Author: World Arabia

Key points

• The causes of pain in dogs are highly diverse. In addition to obvious factors such as injuries, accidents, etc., internal illnesses also cause pain;
• It is dangerous to give a dog medications from a human medicine cabinet. Common painkillers such as aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen can cause life-threatening conditions when used in animals;
• Some painkillers such as carprofen, etodolac, meloxicam, deracoxib, and firocoxib are designed specifically for dogs;
• Potential side effects of pain relievers can include vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, and liver and kidney damage.

Just like humans, dogs can suffer from pain. This pain can be acute or chronic and have very different causes varying from illnesses to injuries. Sometimes, dogs can be in so much pain that they refuse to eat, walk, or participate in physical activity. In some cases, dogs might also try to hide pain, so they don’t appear weak and vulnerable. Therefore, their owners often may not notice that their pets are enduring discomfort. However, you should treat canine pain and its underlying cause as early as possible to prevent the development of chronic pain.

As a pet owner, you should know how to recognize pain in your four-legged friend, which painkillers are suitable for dogs, and what side effects they can cause. While pain medication can be a helpful solution for treating pain, it may not be the most practical one. Also, you should never give pets pain medications meant for humans.

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Key points

• A limited ingredient diet for cats contains a very limited number of high-quality ingredients. LID is particularly suited for cats with sensitive stomachs;
• LID typically contains one novel protein source and one carbohydrate source. Eggs, soy, grain, preservatives, and artificial ingredients are omitted in LIDs;
• Limited ingredient food can also be used as a trial diet to determine what ingredients a cat is allergic to;
• Beef, dairy products, lamb, white fish, eggs, chicken, cereal, and soy products are most commonly associated with food allergies in cats;

Nowadays, limited ingredient cat food is gaining widespread popularity. Veterinarians often recommend these diets to treat feline food allergies. 

However, are you sure that you know everything about limited ingredient diets? Before trying this type of food out, you need to have a clear understanding of its features, the benefits it can provide, and how it compares to other cat food available on the market today.

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Key points

• Raw cat food is made with unprocessed products such as animal meat, organs, and bones. Raw food diet is also known as the BARF diet, which stands for “biologically appropriate raw food” or “bones and raw food.” 
• Raw cat food is similar to the natural diets of felines living in the wild and offers many health benefits. For instance, it can lower the cat’s risk of kidney or urinary diseases, improve dental health, help maintain water balance, and contribute to the general health state.
• By feeding a raw diet to your cat, you run an increased risk of pathogen poisoning and cross-contamination. That is why you should be cautious when preparing raw food. Plus, a raw diet is not recommended for cats with immune diseases, and it should be avoided in households with children or elderly people.
• If you want to switch your feline to a raw food diet, you can go with home-cooked meals or use commercially available raw diets. Remember, homemade raw diets should be formulated by your veterinarian to ensure that they contain appropriate calories and nutrients.

Today, cat owners have so many options when it comes to their pets’ diets that it can be tough and confusing to choose the best one. Some pet parents stick to traditional home-cooked meals because they want to know what exactly is in their cats’ food. Homemade diets for cats can be cooked or raw, and many pet owners opt for raw diets because they resemble the cat’s diet in the wild. But is a raw diet actually good for cats? 

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Key points

• Hypoallergenic cat food does not contain ingredients and substances that are associated with food allergies in pets. Thus, if a cat is prone to food allergies, a hypoallergenic diet might be a reasonable choice;
• Food allergies are defined as an abnormal reaction of the immune system, which is triggered by contact with a specific food component (this is often a protein);
• The most common cat food allergens include beef, fish, dairy products, lamb, wheat, and corn gluten. Additives are also likely to cause food allergies.

Just like humans, cats can develop an allergic reaction or tolerance to certain foods. If your cat shows symptoms of a food allergy or intolerance, it is essential to understand what options you have to help your pet live a healthy life.

Bald spots in the fur, rash, diarrhea, or flatulence are typically the first symptoms to signal that your pet is suffering from food intolerance or allergy. 

