A dog owner who notices abnormal movements or recurring trembling in his animal should definitely consult a veterinarian, as the dog may be suffering from the so-called wobbler syndrome. Wobbler syndrome is caused by severe damage to the nerves in the spinal cord, which in turn can be attributed to various causes.
Particularly in large dog breeds, under certain circumstances a so-called gastric torsion can occur, in which the animal’s stomach twists to such an extent that both the stomach entrance and the stomach exit are closed. This creates serious and life-threatening dangers for the dog and therefore the dog owner should consult a veterinarian immediately in such a case.
Arthritis is an inflammation of the dog’s joints that can be traced back to two basic causes. On the one hand, an infection caused by certain pathogens often triggers arthritis in animals, but the painful joint inflammation can also result from a malfunction of the immune system. In both cases, the affected dog usually suffers severe pain in the affected joints, which of course severely limits the animal’s agility.
The number of dogs suffering from Lyme disease is increasing drastically from year to year and experts are therefore increasingly recommending immune-strengthening measures for dogs in areas at risk. A strong immune system can prevent the outbreak of Lyme disease in many cases because the healthy immune system effectively fights off the Borrelia bacteria transmitted by the tick. But what can the dog owner do to strengthen their animal’s immune system?
A hastily given treat can turn into a real health hazard for a dog if a uniformed dog owner feeds his animal chocolate! Chocolate contains a certain substance called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs at a certain dose. In addition, considering the high number of calories, chocolate is not an ideal treat for dogs!
Dog training is an extremely broad field and very quickly numerous mistakes creep in when training dogs that are difficult to correct. It is important to say that these training errors are of course to be found in the dog owner and not in the animal, and punishing a dog for misbehavior is undoubtedly the worst solution in the context of dog training. Below are some simple tips for dog training.
More and more so-called “fashion dogs” are showing serious signs of long-term overbreeding and, in general, these phenomena have an extremely negative impact on the animals’ health. The best-known example of long-term overbreeding is undoubtedly the German Shepherd, in which the signs of overbreeding appear after a certain age in the form of hip dysplasia. But other dog breeds, such as the Pug and the French Bulldog, not only have joint problems, they also show other signs of overbreeding.
Like us humans, dogs can develop painful osteoarthritis at a very young age, which significantly limits the animals’ quality of life. The causes of osteoarthritis in dogs are very complex and can range from genetic factors due to overbreeding to permanent malnutrition. Osteoarthritis in dogs usually goes unnoticed in the early stages; only when the animal shows abnormal movements does the dog owner notice that there is a problem with the dog’s joints.
As soon as the temperatures drop in winter and cold, wet weather sets in, dogs are also at greater risk of contracting an infection and becoming infected with a rampant bacterium or virus. Especially if the dog has regular contact with other dogs, such as at the dog sports field, there is of course a certain risk of infection for the animal. Therefore, dog owners should strengthen their four-legged friend’s immune system, especially in winter.
Depending on the breed, dogs differ significantly in terms of temperament and requirements. Therefore, every dog lover who plans to buy an animal should ask themselves in advance which dog breed is actually right for them. Very specific aspects of the family circumstances and also your own living conditions must be examined and taken into account when deciding on the ideal breed. Often the right decision is not that easy.
