Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Keeping Your Dog

Healthy

our new dog’s health actually began before he was conceived. Hopefully, his ancestors were healthy and long-lived, and his mother was healthy, parasite free, vaccinated, and well nourished prior to Fido’s conception. Reputable breeders only

breed healthy dogs because those dogs are then more likely to produce healthy puppies (yet another

reason why you should buy your puppy from a reputable breeder). However, accidents do happen

sometimes—a male dog jumps the fence to visit a female—or an owner without enough knowledge may allow dogs to breed that should not have been used for breeding. This can affect the

health of the future puppies. If the mother was healthy during her pregnancy and the puppies were

born without difficulty, her milk came in well, and the puppies nursed vigorously, then those puppies had a great start on life. If the mother was not well vaccinated, was underfed, or had an underlying health condition, the puppies may not thrive as well as they could have. Although it’s now

up to you, as your dog’s owner, to continue his health care so that he can live a long, healthy life,

make sure your veterinarian is also a part of your dog’s normal health regime.

Choosing a Veterinarian

A veterinarian will be of tremendous help to you during Fido’s puppyhood and will be able to guide

you through the vaccination process, spaying and neutering, and any accidents or injuries Fido might

have. After all, puppies are clumsy and invariably hurt themselves at some point during puppyhood.

Worse yet, puppies eat anything they can get

into their mouths, and your vet can help soothe

Alternative Veterinary

that upset tummy.

There might be several veterinarians doing

Medicine

business in your neighborhood or city. All probIf veterinary medicine isn’t confusably have nice clinics and informative advertiseing enough for most dog owners,

ments in the local phone book. So, how do you

now you have even more choices to

find the right vet for you and your dog? Most

make. Many veterinarians now pracpet owners find the professionals they work

tice alternative medicine, offering

with through word-of-mouth referrals. Ask

acupuncture, chiropractic theradog-owning friends and neighbors which vetpies, herbal remedies, and homeoerinarian they do business with and why. Are

pathy. This is particularly important

they happy with her services? What do they like

for those people who use these

and dislike? How are her prices?

remedies for themselves and their

When you have a couple of different names

families; now the same techniques

that seem to come up again and again, call each

are available for family pets.

of these vets and make an appointment—not

for Fido, but just to go in and talk with the vet.

By leaving your dog at home, you can concentrate on getting to know this veterinarian without the distractions of a puppy. Be prepared to pay

for this office visit, as you are taking some of the vet’s time, but that’s okay; this is, after all, an

investment in your dog’s health. Ask the vet if she prefers working with dogs or cats? Big dogs or

little dogs? Does she have any problems with Fido’s breed? Ask her, too, about her office hours and

how she prefers to handle emergencies. Does she offer payment plans? Which credit cards does she

accept? Once you’ve visited two or three vets, make a decision as to which one you prefer. Then

make an appointment for Fido’s first visit.

Try to get Fido in to see the vet sometime during the first week he’s with you. Not only can this

visit get him started on a vaccination schedule, it can also pinpoint any possible health problems.

If your vet discovers a congenital health defect (one your puppy was born with), you will need to

decide whether you can deal with this problem, and you will need to let the breeder know that a

problem exists.

If you adopted a dog from a rescue group or shelter, you still need to get the dog to a vet within

the first week. He may or may not have had any vaccinations and may need to be wormed, and,

of course, you need to make sure that he’s healthy.

Canine Diseases and Vaccinations

Canine diseases are among the biggest threats to your dog’s health. Many of these diseases are fatal

to the dog who comes down with them, and prior to the introduction of effective vaccinations,

thousands of dogs died each year because of these diseases. Other diseases are not usually fatal but

can cause serious health problems.

Adenovirus: This virus affects the respiratory system and shows up primarily as coughing.

It is passed through the air by an infected dog coughing out droplets carrying the virus. It

can be serious, especially in puppies, but usually is not fatal. There are effective vaccines.

Bordetella bronchiseptica: This bacterial infection affects the respiratory system. An

infected dog may experience coughing, sneezing, and a running nose. Secondary infections

and pneumonia can be dangerous. It is passed through contact with an infected dog. There

are effective vaccines.

Canine distemper: This virus affects a dog’s skin, eyes, and nerves. The first symptoms are

typically a running nose and eyes, and might even appear to be pneumonia. Canine distemper can be passed through an infected dog’s feces or through the air if an infected dog

sneezes or coughs. It is usually fatal, and those dogs who do survive often have neurological problems, including seizures. There is an effective vaccine.

Canine hepatitis: This virus usually begins with a sore throat and quickly spreads to other

organs, especially the liver. It is extremely contagious and is usually picked up when a

healthy dog sniffs the urine or nasal discharge of an infected dog. It is fatal, and dogs can

go downhill and die within hours of showing symptoms. There is an effective vaccine.

Canine influenza: This highly contagious virus hits the respiratory system, causing a nasal

discharge and coughing in milder cases. More serious cases progress to a high fever and

pneumonia. It is passed by contact with a sick dog, especially the respiratory discharges.

