Owner’s Look At Dog Coronavirus

July 15, 2009 by  
Filed under Dog Health

A highly contagious virus is responsible for coronavirus in dogs. The disease can develop if your dog comes into direct contact with contaminated stool. Most dogs are naturally immune. However, it’s common for puppies less than a year old to be affected. Although the virus can be fatal, most dogs are able to recover.

Signs

It’s common for dogs to display hardly noticeable symptoms. Depression, fever, and loss of appetite are common symptoms of a mild case. However, an advanced infection will cause more severe symptoms. It’s common for dogs to have diarrhea, with mucus and or blood in the stool.

Diagnosis

Canine coronavirus causes some of the same symptoms as parvovirus, a much more serious disease that’s often fatal. The vet will have to analyze a stool sample to distinguish between the two. If the two viruses are causing an infection at the same time, it increases the mortality rate dramatically.

Treatment

Your dog won’t receive any specific treatment for this condition. The virus will just have to run its course until your dog’s immune system can recover. Management of the disease depends on your dog’s overall health, condition, and severity of the disease.

Since dogs usually experience vomiting and diarrhea simultaneously, dehydration can become a problem. Most dogs will receive intravenous fluids to prevent this. Medications can also be prescribed to try to help control the vomiting and diarrhea. Antibiotics may be given to prevent secondary infections.

All owners should know their pet can fall victim to various health problems in their lifetime like dog congestive heart failure. Fortunately for you, you can learn about a wide range of these conditions at dog-illnesses.com. So, stop by today to learn about a wide range of these conditions like melanoma in canines.

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Owner’s Look At Congestive Heart Failure In Canines

June 23, 2009 by  
Filed under Dog Care

Congestive heart failure in dogs is a very serious condition. This disease occurs because something is wrong with the function or structure of your dog’s heart. This article will discuss dog congestive heart failure.

Forms

Failure comes in two forms. The chamber walls in the heart thicken in one form of the disease. The heart will pump less efficiently when the walls become thicker. The other form is characterized by the muscles that form the walls stretching thinner. This causes the heart to enlarge.

The heart also pumps less efficiently when the heart enlarges. This makes the heart work harder to compensate for the decreased efficiency. Heart failure results when the heart can no longer work hard enough to compensate.

Symptoms

While your dog’s heart is still able to compensate for reduced efficiency, he will show no signs of a problem. This can last for months or even years. It’s common for dogs in heart failure to drool excessively and get tired quickly. He may pant and cough a lot after exercise, or even while resting. Heart failure in canines also causes a bluish tongue and gray membranes in the mouth.

Diagnosis

An electrocardiogram is used to diagnose this condition. The electrocardiogram will help the vet see if there are any problems with the heart. Since this condition causes the heart to enlarge, an ultrasound will also be useful. X-rays are also common diagnostic tests for heart failure.

Treatment

If your dog is diagnosed with congestive heart failure, you will have to restrict his exercise and sodium intake. He will also need to take medications to increase calcium in the heart muscles. The purpose of the calcium is to lower the heart rate and increase efficiency.

This disease may also require the use of diuretics. Fluid may accumulate in the abdomen and lungs. The diuretics will help relive this problem. Blood pumping efficiency can also be increased by tightening the blood vessels. This is done through the use of ACE inhibitors.

All owners should know a little something about common illnesses in canines. You can read up on many different potential health problems at dog-illnesses.com. So, stop by today to learn about a wide range of these conditions.

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