Health Problems
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Necrotizing Myelopathy is a degenerative disease that affects the spinal cord in dogs, gradually affecting mobility and sensation. It is a progressive disease, so its not known to get better without treatment, and even with treatment, its progress is usually only slowed. The problem is one of the autoimmune system. As antibodies are produced that mistakenly attack the own body, tissue in the central nervous system is destroyed or "necrotized" this phenomenon is often described as the body literally eating itself. When the muscular tissue surrounding the spinal cord is eventually eaten away, it exposes the sensitive nerve fibres of the spinal cord itself. When those are affected, disastrous results begin to happen instantaneously. Paralysis results as the control pathways between the brain and the muscles are shut down and destroyed. [...]
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One of the most devastating and potentially serious diseases to affect our dogs is that of obesity. Thankfully, it's also one of the most easily prevented and treatable diseases. Usually the result of neglect or misinformation, oftentimes all it takes to reverse the adverse affects of obesity is education and a willingness to help your dog improve his or her quality of life.
Obesity is a condition in which your dog's percentage of body fat is significantly higher than it should be, resulting in their carrying around a lot of extra weight. This extra weight affects the entirety of your dog's health. It places them at a much greater risk during any surgeries that might be necessary for other diseases; weakens their joints and cartilage, leaving them prone to injuries; and creates an incredible amount of stress on organs and bones that are surrounded by thick walls of fat. [...]
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Much like with humans, obsessive compulsive disorder in dogs is characterized by the uncontrollable repetition of bizarre, out of context behavior. This behavior can be literally anything and is directed either at other animals or humans or even at inanimate objects such as food dishes or a piece of furniture. In the least severe cases, your dog's disorder might manifest through something simple like pacing back and forth, or hiding in a particular spot for seemingly no reason. At other times, it can become more problematic such as when they begin to bark at "nothing" for hours at a time, or destroy your or other's property with no provocation. In the worst cases, your dog might cause serious problems by turning its frustration against itself. In many cases, this might manifest as destructive behavior such as the dog compulsively chewing on its own foot, resulting in infections and problematic lesions. [...]
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Otitis externa is a general name for a problem that seems to affect nearly all breeds at some point or another, and for a wide variety of causes: the ear infection. One of the most perplexing diseases that can befall your dog, ear infections usually produce no symptoms until the problem is already well under way and even then, extensive testing is required to determine which of the many possible causes is behind this particular outbreak.
Signs that a dog's ears might be infected include behavioral symptoms such as incessant scratching of the affected ear, unexplained back and forth shaking of the head, and a sensitivity of the skin around the ear. Other clinical signs include a pungent odor emanating from the interior of the ear, a visible discharge of any color, dark waxy buildup, and raised or swollen ear flesh. [...]
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Every dog (or cat, or human for that matter) is born with a hole in his or heart. This hole works as a valve and is called the patent ductus. Its function is primarily to shunt blood to the lungs while the puppy is still in its mother's womb, and as such it becomes unnecessary after birth when the puppy can breathe on its own. Because of this, the fissure known as the patent ductus normally closes on its own by the time the animal is three days old. There are times, however, when for whatever reason, this does not occur.
In a normally functioning heart, blood enters the heart on one side and is sent to the lungs to be oxygenated, whereupon it returns to the other side of the heart where it is pumped out to the rest of the body. If the patent ductus does not close, the result is that an inordinate amount of blood is shunted towards the lungs, which causes an increase of fluid on the lungs and labored breathing. [...]
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Generally, baldness is not considered to be a major problem with dogs. It tends to affect a relatively small percentage of the population, and even then is usually only considered a major defect when it happens to animals that are active in the show ring. However, there are times when animal baldness should be taken more seriously, as it could very well be the sign of much more serious problems that are lying in wait.
Patterned baldness is an unpredictable disease. Victims usually are born with thick and normal coats as puppies, with bald spots only beginning to develop at the point of maturity. These bald spots first tend to appear on the flanks, inside the hind legs, and along the front and sides of the neck, often at the deepest part of the chest. It can be distinguished from other causes of hair loss by its distinctive pattern: hair loss as a result of patterned baldness will always occur symmetrically. [...]
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Pelger-Huet Syndrome is an observed abnormality in the formation of the nucleus of white blood cells. Whereas a typical white blood cell nucleus would have a generally round appearance, cells affected by Pelger-Huet Syndrome acquire a shape more like two round shapes held together by a thin bridge. It is often described as being shaped like a peanut. Though Pelger-Huet Syndrome is defined as a congenital abnormality, it can and often is developed post-birth and in such cases is termed "Acquired Pelger-Huet Syndrome" though for all intents and purposes, it remains the same defect.
This particular type of cellular defect is significant not because of any real problem that it causes in and of itself but because it acts as herald to much more serious diseases such as leukemia. [...]
