D is for Dog: An Easy Guide to Veterinary Care for Dogs

By Terrie Sizemore

This is a basic dog care title. The topics include picking a pet, supplies for pets, puppy proofing homes, the major preventable diseases of dogs and the vaccines for these diseases, ticks and tick diseases, dental care, nutrition, spaying and neutering, pregnancy and delivery of pups, arthritis, finding lost dogs, emergency care, pet exams, sen

• Language: English
• Publisher: A 2 Z Press LLC
• Release date: Jun 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9780997640748

Terrie Sizemore

Terrie Sizemore has been a veterinarian for many years. She is skilled at making technical medical information fun, interesting, and easy to understand.

Book preview

Chapter 1

WELCOME

TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WOOF OWNERSHIP

Whether you found your new best friend:

From a local breeder —

— decided on a designer breed —

— rescued a very lucky pup from an animal shelter —

— or perhaps your precious pup came via a neighbor, friend, or family with unexpected blessings —

Veterinarians are also committed to the best care for your pet and are certain you want to understand care recommendations so you as pet owners can make great choices for your furred (and sometimes not furred) friends.

Chapter 2

THE FIRST FEW WEEKS

It is exciting to pick out the toys, the bed, the clothes…

SUPPLIES

• food

• treats

• ceramic or stainless steel bowls (NO PLASTIC PLEASE)

• ID tags

• collars and harnesses

• brushes, combs and dog shampoo

Additional items that may come in handy are:

• clean-up supplies

• stain removers

• paper towels

• deodorizing sprays

• and floor dusters

PUPPY-PROOFING THE HOME

Don’t forget to puppy-proof the house by remembering to:

1.Cover electrical cords.

2.Store breakable and precious items where pups cannot damage them.

3.Keep all clothing, nylons, and undergarments from pups.

4.Store poisonous cleaning chemicals out of reach—behind doors with latches (child-proof).

5.Store or remove all chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides out of reach of your pup.

6.Store auto maintenance chemicals—like gasoline, kerosene, oil, and antifreeze out of reach of your pet.

7.Inspect your yard for holes or gaps in your fence so pups cannot escape.

8.Remove poisonous plants from your home and yard—find a list of common poisonous plants/shrubs in chapter 10.

9.Keep children’s toys out of reach—small parts may be swallowed by pups.

10.Cover pools.

And always remind children at home and visiting to be kind and gentle with the pets.

Last but not least:

… don’t forget to pick a veterinarian!

PICKING A VETERINARIAN

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING YOUR PET’S DOCTOR

Some clinics provide

• general service

• some are exclusive or mixed for horses

• some service farm animals

• some are’ cats only’

• some treat birds, fish, reptiles, and exotics

Other clinics have specialists for advanced care for:

• surgical needs

• skin diseases

• bone care

• eye/ear/neuro-logical issues

• and other specialty concerns

NOW THAT WE HAVE WELCOMED OUR PUPS, SOME BASIC TOPICS OF PET CARE INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK ARE:

• vaccines

• tick diseases

• spaying and neutering

• what to expect when your dog is expecting

• dental care (teeth)

• nutrition

• pet poisons

• training and behavior

• frequently recommended testing

• heartworms

• pet parasites

• fleas

• and more!

Chapter 3

VACCINES

Many years ago, scientists studied germs and disease. No one believed very small, microscopic ‘things’—AKA germs—could enter a person’s or pet’s body and cause disease.

GERMS include:

• bacteria

• viruses

• fungi—which includes yeast and molds

THE MAJOR PREVENTABLE DISEASES

Today more is known about germs and disease. Microscopic organisms do indeed cause diseases that affect our dogs.

TRANSMISSION OF GERMS

Dogs encounter infectious organisms—GERMS—by

• touch—direct contact from dog to dog

• exposure to fecal material, AKA poop

• saliva of infected dogs

• wildlife—such as raccoons, skunks, coyotes and more

• fleas, mosquitoes and ticks

• rodents

• exposure to water—puddles, lakes, and other waterways contaminated with disease-causing germs

• fomites—objects that carry germs: like boots, pants legs, backpacks, and other physical objects

Scientists invented vaccines to protect pets from disease.

When well dogs are vaccinated, they make protective proteins called antibodies against the diseases they are vaccinated for. This protection allows them to fight infection if exposed to real germs.

Goals when vaccinating are:

• pets will not become ill,

• or the illness will be mild.

THE VACCINE CONTROVERSY

There has been much controversy over vaccines:

Despite the controversy over vaccinating, and while it is true there are minimal risks to vaccinating dogs,

it is still the number one and best way to minimize or eliminate illness in our dogs.

Vaccinating is not a method of treating illness or a cure for the diseases outlined in the pages to follow, but a means of preventing illness.

It has been proven that the risks of disease are far greater than the risks of vaccinating.

WHY vaccinate?

When a dog is exposed to germs that cause disease, there is a delay in their creating the protective proteins (antibodies) needed to fight the infection.

While creating these antibodies, a pet can become very ill during this time and may be lost before they are able to fight the infection.

Also, infections may result in long-term negative effects.

In addition to preventing disease and loss of pets from disease, vaccinating lowers the cost of care of our pets. Diagnostic testing and treating pets that become ill is expensive and time-consuming, and it can be devastating for owners who love their pets.

Some canine (dog) vaccines owners may choose are:

D - distemper

H - canine infectious hepatitis

L - leptospirosis

P - parainfluenza (kennel cough)

P - parvo

C - corona virus

B - bordetella

RV - rabies vaccine

L - lyme

The first vaccine is a combination vaccine including the first five vaccines listed above and is referred to as the DHLPP vaccine. This vaccine is also known as:

• the Distemper/Parvo vaccine or

• the 5 in 1 vaccine.

• sometimes it is termed the 6 or 7 in 1 vaccine also,