Why Dog Health and Grooming Go Hand in Hand

Dog health and grooming are closely related because this is a perfect opportunity to investigate past the big eyes and the fluffy body. When you groom your dog you get to see down to the skin.

While grooming your dog you are engaged in a hands on everything project. Even some areas you would just as soon not have your hands on. During this time you can check for lumps, warts, and any other irregularities on their bodies.

While clipping your dogs toe nails you are seeing the bottoms of his feet and would notice any broken toe nails. You might also notice any problems on the pads of his feet.

While cleaning his ears you should notice any unusual smell or discharge indicating something your veterinarian should check.

While clipping the body you are shortening his hair, making it easier to see his skin by simply stroking his hair backwards with your hand. You may notice dry skin, or red areas.

While blow drying your dog you are actually separating the hair and looking directly at the skin. A time when you would notice puncture wounds, cuts and abrasions, foxtails and other stickers and also foreign travelers like fleas,ticks or lice.

While you are grooming your puppy or mature dog, you are also teaching them. The more you teach your dog and praise your dog, the more well rounded he will become.

When we are lifting their paws and moving them around we might notice if they are sore or perhaps getting arthritis.

When we look at our pets we see our furry friends but if we look closer we may see much more that relates to the health of our dogs.

by Katherine Durr

Dog Flea Control Management: How To Prevent, Treat, And Kill Dog Fleas

Dog flea control and management requires an integrated approach. For effective treatment both the host animal and the environment must be treated at the same time. Control of fleas on the pet generally requires the use of insecticides. Although flea combs can remove some fleas, combing should be thought of as a method for detecting fleas rather than removing them.

If an animal is to be treated for other conditions besides fleas, such as expression of anal glands, these procedures should be done before the insecticide application to minimize insecticide contact with interior mucosal membranes.

Flea

A wide range of insecticides are available for flea control. The pyrethrins and pyrethroids have the lowest mammalian toxicity. These insecticides come in many formulations including shampoo, dust and powder, mousse, aerosol and non-aerosol mist or spray, dip, spot-on, roll-on and collar. Organophosphate drugs for oral use are available, by prescription from veterinarians.

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In addition, some on-animal formulations contain insect growth regulators (IGRs) that kill flea eggs on the animal. *Remember to read all insecticide labels, and to follow all precautions and dose directions.

The insecticides used for flea control vary widely in toxicity and efficacy. Considerations for selecting a formulation include the size, weight and age of the animal, as well as the species.

For example, greyhounds are a very chemical-sensitive breed and are more sensitive to insecticide products than most other dogs. Do not attach flea collars or flea-killing medallions on these dogs. Do not use chlorpyrifos, DDVP, methoxychior or malathion on greyhounds.

Cats are more sensitive to organophosphate insecticides than dogs. In addition, cats groom themselves more than dogs and are more likely to ingest an insecticide by licking the residue from their fur.

Kittens and puppies, because of their smaller size, require a lower dose than adult animals. Young animals may also require treatment with insecticides of lower toxicity than adult animals. Pregnant or nursing animals may be sensitive to certain insecticides.

Several products are available for especially sensitive pets and other situations that require lower risk chemical measures. These include the citrus peel extracts d-limonene and linalool, sorptive dusts such as silica aerogel or diatomaceous earth, the insect growth regulators fenoxycarb or methoprene, and insecticidal soaps.

Theses words may seem foreign to you, but you can always consult a veterinarian if you have questions. They will have accurate information on insecticides and their use for flea control on pet animals. The insecticide label should also contain accurate information on how a particular formulation of an insecticide should and should not be used. *Remember to read these labels before opening the container!

When using insecticides for flea control, remember that the applicator, namely your pet and you can be exposed to the insecticides several times. The label may call for the use of gloves and other protective equipment during application and suggest the pet not be handled with unprotected hands until the treatment dries. All personal protective equipment listed on the label must be worn. As a minimum aspect, chemical-resistant gloves, apron and goggles should be worn while mixing insecticides and during application to prevent insecticide contact with the skin.

The working area should be appropriate for containment of the pesticide and should be resistant to caustic materials. A stainless steel preparation table and stainless steel or ceramic tub are ideal. Also, certain parts of the pet’s body (such as the eyes) may be sensitive to the insecticides and must be shielded during application. When using flea “bombs” (aerosol cans with a self-releasing mechanism), follow all the precautions and remove the pets from the area being treated. For your information, using excessive aerosols is illegal and may cause fires and even explosions.

The other important part of an integrated flea management program is to control larval fleas in the habitat away from the animal. This can be achieved either mechanically or with insecticides. Mechanical or physical control of flea larvae involves removal and laundering of animal bedding and thorough cleaning of areas frequented by the animal.

Using a vacuum with a beater bar and immediately disposing of the waste bag effectively eliminates up to half of the larvae and eggs in carpet. You should also launder animal bedding and thoroughly clean areas the animal frequents and dispose of the vacuum waste bag after every cleaning.

Do not put insecticides in the vacuum cleaner bag. This is an illegal and dangerous use of the products and can harm you, your family and pets by creating dusts or fumes that could be inhaled.

