Pets Smile Plus

Be careful when you walk your dog. A few years ago I worked with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department on a case. Evidence indicates the fellow was walking his dog in a rural area when 5 dogs belonging to a new neighbor attacked his small dog. To prevent injury to his dog, the fellow picked it up. The loose dogs caused so much damage to his body that he died.

I was recently retained in a similar case. Since the bite victim survived, we know what happened. A young woman was walking her dog when it was attacked by a loose dog. She picked it up to hold it away from the attacker, and she sustained severe injuries resulting in loss of hand use and permanent disfigurement.

People, DO NOT PICK UP YOUR DOG TO SAVE IT FROM ATTACK. Not only will this act NOT stop the attack, it will include YOU as a target. It’s hard to stand by while your dog is being attacked, but picking it up or getting between the attacker and your dog will likely lead to severe injury to you.

I always carry a deterrent when I walk dogs off my property. An ultrasonic transducer, a citronella spray device, even just a coach’s whistle to startle an approaching dog is better than nothing. I also DO NOT TOLERATE loose dogs. If you do, shame on you. You invite an incident.

If you have no deterrent and a dog attacks, drop the lead and stay away from the fracas. I KNOW how hard this is to do. But if you leave your property with NO deterrent, you’ve already chosen to be impotent in case of attack. I don’t know why you’d choose to be unable to defend yourself or your dog against attack, but if you make that choice, do not blame only the aggressing dog.

For all you know, he was just defending his territory against your dog’s intrusion. He may be defending puppies or a new baby in the home. Since you cannot know whether or not this is true, be prepared. But DO NOT PICK UP YOUR DOG. The only thing worse than having your wonderful dog injured or killed is to have you injured, disfigured, or killed. You can take steps to prevent that. Please do so.

The author, Dennis Fetko, Ph.D., “Dr. Dog”, is a world-reknowned animal behaviorist whose accomplishments range from appearing on the 20/20 television show and managing the reintroduction of captive-bred Arabian Oryx into the Saudi Arabian National Wildlife Research Center to making a presentation at the South American Veterinary Congress. Dr. Fetko’s audios and ebooks detail his fast, easy–and even fun–methods to eliminate your dog’s behavior problems. Learn more at drdogsbehaviorsolutions.com drdogsbehaviorsolutions.com

Use a gentle action to brush a shih tzu’s coat. When you shampoo, thoroughly wet the coat with warm water, apply the shampoo and use a squeezing action to cleanse the coat rather than scrubbing the hair back and forth. There will be less damage to the coat, easier to brush out and just as clean. From what I have learned about coat handling, it is very important to maintain the epicuticle in good condition to keep the hair healthy, beautiful and of even length without broken or split ends. If your shih tzu scratches, this can absolutely destory the hair. You will need to find out why and fix the problem as soon as possible to save your shih tzu’s hair. If you don’t rinse the shampoo out well enough, it can cause your shih tzu to scratch, so be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse until the water is absolutely clear and you are sure all the suds and shampoo is out. It is my experience that HealthyPetNet shampoos are extremely gentle on my shih tzu’s coat and skin. I can even tell a difference as I apply the shampoo, my shih tzu do not act as if something “foreign” has just been applied to their coats as with other shampoos I have tried. It is almost like they say, “oh that don’t feel bad at all.” And with other shampoos, I have noticed them with their body language sort of tell me, “that feels harsh to me.” Not so with the HealthyPetNet shampoos.

To my knowledge HealthyPetNet does not produce a creme rinse at this time. I do recommend you using a creme rinse after each shampoo. I get my creme rinse from Lambert Kay. There are many different brands to choose from. Just experiment to see what is right for your particular shih tzu. Since using the HealthyPetNet foods and shampoos I have experienced absolutely no problems with dry skin or flakey skin or skin probems in general. That is not to say I won’t or you might use the products and still come up with problems, and with a serious skin problem, your vet will need to diagnose the problem and prescribe a treatment.

