Joint disease can be a problem faced by many dogs. Hip dysplasia is the most common that people are familiar with as a cause of rear limb lameness. Its front limb counterpart is elbow dysplasia. Elbow dysplasia has only been recognized as a disease in dogs in the last 10 to 15 years or so, whereas hip dysplasia has been diagnosed for the last 30 to 40 years. Dysplasia means a developmental abnormality, it can...

Canine Infectious Hepatitis By Ron Swerdfiger www.web-rover.com What is Canine Infectious Hepatitis? The word hepatitis refers to an inflamation of the liver. First reported in 1947, Canine Infectious Hepatitis (CIH), is a caused by canine adenovirus. Almost every dog will come in contact with the virus at least once in their life time. The virus may pass through the dog, causing little to no adverse effects,...

Caninie Genetics and Health Testing: What do I need to know? You don’t need a degree in genetics, or even a college course, to understand the basics of health testing in dogs. Every aspect of any dog’s physical being began as contributions from it’s parent’s bodies,carried in their genetic code. As an example, there are certain health conditions in Golden Retrivers, Poodles and Labradors...

Canine Distemper By Ron Swerdfiger www.web-rover.com What is Canine Distemper? Canine distemper is a highly contagios disease caused by a virus (paramyxovirus) which attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervus systems of dogs. Although dogs are the most commonly affected, Canine Distemper is also seen in foxes, ferrets, mink and many other carnivores. These infected animals are often the cause of the...

The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a highly contagious disease in dogs known as distemper. Dogs who contract distemper suffer damage to their gastrointestinal, central nervous and respiratory systems. Distemper is incurable and often fatal.Puppies between the ages of three and six months are most susceptible to the disease, although older dogs and other carnivorous mammals can also contract distemper. At...

Canine Bloat By Ron Swerdfiger www.web-rover.com What is Canine Bloat? Bloat refers to the bloating of the stomach. Essentially it is a build up of gas in the stomach which is unable to be released. Bloat with Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) occurs when the stomach fills with gas and twists 180 to 360 degrees on it’s axis between the esophagus and duodenum or the entrance and exit parts of the stomach....

Before you decide to give your dog canine arthritis medicine you should understand what arthritis is and why medication will ease your dogs symptoms.Arthritis in dogs is just like in humans, it is when a joint becomes inflamed. It can be very painful, swell and become hard to move. Dogs can have different types of arthritis also. Before just giving your dog any type of medication you find at the store, you should...

Canine Allergies – Does your dog have an Allergy?Did you know that your dog can have allergies, just like you?The most common dog allergy is itching of the skin. Their respiratory tract can also be affected causing them to wheeze, sneeze, and/or cough. You may even notice a discharge from their eyes and nose. In some cases, the digestive system can be affected which will cause them to vomit or have diarrhea.In...

Last week the drug manufacturer Merck pulled their pain reliefmedication Vioxx (rofecoxib) from the market due to studieslinking higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes to longterm use of their medication. The highly profitable medicinewas aimed at Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferers and others whoweren’t able to stomach aspirin, which is arguably moreeffective than Vioxx is for most pain relief. Top...

Most of pet owners know that their much loved four-legged members of the family come with a lot of personality and unique, sometimes almost human-like behavior. For instance, my cat would act as a peacemaker when she smells the human fight. If I become angry and start raising my voice during the conversation with someone, she would just jump on my legs and slightly scratch me in an attempt to cool me off. I...