Most dogs recover with supportive veterinary care, but canine influenza can be fatal to those

with the more severe form. There is no vaccination yet.

Coronavirus: This virus most often hits puppies and can cause severe dehydration. The

primary symptom is mild to severe diarrhea. There may be blood in the stools in severe

cases. It is transmitted through contact with an infected dog’s feces. With supportive veterinary care, most puppies survive. There is an effective vaccine.

Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection is often fatal. It is usually picked up from contact

with an infected dog’s urine or water polluted with urine. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, and dehydration. The organs primarily affected are the liver and kidneys. There is an

effective vaccine.

Lyme disease: This bacterial infection affects the nerves and joints, often causing permanent damage. It shows up as a fever, muscle soreness, weakness, and joint pain. It is passed

by infected ticks, fleas, and flies. There is a vaccine.

Parainfluenza: This is another virus that affects the respiratory system. It, too, is passed by

an infected dog coughing out droplets containing the virus. It can be serious, especially in

puppies. There are effective vaccines.

Parvovirus: This virus is continuing to mutate. It primarily affects puppies, although dogs

with compromised immune systems and older dogs may also be infected. It causes vomiting,

diarrhea, and dehydration and is passed through contact with an infected dog’s feces and vomit.

It is often fatal, and because it is continuing to mutate, it has been called the most dangerous canine virus. There are vaccines, and the makers are trying to keep up with the mutations.

Rabies: This virus affects the brain, causing staggering, drooling, seizures, and changes in

behavior. It is caught by contact with another sick animal, often bats, skunks, squirrels, and

raccoons. It is fatal, but there is an effective vaccination.

Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Basic Home Health Care

You are your dog’s health care provider; it’s up to you to do what is necessary to keep him happy and

healthy. Luckily, for the most part, it’s not a hard job at all, and parts of it are just downright fun!

EXERCISE

Every healthy puppy and dog needs daily exercise. It strengthens the muscles, gets blood circulating, releases endorphins that make a dog feel good, and uses up excess energy. Exercise will also

help your puppy learn how to control and coordinate his growing body.

A young puppy (2 to 3 months of age) can go for walks around the neighborhood, chase a tennis ball in the backyard, and play with toys in the house. Three- to six-month-old puppies can do

things that are a little more vigorous. They can go for short jogs along with their walks. The puppy

can also be introduced to swimming. Seven- to twelve-month-old puppies can walk longer distances

and do some short jogs on various surfaces (grass, dirt, asphalt), but avoid long runs on concrete, as

they can be damaging to growing bones. The puppy can do a little bit of climbing, such as on a small

agility course or on playground equipment. After about 14 to 18 months of age, a dog can run farther and faster and can jump more. A dog that age can also begin pulling weight (such as a wagon).

PLAYTIME

Exercise should also be considered play; that’s a sure way to make sure you keep on doing it! But

play can be very different from exercise. A favorite playtime might be sitting on the floor with your

dog, laughing at (or with!) him as you rub his tummy. You can toss his toys across the living room

floor as you encourage him to bring them back. Hide a treat in one hand and tell your dog to find

which hand has the treat.

Don’t worry if playtime becomes silly; that’s fine. You may one day find yourself saying silly

rhymes as you play with his toes: “This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home . . . ”

Being silly makes you laugh, and no one needs to see you. But playing with your dog, silly or not,

is a great way to bond with him.

WATER

It may seem simplistic to say so, but your dog needs clean water to drink. Unfortunately, too many dog

owners don’t seem to understand how much water a dog needs and how often he may need to drink.

Have an unspillable water dish or two in the house and outside, and keep them filled at all times.

Outside, you may want to use something even larger than a dish; a galvanized tub works well,

especially if you have a medium, large, or giant breed dog. Don’t let algae or dirt accumulate in this

tub; dump it and rinse it daily.

Don’t let your dog drink out of the toilet. Although all the comic strips with dogs seem to make

fun of this canine trait, it really isn’t very sanitary. Plus, if you use the sort of cleaner that remains

Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Playtime and exercise are necessary for your dog’s physical and mental well-being. In addition, it’s a great

time to have fun with your dog. Teddy, a German Shepherd Dog, owned by Petra Burke; and Ludwig, a

German Shepherd Dog, owned by Sally Kayser; both bred by Joel Towart, Bellington GSDs.

in the toilet all the time and releases a certain amount when the toilet flushes, that product could

be toxic to your dog.

BASIC CANINE NUTRITION

When you brought your new dog home, you should have had on hand a supply of the dog food

he was eating at the breeder’s, the shelter, the rescue group, or his foster home. Hopefully, this was

a good food, but if you decide to change it, do so gradually. Feed one-third of the meal using the

new food and using two-thirds the old food. After a week, change the ratio to 50/50, and then, in

another week, feed two-thirds the new food and one-third the old food. By making the change

gradually, your dog’s system should adjust without any gastrointestinal upset.

