Autoimmune Disease is actually the dysfunction of the healthy immune system of the body. The immune system works as a guard, creating antibodies against any disease causing micro organisms that enter the body. In the Autoimmune condition, the immune system not only fails to protect the body from alien micro organisms, but also starts creating anti bodies against the healthy cells.

Causes of Autoimmune Disease in Dogs:

Though experts are still confused about the exact cause of this disease, some of the known reasons are:

-          Medications, vaccines, antibiotics and steroids.

-          Pollutants present in the environment

-          Chemicals: pesticides, chemicals present in flea or tick treatments.

-          Food preservatives like ethoxyquin

-          Other diseases like liver cancer

Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease in Dogs:

The Autoimmune Disease can affect the whole body or a single organ. It can cause liver failure of adrenal glands issues at a time or attack the protein of the body, affecting the whole body. In autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), the red blood cells of the body are attacked. The symptoms o the Autoimmune Disease in dogs depends upon the type and condition of the disease. Some of the most commonly observed symptoms are:

-          The body feels weak and lethargic

-          Vomiting and diarrhea accompanying with pain in the abdominal area

-          Loss of appetite

-          High breathing rate

-          High pulse rate

-          Depressive and tense mood

-          Mouth ulcers

-          Skin problems

-          Lesions: most likely appearing in nasal, oral and anal areas

-          Lymph nodes get enlarged

-          Seizures and shock

-          Anemia

-          Unable to exercise

-          Joints become stiff

-          Drastic change in normal weight

-          Body odor

Treatment of Autoimmune Disease in Dogs:

 The symptoms of Autoimmune Disease in dogs are hard to differentiate with those of other disease. It’s really important to get the dog properly diagnosed before starting the treatment. A vet traditionally conducts blood tests, urine tests and stool analysis along with other laboratory tests to clarify the condition.

Once the dog has been diagnosed with Autoimmune Disease, the treatment usually involves natural products. A vet might advise to add natural supplements and herbs to the daily diet of the dog, for effective balance of the immune system. Natural supplements include digestive enzymes; which are useful normal digestion and balancing of the bacteria in the digestive track and fatty acids; which are responsible for providing healthy skin and digestive system.

What Causes Anemia in dogs?

There are a number of causes that lead to anemia, blood loss being the most prominent of all.

Blood loss:

Blood loss or bleeding can be of two types; internal bleeding and external bleeding. External bleeding is most commonly caused by trauma and injury.

Internal bleeding involves intestinal or abdominal bleeding. The abdominal bleeding can be caused by three conditions:

-          Liver/kidney or spleen damage: vehicular trauma often leads to damaging the liver, spleen r kidney, thus resulting in bleeding in the abdomen.

-          Tumors: presence of tumors in kidney, liver or spleen can also lead to abdominal bleeding.

-          Rat poison: ingestion of rat poison can cause abnormal blood clotting in the abdomen, leading to blood loss.

Bleeding in the intestinal tract can be due to inflammatory disorders, cancer or low platelet count.

Red blood cell destruction:

Red blood cell destruction is a result of an immune related disease in dogs known as autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Hemolysis makes the body destroy its own health red blood cells. The disease is caused by cancer, drug exposure, vaccines, toxicity, infectious and tick borne diseases.

Other diseases:

There are many chronic diseases that might cause anemia. These diseases however do now threat serious harm and anemia caused by them can be mild to moderate.

What are the Symptoms of Anemia in Dogs?

As there are not one but various causes of anemia in dogs, the signs and symptoms of anemia also vary accordingly. The most common symptoms are:

-          Depression

-          Pale skin

-          Exhaustion and lethargy

-          Generalized weakness

-          Pale gums

-          High respiratory rate

-          Blood loss

-          Presence of blood in urine or stool

-          Loss of appetite

-          Vomiting and nausea

-          Recurrent collapses

-          Abdominal distention

-          Loss of weight

The diagnosis of anemia includes several tests, to identify the cause of anemia in a dog. After proper diagnosis, the treatment aims at curing the underlying cause by using different therapies, supplements and drugs. In severe cases blood transfusion or surgery may be required.

