The term Kennel Cough is misleading - this highly prevalent disease can be contracted by dogs who have never been near a kennel! Dogs can pick up the disease in a variety of situations including:
Dog Shows
Training Classes
Dog Groomers
Veterinary Clinics
Contact of any kind with other dogs
Out on walks
Passing Dogs in the street
Avoiding sources of Kennel Cough is extremely unlikely and this why it is imperative that dogs are vaccinated to help to provide protection from the disease and to help reduce the severity and frequency. All breeds of dogs are susceptible to Kennel Cough but the majority of dogs who contract the disease are those that have not been vaccinated, including young puppies.
Symptoms
Kennel Cough can be marked by some, not necessarily all, of the following symptoms:
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Dry hacking cough - described as 'honking' Wheezing Retching Described as "something caught in his throat" Watery nasal and or eye discharge Lack of appetite Lethargy Fever |
Causes
Various agents can contribute to the disease process but it is usual for Kennel Cough to be the result of more than one organism. The disease is therefore caused by several different viruses and bacteria which include:
Bordetella bronchiseptica (airborne bacteria)
Canine parainfluenza (virus)
Mycoplasma (an organism between a virus and a bacteria)
The treatment of the disease is dependent on the severity of the case but can include the use of cough suppressants, antibiotics, bronchodilators and sprays. The bedding of the dog should be washed frequently and if the dog is in a kennel strict attention should be paid to the sufficient and regular ventilation ensuring fresh air. Please also consult your vet for advice.
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EAR PROBLEMS
We see many cases of ear problems in Dogs. The important issue for you as a dog owner is always 'Is this a serious problem, or something I can safely treat myself?'
Ear canals sometimes produce too much wax. The lining epithelium is just different type of skin, so if your dog has an inflammatory skin problem such as an allergy (for example Atopic Dermatitis, Atopy or Eczema) if would be normal to see inflammation in the ear canal. This in turn creates wax. If the ear canal is narrow, or slightly twisty or is too hairy, that wax cannot escape so easily and starts to build up. It becomes a focus for bacteria and yeasts and soon you have a smelly, thickened, waxy ear infection.
The sooner you treat the problem the better. If there is wax, or the ear just looks dirty use an Ear Cleaner to clear the debris. I find Clean- aural and Epi-Otic very good for routine cleaning. Use it generously to loosen the wax and allow both air and any medication needed to penetrate to the lining epithelium.
If there is pus, pain, any loss of balance or co-ordination, or an obvious bad smell, make sure you visit your vet for a prescription medicine.
FLEAS
Fleas can now be a year round problem, thanks to central heating, comfortable houses and our love of pets…
Adult dog fleas (scientific name ctenocephalides felis – a little known fact is that the commonest flea found on dogs is actually the cat flea) don’t actually live for very long. The average life span is just 3 weeks, but during that time the female fleas will lay up to 50 eggs a day, and amazingly enough that can make up to 1000 eggs in one short life.
Under ideal conditions (a warm house with carpets, pets and people) eggs can go through their full life cycle to larvae, pupae and hatching out into new adults in as little as 3 weeks, making for a rapid population explosion if we don’t take rapid and early action.
Equally, if it is too cold, dry or quiet they can lay dormant for up to a year, hatching out when the weather warms up or even when they start to detect more movement around them. Just when you thought you’d sorted out your flea infestation….
Fleas can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions and nasty skin sores if dogs start to lick themselves excessively in an attempt to rid themselves of these parasites. Some people are also unlucky enough to be attractive to fleas and sensitive to their bites.
Luckily we now have a wide range of different products to combat the problem.
Topical spot on preparation such as Frontline, Stronghold and Advantage will over the course of 24 hours kill any fleas that are currently on your dog, and stay active in the coat for many weeks.
WORMS
Intestinal parasites or worms are common in domestic dogs. It is normal for puppies to pick up roundworms from their mothers both in the womb and then from her milk, so most reputable breeders routinely worm both the breeding bitch and her litters of puppies to minimise the transmission from one generation to the next.
Vets usually recommend that puppies are wormed every 2-4 weeks up until 6 months of age and thereafter at least once every 3 months.
Dogs that scavenge and particularly those in areas with sheep farming, may need to be wormed on a more regular basis.
Puppies with heavy infestations of intestinal roundworms (Toxacara species) may be slow growing, skinny with a pot belly and may have persistent diarrhoea or breathing problems. Whilst the worms themselves remain in the intestine, developing larvae can spread through other body tissues, forming cysts there which can hatch out sometimes years later when the dog is under physiological stress (illness or more commonly, pregnancy). This can then lead to active infection again.
SKIN
Itchy dogs, smelly dogs, scabby dogs, bald dogs, matted dogs, you name it, are a common sight at the office and many Westie owners find the whole skin issue somewhat stressful.
The skin can only react in a limited number of ways to inflammation or infection, so many skin diseases do end up looking much the same as first glance. Itching and inflammation leads to redness, hair loss, open sores and scabs, all of which can cause a great deal of distress.
The ‘Main Terms’ in canine dermatology would have to be allergy, infection and parasites:
- Allergy to flea saliva from their flea bites, Atopic dermatitis (also known as Atopy or eczema) where the allergy is to house dust mites, grass, tree and weed pollens, or food allergies which account for up to 15% of all allergy cases:
- Infection with bacteria such as staphylococcus intermedius:
- Parasites: infestations with fleas, ticks, lice, or scabies or demodex mange mites:
In addition there are numerous hormonal imbalances (for example hypothyroidism, canine cushings disease), genetic abnormalities and skin cancers. The list is long.
THE ABOVE IS INFORMATION ONLY ALWAYS CONTACT YOUR VET FOR ADVICE IF YOUR DOG IS ILL
