Debunking Signs of Dog Allergies

The sun is shining bright. The days have become longer and there is this feeling of venturing out with your furry pal to new places. But during this season, pesky parasites are prone to attack your tyke that can result in irritation and discomfort to him. Your pet is also prone to allergies during this season and so you need to watch out for certain things like itchiness, congestion, and general discomfort. Even though allergies are quite prevalent during this season, it is very difficult to recognize them in dogs. 

Before we take a look at the signs that point that your pet may have allergies, it is important to understand the term allergy.

What Is An Allergy?

Allergies are nothing but the common responses to substances, including dust, fur, food or pollen that can cause discomfort and illness. If your doggy is overexposed to these substances, also known as allergens they can sensitize the dog's immune system and can result in a lethal over-reaction.

Common Dog Allergens

• Dander - your doggy can be allergic to fur (There are certain dogs that are even allergic to cats!!!)
• Dust and house dust mites
• Food ingredients including wheat, soy, corn or specific animal protein
• Flea saliva encompassing flea allergy dermatitis that is one of the most prevalent and most uncomfortable, insect allergies in dogs
• Man-made substances like perfumes, cleaning products, certain fabrics, plastic and shampoo
• Mold spores
• Tree, grass, and weed pollens

Symptoms Of Dog Allergies

• Coughing, sneezing, or asthma
• Excessive paw licking
• Hair loss, either an all-over thinning or bald spots
• Scratching and butt-scooting
• Swelling of the feet, face or joints
• Tummy trouble, including vomiting and diarrhea (typically found for food allergies)

Severe Allergic Reactions In Dogs

Certain dogs face severe allergic reactions to things, including drugs, insect stings and certain drugs. Some of the severe allergic reaction can include:

• Swollen nuzzle and / or eyes
• Abrupt gasping and trouble breathing
• Swift onset of diarrhea or vomiting

If your dog shows any of these symptoms, then take him to the veterinarian immediately.

Diagnosing Allergies In Dogs

It is not exactly possible to cure allergies, but they can be managed with a possibility of limiting exposure to treatments, veterinary therapies, specialized diets and allergens. Let us look at some of the steps to diagnose the allergies:

Take the doggy to the veterinarian to identify and treat his allergy. He/she will start with a comprehensive health history and physical examination

He/she will ask you about your dog's diet and environmental factors by determining the exact cause of your dog's allergies at the very first visit and then suggest a simple treatment plan

He/she may even recommend you to a veterinary dermatologist for more extensive testing. The process of allergy test is the same as human beings. The dermatologist will conduct an intra-dermal allergy test or blood tests to identify allergens.    

Allergy test is not easy because it is difficult to determine specific environmental allergens that are affecting your dog which would make way for an even more effective treatment.

Treating Dog Allergies

Preventing allergies is the very first thing which would include:

• Commencing a flea control program, including oral and topical treatments that would keep these pesky parasites away
• Clean the dog's bedding and vacuuming regularly by getting rid of the dust
• Get rid of the environmental allergens from your dog's skin and fur
• Get a diet that relieves the symptoms of the food allergy by following a round of trials that assist in determining the specific allergen. Take the recommendation of your veterinarian before making any dietary changes.

In case of severe allergy, the veterinarian would recommend treatments and supplements to treat the symptoms.

Precautions Against Exposure to Chemotherapy Administered to Your Pet

It is always a sad feeling when your pet is treated with chemotherapy. However, despite the feeling of empathy and sadness you should also be aware that it can even have an impact on you. Once chemotherapy has been completed, your pet continues to have the drug in their system for approximately 48-72 hours.

During this time frame it is advisable to follow certain precautions that will assist you and your family from being exposed to the drug. Note that the drug gets excreted from the pet’s body through urine or feces. Even if your pet vomits, the drug is still there in it. 

Let us look at some of the precautions:

• Always wear disposable gloves if you are cleaning urine, feces, vomit or cleaning up the litter box. After using it dispose of the gloves in the trash by covering it with a plastic bag. Always do a double packing to ensure that someone else does not get exposed to the drugs contained in the disposed things. Always wash your hands after confiscating and disposing of the gloves.
• Pets that have undergone the chemotherapy treatment should be kept away from other pets and children. This is due to the fact that the feces of the pet can contain harmful bacteria or pet parasites that can infect a child.
• Discourage the pet from excreting in the same space where other pets excrete
• After 48-72 hours of chemotherapy treatment if your pet has excreted pick up their feces from the outdoors as soon as possible and dispose it in a trash bin by double bagging it. Always clean the litter box of the pet and double bag it when disposing it. After 72 hours of chemotherapy treatment, change the litter completely and sterilize the litter pan.
• It has been observed that there are certain dogs that eat stool or vomit from other pets. Hence, prevent them from eating the stool or vomit from the pet that has received chemotherapy.
• If your pet who has been treated with chemotherapy pees in the house use paper towels to absorb as much of the fluid as possible. Use double bags to dispose the gloves. It is also recommended to utilize bleach at a dilution of about 1 part bleach to 32 parts water, i.e.; approximately ½ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water to clean the spot. Always use the bleach in a well-ventilated area for your safety. It is also recommended to use eye goggles and rubber gloves while cleaning the fluid.
• Any pet bedding of the pet that has been treated with chemotherapy needs to be done separately from the family
• If you accidently are exposed to the pet’s feces, vomit or urine wash your skin completely. If the skin becomes irritated, consult with your physician.

If you are giving oral chemotherapy to the pet at home then follow these precautions:

• Keep the chemotherapy drugs away from children and pets. Always keep the product in the original container. Do not keep the product in a kitchen or bathroom
• When handling and administering the chemotherapy drug wear gloves and wash your hands after removing and disposing off the gloves
• Never open the tablet or capsule or break the tablet and not even dissolve in water
• While administering the medication do not drink, smoke, or chew gum
• If you still have any doubts, consult your veterinarian.

4 Types of Dog Crates that you can buy for your Pooch

If you are interested in buying a dog crate for your pooch, then it is best to evaluate certain things before making the purchase decision. The most important thing is to ensure that the size that you select for your pooch fits for the purpose. But with different kinds of sizes available in the market it becomes very intricate to select the perfect fit for your pooch. Hence, we have tried to enumerate the different sizes of dog crates along with the dog breeds for which it is perfectly fit. Let us look at the table given below to get an idea about the appropriate size of a dog crate according to the size of the dog:

 

Crate Size	Approximate Weight of the Dog	Example of Appropriate Breeds
18" x 18"  OR 18" x 24"	Under 11 Kgs Under 14 Kgs	Chihuahua
24" x 18" OR 24" x 24"	Under 14 Kgs Under 17 Kgs	Affenpinscher, Cairn Terrier, Havanese, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Norfolk Terrier, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Scottish Terrier, Shih Tzu, Skye Terrier, Silky Terrier, Toy Poodle, Toy Fox Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier
24"x30" OR 24"x36"	Under 18 Kgs Under 18 Kgs	Cocker Spaniel, Australian Terrier, Basset Hound, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Dachshund, Italian Greyhound, Jack Russell Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Poodle, Schnauzer, Parson Russell Terrier, Wirehaired Fox Terrier
30" x 24" OR 30" x 30" OR 30" x 36"	0-18 Kgs 18-23 Kgs 23-27 Kgs	American Eskimo Dog, American Staffordshire Terrier, Basenji, Beagle, Brittany Spaniel, Chinese Sharpei, Chow Chow, German Pinscher, Irish Terrier, Keeshond, Kerry Blue Terrier
36" x 24" OR 36" x 30" OR 36"x36"	18-27 Kgs 23-27 Kgs 27-36 Kgs	American Pit Bull Terrier, Australian Cattle Dog, Border Collie, Bull Terrier, Dalmatian, Old English Sheepdog
42" x 30" OR 42" x 36"	36-45 Kgs 36-45 Kgs	Airedale Terrier, Alaskan Malamute, American Bulldog, Boxer, Briard, Malinois, Tervueren
48" x 24" OR 48" x 30"	36-41 Kgs 36-45 Kgs	Airedale Terrier, Alaskan Malamute, Boxer, Briard, Dalmatian, Malinois, Tervueren
48"x 36"	Up to 45 Kgs	Afghan, Akita, Bloodhound, Borzoi, Chinook, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Gordon Setter, Greyhound, Irish Setter, Leonberger, Neopolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Pointer, Rottweiler, Siberian Husky, Standard Poodle, Weimaraner
60" x 36" OR 72" x 36"	45-68 Kgs 68-82 Kgs	Akita, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bullmastiff, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhound, Leonberger, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Scottish Deerhound, Siberian Husky