It is essential to provide your dog with a complete dental program, to avoid oral disease and maintain a perfect smile with healthy teeth.

The dental care program includes three steps:

Regular veterinarian visits:

The first step is never to skip an appointment with the vet. Regular checkups can help in keeping a dog’s mouth clean and disease free. A veterinarian orally examines the dog´s mouth to look for any signs of dental problems. The examination usually involves:

-          Examination of the dogs head and face to look for any signs of asymmetry, swelling or discharges.

-          Examination of the outer surfaces of the gums and teeth, while examining the bite.

-          Examination of the inner surfaces of the gums, teeth, tongue, palates, tonsils and oral mucosa.

-          Examination of the lymph nodes and salivary glands.

Dental cleaning:

Proper brushing at home can clear any signs of plaque, but it can do little good if a dog has tartar. Dental cleaning by a veterinarian not only removes any tartar, but also makes the teeth clean and polished. The dental cleaning procedure involves:

-          Anesthetizing of the dog

-          X-rays of the mouth are taken to examine the overall dental structure.

-          Inspection of the mouth to look for any signs of gum diseases

-          A bacteria killing solution is flushed into the mouth

-          The teeth are cleaned with handheld and ultrasonic scalers

-          A disclosing solution is used to detect any remaining calculus, which are then removed.

-          Teeth polishing

-          An anti-bacterial solution is flushed into the mouth again.

-          Prescribing a appropriate home dental care program

Daily dental care at home:

The daily dental care mainly involves brushing of the dog’s teeth and examination of the dog’s mouth.

Examining the dog’s mouth at home, should be a routine habit of the owner. The owner should check for signs that indicate gum disease, such as bad breath, inflamed gums, tartar, bleeding etc. if any such symptoms are visible, the dog should immediately be checked by a veterinarian.

Brushing the dog’s teeth is also really important to prevent tartar build up and other gum diseases. The proper step by step procedure can be learned from the veterinarian clinic.

There are now certain foods, supplements and treats available in the market, which are specially formulated to prevent the chances of tartar and plaque buildup.

Gum Disease: The gum disease in dogs occur when bacteria in the shape of plaque, destroys the supportive gum tissue of the teeth. If proper brushing and cleaning is not done, the plaque is covered by calculus or tartar, which are hard crusts formed by the mineral salts in the saliva. The disease can be mild to severe. In mild cases, the plaque appears like a yellowish build up at the base of the teeth. In severe cases, the tarter appears to be hard and thick.

Periodontitis: Periodontitis, also known as periodontal disease is a frequently occurring dental disease in dogs. The main factors that cause this disease are plaque, cell mucus, food debris, and bacteria. Any of these factors may cause a milky white film on the teeth and gums. If this film mixes with the saliva of the mouth, the result is tartar, which cannot be easily removed.

Gingivitis: Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums. The presence of tartar causes irritation of the gum tissue, as a result of which the surrounding gums become red and swollen. If gingivitis is not treated properly, it may result in periodintitis, bone loss, loosening of the teeth and teeth loss.

Immune Disorders and Cardiovascular Diseases: The problems related to the dental set up of a dog are not limited to the mouth only , but can spread to other parts of the body, as the infection or bacteria present in the mouth can possibly swallowed and digested. Similarly the immune system can also be affected. The bacteria present in the mouth can cause damage to kidneys, liver, lungs and gastrointestinal diseases.

Lymphocytic plasmacytic stomatitis (LPS): This is considered to be an autoimmune disease of the gums and lining of the mouth and throat. It is often mistaken with gingivitis. LPS can be triggered by underlying infections such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline Leukemia, Feline Herpes (aka Rhinotracheitis) or Calicivirus.

The dental issues can lead to heart diseases also. Research shows that bacteria found on the heart valves are similar to the bacteria found infected gums.

The bottom line is to pay utmost attention to your dogs overall dental condition, to avoid any serious illnesses.

The prostate gland is located near the urinary bladder in male dogs. The urethra passes through the bladder and the prostate gland. The enlargement of the prostate gland (due to several reasons) can cause pressure on the urethra resulting in urination issues. Similarly colon, that is located above the prostate gland, can also be prominently affected by the enlargement.

