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

by:Chris Suckow

Dog owners commonly ask me the same questions repeatedly. This article aims to help dog owners prevent and find information about the most common dog health problems. Understanding the basics of these problems will go a long ways to helping your canine friend live a long healthy life.

1. By far the most common question I get asked from dog owners is a desperate call about their dog's vomiting. Vomiting can have many causes, but the most common cause is eating garbage, or wolfing down food.

In most cases the easiest cure is to withhold food from your dog for 24 hours, but continue to give water. Then after 24 hours, start by giving small meals again.

This rest period will allow the stomach to heal. If vomiting continues after this you should see your veterinarian.

2. The next most common question I get asked are reproduction questions. These questions range from breeding their dog, questions about whelping, and about raising puppies.

While it is beyond this article to cover everything, here are some basics to keep in mind. Dogs come into heat every 6-7 months which is the time to breed them. The gestation length ranges from 59-63 days.

Breeds that can have trouble with whelping are the Pug, Bulldog, Chihuahua, Boston Terrier, and the Pekingese. Whelping, the act of giving birth, can take from 2 to 24 hours, with several hours in-between the time puppies are passed.

3. Third are questions about skin problems. These questions range from masses and bumps, to scratches and rashes. Whenever you find a mass on your dog it is important that you show it to your veterinarian. Most masses are benign lipomas, which are fatty tumors.

Another common tumor of female dogs are tumors of the mammary gland. You can greatly decrease the risk of your female dog getting a mammary gland tumor by spaying your dog.

One of the most common skin tumors owners are likely to see are Mast cell tumors. Mast cell tumors can appear anywhere on the body, and can range from benign to very aggressive.

4. Fourth are questions about the musculoskeletal system. Two possible causes of limping in dogs are arthritis and torn anterior cruciate ligaments.

Arthritis is common in older dogs. To treat arthritis try some joint supplements like chondroitin.

For dogs with torn anterior cruciate ligaments, surgery is needed. The anterior cruciate ligament is a ligament in the knees of dogs. Signs of this injury is when the dog is running and all of a sudden the dog whimpers in pain and starts to limp on its rear leg.

5. The fifth most common question is about allergies. Many dogs suffer from allergies. The most common clinical signs are the dog chewing its paws, reddened skin, and scratching.

For a definitive diagnosis allergy testing can be done by your veterinarian. Allergies are often treated by antihistamines and in severe cases steroids.

With a little knowledge pet owners can be more proactive in the health care of their pets. With greater knowledge you can help your veterinarian come up with the best treatment plans for your pet, and are able to give a more complete history on your pet which can lead to a quicker and more accurate diagnosis.

For the complete top 10 list visit my website: http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com/doghealth.html

Dr. Chris Suckow, DVM lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.To get answers for all your dog questions visit him at http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com/doghealth.html .

by:Daniel Lesser

Continued from part two.

Epilepsy/seizure disorder

When your Boxer is between 2 to 5 years old, he may develop seizure disorder. When he has an epilepsy attack, he'd be unconscious and may look like he is not breathing but he is. He is not suffering.

The information that would be important to your veterinarian regarding such episodes includes:

• Duration of the attack
• The type of muscular activity your Boxer exhibits during seizure
• Any abnormal behavior during the attack
• Frequency of the seizure

What you do in such instances is not panic and time the attack by actually looking at a watch or clock. It may only take place for 30 seconds but may seem forever to you. You need a veterinarian if it lasts more than 5 minutes.

Emergency treatment is definitely called for if your Boxer goes into seizure for 10 minutes or longer, twice in the span of 24 hours, or if he has a second attack before he could completely recover from the first seizure attack.

Remain by your Boxer's side; be there when he comes out of the seizure to calm him. Stroke and comfort him.

To keep your Boxer from hurting himself during the seizure, move away furniture from the immediate area and protect him from water, the stairs and any sharp objects. If you can, place a pillow under his head to protect him from head trauma.

Unlike seizure attacks in human, animals do not swallow their tongue so you don't have to put your hand or spoon or any other object into your Boxer's mouth when he has an attack. You might get bitten.

Also, keep children and other pets away from your sick Boxer.

Coming out of the seizure, your Boxer will be groggy, confused and feel like he has done something wrong. He may make unusual sounds and stumble around.

Do not allow him on the stairs until he has fully recovered. In the mean time, sooth him by talking to him softly, offer him some water, stroke and comfort him. And if he doesn't recover fully after 30 minutes, consult your veterinarian or any emergency vet facility.

Flea-infected Boxers

Flea-infected Boxers can develop skin diseases. Especially those allergic to fleas. Black specs in the fur and bite marks on the skin tell you if your Boxer has them. To check further, spread some newspapers and place your Boxer on top. Brush him and look for the black specs falling off.

Fleas live up to 6 weeks, feeding on blood and during that time would have laid hundreds of eggs that mostly land on your Boxer's bedding, carpets and other favorable nests around your home.

The eggs hatch into larvae that seek nice, dark places while feeding on flea's droppings, dust, human shed skin, dandruff and other such tasty morsels. The larvae turn into hardy pupae that could survive for months before changing into adult fleas.

Fleas are host to tapeworms. Both problems are likely to occur together in your Boxer and, therefore, the treatments are also usually given together by the vet. A bit of garlic a day may keep the fleas away from your Boxer.

