Dog Guide For Dog Lovers! Guide for all breeds of dogs, health and training information. From Dog Breeds to Picking a Puppy. Everything for the dog fancier's needs! Working Dogs, Toy Dogs, Herding Dogs, Sporting Dogs, Non Sporting Dogs, Terrier Dogs, Hound Dogs. See All Dog Breeds. Dog Articles.
dogs and puppies
Google



www.information-pet-planet-usa.com

All around good common sense advice for your pets. Learn what it is they need to live long healthy lives. Vaccines, training, diseases and old age are some of the topics here. Come take a look!

Stop Puppy Mills
HSUS MySpace Page | Stop Puppy Mills Website

Dogs Tips and Advice - DOGeNEWS.com.

Allergies in dogs

Excerpt : Allergies are one of the most common complaints among dog owners. Truly, not too many puppies have allergies their first year but many are already becoming sensitized to things in their environment.


Allergies are one of the most common complaints among dog owners. Truly, not too many puppies have allergies their first year but many are already becoming sensitized to things in their environment. If your puppy already shows signs of allergies, and some do, don't hesitate to get it treated. You may head off a lifetime of trouble if you get a handle on it early. Allergies get worse every year if left untreated.

Allergies usually materialize in the form of small skin eruptions, rashes, hair loss, itching, moist or oozing dermatitis, and ear infections. Dogs will over wash themselves, chew, scratch, and rub to alleviate the sensations which in turn makes them worse. HOW ALLERGIES DEVELOP Allergies are such that your dog may be exposed to a pathogen one year and show no outward signs of ailment...this time. Next time he comes in contact, it will create a reaction, maybe small at first, but each time he is getting more sensitized and each time the reaction will be a little, or a lot worse. We often hear owners saying, "he never had this problem before". Yeah, we know, that's how it works.

Dogs can develop allergies to any number of things such as grass, trees, shrubs, dust mites, molds, and most commonly...fleas. If your dog has an allergy to something, it will take very little to set of a histamine reaction in his body.

Hot Dog
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

Also see : Dogs - 5 Steps To Showing
Five Simple Tips To Get Your Dog Ready For Dog Shows Every truly avid dog owner wishes for the chance to show off his pet at the nearest dog...read more

Shih Tzu - New Puppies and Older Dogs
Introducing a new puppy to an older dog can be trickey! New puppies often want to play. Old dogs usually don't and may not like puppies at all. A...read more

Dogs are most commonly allergic to things their skin touches rather than something they inhale. They may be allergic to pollen but it is usually a contact problem, not an inhalant one like with people.

MOST COMMON CAUSE Fleas are the most common cause of allergies by far. You may not even think your dog has fleas but it could only take one bite to set him off. One of the most important things you can do is protect him against fleas. Protect him aggressively and often. There are excellent products on the market now such as Advantage, Frontline, Revolution, and Sentinel. A couple of these require simple blood tests before they can be used because they also protect against heartworms. You must always make sure your dog is not infected before starting on heartworm medication.

TREATING FOR FLEAS It is also vital that you treat not only your pet but also his environment as best you can. Fleas can live anywhere. They reside quite nicely in your yard, grass, sand, dirt, carpet, bedding and anywhere else you can think of. And the are resilient. Persistence is a must. One study showed fleas that were found in Arctic Turns nests which were thawed out and found to be still viable after having been frozen for a long time.

The fleas life cycle must be broken to gain any sort of advantage at depleting their population. Treat
German Shepard, Retro
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com


Also see : Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) In Dogs
The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a highly contagious disease in dogs known as distemper. Dogs who contract distemper suffer damage to their...read more

Dog Adoption Tips I Learned From My 2 Dogs
There’s a hole in your life that only a dog can fill. You want a special dog, perhaps just a full-grown adult. Maybe your code of ethics calls for...read more

the house, the yard, and your pets. Make sure you use products that are safe for all your pets. Cats and other small animals can be very sensitive to toxins. Please NEVER use over the counter products unless they are recommended by your veterinarian. Many of the products sold in stores are very dangerous and can be deadly, especially to cats.



TREATING THE ALLERGY There are many ways to treat your dog if he develops allergies. If it is not too bad you may only have minor flare ups in the summer which can be treated with oatmeal baths and antihistamines. The dogs who really suffer often require year round treatment, or at least aggressive treatment through their sensitive times of the year. A regimen may include injections of steroids, antihistamine and steroid tablets, a special diet, flea products, and frequent soothing baths.