Causes of Enlarged Prostate in Dogs:

The enlargement of the prostate gland can develop due to several reasons such as:

-          Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or cystic hyperplasia: The enlargement in this case is due to increase in size and number of prostrate cells and other hormonal changes.

-          Prostatitis: The enlargement is a result of an underlying bacterial infection of the prostate gland in this case.

-          Prostatic abscess: The presence of large fluid filled pockets in the prostrate, indicate the most severe case of this disease.

-          Squamous metaplasia: the enlargement in this case is mainly due to too much exposure to estrogen.

-          Paraprostatic cysts: The presence of cysts containing fluid connected with the prostrate cause enlargement in this case.

-          Prostatic neoplasia: The enlargement develops due to the presence of tumors in the prostate gland.

Symptoms of Enlarged Prostate in Dogs:

The signs and symptoms of enlarged prostate in dogs vary according to the root cause of the disease. However defecation and urination problems are found in all cases. Some of the commonly known symptoms are:

-          Painful defecation

-          Discomfort and pain during urination

-          Abnormal gait and taking small steps

-          Lethargy and weakness

-          Anorexia

-          Weight loss

-          Penis Discharge : pus that can be cloudy and yellowish in color or presence of blood

-          Abdominal pain and discomfort

-          Fever

-          Straining while urinating or during defecation

-          Urinary tract infection: either chronic or recurrent

Treatment of Enlarged Prostate in Dogs:

After the proper diagnosis; that includes blood tests, urine analysis, culture, ultrasounds etc, the treatment is done accordingly. The procedure usually involves:

-           Intravenous fluids: In cases such as acute prostatitis, a dog might severely be dehydrated. In such conditions, IV fluids are administered immediately.

-          Intravenous antibiotics: In cases where bacterial infections have been detected, antibiotic treatment is prescribed.

-          Urinary bladder catheterization: in cases where the normal urinary flow is blocked due to the disease, a catheter is implanted between the urethral orifice, urethra and the bladder, to help the flow.

-          Analgesic drugs:  pain killers are generally administered to provide relief to the dogs. Anti inflammatory drugs that are nonsteroidal are commonly used along with narcotics.

-          Enema: It is prescribed to get relief from constipation and other defecation discomforts.

-          Surgery: The presence of cysts and abscesses might require surgery to remove and drain them.

The disease is actually caused by bacterial pathogen called Leptospira, also known as aquatic spirochetes”. These organisms survive in water and have a long helical appearance, with hook like structures on one or both sides. It has a tail like shape which helps it´s spinning movement. There are over 200 strains of Leptospira, but only a few have been proved to cause disease in dogs, such as L. pomona, L. grippotyphosa, L. canicola and L. icterohemorrhagiae.

Causes of Leptospirosis in Dogs:

The Leptospira organisms breed happily and abundantly in damp environments.  This is why the disease is more common in summer and fall seasons, or after heavy rain falls. The presence of mud, standing water and wet soil make the survival possible which is otherwise really hard in the freezing temperature of the winter season.

Leptospirosis is transmitted from one animal to another. Animals like skunks, raccoons, and rats are most likely to carry these bacteria. It can be transmitted in the following ways:

-          Infection can be spread through direct contact with the infected urine or water that has been contaminated with the infected urine.

-          Transmission through breeding

-          Transmission through gestation

-          Venereal and placental transfer

-          Transmission through membranes of the eyes

-          Transmission through abrasions or bite wounds

Symptoms of Leptospirosis in Dogs:

The symptoms of Leptospirosis vary according to the condition and stage of the disease. It is more complicated in puppies and in dogs who have not been vaccinated. If the disease remains untreated it can cause severe damage to the kidneys and liver. The symptoms appear within 1 to 2 weeks after being infected. Some commonly observed symptoms are:

-          Depression

-          Vomiting and loss of appetite

-          Conjunctivitis

-          Pain in various parts of the body

-          Fever

-          Shivering and stiffness.

-          Excessive thirst and frequent urination

-          Jaundice

-          Change in Urine color and intensity, often appearing as deep orange

-          Dehydration

-          Pale skin tone

-          Kidney pain

-          Possible Renal failure

-          Difficulty breathing

-          Blood in feces

-          Muscular tremors

Though the probability of a dog having Leptospirosis is high, but proper diagnosis and treatment may help in eliminating this condition.