Heart ailments

-Bradycardia or slow heart rate may be a symptom of thyroid disorder in Boxers.

-Dialated cardiomyopathy constitutes a serious, emergency case. Your dog may collapse from it or the back legs have sudden pain and paralysis. It is a serious heart condition whereby the heart muscle is enlarged and thin walled.
Your Boxer will experience shortness of breath, coughing and can't take to exercise.

Another serious heart condition is called cardiac conduction disease that is affecting Boxer's longevity. It was previously known as Boxer cardiomyopathy but the new term is used to differentiate it from dilative cardiomyopathy. Cardiac conduction is difficult to deal with due to 3 factors.

-One is many Boxers will not show any symptom (asymptotic) but will just drop dead suddenly from it. -The Boxers develop this disease later in life, often after they have been bred.

-There was no good screening method for it until the one recently developed by Ohio State University researchers, called the 24-hour Holter monitor test.

However, there is still no assurance that Boxers "cleared" now from cardiac conduction disease by the Holter test will remain so in the future. Many breeders and Boxer experts are now working to refine the test procedures, expand the database and come up with a guideline to select only, for breeding purposes, those Boxers with high probability of being free of the disease.

There are also concerns elimination of too many dogs from the gene pool would be bad for the breed diversity and could cause more problems in the future. Some opinions hold that extensive culling should only get done after more studies on genetic diversity in Boxers.

Hip dysplasia This is a bone disorder whereby there is an improper fit of the large femur bone with the hip socket, causing lots of pain and lameness. It occurs more in males.

Dog and Puppy Articles, Pictures and Resourceshttp://www.thingsfordogs.comPart 1 is available at http://www.thingsfordogs.com/dog-health.phpPart 2 is available at http://www.thingsfordogs.com/dog-health2.php

by:Daniel Lesser

Cryptorchidism is peculiar to male dogs and a condition present at birth. The testicle/s, which developed in the abdomen, fail to descend into the scrotum.

The usually underdeveloped and non-functional testicle/s should be removed, as it could turn cancerous later in life. If the condition remains after the puppy is more than 2 months old, then the chances are it will remain so permanently.

Eye ulcers, if caught early, are easy to treat. Late treatment can be expensive for you as well as painful for your Boxer.

Dermodicosis or non-contagious mange first appears as numerous patches anywhere on the Boxer's skin. The hair will fall off, leaving bald patches in large areas, and the bald skin starts to break down, turning into crusty sores.

Atopy is itchy (pruritic) skin disease caused by allergy to something the Boxer breathes in or touch. It cannot be cured and is the number two common allergic skin condition in dogs, after flea allergy dermatitis. Having fleas would make it worse for your Boxer.

A Boxer suffering from atopy would have itchiness particularly on the paws. He'd be chewing his paws, scratching his ears, shaking its head, scratching the muzzle or rubbing it on the ground. These same symptoms can also be brought about by food allergy.

Acne in young dogs shows as red bumps (papules) and blackheads (comedones) on the chin and lips. Shorthaired dogs like Boxers are more likely to get them. And like in humans, they start getting acne around puberty, but the problem would usually go away after one year old or so.

However, you may have to help with some topical gel medication similar to the one used by teenagers. Such lesions may become infected and develop pus, which becomes itchy for your Boxer and he starts rubbing his face in the carpet or against furniture.

Urinary incontinence in dogs can be due to a neurological lesion – something not normal with the parts of the nervous system that deal with urine regulation. A Boxer with incontinence will dribble urine and if a neurologic lesion is the cause, then this has to be removed.

There are also other reasons not related to the nervous system like congenital defect and bacterial urinary tract infection, also known as bacterial cystitis or bladder stone. If your Boxer leaves wet spots where he has slept and he has skin irritation from contact with the urine, then he may have incontinence.

However, wet spots around the house alone may simply mean that he drinks a lot more and needs to relieve himself often but you are not allowing him outside frequently enough. Straining while urinating and blood in the urine are two signs of bladder stone.

Deafness Boxers are among the more than 35 breeds of dogs on record to have hereditary sensorineural deafness. The condition cannot be reversed with medications, surgery or hearing aids.

Dogs also could become deaf from old age, toxicosis or infection. How do you tell if your Boxer is deaf? He doesn't respond to spoken commands and only responds to you when he sees you.

He keeps shaking his head and pawing his ears or turns in the wrong direction when you call him. He sleeps more than normal and would not wake up till you physically touch him. But not to worry, you can still have a wonderful companion in your deaf Boxer through sign language.

Dogs have been known to learn as many as 65 command words in sign language. These include signs for, among others, "stop", "potty", "drop it", "stay", "lay down", "sit", "come" and "cookie".

As extra measures, you want to keep the deaf Boxer in a safe environment as he cannot hear approaching dangers like an approaching car. So keep him on a leash and close to you when in traffic or out for walks.

On his nametag, add the word "deaf" so he will not be misunderstood if he ever gets lost. Some suggest putting a bell as well so you know where to find him if he gets lost. And finally, if your Boxer tested positive for inherited deafness in one or both ears, do not breed him or her.

Dog and Puppy Articles, Pictures and Resourceshttp://www.thingsfordogs.com/dog-health2.phpPart 1 is available at http://www.thingsfordogs.com/dog-health.phpPart 3 is available at http://www.thingsfordogs.com/dog-health3.php