(1) Pet Health     (2) Judge Your Pet Health

                                                                                           (click here for download the book 46 KB *.doc)

It is vital to correctly assess the kind of injury the animal has

suffered, to be able to administer the right treatment.

Listed below are a variety of conditions, how to recognise

them and how to treat them.

1.ABDONAL PAIN

2.POISONONG

3.VOMITING & DIARRHOEA

4.CHOKING

5.PARALYSIS

6.HEAT STROKE

7.MILK FEVER

8.NASAL BLEEDING

9.SPRAINS OR STRAINS

10. TICK FEVER 

1.ABDOMINAL PAIN

Obstruction of the digestive tract,  poisoning, and infections  cause acute  pain  which 

seems to matter more to some dogs than others. A typical demonstration of abdominal 

pain, particularly in order puppies,  is going  into  the  'prayer position'  with  front  legs 

down parallel with the ground and hind  legs  in  the  crouched attitude.  This  seems  to 

bring some ease to the dog. If your breed does suffer periodically with indigestion you

may recognise the signs  and  treat  with  human  anti-acid  tablets  such as  Asilone  or

Bisodol.  If  the  dog  is  really suffering badly, is chilly or collapsed, then you would be

right to contact the vet for advice.

2. POISONING

If you know that your dog has eaten some substance you believe to  be   poisonous,  the

usual advice is to make the dog vomit at once, but I do not find this very  easy in practice.

Salt  placed  on  the  tongue  or  a  knob  of washing soda pushed down the  throat are the 

classic vomit-inducers but they do not work in my own dogs. The veterinary  surgeon can

give an injections which really does work within a minute or two, so it is well   worth  while

to  make  contact  as  soon  as  you  can, and to take with you any remnants of the  poison 

which remains.  Rat  and  mouse  poisons,  slug  bait,  dead animals which may have   been 

baited  with  strychnine  and  anti-herbicides sprayed on grass are all examples of poisons 

which need immediate treatment if you are aware the dog has taken  them. Drugs intended 

for human use may or may not be injurious to  dogs;  take the  labelled  package to the  vet 

so  that  he  can  find  our .  The  human  anti-contraceptive  pill  has  been  eaten  in whole 

packets by numerous dogs with no ill effect at all, but keep an eye on the dog all the same

if a packvanishes.

3. VOMITING & DIARRHOEA

The degree and the content are crucial in deciding whether this is an acute emergency or

can wait until morning. Slight  streaks of blood in diarrhoea or vomit are unimportant and

may  only  come  from  a  small  broken   blood vessel. Large amount s of blood, say from 

about a teaspoonful to a teaspoonful   according  to  dog  size,  passed at one time, rings

the warning bells for at least contacting the vet on the

telephone for advice. Repeated bouts of   diarrhoea may  cause a  prolapse  of  the  rectum, 

particularly  in   young  puppies.   You  will see a soft red   mass  protruding from the anus, 

usually accompanied by a certain amount  of bleeding.  Cover  the   protruding   mass  with

a clean, damp cloth to prevent the internal tissue becoming dried,   and  contact  the  vet at 

once. Eclampsia is a life or death condition when it occurs, usually in a nursing  bitch  with

pups of two to three weeks, but just occasionally eclampsia (otherwise know as milk fever)

has been in bitches just before whelping.   The cause  is  a  dramatic  drop in the volume of

calcium in the bitch's bloodstream, and this is a life  threatening  condition  if  the  owner is 

not there to see the signs  at the onset.   Eclampsia    signs  are  nervous  once;  the bitch is

unhappy,    restless,   leaving   her   puppies,   whining,   hiding   away   in   unusual  places.

Progression  of  the  drop  in  calcium drop brings on convulsions, and a rise in temperature 

which  further  depletes  the  calcium  store.   There  is  no  need to deliberate as to whether

veterinary  help  is  needed,  day  or night this is a first class emergency. Contact the vet at 

once, this is one occasion when the vet may decide on a  housecall. No amount  of calcium

by mouth will help but an injection of calcium solution right into the blood stream brings a 

miraculous recovery in a very short time.

4. CHOKING

Dogs choke most frequently  on   hard  rubber balls,  but there  have  been other    accidents 

when dogs have choked on a cake of soap which they have stolen, In both cases,   there  is

no time to get to the vet. Try to shoot the obstructing object out of the mouth by   pushing 

upwards on the outside of the dog's face, below the ears. Do not try to hook the object   out

with fingers, this usually results in jamming the obstruction  even  further.  A foreign   body 

in the larynx, (a compartment in the throat containing the vocal cords) causes the dog  major

panic, frantic coughing and struggling for air. A large piece of meat is often the cause of  the

blockage. Lay the dog on its side, put the palms of your hands behind the dog's last rib  and

make four quick pushes.The air expelled in this way may dislodge the meat up into the mouth. 

If not, try once more and then have someone contact the vet quickly while you  go  on  trying 

to expel the object causing the blockage.

5. PARALYSIS

Most cases are caused by accidents rather than by birth. If you  come  across  a paralysed

animal,  first  take  it  to  a  vet  and ascertain whether the spine is broken  or it is  suffering

from distemper. The vet will prick with a needle to check  if  there  is  any   sensation. Since 

paralysis   is  not  an emergency,  therefore,  first  aid  is  not  required.   Cases of distemper 

paralysis do not respond to treatment. A distemper case at this stage should be euthanised.

If the case is due to spinal injury the vet will give:

a. Neurobion (1-2 tab twice a day depending on the of

    the animal).

b. Osteo-calcium.

c. Infrared therapy.

d. A regular gentle massage of the limbs with cod-liver

oil, and mildly exercising the animal by raising its

hindquarters, by pulling up the tail and supporting its

back, to try and make the dog walk.

