July 24th, 2009 by admin

When dogs were wild, or at least still hunted for their food, hunger may have been an occasional concern, but rarely were nutritional deficiencies or imbalances ever a problem. Dogs killed and ate almost all of their prey’s carcass including the entrails, skin, and even bones.

Domesticated and dependent upon their owners for food, today’s dogs are amply fed, right to the point of obesity, yet they often develop a number of deficiencies from their improperly balanced diets. The advent over the past decade of nutritionally “complete” or “balanced” commercial dog foods, and their increasing acceptance by dog owners and veterinarians alike, has drastically reduced the incidence of dietary deficiencies. Today such nutritional problems are seen mostly in dogs who are fed homemade diets or a diet of table scraps and leftovers.

Poor nutrition, whether from dietary deficiencies or excesses, has a significantly negative effect on your dog’s ability to remain in good health. Resistance to infection is lowered, as is the production of antibodies, allowing infectious agents to multiply rapidly and spread. The resulting fever, diarrhea, or other manifestations of illness, more than likely will make your dog less interested in eating, thus increasing the state of malnutrition.

July 12th, 2009 by admin

History and origin:

An ancient Siberian breed, the Samoyed is a beautiful Spitz-type that takes his name from the Siberian tribe of the Samoyedes.  He was used by the nomadic peoples of the same name as the breed to guard herds of reindeer and as a sled dog.  This hardy breed has remained relatively pure for centuries.

Description:

The Samoyed stands 19 to 23.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 65 pounds.  He has a strong medium-size body that is graceful and athletic and a face that always seems to be smiling.  The undercoat is thick, soft, and insulating; the harder, straight outer coat grows through the undercoat.  Shedding is year-round, particularly in early summer.  Regular brushing and combing is required.  If this breed is left outside, his coat may become matted and odorous.  The color is white or off-white.

About the breed:

This is a very hardy dog who is intelligent, alert, and highly independent  that, although obedient and friendly, can be a challenge to train.  He has a sassy, impetuous side to his personality that is endearing yet troublesome.  He is by nature a dominant, controlling breed that may become pushy and if not given proper leadership. Training can be difficult due to his independent, stubborn nature and therefore must begin early and must be firm and consistent.  The Samoyed will resist surrendering control and is capable of showing aggression toward his owners, particularly if they have been too lenient.  Establishing dominance is the key to owning a Samoyed.  Any spoiling will increase the chances of dominance aggression.  He is capable of taking over as the leader of the pack, using bites, barking, and tantrums to get his way.  The most difficult command to teach this breed is the “Come.”  In addition, handling must occur every day so as to facilitate conflict-free grooming.  If you wait too long, this breed will learn to be intolerant of brushing and may bite in protest.  The Samoyed can be a good watchdog and barks more than most breeds, often to the point of irritation.  He will bark, dig, and become a matted mess if left in the yard all day.  This breed needs daily exercise or he may become restless, destructive, and loud.  He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and does not do well in warm climates.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for the Samoyed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meat product with added biscuit is same amount or 5 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal home:

This breed loves the snow and is happiest in wide, open spaces.  A house with a fenced yard is important, though this breed should not be left in a yard all day.  The owner of a Samoyed must be an active, strong, dominant leader and must enjoy a breed that is intelligent and a challenge.  Time to train, socialize, and groom the dog must be available daily.  Passive owners will have control problems with this breed, resulting in a dominant, pushy dog capable of biting friends or family.  This breed is not recommended for those with small children.  Older children must not be allowed to roughhouse or to play chase games with this dog, and they should be capable of working with the dog in obedience.  The elderly and the disabled may have trouble establishing dominance over this breed and should consider one only if they are physically capable of training, exercising, and grooming it every day.

July 12th, 2009 by admin

The muscles of most aged mammals lose much of their strength and actually decrease in size with each advancing year. This is a normal part of the aging process and is to be expected. However, there are two as yet poorly understood muscle disorders which at first may look like normal aging weakness.

In one the dog develops weakness in the leg muscles during periods of exercise or other physical stress, may fall down briefly, seem to recover, get up for a short time only to fall down again. This is often seen in polymyositis, a disease which causes inflammation of any or all muscles in the body.

Polymyositis occurs mostly in late middle age and early old age, the most common of its several possible causes appearing to be a defect in the dog’s immune mechanism. Treatment with corticosteroids is quite successful despite the often alarming appearance of the dog. Occasionally the muscles of the esophagus are affected, making swallowing difficult, but even these respond.

Muscular dystrophy, the second disorder, occurs mainly in older dogs, bears some similarity to muscular dystrophy in people, and has a cause as yet unknown. Affected dogs develop a stiff gait as the muscles become progressively weaker and smaller in size. There is nothing we know of which will stop the deterioration or cure the disease. Treatment is palliative, trying to keep the patient as comfortable as possible, and is based on your dog’s individual symptoms.