Archive for January, 2012

When Orthodontic Dental Care Is Needed For Your Dog

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Proper dental care is just as important for your dog’s overall well-being as it is for you. Poorly aligned teeth can lead to serous periodontal disease. Generally, a dog’s teeth are arranged “shoulder to shoulder” in an arch. A natural self cleaning mechanism takes place within this arch to help remove food from the teeth and gums; raw bones will help eliminate plaque and tartar. If the teeth are not properly aligned, food may be trapped between the teeth, setting the stage for inflammation and infection.

There are three basic head shapes in dogs, which determine normal bite relationships. The long and narrow muzzle type includes such breeds as the Doberman and Greyhound, the short and wide muzzle type includes Bulldogs and Boxers, and the medium length and width types includes Terriers and German Shepherds.

Teeth that are crowded, rotated, or tilted at am abnormal angle can lead to the early onset of oral infection; damage to the soft tissues of the dog’s mouth, caused by penetration of unprotected gum and mouth tissues by sharp teeth; excessive wear caused by misaligned teeth grinding against one another; pain in the joints of the jaw.

Sometimes dogs are born with extra teeth, which can also cause overcrowding and the resulting periodontal disease. A series of dental x-rays can be taken as early as 10 weeks of age to determine if the correct number of teeth are there. Some breeds, such as collies and Doberman Pinchers, are more prone to having extra teeth that others. Dental x-rays may be required when purchasing certain breeds.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Your Dog And His Teeth

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

According to leading veterinarians, 80 percent of all dogs will have some degree of gum disease by the age of three. Noticeable symptoms include brown and yellow tartar build-up at the gum-line, inflamed red gums, and bad breath.

Smaller dogs are more prone to periodontal disease than larger breeds, due to the fact that the teeth of small dogs are frequently too large for their mouths.

Working dogs use their canine teeth to carry prey and other objects. Should any of the canines become broken, a canine dentist can fit a metal crown. Broken teeth are fairly common among outdoor dogs. Overly aggressive chewing on hard objects is the usual cause.

Adult dogs have 12 incisors, which are used for cutting and nibbling food, 4 canines used for holding and tearing food, 16 pre-molars used for cutting, holding, and shearing food, and 10 molars for grinding food.

One of the best ways to determine the approximate age of a dog is to examine his teeth. In puppies, the degree of growth is used in age estimation, and in adult dogs the degree of wear is used. Naturally, if the dog has received routine dental care, his teeth will be in better shape than dogs who not been treated. Regular treats of raw bones or a diet of crunchy foods could also make a big difference. Furthermore, even two dogs from the same litter might exhibit variations.

By the age of 1 to 2 years, most dogs will exhibit some signs of tartar build-up, by 3 to 5 years some visible tooth wear, and by 5 to 1`0 years increased wear and disease.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Treat Your Dog To Raw Bones For Better Dental Health

Monday, January 9th, 2012

Newborn puppies have no teeth whatsoever. They do not get their first teeth until 2 to 3 weeks later. By the time a puppy is 8 weeks old, he has all 28 teeth. Dog teeth include pre-molars, incisors, and canines. He will begin to lose these baby teeth at about 3 months.

The first adult teeth are the pointer canines. When they start to come in, the puppy’s chew toys may be slightly bloody. Otherwise, most dog owners are not even aware that their puppy has begun to lose his baby teeth; most of the time they simply swallow them.

The adult teeth will start to come through the gums within a few days of the puppy tooth dropping out. This might be your first inkling that the adult teeth have started to arrive, as your puppy will start chewing on anything and everything.

Adult dogs have 42 teeth, 22 in the lower jaw and 20 in the upper. The adult dog has a total of 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 pre-molars, and 10 molars.

Some pet owners use a finger brush to clean their dog’s teeth. Made of rubber, this brush fits over your finger. Dogs are prone to tartar and plaque build-up just like humans. Fortunately, this problem can be eliminated without having to strap your pet into a dentist’s chair. Treating your dog to raw bones on a regular basis will eliminate the buildup on his teeth. For most dogs, a raw bone once a month will do the job.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Muscular Diseases Common To Dogs

Friday, January 6th, 2012

Common diseases that affect muscles in dogs include congenital disorders, although these are pretty rare in most dogs. Most of the time, they are found in purebred breeds. Muscular dystrophy is the most frequently occurring congenital muscle disorder. MD is sex-related: females are the carrier and males exhibit the clinical signs. It affects a number of different breeds, including the Alaskan Malamute, Golden Retriever, Irish Terrier, Rottweiler, and Welsh Corgi. When found in Golden Retrievers, it resembles Duchenne type muscular dystrophy in children.

Familial reflex myoclonus is a disease found in Golden Retrievers, and is characterized by intermittent contraction of the skeletal muscles in the limbs.

Congenital myotonia is a disease of the skeletal muscle. It causes involuntary contraction of the muscle that continues after a voluntary effort or stimulation of the muscle. It primarily affects The Chow, West Highland White Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, and the Labrador Retriever.

Inflammatory diseases include eosinophilic myositis, which is an inflammation of striated muscles. This disease primarily affects muscles in the head, and occasionally the shoulders. It mostly affects only the larger dogs. Polymyositis is a disease which causes inflammation of a number of muscles at the same time, and is characterized by general muscle weakness.