6. HEAT STROKE

Increase in body temperature beyond the point of normal physiological temperature

is called a heat stroke. It is due to hot weather, high humidity, inadequate ventilation,

exposure to direct sunlight (especially when an animal is left in the car in summer),

and overcrowding. Never leave a pet parked in the sun or muzzle it for a long time,

especially in summer. If you see an animal locked in a car in obvious distress, break

the window and rescue it or call the owner if you can.

SYMPTOMS

High rise in temperature.

Oral mucosa inside mouth, tongue, inner lips turning bright red in colour.

Red eyes.

Weakness.

Convulsions.

Panting.

Heavy breathing.

High pulse rate.

Collapse/Shock.

Extreme heatstroke leads to glassy eyes and grey lips.

TREATMENT: 1. Place animal in a cool, well -ventilated place or a

shaded area. 2.Give small amounts of cold water containing glucose or

sugar frequently. Let it lick ice. 3. Ice packs should be applied on the

head, forehead and all over the body and cold towel compresses on the

head and chest. 4. Give cold milk to drink.

Consult a vet. The vet will administer anti-pyretic injections like PCM

and Analgin, if required, to bring down the body temperature.

7. MILK FEVER

Occurs mainly in bitches after 3-4 days of having large litters. The symptoms

are restlessness, rapid breathing, high temperature, fear and plaintive crying.

The walk becomes stiff and the animal lies down with  rigidly stretched limbs.

Some 8-12 hours later, the animal will show signs of tetany (bloating) and may

even have convulsions. The body temperature can go up to 107F. There is

dilation of pupils and a poor response to light. You need a vet immediately.

This is caused by a deficiency of calcium in pregnant or lactating bitches.

The vet will take blood samples to check the serum calcium levels. If these

have dropped considerably, the vet will:

1. Give antibiotics (Tetracycline, Ampicillin, etc).

2. I.V. Calcium (Calbrol).A slow intravenous drip of calcium gluconate

about 5-10 ml for a 5-10 kg bitch and proportionately higher for bigger

dogs.

3. Daily oral supplements of calcium and vitamin D preparations.

4. If the bitch is lactating, pups should be removed from her for at least

24 hours to prevent loss of calcium through milk.

8.NASAL BLEEDING

Tilt head upwards and use an icepack to control bleeding. It could

be due to heatstroke, a nasal tumour, nasal injury or internal injury.

It is also caused by tick-fever.

9.SPRAINS OR STRAINS

Swelling around joints and muscles. Apply alternating hot and cold

compresses over the swelling until it goes down. Swelling in the 

throat or tongue is dangerous, as it obstructs breathing. Get a vet.

The affected area should be massage with either of these ointments:

1. Dolocide plus Gel.

2. Rumalya Cream.

3. Cremalgin Cream.

Injections will be given to relieve pain and inflammation like Diclofenac

Sodium (Diclo), Dolonex and Analgin or a tablet of Brufen.

10. TICK FEVER

There is fever ranging between 104 and 106 F; weakness, drowsiness and occasionally

nose bleeding. the mucous membrane initially becomes brick red in colour and later

it becomes yellow. There is pronounced anaemia. The urine is bright yellow.

Haemoglobinuria(red urine) is not a constant symptom. this is more common

in Cows and Buffaloes. The dog may be constipated initially but later deveolps

diarrhoea, loses condition rapidly and develops a staggering gait. Secondary

pneumonia may also occur.

TREATMENT

Two Berenil injections( Hoechst) are given on alternate days, as per the body weight

i.e, 0.8-1.6 gm/100 kg body weight.

EHRLICHIOSIS:

It is also Tick-fever, characterised by high fever, bleeding  from nostrils, anaemia

and decreased platelet count. It is spread by the bite of the same brown tick.

The incubation period is 8-10 days. Signs of the acute from are depression,

lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, fever and difficulty in breathing.

Ticks are found on the body. This acute from lasts 2-4 weeks and then

goes into its chronic phase. This is characterised by depression, weight loss,

pale mucous membranes, tenderness of abdomen, bleeding, oedema of

scrotum and limbs and enlargement of lymph nodes and spleen.

Ticks are usually not found on the body. Internal bleeding can occur and

severe anaemia set in. Abnormalities in the eye are very common like

conjunctivitis, retinal detachment and blindness. Nervous symptoms like

uncoordination, epilepsy and undue excitability can set in. So can 

arthritis of the joints. The diagnosis is done through blood testing, 

checking an increase in BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) and creatinine

and the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody test. The treatment includes

Tetracyclines, Chloramphenicol and Imidocarb Dipropionate.

A period of 120 days may lapse between treatment and cure.

Supportive therapy includes fluids through IV and stimulating the bone

marrow with androgenic steroids, general tonics and vitamin B-complex

pills. In life -threatening cases, glucocorticoid therapy is used.

(2)Judge Your Pet's Health    (click here for download the book 46 KB *.doc)

To differentiate between a healthy and a sick pet is simple:

If your pet responds immediately in a smart & loving manner,

To your calls enjoys playing with objects (Ball-Etc.) enjoys

running behind or with you energeticaly; Enjoys eating food

and delicacies (Biscuits, Fruits Etc.) enough water in take.

It's fur (Skin) rediates, move ears, tail, eyes to all calls.

Take immediate notes of new -comers regularly discards

long-soft stools without any un-digested substances and

so on; You are assured of good health of your pet.

Any deviations in generalities above mentioned are indications

for you that all is good with your pet.