DOG HEALTH

DOG HEALTH - FLEA & TICK CONTROL

If your dog already has a flea and tick infestation, your first step is to eliminate the parasites from your dog. Choose a flea and tick spray to keep adult fleas and ticks off your dogs and to keep the insects from reproducing. Or bathe the parasites off your dogs with a flea and tick shampoo.

DOG HEALTH --- PREVENT. The best topical products kill any adult fleas and ticks your pet might encounter plus eliminate juvenile forms of the flea and flea eggs. If you prefer, use a flea tick collar instead of a topical. Flea collars can be convenient for some since they typically last longer than topicals.

INDOOR CONTROL. Use flea and tick carpet powder to get deep down into the carpets, vacuum your carpet and to enclose the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and discard it away from your home. Wash your dog's bedding weekly.

DOG HEALTH - ALLERGY

An allergy is a reaction to an allergen, a substance capable of inducing a hypersensitive reaction in humans and animals. An allergen can be almost any natural or man-made substance in the environment such as grass, pollen, flea saliva, dust, or even fabric. Allergens enter your dog's body via inhalation, ingestion, injection, parasites, or touch. If dogs have allergies, they are more likely to excessively scratch or lick the paws, rubbing the face, or watery eyes. See your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis.

Dog Health - Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) not only irritated by flea bites but are allergic to the parasite's saliva. When the dog receives his first flea bite, his immune system responds and is hyperactivated. Then, when the dog is bitten again, a more severe itching occurs, causing intense scrathing. This not only starts a seemingly never-ending itch cycle, it also causes hive-like lesions from all of the bites, making the dog very uncomfortable.

Dog Health - Contact Dermatitis is an allergic reaction to a substance that touches the skin. Common products that can cause contact allergies are plastics, fabrics, and topical antibiotic.

Dog Health -Food sensitivities actually includes food intolerance (which shows up as flatulence, vomiting, and diarrhea) and food allergies, a reaction of your dog's immune system that manifests in the skin. Most often, proteins are the culprits (milk, soy, beef, pork, etc).

Most dogs develop allergies between one and four years of age and common in many breeds and mixed breeds. Shampooing can help relieve the itch temporarily as well as helping to remove scales, scabs, some parasites, bacteria, and other potential causes of itching. Consider giving frequent cool baths. Washing and rinsing the legs and paws each time the dog come inside during the allergy season may help keep the dog more comfortable.Relieving the itching with topical products containing hydrocotisone can also be effective.Feeding a premium diet combined with a fatty acid supplement can help.