Tips on Hanlding Getting a Second-Hand Dog

It's appealing to see ourself saving an adult dog from an animal shelter but dealing with a dog with a troubled or insecure past can be very challenging. The good news is that you'll be getting a full size dog so you know what to expect in that regard. He's likely to have at least some rudimentary training, perhaps from shelter personnel. The worst thing that can happen is that the dog and the owner...

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Hepatitis In Dogs

Kirsten Hawkins


Hepatitis, a disease of the liver that is seen in several animals, including humans, is caused by a viral infection. Canine hepatitis is caused by the virus designated CAV-1 which is seen only in dogs. Humans and other animals are not at risk to contract hepatitis from the CAV-1 virus.
Like many viruses, CAV-1 first localizes and replicates in the lymph nodes and spreads into the bloodstream from there. Once in the blood, CAV-1 attacks several organs, most notably the liver, eyes, and kidneys. Although hepatitis is a very serious disease, not all cases of CAV-1 infection lead to it and not all are serious. Some dogs show few or no symptoms after being infected. Some, on the other hand, especially young puppies, become seriously ill.
Once a dog is infected, there is no treatment that will destroy the CAV-1 virus. There is no cure. There is, however, a very good vaccine that can be given to puppies when they start their series of inoculations. The vaccine has greatly reduced incidents of canine hepatitis in the United States and Western Europe.
Not all cases of hepatitis are caused by the CAV-1 virus. Called idiopathic or periportal hepatitis, these cases of hepatitis are of unknown origin and occur in dogs that are five or six years old in most cases.
Symptoms of both CAV-1 hepatitis and hepatitis of unknown origin can include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, jaundice, depression and weakness. Since there is no cure, a vet can only treat the symptoms to the best of his or her ability. Antibiotics are typically given to prevent further infections.
In most cases when a dog contracts CAV-1 the symptoms can be treated to keep the dog comfortable until the virus passes. Once that happens a dog is usually immune to the disease for the rest of its life. Survival rates are high for CAV-1 induced hepatitis with death usually occurring only in puppies.
Some specific breeds (most notably Doberman Pinschers and certain terriers) can develop and suffer from chronic hepatitis. There is no cure for the disease and these animals will have it for the rest of their lives.
About the author: Kirsten Hawkins is a dog lover and animal expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.doghealth411.com/ for more information on dog health, the care of dogs, and dog travel.

Dog Training: What You Should Know About Using Food As Reward Training For Your Dog

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Shadow's Stuff Helps Dogs Lead Better Lives

Our furry friends also need pure and gentle skincare. No one knows this better than Spring Rain Botanicals owner, Karen McCafferty. “ As an animal lover, I always worked to help animals in any way I could. When our Shadow’s skin condition quickly worsened I knew that I could create natural skincare for him as well. ” From that moment, Shadow’s Stuff was born. Shadow was a West Highland Terrier, and had beautiful white, silky fur. As he grew order, his skin became red and itchy; soon he was chewing and itching so much that he would often bleed. As humans can acquire eczema through heredity, dogs...

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