Hepatitis, a disease of the liver that is seen in several
animals, including humans, is caused by a viral infection.
Canine hepatitis is caused by the virus designated CAV-1 which
is seen only in dogs. Humans and other animals are not at risk
to contract hepatitis from the CAV-1 virus.
Like many viruses, CAV-1 first localizes and replicates in the
lymph nodes and spreads into the bloodstream from there. Once in
the blood, CAV-1 attacks several organs, most notably the liver,
eyes, and kidneys. ...
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August 16th, 2010 in
Home and Family
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can affect a dog's
blood, liver, and kidneys. The bacteria that cause the illness
are carried primarily by rats and other rodents, but dogs that
are infected with the disease can infect other dogs as well.
Ingestion of the urine of an infected animal is the most common
means of transmission, but the bacteria can be contracted
through damaged or thin skin as well.
Leptospirosis is an odd disease that can often show no signs or
symptoms at all. In these ...
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August 14th, 2010 in
Home and Family
The condition commonly known as "Kennel Cough" is one of the
most prevalent infectious diseases that dogs can contract. The
disease is not serious in most cases, however, and often
resolves itself after one to two weeks. The accepted medical
term for kennel cough is tracheobronchitis, indicating a form of
bronchitis that affects the dog's trachea.
Kennel cough can be caused by several airborne bacteria and
viruses. It is generally accepted that most cases of kennel
cough are caused by the ...
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August 12th, 2010 in
Home and Family
Dogs (and cats) often fall victim to several common intestinal
parasites known as worms. There are a large number of different
types of intestinal worms, but dogs are most commonly affected
by tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. These
parasites live in the digestive tract (most commonly in the
intestines) where they feed on nutrients, robbing the dog of the
nutrition it takes in. Worm infestations can cause a variety of
undesirable symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, weight ...
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August 11th, 2010 in
Home and Family
Anyone who has been to a CPR class is familiar with the basics
of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. First you'll check to be sure
the patient has a clear airway, then check to see if the patient
is breathing, check whether the patient has a heartbeat and, if
the patient awakens during the process, be careful that you
don't get bitten by the patient.
The American Red Cross has been instructing people in CPR for
pets for quite some time now and has classes that include all
manner of first aid, ...
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August 9th, 2010 in
Home and Family
Some people love to make their dogs as cute as can be. For these
folks there are dog clothes. Cute sweaters, doggie tee shirts,
dog booties, stylish bandanas, and precocious little hats are
among the items people will purchase to adorn their dogs with
style. Dressing a dog is more about the owner than the animal,
but as long as the clothing isn't restrictive or overly
cumbersome, most dogs don't mind getting dressed up now and then
for a night (or day) on the town and some breeds, ...
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August 6th, 2010 in
Home and Family
Dog ownership carries with it the burden of a number of other
purchases. In order to properly care for a dog and to comply
with certain local laws, the owner must have a number of dog
accessories in his or her arsenal. Some of these items are
necessary, others are merely conveniences. It is important to
know exactly what you'll need to properly care for your dog.
The Essentials
Most of the truly necessary items for dog care are fairly
obvious. If you've got a dog you'll need bowls for the ...
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August 5th, 2010 in
Home and Family
Some people don't realize that dental hygiene is as important
for dogs as it is for human beings. Just like in people, dogs'
teeth can gather plaque after eating. When plaque builds up and
hardens it becomes a coarse brown substance called tartar. As
tartar accumulates it can work its way under the gums and cause
painful infections and gum disease. This goes on in the mouths
of dogs just like it does in people. You brush your teeth every
day, probably three times. What does your dog do?
Teeth ...
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August 4th, 2010 in
Home and Family
America loves dogs in films and on television. We also seem to
love dogs in the pages of the Sunday funnies and in animation.
To list all of the cartoon dogs that have made some kind of
impact on American pop culture could fill an entire book. Here,
however, is a small who's who list of dogs that have been
popular in cartoons over the years.
1924 ' Sandy
Fans of Harold Gray's comic strip Little Orphan Annie fondly
remember Annie's dog Sandy. Although Sandy never had much to say
except the ...
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August 2nd, 2010 in
Home and Family
One of the most beloved subjects for the creation of cartoon
characters in America is the dog. Countless dogs have graced
movie and television screens as animated characters ' too many
to cover in one short article in fact. There must be something
special about the comical nature of canines that makes them such
ready targets to become humorous cartoon characters, but there
have been plenty to choose from.
In the 1970's the creative team of William Hanna and Joseph
Barbera had their heyday on ...
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July 30th, 2010 in
Home and Family