Hereditary Skin Diseases in Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier, a high-spirited, intelligent dog is the result of cross-breeding the English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Boxer, and White Terrier. Nicknamed the American Gentleman for his kind and gentle disposition, the Boston terrier, is a smooth, short-coated, compactly built dog with beautiful colours- red brindle, black brindle, or black, with white markings.
The Boston Terrier is a relatively healthy breed requiring little grooming and maintenance, but it is susceptible to certain hereditary skin problems.
A minor problem affecting its coat is a gradually spreading baldness that is sometimes found in female Boston terriers at about six months of age. It starts around the ears and moves down to the underside of the neck and the trunk and then down to the inside of the rear legs. The skin underlying the areas of hair loss is usually normal and does not have the signs of secondary infection.
Allergies could be a possible underlying cause for hair loss and secondary skin infections. Boston Terriers are listed among the breeds that are prone to atopy (inhalant allergies).
The most common skin disease is the Demodectic mange, or red mange, caused by microscopic Demodex canis mite living in the hair follicles and within the skin layers of adolescent puppies or immunodeficient adult Boston Terriers. It is a genetically inherited defect of the immune system causing patchy to widespread hair loss and secondary bacterial skin.
There are three types of Demodicosis: Localized, Generalized, and Pododermatitis.
Localized Demodicosis usually causes small patches of red scaly skin and hair loss mostly on the face, but can occur anywhere on the body. These lesions are not itchy unless they get infected and are found in 3-6 months old puppies passed on by the carrier mother. Mild cases in puppies normally heal spontaneously and need no treatment. Demodex is not generally contagious between dogs.
In Generalized Demodicosis the skin is very red, with severe hair loss, crusts and sores, dark pigment, and deep infections accompanied by fever and loss of appetite. There are two groups of this type: juvenile onset when the pup is between 3 and 12 months old but recover with or without treatment and adult onset mostly in dogs over 2 years old which is difficult to cure, but can usually be controlled.
There is an inherited tendency to have Generalized Demodicosis so affected animals should never be bred.
Demodectic Pododermatitis is limited to the paws in adult animals is chronic and extremely difficult to treat.
Since these mites live in the hair follicles and in the dermis, deep skin scrapings are essential for diagnosis. Generalized demodicosis is treated with antibiotics. 90% of localized and 30-50% of generalized demodicosis get better with no treatment. The veterinarian aided by modern medication can control if not completely cure this infection.
Another disease inherited from the English Terrier and the Bulldog are Mast Cell Tumors or Mastocytomas in skin tissues These are raised, button like skin growths with raw pink surfaces which can be malignant and spread internally.
Cushings Disease is another skin disease found in the Boston Terrier caused by an excess of cortisone-type hormone in the dog’s system. The use of too much cortisone-type medications, cortisone-containing eye drops or ear ointments or an over-active tumor of the adrenal gland or a tumor of the pituitary gland can cause the disease.
The signs of Cushing’s include a thin, poor hair coat, potbelly, increased water intake and frequent urination. The disease is very treatable and the changes can be reversed but if left untreated it can cause diabetes mellitus or life threatening blood clots.
Their sensitive skin prevents them from handling both extreme heat and cold. They should be checked daily – special attention being paid to their eyes and ears-for any external parasites such as ticks or mites. Caution should be taken when considering any medications for the Boston Terrier as they can be very sensitive to anesthetics, vaccines, and other drugs.
Nancy Richards is a dog owner and trainer for more than 10 years. She is also the President of the dog training Institute. Learn more about Boston Terrier Breed Characteristics. Discover unique Boston Terrier training tips and learn how to groom, take care and ensure good health for your Boston Terrier.
Golden Retriever Breed Diseases and Health Problems
Golden Retrievers are actually considered quite strong and hearty animals. However, they are still susceptible to approximately six common diseases that can be rather harmful to the dogs. These problems can cause the Golden retriever some amount of inconvenience and suffering, so owners should be prepared to be on the look-out for such symptoms.
Skin diseases are one of the top problems with Golden Retrievers. They could have causes as simple as a flea itch or mosquito bite that can cause their skin to be irritated and inflamed. The dogs will worry or bite on that spot until they cut themselves or cause something known as a hot spot. A red, moist and raw spot is known as a hot spot and it can grow in size every time the dog worries it. It will usually require a bandage or a special collar to keep the dog away from this area in order to give it a chance to heal.
Golden Retrievers can suffer from allergies faster than most other breeds. Wheat is typically an offending factor and a lot of commercial dog foods have wheat in their recipes. It is not lethal to animals but it can cause them to have problems with their digestion or cause their skin to become inflamed and irritated. If the dog licks its face excessively or scratches constantly, you might have a dog that is allergic.
Beneath the outer layers of the skin, there could be more severe types of diseases. There are different types of fatty lipomas and the severe liposarcoma that can become common as the dogs grow older.
Fatty lipomas are typically benign and will be able to be removed the next time a dog gets his teeth cleaned and gets general anesthesia. They can develop and become larger, but they are not a threat and can be ignored. On the other hand, liposarcomas are dangerous and need to be removed as soon as possible. They need to be treated as soon as they are diagnosed.
