Consider obtaining a portable dog kennel, as it’s often difficult to keep a large dog in a cage in your vehicle, and you don’t want your dog to be uncomfortable. Here are a few things to keep in mind while shopping for a portable dog kennel.

First off, why use one at all?

A good portable dog kennel will be easy to pack and to transport, will be less expensive and probably better for your dog than a large crate, and provides shelter and security for your pet. If you’re in a strange place, being in a kennel that he’s become used to will provide your dog with a sense of familiarity that will help him adjust to traveling.

How big is your dog?

If you have a puppy, or small dog, then your kennel can be smaller than if you have a larger animal. The dog should be able to stand up, turn around, lay down again, with no difficulties, but you don’t want it to be too big, either.

What kind of material do you want?

Portable dog kennels come in a variety of construction materials, including wire, nylon, and plastic some of the more elaborate models may even use bamboo, or have paneling! You don’t want your dog to be able to rip through the material, nor to harm themselves or break their teeth on it. If your dog is the type that constantly is gnawing on something, you may need something a little more durable. Do some research, and shop around, and don’t be fooled into buying something just because it looks cool.

How will it primarily be used?

Will you be traveling with it and moving it around a lot? Will you be erecting it permanently in your house or yard? This may affect the type of material you want, because nylon kennels are easy to put up and take down, while sturdy wire construction may be better for stationary use.

What’s your budget?

There are many types of kennels on the market, and, as with anything, there are models that cost less, and models that cost more. Plastic kennels are typically the most expensive, and the most durable. Wire kennels are usually in the mid-range, while nylon kennels are typically the least expensive and a good choice if your training a growing pet to accept being in a kennel at all. It’s a good idea to decide how much you’ll be willing to spend, and what your needs are, before you go shopping.

Chris Jensen is a contributing Author of Jetfly Blog. For more related articles and reviews visit Jetfly Pets & Animals Blog now. Also, for the Best up-to-date related Online Products, check out Jetfly Dog Supplies Shop for Todays Current Online Deals.

If you dog has started bleeding after being spayed there may be cause for concern.

The spaying of a young dog is a routine operation. It does, however, as with all operations, carry various risks. There is the risk involved with the anesthetic as well as the risk of bleeding after being spayed. This could be due to stitches being pulled out, infection or an internal hemorrhage. A small amount of fresh blood loss is going to be natural after an operation and spaying is a major procedure which will involve making a cut into the abdominal cavity.

Photo: vetnetwork.net

If your dog does start to bleed you must make sure that you keep a careful eye on her for the next hour or two. If it is superficial bleeding from the wound, it should stop shortly. Your dog will be keen to lick the wound to keep it clean and to some extent she should be allowed to continue. Do not, however, let her lick it too much as this will aggravate the wound and disturb the stitches. If you think that there is excessive bleeding after being spayed you should return to the surgery to make sure that all is in order.

If bleeding after being spayed is due to the dislodging of her stitches it may be that the veterinarian surgeon will have to re-stitch the wound. This could involve another anaesthetic and if the surgery feels that this has been caused by a lack of supervision by yourself, you may find that you will be paying another vets bill. It is wise to take great care of your dog whilst she has her stitches as she could suffer greatly if they are not allowed to do their job and heal the wound successfully. If they become loose and need re-stitching, your dog will have to go through additional trauma and discomfort. Any bleeding from the dislodged or pulled stitches will be fresh red blood. You must seek help to reduce the chances of infection and to ensure the wound heals neatly.

Your dog should be kept calm and quiet when she returns from her operation. She will be feeling very groggy to start with and is unlikely to be very lively, but, over the next few days it is important to keep her fairly still. If she becomes too active she will be at risk of hemorrhaging from internal blood vessels that have been disrupted. This can be a serious cause of bleeding after being spayed and she should be taken to the surgery for further advice.

Whatever the reason for bleeding after being spayed, if it is a significant amount or for any length of time, it is accompanied by swelling or any other ill effects, take your dog straight back to the veterinary clinic and seek further assistance. They know the patient and the procedure and are easily able to help you and your pet.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about spaying your pet, please visit Spay Neuter Clinics for current articles and discussions.

Most people just do not know the importance of choosing a healthy dog diet. They do not take the time or make the effort to consult there trusted vet about a healthy and nutritious dog diet. It is important to know, even is you use dried food, canned dog food, or make it yourself, that you are most probably not supplying your dog with a vitamin rich healthy diet.

Most people give there pet a treat to chew, such a rawhide one, these given in moderation are fine. But you also need to consider, that any treat you give your pet, is a part of your dogs diet. The question you need to ask yourself is, do you give your pet to many treats?

What type of treats you give your pet makes i big difference to there diet. One of the worst things that can be done, is to give table scraps or junk food to your pet. Junk food that you eat becomes junk food for your pet. Also a mistake that can easily be made is to give your pet what is considered as healthy food for humans. Why? Because being healthy food for humans does not necessarily mean it is healthy food for your dog.

A good example of this is raisins, they are healthy for us, but can be extremely detrimental to the health of your dog. You should always try, when giving treats or it is snack time for your pet to make sure it is a healthy one.

Rawhide treats often spark controversy. Some vets and pet owners feel they are not a healthy treat for your pet. While others feel that rawhide treats are good for the dental health of your dog as well as supplying them with some amusement. As always when in doubt you should consult your vet for there opinion . If you do decide to include rawhides in your dogs diet, do so in moderation. If they are not given in moderation they can cause thin stools.

For the most part, dogs don’t care if you give them a baby carrot, rawhide chew, or a milk bone, they are just happy to receive a snack. If you do provide various treats during the course of the day, then you may need to consider altering your dogs diet, this will help avoid obesity in your pet. Giving your pet to many treats may be fun for your dog and you, but the downside of this can be serious health problems.