Deciding what to feed your dog can be tough; the choices are many. Commercial dog foods are

designed to supply all of a dog’s nutritional needs, including proteins, amino acids, enzymes, fats,

carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The companies that produce commercial dog foods have

fed multiple generations of dogs. However, not all dog foods are of the same quality.

The quality of a dog food is based on multiple factors, including the ingredients contained in

the food. Poor quality meats or meat byproducts are less able to nourish your dog than foods made

with better quality ingredients. As a general rule, less expensive foods contain inexpensive and less

nourishing grains and less of the more expensive meats. In dog foods, you have a tendency to get

what you pay for.

Dry kibble: These dry, crunchy foods come in a bag, typically have a good shelf life, and

usually are eaten well by most dogs. They may contain meats, meat byproducts, cereal

grains, fruits, and vegetables. Depending on quality, they can be very inexpensive to more

expensive.

Canned foods: Canned foods are often called “wet” foods. They are primarily meats or

meat recipes packed in water or gravy. They have a long shelf life unopened, but once

opened must be used right away. Pound for pound, compared to dry foods, canned foods

are quite expensive.

Semi-moist foods: These foods have a higher moisture content than dry foods but significantly less than canned. Most dogs eat them quite readily because these foods have a higher

sugar and salt content than others. They often have more additives (food colorings and

preservatives) than other foods, too.

Semi-moist foods usually are moderate

in price.

Dehydrated foods: These foods are raw

foods that have been dehydrated. The

dehydration process loses fewer nutrients

in the foods than does baking and some

of the other high-temperature processing. These foods contain meats, fruits,

and vegetables. Some contain cereal

grains. You rehydrate these foods prior

to feeding. Initially, these foods seem

quite expensive, but rehydrated, they are

comparable to good quality dry foods.

Frozen foods: Frozen foods can be

either frozen cooked meats, vegetables,

and fruits or frozen raw meats, fruits,

and vegetables. These foods are as good

(or as bad) as the foods they are made

A well-nourished dog looks healthy, with a shiny

from. Prices vary, also, depending on

coat, bright and alert eyes, and an active mind.

the ingredients used.

Sasha, a Rottweiler, owned by Katy Silva.

Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Photo by Sheri Wachtstetter

The actual ingredients in the food you feed are important—not just the quality of those ingredients, but also what those ingredients are. Allergies are a big problem today; many dogs are allergic to wheat, corn, rice, beef, and even lamb. If your dog scratches at the base of his tail and licks

his feet constantly, talk to your vet about allergy tests so you can find out exactly which foods your

dog should not eat.

Certain foods also have been linked to canine behavior. Many puppies and young dogs have

been found to show symptoms of a type of hyperactivity when they eat foods high in cereal grains.

When switched to foods containing more meat, fruits, and vegetables instead of cereal grains, the

behaviors lessen significantly.

There are many forms of dog food today:

Raw foods: Some dog owners firmly believe that dogs should eat as natural a diet as possible, which means that they should eat raw meats (bones included) and raw vegetables and

fruits. Although some dogs do thrive on this diet, there are definitely risks. Raw meats can

contain bacteria, parasites, diseases, and growth hormones. Bones can be a problem for

many dogs, too. It’s also very difficult for someone other than a canine dietician to formulate a balanced diet. If you’re interested in feeding a raw food diet, you might want to take

a look at dehydrated raw foods first, and then talk to your veterinarian.

No matter what you choose to feed your puppy, pay attention to make sure that your dog is

doing well on that food.

Is he growing well?

Are his eyes bright?

Is he alert and attentive?

Is his coat healthy and shiny?

Is he too fat? If so, cut back on how much you are giving him.

Is he too skinny? If so, increase his food portions a little.

Does he have plenty of energy to play without acting hyperactive?

Once you have found a food that your dog likes and eats well—a food that you think is a good

quality food you can afford—stick with that food. Changing foods can be very upsetting to your

dog; many dogs experience gastrointestinal upset (including diarrhea) when foods are changed

abruptly. If you want to offer your dog a little variety that won’t upset his tummy, keep him on his

normal food but add a little yogurt. A teaspoon for a small dog or a heaping tablespoon for a giant

dog will add a new taste, with good nutrition to boot. You can give your dog a carrot, an apple

slice, or a piece of raw pumpkin as a snack. You can add vegetable juice or meat broth to the food

for variety. Just keep in mind that too many additives or supplements can upset a previously balanced and complete diet.

When to Call the Veterinarian

Knowing when to call the veterinarian can be a stressful and confusing decision. No one wants to

take up the veterinarian’s time and pay for an office call if it isn’t necessary, yet we don’t want to deny

our dog care should it be needed. Most veterinarians say, “If in doubt, call,” and that’s good advice.

Before anything happens, you need to make a habit of paying attention to your dog. Know what

is normal behavior for him and what isn’t. How hard does he normally breathe after playtimes?

How quickly does he eat? How much water does he drink each day? In addition, give him a gentle massage everyday so you know what his body feels like. Then when something happens, you

know exactly what is different.

Here are some problems you should watch for and call the vet for her recommendations: