first couple of days after bringing your new pet home. [...]
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The first time that you take your puppy or dog to the vets there will be more information required than on subsequent visits so be sure to arrive to the appointment early enough to complete the questionnaire and information required. Typically this paperwork will include the name and age of the dog or puppy, the breed or breed cross if known, as well any medical history that the owner is aware of. This history should include past vaccinations so bring the dog's vaccination record, as well as any surgical procedures or drug treatments that the dog has been placed on at any time in the past. [...]
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Once your puppy is through the series of three puppy vaccinations and boosters it is absolutely critical to keep vaccinations up to date and current at all times. Many owners think that the puppy vaccinations provide permanent safety for the dog, but this is completely false. Dogs need yearly vaccinations for many conditions and other vaccinations at longer or shorter periods depending on the particular condition as well as the environment that the dog is going into.
Some dog owners stop vaccinating their dogs because the owners believe that their dogs are not exposed on a regular basis to other dogs. Unfortunately all it takes is drinking from another dog's water, being in the presence of a dog when it sneezes, or of course getting into a fight or even playing with another dog and breaking the skin or ingesting the other dogs body fluids to contract some of these diseases. [...]
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Literally any mammal can become ill with rabies if exposed to the virus. Rabies is caused by a group of viruses known collectively as rhabdovirus. Most commonly dogs, skunks, raccoons, foxes and bats are diagnosed with rabies, but other animals such as cats, horses, goats, cows, sheep and even people can get the disease if bitten by a rabid animal. Rhabdovirus is considered to be zoonotic, which means it can be transferred between species and between animals and humans. Although it is highly unlikely a human could get rabies from a horse, inadvertent direct contact with the saliva under the right conditions could occur.
All horses that are diagnosed with rabies will die, typically in three to five days of the first sign of the disease. Since effective vaccines are available to prevent the horse from developing rabies should he or she be exposed, it is well worth the addition of the vaccine to the regular schedule. [...]
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Horses and humans are the most likely candidates to develop tetanus, a condition caused by contact with Clostridium tetani. This bacteria is commonly found in the soil in pastures, on metal or wood or virtually any dirty surface in a stable, trailer or barn that is not regularly disinfected and cleaned. The bacteria can enter the horse's body through any open injury, but cuts or burns are the most common form of entry to the body. Large or small puncture wounds are a source of entry to the body and these are most problematic as the bacteria are able to gain deep access to the body very quickly.
In order for the bacteria to live it must be kept in an anaerobic state, or away from oxygen. The soil or dirt on a surface is ideal, especially if the area is moist and dark. A common problem in horses are injuries to the foot, especially punctures with nails or sharp wire that may be in the soil, allowing the sharp object to enter into the wound along with some of the soil and the attached bacteria. [...]
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There are few areas where West Nile virus is not a problem for people and horses alike. Although humans and horses can both get the disease, it can only be transmitted from one animal or human to another through the bite of the mosquito. There is no record of anyone every getting West Nile virus from a horse nor of an uninfected horse getting West Nile from contact with an infected horse.
The mosquito becomes infected with the disease by biting a bird that has West Nile virus. The virus then moves to the mosquito's salivary glands and multiplies but does not kill the mosquito, making it a carrier. The mosquito then bites the horse and the horse becomes infected. Any horse can become infected with West Nile if it is bitten by an infected mosquito. There are currently vaccinations that are being used to prevent the severity of the West Nile virus, although how effective they are is not yet fully understood. [...]
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There are many different potential health issues that can occur whenever you are traveling with your dog. Unlike emergency situations, most of the risk of your dog being exposed to these types of issues can be minimized if not completely eliminated by working with your vet and doing a bit of research. If you are traveling out of your state or local area, always check with your vet to find out if your dog may be at risk for any types of viral, bacterial or parasite conditions that you don't routinely treat for.
Each area, state, country or region will have specific health issues that vets vaccinate and test for every year or two as required. When you take your dog to a different area and just assume that he or she will be immune to diseases you are putting your pet at greater risk than you might expect. Some of the conditions that you pet may pick up on vacation may take weeks or months to manifest symptoms, which will make it even harder for your vet to identify and treat the condition. [...]
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One of the first concerns that many dog owners express whenever they have to kennel their dog or take them around other dogs is that there is always the chance that one of the dogs may be sick. Any dog owner planning on using the services of a doggy daycare has to realize that the more contact that dogs have with other dogs the greater the chance that they may become ill or develop a communicable health condition. The flip side of that coin is that if your dog is vaccinated and healthy, he or she has comparatively little risk of becoming seriously ill, even if for some reason they came in contact with a diseased dog. In reality your dog is much more likely to be in contact with an unvaccinated and sick dog in the dog park or while out on a walk with you than they are in a very controlled and monitored setting in a doggy day care. [...]
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Dogs that reside in the city are, by very location, more exposed to a variety of health concerns and conditions than dogs that are kept in more suburban and rural areas. This is largely due to the proximity factor with city dogs being in closer quarters with each other. In some cases this even includes being in apartment buildings where air is circulated between apartments, potentially leading to the spread of airborne viruses and bacteria within buildings and complexes that simply doesn't occur in single family dwellings or in areas where dogs are further apart. [...]
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Since the United States encompasses such a huge land area as well as a diverse range of climates and environments, it is possible to plan an incredible number of vacations right within the country. After all you can spend the summer on the beaches of California, travel to see beautiful fall colors in the New England states, move through to Colorado for some outstanding skiing in the winter then vacation in Florida in the early spring. There are also the border states of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico if you want warmth virtually year round. [...]
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Planning a summer get-away to a farm, rural area or the countryside is a great way to just relax, unwind and enjoy your vacation in a less stressful environment. It is also a great way to spend some time with your dog taking long walks or just giving your pet some much needed outside space and time. While countryside living has its definite advantages, there are some issues and possible concerns that owners need to be aware of before their vacation.
First and foremost is that while your dog is out of the city they are much more likely to engage in more "doggy" type behaviors. [...]
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Wild, semi-wild or feral dogs are an increasing problem in many urban and suburban areas. While some of these dogs have actually been born in a feral state, a great many are someone's pet that has been lost, abandoned or has run away and simply cannot find his or her way back home. Often these dogs are abused by other people, chased by packs of other dogs and often they are injured, malnourished and highly protective and aggressive. This is not because of the dog's temperament, but rather the cruel and savage environment they find themselves thrust into on the streets. [...]
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Vaccinations
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