The digestive system of dogs and humans are very different. The food items which are perfect for the development of the human body are not necessarily healthy for dogs. The diet of dogs needs regulation and watchful to understand which food is essential for their development. Although, there are certain food items which are healthy for dogs and human alike.

Can I Feed My Dog Human Food Instead of Dog Food?

The human food contains specific nutrients and sugars which cannot be metabolized by the dogs. Still, there are some human food items which can be given to dogs. The people food items that can be offered to dogs are:

  Carrot: Dogs can eat cooked or raw carrots, which are a good source of vitamins and fiber. The veggie is very good for the health of the dog and can be added to their regular meals.

  Eggs: Cooked eggs with regular diet can give your dog s good shape and strong body. The proteins in the eggs are very healthy for your growing dog.

  Pineapple: Although pineapple is not liked by many dogs, you can offer your dog pineapple pieces. When you first give them pineapple, keep a watch and if he shows a sign of diarrhea, avoid feeding them. However, if he digests and likes it, you can feed it to him.

What is the Healthiest Diet for Dogs?

The type of diet depends largely on the type of dog you have. The dogs have individual diet requirements. Some dogs are more of a meat-eater, whereas some dogs live mostly on vegetables and milk. You should use high-quality meat to feed your dogs. You can also use packaged food items made for dogs for nutrition and power. Also, maintain the eating hygiene to make your pet healthy and infection-free. Eating raw meat from uncleaned bowls may make your dog sick.

How Do You Get a Picky Dog to Eat?

Most of the dogs are not picky eaters; in fact, some of the dogs may surprise you by eating from your trash box. However, if you face difficulty in making them eat new things, here are handy tips that will save the day:

  Try to mix old food with a small quantity of new food items. You can do this for some time until your dog is accustomed to the new food.

  Use chicken broth to mix the new food items. Dogs like chicken broth, which makes everything tasty for them.

  Serve only when they are hungry. This method works with picky dogs the best. They will eat fast when they are hungry.

What Human Food Can Schnauzers Eat?

Schnauzers can eat mild dry food items from the leftover vegetables and scraps of meat twice a day. However, it is essential that you do not feed them with salt or seasoned food, which is regularly cooked in the house. Grapes, raisins, and chocolate should also be avoided.

Take away

These are some of the feeding tips for dog lovers to keep their dog happy and healthy. In case your dog needs special attention, it is recommended to consult a Specialist.

Which Human Food Items Are Safe For Dogs? 

Dehydration is a common disorder in dogs and humans equally. It occurs when an excess of fluids continuously get eliminated from the body irrespective of the amount of fluids your dog intakes. Water working as the "potion for life" is essential for dogs too as it keeps them hydrated and makes sure the biological processes take place smoothly in them. Dehydration is a serious disorder and may result in as serious consequences as organ failure or even death. To know if your dog is suffering from dehydration, learn the symptoms carefully make a move as quickly as possible.

Symptoms of dehydration in dogs:

Depression
Dryness in the mouth and sticky gums. Often dehydration results in sticky gums and dry mouth in dogs as the water content of the body gradually falls down.
Sunken eyes. Sunken eyes can be considered as a pronounced symptom of dehydration.
Loss of appetite. Appetite is related to dehydration as the digestion, metabolism and other reactions in dog's body need water to successfully take place.
Abnormal sleepiness. Dehydration causes Depression and abnormal rate of sleeping in turn.
Abnormal urination. If your dog is suffering from Dehydration, it will either urinate too little or too much. This abnormal sign in urination speaks a lot about the dehydrated state of your dog.
Less elasticity of skin or tightness of the skin coat. This can be determined by a simple skin test. Pull your dog's skin and if it does not spring back in 2 seconds, your dog is dehydrated.
If you face problems with determining the level of dehydration, kindly take it to a Veterinarian. He/she will readily note the symptoms and apply proper treatment which should be the prime step in order to save your pet from such situations. Delays will only narrow its chances of surviving. It is also important to understand what causes Dehydration in your dog. This would certainly help you from bumping into such situations further in future.

Causes of dehydration in dogs:
The major reason or cause of Dehydration is illness and overexposing to the sunshine. An ill dog is more prone to get dehydrated than a healthy one. Several diseases like,

Fever
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Renal failure
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes insipidus
Gastrointestinal problems, etc. can affect your dog on a large scale and trigger off Dehydration with time.
To take care of such situations from taking place, you should keep in mind a few guidelines. The following tips will certainly prevent your dog from being dehydrated again if taken into account.

