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Prolonging the life of the old dog depends directly on our knowledge of the diseases of old age. The study of the diseases of old age is called geriatrics, and it is only in recent years that it has been subjected to systematic and critical consideration. It was not so long ago that the treatment of the diseases of old age consisted essentially in an effort to keep the patient comfortable, the casual administration of drugs that would relieve pain, and the application of halfhearted medical measures, given with a kind of benign hopelessness. The outlook was generally a dismal one. Veterinary medicine had little faith in its ability to combat nature in this regard. The diseases of old age were accepted as somehow inevitable and research was therefore not sufficiently stimulated to undertake the quest of solving the problems involved. The result was that if a dog did live to a ripe old age, it was due more to extraordinary vigor or to meticulous care than to any exceptional medical efforts on the part of the veterinary surgeon. The fact is that most dogs did not often get the opportunity to become old. Potent diseases readily decimated their numbers while they were still in the prime of life. There simply were not many old dogs around.
Yes, dogs, just like their masters can suffer from allergies. Roughly about 20 percent of the dogs living in our homes suffer from some allergy type. Major classifications of canine allergies are atopic dermatitis, flea allergy, food allergy and inhalant allergy.
There are basic steps dog owners can take to keep their pet’s teeth healthy. Toothpastes and toothbrushes designed specially for dogs are already available in the market. The finger brush – similar to that for the human infant – is a rubber hood worn by the owner over his finger. The product has soft rubber bristles on one side and is used by the owner to clean the teeth and massage the gums of his pet. The finger brush can later be replaced by a regular dog toothbrush after the pet becomes accustomed to the cleaning process.
type of dog
Since age determination in dogs mainly by way of the teeth has often proven unreliable, another method has occasionally been suggested. This is based on an examination of the pupils of the eyes. In young dogs, the pupil appears to have a dark, clear, blue color. As the animal gets older, the pupil becomes lighter and whiter in color until in the aged dog the pupil of the normal eye will be quite white. Only by the examination of large numbers of eyes can the age be determined in this manner with any degree of accuracy. It is apparent that this method also can yield at best only approximate results, since it depends too much on the observation of the individual observer and also since older dogs often develop disease conditions that may substantially interfere with an adequate interpretation of the color of the pupil.
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There are many manifestations that point to bodily dysfunction. The eyes may bear an expression of pain, listlessness, or discomfort; their membranes may be a deep red; and a watery or pussy discharge may be apparent. The nose may be warm, dry, and encrusted, and it may bear a discharge of variable nature. There may be intermittent sneezing attacks. The membranes of the mouth and gums may be inflamed or eroded, and the teeth may be dirty, infected, loose, or encrusted with tartar and emitting a foul odor. There may be a cough; labored, quick, or very slow breathing; or exhaustion after mild exercise.
type of dog
Other symptoms of food allergies are vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing and sometimes, even changes in behavior.
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