Celebrate World Animal Day 2011

Animal lovers are being urged to get involved in World Animal Day 2011 to show their support for animal welfare around the globe.

Launched in the UK on 4 October 2003, organisations, groups, animal shelters, places of worship, schools, clubs and individuals have participated in what was to become an annual event on this special day to celebrate the relationship between man and his animal friends.

Animal enthusiasts can learn more about how to get involved: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/get_involved.asp

Resources: http://worldanimalday.org.uk/resources.asp

Just one of the events being carried out for World Animal Day 2011 is The Kucinski Wildlife Foundation's Art and Photo Walk for Animals

Find out more: http://www.kwf-ecological.org.uk/WorldAnimalDay.html

Speaking about World Animal Day 2011, UK WAD Ambassador Ryan O'Meara says:

"Every day of every year animals have such a positive impact on the lives of millions of people. By dedicating a special day to honour that magical relationship, to organise events and to do whatever we can to help raise awareness about various animal welfare concerns, wherever they may be, is a wonderful way for us to commemorate our animal friends. World Animal Day is something I continue to be exceptionally proud to be associated with."

If you'd like to organise your own event or help promote World Animal Day 2011 - go here: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/get_involved.asp

Dog Arthritis a Growing Concern For Dog Owners

Arthritis in dogs is giving dog owners cause for concern. According to a study in K9 Magazine, the rise in canine obesity is the primary driver in the rising number of canine osteoarthritis cases being seen by vets in Western countries.

Canine osteoarthritis is a chronic condition which can not be cured but can be treated, managed and avoided.

Animal health care experts recommend that obesity is the key component in the onset of the disease and suggest that it is the expanding waistlines of our pets that is leading to increased cases of arthritis in dogs.

Charles Vincent, associate publisher at K9 Magazine, says:

"Our findings have shown that many dog owners are simply not sure about portion control when feeding their dogs. As a result, more and more dogs are above their optimal weight. This in turn leads to problems in their health such as arthritis, diabetes and other serious and debilitating conditions.

We are always willing and keen to offer dog owners advice on how best to avoid the common health problems that can affect their beloved animals. It would appear that unless dog owners can gain a better understanding of proper dog nutrition we can expect to see more cases of arthritis and other nasty ailments."

Canine Arthritis Awareness Month has been launched to provide dog owners with information on how to spot the symptoms of arthritis in dogs as well as what treatment plans are in place should a dog be diagnosed with this, or other common mobility and joint problems in dogs.

Canine Osteoarthritis Care Guide For Dog Owners

Arthritis in dogs is a chronic condition (meaning it can't be totally cured) but it can be treated and managed with a proper approach under the guidance of a veterinarian.

As part of Canine Arthritis Awareness Month series, K9 Magazine has a great overview care guide for anyone interested in the topic of arthritis in dogs (canine osteoarthritis) where they examine the various treatment plans and management approaches that can be used in caring for a dog with arthritis.

Read in full: Arthritis in Dogs

Distributed on behalf of petbuzz by Andreas Riopoplis.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Health Concerns

According to an article at Insurance4Pets (pet insurance for Cavalier King Charles) - the health problems affecting the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are serious ones.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is, in fact, not a Spaniel at all and belongs to the toy group of dog breeds.

They reconstructed the spaniel over the period of just a few generations, and finally produced the original-looking King Charles Spaniel. But herein lies the problem - instead of getting to wear the original title (which they really deserved since they were replicas of the originals), they were called Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The addition of the name “Cavalier” would therefore distinguish them from what had evolved into the King Charles Spaniel of our present era.

From about the year 1926 until the present day, there are two separate breeds. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (most likely akin to the original King Charles Spaniel) and the King Charles Spaniel (far removed from what he was originally).

Cavalier's lifespan can range between 8 years on up to 15 years. Major health concerns that spring up are CHD, mitral valve insufficiency, and syringomelia. Minor health issues include entropion and patellar luxation. With regard to heath problems and syringomelia these are very grave health concerns and should require that anyone thinking of getting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should insist on health screening of all parents as well as a thorough questioning of any breeder who you are thinking of buying from.

Dog Ears Cropping: Is it Good or Bad?

