Fern's Guide to Pet Care

Grrr!! There’s that horrible “V” word again! I keep asking Master not to use it. Still, I get a biscuit after he’s finished pulling me about, so it can’t be all bad! At least I don’t get carted off there every time I have to bring something back. Hope this is useful – make sure your humans read it.

Dogs have a number of health problems that are, normally, not serious. Being sick is one of the more common ones. And I’m sure every dog owner knows, and recognises, that hacking sound which means your dog is about to be sick. What can we do about this? Well, of course, the first thing is to rapidly get the dog outside, or stick a thick wad of newspaper under his nose so the carpet doesn’t get ruined.

And what causes dogs to be sick? Well, it can be any one of a number of causes, most of which don’t mean the dog is actually ill. He (or she) may have eaten something that didn’t agree with them. And that doesn’t mean you should throw out the dog food, either. Pretty well every dog will pick up and eat things that he comes across on his travels. Most of these are harmless, but sometimes a dog will eat something he shouldn’t, and a short time later, back it comes. “But I never allow my dog to pick things up and eat them,” you protest. But do you watch your dog every moment of every day?

There are other things that may cause a dog to be sick, as well. Something may just have tickled the back of his throat. He may have picked up a loose hair that was shed from his coat. If he eats grass, and most dogs do, from time to time, then a slightly longer blade may also have tickled his throat. In fact some people believe that a dog will graze when A his tummy is not feeling so comfortable, perhaps in the hope of this very result.

Remember that, for a dog, being sick is not the distressing event it is for a human. Most of us are only sick when we are really ill.

Of course, if the sickness is more than a one-off event, then it does indicate something is really amiss with the dog. That means it’s time to take a deep breath, dig into your pockets, and call the vet.

If your dog is sick, be calm and don’t make a great deal of fuss about it. This is your dog is probably not in the slightest distressed by the event. They have a tendency to do the equivalent of shrug their shoulders, say “Bother” and get on with the day. But if the human, the Alpha member of the pack, starts making a big palaver about the fact that the dog has been sick, then the dog will be distressed, wondering what he’s done wrong.

There are, of course, lots of other minor afflictions your dog may suffer from. Here is a book which will give you advice on how to cope with them.

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Grrrrr!! I told Master that he mustn’t use the dreaded “v” word. Though I suppose it would be difficult to talk about dog health without using it. Good hints and tips, though. Those ticks can be really uncomfortable in the wrong place. Wags!!

Dog health care is such a vast realm that you really need specific problems to focus on. Among the more general dog health care problems, though, are fleas, worms and other parasites. If these are not promptly taken care of, other troubles may result. Worms and external parasites sap the dog’s of nutrients and energy. Don’t forget that one of the major problems that neglected dogs suffer from, dog health care providers tell us,  is the scale of their parasitic infestation.

Puppies need worming as early as two or three weeks with and again at four or six weeks of age. Unless your breeding them, though, this should be done long before the puppy comes to your home. Dog health care specialists claim that puppies don’t become immune to worms until they reach the age of six months. They also say that the worm larvae can pass from mother to puppies.

Fleas are another dog health care problem we need to discuss. They have been accused of carrying tapeworm eggs and infesting their host with them. Fleas and lice, though, are relatively easy to deal with; thanks to the many shampoos, collars or special treatments like Frontline, this dog health care issue has become piece of cake. Anti-flea sprays, powders, collars or any other products can be purchased from many pet care shops.

Ticks are another problem you need to be wary of if you walk your dog in the countryside. A long-term anti-parasite treatment (such as a flea collar or Frontline) will keep your dog clear of these pests, but if you rely on shampoos, keep checking the skin for unexpected ‘bumps’ or ‘spots’. Ticks can be carefully removed with tweezers and a little drop of something to paralyse them, but if you don’t know what you are doing get your vet to help you.

If you need to wash your dog, by the way, used a dog shampoo, not the one you use on your hair.  A human shampoo will take all the grease out of your dog’s fur. This means your dog’s skin will have to secrete extra amounts of oil to compensate.

Make sure that you keep your dog away from potentially harmful substances – like human chocolate, surprisingly enough. Dog health care specialists point out that rapid intervention in poisoning cases is crucial in saving the animal’s life. If you think your dog may have ingested some toxic chemical, try to give it some fresh milk as a first aid measure and call your vet immediately. For more dog health care tips you can read this guide:

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