Worms in cats can be roundworms, which look like spaghetti when passed through the stool or vomit, and tapeworms, which look like small segments of rice. Identify internal parasites in cats, which can be accompanied by diarrhea and weight loss, withadvice from a practicing veterinarian in this free video on pet care. Expert: James Talbott Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Many people see their pet dog as an important member of the family, and as with any family member, they want to do everything possible to keep them healthy and happy. There is a huge variety of preventative canine medication available today, to ensure that your dog is at a lower risk from some of the most common illnesses in the canine world.

Dogs are particularly susceptible to a number of internal parasites collectively known as worms. Worm larvae can be ingested, can pass through the skin, or can be passed from mother to puppy during pregnancy or lactation. Common types of worm are heartworm, which occupy the right chamber of the heart and can be fatal, roundworms which cause diarrhea and sickness and can be passed to humans, and hookworms which cause intestinal problems and anemia.

Canine medication for regular ‘worming’ is recommended to prevent these parasites becoming established. A monthly dose can combine treatment for various types of worm, as well as flea control. Although many of these conditions can be treated after they have become serious, the treatment can be unpleasant or even dangerous for the dog. Regular preventative worming will greatly reduce the risks these parasites pose.

Another common canine condition that can be prevented or lessened by preventative medicine is arthritis. This disease, which causes painful swelling of the joints, can prevent your dog from running, walking and generally enjoying life. It can totally alter a dog’s character, making them shy and withdrawn, or sometimes even aggressive.

Regular supplements of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids are one of several ways of preventing the onset of arthritis. Once established, arthritis can be treated with drugs containing glucosamine, which aids the development of healthy cartilage, tendons and ligaments.

When you are considering getting a dog, you should familiarize yourself with the basics of canine first aid. The American Red Cross recommends you keep a basic first aid kit that contains the following: gauze pads to stop bleeding, bandages and cloth to strap fractured limbs, a thermometer, tweezers, antibiotic ointment to dress wounds, a cold pack to reduce swelling or apply to burns, and a rubber tourniquet to stop severe bleeding.

One basic first aid rule is that you should always muzzle your dog and keep them on a comfortable leash if they are in distress. Even the friendliest dog can be a danger to themselves or others when they are in pain or are suffering.

You need to be aware that a dog’s normal temperature is between 100 and 102.5 degrees, and check regularly if you think your dog is outside these parameters. You should know that you can warm a hypothermic dog with warm blankets and a hairdryer, and lower the temperature of a dog with heatstroke using cool water.

You should know that baking soda and water, or calamine lotion, relieve the itching of a bite or sting. Above all you should know when the situation is serious enough to call your veterinarian, and you should have their number handy at all times.

There are a lot of medical considerations to take into account when you are looking after a dog. However, the wide range of canine medication available ensures that it is possible for your pet to have a long healthy life, with just a little care and attention.

Rebecca Prescott
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/caring-for-your-dog-canine-medication-and-first-aid-127224.html

Pet Care: Learn To Care For Your Pet

General responsibility in caring for and maintaining your animals entails seeing to their adequate nourishment, shelter, control of external and internal parasites such as ticks and fleas, ensuring that they are regularly vaccinated and using veterinary services when necessary. Pet care also involves training and controlling your animals so that they do not become a problem to neighbors, delivery personnel and visitors to your home. In some cases, this could mean costly additions to your property, such as fences or walls. Caring for your pet also means obtaining some general knowledge in relation to the various sicknesses and ailments that can affect animals. Yet another area of responsibility is to ensure that at times when you and your entire household go away for vacations, you can provide either pet sitters, or arrange for your pets to go to boarding facilities.
Let us look now at some specific areas of pet care and here we will concentrate mainly on dogs, as they are the most popular of pets.

Feeding: Too often, pet owners think that all a dog or cat needs is the leftover food from their own meals. However, for animals to remain healthy they need to have the correct type of nutrients that can be found in good quality animal foods. For growing dogs, the amount of dry food intake per day should be about 5% of the dog’s body mass. For the maintenance of grown dogs, it is about 2% and for lactating or hardworking dogs, it is 7.5%. It is good to provide bones for chewing, as this assists in keeping teeth clean. Raw meat is a healthy component of a good diet. Milk too is good in moderation, as an excess of it can cause diarrhea. Clean drinking water is vital. It should be replaced at least once a day. The physical appearance of a dog, such as a glossy coat is a good indication of the adequacy of the diet. Check too the gums and the tongue, which should have a healthy, pink color.

Bathing: The 2 main reasons for bathing pets is for general hygiene, especially where you have a lot of physical contact with them and also as a controlling factor for external parasites. Most large breed dogs which do not have access to inside your home do not necessarily have to be bathed, except in the case where they have rolled in something smelly, as they tend to do at times. When bathing your pets, be sure to use suitable soaps or shampoos, as some may tend to irritate the skin, or dry out the natural oils that an animal needs. This can also happen with excessive bathing. When bathing for the control of ticks or fleas, be sure to use the appropriate insecticide shampoos and to follow the instructions carefully.

Grooming: Longer haired dogs especially, need regular grooming, both for appearance and for the comfort and health of the animal. An ungroomed dog will be more of an ideal breeding ground for fleas and ticks. Dogs, which live inside, if not groomed regularly and thoroughly, will be depositing shed hair all over your home. Take care in choosing the right grooming brushes. One with nylon bristles tends to create static electricity in the animals coat and could damage the hair over a period of time. The metal variety is probably the most durable.

Exercising: Regular exercising is an important part of caring for your pet, especially if your home has a small yard. If that is the case, then you will need to take them for walks. This means that they would have been, or must be trained to walk on a leash, as it is not wise to let your dog run free in the streets.
Lastly, you need to know that dogs are very sociable animals and thrive on companionship. Therefore part of caring for your pet is to play with them. This can be done in conjunction with exercising.

Take joy in caring for your pet and you will have many rewards. A well cared for pet will give you years of pleasure, satisfaction and companionship.