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Everything a Dog Owner Needs to Know About Canine Urinary Issues |
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Canine urinary issues are very common these days. According to statistics, nearly 14% of dogs in the world are likely to develop urinary problems. Experts say that there is a 10% chance that your dog might develop some sort of urinary problem in its lifetime. A lot of dog owners, surprisingly, do not know a great deal about urinary problems in dogs. If you are one of them, make sure you read this article. Signs If your dog is suffering from a urinary problem, it tends to show some signs. Given below is a list of the most common symptoms of canine urinary health problems. • Painful urination • Difficulty in urinating • Urinary incontinence • Blood in the urine • Excessive thirst • Loss of appetite • Inactivity • Fever and vomiting Diagnosis If your dog shows any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should take it to a vet and get it checked thoroughly. The vet will be able to tell you if your dog has urinary tract infection, bladder crystals, or some other problem. Canine urinary issues are usually very painful and, if left untreated for a long time, could be very harmful to your dog's health. So, it is important to diagnose these problems at an early stage. Treatment Treatment for canine urinary health problems usually depends on the severity of the problem. For urinary tract infections, your vet might prescribe antibiotic drugs. In case of bladder crystals, he might prescribe medications and dietary modifications. In some cases, he might suggest going for urohydropropulsion. In this process, your vet fills your dog's urinary bladder with saline and squeezes the bladder so that the stones come out through the urethra. If the crystals are obstructing the urinary tract, surgery could be the only option. Side effects Conventional treatment for canine urinary issues could involve certain side effects. For example, Antibiotics could cause allergic reactions in some cases. Regular use of these drugs is also known to weaken the immune system of dogs. In case of bladder stones, both urohydropropulsion and surgery can cause a great deal of discomfort to your dog. Surgery, in particular, can be really painful for your dog. If your dog is too old or too weak, it might not be able to cope with the aftereffects of surgery. This is one of the reasons why doctors suggest doing a surgery only if there is no other option. Alternative treatment Natural remedies are what is known as a supportive treatment. Unlike prescription drugs, which are prescribed for a specific ailment, remedies are meant to strengthen whatever part of the dog is being treated. For example in the case of urinary health, remedies help to maintain a normal PH in the urine, strengthen the immune system and minimize the impact of symptoms. In turn a strong urinary system can fight off disease on its own. Particularly, homeopathic remedies like berberis vulg, uva ursi, cantharis, and staphysagris are known for their ability to treat and prevent a number of urinary problems like urinary tract infections, bladder stones, and urinary incontinence. Since these remedies are completely natural, they do not cause any side effects. So, they are very safe and effective. Prevention Contrary to what most people think, canine urinary issues are not unpreventable. They can be prevented in most cases with the help of a balanced diet, regular exercise, good hygiene, and natural remedies. Diet - Make sure your dog is eating an AAFCO approved diet (check the label). This kind of diet does not disrupt your dog's urine pH balance. It also keeps your dog healthy. Another way to correct the PH is to add cranberries, blackberries or raspberries to your dog's diet. You could also accomplish this by adding some cranberry juice to your dog's water bowl. Water - You should avoid tap water as it contains a lot of harmful contaminants that can affect your dog's health. Make sure your dog always has a bowl of clean, filtered water to drink. Exercise - Regular exercise stimulates your dog's urinary bladder and reduces the risk of canine urinary health problems. Let your dog do whatever it enjoys doing - walking, swimming, fetching, or climbing the stairs. Frequent breaks - You should make sure your dog has regular potty breaks and does not hold it in for too long. Hygiene - Bathe your dog regularly. Particularly, if you have a female dog, you should make sure you bathe it regularly as its urethra is very short and bacteria can enter easily. Natural supplements - Giving a small dose of homeopathic remedies every day is one of the best ways to prevent canine urinary issues. These remedies strengthen your dog's urinary bladder and boost its immune system. So, the risks of urinary problems are greatly reduced. You can make these supplements a part of your dog's regular diet to keep it healthy and happy for a long time. Jeff Grill is an editor of the Dog Health Guide, which has additional information on canine urinary issues. To learn how about conventional and homeopathic treatment approaches the author also recommends the Pet Health Guide, which is also a good source for information on canine urinary health problems. Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Grill
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