Achoo! A Guide for your Pet’s Allergies

Have you noticed your pet sneezing more lately? With spring here and the weather getting warmer, you may find that your pet starts showing signs of allergies. Pollen in the air is usually associated with allergies in humans, however pet allergies are very common and can cause itching, sneezing, watery eyes, and wheezing.

What You Should About Your Pet’s Allergies

Allergic reactions are an immune response to harmless substances that are the body (human or animal) thinks is dangerous. In fact, many concerned pet owners bring in their furry friends to see the vet because of the symptoms of allergies, not realizing that their pet has an allergic reaction.

In general, pets can be allergic to the same substances that cause allergies in humans. Some of the most common are:

• Pollen
• Mold and mildew
• Strong smells from cleaning products or perfume
• Some soaps and shampoos
• Dust
• Certain foods. (Did you know that many dogs and cats are lactose intolerant?)

The Symptoms of Pet Allergies

Just as there are common allergens that can cause allergic reactions in pets and humans, so the symptoms are very similar. Some common allergic reactions in pets are:

• Constant sneezing and other symptoms of respiratory inflammation.
• Scratching because of itchy skin, especially the ears and back of the neck.
• Watery eyes.

Of course, these symptoms can also be caused by other pet health problems, so if you notice anything unusual or changed in your pet’s behavior, it’s best to take them for a checkup. A qualified vet will do an allergy test to find out the source of the allergy. This is just the first step in helping manage your pet’s allergy successfully.

How to Manage Pet’s Allergies

Managing your pet’s allergy successfully depends much on the type of allergen. For example, if dust or pollen is the culprit, then regularly cleaning areas where your dog or cat spends time will help. If your pet is allergic to a certain food, then removing this from the diet will solve the allergy. 

Sometimes, a course of treatment is needed to reduce allergic reactions and build up resistance to the allergens.

Whatever the source of the allergy, you can successfully help manage your pet’s allergy symptoms and improve their quality of life. 

Danger: Bad Foods for your Furry Friends

We all love to share things with people and pets that we love. However, when it comes to your furry friends, there are some foods that are bad for them. Before giving in to your pet’s adorable eyes that are saying “please feed me”, you be careful about what tasty treats you throw to them to make sure and keep your pet healthy.

In this article, you will find out which foods you should never give your pets.

5 Types of Food You Should Never Give Your Pets

Chocolate, coffee, and caffeine

You should never give your pets any foods containing chocolate, coffee, or caffeine. The harmful substance in these products is methylxanthine. Consuming these types of foods can cause your pet to vomit, have diarrhea, an abnormal heart rhythm, and even death. Dark chocolate is more dangerous for your pet than light chocolate, although all kind of chocolate is bad for pets.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a definite no-no when it comes to pets. Although some people can think it amusing to give their dog some beer, an intoxicated pet is not a happy pet. Alcohol can also affect your pet’s central nervous system, cause tremors, affect breathing and end up in a coma.

Citrus fruits

Small amount of citrus fruits can cause minor stomach upset. However, eating citrus leaves, peels, fruit, and seed can cause extreme irritation and depress the central nervous system.

Dairy products

Many cats and dogs can’t digest the lactose that is found in many dairy products. Although cats love a little milk, it can play havoc with their digestive system. According to Pets WebMD, many cats (and dogs) are lactose intolerant and milk can give them diarrhea and make them vomit.

Raw Meat and Eggs

Raw meat and eggs can expose your pet to harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E.coli. This can result in vomiting and make your pet very sick. The same is true with raw bones. However, giving your dog bones many seem like a natural option, but many domesticated dogs can choke on bones or ingest splinters which can cause internal injuries.

Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that can interfere with the absorption of biotin. This can cause skin and coat problems. 

Is Your Dog Sneezing?

Dogs, just like humans, have to sneeze occasionally. However, if your dog is sneezing constantly it could be a sign that something is just not quite right. Before you take your dog to the vets for a checkup, there are some ways to find out why is your dog sneezing.