Cancer of the muscle occurs rarely, although secondary tumors from nearby bone and soft tissue organs may spread to the muscles and affect their movement and function. Muscle tumors tend to found in older animals, with the exception of rhabdomyosarcoma, which is a cancer of striated muscle.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

What’s Inside Your Dog: The Muscle System

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Muscles are what enable your dog to move. While a number of other systems contribute, it’s the contraction and relaxation of the muscles that makes possible your dog’s ability to run, walk, and wag their tail.

Muscles can only contract and relax, they do not expand and push. This is why muscles are necessary on each side of a bone. They are called the Antagonistic Muscle Pairs; while one muscle contracts and pulls to bend the leg, for instance, the other contracts and pulls to straighten it out.

Skeletal muscle is composed of both thin filaments and thick filaments. Muscle contraction takes place when the thin filaments slide past the thick filaments. The dog’s muscles contains two basic types of fibers: Type 1 and Type 2. Red muscle mostly contains Type 1 fiber, which are darker, respond more slowly, and have long latency. They are responsible for maintaining posture, and have long, slow contractions.

White muscles, on the other hand, mostly contain Type 2 fiber. These enable refined, skilled movement, and have short twitch durations.

Muscles are attached to the bone with tendons. They are very strong and fibrous, and are designed top take a lot of stress. However, once they suffer an injury, they are slow to heal. With proper rest, an injured tendon will eventually regain its former strength and motion. Left untreated, they will never regain their original strength and range of motion.

Tendons are primarily made up of collagen protein, and tend to have a poor blood supply.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

How Your Dog’s Muscles Work

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

One of the largest systems in a dog’s body is the muscular system. It contains tissue that has the ability to contract, which in turn, enables movement. Skeletal muscles are found throughout the entire skeletal system. These muscles are attached to bones, other muscles, and the skin. In total, they account for about half of the total body weight of a dog. Hollow internal organs, such as the heart, stomach, and intestines, as well as the blood vessels are composed of smooth muscles.

Most breeds of dogs are built for endurance, not for speed. The dog’s muscle structure closely resembles that of his ancestor, the wolf, and his muscles are designed to enable the dog to jump, run, stalk, and do battle.

Muscles may be under either voluntary or involuntary control. The voluntary muscles, including those in the arms and legs, are controllable by thought. Involuntary muscles, which are controlled automatically by the nervous system, cannot be moved. These muscles include the heart, diaphragm, and intestines.

Dogs have three types of muscle tissue: smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle. Smooth muscles are found in the intestines, stomach, and bladder. They are involuntary muscles controlled by the nervous system. The skeletal muscles are primarily found attached to the skeleton. They are voluntary and enable such activities as walking, eating, and eye movement. Cardiac muscles are found in the heart and are involuntary in nature.

The individual muscles are held together by connective tissue. Skeletal muscles are attached to the bones by highly elastic tissue tendons. As the muscles are contracted, they pull on the tendons, which in turn pulls on bones – and causes movement.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Rescue Dogs Make Great Pets

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Some people will not buy a used car because they view it as buying someone else’s problems. Sadly, enough, some people think of adopting rescue dogs the same way – these are problem dogs that just did not make good pets. Places found for rescue dog adoption include local humane societies and animal rescue groups, and these organizations are full of wonderful pets with no behavioral problems whatsoever.

Most dogs end up at a rescue shelter because of problems that their owners were facing that had nothing to do with the dog’s behavior. The most common reasons dogs end up at a shelter include: the owner cannot afford necessary veterinary care, the owner no longer has time for the dog, the owner dies or enters a nursing home, the owners divorce and neither one wants or can keep the dog, the owner is moving and the new landlord does not allow dogs.

By adopting a rescue dog, you are getting an animal that has spent time in a foster home, which means he is housebroken and has already received basic training. This makes additional training you might want to do that much easier – he already knows the basics.

Dogs that have been abused or neglected tend to be extra loyal and affectionate. These animals are eager to be a part of a loving family, and tend to act accordingly. Another plus to adopting a shelter dog is the lower vet fees. Shelters dogs have already been spayed or neutered, had a complete physical examination, and are up-to-date on all their shots.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Looking For a Pet? Adopt a Rescue Dog

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

When looking to adopt a dog, places found include animal shelters and various animal rescue groups. Animal shelters everywhere are full of misunderstood dogs. That is, their former owners simply did not know how to speak dog. They did not know how to give the dog what it needed, helping to create a dog with issues. The two most common causes of dogs with issues are lack of exercise and lack of leadership on the part of their owner.

Many people do not realize that they are dealing with an animal, and they fail to provide what the dog needs most: guidance and leadership. Dogs are creatures with a pack instinct, and they either must be the leader or be led. Owners that are unable to gently lead their animal and train him on how to follow will all too often end up dumping their dog off at the shelter as being “unmanageable” when in fact it is the owner who failed the dog and not the dog who failed the owner.

Happily, dogs live from day to day, never dwelling on the past or the future. It is always possible for even a fully-grown dog to make a fresh start.

When considering adopting from the shelter, you first need to find the right dog. Remember that not every dog is going to be a match for every family. Does your homework before you start looking? Consider what size and breed would be best for your situation.
Once you have a general idea of what type of dog you are looking for, start your search. Do not worry about finding a dog your first time out. Take the time to find the right dog.

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »