CARE OF SENIOR DOG

Veterinary care for older dogs:-


The healthier we can keep a dog when he is young, the more likely he will be healthy as he grows older. His vaccinations, deworming, nutrition, dental care and parasite control will have a direct effect on his current health.



1. Physical examination – Older dogs should be checked thoroughly and regularly at least twice a year. You must tell your veterinarian about any conditions you have observed and evaluated. You can ask your veterinarian during an examination if you have any queries.



Physical examination should include following:-



a. Oral and dental examination – It should include an examination of mouth, teeth, gums, tongue and throat.



b. Ophthalmic exam – Routine procedure may include eye examination for any initial signs of cataracts, glaucoma or dry eye.



c. Rectal exam – It is an important part of a physical examination for a dog. Vet will examine the inner pelvic area, lymph nodes, prostate gland and urinary system parts.



d. Hair and coat – Your vet will check for the skin, coat and hair condition.



e. Parasites – it should include an examination of the skin and ears for any sign of external parasites. A fecal examination should be done to find out any internal parasite, if present.



f. Vaccinations – It is important to keep your dog up-to-date on his vaccinations as the older dogs have less immunity towards infectious diseases.



g. Blood test – The blood should be tested for hemogram, liver function test, kidney function test, etc.



h. Blood Bio-chemistry – These tests will include the evaluation of various chemicals, enzymes, proteins, hormones and different electrolytes.



i. Radiographs – the chest and abdomen radiographs are useful to find out any signs of disease.



j. Diagnostic tests – Different diagnostic tests like endoscopy, ultrasound and electro surgery can be used to diagnose any heath problem.

k. Pain management – Pain killers can be used in older dogs to make them comfortable.

TURTLE - EYE INFLAMMATION

This turtle has swollen eyes and was not able to open his eyes due to pain. complete history revealed that one day the direct water supply was used instead of filetered one. on that day the chlorine content in the water was too high and the skin of turtle turned pink with in few minutes of exposure to chlorinated water. Chlorinated water was the source of this eye condition. Treatment was given and the turtle recovered very well.
always check the temperature of water and the amount of chlorine in the water to take care of your pets.

MALIGNANT TUMOR - DOG

german shepherd dog had minor injury on the fore limb. it went unnoticed but dog started limping quite often and even radiograph showed no visible bone injury. After few months the limping was quite painful to dog. At that time radiograph showed some impressions over the joint and dog was put on pain killers. But this didn't help the dog. Finally biopsy was sent to the lab for histopathology and it confirmed the maligant mesenchymal carcinoma. Few more radiographs were done to find out the spread of cancer and prognosis at this stage. But it was too late to help the poor dog and pain was too much to him. Only good thing is that dog is full of life and want to fight with the end.

SYMPTOMS OF EAR INFECTION

Infection of the outer ear canal by parasitic organisms like bacteria and yeast is common in cases of canine ear infections. The condition is medically known as Otitis Externa.
Symptoms:-
Bad odor in ears
Black or yellow discharge from ears
Lethargy and irritation
Scratching or rubbing of head and ears
Signs of painful or tender ears
Visible redness in ear flap or canal
Vigorously shaking the head or tilting it to one side

DOG WITH PAINFUL LIMP

This is the radiograph of a pug which was having tremendous pain due to femur head problem. He was not able to walk properly. The dog was operated upon to relieve the problem and finally he was free from the pain and is living a healthy and pain free life.

Hygroma in a dog

A hygroma is a false bursa that occurs over bony prominences and pressure points, especially in large breeds of dogs. Repeated friction or trauma from lying on hard surfaces produces an inflammatory response, which results in a dense-walled, fluid-filled cavity. A soft, fluctuant, painless swelling develops over pressure points, especially the olecranon. If long-standing, severe inflammation may develop, and ulceration, infection, and fistulas may be present. The bursa contains a clear, yellow to red fluid.

Hygromas can be prevented by providing soft bedding, or beds made of orthopedic foam. Animals recovering from surgery should be turned from side to side multiple times during the day.