In general, owners should not ignore the symptoms of food allergies in cats because the condition has a negative effect on the well-being of the animal. If you observe any allergy symptoms in your pet, you should make an appointment with a trusted veterinarian to investigate the causes and take further steps that can help the animal.

Veterinarians often recommend special diets for pets suffering from food intolerance or allergies. One possible option is hypoallergenic cat food. The composition of this food is specifically tailored to the nutritional needs of cats with allergies. 

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Key points

• Food allergies are one of the most common types of allergies in dogs. Statistics show that around 10% of canine allergies are caused by food.
• The symptoms of food allergies in dogs include itchiness, diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. Some of the less common symptoms are itchy paws, hot spots, eye discharge, alopecia, ear infections, and behavioral issues.
• Food allergies are not the same as food intolerances. However, their symptoms are similar. A food allergy involves an immune system response to a specific product, and food intolerance means that your dog can’t digest or tolerate a particular product.
• If your canine has non-seasonal skin and gastrointestinal symptoms that have begun in puppyhood and the reaction doesn’t go away after administering steroids, it’s likely that your dog has food allergies.
• The only effective treatment for dog food allergy is to eliminate the foods that cause the reaction from the pet’s diet. Your dog should also follow a special hypoallergenic diet.
• Always consult with your pet’s vet and obtain a treatment plan before trying any remedies.

Pet allergies are probably one of the most triggering and frustrating conditions for any pet owner because of how tricky it is to diagnose and treat them. Food allergies, for instance, are among the top five most common allergies and intolerances in dogs. Many dogs also suffer from two types of allergies simultaneously, such as food and environmental allergies. Unfortunately, the symptoms of these two allergy types are almost indistinguishable, which makes it hard to determine the allergen. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at food allergies in dogs and provide some tips on how pet owners can diagnose and treat their allergic pets.

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Key points

• Acepromazine is a medication most commonly used to sedate pets. It is very well-suited for calming nervous animals and reducing aggressive behavior;
• Acepromazine can be used as a pre-anesthetic to anesthesia. It calms the animals, extends the duration of anesthetic effects, and leads to a calmer wake-up phase;
• The minimum effective dose of acepromazine should be administered 45 minutes to one hour before the expected stressful event;
• Certain dog breeds cannot tolerate acepromazine. For instance, boxers are known to have adverse reactions even to minimal doses of acepromazine;
• Acepromazine should not be used in puppies, old, lactating, or pregnant pets.

For many people, dogs have become loyal life companions throughout the years. So naturally, it’s incredibly upsetting for most pet owners to see their furry friends stressed, anxious, or otherwise unhappy.

Dogs can experience fear in literally any situation: while playing outside or at home, during a vet visit, or a fireworks display. For the majority of dogs, loud noises, bangs, and droning are very scary, even from a distance. 

To be able to counteract your pet’s fear, you should recognize its preliminary stage – uncertainty. Dogs experience uncertainty in different ways. In most cases, it manifests itself as general tension and restlessness combined with panting. The coming fear can be easily recognized by the pet’s posture. When a dog is scared, it will lower its head, crouch, avert its gaze, and lower its tail. If the fear progresses, the dog will pull in the tail completely. Once you notice these symptoms of distress in your dog, you should take action. 

Fortunately, there are different ways to calm a pet down, depending on the extent of the fear and the situation. For instance, sedatives for dogs are often the first choice in such cases. In this article, we will discuss one of the most popular medications for anxious dogs – Acepromazine.

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Key points 

• White foamy vomit is formed with undigested food, digestive secretions, and saliva. In most cases, there’s nothing to worry about if your dog throws up white foam. Most causes of this condition are minor and resolve on their own.
• The most common causes for foamy vomit in dogs are indigestion, bloating, acid reflux, kennel cough, pancreatitis, kidney disease, and parvovirus.
• If your dog suffers from immune diseases or other medical conditions, it’s best to take it to a vet, as vomiting can worsen the existing symptoms.
• To minimize the risk of vomiting, monitor what your dog eats and keep the toxic products and chemicals out of its reach. Also, don’t give your dog too many treats, and make sure it doesn’t drink and eat immediately after exercising.