If you desire to grow, beautiful long hair on the shih tzu, the kind that is in the showring, you most likely will need to confine your shih tzu most of the time in a three-foot-by-three-foot wire pen with hygienic floors. This keeps them clean and away from other dogs that can wreck their coat. Rough-housing and wrestling, running and jumping on top of each other is totally out of the question. A movie star must be kept separate in order to maintain and grow out that movie star look. Being confined like this can create problems, however. Your shih tzu could become bored, have anti-social behavior and fear of unfamiliar surroundings. You will have to devote time each day for extra companionship and to provide her with sufficient exercise on a clean floor each day. Daily brushing is almost mandatory to keep the hair from matting up. All shih tzu coats will mat, some just mat easier than others. If the mats are not tended to quickly, you will lose length of hair. Best practice is don’t let the mats appear and this usually can happen only if you religiously brush your shih tzu out every day.

A clean coat is generally a healthier coat and will not mat up as easily. Healthy skin will encourage coat growth. A clean coat will not break as easily when brushing your shih tzu out each day.

If you are growing a show coat, it probably should be shampooed at least weekly if not sooner or about every 5 days. You can put a drop of mineral in each eye or some ophthalmic ointment to prevent redness to the eye or damage from the shampooing.

The pH balance in a shampoo for a shih tzu should hover around the pH 5 level in any shampoo you choose. Don’t use products with a pH 7 level or above. Human shampoo can even be used if it is the proper pH level. You will need to experiment with shampoos to see which works best for your particular shih tzu.

Two sudsings usually give the nicest effect. Thoroughly rinse after the last shampoo to remove every trace of it.

The goal is to maintain the epicuticle of the hair in good condition. If this is accomplished, you should be able to grow a long, beautiful coat of hair just by brushing daily, shampooing weekly or every 5 days and using a good creme rinse in addition to all else mentioned in this article.

Read the label on your shampoos. The first ingredient is usually what the shampoo is primarily composed of. Stay away from shampoos with the first ingredient being mineral oil, or better yet, don’t use any kind of shampoo with mineral oil in it for your shih tzu.

Panthenol is a highly favored ingredient.

A very common problem with coats is dryness and lack of elasticity. A moisturizer applied to the coat will be helpful. After the shampoo and creme rinse, towel dry the coat lightly, then apply moisturizer as per the instructions on the product. Some shampoos have a moisturizer already in them. You can also use a heat method to apply the moisturizer by lightly wringing out a towel that has been doused in very hot water, leaving quite a bit of moisture in the towel, so that it is almost dripping, then wrap the dog leaving only the head exposed. Follow the moist towel with a thick dry towel on top. The first wrapping towel should be hot enough so that you can barely handle it. With the dry towel placed over this it traps the moist heat in and the dog will stay comfortable. This can produce a very calm affect on your dog, almost like a “spa” treatment and is good to do for any shih tzu for this reason. It is like you relaxing in the tub with a facial on.

After the conditioning process, rinse the coat very well with warm water, followed by another creme rinse that is also rinsed out thoroughly. If you don’t want your dog to remain oily, shampoo after rinsing the conditioner out. It may take two sudsings to remove all residue.

If you go to shows, you might ask a handler to share some of their secrets with you on shih tzu coat care. Try to make it brief and ask them if there would be a good time for you to talk to them for 10 or 15 minutes.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. a professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Weekly updates of available puppies. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

Quite simply, a fish tank is designed to offer marine life with a familiar and contained environment. As a hobby, fish tanks allow individuals to purchase fish as pets and keep them inside their home. The first fishkeeping, for personal use, became increasingly popular in the 1950’s and was widely enjoyed through the use of glass aquariums that are still famous today.

A fish tank typically features the tank itself, along with a filter, lighting and an aquarium heater. Purchased in a variety of different sizes, a fish tank can range in size from the small to the very large models. For this reason, prices vary greatly depending on the size and features of the fish tank.

The features of a fish tank are very important to the survival of the marine life. As they are used to moving water, filtration is a must. Otherwise, the water would become cloudy and the fish would deteriorate quickly. While lighting is perhaps not as important as a quality filtration unit, it does provide a sense of a routine in a distinction between light and dark. While in the wild, marine life experiences the difference between day and night and will find a similar lighting routine to be similar to their natural habitat.