Prevention of dehydration in dogs:

Protect your dog from being overexposed to heat.
Make it drink as much water as it can every time. Always put a small bowl of water at the corner of its room. Monitor its water intake capacity and keep it hydrated.
Keep the toilet lid closed in order to prevent it from plunging its mouth inside. This will keep it away from bacteria and viruses which would affect it and make it fall sick.
If you go for exercising in the evening with your dog, bring extra water so that it stays hydrated.
Consult with a Veterinarian if its drinking less amount of water.

How To Manage Dehydration In Dogs?

It is not unnatural to find some lumps or bumps on your dog s body, particularly when the dog is approaching its senior years. These growths are among the most common issues found in older dogs. But it can also happen to the younger ones. It is natural to be scared and have doubts whether it is a tumor or a lump or is it cancer. As a dog owner, therefore, you must understand the different types of lumps, bumps and growths on the dogs so that you can consult with a reputed veterinarian without delay.

1. Understanding the lumps, bumps, and growths: The veterinary doctor would refer to an unknown lump as a tumor in a general manner. This term do not indicate the malignity or benignity of the tumor. These terms typically indicate that an abnormal growth of tissues has taken place inside the body which has a shape or is a mass. There is no reason to panic in case your vet says that there is a growth or something of similar significance.

2. Getting the right diagnosis of the lumps on dogs: The dog owners are most likely to notice growth on the dogs while taking it for routine grooming or while petting it. When there is a new growth or tumor on the dog, it is safer to consult with the veterinarian who can carry out a thorough checkup. He would discuss the medical history of the dog which may include daily lifestyle, diet, signs and symptoms of illness and then a physical examination will be performed. It is important to note here that sometimes, the growth may not be noticeable and this is the primary reason why taking it out to an experienced veterinarian is crucial. The expert would be able to find visible masses while carrying out a routine examination.

3. Testing the mass or lump on the dog s body: When there is a lump or growth on the dog s body, it is important to carry out some tests such as complete blood count, urinalysis, radiographs revealing signs of metastasis and internal abnormalities, ultrasound, CT scan and certain advanced diagnostics.

In some cases when the lump can be easily accessed, the expert may recommend you to take your dog for a fine needle aspirate which is performed by inserting a small needle into the mass and drawing back the syringe. A little amount of tissue gets accumulated in the syringe which is then tested to determine the character of the lump. When the fine needle aspirate test is not effective, usually a biopsy is carried out under general anesthesia or mild sedation where it is cut out surgically or the entire mass is removed following surgical procedures.

Lumps Or Bumps Growth on Dogs - Why Visiting A Doctor Is Recommended?

If your cat is becoming overweight, it is definitely a reason for concern as it could be a sign of different disorders. Overweight and obese cats are growing in number and as a result, the number of cats under normal weight is significantly low. Obesity in cats can be a premonition of high blood sugar, arthritis and hepatic Lipidosis. But if you are willing to put your cat on a diet, then it must be pursued very carefully so that it doesn t lead to undesirable results.

In a study conducted in 2011 by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, it was found that more than 50 percent of cats were overweight and obese. It is important to consider the reason behind sedentary obesity and the most obvious factor that comes to the fore is that any mammal that consumes more calories than it can burn. Any cat that has become overweight or obese should be put under comprehensive health checkup with blood and urine tests and exact weight measurement.

It is also important to check the hormone levels and to ensure that the cat has no metabolic or physical dysfunction. In case the cat is under normal physical function other than being overweight or obese, then a gradual weight loss diet can be implemented to achieve desired results.

Getting started:
The most crucial responsibility of the cat owner is to limit the calories that the feline consume on a regular basis. The general rule is that if the cat is 10 pounds, it must consume around 200 calories in a day according to the guidelines of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Here are some of the tips that you can follow in general to help your cat lose weight.

Measure the daily intake of food and divide the targeted amount of calorie into 4 to 6 small meals. Supply your cat with ample amount of water and consult with your veterinarian to set a weight loss goal. When the cat is becoming too fat, you should avoid giving treats and foods for human beings as that can cause obesity and diarrhea. Also, you should never allow your cat to eat dog food.Cats have their own cat foods commercially available. Every cat must consume those in order to maintain a standard body weight & stunning health. These foods are fortified with essential fibres,proteins or amino acids, micronutrients, vitamins and a very low quantity of carbohydrate. One should not feed any carbohydrate or starch like rice or bread to cats as this is practically not required. A too low amount of carbohydrate in daily diet of a cat is enough. Extra carbohydrate or carbohydrate mainly diet chiefly is responsible for sedentary life and extra pounds in body of the cats which make them prone to many lifestyle diseases like diabetes melitus etc.