Common Reasons for your Dog Sneezing

Sneezing is an involuntary response to irritation in your dog’s nose. If your dog only sneezes once in a while, then there is usually nothing to worry about. Continual sneezing isn’t normal for dogs and can be caused by one of the following reasons:

• Allergic reaction. Substances like pollen, dust, perfumes, mold spores, and cleaning products can all cause allergic reactions in your dog.
• Infections. The sneezing could be as a result of an infection that irritates your pet’s nasal passages. Your dog could have caught dog flu, be suffering from kennel cough, or the serious condition, canine distemper.
• Foreign object. While your dog was sniffing around in the grass, he or she could have got something stuck in their nose. Or there could be a parasite or bee sting that is causing the irritation.
• Tumor. On rare occasions, your dog could have a tumor growing in the nose that is causing the constant sneezing.

How to Find out Why is Your Dog Sneezing

With a bit of detective work, you could try to find out what is causing the sneezing. For example, have you been outside walking in long grass with your dog?

It’s important to have a careful look at your pet’s nose. Do you see signs of swelling or inflammation? Is there any discolored discharge from the nostrils that could indicate an infection? Use a flashlight to try and see if there is any blockage in the nasal passages.

Repeated sneezing can result in bleeding from the nostrils.

If your dog continues sneezing and you can’t see any visible signs for this, then it’s best to visit your local vet clinic for a checkup. 

The Importance of Bloodwork for your Furry Friend

Very often during a routine visit to the vet, you will be advised to get a blood test done on your pet. Because the blood work involves extra cost, many pet owners are hesitant to agree to this. However, blood work is very important for your furry friend.

Here are some of the important reasons why a vet will require that blood work is done.

Check your pet’s general health

Even healthy pets need to get bloodwork done as this gives your vet a baseline to compare future blood test results.

Identify disease early

Bloodwork on your pet is important to identify disease in its early stage before other physical symptoms show up. For example, certain enzymes, proteins, glucose, and white blood cells may indicate that your pet may have a condition that requires treatment. 

Usually, liver disease, diabetes, anemia, and kidney problems show up in bloodwork.

Very often, if these diseases are caught early enough, they can be much easier to treat and manage.

Required before surgery

Your vet will usually require that bloodwork is done before any surgery. This helps to be sure that all the vital organs are functioning properly and reduce the risks connected with anesthesia.

Check for viruses and parasites

If you have noticed that your pet is “off color” or just not acting themselves, they could have a viral or parasite infection.

For example, in dogs, heartworm caused by mosquito bites and Lymes disease causedby ticks can be discovered early with the appropriate blood tests.

Cats are prone to feline leukemia and FIV and the proper blood test will detect if your furry friend requires treatment.

Bloodwork for Pets

So, if your vet advises the bloodwork be carried out on your pet, it is always the best course of action to get this done. Even if the bloodwork doesn’t show up any abnormalities, you will have the peace of mind that your furry friend is in the best of health.

Did you Know your Pets Age Faster Than You?

Unfortunately, it's a fact that our pets age faster than we do. Just like aging in humans, advanced years brings more health issues for older pets. However, with the proper pet care and attention, there is much that you can do to help your dog or cat live a happy and fulfilled life even in advanced years.

What happens with the aging process in our four-legged friends?

Aging in Dogs and Cats

It's actually a myth that one human year represents the equivalent of seven dog years. If you think about it, a dog that is one-year old in "human years" is much more mature than a child who is seven. After all, many dog breeds can already produce a litter of pups after a year or so.

The aging process with dog and cats is much quicker in the first few years of their lives. This means that our pets reach adult maturity faster than humans so. So, a cat or dog that is one-year old would be the equivalent age of a 15 or 16-year old adolescent. Then, the second year of a dog or cat's life would be the equivalent to around 3 to 8 years of a human.

After the first 2 years of a dog or cat's life, the aging process slows down and each year would be the same as 5 or 6 years of a human's life.

There is also the fact to consider that, especially with dogs, the aging process is different among the breeds. In general, smaller dogs age slower than larger breed dogs. So, with smaller breeds like terriers, they reach "old age" when they are around 11 or 12 in human terms. But, larger breeds like German shepherd dogs are classed as elderly when they are about 8 years old.