Another mechanical control measure is carpet shampooing or steam cleaning. This rids the carpet of blood feces, an important food for the larvae, and may also remove eggs and larvae. In outdoor areas, cleaning up the places where animals like to rest reduces eggs and larvae and removes blood pellets. In yards and kennels, flea larvae can be found in cracks at wall-floor junctions and in floor crevices. These areas must be thoroughly cleaned and then maintained to prevent another infestation.

Recently several ultrasound devices, including collars, have entered the market claiming to control or repel fleas. Several scientific studies have investigated these devices and found absolutely no basis for the manufacture’s claims. Ultrasonic devices do not control flea populations. It is unnecessary for you to buy these equipments.

Chemical control of flea larvae can be achieved with insecticides. Organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethrin, pyrethroid and growth regulator (hormone mimic) insecticides as well as certain minerals are available for flea control in the environment These insecticides are formulated as coarse sprays, foggers and dusts or are micro-encapsulated.

All but the growth regulators kill flea larvae on contact. Insect growth regulators prevent flea larvae from developing to the adult stage. Growth regulators may also inhibit egg hatching. A good flea larval control program will incorporate sanitation, contact insecticides and growth regulators for good results.

Flea management requires patience, time and careful planning. Vacuuming and cleaning areas frequented by dogs and cats should be routine. The same applies to kennels. If an infestation occurs, insecticide applications on the animals or in the environment may have to be repeated according to the label. The need for retreatment and time intervals between insecticide treatments will vary with the kind of insecticide and the formulation.

Flea control will not be successful if only one approach is used. The animal and its environment must be treated simultaneously, and that treatment must be combined with regular sanitation efforts. Read all product labels carefully. Do not overexpose your pet by combining too many treatments at one time, such as a collar, a shampoo and a dust. Pesticides have a cumulative effect. Be aware of each product’s toxicity and do not endanger yourself or the animal by using excessive amounts of any one product or by combining products.

To end, please remember that flea control will only be successful when you treat both your pet and the environment simultaneously. Hope this article is useful in helping you manage flea problems.

By Moses Chia

Long Haired Dog Grooming Instructions : Foot Pad Dog Grooming Tips

Dog Grooming and Dog Care

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Dog grooming is relatively simple for most dogs. I have a greyhound and spend about 5 minutes per day on dog grooming. For dogs that have short hair, they need to be brushed, maybe once per week. For dogs with long hair, the grooming is more time consuming. This is an important consideration when selecting a breed. Beyond regularly brushing your dog's coat and giving him or her periodic baths, you may want to consider a few other things.

Certain dogs' nails grow faster than others and need to be clipped. It's not enough to walk your dog on the street in hopes that the nails will wear down. If the nails get too long, it could be uncomfortable for the dog and might make it difficult to walk. Either clip the dog's nails yourself, but be careful not to clip too much off, or go to your local groomer who will clip the nails for roughly $5.

Lastly, think about cleaning your dog's ears every so often. Dust, dirt and wax can accumulate. Take a tissue and clean the ears, but don't go too deep. This is also a good idea if you see your dog scratching his or her ears or shaking his or her head. Lastly, a few dog breeds are predisposed to having poor teeth, e.g., greyhounds and whippets. Therefore, brushing the dog's teeth every other day is crucial. Otherwise, your dog might be uncomfortable and you may be facing some costly dental bills.

My above comments are focused on basic grooming, but you have to make sure you are providing your dog proper nutrition and medicines as well. With medicines, don't forget to regularly get your dog inoculated - especially for rabies and don't forget to give him or her monthly heartworm pills - if you don't opt for a veterinary shot.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michele_Elward

What mean by the DOG

I am a dog

The dog (Canis lupus familiaris, pronounced /ˈkeɪ.nis ˈluːpəs fʌˈmɪliɛəris/) is a domesticated subspecies of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history.

The domestication of the gray wolf took place in a handful of events roughly 15,000 years ago in central Asia. The dog quickly became ubiquitous across culture in all parts of the world, and was extremely valuable to early human settlements. For instance, it is believed that the successful emigration across the Bering Strait might not have been possible without sled dogs. As a result of the domestication process, the dog developed a sophisticated intelligence that includes unparalleled social cognition and a simple theory of mind that is important to their interaction with humans. These social skills have helped the dog to perform in myriad roles, such as hunting, herding, protection, and, more recently, assisting handicapped individuals. Currently, there are estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world.

Do you like me!!

Over the 15,000 year span that the dog had been domesticated, it diverged into only a handful of landraces, groups of similar animals whose morphology and behavior have been shaped by environmental factors and functional roles. As the modern understanding of genetics developed, humans began to intentionally breed dogs for a wide range of specific traits. Through this process, the dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds, and shows more behavioral and morphological variation than any other land mammal. For example, height measured to the withers ranges from a few inches in the Chihuahua to a few feet in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from white through grays (usually called "blue'") to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns; coats can be short or long, coarse-haired to wool-like, straight, curly, or smooth. It is common for most breeds to shed this coat, but non-shedding breeds are also popular.

From Wikipedia