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American Bulldog – Things You Need to Know About Canine Influenza

By on Friday, December 23rd, 2011 | No Comments

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Canine Influenza Fast Facts

Influenza is a common viral disease among horses that affects the respiratory system and has now made its way into the canine world, resulting to canine influenza. It is a very contagious and easily transmitted disease that can travel fast from one dog to another. In some severe cases, canine influenza, also known as canine flu, can be fatal. Canine flu has just been recently identified, with its first occurrence just in 2004, but its occurences are already quite a lot considering its recent history. This is because dogs can easily get canine flu from their kennels, especially because transmission is airborne. Since the disease is fairly recent, dogs have not yet built immunity against dog flu. Thus, any dog can be a victim of canine influenza.  

The Forms and Symptoms of Canine Influenza

Dog flu can be categorized into two different forms. They can either be mild or severe. The mild form of canine influenza begins with dry cough and nasal discharge. On the other hand, the severe form is accompanied by high fever or pneumonia. Severe form of canine flu can lead to eventual death that can primarily be triggered by the pneumonia. However, death due to canine flu is not very common. Fortunately, the frequency of mild form dog flu is higher than that of the severe form. If your dog, however, starts coughing, you may want to take it to the veterinarian just to be certain that it is not caused by dog flu. Take note that the cough that accompanies canine flu is very similar to kennel cough, so you might mistake a canine flu cough for a kennel cough. It pays to be sure, so a visit to the veterinarian will be the best move.

Treatment and Prevention of Canine Influenza

Since canine flu is caused by viruses, it was not hard to come up with a treatment for dog flu sufferers. The main concern was to strengthen the dog’s immunity against the virus. If the mild form of dog flu is characterized by a greenish nasal discharge, an antimicrobial treatment can easily cure the dog. The severe form of canine influenza, on the other hand, can be treated using an antimicrobial as well as treatment of the pneumonia through hydration. Still, the best way is to prevent canine influenza from affecting your dog in the first place. There is no vaccine available for the prevention of canine influenza at this time. Prevention of dog flu lies mainly on the dog owner’s consciousness of the disease. Be extra cautious when you are bringing your dog to a place where it will be in close contact with many other dogs, because respiratory diseases can spread fast in these circumstances. If it has been part of your habit or routine to leave your dog in a dog care facility, make sure to ask about what measures they are taking to prevent respiratory diseases from entering their premises and posing danger to the dogs there. Also, make sure that they have a special facility to isolate infected dogs from the healthy dogs to prevent transmission of the canine influenza.

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Is Kennel Cough a Major Dog Ailment or Something You Can Disregard?

By on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 | No Comments

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Despite the fact that kennel cough may seem as one of the less important dog illnesses, it can cause more severe conditions if untreated. The disease, also referred to as “canine flu”, is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection that can be caused by a variety of viruses and bacteria, most commonly the Bordetella Bronchiseptica bacteria. Several dog illnesses including canine distemper, parainfluenza and canine adenovirus can also make dogs more inclined to contracting the bordetella bacteria. This health issue is identified as kennel cough because it is most frequently spread between dogs that are confined in kennels, animal shelters or other considerable volume boarding facilities.

Pet dogs develop kennel cough when they inhale disease-causing bacteria into their respiratory system. Once most infectious particles penetrate the respiratory system, the mucus that is naturally present will be able to catch them and preclude infection, nevertheless a dog’s standard resistances can be destabilized due to exposure to cigarette smoke, dust, stress or even cold temperatures. Alternative methods of transmission include direct contact with infected dogs and contaminated surfaces. The disease remains very contagious even weeks after the symptoms have disappeared.

An assiduous “hacking” cough that sounds like gagging or retching that is sometimes experienced in conjunction with a white, frothy substance that gets coughed up, are the principal signs and symptoms of kennel cough. But the dog will usually not display any other indications same as lassitude or fever and generally engages in its routine activities. The coughing may get much worse, causing the pooch to cough all day and all through the night, if he becomes exerted. Signs and symptoms of the disorder usually appear 3 to five days after the dog contracts the virus.

