Flea Alergy

Flea Allergy Dermatitis
One of the most common conditions affecting dogs and cats is allergies. In the allergic state, the animal's immune
system over reacts to foreign substances (allergens or antigens) to which it is
exposed. These over reactions are manifested in several ways. The most
common is itching of the skin, either localized (one area) or generalized (all over).
Fleas deposit saliva in ...the pet's skin when it bites for a bloodmeal. A normal pet
experiences only minor skin irritation in response to flea bites. Even in the
presence of dozens of fleas, there will be very little itching. On the other hand,
the flea allergic animal has a severe, itch-producing reaction to flea bites. This
occurs because the animal develops an allergic response to the flea's saliva.
The animals' response to the intense itching is to chew, lick or scratch. This
causes hair loss and can lead to open sores or scabs on the skin. The area most
commonly involved is over the rump (just in front of the tail). The most
important treatment for flea allergies is to get your pet away from all fleas.
Therefore, strict flea control is the backbone of successful treatment.
Sheffield Veterinary Hospital carries several products that work in entirely
different manners. We also carry products to help treat the environment. When
strict flea control is just not enough, medical treatment is needed to help
alleviate the symptoms and block the allergic reaction. Please contact our office to develope a complete plan for
preventing and treating your pet's flea problems.
Visit us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/sheffieldvetSee More

· · Share

Schnauzer Chat: Obesity in dogs.

Schnauzer Chat: Obesity in dogs and Pancreatitis.:

The pancreas is a vital organ which lies on the right side of the abdomen. The pancreas
functions in two ways: to produce digestive enzymes and to
produce hormones such as insulin. When the pancreas
becomes inflamed, the disorder is called pancreatitis. This is
a disease process that occurs in both dogs and cats. There
is no breed, age, or sex predisposition. A few pets that
recover from pancreati...tis may continue to have recurrent
bouts of the disease, known as chronic, relapsing
pancreatitis. The associated inflammation allows digestive
enzymes to spill into the abdominal cavity resulting in secondary damage to the liver, bile
duct, gall bladder and intestines. The cause of pancreatitis is not known, however there are
several contributing factors. It is often associated with eating a rich, fatty meal. Treating
your pets with foods such as bacon, sausage, meat trimmings, chicken skins and pork can be
enough to cause pancreatitis. The diagnosis is based on three criteria: clinical signs,
laboratory tests, radiographs and/or ultrasound examination. The illness is typically
manifested by nausea, vomiting, inappetence, fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Successful
management and treatment depends on early diagnosis and
prompt medical therapy. The prognosis for recovery depends
on the extent of the illness when presented and a favorable
response to initial therapy. Most of the mild forms of
pancreatitis have a good prognosis. Most dogs and cats recover
with no long-term effects. For more information, contact our
hospital staff. If you suspect your pet is showing signs of
pancreatitis, seek medical attention immediately.

Schnauzer Grooming Video

We are proud to introduce our new Schnauzer Grooming DVD Video. The video takes you through easy to understand instructions on how to groom your pet Schnauzer. We will show you how to safely groom your pet in the comfort of your very own home and save on high grooming cost. Go to www.Cathysminipuppies. com or www.Groom101. net and get your affordable DVD and start GROOMING!

Obesity in dogs.

A hot topic at the moment, pet obesity is on the rise! We’re all prone to giving one or two extra treats, which is fine, but there has to be a limit or you could be doing untold damage to your pet’s health.

Why good breeders mark AKC papers limited

A lady named Sue asked me why I marked the AKC registration papers limited.  (For pet only)
  

This is the best way I could explain it:  Let's say you were a doctor or a lawyer.  Without saying, you would have worked hard and spent a lot of money to earn your degree.  But what if someone stole your degree and hung it on their wall and practiced under your name?  And what if they made a lot of mistakes while practicing and ruined your good name?  

Are you wondering what this scenario has to do with breeding?  Well: Good breeding takes years of hard work and money.  Genetic testing and good veterinary care are very costly.  Puppies are time consuming.... not to mention all the work.  It takes roughly $8,000 to take a dog to championship. And with this in mind, would it be right to haphazardly give away breeding rights?  Maybe you would do right by the breeding but the next person (maybe a person who got a puppy from you) might not.  Down the road, all the hard work of breeding for good health, great looks and sweet temperaments would be lost with bad breeding.  When this happens, sick puppies with genetic health problems are connected with the names that are on the puppy's pedigree.  Imagine, someone buying a sick, poorly bred puppy because of its fine champion pedigree, and then thinking that the puppy's poor health is related to the good names on the pedigree. 

Sue, if you really want to become a breeder, I can refer you to some top-notch breeders who are willing to work with you and help you get started the right way. 

 

Hope I've answered your question.

Cat

A day in the life of this breeder.

 We do not support Puppy Mills! 

Every morning I wake at 5:00 am.  I greet all the doggies and feed the puppies first and clean them and their pen good.  They are growing and their bellies are the most hungry.  Next, I feed all the adults and clean up after the ones who used newspaper to go potty during the night (which is all of them).  Before letting everyone out to play, I clean their eyes, brush their teeth and comb out their trimmings.  Now, just for the little bit of dogs we have, I spend 2-3 hours doing this every morning. Once this is done, I carefully scrub the floors with bleach and wash any bedding that looks dirty.  I check the calendar to see if any one is due to be wormed, vaccinated, needs to be bred or scheduled to see the vet.  When done, I answer my e-mail from people looking for pets.  By noon, the puppies are hungry for a second feeding and again need to have the pen cleaned and paper changed.  Next, I take the dog bedding out of the wash and hang it out to dry.  In-between, I run my 92 year old Mother to the store, clean the house and fix dinner for Mike and me.  I feed the puppies again at 5:00 PM and of course, clean the pen and change the paper.  The adult dogs are hungry around 6:00 PM and bed down at dark for the night.  After bedding down the dogs for the night, I pick poop up in the kennel.  If time allows, I fill out AKC papers, print off Mini Tips, health guarantees, make complimentary crate pads and food/vitamin packets for our puppies to go home with.  Before turning in myself, I check on the puppies again.  I give them a small meal to last them until morning and clean the pen and put clean paper down.  Cathy

Cathy's Miniature Schnauzers

http://www.cathysminipuppies.com/ does not support Puppy Mills.

Avoid the pitfalls

Download our "How to Identify a Good Dog Breeder" [PDF] checklist and take it with you as you visit different breeders. If the breeder you're working with doesn't meet all of the minimum criteria listed, The Humane Society of the United States advises you to walk away. Remember, your dog will likely live 10 to 20 years, so it's well worth investing some time now to be sure you're working with a reputable breeder who breeds healthy, happy dogs and keeps them in clean and humane conditions.