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In normal circumstances, dogs develop in the womb with a thin film called the pupillary membrane covering each eye. The idea is that since the animal is not yet sighted anyway, this won't interfere with vision and is the most efficient way to supply blood to the developing organ. It usually can still be seen once a dog is born but dissolves on its own within the first few days. In some cases, however, this membrane refuses to dissolve and can cause problems; this is known as a persistent pupillary membrane.
The membrane is made up of thin but tough strands of a silk-like film. Depending on how much of the membrane persists after birth, these strands can be located in any number of places and their location determines to a large extent how much of a problem the persistent pupillary membrane will cause. The strands can stretch across the entire pupil, from the pupil to the lens, from the iris to the cornea, or they can be free-floating, attached at only one eye. [...]
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If you've recently noticed an increased resistance to exercise and a tendency to lay around on the part of your dog, then he or she might very well be the victim of a phosphofructokinase deficiency.
Phosphofructokinase deficiency is a disease that inhibits the body from metabolizing glucose into usable energy, leading to the aforementioned lack of enthusiasm and pep that can seem to strike without warning. In advanced stages, the disease can even lead to the onset of more advanced muscular diseases and destroy red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. [...]
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Pinched nostrils, otherwise known as stenotic nares, occur when the nostrils of certain breeds of dogs are smaller than normal, resulting in a smaller passageway to the lungs with a markedly increased resistance to airflow. Though it can theoretically affect any breed, dogs with short, wide heads such as bulldogs, pekingnese, and pugs are far and away the most frequent sufferers.
In addition to the obvious problems presented by this disease, it should also be known that pinched nostrils are very often accompanied by other abnormalities such as an overlong soft palate, and a tendency for the larynx to collapse due to strain. [...]
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Canine post nasal drip is a condition in which your dog's sinuses produce a vast excess of mucus, which then drains down the back of his or her throat instead of being passed into the nasal cavity where it can later be expelled. It's a frustrating condition that causes an almost constant sense of irritation in the back of the throat and in addition to increasing the likelihood of infections and sore throats, it can add a lot of stress to your dog's life that could cause him or her to act out in unusual and unwanted ways.
The number of potential causes of canine post nasal drip is vast. It can be instigated by basic respiratory diseases such as rhinitis and sinusitis, or it could develop as the result of trauma to the throat and sinuses such as acid reflux disease or a particularly bad instance of airway blockage. It's even possible for allergic reactions to food, medication, or something in the environment to cause canine post nasal drip to occur. [...]
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Premature disc degeneration is a disease in which a dog's vertebral discs begin to degenerate more rapidly than could be naturally expected. Degeneration might effect either the discs themselves in that they can become calcified and less mobile, or the spaces between the discs when cartilaginous cushions begin to deteriorate. It is classified under the generalized heading of premature aging and has many profound effects upon a dog's overall health, causing at best chronic pain and at worst loss of motor function.
Premature disc degeneration usually begins to occur in dogs that are between three and five years old, and seems to affect the discs in the cervical region of the spine most often. Depending on which discs are affected, the problem manifests itself visually in a variety of different ways. [...]
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Premature graying refers to a disorder in which your dog's coat begins to lose the richness of its natural color and adopts a dull gray tone. Often this is associated with loss of hair, or the softening of hair which can ruin the texture of a coat in some breeds such as the Schnauzer or others with a typically coarse and wiry coat. Although almost all breeds will eventually lose some of their color and begin to go gray, graying is considered a problem when it occurs much earlier than could naturally be anticipated.
The disease can affect any breed of dog, but studies have indicated that it is most likely to affect dogs that are both small and possess a tightly woven coat as their standard, again making the miniature Schnauzer a prime candidate. It's not necessarily a harmful disease as it causes no real detriments to a dog's overall health, but it can still be very problematic for some people who paid a lot of money for a dog of a certain color, especially if they had plans to put that dog into the show ring. [...]
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Getting a Scottish Deerhound can be a big responsibility because the life of a dog is in your hands. Because of this, it is imperative that you know the health problems that are commonly associated with a Scottish Deerhound and what you should do if your dog is afflicted by such illnesses.
Here are the common illnesses found among Scottish Deerhounds, and also the various treatments and prevention measures that you can use to ensure that your pet is fit and healthy. [...]
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If you have a Scottish Deerhound for a pet, you must know that this dog has special needs when it comes to its health. There are a few things you have to look into when caring for your Scottish Deerhound, namely, exercise, feeding and medical attention.
If you have a Scottish Deerhound, the most important thing that you should do to ensure its overall health is to provide sufficient exercise. For a Deerhound puppy, you should be aware that the amount of exercise that you give to your pet would translate to its overall development as a dog, both in terms of health and physical growth. Therefore, for an active breed such as the Scottish Deerhound, frequent and proper exercise is necessary to maintain its state of well-being. In line with this, it is best that you can provide a large, fenced area for your Scottish Deerhound to run around in. [...]
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Health Problems
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