Dogs that become contaminated with kennel cough will commonly recuperate within about 3 weeks’ time, but dogs that have other diseases or health conditions and dogs that are aged, may generally take longer . To diminish the coughing, remain the dog in a well-humidified area and use a harness instead of a leash in order to help minimize the coughing. It’s imperative to note that dogs who have been diagnosed with this disease should maintain to be observed even with treatment, as there are several notable complications that can stem from this ailment including pneumonia, which can come from a secondary infection, or increased indicators like lethargy, loss of appetite, raised temperature and eye or nose discharge. Kennel cough may also be a symptom of more significant dog ailments and health issues for instance periodontal disease, heart disease, parasites, heartworm and allergies. So it really is essential to pay attention as to how well your mutt improves after treatment or if he experiences heavy breathing or just doesn’t seem to want to resume normal activities, you have to consult with your vet again straight away.

Vaccines for kennel cough may be delivered through injections or nasal mist but they do not guarantee that the dog will not develop the illness and will not cure active infections. If your dog is likely to bite, injections are generally given, but the nasal mist has been revealed to be efficient in non-biting dogs that are frequently housed in multiple-dog or kennel type situations. Young puppies are initially injected with 2 doses around four week apart then given yearly booster shots, whereas the intranasal vaccine is given once a year, even if it may be applied every six months for pet dogs that are at high-risk for the disease. Pet dogs with the disease may also be given antibiotics to cure bacterial infections and cough suppressants may be utilized if the mutt does not cough up anything.

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What Is Canine Flu And How Can I Protect My Dog?

By on Monday, October 31st, 2011 | No Comments

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A relatively new virus, canine flu first appeared in 2004. It is thought to have come from equine flu, which passed from horses to Greyhounds and then mutated into a canine specific form of influenza. Naturally, as a concerned dog owner, you will want to know how this virus can be spread, what the symptoms are and how can it be treated?

 

Which Dogs are Susceptible to Canine flu?

 

Unfortunately, all dogs can contract canine flu. It is passed from one dog to another in the same way that human flu would be passed between us. Therefore, your dog is more likely to be infected with the virus if he, or she, spends time with many other dogs, for example at the dog park, a veterinary surgery or boarding kennels.

As can be expected, dogs that are already unwell, due to age or an infection, are more susceptible to the virus and are likely to experience more severe symptoms.

Currently, it is believed that it is impossible for humans to contract the virus, but it is very possible for humans to help spread it from one dog to another. Therefore, if you hire a dog walker or pet sitter, it is crucial to ensure that this person is taking steps to prevent spreading canine flu. In addition, if you have touched a dog that may be unwell, it is imperative that you wash your hands thoroughly before touching your own or somebody else’s dog. Moreover, sharing food and water bowls can also cause the virus to spread.

 

Canine Flu Symptoms

 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, cases of canine flu are very similar to cases of human flu and the same symptoms can be expected. However, as a dog owner, you will need to be vigilant of slight and subtle changes in your dog’s behavior or demeanour, as dogs can be stoic and will hide any signs of illness. The symptoms that you should be on the look out for include:

Lack of energy

Reduced appetite

Runny nose

Elevated temperature

Cough

 

These symptoms may be indicative of other illnesses, such as kennel cough, so your dog may not necessarily have canine flu, but it is a good idea to visit your vet if any of these symptoms appear.

 

How Canine Flu is Treated

 

As with all viruses, whether they are in humans or animals, there is no cure for canine flu. Instead, treatments are offered that will help the body’s immune system fight the infection. So, in the majority of cases, treatment does not extend beyond rest and hydration. Of course, in some cases, supplements may be prescribed to boost natural defences and, in instances when secondary infection is likely, antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent further complications.

In most cases, canine flu will pass in a week or so and will not affect your dog too badly. If your are concerned about your dog’s already weak immune system, then it may be beneficial to look into vaccinating your dog against canine flu.

However, the canine flu vaccine was only agreed for usage in 2009 and, unfortunately, it cannot prevent a dog from contracting the virus; it merely reduces the severity of the symptoms. Currently, the American Veterinary Medical Association does not recommend vaccination for all dogs. Therefore, it is only those who have a compromised immune system, or are spending time in an affected area, that are receiving the shot.

