The first thing that you should do when you are confronted with any serious Dog Health Issues is to consult your veterinarian. Some dogs have more disabilities than others.

It is important for you as a dog-owner to inform yourself about the diseases, illnesses and conditions of dogs, especially the breed that you possess. The information will then provide you with the symptoms, treatments and causes, which will help you to understand your dog's health better.

Organizational Tips

Before looking at the common ailments and health problems, there are some organizational tips which are important to look after Dog Health Issues. First of all you should choose a good veterinarian, maybe the one closest to your home and be in touch with him regarding any questions about the dog.

Then, you should keep your dog's information handy and updated at all times, perhaps in a folder. When there is an emergency, it should be immediately and easily available.

Also, if you leave your dog with a pet-sitter, he should have all the information about your dog too. Inoculations and deworming should be done regularly, for which you can maintain a chart in your folder.

Common Health Problems

The common health problems in dogs are pain management, intestinal parasites, skin problems, ear infections, fleas, and allergies of different types and in old age maybe arthritis, cataracts or canine hip dysplasia.

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Dogs have illnesses and diseases that can be mild or very serious, however dogs don't have the ability to verbally express what is ailing them. Most of the problems that dogs have to deal with are minor and will get better with time or can be treated with medications.

Here are three of the common dog health problems that can affect your dog.

Cancer

A serious dog health problem such as cancer can be successfully treated in some cases and cancer is more likely to occur in older dogs. Veterinarians can remove the growths but in some cases they return and have serious consequences.

Symptoms include abnormal growths that typically continue to grow in size, also open sores that don't improve, abnormal bleeding or unusual discharge substances from opening in the body, having difficulty breathing, continual coughing, loss of appetite and not being able to urinate easily. Other signs that may suggest your dog has cancer include a fever, loosing weight, and feeling lethargic.

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by:Brigitte Smith

An essential to your dog's health is his/her regular annual checkup with the vet. Whether or not you choose to have your dog vaccinated* at this time, the annual chekup is also an excellent opportunity for a thorough physical examination to be carried out, and a time to discuss any minor problems or issues which you feel may be affecting your dog's health or wellbeing.

This is a time when your vet may pick up inherited diseases and the like (when your dog is young) so they can be treated early, or just kept an eye on. And as your dog gets older, the vet may find the early signs of more sinister illnesses.

I recently took my dogs for their annual checkup, and for the first time alarms were raised about matters of significant concern - it was thought that Kara might have early stages of lymphoma (cancer) - which, fortunately, tests then proved to be not the case. And Jet apparently has something akin to the early stages of cataracts in humans in her eyes, and according to the vet, Jet is likely to go progressively blind over the next several years.

At least knowing this in advance gives me the opportunity to watch for any developing signs and, if and when necessary, adapt her outings and home environment to take into account any sight loss, and most importantly, it has made me realise that vitamin and mineral supplementation in dogs is actually a very wise idea.

Worming and "de-flea-ing" your dog are the commonest forms of health measures which you probably undertake yourself for your dog. Fleas infest almost every dog at some time. Sometimes a lot of the time. Dogs which socialise with other dogs outside the home tend to become infested the most often.

Fleas can carry disease and parasites, including tapeworm.But fleas are extremely irritating for your dog. They often cause intense itching, which in turn can cause your dog to damage his/her skin by vigorous scratching.

Some dogs are allergic to flea bites. Even after the fleas have been doused with flea poison and killed, the cycle of itch, scratch, itch, scratch, can remain.

My Rottweiler has been terribly affected two or three times now by this self-perpetuating cycle caused by her allergy to flea bites. Most of the skin damage has been caused by Kara incessantly scratching and injuring herself.

A dog with an infestation of fleas is neither a healthy nor a happy dog. So at the first sign of a flea, it's important to treat your dog for this very common problem. And those pesky fleas don't always readily show themselves. So if your dog is scratching more than usual, the first thing to do is a thorough search through your dog's coat.

If you sight even one flea, treat your dog immediately. Some people treat routinely just because it's flea season, and still others actually treat throughout the year. And of course, it goes without saying that if you have more than one animal, you must treat them all at the same time.

This way, you'll ensure that your dog is as healthy and happy as can be!* There are natural alternatives to vaccinations, and signficant controversy as to whether vaccinations are necessary to desirable. For further information, subscribe to the Healthy Happy Dogs newsletter.(c) 2004, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free special dog health report, as well as weekly tips, information, strategies and resources for a healthier happier dog, go to http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com and submit your name and email address.npodsystems@yahoo.com

by:Tara Pearce

I hope the reason you're here is to be proactive, rather than having a sick dog. My heart breaks every time I see one of my dogs in pain or not feeling well.

Luckily it doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I get very upset. Doing research on your dogs health problems and symptoms can help prevent the problem from getting worse. And I must stress, when in doubt, see a veterinarian.

I know quite a bit about dogs and I still hesitate before going to the vet, so you're not alone. If you have dog health questions, your vet is the best person to ask. However, some common health problems in dogs can be addressed at home.

Skin care for a smelly dog, for example. This can often happen due to skin allergies. Chinese Shar-pei can be bad for that, and I've been lucky so far. One of the best tips I've heard from breeders though is to not bathe her too often, as it can dry out the skin.

This is perhaps quite the opposite if you have a long haired dog. I suggest visiting and joining online forums for your dog's breed, or at least dogs in general - you can get invaluable information there.

For the record, when I do bathe my Shar-pei, I use an oatmeal shampoo. No skin problems in 3 years. You be the judge.

If you're looking for dog care for a mouth sore, it would depend on the kind of sore. My Shar-pei has "puppy pimples" which aren't dangerous and cause no pain to her, so I just dab some peroxide on them, and that does the trick.

Of course, I got this tidbit from a breeder who got it from a vet. Please don't just blindly follow what I say - it may not be appropriate for your dog.If you want more information about products related to the health of your dog, visit our website, http://www.a1-dog-info.com/dog-health-problems-symptoms.htm