I recently received this message from one of our Rhodes 2 Safety followers:- “Hi Kerry, my Greyhound Josie was recently hospitalised with haemorrhagic gastroenteritis – it was awful, we almost lost her. Thankfully she is on the mend but I’d never heard of this condition before, yet since mentioning it to people it seems its […]
What pointers might you see to indicate a bladder or urinary tract infection? Well, there are several questions you might ask yourself when considering bladder problems – the same ones your vet is likely to ask of you if you do decide you need a professional opinion. The sort of questions to consider are:- – Is […]
Causes of Excessive Dog Drooling As the owner of a very “drooly” dog, I can tell you for sure that ALL dogs drool (its just that some do it a hell of a lot more than others and some take it to a whole new level!) Usually with the prospect of food, the flood gates open […]
Diarrhoea After Eating: Usually, when your dog gets an upset stomach or a “runny bum” it’s down to them eating something undesirable that they’ve managed to find on a walk, picking up a bug of some sort or it may be that they’ve eaten something new that doesn’t quite agree with them. Often, when we try to change our […]
Bleeding tongue: A dog’s tongue is important for many things including eating, cleaning themselves, lapping up water, bonding with the pack and showing submission. Luckily, there aren’t many issues or illnesses that affect dogs’ tongues, however they are susceptible to injury perhaps during general investigation with their mouths by biting, chewing or picking up something which may be sharp […]
After an accident where there has been significant trauma, say like a road traffic collision or fall from a height, or perhaps when our dog has a serious disease or infection, internal bleeding can develop. When we see blood from a wound, we know instinctively that we need to stop the bleeding as quickly as […]
Life turns on a sixpence. One minute all is happy and sunny … the next things can become as black as you could ever imagine. Road Traffic Accidents have to be one of a dog owner’s worst nightmares. A lovely walk can quickly spiral into a traumatic experience and if it does, the owner’s ability […]
Ears – Basic 1st Aid for …… Constant shaking/scratching * Examine the ear opening by lifting the ear flap and looking inside. * Provided it is near the very top of the ear canal, if you are able to see an obvious foreign body, you can remove this yourself gently with your fingers. If you must […]
Feet: With dogs, problems affecting the feet and nails are pretty common and can range from something as simple as a torn nail or be a symptom of a more general skin disease. Common causes of foot problems are:- 1. Parsitic Problems: Harvest Mite, Demodectic Mange, Hookworms 2. Allergic or Irritant Dermatitis: Dogs who suffer […]
Before you treat any type of bleed/wound, you should always go through the SEEP checklist, to ensure you take all the right steps in the correct order. Treating a bleed relies heavily on things like the application of pressure, and the positioning of the animal’s injured limb as bleeding will slow down it if has […]
Mastitis = inflammation in the mammary gland. Mastitis is usually caused by an infection which has entered via the teat, through a skin wound caused by a puppy, or via the bloodstream. The teat and breast tissue will be warm and may be swollen and tender. If the mastitis is more severe, there may be […]
Puppy Vaccinations: When you get your beautiful new puppy he has some immunity already, passed on through the milk from his mother. However, it is vitally important to protect him before he goes out into the big wide world. The normal sequence of events is:- @ 8 weeks, he will receive his first vaccination @ […]
Inner Ear Infections: To a dog, his sense of hearing is the second most important of his 5 senses (second only to his sense of smell). Your dog’s ears are incredibly delicate and very important to him. Deafness, although something he can live with, will really affect the way he lives his life so if […]
Constipation and straining can have many different causes but some of the more usual reasons for it are:- * Change of diet or normal toileting routine * Obesity or general lack of exercise * Spinal, joint or mobility problems making a squatting position painful * Impacted dry faeces * Impacted bony material * High percentage […]
If you have a breed with a lovely long, waggy tail, you may well have encountered the nightmare that is a split tail tip or “Happy Tail”. Usually, as a result of some seriously exuberent wagging, the tail may come into contact with a stationary object such as the door frame or wall and […]
Nosebleeds When dogs have nosebleeds, they usually occur as a result of trauma while running/playing or can sometimes happen after violent sneezing or even if they have got something lodged up a nostril. Dogs can have nose bleeds just like we do. The best action is to try to keep the dog as quiet as possible […]
Important urine observations to help the vet * Is the urine being passed more or less frequently than normal? * Is the amount normal, incereased or reduced? * Does the dog strain to pass urine? * Does the dog cry/whimper when passing urine? * Is a steady stream of urine produced? * Is there any […]