Cataracts and eye afflictions can be frequent among Golden Retrievers that are beyond 10 years of age. Such eye afflictions can lead to poorer vision or even blindness in the dog. There is no cure for such afflictions.
Less frequently seen in Golden Retrievers are problems with the heart, however, should heart problems develop, they are usually subvalvular aortic stenosis or cardiomyopathy. Subvalvular aortic stenosis is a blockage in the left vein of the ventricle and will cause a decrease in the blood flow. At times, the situation is benign, however the dog will be restrained from running around as aften. When the condition is dangerous, the heart is forced to strain itself, working harder when the heart muscles thicken. This heart problem is usually genetic and the treatment can be beta blockers to mild antibiotics. An operation is always a solution but compared to operations on the human heart, it has a lower chance of success.
Cardiomyopathy is an acquired disease which is more serious. It tends to happen in dogs that are 4 to 10 years old and the cause is unknown. The heart muscle will become thin and flabby, progressively getting worse until the dog passes away.
Nevertheless, most Golden Retrievers live a long and healthy live. With the right diet and plenty of exercise, your animal has a better shot at living a wonderful life.
Moses Wright is a an experience dog owner. He created this web site to help fellow pet owners stop their home dog behavior problems. He provides more info on Golden Retriever Health Problems and Training on his site.
Dog & Cat Diseases : How to Get Rid of Ticks on Dogs
Ticks on dogs can result in tick-borne diseases, so it’s important to remove any ticks with a pair of tweezers. Find out why it’s important to remove ticks on a dog by the head with help from a staff veterinarian in this free video on dog health and pet care. Expert: Dr. James Talbott Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge
Dog Health Problems – Symptoms Of 4 Dog Diseases You Must Know
It’s important for every dog owner to recognize dog health problems and symptoms as your furry pal relies on you to be his or her “first responder” when they have a problem. You can tell when they aren’t feeling all that well but do you really know what to do? Listed below are the symptoms for some common dog health problems ranging from the everyday to the very serious.
Dog Diarrhea
The symptoms of this condition are pretty obvious. Your canine buddy is probably going to express some pain when defecating because that strain is just magnifying the pain in his stomach. The stool will be runny and may be an abnormal color. The odor will be more intense.
Diarrhea in dogs is quite common thanks to a dog’s complete lack of discrimination in what he eats. If it smells okay and doesn’t hurt his mouth then it is potential food. As a result they eat stuff that makes them sick.
Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Dogs
Lyme disease is a bacterium known as Borrelia which is transmitted to your dog through a tick bite. Unfortunately, there are no symptoms until weeks after the infection and when they do show they are often mistaken for other ailments.
The most common symptom is one that appears to be arthritis. Joints and lymph glands can become swollen making it very painful for the dog to walk or even get comfortable laying down. Your pal will become listless, may refuse to eat because the effort hurts too much, and may revert to using the inside of the house as his bathroom rather than going outside.
The giveaway that this is Lyme’s and not arthritis is that the affected limbs will change. When arthritis develops it doesn’t move around. With Lyme’s disease one side of your dog can be affected one week and then suddenly it heals and the other side is affected.
Symptoms of Distemper
Distemper is an airborne virus that is highly contagious and affects the dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Distemper will first show itself with cold like symptoms with watery eyes, runny nose, a cough and sometimes diarrhea. Later in the development of the disease the dog will suffer from disorientation, twitching and even convulsions. Unfortunately there is no effective treatment for this disease.
Symptoms of Ear Infections
These infections are fairly common particularly with dogs that have heavy earflap like Bassets and Dachshunds. The infection is caused by bacteria or yeast that appear when there is a change in the dog’s ear like an infestation of ticks or mites. Symptoms of an ear infection include the shaking of the head, a pawing of the ears, pain and a foul odor coming from the ears.
Of course there are many more ailments that can affect your canine friend but the thing to remember is prevention. It’s really not so different from taking care of a kid. Keep their shots up to date, keep them well fed and clean and provide clean bedding. Parasites cause most of the problems and if you can limit your dog’s exposure to strange dogs you are limiting the possibility of exposure to disease. If you notice dog health problems that do not go away after a few days, take your pal to the vet.
So now you know the symptoms of these dog health problems. Would you like to learn the treatment? You can find those and a ton more home remedies for common ailments like itchy skin, fleas, dog vomiting and other everyday dog health problems by visiting http://homeremediesfordogs.org right now
Dog & Cat Diseases : Canine Asthma Symptoms
Symptoms of asthma in dogs include heavy breathing, panting, use of chest muscles to breathe, odd gum color and lethargy. Learn about treating an asthmatic dog with help from a staff veterinarian in this free video on dog health and pet care. Expert: Dr. James Talbott Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge
Various Types of Skin Diseases
There are a great deal of common skin diseases, ranging from the very mild to the severe, so it’s important to learn about all of them. Being able to recognize a dermatological disorder is the first step towards figuring out the best way to treat the condition.
