Strays Anatomy

Achieving optimum growth in a puppy is a great step towards achieving a healthy adult dog. Optimum growth is a balance between the puppy’s genetics, the environment, and nutrition. Puppies need relatively more energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus than adult dogs (i.e. in relation to their body weight) but too much of any one of these nutrients can be harmful. When it comes to nutrition, more is not better!

ENERGY

Growing puppies need twice as much dietary energy, on a per-kilogram basis, as do adults. This need is greatest just after birth and then decreases as the dog matures. Excessive dietary energy may support a growth rate that is too fast for proper bone development, resulting in an increased frequency of skeletal disorders in the large and giant breeds. Because fat has twice the calorie density of protein or carbohydrate, dietary fat is the primary contributor to excess energy intake.

Not only does excess energy result in rapid growth, but dietary energy in excess of the puppy’s needs will be stored as fat and hence predispose the dog to juvenile obesity. Fat puppies will increase the number of fat cells they have (called fat cell hyperplasia) and are then predisposed to obesity for the rest of their lives.

Body condition scoring (BCS) evaluates body-fat stores, confirming if the energy intake is suitable. Maintaining a proper BCS during growth not only avoids juvenile obesity but also help to control excessive growth rates. Limiting food intake, while avoiding deficiencies, to maintain a lean body condition will not impede a dog’s ultimate genetic potential, but it will reduce food intake, fecal output and obesity, as well as lessening the risk of skeletal disease.

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS

Energy requirements for the healthy adult dog are, of course, highly individual, but they are largely affected by the individual’s:

• Breed
• Activity level
• Sex
• Age
• Environment

The amount of food fed ( and therefore the calorie or energy intake) should be varied to achieve a healthy, lean body condition.

FAT REQUIREMENTS

The minimum amount needed for healthy adult dogs is at least 5 per cent DMB ( dry matter basis ) with at least 1 per cent DMB being linoleic acid ( an essential fatty acid for dogs). By increasing the amount of fat in the food, palatability can be enhanced and the essential fatty acid level increases. This can be beneficial in improving skin and coat condition.

PROTEIN

Although puppies need more protein than adult dogs, any protein in excess of what is needed for growth may be converted to energy, and so increase the growth rate. Protein deficiency during growth has been shown to be harmful. The minimum, adequate level of dietary protein will depend upon its digestibility, its amino-acid profile, and its ratio of essential amino acids. A growth food should contain at least 22 per cent protein ( on a dry matter basis) of high biological value. Once the puppy reaches maturity. this level maybe reduced.

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Heartworm is a disease caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis, which lives in the right side of the heart and the adjacent blood vessels. Its presence in these blood vessels causes cardiovascular weakness, compromised lung incapacity, and eventual death. Heartworm occurs primarily in dogs but can also occur in cats and other animals on rare occasions.

Causes
Heartworm is transmitted to dogs, cats and other animals by mosquitoes. Over 70 species of mosquitoes have already been implicated. Transmission of the parasite occurs when a mosquito draws blood from a heartworm infected dog or cat. Once inside the mosquito, the microfilariae develop into larvae. Later, when the mosquito bites a new victim, the larvae are injected into the dog, thereby causing the infection. It generally takes about six to seven months for the larvae to mature and to start producing the microfilariae inside the dog or cat’s circulatory system. The adult worms end up occupying the right chamber of the heart and the pulmonary arteries, while the microscopic microfilariae circulate throughout the bloodstream. All these worms within the blood vessels produce an increased workload on the heart, along with restricted blood flow to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, eventually causing multiple organ failure. At first, pets may exhibit a chronic cough and/or reduced exercise tolerance, followed by sudden collapse and death. (more…)

Do you love chocolate? Who does not? Even your dog seems to love it. While it probably is pretty darn tasty to your pooch, it is not a good idea to let Fido eat chocolate. Your dog can get very, very sick and even die from eating this kind of treat.

Many people think that culprit that is toxic to dogs in chocolate is caffeine. It is not. While chocolate does have caffeine, it is the theobromine in chocolate that is the potential dog killer. Theobromine and caffeine are both from the methylxanthine family of chemical compounds, a family of stimulants.

How much theobromine is in chocolate? Theobromine levels will vary according to manufacturer, but in general, white chocolate has one milligram per ounce of theobromine, milk chocolate has forty-four milligrams per ounce, and semi-sweet chocolate has one hundred and fifty milligrams per ounce. If your pet gets into your hot chocolate, it will drink thirteen milligrams per ounce of hot chocolate that it slurps up. Bakers chocolate is by far the worst, with three hundred and ninety milligrams of theobromine per ounce.

How much chocolate will kill a dog? Part of equation has to include the age and health of your pet. If your dog is twelve years old and does not get around as well as it did in the past, a smaller amount of chocolate might be lethal to it than it might have been if your pet was two years old and spending the day chasing cats and birds. In general, theobromine is toxic to dogs when dogs eat one hundred to one hundred and fifty milligrams of it. (more…)

The rabies virus affects all warm-blooded animals. In wildlife, it is most commonly seen in foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. Each of these species carries a variant (strain) of the rabies virus. All of these strains can affect pets, humans or domestic animals. Domesticated animals such as cows, horses, dogs and cats commonly act as a source for human infections but people can be infected from wildlife sources as well, particularly bats.

The first step to rabies control in pets is vaccination. All healthy pets should be vaccinated. The rabies vaccine is very effective, costs very little, and it is usually given every 3 years. In horses, it is usually given every year. In most localities, the law requires rabies vaccinations for all pets. The second step to rabies control is a thorough understanding of this terrible disease so that high-risk exposures or contact can be prevented. The third step to controlling of rabies is cooperation between veterinarians, the public, the public health system, and government agencies to monitor and control rabies on a regional level. For example, in some parts of Canada, bait is dropped from airplanes into rural or countryside areas so that wildlife will eat the bait (disguised as food treats) laced with an effective protective vaccine. Public health departments also track and manage human exposures. Rabies moves to and from animals and people through a bite wound or through breaks in the skin or mucous membranes. It’s thought that people can become infected by breathing air around bats, such as in bat caves where the virus is suspended in droplets in the air. (more…)

Constipation can occur in dogs, particularly as they get older. Constipation occurs when defecation becomes difficult or is absent. When feces stays in the intestines longer than is necessary, too much moisture is absorbed from the stools, causing them to become dry and hard. This makes the stools difficult to expel. As a result, your dog or cat will strain to defecate and may not have a bowel movement for several days. If this condition goes untreated, the lower bowels may eventually become severely and irreversibly stretched, causing them to lose their ability to expel feces. This condition is known as "megacolon”.

Causes
There are several possible reasons for constipation. Diet appears to play a significant role. For example, when a dog swallows foreign materials such as hair, bones, garbage, cloth or rocks, it can lead to constipation. Prolonged lack of exercise, a change in surroundings, or a change in daily routine (i.e. stress) can lead to constipation problems as well. In these cases, pets may become reluctant to relieve themselves and become constipated. Some medical problems such as infected anal glands or a fractured hip can cause painful defecation and result in constipation. Some pets may have an intestinal obstruction or a nerve or muscle disorder. (more…)