Once you have selected the dog crate according to the weight of your pooch, it is very important to check the materials that they are made from, and the place where you want to put it that may have a  major say on the final design. Now there are different types of dog crates available in the market. Let us look at some of the popular ones in detail:

Wire Pooch Crates

These are one of the most popular dog crates available in the market. Dog owners love to use these crates for their dogs. These crates contain a solitary door normally, but there are certain models that have multiple doors, varying from the side and roof for greater access to the pooch.

Benefits of Wire Pooch Crates

• Comes with a divider panel which helps in adjusting the crate size, especially if you have a growing puppy
• Contains slide out tray to make it easy for you to clean the crate
• Enables greatest airflow compared to other crate styles that makes it a must have crate during the hotter months of the year
• Gives portability option by folding flat
• Gives space to the pooch to stare outside which is great since there are certain dog breeds which need space to move around and see things that are happening in the surroundings
• Very simple to clean

Drawbacks of Wire Pooch Crates

• Due to the visibility factor that enables pooch to see the surroundings, it can cause stress and whining in pooch
• If your pooch moves around a lot, there can be lots of noise by this crate
• It is very easy for the resolute and smart pooches to escape from the crate
• Not enough protection during colder temperatures
• Quite heavy to move

Plastic Pooch Crates

These crates are quite popularly utilized during air travel. Once you get this crate you can verify from the documentation whether it is airline approved for this purpose or not. The majority of plastic crates are advertised as pet carriers due to the fact that they are often bought second hand just for the sake of traveling purpose. But alternately they can even be used on a permanent basis in day to day life of pets.

Benefits of Plastic Pooch Crates

• Does not allow pooch to see outside the crate hence, it is best for the pooches that are easily distracted by the outside environment and ensures that the pet is secured in the crate
• If you no longer need the crate you can use the bottom of the crate as an open dog bed
• It is very intricate for pooches to escape from this crate   
• It is very light, hence it is very easy to move
• Most of the plastic pooch crates are airline approved hence they can be used for air travel which is not the case with wire crates
• Provides better protection to pooches during colder temperatures due to better insulation in the crate
• There are certain models that have attachable or removable food and water dishes

Drawbacks of Plastic Pooch Crates

• Due to the closed nature of the crate there are chances that the pooch will not get enough ventilation during hot temperatures
• It is very difficult to clean and hence, the freshness quotient is amiss and also there is lots of odors in the crate that can be very difficult to get rid of
• Not a great option but depends on the choice of the dog owners
• Since there is little to no visibility of outside environment, it can make pooches stressed
• There is extra storage space required for this crate since it cannot fold flat

Soft-Sided Nylon Pooch Crates

Soft-Sided crates are mostly for first-time dog crate users. It is a great option for those dog owners who find crates to be a very difficult purchase decision due to the fact that they look less like a cage.

Benefits of Soft-Sided Nylon Pooch Crates

• Gives more comfort to the pooch than most of the other crates
• Great to carry during camping as they are very easy to put up and take down
• These crates are very light and portable which makes it very easy to carry
• Very easy to store when not in use

Drawbacks of Soft-Sided Nylon Pooch Crates

• Certain pooches learn the procedure of unzipping and opening the doors of the crate
• Destructive dogs can easily demolish the crate and escape
• Less durable and not long-lasting
• They are least attractive and cheap looking, but the final purchasing decision is based on the dog owner’s personal choice
• Very intricate to clean

Stylish Pooch Crates

There are other pooch crates that are made up of rattan or different types of the finished woods available rather than wire or plastic.

