28
Dec

Heat stroke in dogs can be prevented with a little common sense

By Susan Posted in Dogs Illness / 1 Comment »

Why is it that people frequently fail to think of their dogs as living breathing creatures that require the same care to stay alive as they do? At least this is the way it seems when you hear on the news how someone has again left their dog in the car with the windows up and the temperature outside is 90 degrees.

A dog died of heat stroke 300x199 Heat stroke in dogs can be prevented with a little common sense

Dogs do not have the ability to sweat and discharge that excess heat that has built up in their bodies. They can only pant which is their way of exchanging the hot air for cooler air, but what happens when the temperature on the outside is the same or worse than the inside? This is when heat stroke occurs a deadly and painful condition.

Heat stroke is an emergency. If you intend to save your pet you must act quickly. You must get the body temperature down below 104 degrees F. Do this by cooling them with cool water, not freezing, set them into a cool bath for a couple minutes then put them in front of a fan. Put cool cloths on their abdomens, groins and arm pits. Dip their feet into cool water or put cool cloths over the feet as well.

Keep checking the rectal temperature every ten minutes and when you have it down below 104 degrees F. get the dog to the vet, there are many complications that can occur after the heat stroke has occurred and been dealt with.

If you have a dog or pet and you love them, you must exercise that part of you that would do anything to save a child. Learn about heat stroke and how to prevent and in the worse case scenario how to treat it.

Please take a moment to look at more detail in the recognition of the symptoms of heat stroke and the treatment in my Factoidz Article regarding this very subject.

Incoming search terms:

  • how can dogs be peventd (1)
  • stroke in dogs (1)
  • symptoms of dogs in heat (1)

tt twitter big1 Heat stroke in dogs can be prevented with a little common sense

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

13
Sep

Gastroenteritis Symptoms in Dogs

By Susan Posted in Dogs Illness / 15 Comments »
Nicholas head wit bonie 300x252 Gastroenteritis Symptoms in Dogs

Frequently had gastroenteritis

Dogs can get a tummy ache too. Only it is a bit more severe.
Gastroenteritis, which interestingly enough is the same term used for humans,
is associated with severe and rapid onset of vomiting and diarrhea. This can be
very severe in both humans and dogs, causing severe dehydration. Dehydration in
dogs can be fatal if not treated.

The cause is usually an over zealous eater. A dog will eat
about anything, and they will overeat if they like it. Sudden dietary changes
can also lead to problems. They may ingest a foreign material or spoiled food.
They can even eat medications that have been accidentally dropped into their
reach.

There are many medical conditions that can also lead to
acute vomiting and diarrhea such as pancreatitis, peritonitis, metabolic
disorders like diabetes, kidney and liver disease and bowel obstructions. Thus
you can certainly see the importance of having your veterinarian check your dog
if you should notice the vomiting and diarrhea.

Acute vomiting and diarrhea in dogs usually resolve quickly
and really do not require much to diagnose it, It will usually resolve in a day
or two if you are monitoring the intake. But if it persists for longer than a
couple days, or if you should notice blood in the stools or vomit, testing will
become necessary.

When you take your dog to the vet, go ahead and bring a
stool sample with you, It will speed things along. They also may check urine,
so if you are clever at catching a specimen, go ahead and bring that too. They
will draw some blood to check for anemia or infection or electrolyte imbalance.
They may even do abdominal x-rays or ultrasound. All of these will determine
either what the cause is or at least things that can be treated.

Of course treatment will include replacing lost fluids with
IV therapy and correcting electrolyte imbalance if necessary. The Veterinarian
can prescribe medication to control nausea and stop diarrhea, thus allowing the
dog to catch up a bit. You actually need to restrict the oral intake of your
dog, allowing the stomach and intestinal tract to heal while they are being
rehydrated. After 24 hours a bland diet and water can be reintroduced. If
tolerated, continue another couple days before returning to the normal diet the
dog was on before the symptoms began. If at any time vomiting or diarrhea
returns, go back to the bland diet, if they are not able to handle that either,
please return to your veterinarian.

Remember your dog depends on you for their very life. Make
it a good one. Help them when they need it. Be wise with your observations and
choices. Act quickly when you realize something has gone wrong. You and your dog will be long life companions.

Incoming search terms:

  • gastroenteritis in dogs (1176)
  • dog gastroenteritis (257)
  • gastroenteritis dogs (120)
  • gastro in dogs (74)
  • dog gastroenteritis symptoms (52)
  • dogs gastroenteritis (37)
  • gastroenteritis dog (33)
  • canine gastroenteritis symptoms (27)
  • gastroenteritis in dogs treatment (21)
  • gastroenteritis in dogs symptoms (17)

tt twitter big1 Gastroenteritis Symptoms in Dogs

Technorati Tags: , , , ,