Author: World Arabia

Key points

• The normal body temperature for canines is around 99.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.5 – 39 degrees Celsius, which is slightly higher than the normal human body temperature.
• Fever is a common condition many dogs experience. It can occur due to an ear infection, infected bite wound, scratch or cut, urinary tract infection, bacterial or viral disease, infected or abscessed tooth, or ingestion of a toxic substance. It can also occur as a side effect of certain medications or vaccines. 
• The signs that your dog has fever include red eyes, warm ears, lethargy, a warm and dry nose, nasal discharge, shivering, dehydration, loss of appetite, rapid heart rate, vomiting, increased respiratory rate, and coughing.
• If your dog has a fever, don’t panic and don’t give it any medications without your veterinarian’s guidance. Instead, make sure your dog stays hydrated and use a soaked towel to cool its body if necessary.
• Keep monitoring your dog and if you become concerned about the fever or your pup develops other symptoms, then take it to see a veterinarian. Don’t rush into giving the pet any over-the-counter medications without a veterinarian’s prescription.

Fevers are a relatively common canine condition, and it’s important to know why they happen and how to deal with them, as they often occur as a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

You may know about a traditional method of determining whether your dog has a fever by touching its nose. The common belief is that if a dog’s nose is wet and cold, the pup is healthy, but if it’s hot and dry, it may have a fever. But this belief is largely a myth, and most of the time, just touching your puppy’s nose isn’t enough to diagnose a fever.

You may also find yourself looking for over-the-counter medications that will help to reduce your dog’s fever as soon as you notice it. But it’s important to understand that not all of these drugs are safe for canines. In fact, voluntary treatment without veterinary supervision can be dangerous for your dog’s health. Therefore, if you’re trying to be a responsible pet owner, it’s essential to know what’s safe for your dog and how to act in stressful situations. This article will help you become more prepared, explain the causes and symptoms of fever in dogs, and let you know how you can help your dog when it has a fever. 

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Key points

• Keppra is a medication that contains levetiracetam as the active ingredient. It is a commonly used anticonvulsant for dogs suffering from seizures and epilepsy. It can be used alone or combined with other drugs such as phenobarbital and potassium bromide.
• Keppra can be given to dogs in the form of regular or extended-release tablets, liquid oral solution, or injections. 
• Keppra has minor to no side effects. When present, typical side effects include drowsiness, appetite loss, behavioral changes, diarrhea, and vomiting.
• You should never stop giving your dog Keppra without a veterinarian’s approval since it can cause your dog to have more frequent and severe seizures. Never give your dog double or extra doses of Keppra as well.

Keppra is one of the many brand names for levetiracetam, an anticonvulsant commonly prescribed for conditions such as seizures and epilepsy. Statistics show that about 5% of all dogs suffer from seizures at some point in their lives. Dogs experience attacks when there is increased electrical activity in their brains, resulting in temporal behavioral abnormalities. Generally, seizure episodes are not life-threatening to your dog, and with an appropriate medication regimen, you can ensure your pet’s long-term health and well-being.

In most cases, veterinarians will prescribe phenobarbital and potassium bromide to dogs as a seizure treatment. But sometimes, these remedies are ineffective, and some dogs don’t tolerate them well or experience unpleasant side effects. In those cases, Keppra is used as an alternative anticonvulsant treatment.

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Key points

• Arthritis is a medical condition which is characterized by inflammation of joints. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as injuries, genetics, excessive physical strain, or poor nutrition;
• The most common symptoms of canine arthritis are stiff or lethargic movements, limping, and reduced interest in physical exercise;
• Although arthritis cannot be cured, you should try to prevent your pet from developing it. The best ways to avoid arthritis include helping your dog maintain a healthy weight, ensuring proper nutrition, and keeping your dog active;
• If your pet is diagnosed with arthritis, you can use natural home pain management remedies such as yucca, alfalfa turmeric, etc. to improve its condition;

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Key points

• Although aspirin is often prescribed to dogs for pain management, it comes with many risks;
• Your dog may experience a number of side effects such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea (possibly bloody) or black, tarry stools, bleeding disorders, and stomach ulcers after taking aspirin;
• Aspirin for dogs and human aspirin differ significantly, and dogs generally can’t digest pills meant for humans;
• The safe amount of aspirin depends on the dog’s size – the larger the animal, the larger dose it needs;

Some pet owners think that what is good for them must also be suitable for the pet they love. For example, acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin®) is one of the most common human pain relievers. Although veterinarians often prescribe human drugs to animals, there are no aspirin formulations that have been approved specifically for use in dogs and cats. However, when a veterinarian prescribes medication to pets extra-label, they use all of their knowledge and experience to evaluate the situation and determine whether the drug will be safe and beneficial to the pet in the specific circumstances. Since you, as a pet owner, likely don’t have the necessary education to make an informed decision regarding your pet’s treatment, you should never give aspirin to your dog unless it has been prescribed by a licensed vet.

