The Bulldog is a very wonderful dog to have as a pet. They get along with everyone, but they especially love being around children. From the time they enter your home, it will feel like they are one of the family. In many ways, it will seem like there is another person in your home. You will especially feel this way at night when you hear your new bulldog snoring. Yes, bulldogs do indeed snore. [...]
It's a scenario familiar to many pet owners - your dog is running across the yard chasing a ball or Frisbee, when in mid-stride he yelps in pain and yanks a hind leg off the ground. Moments later he's off again, but sporting a limp which goes away after 10 to 20 minutes.What your dog likely experienced here is a luxated patella, or in layman's terms, a dislocated kneecap. In a normal knee, the patella fits into a groove at the end of the femur (thigh bone), and slides up and down as the knee joint bends back and forth. It also acts as a protective cover for the knee joint. The joint's movement follows a limited track, guided by the grooves in the femur. [...]
Another of the common joint ailments that affect dogs, hip dysplasia is a disorder that is widely misunderstood. As with all human types of arthritis, some information is known, but many factors about the problem aren't yet fully understood.In normal, healthy dogs, the hip joint attaches the hind leg to the body, and consists of a ball-and-socket construction. The ball portion is located at the head of the femur, or thigh bone, while the socket is attached to the pelvis. In a normal joint, the ball rotates freely within the socket, and the spot where the two bones actually connect (the articular surface), is cushioned by spongy cartilage. The bones also are held together with a ligament and the joint capsule, a strong band of connective tissue which surrounds the dog's two leg bones, adding stability. [...]
Ear infections can be no less troublesome in dogs than they can be in humans. Add to the problem an infestation of ear mites, and you're guaranteed to have a restless, unhappy pet, one that's constantly shaking its head and scratching at his ears.Ear mites are easily treated by cleaning the ears with a medicated ointment. However, you'll need to get a solution from your veterinarian, since most mites have become resistant to the chemicals (sevin, pyrethins and thiabendazole) used in over-the-counter preparations. Be sure to clean the ears of all animals in the house, not just the affected pet, in order to prevent the mites from spreading. [...]
Cataracts are one of the most common eye problems in dogs, and they show up in canines of all breeds and in animals both young and old. As with humans, the only successful treatment is surgery.The word "cataract" literally is Latin for "break down," and refers to a problem that develops with the fibers in the lens of the eye. The disruption of these fibers causes the lens to become cloudy, reducing vision. There are several types of cataracts, which have different causes. All, however, result when the biochemistry of the eye (66 percent water and 33 percent protein), becomes out of balance. The end result is that too much water remains in the lens of the eye, while the percentage of insoluble proteins increases. The combination causes the cloudy white coating, loss of transparency and loss of vision characteristic of cataracts. [...]
We all know how uncomfortable it is to have any type of intestinal woe. Imagine the agony, then, of a gastric torsion, in which the stomach and spleen can literally twist and kink. The condition is excruciatingly painful, and, if ignored, is invariably fatal.Gastric torsion cases occur most often in large-breed, deep-chested dogs, such as the Bloodhound, Labrador Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Akita or Great Dane. This is a condition that is not connected to a dog's age or gender. In fact, cases can spontaneously occur in healthy dogs of all breeds, usually shortly after a meal. [...]
Neuromuscular diseases affect animals as well as humans, and one of the most common is known as Acquired Myasthenia Gravis. It's a disorder that interrupts communication between the nerves and the muscles. It's also an autoimmune disease, meaning it's caused by the body's own immune system turning against itself. Specifically, the immune system attacks and destroys junctions, which are places where the neurons (nerve cells) and muscles interconnect. Once these junctions are destroyed, the adjacent muscles cannot be controlled or are poorly controlled.With myasthenia gravis, a dog will experience muscle weakness, especially in the limbs and the muscles affecting the eyes, facial expressions, throat and esophagus. Sixty percent of affected dogs will become fatigued after any significant exercise; others will develop difficulty swallowing or noticeable changes in their voice. The dog may appear only slightly affected, or else be almost entirely immobile. [...]
