Dogs: Some questions and answers.
Q: Is it Ok for my dog to eat grass?
A: Grass eating is considered normal by most veterinarians. Dogs in the wild do the same thing to supplement their diet with vegetation. I would only be concerned about access to grass that has been treated with herbicides, insecticides or fertilizers that might cause illness. If chemicals have not been used on grass, your pooch can graze away happily.{{more}}
Q: Do dogs eat grass because they need to vomit, or do they vomit simply because they eat grass?
A: The cause and effect relationship in animals eating grass and then vomiting is often questioned. No one has ever proven that dogs are intelligent enough to use grass as a medicinal herb, so it could be concluded that dogs eat grass simply because they like the taste of it and that the vomiting just follows.
Q: Is it true that dogs get worms from drinking milk?
A: Not true. Intestinal worms could be acquired congenitally (passed from the mother to the fetus in the uterus).
⢠From the ingestion of worm eggs or larvae passed out in the stool.
⢠From the ingestion of an intermediate host for example, fleas, or uncooked meat.
⢠Heartworms are transmitted by mosquito bites.
⢠Hookworms could burrow directly into the skin or mucus membranes of dogs.
Q: My dog has a skin irritation; will a sea bath cure him?
A: A sea bath will probably help some skin conditions as a result of the minerals in the sea water and the change in pH.
Q: My dog is itching. I used old engine oil as a remedy and the skin cleared up. Could you explain why?
A: It is a known fact that old diesel can cure mange (sarcoptic) in dogs. However, this treatment is a bit messy and medications like Ivomectin and Triatix (amitraz) yield much better results.
⢠Please do not use kersosine oil, Bagon etc. There have been severe cases where kerosene oil resulted in hair loss and skin burns.
Q: I have heard about worms located under the tongue of dogs – Do these worms exist?
A: I have my reservations about this. I am still waiting for the proponents of this theory to show me one such case.
Q: Is my dog a homosexual? He always mounts other male dogs or vise versa – my female dog mounts bitches.
A: Even though some people may argue that it is possible, I donât think that the dogs are consciously looking for the same sex to mate with.
Q: My bitch is a maniac. She mates even though she shows no signs of heat. Why is this so?
A: Some dogs, because of variations in hormone (estrogen) levels may not exhibit outward signs of heat so that it could be missed by the dog owner. Some of these signs would include: swelling of the vulva, drops of blood from the vulva etc., leading them to think that the dog is mating without being in heat.
Q: Is there anything I can give to my dog to make him more vicious?
A: NO. Your dog can, however, be given aggression training.
Q: My dog is big and bad and I cannot control him. What can I do?
A: Long before dogs were domesticated, they were pack animals. The strongest and wisest ruled the pack. Even though they are now domesticated, the pack instinct still is very much alive. From a puppy, dogs, especially large breeds, should be made to realize that YOU are the supreme boss. Otherwise, if they grow up realizing that you can be second best, you can be in for big trouble.
Q: I have a common/crossed breed dog. I do not have to vaccinate it right?
A: This is a common mistake – it is thought that it is not necessary because 25 years ago, either ourselves or our parents / relatives, had common breed dogs which were not vaccinated yet never got sick. However, diseases like parvo-virus did not exist until the early 1980s. I recommend that all dogs be adequately vaccinated.
For further information,
contact: Dr. Collin Boyle
Unique Animal Care Co. Ltd.
Tele: 456 4981
Website: www.uniqueanimalcare.com
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