Posts Tagged ‘Pet Health’

How To Prevent Heartworm In Dogs – The Natural Way

Geraldine Dimarco | July 24th, 2010

For most of us, we treat our pets like our own children; and it is painful to see them suffer through difficult sicknesses like heartworm. If left untreated, the infected dog will most likely die within a few months of contraction. Here are some natural heartworm preventative measures that will ensure the safety of your dog in this matter.

First of all, what is heartworm? Heartworms are parasitic worms that are transmitted to the dogs bloodstream through mosquitoes. Although not all mosquitoes transmit heartworms, when a carrier does bite the dog its larvae will transfer into the canines bloodstream reaching his vital organs. As you can imagine, this will be terminal for the dog when the contamination reaches the heart and lungs.

The fundamental natural heartworm prevention tip is to ensure that your pet is supplied with fresh food. A good diet translates to a good immune system, which in turn wards off infections internally. Commercial food in the market contain processed chemicals that weaken this immune system; so give raw meat, vegetables and fruits and avoid food with artificial flavoring and excessive sugar.

Mosquitoes are not likely to bite animals that are healthy. Consequently, to avoid being infected with mosquitoes, develop the factors that will strengthen your dogs immune system. Take special care of the liver because it functions to store vitamins and minerals needed, as well as eliminates toxic substances from the system. Moreover, avoid stress and artificial medication that brings in chemicals into your dog.

Another essential natural heartworm prevention tip is to make sure your dog has regular exercise. Engage in fun physical activities with your pet. Not only will it give you quality time, it will be good for his health as well. What exercise does is improve their heart and circulatory system. The red blood cells take oxygen throughout the body while the white blood cells fight any infection that tries to latch itself on the host. If your pet has a healthy heart, adult heartworms will find it difficult to implant itself in it.

If you live in a place where heartworms are more common than average, have regular check-ups with the vet to see if your pet has contracted any kind of sickness. You can find out if the animal has been infected through administering a simple blood test. Do not give synthetic drugs of any form to your pet unless your vet strongly recommends that he does. Otherwise, the chemicals will do more damage in the long run.

It is definitely better to employ natural heartworm preventative measures than have a pet infected with heartworm. Medicines that are known to cure this infection are highly toxic because they serve to kill the heartworms, not prevent it. Because it is a form of insecticide, frequent doses of it, however small it may start with, will be bad for the other organs of the dog as well.

Animals that are lethargic and have lost a lot of weight might already have heartworm. Other symptoms include coughing and difficulty in breathing. If you find these in your pet, visit the vet as soon as possible.

Excellent natural heartworm prevention articles have been written by dog expert Geraldine Dimarco to help pet owners in ensuring the health of their dogs. Click on this website to find out about effective natural heartworm preventative measures anybody can use.

The Safe, Practical And Effective Side Of Dog Arthritis Medicine

Geraldine Dimarco | July 20th, 2010

Quick trivia: Arthritis is not a new ailment specific only to humans. Dinosaurs from way back suffered from this degenerative and painful disease even before we even knew about it. Interesting right? Yes, we are not the only species that suffer from arthritis. Many times, our pets succumb to this as well.

Canine and human arthritis are very similar with each other. It’s a condition that is caused by impaired joints or the cartilages surrounding the joints. This results in inflammation of the joints and muscles that are very painful to the animal. Usually, arthritis is contracted simply because of the wear and tear that comes with old age so be especially careful when your pet reaches 10 years old. The good thing is a dog arthritis medicine is easily available for you to access.

While we said that the common cause of this ailment is age, other forms of arthritis arise in the younger dogs as well. When the puppy’s front legs are injured, or when they get a sickness that aggravates the condition of their health, arthritis can soon ensue. You must be aware of these symptoms so you can detect it early on and hinder it from further progressing.

Symptoms of arthritis are lethargy, whining or pain when you touch them, decreased movement or if they seem like their physique is shrinking. These symptoms are fairly similar to dog Lyme disease so endeavor to obtain an accurate diagnosis right away so you can find the right pet arthritis medicine for your pet immediately.

When your hound has been examined as to the sickness that he has, you should have not only the correct pet arthritis medicine, you also need to plan his healthiest lifestyle. This means you must create the right diet, rich in vitamins and nutrients that will aid him fight the effects of this disease.

In humans, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C have greatly helped those with arthritis. It is said that the same benefits will carry over to the arthritic canine. Include a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits and fish oils in his food and add herbs that will detoxify the dogs system. Examples of these are alfalfa, yucca, mussels and stinging nettles.

Popular dietary supplements used for arthritis are Chondroitin Sulphate and Glucosamine Sulphate. These serve to provide the much needed lubrication in the dog’s joints. Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are also prescribed to help alleviate the discomfort caused by arthritis. NSAIDs are often taken in conjunction with supplements recommended by your veterinarian.

Because human arthritis is very much like those of canines, many people make the mistake of using the same cures to treat their dogs disease. A dog arthritis medicine is not the same in terms of frequency and dosage assigned to the specific animal. You need to ask a licensed vet regarding the right medicine to give him to ensure his best health.

Pet owners are searching for the pet arthritis medicine that will bring relief to their suffering dog’s condition. Look no further! HealthyHappyDogs.com gives you the safest and most effective dog arthritis medicine that veterinarians recommend.