Category: Dog Rescue

Submitted by: Simon Harris

The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a highly contagious disease in dogs known as distemper. Dogs who contract distemper suffer damage to their gastrointestinal, central nervous and respiratory systems. Distemper is incurable and often fatal.

Puppies between the ages of three and six months are most susceptible to the disease, although older dogs and other carnivorous mammals can also contract distemper. At one time, distemper was the leading cause of death among puppies that had not been vaccinated. Since the distemper vaccine was created in the early 60s, incidents of distemper and distemper related deaths have dropped considerably.

CDV is transmitted via airborne viral particles that dogs inhale. Infected dogs also shed the virus through bodily secretions and excretions. In this manner it is easy for an infected dog to cause the infection of another dog.

Distemper causes a multitude of symptoms that include various respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms to central nervous system disorders. In fact, dogs that die as a result of distemper actually die from central nervous complications caused by the disease or from secondary bacterial infections.

Diagnosing distemper is difficult for a veterinarian to diagnose as blood tests are not helpful in detecting the presence of CDV. Successful diagnosis often relies on the ruling out of comparative disorders whose symptoms can often suggest the presence of CDV.

Because there is no cure for distemper, treatment for the disease is supportive and a vet will attempt to treat the symptoms as best as possible. A clean, warm, and draft free environment should be created and maintained to ensure the dog is as comfortable as possible. The eyes and nose should be kept free of discharge, and medication to treat diarrhea should be administered. Dogs suffering from distemper must be given plenty of fluids to help reduce fever and prevent dehydration. Other symptoms are treated as they appear if possible.

Like any viral disease, prevention is a much better and more successful option than treatment and the best option is vaccination during the early weeks of life. The distemper vaccination creates a long lasting immunity to the virus, but it is not permanent. Annual inoculations are recommended to maintain the dog s immunity to distemper. Most puppies are given vaccinations that include distemper vaccine along with vaccines for several other diseases.

About the Author: This article courtesy of

dog-obedience-guide.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=6654&ca=Pets

Submitted by: Anna Hart

Labrador rescues in Colorado are frequent, which is both good and bad news. It is good news in that more Labrador rescues means fewer Labs that are left to a cruel fate in animal shelters. It is bad news in that more Labrador rescues means more people have not thought about the responsibility they were incurring when they bought a cute Labrador puppy.

Labrador rescue in Denver alone is responsible for hundreds of Labrador Retrievers going to good homes instead of being left on the streets.

Labrador rescues in Colorado are accomplished in several ways.

* Labs may be rescued from shelters. If a Lab remains in the shelter a certain length of time, and no one chooses to adopt it, Labrador rescue comes to its aid, preventing euthanasia.

* Sometimes, Labrador rescues in Colorado are made, not by going out and getting the dog, but by the dog being delivered to the rescue group. Families that decide they can no longer provide the kind of home the Lab needs donate the dog, hoping it will find a good “forever” home.

* From time to time the Labrador rescue in Denver, Colorado receives Labs that were left behind when their owners died.

Labrador rescues in Denver, Colorado are not very different from those in other cities and states, of course. Many places are rescuing Labrador Retrievers and finding permanent homes for them.

Safe Harbor Lab Rescue

Safe Harbor Lab Rescue is a non-profit organization in Golden, Colorado a western suburb of Denver. Like so many other Labrador rescue groups, Safe Harbor Lab Rescue is run by volunteers. Their purpose is to care for stray or surrendered Labrador Retrievers until a permanent home can be found for them.

Safe Harbor is in urgent need of foster homes in the Denver-Boulder area to help save the lives of lovable Labs.

Labrador Rescue Stories

Read stories of Labrador rescues, and you will see that these groups provide an important service. Just one story will give the idea.

Labrador rescue saved a 7-year old Lab from life in a small crate. From the time it was a puppy, this dog had been confined to its crate most of the day. It received little attention. It received little exercise. It had grown to be nearly 100 pounds, and had been house-trained, but still it remained in that small crate. Imagine its joy when Labrador rescue got it out of the crate and into a place where it could run and play. With the boundless energy of a Labrador Retriever having been held back for so long, a dog like this appreciates whoever gave it a second chance. Now this particular lovable Lab is just waiting for someone to give it a permanent home similar to the one it has at the Labrador rescue home.

Labrador rescue dogs are not always comfortable when they first go to a permanent home. They remember being in a home before. They may have had a bad experience. Many times, Labrador rescue dogs are afraid of everything in the new home. They hide behind furniture or in closets. They are very adaptable, however, and with patience and lots of love, new owners can turn a Labrador rescue dog into a lovable Lab.

Finding a Labrador Rescue Group

If you think you would like to adopt a Labrador rescue dog or puppy, you can easily find a Labrador rescue group. Use you favorite search engine, and enter the words “Labrador rescue” without quotation marks. If you have trouble finding one near your home, contact one of the others on the Internet and ask for help. They will often know, or can find out, whether there is a Labrador rescue home in your area.

About the Author: © 2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about Labrador Retrievers at

lovablelabradors.com

. Anna has posted additional information on that site about training Labrador Retrievers. If you are interested in information on

Labrador Retriever training

, youll enjoy Annas perspective on the subject.

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isnare.com

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byAlma Abell

Most pet parents consider their cats and dogs to be members of the family, and as such, they want to give these animals only the best care possible. When you find the right animal clinic, this is not a problem, because if they offer nothing else, these clinics offer comprehensive vet services that guarantee your pet will be healthy and happy for a very long time. From preventive care to surgery, a good animal clinic can accommodate you so those special family members get the care they deserve.

It All Starts with You

A good pet parent knows that their pet is relying on them to make sure they are healthy, and once you find the right animal clinic in Leawood, KS, you can provide your pets with the treatment they deserve. Even animal lovers don’t know everything about properly caring for a pet, which is why relying on a reputable animal clinic is so important. Professional vets can help you whether your pet is sick or you just need advice regarding the right foods and vitamins, and it simply feels good to know that another person is as interested in your pet’s health as you are.

Finding the Right Vet Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult

If you haven’t yet found a vet, a little research is always recommended, and this is easy to do since most vet clinics have comprehensive websites that you can visit at any time. Vets offer preventive maintenance and general well-being visits, surgery, dental care, and even alternative medicine, if that is something that interests you. Facilities such as Cherokee Animal Clinic offer personalized plans for each patient, which means that regardless of what your pet currently needs, they are guaranteed to get that and much more, because you have chosen the right veterinarian.