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Key points

• Cephalexin is an antibiotic prescribed to treat various bacterial infections in humans, dogs, and other animals;
• Cephalexin is effective against urinary tract infections, skin infections, otitis, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, etc.;
• The most common side effects of this medication include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, panting, drooling, hyperexcitability, and skin rashes;

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Key points

• Hiccups are contractions of the diaphragm that occur in response to a certain irritant. The most common things to cause hiccups in cats include anxiety, eating too much or too quickly, and hairballs.
• If hiccups are infrequent and don’t bother your cat for prolonged periods of time, then there’s nothing for you to be worried about. 
• It’s better to consult a veterinarian about your cat’s hiccups if they happen regularly and last a long time since they may be a symptom of an underlying health condition.

Have you ever seen your cat experiencing something similar to human hiccups? Then you may be wondering whether felines can get hiccups, and the answer is yes! Interestingly, kittens are more likely to get hiccups than adult cats. But what causes hiccups in cats? Let’s take a closer look at feline hiccups in this article.

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Key points

• The most common symptoms of lethargy in cats are lack of response to surroundings, abnormal sleepiness, and low energy;
• There are many possible causes of feline lethargy. These include overeating, parasitic infection, stress, depression, medication side effects, arthritis in older cats, etc.
• The treatment will always depend on the underlying cause of lethargy. For example, if lethargy is caused by a parasite, deworming your cat can solve the problem;

In this article, we will talk about what lethargy is, what symptoms of this condition cats can display, and most importantly, what you can do to help your cat.

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Key points

• Carprofen is an anti-inflammatory medication prescribed for dogs with osteoarthritis or as a pain management therapy after surgery;
• Generally, veterinarians consider the drug to be safe for canines since side effects occur very rarely. However, you should observe your dog for adverse effects;
• A professional diagnosis and vet prescription are needed if you want to give a dog carprofen.

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Key points

• Dog elbow callus is a condition during which the skin on your dog’s elbows, hips, sternum, hocks, and the side of the legs becomes more rough and appears in dark brown, black, or grey color. A callus is a localized hyperplastic skin reaction a pet’s body uses to protect the bony protrusions from pressure.
• Large breed dogs with short coats such as Great Danes, Labrador Retrievers, Mastiffs, and Rottweilers are more prone to developing elbow calluses. Short breeds such as Dachshunds, Pointers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Boxers, and Doberman Pinschers can often develop calluses on the chest.
• If left untreated, calluses can result in pyoderma (an infection) or hydromas (fluid pockets), which can cause your dog a lot of pain.

If you’re reading this article, you may have seen rough, unpleasant-looking patches on your dog’s elbows and wondered what they are. Just like when humans wear uncomfortable shoes, a dog’s skin tends to become more rough when it’s in contact with hard surfaces, and over time this skin turns into a callus.

Statistics show that about 20% of dogs suffer from elbow callus at some point in their lives, regardless of their breed. This condition is usually not painful and not life-threatening to your dog, but it can be quite uncomfortable to live with. In some cases, if a dog’s elbow callus is left untreated, it results in cracks and bleeding, making it easy for infection to step in. In this article, we’ll give you some tips for managing your dog’s calluses and alleviating your pup’s discomfort.

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Key points

• Hyperkeratosis is a condition that causes excessive growth of keratin on your dog’s paws, nose, or ears. Usually, this condition doesn’t pose any danger to your dog, but it can cause discomfort and pain. Your pet may even develop an infection if the skin in the affected areas has cracks.
• The most common underlying causes of hyperkeratosis in dogs are zinc-responsive dermatosis, canine distemper virus, auto-immune diseases, parasites, papillomavirus infection, and hepatocutaneous syndrome.
• Canine hyperkeratosis causes several distinct symptoms, including the loss of skin color in the affected area, cracks in the skin, reduced activity, limping or licking of the affected paws, increased sensitivity of paws, nose, or ears.
• Hyperkeratosis is not reversible, but with proper treatment and care, you can alleviate your dog’s pain and improve its quality of life.

As your dog gets older, you can notice its paws getting thicker or its nose appearing more crusty. This may indicate that your pup has developed hyperkeratosis – a relatively common condition in middle-aged and senior dogs.

Younger dogs can get hyperkeratosis too, however, it’s not that common. This condition is typically harmless, but it can sometimes indicate that your dog has an underlying skin condition. In this article, we’ll go over all the causes and symptoms of hyperkeratosis and give you some tips for treating this condition.

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