Bottom line:
Veterinarians suggest that any new diet is required to be implemented slowly as there is high chance that your cat would stop eating altogether if you give her new foods all of a sudden. And the bottom line is, if you want your cat to control its weight through diet, then you must cut off calories in proportion to the level of physical activity that the cat indulges in. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, losing 1 pound in a month is a healthy option.

Obesity In Cats - What Should You Do?

Like human beings, dogs along with other mammals too suffer from arthritis, particularly when they are aging. Younger dogs can also suffer from arthritic changes which can be painful and uncomfortable for the dog. This pain is caused by different signs and symptoms of arthritis and being aware of those signs can help you access early treatment and recovery.

Limping on the legs: This is the first sign of arthritis when you see your dog limp on one or more of his legs. Under certain circumstances, the limp is seen to be in its severe state when the dog first rises and then it gradually becomes unnoticeable when the dog warms up.
Difficulty in moving: The dog may be reluctant in moving or taking part in its favorite activities. It could be something like playing in the backyard or getting inside the car or going up and down the stairs. If this is the case with your dog, then you should not ignore it and look for medical assistance.
Discomfort in the spinal region: Arthritic alterations may not only occur in the legs of the dog, but also in the several parts of its body. These alterations may result in abnormal posture, sore and swelling of the neck or lameness in the hind legs.
Tiredness and fatigue: You may have known your dog to be very active, but these days, you see it become tired too easily. For your dogs, this could mean that the walks have shortened and even painful. When plagued by these conditions, your dog would want to spend most of its time resting and sleeping.
Easily irritated: Arthritic animals, be it a cat or a dog is definite to be irritated very easily. Some of them may even bite or scratch when handled or approached. The condition is even worsened when the pet is handled in a way that triggers its arthritic pain.
Dying off of the tissues in the muscle: When a dog suffers from arthritis, it may also cause muscle atrophy or dying off of the muscle owing to decreased movement of the muscle and inactivity. When the dog has muscle atrophy, the legs would become thinner than normal legs.
Licking the affected area: Dogs who are suffering from arthritic pain may develop a habit of biting, chewing and licking the affected area. Even though it is normal to indulge in such activities, it may reach an extent where the area becomes inflamed or there is a loss of hair in those areas in the body.
It is not that your dog would all of these signs if it has arthritis and therefore, you must consult with a reputed veterinarian if you see any of these signs without further delay.

Finally osteoarthritis is a multifactorial disease. Genetic predisposition, inherited skeletal disorders like hip dysplasia, pollution factors inducing free radical damage may make your dog prone to oasteoarthiris. Obesity is a common factor which aggravates the sufferings. Dietary management, physical managements like controlled exercise & swimming, physiotherapy and feed supplements that protect joints & bone structures along with available commercial diets for nourishing those delicate structures may be a good gateway tovprovide your beloved pet a quality life. Consult your Vet.

Arthritis In Dogs - 7 Common Signs You Must Watch Out For!

5 Tips to maintain your Dog’s Dental Health

It is fairly easy to keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy provided that you regularly take care of your pet and go for frequent health check-ups. Moreover, conducting regular checks at your home will also go a long way in identifying a problem in its nascent stage. 

Here are five tips to ensure that your dog’s dental health remains perfect.

1) Prevent tooth decay - If your dog frequently consumes plaque-forming food products, it can lead to subsequent build up on its teeth and ultimately lead to certain problems such as tooth loss, gingivitis and receding gums. Ensure that you clean your dog’s teeth on a daily basis in order to avoid any form of tooth decay.

2) Check your dog’s breath - Although dog breath is usually not pleasant; if your dog smells unusually foul, you should get a check-up done. Moreover, observe if this foul breath is coupled with other issues such as vomiting, excessive urinating or sudden loss of appetite.

3) Encourage your dog to play with chew toys - Chew toys assist in providing stronger teeth to your pet, while giving a perfect massage for its gums. In addition, continuous chomping helps remove soft tartar and thus keeps teeth clean. Nylon, rubber and rawhide chew toys are the safest for your dog.

4) Identify signs of oral disease - A number of oral diseases can be prevented or controlled if they are diagnosed at an early stage. Major symptoms of almost all oral diseases are loose teeth, swollen gums, foul breath, excessive drooling, tumours in the gums and cysts under the tongue.

5) Carefully examine your dog’s teeth and gums - Healthy gums of a dog are indicated by the fact that they are pink in colour and have no signs of swelling. As for the teeth, they should not have any traces of tartar. Carry out this teeth and gum examination each week by lifting your dog’s lips and observing carefully.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

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5 Tips To Maintain Your Dog’s Dental Health

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