I have tried to make this section just as a first aid for those looking for some basic information about the most common dog problems (parasites, vaccination), or those associated with conditions that put the dog's life at risk (gastric torsion). Yet I am not a medical specialist, the texts and advice below are only informative – in any case if your dog has any problems you should always consult a veterinarian. Myself, I’d rather go to see the vet twice for nothing than once too late (better to be safe than sorry). Here is my advice: a good vet will always give you their number where you can reach them day and night, i.e. also outside the office hours. You should always keep their number in your phone contacts, as unfortunately, you never know when you will need it :-(
(Translated from: www.vetkom.cz and www.rkcr.cz) Canine hip dysplasia is a common condition of a number of dog breeds, particularly large and middle-sized breeds. It is characterised by a disruption of hip joint caput surface and acetabulum surface, causing a sprain or arthritis. We can distinguish between a real dysplasia (heritable, which, besides the genetic factor, can develop due to an overly fast growth of a puppy, overweight condition, and extensive physical strain or an injury) and a secondary dysplasia related to the disruption of proximal femur development due to the above non-heritable factors or as a result of abnormal development of the last lumbar vertebra or the first sacral vertebra. To fight the hip dysplasia it is recommended to select the affected animals and eliminate breeding of those suffering from the severe and medium form of the disease, based on the results of an x-ray examination. Such approach sets as a breeding standard deep location of the...
Gastric torsion (bloat) or stomach twisting is one of the most frequent danger threatening especially large dog breeds. This acute and life-threatening condition is most likely conditioned by genetics, yet it is also caused by different risk factors such as inappropriate food, bad feeding time, as well as an accident. Gastric torsion develops in a similar way as bloat in cattle. Food which gets into the stomach may produce gases thus increasing the size of the stomach, which may be twisted as the dog moves. Consequently, blood vessels are strangulated resulting in a blood vessel collapse which prevents peristalsis. During a very short time, the tissue begins to die (necrotize), and the dog must be immediately taken to the veterinarian where only a prompt surgery will save the animal. Excessive gas production in the stomach may be caused, for example, by bad quality dry dog food containing increased amount of grain. The dog should not be fed by home-made food in the form of...
Dog Roundworm (Source: www.wikipedia.org) Dog roundworm (Toxocara canis) is a worldwide distributed worm of Nematoda phylum, a parasite of dogs and other canid carnivores. Adult worms are gonochorists, yellow-white in colour, measuring from 9 to18 cm, and occur in the intestine of the definite host. Roundworms cause intestinal inflammation; migrating larvae cause inflammation in other organs. While in adult dogs they are usually asymptomatic, roundworms in puppies may cause a serious disease which may be fatal. As paratenic hosts, number of vertebrates may be infected, including man, and also some invertebrates. In humans, roundworm larvae may cause a serious disease called toxocariasis. Toxocara canis is one of the most common dog parasites, and owing to possible transmission of the infection from bitches to puppies, preventive anthelmintic treatment is recommended in both bitch and new born puppies from 2nd to 3rd week after the birth. In new born puppies, the...