Natural Pet Health

The Immune System of dogs is a dedicated system that looks after the health of your pet by self-healing. It is also affected by simple factors such as prolonged diseases, reckless use of drugs and an improper diet.

It has always been recommended that proper nutrients be provided regularly to dogs for maintaining this complex system. Fish oils and Herbs make a perfect combination for a natural approach keeping the Immune System healthy.

Cod liver oil is usually favored by veterinarians for it high Vitamin A, D and Omea 3 fatty acid content. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy mucous membranes in eyes and ears. It also keeps the gastrointestinal and uro-genital tracts in proper operable conditions.

Vitamin D, on the other hand helps in effective metabolism of calcium, which is essential for maintaining bone density.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The function of the Immune System in a dog’s body is to recognize and destroy foreign substances and pathogens. Sometimes this system can go awry due to one reason or the other and starts attacking the body’s own cells. Conditions caused by such self-destructive responses are known as autoimmune or immune mediated diseases.

The Immune System normally removes and destroys red blood cells that are four months old. New red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow to replenish the loss. Immune mediated hemolytic anemia is a condition where the Immune System starts destroying red blood cells more than the bone marrow can produce.

It is not difficult to explain how this comes about to happen. Certain foreign substances like toxins, Parasites and drugs, which the immune system must destroy sometimes cling to red blood cells. In its attack on the foreign agents it happens to harm the red blood cells also.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Autoimmune diseases in dogs follow an almost similar pattern as in humans. Just as autoimmune diseases in humans are suspected to be related to a genetic predisposition, certain breeds of dogs are more vulnerable than others.

The Immune System is the body’s internal and natural self-healing system of reciprocation that comes into action as soon it recognizes an intrusion of foreign bodies. We call a disease as immune mediated when some underlying cause has caused the Immune System to stop recognizing foreign substances.

The Immune System stops creating antibodies for combating the invasion and produces an autoantibody that starts destroying normal cells. Such a disease may be restricted to a single organ or region or the whole animal.

Autoimmune diseases have far reaching consequences depending upon the extent to which they have affected the body of the dog. The pathological signs of multiple autoimmune diseases are normally seen in the same animal since the animal becomes more vulnerable to infections due to a weakened immune system.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

While inefficient or over active immune systems can cause diseases, other diseases can also compromise the Immune System’s ability to combat diseases. Many times a certain drug used during the course of a treatment negatively affects the Immune System, which in turn can be a cause behind the occurrence of another condition.

A dog’s body is capable of fighting minor diseases on its own. Frequent occurrences of skin disorders, allergies, respiratory and eye disorders and other general problems are sure signs of dysfunction of the Immune System in pets. It is important to be on guard rather than letting the situation go out of hand. Maintaining the health of the immune system of your pet will not only restrict frequent occurrences of disease but also help in improving chances of survival in the event of a serious disease.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

First identified in 1978, the Canine Parvovirus attacks the gastrointestinal tract, is highly contagious and can lead to heart tissue damage in puppies. The majority of deaths from Parvovirus occur within 2-3 days after initial symptoms, largely due to dehydration. Parvovirus is spread by contact with feces passed by infected dogs. Even trace amounts on shoes, pants legs, bare feet, paws, etc. can carry the contagion. The most common symptoms include …

* Lethargy
* Loss of appetite
* Fever
* Vomiting
* Severe Diarrhea (often bloody)

If your dog exhibits these symptoms, we urge you to contact your veterinarian immediately. While no known drug can eliminate the virus after infection, treatments to address primary symptoms in combination with antibiotics to prevent secondary infections can be effective in combating the virus if caught in the early stages. Be sure to follow your vet’s advice and Vaccinate your canine friends against this insidious virus.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Distemper is a viral disease that attacks the cells of the skin, respiratory tract, intestinal tract, and brain. It can cause a change in the dog’s appearance, Nervous disorders, and death. Young puppies are at highest risk of catching distemper, although all unvaccinated dogs are vulnerable to it.

Distemper is sometimes called the “canine plague” due to its contagious nature. Infected dogs and many other animals, including wolves, raccoons, foxes, and minks, can spread the virus, mainly in their breath. A dog’s breath contains the virus particles in minute droplets, much as is the case with human measles.

If the infection occurs through inhalation of the virus, it is spread throughout the body by the defensive cells that are trying to capture and kill it. However, you can rest assured for your personal safety because humans are not susceptible to contracting distemper.

What are the symptoms of Distemper?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Everyone seems on edge about the latest outbreak of avian flu. People in China are told to kill their poultry in order to keep the virus from spreading. Meanwhile people in the United States watch on in fear that the avian flu will come to their shores. So what exactly is all the hubbub about? After all, every winter millions of people come down with bird flu.

Origin of Influenza

Influenza, the term, came into use around 1504, though it had little to do with the virus. It came from the word: influence. At the time, influence meant: ‘the ethereal power of the stars acting on men.’ It was basically a supernatural way of explaining the effects of disease on people at the time. During a particularly nasty outbreak of the flu in Europe during 1743, the term was officially attached to the name of the disease. 96 years later, the term was shortened to just: flu.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

What is Canine Distemper and what are the symptoms?

Canine Distemper is a highly contagious, extremely serious viral disease which occurs in dogs and other wild canids (e.g.. foxes, wolves and coyotes), raccoons, skunks and ferrets.

It is an airborne virus, which affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central Nervous system of the animal. Puppies between three and six months and Elderly animals are particularly at risk.

Symptoms grow increasingly severe as the disease progresses, they include:

* Conjunctivitis (a watery, pus-like eye discharge) and Inflammation of the eye
* Fever
* Nasal discharge
* Pneumonia (Coughing and labored breathing)_
* Lethargy
* Reduced appetite
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Seizures
* Hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as pain or touch)
* Muscle twitching
* Progressive deterioration of mental abilities and motor skills
* Complete or partial paralysis

What is the conventional treatment?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Why is Liver Functioning so important for my pet?

The liver is the second largest organ in the body and is often seen as the most important one. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, a healthy liver is seen as the most critical element in the body’s ability to fight disease and function optimally.

Amongst other important functions, the liver is responsible for eliminating and detoxifying the poisons that enter the blood stream. It also produces bile which is essential in the breakdown of fats and is the organ which stores Vitamin A, D, E and K.

Environmental pollution, processed and unhealthy foods, prescription drugs, frequent Vaccinations and sedentary lifestyles all contribute to Sluggish and diseased livers. The result? Pets with Depressed immune systems, constant Fatigue, Obesity, Sluggish livers and digestive systems, allergies, respiratory ailments, unhealthy skin and many other health problems.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

How can toxins affect my pet?

Daily exposure to a wide variety of toxins can seriously affect your pet’s health.

A highly processed, chemically-enriched diet filled with colorants and preservatives; drinking chlorinated water, regularly wearing a commercial flea Collar, daily being exposed to second hand cigarette smoke, insecticides and pollution - all these are just the tip of iceberg when it comes to the toxins affecting our pets.

Exposure to toxins can weaken a pet’s Immune System and damage his body’s natural ability to fight off disease. Domestic animals are provided with food which they do not have to hunt for and which is not always suited for their bodies.

In addition, they are often exposed to a lifestyle which contributes to Sluggish metabolism, underactive thyroids and livers which are not able to remove toxins or eliminate unwanted fat from their bodies.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!