Knowledgebase
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Affenpinscher The Affenpinscher is a pert little fellow often called the monkey dog because of his big, bright eyes, bushy eyebrows, prominent chin and hair tufts about the face. His coat is shaggy but hard and wiry, his tail is docked and carried straight up. Ears stand erect when cropped. The breed has been known in Europe for three centuries. |
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Airedale Terrier The Airedale originated about a century ago in England's Valley of the Aire. Produced by crossing the now extinct Old English Terrier with the Otterhound, he was used for hunting otter, fox, badger and rats. he is upstanding, squarely built, with long head and powerful jaw, a hard, wiry coat, and high-carried docked tail. |
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Alaskan Malamute The Alaskan Malamute is an old breed of arctic sled dog names after the Malamute tribe in Alaska. in recent years they have been used for racing and in polar expeditions. they are big and sturdy, with a thick, fairly short coat, erect triangular-shaped ears, slant eyes and unusual face markings consisting of cap and mask. The tail is carried over the back. |
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Colds The dog kept in a heated house may catch head colds brought on by drafts, auto riding and sudden changes of temperature. Eyes and nose run, the dog shivers and perhaps coughs but does not show much rise in temperature. The thin mucous discharges may be cleared away, and the eyes and nose wiped with boric acid solution. Give a mild purgative like milk or magnesia, from one teaspoonful to one tablespoonful according to size. If you have an ultraviolet lamp and are experienced in using it, you might try it for your dog's cough and colds. |
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Dog Bites If you are bitten by a dog, wash the area thoroughly with tincture of green soap and water and cover the wound with sterile gauze. The bite of a clean and healthy dog need be no more serious than any other minor cut. However, if the dog is vicious and/or unknown to you, as in the case of a stray dog, the wise course is to see your physician immediately. |
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Dandruff Not at all unusual in a dry scaliness like dandruff in man. Brushing will raise many dusty little scales. This may be caused by too much washing which dries out the coat's natural oil; it may also be caused by not enough rinsing after the bath. The remaining soap dries and irritates the skin. A little coconut oil, olive oil or castor oil massaged into the skin usually helps. The larger dog may be rubbed all over with linseed oil or with a dressing made especially for dogs. |
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Distemper Pustules Often during the course of distemper little pustules appear on the abdomen. They will disappear when the disease has run its course. Meantime, keep them soft with Vaseline. |
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Eczema Eczema is one of the more serious skin troubles. Remove the cause, whatever it may be-external parasites, dirty bedding, overheating, too strong soaps, and use a healing ointment. The skin should return to normal in a week or two. |
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Hookworms Hookworms are tiny and increase very rapidly. Formerly they were found only in the South, but they are now fairly common in the North as well. They hook into the dog's intestinal walls where they suck the blood. Symptoms are pale gums and eye-rims, loss of weight and blood-streaked diarrhea. Treatment for hookworm in puppies is the same as that for round worms. Most of the leading manufacturer's produce capsules for treatment of both round and hook. It is necessary for a veterinarian to treat your dog. The new injection treatment is very effective. |
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Hard Pad Disease Hard pad is thought to be caused by the distemper virus and has not been identified as a separate disease. It is a virus which can attack through the air or by contact, but unlike infectious hepatitis does not seem to be spread by recovered patients. It is practically impossible, especially for the layman, to tell it from distemper until the foot-pads begin to harden. Instead of their normally rubbery texture, the pads become thickened and so hard that the feet click on certain surfaces. Vaccination against distemper is the best protection. |
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Heartworms Heartworms is common in mosquito country since it comes from an infected mosquito's bite. It is also carried by fleas. Heartworms can be discovered only by microscopic examination of a blood sample from the suspected dog. The tiny organisms live in the blood stream and from there go the heart where they mature. If present in large numbers, they clog the blood flow. The first symptom, therefore, may be exhaustion following exercise when the dog gasps for breath and perhaps collapses. Ordinary worm medicines have no effect. Diagnosis and treatment cannot be done by the amateur. See your veterinarian. |
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Infectious Hepatitis Infectious Hepatitis in dogs is a disease of the liver caused by a virus. Like distemper, it affects young dogs most often, though it can strike dogs of any age. The mortality rate is higher in puppies. It is not the same as the infectious hepatitis or epidemic jaundice which attacks human beings. It is not air-borne but is caught by contact with saliva and the urine of infected animals. In fact, the urine of the infected animal is dangerous for some time following recovery. The disease lasts a short time, sometimes only a few days. |
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Leptospirosis Leptospirosis is not a virus like distemper and canine hepatitis but is a spirochete transmitted by rats. Not only a rat bit, but even drinking water infected by rat urine, give this rapid-killing disease to a dog. Because it acts very rapidly, immunization is a must. It can be given at the same time as the other puppy shots. |
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Mange Mange is caused by a particular and pernicious parasite. The veterinarian identifies it by examining skin scrapings under a microscope. Sarcoptic mange sets up an intolerable itching, causing the dog to bite and scratch. It spreads rapidly and strips the skin of hair. Follicular mange is less itchy, but more serious. Just when it seems cured it may break out again. |
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Pneumonia Pneumonia may follow other diseases, or it may be an independent inflammation of the lungs. Although caused by a microbe, it may be caused by sudden changes of temperature, or by exposure to cold and dampness-particularly damp sleeping quarters. Listlessness and loss of appetite will probably be noticed first. The temperature may rise rapidly to 104 or 105 degrees, with a husky cough and a very shallow, raspy breathing. Often the nostrils are pinched and the eyes strained as breathing becomes difficult. Get your do to the veterinarian immediately. |
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Rabies There has been so much talk about rabies that many people believe it is much more common that is usually the case. As a matter of fact, rabies is a very rare disease in dogs. It is not limited to summer although it seems to occur more often in warm weather. This is probably because dogs roam more during summer months. Rabies, or "hydrophobia", is caused by a virus. It comes from saliva of an infected animal and in no other way. Rabid animals can infect other animals by biting them, although bitten animals do not always get the disease. This means that your dog will not get rabies unless he is actually bitten by a rabid animal, or infected by the animal's saliva through an open wound. |
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Round worms Round worms are |
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Tapeworms Spread by flea, the tapeworm can be seen with the naked eye as flesh-colored and squared-shaped when they leave the rectum. They become dry and brownish, and look like grains of rice, in the air. You may find a few sticking to the dog's bed or around his rectum. This parasite may be several feet long and continue to grow unless the head part is eliminated. It causes vomiting, restlessness, and irritation at the rectum which the dog often drags over the floor. Other symptoms include pale gums and eye-rims, loss of weight, dull hair, and diarrhea. Strong medicine is necessary to fully remove the tapeworm. The usual treatment is to worm at least twice, two weeks apart. |
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Whipworms Usually about two inches in length, the whipworm is round and tapered. Since they live principally in the cecum (something like our appendix) they are not easily discovered, and because they are deep inside the intestines, a series of treatments is usually required. Whipworms causes loss of weight, anemia, foul smelling diarrhea, nervousness and convulsions. It is not as common as round and hook worm but if neglected can be fatal. Treatment is sometimes a series of injections. Surgery to remove the cecum has also been used. There is now a tablet which has proved effective and safe. Let your veterinarian decide which treatment is the best. |
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