It is very important that the water in a fish tank be tested regularly with the use of a test kit. In addition, regular water changes are required of every fish tank in order to keep the fish’s life clean and safe. Regular tap water, however, will likely feature contamination that may prove harmful to the fish. Chemicals and purifiers used to treat the water is found in most tap waters so, instead, a fish tank should be filled with distilled water. When changing the water in a fish tank, the owner must remove up to 20% of the current water and replace it with new , which is achieved through the use of a mix.

There are a number of ways to find the perfect fish and a fish tank to keep it safe. A pet shop is the most likely place to find rare marine life and provides the biggest selection, while many retail stores offer a freshwater fish selection. When purchasing, it is a good idea to ask if the fish comes with any type of guarantee and/or special car instructions. Fish are fragile and must be treated according to specific guidelines, which any pet shop owner will detail depending on the fish that you select.

To find out more about fish-tank-guide.info fish tank, please visit our website at fish-tank-guide.info fish-tank-guide.info It contains tons of free fish tank articles, resources and tips.

Dog behavior training is simple enough for the experienced dog lover but when it comes to beginners all the help available is needed. If you are an beginner or even an experienced dog owner you need to invest some time into a little bit of dog behavior training.

Dog behavior and dog behavior problems are sometimes difficult to solve, whether it be that disobedient dog that has selected deafness or the dog behavior training for adopted or rescue dogs. Dog Language gives you a dog’s eye view. Dog behavior problems on the lead are a thing of the past as you make dog training easy and give yourself complete control over who takes who for a walk. Dogs are a lot smarter than they look so do not get taken in by their innocent-looking face or let them walk all over you no matter how much their eyes make them look like they are truly sorry. Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to exhibit certain desired behaviors in specific circumstances. Dogs like to be praised, so while you make him sit, tell him he is a good boy.

As I mentioned dogs like to be praised, so while you make him sit or play with him, tell him he is a good boy with a slow quiet voice. He will love you for this. Training is also challenging and stimulates a dog’s mind. Train your dog is easy, fun, and very effective. If you do your dog behavior training the right way! But it will be fun for you and your dog.

Here are some tips for you to start. While training, stand up straight and do not slow up when you turn. Obedience training can begin as early as three to four months if yon train the dog yourself. A little tip for a puppy, a puppy learns right from wrong by associating his act with pleasing or displeasing results.

And think about that obedience training can begin as early as three to four months. If you are well informed about dog behavior training you can train your dog at home and that is a very, very funny thing to do. You will see. There are a lot of techniques that you can use to train your dog. Take the ones you like the most.

Okay lets summarize the point. As I said dog behavior training is simple enough for the experienced dog lover but when it comes to beginners all the help available is needed. So you need to invest some time into a little bit of training with your dog and if you have experience in training then you can learn a lot of more interesting techniques. So start your dog behavior training and help your dog to be your best friend. You will like it to train and have fun with your dog.

If you want to know more about dog behavior training then you have to visit this site.There you can get all the stuff you need to handle your dog,just go here trainingdog.de trainingdog.de

It is full of techniques and tips.Visit my Blog too and get even more tips trainingforyourdog.blogspot.com trainingforyourdog.blogspot.com

You call the Vet because your horse has a hoof problem, and he asks for some information. What do you say? Do you know how to describe the parts of the hoof so that he might recognise the problem before he even gets there – thus saving a call out fee?

An army may march on its stomach but a horse definitely marches on its hooves.

I had the vet out the other day doing a routine check on my old boy and he had a good poke around in the hooves. Although he said they were in good shape for the horse’s age, it did make me wonder how much I knew about the hoof, because he started using terms that I didn’t recognise. So I had a little anatomy lesson on the spot but he did mention that few private owners (and I’m not talking riding stables here) could describe a hoof problem in other than the simplest terms, which meant he could seldom diagnose without a visit.

I have since put a new free bonus book up on my site on hoof related problems, so I thought I’d cover a few of the basic terms here, and then do a follow on article about hoof problems and diseases.