Benefits of Stylish Pooch Crates

• Can provide usable space by doubling up the shelf or end table
• Easily fit into the look and feel of the home décor
• There are different varieties of styles available

Drawbacks of Stylish Nylon Pooch Crates

• Cannot be used for house training purpose since it is very hard to remove odors and clean the crate properly
• Costly in comparison to other types of pooch crates
• Destructive dogs can easily break wooden crates

So ultimately it is up to the dog owners to decide the type of pooch crate they would like to purchase for their dogs. But the most hands-on pooch crate is wire type pooch crate since it seems to be the sensible choice while making a purchasing decision. So which pooch crate are you planning to purchase today?

In need of pet supplies? Visit BestVetCare.com

10 Enticing Reasons to Date a Dog Lover

What qualities do you seek in your lover? The main traits that an individual is looking for in his/her partner are loyalty, responsibility, love, care, fun, active, playful, forgiveness, etc. How will you know whether the person whom you are going to date will have these qualities? Or, let’s say, how will you choose a perfect better half for yourself?

Studies have shown that men and women, parenting a dog are likely to be the best partners for life. Looking after a dog develops all the desired characteristics that a life partner is expected to have in them. But, there have been arguments that not all dog owners possess these desirable qualities. So, if you are looking for a date and want to tie a knot soon, fall for dog lovers and not “dog owners” to have a long lasting long lasting relationship.

Let’s have a look at these 10 enticing reasons to date a dog lover!

1. Intensive care is natural!
Caring for a pet comes with many challenges and is certainly harder than caring for human beings. A person who cares for his pet with boundless intensity, imagine how much dedicated he would be to his/her lover. So, if you choose to date a dog lover you will receive the most genuine care while you go out!


2. You may not have to worry about their fitness scale!
If you too are a pet parent then it is not needed to be said about the long walks or the fetch game sessions that your pooch demands everyday. Going for those walks twice a day and the game sessions are enough to keep you fit. So, if your crush has a dog, it is conclusive that s/he would be definitely fit.


3. For dog lovers being responsible is like being themselves!
This is the quality that everybody seeks in their partners. Irresponsible kids are way out of the league for serious dating. When you own a pet and love him with your whole heart, you are responsible for his health, eating schedules, cleanliness, etc. It is pretty obvious that s/he can take full responsibility for the one they love.


4. Patience is not everybody’s cup of tea! And “everybody” does not include dog lovers!
You may know how these furry little pups can sometimes be! There is no disagreement with them being loveable, but there are times when dogs enjoy throwing tantrums. For instance, not eating until you hand them a treat or just eating whatever they like, etc. Every pooch admirer will have enough patience which enables him/her to handle their tantrums. So, dating them will clearly not create issues due to impatience.


5. Forgiving is not hard for them!
With the day-to-day discharge accidents, pet lovers are used to it. After a line or 2 of the scoldings they easily forgive their furry friends. So, s/he may not be able to be angry with you for a longer time. Things tend to become normal at the earliest with their forgiving approach!


6. May be one of the best companions that you would have ever met!
Having a poodle as a constant companion, dog lovers may not be the “give me some space” kind of a person. Your constant presence may be overwhelming for them and this would lead to successful companionship.


7. Adventures may not scare them!
Pooches absolutely love to sniff around and embrace the unknown. The moors, woods, hills, etc. excite them to explore. With their willingness to have adventures, it is their parents that accompany them. Pet lovers are always ready to experience the fun side of the adventures. So, if you are a person that thrives for adventures, nobody could be a better date than a dog lover!


8. They love to cuddle!
When you live with a canine, his cuddles would be the first thing you may have to face in the morning. If you choose a pet lover, s/he too would be comfortable with the tight cuddles. And, successful dating definitely need cuddles!


9. Appreciation is an art!
It is inspiring how these tykes appreciate little things like the blowing wind or dribble the ball to fetch it on their own or the serenity of the nature, etc. A person that adores these fur babies may gradually learn to be in the present and live the moment rather than dwelling on the past or future. Pet lovers as dates can make your day a fun day with their appreciation skills!


10. They are simply dog lovers! What could be better that this?
In this crazy technical world, people are hardly fond of each other. So, if you find a guy or gal that genuinely loves a pup, there could no one as passionate as they are.

So, are you looking for a date, who has these qualities? Then dating a pet lover would be perfect for you. Have a happy and healthy relationship!

More Details Click- http://www.bestvetcare.com