One of the major decisions dog owner has to deal with are the cropping the dog’s ears. There are some dog breeds that are usually recognized by the unique look, especially the head area. Dog ear cropping has become a trademark for some breed of dogs such as Great Danes, Doberman Pinchers.

Nowadays, when almost everything is modernized, you would probably wonder why there is still a need or necessity for dog ears cropping. As a matter of fact, there are some other places or countries that already banned this practice in dogs.

The acts of cruelty and abused to animals have brought some arguments to many people. There are some individuals who think that improper medical and cosmetics on dogs are considered a type of abused to animals.

Moreover, others also argue the dog ear cropping will help dog’s ear canal infections in some dogs. They believe that cropping the dog’s ears will create a lesser chance of any dog ear infection or pinna trauma. Also, they believe that ear cropping in dogs is ethically similar to any optional surgery like neutering, spraying, or dew claws removal.

In contrary, it is a definite fact that dog ear infections are common regardless of the breed, whether the dog’s ears are cropped or not. Based on the studies of some veterinarians, there’s no medication explanation for cropping the dog’s ears or outer ears (pinnas). This simply tells us that cropping the dog’s ears is considerably a serious decision a dog owner must carefully take.

Dog Ear Mites: Are They Dangerous To Your Dog?

Ear mites can greatly affect a dog’s health. Though it is rare, ear mites can definitely suffer your dog. The ear mites in dogs are tiny living parasites that are flourishing food nutrients from the dog’s body.

Dog ear mites can cause various dog ear problems. These parasites are barely seen by the human’s naked eyes. It is possible for the bigger ear mites to be seen on the body of your dog. However, there are some of these dog parasites that can be seen through a microscope. It is not really necessary for a dog owner to see the ear mites in the dog’s body. What is important is learning how to detect and treat this dog ear problem.

A dog affected by ear mites suffers pain and distress. They constantly scratch their ears and can be extremely irritable for them. Furthermore, ear mites cause brown discharges in your dog’s ears. This is due to excessive ear wax production in your dog’s ears, which are caused by the presence of ear mites.

Ear mites in dogs can be fatal if untreated at the early stage. One of the common concerns regarding ear mites is that it can affect your dog’s hearing. These parasites can deeply penetrate into the dog’s ears, which may cause ear drum damage. It is indisputable that the ears are very important to the dogs. The ear mites cause disturbances of the dog’s health balance that can lead to seizures. A bad seizure may lead to death.

Furthermore, ear mites in dogs are extremely contagious. If you have many pets at home, it is critical to isolate the infected dog from other pets. This dog disease may spread out and it might be difficult for you to eliminate them away.

A proper dog ear care and hygiene would be the essential defense against ear mites. You must regularly clean your dog’s ears and groom whenever necessary. A healthy dog cannot be affected by any diseases such as dog ear mites.

Dog Ear Cancer: What is it?

Like humans, dogs can also be tormented by a number of skin tumors. Skin tumors can be evident on the dog’s ears. Squamous cell carcinoma is one of the skin tumor types that can affect the dog’s ears. It is an invasive and malignant tumor, which can reside in the cells of epithelium, the tissue that protects the body. These tissue cells are commonly called as Squamous.

By definition, Carcinoma is an insistent and malignant form of cancer. It can frequently return after it has been eliminated from the body. Also, it can metastasize to other body organs.

One of the dog ear problems such as the dog ear cancer is caused by the presence of an auricular squamous cell carcinoma in the dog’s ears. This cancerous cell in the dog’s ears is caused by the excess exposure to the sun. White dogs, dog’s with white ears, and dogs with light hair coats are more likely to get afflicted by this type of dogs' ears tumor.

This tumor’s primary symptom is the visibility of crustiness and redness on the tips of the dog’s ears. Generally, this dog ear cancer can be cured if it is treated at its early stage. This form cancer in dogs is rare and oftentimes, it can be treated successfully.

The following are some of the known symptoms of cancer in the dog’s ears.

•    Crusty and red sores on the tips of the dog’s ears

•    Bleeding from sores on the dog’s ears

•    The sores slowly grow bigger in the ears

•    Ear tips may disappear, or malformed ears (when sores grow bigger)

•    Sores on the face