What are the different parts of the hoof called.

The Wall

The walls are the protection for the softer internal tissues of the hoof- it’s like the human toe nail. They also provide grip on different terrains. They are elastic and very tough keratin-based substance, similar to a Teflon layer, the thickness is approximately 6 mm - 12 mm. It takes 9-12 months for the hoof to grow from the coronary band to the toe. In order for the horn to grow correctly and form a healthy foot, the horse must be provided with a good diet and be in good health. These factors must be checked if the horn starts to become brittle and weak or if the foot looks badly formed. A feed supplement of biotin may be helpful to promote good horn growth.

Three different layers make up the Wall: the pigmented layer, the water line and the white line.

The coronet band at the top of the hoof wall actually grows this pigmented (colored) layer of horn that makes up the outer wall of the hoof. Although this layer is for protection it does not like sustained contact with the ground, which can cause it to break and flake away.

The water line is built up by the coronet and by the wall’s corium (the living tissue immediately beneath the walls). It is thicker than the pigmented layer and increases its thickness, as it gets further down and away from the coronet band. Unlike the pigmented layer, this one is much hardier and is very resistant to contact to the ground so it is for support and protection of the underside of the hoof.

The white line is the inner layer of the wall. It is softer and fibrous in structure. Its color is yellowish. You can see it, in the underside of the healthy hoof, as a thin line, joining the sole and the walls. Since the white line is softer than both the walls and the sole, it wears fast where it appears on the surface and it appears as a subtle groove between the sole and the walls, with some debris or sand inside.

The three layers of the wall merge in a single mass and they grow downwards together. If the wall doesn’t wear naturally, from sufficient movement on rough ground, then it will over-grow, much like a toenail that is not filed down and it then becomes prone to breakage. This means that a healthy hoof will self-trim, by breaking or chipping off.
When a horseshoe is applied, it is fixed to the wall. The nails that are used to hold the shoe in place are hammered in at an angle so that the points come out of the front of the hoof wall.

The Frog

The frog is a triangular structure clearly visible if you look at the underside of the hoof- it’s like the human fingertip. It extends forwards across about two-thirds of the sole. Its thickness grows from the front to the back and, at the back; it merges with the heel periople. Down its middle, it has a groove, the central groove (sulcus) that extends up between the bulbs.

It is dark gray-blackish in color and of a rubbery consistency, which makes it great to act as a shock absorber and grip tool, on hard, smooth ground. In the stabled horse, it doesn’t wear but it degrades with bacterial and fungal activity to an irregular, soft, slashed surface. In the free-roaming horse, it hardens into a callous consistency, with a near-smooth surface.

The Sole

The sole has a whitish-yellowish, sometimes grayish color. It covers the whole space from the perimeter of the wall to the bars and the frog, on the underside of the hoof. Its deep layer has a compact, waxy character and is called the ‘live’ sole. Its surface will vary according to the type of ground the horse spends his time on. If there is no contact, as in shod hooves or when the walls are too long or the movement poor, the lower surface of the sole has a crumbly consistency and it is easily abraded (scratched off) it with a hoof pick. However, it has a very hard consistency, with a smooth, bright surface, when there is a consistent, active contact with the ground. The front portion, beneath the front of the pedal bone, is called the ’sole callus’.

The Bars

They are inward folds of the wall, starting from the heels at an abrupt angle. The strong structure built up by the extremity of the heel and of the bar is named the ‘heel buttress’. The sole between the heel walls and the bars is called the ’seat of corn’ and it is a very important landmark used by natural hoof trimmers to evaluate the correct heel height. The bars have a three-layer structure, just like the walls. When overgrown, they bend outwards and cover the lower surface of the sole.

Coronary band

You’ll recall this is found at the top of the hoof and is responsible for creating the horn that makes up the hoof wall.

Periople

This is the outer layer of the hoof that forms a protective covering on the hoof wall. It is responsible for regulating moisture content in the horn, secreted from the perioplic ring above the coronet.

Sensitive sole:

This is found underneath the pedal bone, within the insensitive sole. It produces the new cells that replace lost layers of the insensitive sole.

