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Conformation: Dogs with short legs and long bodies, such as a dachshund, corgi and pekingese, are prone to disc problems in the back. Excessive movement and stress or placed on their back because of their shape or conformation.
All these breeds, because of their conformation, can herniate a disc in the normal daily routine of running, jumping, twisting and turning when in play.
Beagles are prone to disc problems in the neck and back.
Injury: Severe trauma such as caused by motor vehicle accident.
Next time I will tell you what signs to look out for to tell if your dog has a slipped disc. Cheers.

The dogs spine is made up of a number of vertebrae (bones), each seperated by a disc. These discs act as shock absorbers and allow movement between the vertebrae, giving the spine its flexability. Each disc is made up of a tough outer cartilage with a gelatinous centre. If the disc herniates it ruptures releasing its gelatinous fluid which creates pressure on the spinal cord. In most cases, the rupture of the disc is due tio wear and tear or abnormal pressure exerted by the vertebrae during some form of vigorous activity.
The spinal cord, which is made up of nerve fibres, runs through the spinal canal. Pressure from the gelatinous fluid causes the spinal cord formed by the vertebrae to become inflamed and swell. Subsequent damage to the cord may be partial or complete, temporary or permanent.
The common sites of disc problems are in the back, particulary in the region of the last three thoracic and first two lumbar vertebrae. Fewer problems occur in the neck.
I will tell you about the causes of slipped discs in your dog next time. Cheers.

If your dog is aggressive and prone to fighting, your vet can give you an injection of medroxy progesterone acetate which helps the dog reduce its aggressiveness for about five months. It has no sedative effect on the dog. Castration of male dogs helps to make them less aggressive.

In the early stages, if a puncture site is obvious, thoroughly cleanse the wound with an iodine based scrub or 3% hydrogen peroxide, removing any dirt, debris or dead tissue. Check the wound to see that no foreign body remains embedded in it. Carefully cut the hair away from the opening.
Take the dog to your vet who will administer antibiotics and recommend that you bathe the dog,s wound with hot water that is as hot as you can tolerate with your hand. Hot bathe the area for 10 minutes, twice daily, gently squeezing any discharge if present from the puncture hole. Any apparent swelling may disperse and disappear or it may form into a mature abscess, in which case you return to your vet.
After examination, the vet will give the dog a general anaesthetic and open the abscess to drain out the pus as well as administering antibiotics. The wound should be kept open as long as possible to provide continuing drainage.
If there is a large pocket after the pus has been drained out, it should be irrigated twice a day by a syringe full of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Drainage can be aided by gently pressing from the outer extremities of the abscess towards the opening. The treatment should continue until the opening is almost closed.
Next time I will tell you how to prevent your dog from getting abscesses. Cheers.

SIGNS:
In the early stages, the abscess forms, the swelling is diffuse, painful, hard, and may not be noticed. Often you are not aware that your dog has been in a fight unless you see a puncture wound or some blood on the hair. The first sign that you may be aware of is when handling the dog it cries or growls as a reaction to being touched on a painful spot. If you rarely touch the dog, the first sign observed may be a bloody, purulent discharge oozing into the hair and in some cases matting it.
As the abscess matures, it becomes more localised, softer, less painful, and forms a point. At this stage, when pressed by a finger, often it will leave momentarily a pit or indentation. Depending on the size and position of the abscess, the dog may be lethargic, off its food, and/or have a temperature.
Next time I will talk about treating your dogs abscess. Have a great day. Cheers.

An abscess is a collection of pus circumscribed in a sac enclosed within the tissue of the body.
CAUSES:
Abscesses that can be seen or felt under the skin are caused in many cases by fighting with another dog. A tooth penetrates the skin causing damage to the underlying tissue. Bacteria are deposited in the tissue at the time of penetration. Foreign bodies such as a splinter of wood or grass seed or another common cause 0f abscesses in dogs. Sometimes dogs develop internal abscesses on the liver, lungs, and elsewhere, following a generalised bacterial infection.
Next time I will talk about signs of abscess in your dog. Cheers.

SIGNS;
* The skin at one or all of the primary contact points is inflamed.
* The dog is itchy.
* The dog loses hair.
* The skin may be raw, ulcerated, bleeding and infected.
TREATMENT;
Try to identify what the dog is allergic to and remove it from the environment or keep the dog away from it.
Apply a soothing lotion (calamine) or an anti-inflammatory cream. Use with care, as the application of lotions and creams sometimes attracts the dog to lick the inflamed area.
Rub the cream in thoroughly and divert the dog,s attention by feeding it, taking it for a walk, or playing a game with it.
If severe, see your vet who may use antibiotics and cortizone to clear up any infection and to surppress the inflammation, thus stopping self-mutilation. an elizabethan collar may also be helpful.

some dogs are allergic to certain types of vegetation at certain times of the year, usually in hot, humid weather when there is a flush growth of vegetation. In most dogs the area under the lower abdomen and in the groin are fairly hairless. Hair, like clothing, protects the skin, so these parts of the skin with less or no hair are more vulnerable. When the skin comes into contact with whatever it is allergic to, it becomes inflamed. This irritates the dog and as result it bites, scratches, rubs and/or licks the area to get relief. The relief is short lived as the licking, etc, indirectly aggravates the skin which irritates the dog more, and so it continues to bite, scratch, rub and/or lick. A vicious circle develops. The dog may rub against or roll on the vegetation to which it is allergic in order to gain relief. This is like pouring petrol onto a fire, it only worsens the problem.
Next time I will tell you about the signs and treatment for allergic dermatitis. Cheers.

Outdoor dogs, being what they are, come in close contact with their environment. Playing, rolling, wandering, investigating and sleeping, they come in contact with numerous types of vegetation. The primary contact points are the muzzle, feet, under the lower abdomen and the hairless area where the forelimb meets the chest.
Next time I will talk about the cause of allergic dermatitis in your dog. Have a great day. Cheers.

Signs:
* Thirst, drinking and urinating excessively,
* Ravenous appetite and weight loss,
* Bowel motions are often of a putty colour and consistency.
* Appetite may decrease as the disease progresses.
* Dog may become depressed.
Treatment;
See your vet who can confirm the diagnosis by doing a blood sugar test and urine test. The blood sample should be taken from the dog approximately 12 hours after it eats.
Treatment involves hospitalisation to stabilise the dog,s blood sugar level by administration of insulin injections. This may take four to seven days, then your vet will show you how to inject the insulin, which has to be done daily. The injections are relatively painless and easy to give. The diet need not be changed, but the times when the dog is fed after the injections are important. Your vet will supply you with insulin, needles, syringes and sticks for testing the sugar level in the urine. Regular monitoring of the dog,s blood sugar level by your vet is important.
Diabetic dogs can enjoy a happy, healthy life for years providing they have their daily insulin injection.