Allergic dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases, marked by an allergic reaction that usually appears within 48 hours of being exposed to the irritant. Redness, swelling and itching are symptoms, and the condition most often affects adults. Poison ivy and oak are major culprits.
One of the most common feline skin diseases is acne. The most noticeable symptom of this condition is the formation of blackheads on your cat’s chin. Although an exact cause is known, dermatitis, food allergies, and poor grooming can play a role. The veterinarian may not choose to treat feline acne is the case is mild enough.
Ringworm is also one of the most common feline skin diseases. This skin fungus frequently affects young, old, and long-haired cats although any cat can be affected. Symptoms include crusting, redness on the skin, and scaling. Some cats react to the fungus by over-grooming themselves which can cause hair loss. Treatment methods of ringworm include oral medication, shampoo, or clipping the cat’s coat.
Canine skin diseases are among some of the most common health problems. Diagnosing them accurately can sometimes prove to be difficult as many other diseases imitate their symptoms. Some of the most common dog skin problems include hot spots, Cheyletiella, mange, and ringworm. This article will take a look at some of these skin conditions.
Most common skin diseases are skin cancer, acne, sunburn, impetigo, warts, and herpes. In these diseases skin becomes swollen, red and causes irritation and inflammation. This could be due to some irritants, genetic inheritance, allergies or any other problem in the human body immune system.
Dermatologists more frequent, than other doctors, meet with the allergic displays (demonstrations) on skin. For this reason different desensitizing tools are used in dermatology for medical cure. Such process has two stages.
1) The first task is to see the allergen (the irritant, which causes and allergy) and to recognize (select) it.
2) And only after that discovering we can apply different methods and measures for removal of allergen or diminution of its influence on patient.
Dermatologists more frequent, than other doctors, meet with the allergic displays (demonstrations) on skin. For this reason different desensitizing tools are used in dermatology for medical cure. Such process has two stages.
1) The first task is to see the allergen (the irritant, which causes and allergy) and to recognize (select) it.
2) And only after that discovering we can apply different methods and measures for removal of allergen or diminution of its influence on patient.
Treatment in mild cases of vitiligo, the skin can be hidden using makeup. Dermatologists also prescribe corticosteroid cream for skin. The exposure of skin to long-wave ultraviolet rays from the sun is also beneficial for the patient.
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Canine Skin Diseases – a Look at Four Common Dog Skin Problems
Canine skin diseases are among some of the most common health problems. Diagnosing them accurately can sometimes prove to be difficult as many other diseases imitate their symptoms. Some of the most common dog skin problems include hot spots, Cheyletiella, mange, and ringworm. This article will take a look at some of these skin conditions.
Hot Spots
Hot spots are areas of skin that have become inflamed. These areas are usually infected also, and the infection can only be superficial in the skin or deep. Symptoms include oozing, redness, and hair loss in the area. Hot spots are usually caused by fleas, mites, injury, or insect bites. Treatment options include topical medications, special shampoos, or oral antibiotics. You should also clean the area daily and apply a cool compress at least twice a day.
Cheyletiella
One of the next common canine skin diseases is Cheyletiella. Cheyletiella are mites that infest your dog and cause skin problems. Although there are three common species of these mites, the one that usually affects dogs is Cheyletiella yasguri. These mites can also transfer from your dog onto you. This usually results in an itchy rash.
If these mites infest your dog, you will notice redness, swelling spots, crusts, and itching. The most noticeable symptom is the so-called “walking dandruff”. If the infestation is advanced enough, you can notice the white mites walking along your dog’s skin. Cheyletiella is treated using shampoos containing pyrethrin, lime sulfur, or selenium sulphide. You should also treat the environment so your dog doesn’t get reinfected. Use a vacuum throughout your home and a flea control spray.
Mange
Sarcoptic mange is one of the next dog skin problems. This disease is characterized by an infestation of Sarcoptes mites. These mites cause severe itching. This causes your dog to scratch himself badly enough to cause sores to develop. Diagnosis of this disease can be difficult as the mites can prove difficult to find. The veterinarian will have to take a skin scraping and examine it under a microscope. Once successfully diagnosed, special shampoos can be used to treat the condition.
Ringworm
Ringworm may be something you’re already familiar with as it can infect humans. Ringworm can be caused by an infection from several species of fungus. An infection causes symptoms such as crusts, scale, and hair loss. Your dog may also experience mild itching. This fungal infection can be treated using oral medications or shampoo with lime sulfur.
These are some of the most common dog skin problems. As a dog owner, it’s important that you learn about a variety of dog illnesses that can affect your precious pet. So, stop by dog-illnesses.com today to learn about some of these diseases such as canine pancreatitis.
Common Cat Medical Problems : Toxic Poisons for Cat’s Skin
Many cleaning agents can be very harmful to cat’s skin and cause severe burning or hair loss. Learn about various household toxins that can affect your cat’s skin in this free pet care video from a practicing veterinarian.
Expert: Tracy Carreiro
Bio: Tracy Carreiro is member of The Faxon Animal Rescue League. The League was founded in 1913 to help overworked and abused draft horses. Their shelter aims to adopt out 600 pets to safe homes each year.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Duration : 0:1:36