The disease is actually caused by bacterial pathogen called Leptospira, also known as aquatic spirochetes”. These organisms survive in water and have a long helical appearance, with hook like structures on one or both sides. It has a tail like shape which helps it´s spinning movement. There are over 200 strains of Leptospira, but only a few have been proved to cause disease in dogs, such as L. pomona, L. grippotyphosa, L. canicola and L. icterohemorrhagiae.

Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in Dogs:

The symptoms of Leptospirosis disease in dogs are often misleading, which is why proper diagnosis is recommended. The diagnosis usually involves laboratory tests such as:

-          Blood tests and Urine analysis:  blood chemistry and urine analysis help to determine any abnormalities of the blood, electrolyte imbalances, and elevation level of liver enzymes.

-          Microscopic Agglutination test (MAT): the MAT test helps to determine the concentration of antibodies and leptospires in the dog’s serum. It has two major drawbacks. Firstly it may show false negative results in the early stages of the disease and secondly positive response may not be gained in vaccinated dogs.

-          Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Microcapsular Agglutination test (MCAT): these tests are considered more reliable as compared to MAT tests, as they prove to be more responsive in vaccinated dogs and help to determine the disease in early stages as well.

Treatment of Leptospirosis in Dogs:

After proper diagnosis, treatment is started that usually involves antibiotics:

-          Antibiotic treatment: Antibiotics such as erythromycin, tetracycline and penicillin are often used in treating this disease. Usually one or two types of antibiotics may be administered to handle different tasks, for instance penicillin stops the reproduction and spreading of bacteria. While antibiotics like tetracyclines or fluoroquinolones are used to eliminate traces of leptospira in the kidney.

-          Fluid therapy:  along with the antibiotics, supportive treatment is often required in the shape of fluid therapy, which is essential for the adequate blood flow through the kidneys, in order to reduce the chances of renal failure.

-          Anti emetic drugs: anti emetic drugs may be administered to reduce vomiting which can lead to excessive dehydration.

-          IV Fluids: intravenous fluids are also commonly administered to overcome dehydration.

-          Hemodialysis:  in severe cases, usually in the last stages of the disease in which the kidneys fail to function, hemodialysis is performed. Hemodialysis refers to a machine that serves as an artificial kidney.

They virus responsible for this disease causes a mild respiratory tract infection. Other respiratory tract infections, namely, canine adenovirus-2, and a bacteria called bordetella bronchiseptica are frequently correlated with parainfluenza virus. It is often mistaken for kennel cough.Parainfluenza virus is one of the three viruses that cause kennel cough in dogs. It primarily affects the nose, pharynx and bronchi, seldom reaching the lungs. Through a health mechanism, the mucous in the respiratory tract is cleared, the canine parainfluenza , disables this process, while allowing the bacteria to spread.

The parainfluenza virus healthily survives in highly humid conditions. A dog might catch the disease through contaminated environment. Poor immune system and unhygienic conditions may also trigger the occurrence of this disease.

What are the common Symptoms of canine parainfluenza in Dogs?

The symptoms of canine parainfluenza are often mild and last up to six days. However if there are any other bacteria involved, the symptoms might prevail longer. Some commonly known signs and symptoms of this disease are:

-          Coughing: The most common sign of canine parainfluenza is dry cough that is unproductive and persistent. It usually lasts up to two weeks. Any hyper activity might worsen the condition. The cough is also accompanied by an unusual sound.

-          Breathing problems: A dog infected with this disease may display signs of heavy breathing or any difficulty while breathing. The panting is mostly prominent after any kind of physical activity.

-          Nasal discharge: An infected dog might have a thick green nasal discharge that is usually caused by a secondary bacterial infection.

-          Generalized weakness: The dog might appear to be lethargic, weak, and listless and feel an overall reduced level of energy.

-          Pneumonia:  In severe conditions, the dog might be diagnosed with having pneumonia and high fever. In such cases, immediate hospitalization is needed and IV fluids are administered.

How to Diagnose and Treat Parainfluenza in Dogs?

