1- If your dog is unconscious and is not breathing and has not heartbeat, administer CPR and call your veterinarian as soon as possible. CPR is a combination of mouth to nose resuscitation and cardiac massage.

1) Mouth to nose resuscitation:

1. Step 1: Remove any mucus or foreign material from mouth. Pull tongue forward.
2. Step 2: If dog is unconscious, place your mouth over the nostrils and blow a steady stream of air for 2 or 3 seconds. Watch for the chest to rise.
3. Step 3: Pause for 2 to 3 seconds to allow air to exit lungs. Continue until normal breathing resumes, which may take as long as an hour. Feel for heartbeat and apply cardiac massage if needed.

2) Cardiac Massage: If dog is unconscious and has no heartbeat, apply cardiac massage.

- Step 1: Place hand on chest behind elbow and press gently but firmly. Do this five or six times at one second intervals.

- Step 2: Alternate massage with breath from your artificial respiration. Try for 10 minutes.

3) Draining water from your dog’s lungs:

- Step 1: If dog is motionless, first clear any discharge from nose and mouth and pull tongue forward.

- Step 2: To drain water form dog’s lungs, hold the animal by its hind legs and gently swing it back and forth.

4) Moving an Injured Dog: If you suspect that a dog has a fracture, handle the dog so as to cause minimum disturbance. This is especially important if there a fracture of the spine, as sudden movement can lead to paralysis. Check that the airway is not blocked before moving the dog. Do not attempt to apply a splint yourself as this may cause unnecessary stress and waste valuable time. Get the dog to a veterinarian immediately.

a) Moving a large dog: Carefully place dog on a board or stretcher, without twisting the body

b) Moving a small dog: Carefully lift dog with both hands to support the whole body. Try to let the fractured limb dangle.

Back Pain: Just like people dogs suffer from back problems. One of the first signs of back pains is a reluctance to climb stairs or to jump up onto furniture. Your dog may also cry out in pain when touched or lifted. Treatment for muscle soreness usually consists of strict rest, muscle relaxants and a course of anti-inflammatory drugs. Severe disk disease requires immediate surgery.

Arthritis: Osteoarthritis. also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis occurring in dogs. It may affect any joint and is very common in older dogs. Arthritis may develop because of an inherited malformation (such a hip dysplasia), an old injury of from normal wear and tear. Treatment may be a combination of anti inflammatory medication (such as buffered aspirin) proper exercise and weigh reduction.

Canine arthritis is more common that you may think. It can affect dogs of any age, breed or sex. In fact, studies have shown that as many as 1 in 5 adult dogs have arthritis. Although there is not cure, chronic arthritis pain can be managed with the help of diet, exercise, surgery and proper medication.

Constant activity can damage your dog's cartilage putting strain on joints and indulcing arthritis, a degenerative joint disease. Unfortunately, the symptoms of arthritis are easily missed and often misinterpreted. Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of the following signs:

• Trouble getting up
• Limps or lags behind
• Tires easily
• Trembles or shakes
• Climbs stairs reluctantly
• Reluctant to play

 

General Risk factors:

 

Age, Size and weight, Breed, Activity Level

 

What can you do to help manage canine arthritis?

 

Lighten their load: Diet

Get the paws in gear -- Exercise!  It's good for both you and your dog!

Older dogs also frequently cough when they have bronchitis, which is easily remedied with medication. Young toy dogs frequently cough because of a collapsing trachea, an inherited defect of their windpipe.

To prevent periodontal disease: Feed your dog dry food or hard biscuits every day and provide a hard toy or bone to chew on. Have your dog’s teeth checked once a year by your veterinarian.

a) Conjunctivitis is probably the most common cause of eye discharge and redness in dogs. Conjunctivitis is easily treated by drops or topical ointments.

b) Redness and very thick eye discharge, sometimes green, is seen in dogs who are unable to produce enough tears. Known as “dry eye” or keratoconjunctivitis, this condition can lead to permanent corneal damage and loss of vision if not treated.

c) Redness, pain and discharge may also be signs of glaucoma, a condition caused by too much pressure within the eye. Because glaucoma can rapidly lead to blindness, any dog suspected of having it must be treated immediately.

d) Cataracts, are common in dogs and may the center of the eye look white. Cataracts may be present at birth and develop with age. They are often caused by diabetes.

Bloat: Or Gastric dilatation, is a true medical emergency, requiring immediate veterinary treatment. During an episode of bloat, the stomach becomes distended with air. It may then rotate so that air cannot escape in either direction. The condition is painful and affected dogs look ill and pant heavily. If not treated early, bloat leads to shock, often followed by death. The syndrome is most common in large deep-chested dogs.

Diarrhea: All dogs get diarrhea at some point in their lives, and the most common cause is diet. Overeating or eating food that the intestines aren’t used to, will cause diarrhea, Other causes include intestinal parasite, viral diseases, food allergies, digestive disorders, kidney and liver disease and cancer.

Flatulence: Small amounts of gas are a normal product of digestion. Some dogs produce more gas than others. Flatulence is usually caused by overeating, eating too fast, poor quality diets, changing diet too rapidly or eating garbage.

Anal Sacs: The anal sacs are situated on either side of the anus, just inside the anal opening. They contain a pungent fishy smelly fluid, which is normally discharge each time a dog defecates. Unfortunately, anal sacs often become blocked or infected causing discomfort. If you see your dog dragging her hind end along your carpet or frequently licking her anal area, her anal glands are probably plugged and they might need to be empty by your veterinarian.

Lice: These biting insects are visible as they crawl over your dog’s skin. Their white eggs called “nits” are also easy to see in your dog’s hair.

Ticks: Although a tick bite itself usually causes little or no skin irritation, the danger of ticks is in the diseases they carry, such a Lyme Disease and Tick Paralysis.

Mites: These microscopic parasites live under the skin. Two of them, Demodex and Sarcoptes, cause mange. Demodex mites are found in the hair follicles of all dogs. At times, when a dog’s immunity wanes, the mites multiple and cause hair loss. Sarcopte mites are highly contagious. They burrow under the skin, causing intense scratching, crusting and hair loss, especially on the elbows and ears.

Urinary tract infections cause your dog to strain to urinate or to urinate more frequently than usual.

 Diseases of the prostrate gland in male dogs can also cause straining. In both cases the urine may appear bloody.

Bladder Stones: Some dogs develop stones in their bladder that can block the urethra making urination impossible.

Diabetes and kidney failure, both common diseases in older dogs, cause increased urination and increased thirst.

Sometimes a dog will lose urinary control without realizing it. This type of incontinence responds readily to medication, which your veterinarian can prescribe.

Each year, thousands of dogs are put to sleep in animals shelters because no one wants them. Many of these dogs are the result of accidental breeding. The only way to avoid this tragedy is to stop allowing our pets to breed and the safest and most effective way is to spay and neuter them.

Why Neuter a Male: Castration has significant health benefits for a male dog. It prevent prostate disease, a serious problem for older male dogs, and virtually eradicates the chances of testicular cancer or infection. Neutering can also modify many behavioral problems such as mounting, urine marking, fighting an roaming. Not only is your dog less likely to fight with other male dogs, but also less likely to be picked on.

Why Spay a Female: If you spay a female dog before her first heat, she has virtually no chance of developing breast cancer. Spaying  also eliminates her chances of developing cancer or infection of the uterus. Spaying also means that you won't have to contend with blood stains on your carpets and furniture from the discharge that occurs during heat.