NAIL FUNGUS PROBLEM IN YOUR DOG

FUNGAL INFECTION - One cause of nail fungus is a specific type of fungi called dermatophytes. Another cause of nail fungus are yeast, which is also a common fungi.
Dermatophytes and yeasts cause nail fungus by eating away at keratin, the main protein that makes up our fingernails, toenails, hair, and skin. The nails try to produce keratin at a faster rate, causing it to thicken and eventually detach from the nail bed. Other effects will include nail discoloration, inflammation of the skin around the infected nails, pain, and a foul odor.
These effects are certainly not pleasant. Your dog will have difficulty in walking and playing. This condition is not easy to cure and should not be ignored as later on there can be major problems.

Intussusception in dog - could be serious as well.

Intussusception can be quite a painful experience for your dog, as your dog will not eat or drink and can be easily mixed up with many other more common conditions such as dog constipation or straining to pass feces.
This is normally harmless to your dog long but as the contractions of the vomiting or diarrhea get worse then the muscles in the lower intestines contract so hard that they overlap each other or go inside each other.
After the overlapping process has happened, the following food that is being passed through the intestines becomes trapped in the overlapped part.
This is not a very common occurrence in dogs but may cause constant retching to vomit. Surgery is usually the way to fix intussusception by going into the effected area and pulling the two overlapping part apart and releasing and removing the contained waste to ensure a normal passage in the future.
This procedure should always be dealt with by a vet and ask for further guidance which usually results in a check-up to identify the condition.

Neurofibroma in a dog on chest cavity

Neurofibroma is a benign nerve sheath tumor in the peripheral nervous system, a genetically-inherited disease, and can result in physical disfiguration and pain to cognitive disability. Neurofibromas arise from Schwann cells. Neurofibromas have been subdivided into two broad categories: dermal and plexiform. Dermal are associated with a single peripheral nerve, while plexiform are associated with multiple nerve bundles.

Dermal Neurofibromas
Dermal neurofibromas continue to increase in number and size throughout life. They look like lumps on or under the skin.

Plexiform Neurofibromas
Plexiform neurofibromas are often congenital defects, and can be very large and can cause pain, disfigurement, neurological and other clinical deficits. These tumors are commonly treated with surgical removal. Dermal neurofibromas are not usually removed unless they are painful or disfiguring, because there are generally so many of them and they are not dangerous.

These are the photos of a street pet dog and i have already written about her story. I feel so sorry for her as she came to me in quite late stages. CT scan revealed that growth was deeply attached with intercostal muscles and was deeply rooted in the thoracic cavity. i tried but couldn't help her too much.

DENTAL DISEASES - TARTAR,PLAQUE

Dogs and cats can get most of the dental problems i.e. dental plaque tartar, gum and tooth disease.

Dental plaque is a sticky substance that covers the teeth consisting of bacteria, saliva, food particles and epithelial cells. Plaque builds up on the tooth surface every day and when left undisturbed the plaque can mineralize in less than 2 days to develop into tartar.

Dental tartar is a thin sheet that covers teeth consisting of food particles and other organic matter. The continued build-up of tartar can produce an environment for growth of certain types of bacteria that may be more destructive and also produce a more noticeable odor. This can lead periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease - it is a very common infectious disease caused by bacteria that make up plaque. Symptoms of periodontal disease include bad breath, and red or inflamed gums. Increased salivation, pawing at or rubbing the face can be indications of oral pain.

Prevention is daily brushing that will remove the plaque and prevent the tartar and eventual periodontal disease.

Hot Spot in dogs

Acute moist dermatitis or hot spots are red, moist and painful sores that occur due to intense scratching and biting at the skin. Dogs will start scratching because of fleas or allergies and open the skin for bacterial growth and a hot spot develops. These hot spots can become very large and grow quickly.
Commonly affected breeds are Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd Dog, and Saint Bernard.
Symptoms - The spots are red, hot, moist, and painful. The dog will bite and itch at a spot until they inflict this trauma. Hair loss will start to occur over the area, that is when many owners first see the sore.
Treatment of hot spot -
The hair around the sore needs to be clipped so that air and medication can reach the wound. The clipped area should include the wound itself as well as the edges of the lesion. If the wound is large and the dog seems to be in pain, sedation may need to be used.
The wound should be cleansed and rinsed thoroughly with water.
The original problem needs to be treated. Antibiotics are sometimes needed to help speed healing.
The dog needs to stop itching the spot, this may mean using an Elizabethan collar.
Treatment can be done at home but these spots are very painful and dogs can bite their owners if in pain.