If your dog is elderly and/or unwell and you are worried about him, or her, catching canine flu, then it is crucial to speak to your vet who will be able to offer advice on the best course of action.

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Dog Health Questions: Help! Why Is My Dog Coughing?

By on Sunday, October 30th, 2011 | No Comments

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It isn’t enjoyable for a doggy any time he’s got a cough, or for you personally. Aside from the apparent worry about their well being, their coughing can certainly keep you up during the night. In the event that their cough brings about retching and throwing up, you could have much more housekeeping duties to do!

Despite the fact that there are usually countless reason behind why your dog might cough, why don’t we take a look at the most typical causes.

Parasitic organisms

Heartworms are usually dispersed through mosquitos and reside within the right section of your doggie’s heart as well as within the blood vessels leading out of the heart to the lung. They aggravate those blood vessels and also additionally conflict with blood circulation, eventually leading to cardiovascular failure.

You can easily provide your pet preventive medicine to be able to prevent him from getting heartworm disease. These types of medicines do not really avoid an infection with heartworm, however they will eliminate the baby worms just before they begin to develop into adults and thus can easily start to cause your dog any specific damage.

Bacterial infections

In the event that your dog frequently visits a dog kennel or daycare, they might possibly be in danger of contracting kennel cough. This is actually a simple name for a extremely transmittable upper respiratory system infection that brings about inflammation involving a dog’s pharynx and also windpipe. The actual infection is usually usually brought on by a virus known as Parainfluenza, assisted and abetted by means of bacteria recognized as Bordetella.

Those pair of offenders tend to be liable for the majority of instances of kennel cough in canines. Even though you could vaccinate your pet against kennel cough, it is not really one hundred percent defensive plus your dog might also contract an infection. Luckily, for the majority of dogs kennel cough is not a serious condition and therefore they will get better pretty fast.

Heart Disease

We have previously discussed on heart failure while we were talking on the subject of heartworm. Any time your doggie’s heart is not functioning properly, it is not as efficient in pumping blood via his system. That indicates that their blood pressure rises and then there may end up being seapage of fluid within their lungs. The consequence is usually a cough that appears to be more serious during the nighttime.

Certainly, there are usually numerous origins of heart failure in canines, which includes a weakness associated with the specific heart muscle as well as damage involving the small valves inside of the heart. Treatment method will depend on the underlying cause, therefore bring your dog around to your current veterinarian in order to find out what is taking place with your doggy. A prognosis of cardiovascular disease can certainly be frightening however together with modern-day medicine, it is in all likelihood that your dog can possess a very good high quality of living for quite a few years to come.

Bronchitis

In the event that your pet is older, they might begin to cough a good deal more. That occurs mainly because their breathing passages can be significantly less flexible. Thus the small tiny hairs, known as cilia, which line their airways grow to be not quite so efficient.

The cilia’s duty is simply to help progress mucus upward and out of the respiratory system, and in the event that they do not perform this properly, generally there may end up being more mucus in your pups bronchi. That mucus can cause your dog to cough even more. Your animal medical practitioner may recommend medicine that can serve to relieve your older dog’s cough.

It is not unusual for a dog to tremble or shake when he is ill. However, as I mentioned in my article, “Dog Health Questions: Help! Why Is My Dog Trembling,” an infection may not be the only reason for the trembling.

Treatment methods associated with coughing in dogs may include anti-biotics, anti-inflammatories as well as humidifiers. However prior to attempting anything at all at home, make an consultation with your veterinarian. When you understand the reason why your dog is usually coughing, you will wind up being in a position to begin the proper therapy for their condition, plus he will quickly start to feel a more like his old self.

Our dogs are like family to us and so naturally it’s very upsetting when they become sick.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you knew how to give your dog a check-up, so you could spot a problem early? Before it became truly serious or even life threatening?

Well, now you can!

Learn How To Give Your Dog A Check-Up Just Like Your Veterinarian Does!

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