FOOD ALLERGIES Less that 10% of dogs who have allergies are allergic to what they eat. We often make that leap on our own because there are so many allergies with the human population. Not so with your dog. While it is quite possible. It is not usually the best place to start looking for solutions. Many dog food companies have created diets for those dogs who are sensitive to their diets however. Hills and Nature's Recipe are among the leaders. They make a variety of foods with
I Need A Hug
Buy this Poster at AllPosters.com


Also see : Small Dogs Require Extra Care During the Holiday Season
The Holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. To keep it that way for everyone, people with small dogs should take some common-sense...read more

Your Dog's Health May Be At Risk!
Dogs should be living to age 20 or more. That's their natural lifespan. But it's being cut short by chemical toxicity in your dog's environment...read more

ingredients that your dog won't have come in contact with. They may include venison, duck, whitefish, lamb, rice and potato.

The trick to ruling out a food allergy is to eliminate everything else they may put in their mouths and it will take up to 60 days to clear everything from their system. You must only change their diet but also eliminate treats unless they are just hand outs of the same biscuits he gets at meals. You must have him eat from stainless bowls. You must remove any chew toys, like rawhides, and cows hooves. This sounds easy but it must be maintained without hesitation or fail or else it will all be for not. Any contact will set you back to the beginning.

ENVIRONMENTAL ALLERGIES Dogs and usually allergic to more than one antigen. Most will react to varying degrees to a number of different things the come in contact with. While dogs are often allergic to pollens, it is not usually due to inhalation, but due to contact with the skin. If your dog has a severe sensitivity to grass for instance, you may need to wash off his feet every time he comes in from outside. Even just rinsing them will help prevent further involvement. He may need baths several times a week but only with specific types of treatments and direction from the veterinarian. The wrong things could aggravate instead of help the
Loki's Kitten
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

Also see : Westies Dogs and Your Children
Almost without exception, breeders will advertise that their favorite terrier, westies dogs, are good with children. However, terrier enthusiasts,...read more

What You Should Know About Your Dog's Sleeping Habits
It’s important to understand your dog’s sleeping habits and how they influence its behavior, particularly when your dog gets disturbed. You see,...read more

problem.

Dog allergies usually come in the form of dermatitis, some form of skin inflamation, itching, redness, hair loss, scratching, oozing, and ear infections. The animals are truly miserable and inconsolable. If you can get by with a few treatments in a season you should consider yourself lucky as allergies go. If you have a dog who is sensitive to something all year or hyper sensitive at certain times of the year you may need to explore allergy testing and injections.

ALLERGY TESTING Allergy testing is the best way to determine what exactly you are battling and how best to handle it. The tests are done either in the form of skin testing where part of the dog is shaved and tiny amounts of possible allergens are injected under or applied to the skin to see what he might react to. The areas are checked regularly for signs of reaction. Another is a blood test where the dogs blood is drawn and sent to a special laboratory who just does this type of blood work. The results can take a week or two but the answers come without further insult to the dogs skin.

An blood test will tell you not only what they are allergic to, but HOW allergic they are. It will show a titer, or a number out of normal range to help you and the vet understand how severe it is. The test will cover 20 or more different possible
Bookcase Pups
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

Also see : Allergies - Dogs May Suffer Too
Many people don’t realize that their dogs, just like human beings, can suffer from allergies. In fact, about twenty percent of the dogs in the United...read more

Exercise - Why Dogs Need It
A dog whose exercise needs are met may rest more calmly at home and be less fretful when left alone. The modern dog-management mantra of "A good...read more

pathogens which are prominent in your part of the country and test the blood to all of them. You can also test for food allergies this way.

One other benefit of blood testing is that you have not only the vet and his experience but you also have the laboratory to help guide him with their vast and focused expertise. The labs will guide you through the many types of treatments that may be done at home and by the vet.

ANTIGEN THERAPY Once the blood work has determined what the dog is allergic to, the lab can make an antigen therapy which the dog will undergo to begin de-sensitizing him. The antigen vial will contain an injectable and sterile form of what the dog is allergic to. Tiny amounts are injected under the skin and regular intervals and strengths to allow the dogs body to start to build a tolerance to it. This can take months and may have to be done every so often to maintain the effect but it is the most promising form of treatment.