The same is true when it comes to life expectancy in dogs. The average life expectancy for smaller breeds ranges between 12 and 16 years and larger breed dogs between 8 and 13.

As with aging in humans, there are also a number of factors that can influence how long you can expect your pet to live. Therefore, it is important that your pet enjoys a well-balanced diet with all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required. You should also take your pet to the vet for regular checkups so that any health issues can be caught early on and the proper treatment and medication can be administered.

Should your Dogs and Cats be Flossing?

We all want to do everything we can for our adorable pets. However, when it comes to dental hygiene for dogs and cats, we can all sometimes be a bit negligent. Regular brushing and good oral hygiene practices are just as important for your pet's mouth as it is for yours. However, when it comes to flossing, what should you do? Do dogs and cats need to have their teeth flossed?

One of the problems that many pet owners face when it comes to their pet's oral hygiene is the fact that pets aren't always cooperative. This makes many pet owners give up looking after their pet's teeth. However, flossing and cleaning can prevent tooth decay and even keep your pet healthy.

The biggest challenge is to get your pets used to the cleaning process. If you have a cat, you can start by gently rubbing a cotton swab over your cat's teeth and gums. In time, you can try to start using a cat toothbrush and a special toothpaste for cats.

If cats don't take to having their teeth cleaned, check their teeth regularly and pay a visit to your local vet if you have any cause for concern.

With caring for dogs, it is usually easier to clean their teeth. The easiest time will be just after exercising or playing because they will generally sit still. Once again, you can get your dog used to the cleaning process by using a cotton swab before introducing a doggy toothbrush. Dogs usually love the taste of dog toothpaste, and so it shouldn't be too difficult to clean their teeth a minimum of once a week.

Flossing may be more difficult. There are some chew toys on the market that claim to help floss dogs teeth to remove harmful plaque. Your local vet can also show you some of the best and easiest methods to floss and brush your dog's teeth.

Keeping your dog and cat's teeth healthy will not just save you a lot of money on vet bills, but you will keep your pet healthier.

The Do's and Don'ts of Heart Worm Prevention

Heartworm is a life-threatening disease that is very easy to prevent and difficult to cure. Therefore, to keep your dog or cat in good health and save you costly medical bills, heartworm prevention is essential.

Heartworm is a disease that passed on to dogs and cats by a mosquito bite. According to Sheldon Rubin on Pets WebMD, heartworm has been reported in all 50 states in the U.S. He says that if you have mosquitos then your animals are at risk from heartworm.

Essential Do's and Don'ts for Heartworm Prevention

So, when it comes to heartworm prevention for your pets, what are the essential do's and don'ts to prevent heartworm disease?

Do's

• Visit your local vet to check for heartworm before any prevention medication is given. This is because if your pet is already infected, the heartworm prevention could make the condition worse. 
• Keep up with monthly heartworm preventatives to reduce the risk of any infection.
• If your dog or cat has been diagnosed with heartworms, don't allow them to exercise for 4-6 weeks. 
• Call your vet if your pet seems unwell or starts coughing.
• Unless your vet tells you otherwise, keep up the heartworm prevention also during the winter months.
• Make sure that your pet has a yearly check up to check their general health and test for heartworms. 

Don'ts

• Don't think that your pets are safe just because they have a long coat or are kept indoors.
• Don't assume that coughing is just a sign of asthma. Blood testing is needed to check for heartworms and the symptoms of asthma and heartworm disease are similar.
• Don't forget to take your pet to the vet to have him/her re-tested for heartworms 3 – 4 months after treatment.
• Don't forget that just because your dog or cat shows no visible symptoms of heartworm, it doesn't mean that there is no infection.

Know the Symptoms of Heartworm Disease

It is important that all pet owners know what the symptoms of heartworm disease in cats and dogs are. There are:

• Dogs will tire easily and may cough.
• Coughing
• Weight loss
• Cats may suffer from difficulty in breathing.

If you are concerned that your pet may have heartworm, you should contact your local vet to arrange a check up.