Digital cushion:

The digital cushion is found between the pedal bone and deep flexor tendon. An elastic, fibrous pad absorbs concussion from ground impact. It also helps to push blood back up the leg.

Lateral cartilages

These are attached to the pedal bone and serve to protect the coffin joint. They also help absorb concussion.

Laminae:

The insensitive laminae are supportive structures that attach to the hoof wall and interlock with the sensitive laminae. The sensitive laminae then attach and support the pedal bone. The divide between sensitive and insensitive laminae can been seen as a white line on the sole of the foot.

Conformation

This is term for the basic shape and size for a hoof and how fit it is for its purpose. It’s extremely important, as the feet are obviously essential to the horse

They should be even and round in shape and in proportion with the rest of the horse. The fronts should be of equal size and shape and so should the hinds.

The front feet should slope forwards and be at a 45 degree angle to the ground, and on through the fetlock and pastern. The hind feet should be at an angle of 50-55 degrees to the ground. The hoof wall should be smooth and free from cracks. Any lines could indicate poor nutrition or past cases of laminitis.

Poor conformation in the feet can result in strains to tendons and ligaments, tripping and bruising. Many such problems can be improved by a good farrier and over a period of time.

In respect of horse’s health, prevention is the best cure. If you are regularly checking your horse to see that he’s in tip top condition then at least you will know that any accident has not been caused or worsened by an existing health issue.

Roger Bourdon has written a number of books dedicated to horseback riding, horses and the health of horses. His site anyhorsebackriding.com anyhorsebackriding.com is dedicated to lovers of horses. It contains plenty of free information in newsletters, articles and contains loads of resources all about horses. Products such as books and DVD’s are also available for purchase

The Airedale Terrier is a medium 45 to 65 pound dog that usually reaches between 22″ and 24″. Known as the King of the Terriers, they are largest of the Terrier breeds recognized by the AKC. It is a compact little powerhouse that is all terrier when it comes to chasing little animals or appeasing its curiosity.

Airedale Terriers are typically tan on the ears, head, chest, undersides, legs, and sometimes on the shoulders. They are black or grizzle on the sides and upper parts of the body. Sometimes they have a red mixture on the black or white markings on the chest. Certain strains of the breed also have a small white patch on the chest. Their wiry, dense outer coat requires regular grooming.

If you are looking for a dog with plenty of stamina and energy, look no further. The Airedale Terrier is full of energy and needs daily exercise and play. Generally speaking, they do best with older well behaved children and are not ideal for homes with smaller pets as terriers have the tendency to chase small animals and vermin. They can do well with other dogs, especially if they are socialized from puppyhood. They are loyal and protective if their family. They love to learn and can be trained easily provided training is fun and not monotonous.

The breed dates itself back to 18th century England. The breed is a cross between an Otterhound and a Waterside Terrier. They were bred for hunting small game and were later used in big game hunting, police work and as an army dog in WWII. The Airedale Terrier is now considered more of a family pet than working dog. However, they do love to work and have tasks to do and still make good hunting and tracking dogs

For a family that enjoys outdoors and exercise, the Airedale Terrier is an excellent choice. Although they can work with other pets and dogs, a one pet household seems more ideal for their needs unless they grow up with other family pets. The Airedale Terrier is a great pet for the family on the go.

Learn more about deardoggy.com/ dogs and deardoggy.com/dog_care/ dog care at Dear Doggy. You can also visit our deardoggy.com/dog_breeds/airedale_terrier/ Airedale Terrier page in the dog breeds section of our website for more information.

Okay, you’ve brought home that precious, oh-so-cute puppy…and now you’ve got to teach him how to live in your world…but where’s the training manual?

The bad news is, they don’t come with one…and house training puppies is work. But the good news is, training them is still fun and rewarding too!…so let’s get started.

To begin with, have the right expectations.

Your puppy simply won’t be able to control himself very well for 3 months or more…and it will be another 3 months or more after that before he’ll have full control of his bladder…so understand straight off that you’ll be working with him for that long…pace yourself.

Routine, Routine, Routine!