"Parvovirus" is a word guaranteed to remove the smile from the face of any dog owner. There are several strains of "parvo," all of which are lumped together and produce the same symptoms. The virus is the single most contagious of all diseases that strike dogs, and it is spread in multiple ways. The virus can survive for five months and longer on hands and on inanimate objects like food pans, cage floors and clothing. It is also readily transferred by insects, rodents and through infected feces. All strains of parvovirus are hardy, able to survive exposure to heat and other harsh environmental conditions. [...]
Microphthalmia is a disabling genetic condition that occurs when a dog's eyeballs are smaller than normal, severely restricting its vision. With this condition, the internal structures of the eye are abnormal as well, resulting in a prominent third eyelid and small eyes that appear to be recessed into the dog's eye sockets.Microphthalmia is inherited in many dog breeds through recessive genes. It also can appear in puppies whose mothers received certain types of medication during pregnancy. Owners of affected dogs will notice that their eyeballs appear smaller than normal for the animal's breed, and there may also be noticeable signs of visual impairment. In fact, most dogs with the problem are either born blind, or else eventually become blind or severely visually handicapped. [...]
The thyroid gland performs a variety of functions, but is probably best known for its effect on regulating metabolism. Common in dogs and humans, hypothyroidism occurs when a dog's or person's body isn't producing enough thyroid hormone. In dogs this causes a wide variety of chronic symptoms, including lethargy, hair loss, a dull coat, skin problems, weight gain, obesity, anemia, high cholesterol and even a slowed heart rate or abnormal heart rhythms. As with humans, the symptoms are vague enough and non-specific enough that it's common for a dog to have the condition for several years before being diagnosed and treated. [...]
Lumbar-sacral syndrome occurs when the nerve roots and spinal cord are compressed at the point where they pass through the lumbar-sacram portion of the lower spine, near the hips. The disease is also known as "cauda equine" syndrome.This disorder can be inherited (congenital), meaning it is present at birth, or it also can be developed after birth. It can appear at any age and in both males and females, and is common in dogs that have been struck by an automobile. Large-breed dogs are affected more often than smaller breeds, and the syndrome is seen most often in German Shepherds. Dogs that are severely overweight also can develop the condition. [...]
One of the more miraculous parts of the mammalian body is the retina, a structure that fits snugly and smoothly against the inside back wall of the eyeball. The retina is responsible for sending visual images to the brain via the optic nerve. Or, in other words, it acts as the "film" in the camera that is vision. When the retina becomes separated from the support tissue underneath (the choroid, which supplies the retina with blood and oxygen) it can no longer function and is termed "detached." If not treated promptly and properly, the affected animal will become blind, sometimes within a matter of days. [...]
As medical research teaches us more about the immune system, and as more and more autoimmune conditions are diagnosed in canines, especially purebreds, the issue of a dog's immunity is becoming a concern for would-be pet owners.In all mammals, the immune system serves as the body's defense against disease. It's comprised of white blood cells, antibodies and various other chemicals the body uses in its war against infections and any substance it perceives as foreign to the host animal. It's designed to combat any of these cells that it identifies as "non-self," and it does this through chemical markers that are found on the surface of every cell in the animal's body. It's this natural combative design that causes a person's or animal's body to reject blood transfusions, organ transplants and skin grafts. [...]
Aging takes it toll on everyone, animals as well as humans. Among the hardest hit are the joints, especially the articular cartilage inside those joints, which normally provides a smooth, low-friction buffer between the bones. A variety of causes, including age, can cause this cartilage to break down or develop fissures, resulting in severe pain, inflammation, and lameness.Although degenerative joint disease (and the resulting arthritis) is generally considered a problem of older canines, it's appearing in more and more younger large-breed dogs as well. Selective breeding has resulted in the altering of bone structure in several breeds, especially larger dogs such as German Shepherds, Great Danes and Mastiffs. In these animals, many are now born with a defect that prevents the development of normal cartilage, leading to permanent early lameness in the shoulders, knees, and ankles. [...]
Humans don't have a monopoly on heart disease - our furry friends also are susceptible to a wide range of cardiovascular conditions. Smaller breed dogs, in particular, are more likely to develop heart disease, including heart "murmurs."Heart murmurs occur when the animal's heart function has deteriorated, creating an abnormal blood flow within the heart's chambers. The condition may be congenital, meaning the animal was born with the problem, or else it can develop as the result of disease and aging. Some conditions aren't very serious; others will progress rapidly, causing congestive heart failure and death. [...]
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Acquired Disorders
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