The diagnosis of this disease involves examination of symptoms along with a complete medical history and investigating the possibility of contacts with other infected dogs.

Once the diagnosis is done the treatment is done according to the condition of the disease. In mild cases, the treatment involves calming of the coughing symptoms by using an antitussive such as Robitussin DM.

In cases, where the bacteria are causing nasal discharge and cough is accompanied by sounds, oral anti biotics and nebulization is often prescribed. In severe cases, where the dog has pneumonia, IV fluids and anti biotic treatment is prescribed. The best way for preventing this disease is to get your dog vaccinated against parainfluenza.

-          Be consistent: consistency is the key to effective training. If you want your dog to understand your command and learn them, you should use always the exact same words or gestures, associated to a certain command. Any changes would confuse the dog or may lead to misinterpretation of your command.

-          Be calm and in control:  it is required that a trainer remain calm and patient. Interact with the dog in a calming way, not to make thing tense. Try to find a location that is also not too noisy or distracting. You and your dog should have calm time together.

-          Also a trainer must not lose control. Training a dog can be very tiring, and sometime seemingly fruitless, but losing control and giving up just makes things worse.

-          Start with simple commands: The simpler, the better. If a trainer starts with complex command, it is likely that dogs won’t obey. Start with simple things like sit, stand, go etc, as the dog masters these, move on to other commands.

-          One at a time: It is much easier for a dog to learn a command one at a time. Too much training would over burden a dog. Teach him one thing at a time with full concentration.

-          Don’t take too long: The training period shouldn’t be too long. The trainer as well as the dog would get tired and there won’t be any good results.

-          Make daily training secessions: Instead of intense long hour sessions, daily half hour or one hour training sessions would be good enough for a young dog. It will not only be less tiring but also boost the concentration level.

-          Keep the voice cheerful: A trainer should always speak in a cheerful voice rather than speaking harshly or aggressively. Dogs tend to respond happily to cheerful and humorous people.

-          Give a positive response: Every learned step towards practicing a trick or command should be followed by appositive response. Give a dog a treat, if he shows good results. But don’t be over praising before he has really learned something.

-          No punishment: Some dog trainers find punishment a better way to teach commands, but this is entirely wrong. Apart from being a cruel act, it is not at all appropriate for training, as it reinforces negative behavior more than positive behavior.

Being active is very necessary for a healthy dog. Physical mobility not only strengthens the muscles, but also leaves a positive impact on the psychology of a dog. Along with physical exercise, there are other factors that help a dog remain fit and happy.

- Exercise: Proper exercise routine is really essential for healthy for a dogs health. It boosts blood circulation and tones up the muscles. It fights obesity and also helps in avoiding diseases such as arthritis in old age. Though a morning or evening walk is good for a dog to move around and leave his marks here and there, but this does not make up a daily exercise routine. A dog needs at least an hour to walk, run, or jump around, preferably without leash. A vet can be of great help in recommending an exercise plan for a dog.

- Proper diet: A healthy diet with all the necessary nutrients helps keeping the dog active. A healthy diet includes protein, low fats, carbohydrates (according to age and weight) and fibers. Additionally vitamins, minerals and food supplements can also prove to be beneficial.
A healthy diet also includes clean water. It is important to keep dogs hydrated, especially when they are done heavy exercising.

A dog owner can always ask for an advice from a vet about the diet consideration of their dog.
- Mental exercise: Mental health is as much significant as physical health. To keep a dogs mind stimulated, train him to be obedient. Taking a few orders, like sit, fetch or roll over, can refresh a dogs mind. It is not necessary to always be straight in orders; some playtime should also be part of this training. Nowadays many toys for dogs are available in the market that can help in brain stimulation.

- Socializing: Most of the dogs who exhibit aggressive and abnormal behavior are the ones who remain isolated. Socializing with other people, dogs and animals is the key to a friendly dog. It helps a dog conquer fear or aggression. A social dog can participate in public and family events without creating disturbance and enjoying it at the same time.

- Healthy family life: Dogs need attention and emotional support. Dogs that are neglected show abnormal behaviors. For its mental and physical fitness, healthy family life is very important, in which it is given due attention and love.