Your best partner in house training your puppy is to set up and stick to a feeding and watering schedule…feed and water him at the same times every day – no exceptions…no snacks in between; no special treats…in this way your pup’s body will automatically respond to the schedule and become predictable…this will help you immensely with your house training.

Observation is the key.

Now that he’s on a schedule, you’ll find out that your little guy will need to “go” shortly after each feeding session, shortly after each watering session, and probably every 45 to 90 minutes in between each of those sessions…every day. Observe him closely and discover what his body language is when he needs to relieve himself.

Don’t leave him unattended if you can help it, but if you must leave him alone, confine him to a single (always the same) space. Make sure a large part of that space is covered with newspapers too (about 3 sheets thick).

When he uses the papers, clean up the mess and replace the papers…but place one of the soiled papers right in the middle of the new batch…this will help build the “here is where I go” idea in his brain. Over time (weeks not days) his “aim” will improve and you’ll be able to reduce the papered area to maybe just a single sheet.

Now what?

Okay, you’re beginning to know your pooch like the back of your hand, so when you see the signs that he has to go, put him on a leash and take him outside to the place you want him to use. Make this the same place every time; don’t switch it around on him. Be patient and when he finally “goes,” make sure to give him a lot of praise and strokes…you want him to associate that praise with his actions so his little doggie brain will remember “Go Outside = Good Stuff!”

But what if he has an accident?

If he goes “where no dog has gone before,” immediately, make eye contact with him and correct him with a firm “No” then lead him to the place you want him to use (either outside or his “papers”).

But you must remember (and I can’t emphasize this enough) you can only do this if you catch him in the act…if it’s any later, even just seconds later, your correction won’t work, he won’t make the connection you want…in fact, it will have a negative impact…so, if that’s the case, you’ll just have to be more vigilant and catch him the next time.

But once the deed is done, clean up the mess completely and remove the odor completely too, because it will be the smell that brings him back to that spot for a return visit.

Last but not least.

Keep in mind that this will take time…we’re talking weeks here (I did say that house training puppies was work didn’t I?)…some dogs will be able to control themselves sooner than others and some will learn what you want from them sooner than others. If you want to be successful in the shortest amount of time, it’s up to you to be persistent and consistent so your buddy has the best chance to learn.

I hope this helps a bit…thanks for reading.

Did you know that house training puppies is just the first training step owners need to take? Need help taking the next steps? Then check out the-dog-zone.net/Dog-Obedience-Training.aspx?code=DA003 The-Dog-Zone.net.

the-dog-zone.net/index.aspx?code=DA003 House Training Puppies - Quick Help.

Their scientific name is Cavia Tschuldi and their nickname
in South America where they were first discovered, is“Cavy.
As you might have guessed Guinea Pigs are rodents.

Near the Andes Mountains in Peru over a thousand years ago , some Inca Indians were exploring near the tall grass on
the edge of a forest, when they found dozens of little hairy creatures scampering around.

The fat little animals when they bent down to pick them up
did not bite or even seem to mind . The Incas soon
learned that the cavies or cuy, were wild but safe animals, who liked to hide in tall grass away from the hungry owls and other predators that they were easy prey to.

They searched out burrows and homes made by rabbits or snakes or other creatures and made these spaces their home.
When it was night and dark, they would wander out to find food. Wild guinea pigs live all over South America from Argentina to Columbia.
Some scientists say that the Inca Indians were the first to tame the wild guinea pigs, but other scientists think
that even prehistoric people as far back as 5000 B.C. were keeping guinea pigs as pets and raising them as a source of food.

If you would like to know more about guinea pigs as pets,why not get a copy of my book at

mysecretsrevealed.com mysecretsrevealed.com

or if you are interested in recieving my guinea pig newsletter just send me an email with newsletter in subject at graeme@mysecretsrevealed.com

Pets are treated as family members and many are given all kinds of toys and accessories. This trend has paved the way for the increase in business of the pet service and merchandise industry. Each and every need of a pet is carefully noted. They not only provide them with food but also clothing, beddings, toys and other pet products for their mental stimulation and physical exercise. Amongst the items necessary for pets, pet apparel has grown in popularity over the years.