If your dog has severe allergies you and your vet will become well acquainted so make sure you and your dog are comfortable with them and their office. Allergies can be expensive, infuriating, frustrating, and time consuming but they can almost always be alleviated.

For more information about dogs http://puppys-place.com/

About the author:

None


More Dogs Articles



Allergies in dogs
Allergies are one of the most common complaints among dog owners. Truly, not too many puppies have allergies their first year but many are already...

Dogs - Things To Know Before Breeding
Dogs during Labor Breeding dogs is an exciting experience. From the time a proper mate is found to the point that the puppies are born, it...

Google

Bookcase Pups
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com


For Dog Lovers Like You and Me | sitemap
copyright www.dogloversguide.com 2006

Recently Added Dogs Articles


Dogs - Common Allergies and Symptoms
When Your Dog Starts to Sneeze There are many things that both the dogs and the dog owners could have in common. For example, both dogs and...read more

How Dogs Can Benefit Children
Thinking of getting a dog? You know your child wants a dog to play with but did you know that the love and companionship of a dog can have long...read more

How to Stop Your Dogs Excessive Barking
Barking although an instinct and an everyday occurrence for your dog is not always appropriate. There are very humane ways to end the excessive...read more

Rescue Dogs
We have all grown up with at least one hero in our life, but how many people can call their hero Duke or Kiva? The answer- anyone who has had their...read more

The Neurotic Dogs
When pondering whether my neurosis is learned or genetic, I often turn to the family dogs, Frazier (9) and Jake (4), and see the likelihood of a...read more

Do You Know Why Dogs Have So Many Friends? Dog-Gone Leadership Strategies
Do you know why dogs have so many friends? It’s because they wag their tails rather than their tongues. I was walking through a park in Calgary,...read more

Dogs - Health & The Vet
Having Healthy Pups: A Few Tips on Keeping Your Dog Healthy The responsibility of a new pet is sometimes overwhelming. One of your new duties...read more

Heartworms in Dogs
The heartworm ( Dirofilaria immitis ) is a deadly parasite that is carried by mosquitoes. The highest infection rates are in areas within 150 miles...read more

No Dogs or Cats Allowed!
The lease says specifically that no dogs or cats are allowed in your apartment... but the animal kingdom has lots of choices, including one which...read more

Norwegian Elkhounds Make Great Pet Dogs
Norwegian Elkhounds are an old breed, dating back to Stone Age times in Scandinavia. Fossil dating confirms its long use as a domesticated hunting...read more

Some News About Dogs

Animal Den - Gift Shop for Animal Lovers! Ultimate Pet Directory
Dog Information
Irishpets.ie
Leading irish pet website featuring pet breeds, pet care, pet photos, messaage board, lost & found, shopping and much more. #1 Free Link Exchange Directory On The Web - Link Market
Have you ever tried to exchange links, swap links, or trade links? Was it hard? Use link market instead; - it is easy to use, free and very smart. It will save you hours of work. Cozypetclothes.com Quality Dog Clothes For Your Pampered Pet
We carry a wide variety of pet dog clothes. Accessories, beach wear, out door wear, coats, jackets, dresses, formal wear, hats, holiday fashions, rain wear boots, robes, wraps, shirts, sleep wear, pajamas, sweaters, swim suits, vests, western wear. .. Midwest Gundog & Pet Supply
Electronic dog collars, training aids, crates and accessories, beds and accessories and dog houses. Training tips and information, items for all dog owners. DogToys.com - Toys, Treats and Gifts for your pet Pet Friendly Forums
Pet friendly forums - traveling with your pets and general pet talk. Great place to meet others that travel with their pets! Www.longlivedogs.com
Long live dogs is a website full of information about dogs, socialization, breed information, dog friendly parks, beaches, hotels, b&b's, doggie daycare consultation, training, doggie etiquette tips & free names
I-Love-Dogs.com
proudly awards this dog
site! Please upload
your dog pictures, dog
videos
or
visit the
dog forums
!
Dog Seizures
Allergicpet. Com features free articles, links, and all-natural products that help keep your allergic pet healthy! Great holistic information for non-allergic pets too. ThePetTimes.com - The Pet Times Link Directory