my article

Title: Evaluation of pentazocine lactate as a postoperative analgesic in dogs.Personal Authors: Geeta, Jit Singh, Vandana Sangwan, Sandeep Gera, Garg, S. L.Author Affiliation: Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, College of Veterinary Sciences, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004, India.Editors: No editorsDocument Title: Haryana VeterinarianAbstract:
Studies were done on 12 healthy female dogs brought for ovariohysterectomy as an elective surgery. Surgery was done through a right flank incision under atropine-xylazine-ketamine anaesthesia. In six animals pentazocine lactate (2 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly preoperatively while another six animals received this drug at the same dose rate immediately after completion of surgery. A numerical rating scale using several behavioural parameters was used to assess pain. Mean total pain scores indicated that pentazocine (2 mg/kg) effectively controls the moderate postoperative pain caused by ovariohysterectomy. The blockade of pain appears to be slightly better in those animals where pentazocine was administered preoperatively. It appears that determination of plasma cortisol concentration can be a useful tool to assess the intensity of pain. The results also indicated that if moderate pain caused by a surgical procedure is effectively controlled in first 24 postoperative hours, subsequent administration of analgesic drug may not be required.Publisher: College of Veterinary Sciences, Haryana Agricultural University

Ear infection in your dog

For ear infection, the vet should always be consulted so that the right treatment therapy is provided to your pet. The cure of ear infection start the moment it is diagnosed. Otherwise, the condition may worsen. Ear infection is one major health concern and all dog owners should be well-informed about this.
The infection can be outer, middle, and inner ear infections. The primary symptoms are foul-smelling wax discharges, swelling, redness, pain, and inflammation. Affected dog will be either shaking or cocking its head frequently and at an unusual angle. It may also rub its ear because of irritation. In worse cases, dogs may develop balance problems and hearing impairment due to the disease.
Causes of ear infection -

it is due to either bacteria or yeasts or both. Mites may cause this disease as well. if your dog has some external parasites, be sure that you do what it takes to eliminate them from your pet's body. Allergies, underlying diseases, and foreign objects may trigger the problem as well.
it is strongly advised that you don't just buy over-the-counter medications as they may not necessarily help your pets. Instead, take your dog to the vet and follow his advice.

Dog owners should be more concerned on how to prevent ear infections. Regular grooming and proper hygiene can help a lot.

If left untreated, ear infection could lead to a complex health concerns for your dog. The bottom line is that simple ear infection can develop into diseases with complications are next to impossible to reverse. And these diseases shouldn't have occurred in your beloved pets, if you were only there to give them the necessary medical attention.
So the next time you see your pet irritable, scratching its ears often, and has abnormally high ear wax excretion, better be ready to take it to the vet.

no words to say for such a disgusting act

It was Friday morning when i was sipping hot tea in chilling weather of Delhi. I was looking at my four legged friends at jeevashram and thinking how beautiful life these animals have.. they have caring families or jeevashram. they just have to do little activity to please us to get those tasty treats.
Well this day dreaming suddenly shifted to a chaos was happening at the main door of jeevashram.
We rushed to the main gate and i almost cried out for help, i saw a female dog in a bad state. the dog was in severe pain when brought to jeevashram. Some one had forcefully inserted the nail driver into her vagina. the screw driver was visible from outside (vulvar lips) but was difficult to pull it.. We rushed and took her directly to the X-ray room to take the radiographs and to find out the length of driver.nail and screw were visible and apparently look quite long. finally we prepared the dog for surgery under general anesthesia. we took linea alba approach to operate the dog. we gave incision on vagina to expose the tool and with great difficulty we were able to take out the whole nail driver. we sutured the vagina part and the spayed the dog. she is still in trauma and is afraid of people and other animals. she is on fluid therapy, antibiotics and pain killer drugs.today she had food as well.

i don't have words to express my anger towards such a horror.......