Choosing and buying the right pet apparel for your pet is not a difficult task. There are a number of shops selling a range of pet apparels. There are shops stocked with treats to pamper, tantalize and adorn pets. Discount pet apparel is an inexpensive pet product available every where. You can buy them at regular discount pet apparel shops or thru online discount stores.

Pet apparels are sold at a discount on their original value during clearance sale of old stocks, during festive seasons and sales promotions. There are a number of stores specializing in discount pet apparels of various kinds, and catering to different pets. When purchasing discount pet apparel, make sure to focus on quality and comfort of the apparel. Discount pet apparel shops are not only meant for the pets comfort but also to buy a product at a reasonable price.

Discount pet apparel comes in a wide variety of styles, sizes and materials. The wide range of pet apparel includes pet sweater, t-shirts, coats and more. They are made from cotton, silk and various other comfortable materials in different designs and colors.

All you have to do is know what discount pet apparel is best for your particular pet animal, and find out if it comes reasonably priced.

e-DiscountPetSupplies.com Discount Pet Supplies provides detailed information on Discount Pet Supplies, Wholesale Discount Pet Supplies, Discount Pet Drug Supplies, Discount Pet Food and more. Discount Pet Supplies is affiliated with e-dogtags.com Custom Dog Tags.

Many dogs scoot (drag) their bottoms across carpets, ground or other rough surfaces making it appear as though they are wiping their rear. The real causes can be much more serious and may warrant a trip to the veterinarian for an examination. Some of the most common reasons for this behavior are discussed below.

Anal Sac Disease is common in small dogs but rare in large dogs. It occurs when the anal sacs become impacted, infected, abscessed or neoplastic (abnormal tissue formation).

Impaction is when the anal gland fluids become too thick to be easily expressed.

Infections will result in the production of a yellow or bloody pus-like substance.

Abscess around the rectum area will become swollen and will be hot and tender to the touch. If the abscess erupts it will produce pus and blood.

The anal glands are two tiny sacs located inside the dog’s bottom. They are believed to be scent glands because they accumulate a fluid substance that, when released, produces a strong, foul odor.

The sacs are packed with a thick and pasty brown substance which, when secreted, is like a thin ribbon. This substance can be expressed (released) as a thin ribbon only with a great amount of pressure usually produced by the act of defecating.

The anal fluids may fail to naturally express during defecation. When dogs defecate the fluid from the anal sac generally releases leaving the scent of the dog on his stools, thereby identifying him to other dogs.

If the dog is obese he may have poor muscle tone and may not have the ability to cause the release of the anal sac fluids on his own. If the dog is unable to express the fluid himself, it may have to be done manually by the owner or by a veterinarian.

The retention of these fluids can lead to bacterial overgrowth, infection, and inflammation of the anal sac area. Signs of anal sac fluid retention are pain while sitting, scooting or dragging the rear end, licking or biting the anal sac area and pain during defecation.

If your dog is showing any of these signs have your veterinarian examine him to see if the sacs are impacted. If there is Impaction and the fluid is not expressed, the glands could rupture. Your veterinarian may choose to manually express the sacs or, if the area is infected, he may choose to flush the sacs and fill them with antibiotics. Surgical removal of the sacs is also possible on dogs with chronic problems.

Diagnosing the problem is usually done by a digital rectal examination. If the sacs are found to be impacted, they can be manually expressed but must be done very gently. While some dog owners prefer to express the glands themselves, it may be best to have your veterinarian do the procedure.

Generalized seborrhea or the production of glandular hypersecretion may also cause the retention of the fluids.

Round worms or tape worms may also cause your dog to scoot his bottom or bite at the area around the rectum.

Allergies to flea bites can make the area around the rectum itchy.

Article written by JD Hutchinson
dogbreedcenter.com www.dogbreedcenter.com

Information for this article is from a number of sources including the Merck Veterinary Manual, Ninth Edition, and Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.

Copyright © 2006 Is Your Dog Anal Retentive? This article may be reprinted on the condition that the writer’s name and web address are prominently displayed, and left intact.