Occasionally, dog owners have to put up with their canine’s puke, but besides the discomfort of having to clean it up, a little dog vomit is nothing to worry about. But what if your dog is throwing up white foam? This condition may be concerning for you, but it’s usually very easy to determine what’s causing it. 

In most cases, the problem will resolve on its own, and there’s no need for you to panic. However, some cases may be severe, requiring you to seek immediate veterinary attention, especially if your dog looks physically sick. Let’s take a closer look at the possible reasons for white foam vomit so you can gain a clearer understanding of when to be worried.

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Key points

• A hypoallergenic diet is a diet comprised of a small number of ingredients that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction in dogs.
• Hypoallergenic diets provide many other benefits for canines besides eliminating (or at least minimizing) the risk of allergies. The benefits include lowered risk of heart disease and arthritis, reduced frequency of digestive problems, obesity, periodontal disease, blocked anal glands, and some kidney problems.
• Dog allergy symptoms include excessive scratching, dandruff, gastrointestinal upset such as diarrhea, vomiting, gas, bloating, ear infections, and loss of appetite.
• If you want your dog to follow a hypoallergenic diet, consult with your vet first because it may take some time to find a suitable hypoallergenic diet for your pet.
• Dog allergies are not the same as food intolerances. Allergies are congenital, meaning dogs are born with them, while intolerances develop over the pet’s life.

Hypoallergenic dog food is an emerging trend that is actively featured in the media. However, with a wide variety of different canine diets available today, it can be challenging for pet owners to understand how to choose food that will really benefit their pups. And if your dog is a picky eater or has an intolerance to many products, the diet issue becomes even more complicated. Dogs should have a well-balanced and healthy diet just like humans, so is it a good idea to switch your pet to hypoallergenic food? Keep reading this article to find out everything you need to know about hypoallergenic dog food. 

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Key points

• A food allergy is a form of intolerance in which the immune system does not function normally and perceives harmless substances as dangerous;
• The most common signs of food allergies include skin changes, itching, vomiting, and diarrhea. The symptoms can occur suddenly, even in response to foods that the cat has tolerated for a long time without any problems;
• A food allergy can be triggered by any protein of animal or vegetable origin such as beef, chicken, soy, milk, dairy products, egg, fish, and lamb. But artificial additives such as preservatives, coloring, or fillers can also potentially cause allergies in pets;
• There is no cure for food allergies in cats, so if your pet is sensitive to one or several products, you should simply avoid giving them to the pet.

Food allergy in cats can occur very unpredictably. For example, your kitty’s favorite food that it has been eating every day for years might all of a sudden trigger an allergy. If your furry friend is suffering from a food allergy, there are a few things for you to consider. In this article, you will discover what you should do if you suspect that your pet has an allergy.

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Key points

• Excessive lip licking can be caused by a number of things, but it most often occurs as a response to stress, dehydration, nausea, and allergies. Your dog may also lick its lips when it feels oral discomfort, internal pain, or bloat.
• Sometimes, lip licking can be a sign of neurological problems such as epilepsy. In this case, licking occurs as a symptom of a seizure.
• Dogs can also lick their lips in an attempt to get your attention. In this situation, you need to determine what action of yours your dog perceives as a reward.
• If you see your dog licking its lips and sneezing, it means that the pet is experiencing an allergic reaction to something. The most common allergens for dogs include dust, pollen, grass/weeds, and mold.
• If your dog is licking and yawning simultaneously, it can be a sign of either anxiety or nausea. You should find out the cause as soon as possible to prevent it from adversely impacting your dog’s well-being.

Seeing your dog constantly licking its lips may concern you and leave you clueless about the cause of this behavior. Your dog may also look uncomfortable, lick the floor or carpet, and swallow air. At the same time, the pet’s teeth, gums, and nose may look fine, and nothing will seem unusual except for the pet’s behavior. 

There are many reasons why your pet may repeatedly lick its lips, and some of them include serious health conditions. So should you be concerned? What’s causing this abnormal behavior in dogs? How can we stop it? Keep on reading and learn ways to tackle this issue.

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