If you would like to read previous issues of my Dog Obedience Newsletters,
for dog owners and dog lovers everywhere, please go
here
If
you fancy exploring this site further, then go to the resources page
which you can find
here
where you will find
links to all sorts of valuable information, such as articles, my blog,
charities and much more. If you refer others to this site, which you
can do from that resources page, I will send you a FREE Screen Saver with
beautiful pictures of dogs from my readership.
I want to build a second screen saver with pictures of
YOUR dog(s). So why not send me a picture with some short details about
your dog (its' name, where it lives, any story about how you acquired him or
her and
what made you chose them etc.). All I ask is that you add the words "there are no
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issues to contend with. Send your details to me at
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Many of you have sent in your pictures, but to
make the screen saver more beautiful and rich it would help to have
some more. REMEMBER, all those who send in their photographs will
get a copy of the new screen saver completely free of charge, which
will contain your pictures within it of course!
Meet Hello: world's cleverest dog?
Independent
Online, South Africa - Jul 17, 2007
The dog, named Hello, also goes to
other shops to do the man's shopping for him. Hello sells
betel nuts, known locally as penang, in the man's store in ...
World’s cleverest dog?Daily Times
Dine with your dog for charity; trans fats
update
Seattle
Times, United States - Jul 18, 2007
An admirer scans the selections at
Three Dog Bakery, which created the four-course canine meal
for a fundraiser at Woodinville's Barking Frog bistro. ...
Dog owners need licenses
New Britain
Herald, CT - 2 hours ago
He said he would hold off for seven
more days to give the delinquent dog owners "one last chance."
But after that, he said he will begin mailing the fines ...
Yonkers man arrested after police dog sniffs
out heroin
The Journal News
/ Lohud.com, NY - 2 hours ago
By WILL DAVID YONKERS - Westchester
county and city police using a drug-sniffing dog arrested a
resident after confiscating about 6 grams of heroin from a ...
Now for this
week's tips and advice
Have You Got The Itch?
Last time we covered Environmental and Nutritional reasons why
your pet might be itching and scratching – this week we’ll
cover Parasitic causes.
Parasitic Dermatitis
The most common response a pet owner makes when they see their
dog scratching and biting at itself is “I think he’s got
fleas”. And sometimes this guess is correct. Dark, copper
colored and wingless, and about the size of the head of a pin,
fleas are big enough that they can be seen scurrying along the
skin surface trying to hide within the sheltering forest of
fur.
They can be a very difficult adversary to clear away
completely if you don’t treat them correctly.
There are a number of highly effective and safe flea
preventatives your vet can prescribe and there are also
remedies available from pet shops. There are remedies to treat
the dog and remedies to clear your home of fleas. Whatever you
buy, make sure that you follow the directions properly.
Fleas are crafty little devils to get rid of, but an
understanding of their life cycle, where they hide in the
dog’s environment, and utilizing modern pharmacology
breakthroughs means that no dog needs to be “driven crazy”
with itching, hair loss, scabs and infections as a result of
flea infestation.
Repeated exposure to fleas can trigger a hypersensitivity (an
abnormal, excessive reaction) to the bite of even a single
flea. Every vet has been fooled into making a diagnosis of
“allergy”, not even suspecting fleas, simply because no fleas
were discovered at the time of the physical exam. This is a
classic example of a Parasitic Dermatitis (flea bites)
triggering a complicated Allergic Dermatitis (due to the flea
saliva).
Interestingly, the all-too-common tick rarely triggers itching
or allergic reactions, but on occasion will leave an
ulcerative lesion (sore) that is notoriously slow to heal.
These parasites as very difficult to remove and since they
don’t cause the same itching reaction they can go undiscovered
unless you are checking your dogs coat regularly – especially
is he’s romping around in fields where animals (especially
sheep) are kept.
Chiggers, deer flies, and gnats (sometimes called No-See-Ums)
can be considered nuisances but generally do not create
remarkable systemic skin problems. Local treatment with first
aid ointments generally is successful.
Cheyletiella mites look like tiny spiders under a magnifying
glass and are often called “Walking Dandruff” because upon
close inspection it seems like little flakes of dry skin are
actually moving about. Partly because they live on the surface
of the skin, these tiny critters can be eliminated easily by
using any common flea shampoo. And here’s a creepy thought…
Cheyletiella mites can be transmitted to humans where they
create, just like on the dog, alopecia (hair loss) with a dry,
flaky, slightly itchy skin surface.
Sarcoptic mites are nasty critters! Also called scabies or red
mange, they create very intense itching, alopecia, and
inflamed skin with multiple small scabs often present. We
covered Sarcoptic mange a few weeks back so if you want to
know more then take a look at my back issues on the site.
Sarcoptic mite infestation, more than any other entity, is
frequently misdiagnosed as Allergic Dermatitis by even very
competent and experienced vets. Many veterinary dermatology
specialists will not accept an uncontrolled “Allergic
Dermatitis” referral case unless the referring vet has first
ruled out Sarcoptic mites by actually treating the dog for
scabies.
Even when the vet has done several skin scrapings he may not
find these terrible little devils because, unlike most skin
parasites, these burrow right down into the skin. (Even ticks
simply hold on to the surface of the skin while they feed;
ticks do not burrow into the skin.) Unfortunately, many dogs
are treated with cortisone for a supposed allergic dermatitis
when in fact these Sarcoptic mites are the cause of the itchy,
inflamed skin... the unnecessary cortisone eventually worsens
the situation.
Sarcoptic mites happen to have preferences… certain types
reproduce and thrive on dogs, but they do not thrive on other
species such as humans. Nevertheless, Sarcoptic mites from
dogs can infest humans so if your dog has signs of scabies and
you are itching and have little scabs, make sure you see your
own Doctor!
Mention your concern about scabies mites. If your physician
makes a diagnosis of scabies on you, your next call should be
to the vet to make an appointment to discuss the possibility
of Sarcoptic mites in your dog… (the one that’s been getting
all those cortisone shots for “allergy”).
Then there are Demodex mites - also called “mange”. These
little rascals do live and reproduce just under the skin
surface in the tiny hair follicles and oil glands of the skin.
Unlike Sarcoptic mites, Demodex mites can be seen on a skin
scraping viewed under the microscope. They look like tiny
cigars with stubby legs stuck to the front half of their body.
Demodex is most commonly seen in young dogs. In adult dogs,
Demodex cases seem to be most often seen in pets that are
stressed from disease, poor nutrition, immune disorders or a
harsh environment. There is evidence that many cases of
Demodex may be caused by a genetic protein deficiency in the
animal; the dog’s breeder should be informed of any cases of
Demodex mites. If the dog is otherwise healthy, there are
effective treatments for Demodex. On the “itch scale”, Demodex
causes very little pruritus (itching). On the “baldness scale”
Demodex creates mottled and patchy alopecia (hair loss).
In the next issue we’ll cover Allergies and Allergic
Dermatitis.