God may give peace to all humans and animals and definitely He is there to teach a lesson to such cruel people.

WHAT IS ANIMAL SEXUAL ABUSE?
Animal sexual abuse, often referred to as bestiality*, is the sexual molestation of an animal by a human. This kind of animal abuse includes a wide range of behaviors such as vaginal, anal, or oral penetration; fondling; oral-genital contact; penetration using an object; and killing or injuring an animal for sexual gratification. Animal sexual abuse may or may not include physical violence other than the sexual violation; and may or may not result in physical injury to the animal. Animal sexual abuse, like rape, is the eroticization of violence, control, and exploitation.

WHO SEXUALLY ABUSES ANIMALS?
Although there has been little research to date on animal sexual abuse and its perpetrators, case reports and anecdotal accounts indicate that men are the primary abusers, although
women and children may be forced or coerced into sexual acts with animals or may be abusers themselves. Reports indicate a wide age range of abusers. Abusers may feel isolated, insecure, and powerless. They may have difficulty in forming healthy interpersonal relationships with other adult humans and may have experienced neglect, physical abuse or sexual abuse as a child. Some may suffer from mental illness.
WHY DO PEOPLE SEXUALLY ABUSE ANIMALS?
People sexually abuse animals for a variety of reasons. Many abusers fall into one or more of the categories below (adapted from Carol Adams, 1995):
1. Opportunistic/Experimental: This type of abuse is often viewed as the act of a curious youth or a lonely man. These individuals may seek out animals for sexual gratification because animals are accessible, vulnerable, and non-threatening. They may abuse an animal out of boredom, insecurity, curiosity or as a substitute for a human partner. This type of abuser becomes accustomed to the idea that it is acceptable to exploit and control others for his/her own sexual gratification.
2. Fixated/Primary: In this category of animal sexual abuse, animals are the primary or exclusive focus of a human's sexual desires. These abusers often refer to themselves as "zoophiles". Some individuals may have species or gender preferences and use pornography involving animals. They defend their sexual abuse of animals as "consensual", claiming it benefits their "partners", and characterize their behavior as "loving". The rationalizations used to justify their actions are the same as those used by pedophiles, and, as in the case of victims of pedophiles, the claimed motivations don't matter to the victims. Just as pedophiles may seek out employment in child-related fields, this type of animal sexual abuser may seek out employment in animal-related fields in order to have access to numerous potential victims.
3. Domineering/Sadistic: Batterers, rapists and pornographers may force women, children, and other vulnerable individuals to have sex with animals in order to humiliate, dominate, control, and exploit the human and animal victims. Children who have been sexually abused may act out their abuse on animals in an attempt to gain a sense of control. Some
people may derive sexual gratification from the pain and suffering inflicted while sexually abusing animals. This type of sadistic sexual abuser will probably injure or kill the animal.
Any type of animal sexual abuse can involve the use of force and physical violence and may result in the intentional or unintentional death of the animal.
WHAT ANIMALS ARE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE?
Cases of sexual abuse of animals include many species, both domestic and wild. Dogs and horses are the most frequently mentioned targets. Their availability and status as companions may make them likely victims. Dogs may be acquired from free-to-good home advertisements, pet shops, breeders, animal shelters or as strays. Animals who are kept outside, such as dogs, horses, cows, sheep, chickens, may be abused by "fence-jumpers" who trespass to gain access to animal victims. Wildlife in captivity, such as those in roadside zoos, may also be vulnerable to abusers.

urinary bladder calculi in a dog

this is a case of urinary bladder calculi in a female dog. one of the stone blocked the bladder neck and dog was in very severe pain. it was operated as an emergency case and all the stones were removed. finally the dog is perfectly ok.

a GSD with osetosarcoma

its about a beautiful GSD, male about 8 years old. he is so intelligent but the only problem is that it is having a malignant bony cancer. he cant walk properly and always lifts the hind limb as it is so painful for him. the femur bone lysis has occurred and now it has spread to other limbs also. what a pity. if he takes pain killers drugs , he just vomits blood. so he is on injectables, at least will get some relief from pain. but what is going to happen finally.......... even the owners are prepared for it......how the God can be so cruel to some.......