Such treats as, Ice cubes, small bits of apple, and baby carrots are terrific healthy treat ideas for you to consider when choosing a healthy diet for your dog. These treats will make little difference overall to your pets diet and this way, you will be able to focus solely on the food that is consumed during there mealtime. Your dogs diet needs to be healthy one, this will ensure a long and happy life for your pet.

If you have ever had an eyelash floating around in your eye, you know the discomfort you felt. What if you had a bunch of eyelashes rubbing against your eye? Sounds awful, does it not?

Photo: usask.ca

There is a common abnormality that can strike any dog, though certain purebreds are most prone to it. It is called entropion a situation in which the eyelid rolls inward. It can happen to either the upper or lower eyelid or both. This causes a very painful eye irritation and can result in a perforation of the eye, causing removal of the eye itself.

Certain breeds seem to be susceptible such as:

• Bloodhounds
• Labrador Retrievers
• Chow Chows
• Shar-Peis
• Toy and Miniature Poodles
• Vizslas
• Saint Bernards
• Great Danes
• English Bulldogs
• Bull Mastiffs
• Bernese Mountain Dogs
• Great Pyrenees
• Golden Retrievers
• Chesapeake Bay Retrievers

In some breeds it is a predisposed condition like Chows and Shar-Peis and puppies as early as 3 to 4 weeks can suffer from it and if left untreated can leave them with life long damage to their eyes.

Entropion can also result from trauma, as well as age, but most often it is inherited through several as yet unidentified genes. It often affects dogs under the age of one year and dogs especially bred for facial features, such as heavy folds are most vulnerable.

What are the symptoms? Most often you will notice your dog squinting a great deal, he/she may hold their eye shut a good deal of the time and the eye may tear a good bit.

The third eye lid may protrude and the dog’s eyes may become cloudy and red. A dog can become sensitive to light and may rub its eye a great deal.

Some dogs, especially those with may crinkles and folds on their face may have problems with their lower eyelids. It is not very painful, but causes the lid to roll slightly inward towards the eye and blocks the tear duct drainage system. Some flat-faced dogs will not even notice any discomfort.

There are several different types of secondary entropion:

• Spastic - a painful corneal or eyelid condition which can cause a spasms of the muscles surrounding the eye. This causes pronounced squinting. However, untreated conjunctivitis can also cause this condition.
• Scarring - caused by an injury to the eye, also known as cicatrical.
• Age-related - the loss of muscle tone and fat around the eye socket can cause the eye to sink deeper into it and cause the lower eyelid to roll back into the eye.
• Inherited condition - a less serious inherited condition is when the lower eyelid rolls outward. This causes a problem of debris accumulating in the pocket that is formed and can cause infection.
• Conjunctivitis - can also result from the above mentioned condition, as the bacteria that forms in the pocket can lead to the inflammation.

All causes of entropion if left untreated can cause blindness.

What can be done? Veterinarians conduct extensive eye exams in an effort to determine the cause of the problem. In many instances they may find ingrown eyelashes (I have had that problem many times) or eyelashes that are in abnormal positions,

A vet may use a dye to check for any corneal ulceration and a topical anesthetic on the cornea and conjunctiva to eliminate spasms and to have a better opportunity to evaluate the structure of the eye.

Surgery can repair the problems and it is a relative easy surgery. The doctor removes a small piece of skin from the eyelid and moves the lid into a
normal position. The dog wears a wonderful Elizabethan collar for about 12 to 14 days and you have to put on a topical medication and give the dog a few pain pills.

The surgery is fairly expensive (depending on the region you live in). In fairly young puppies the vet may suture the eyelid until the puppy is at least 4 months old. In puppies it is usually the lower lid that is affected. However, in some cases an ointment can be applied until the puppy is old enough for surgery. Each is an individual case and has to be treated as such, the important thing here is that it has to be treated.

Chows and Shar-Peis may also need a second surgery, as they grow older due to their extensive facial wrinkles.

Another thing to keep in mind if you are buying a dog to show, is that the AKC will not allow any dog that has had surgery to correct entropion to participate in its dog shows. They can however appear in other AKC events such as agility obedience and track events.

It is also recommended that you do not breed a dog that has this inherited condition as you are only continuing a problem that will affect many more dogs.

If this article has been of any use, please visit my website at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com
 

Taking care of a puppy requires a large amount of time and responsibility if you want to provide a puppy a happy, healthy life. Sadly, many people who get a puppy are not aware of just how much energy goes into the upbringing of such a helpless animal. Tragically, many of these people end up abandoning their puppy or bringing him back to the SPCA or local kennel.

Photo: europuppyblog.com

If you were to speak to those individuals who are in the business of pet adoption rescue, you would be shocked at how many abandoned puppies they deal with on a daily basis. Their advice to prospective puppy owners or adoptees is that taking care of a puppy is all consuming for the first year of the puppy’s life. If you understand that responsibility going in, then puppy ownership can be filled with love and joy.

Before you begin the process of taking care of a puppy by purchasing or adopting one, make sure you have the time to put into the relationship with your new puppy. You need to realize that you are committing yourself to a 10-15 year partnership. As previously mentioned, puppies are all consuming for the first year of their life. You must have time, money, space and love to devote to your new best friend.

Part of the process of taking care of a puppy will require you to housebreak him so that he does not urinate of defecate all over your house or apartment. You will need to provide a healthy diet of puppy food for the first year of life and regular dog food for the rest of the dog’s life. You will need to have the money and time to take your puppy to the veterinarian for vaccinations and neutering when appropriate.

Another aspect of taking care of a puppy is providing physical exercise for him. Regular exercise is essential for a happy, healthy puppy because it helps him burn off all the excess energy that is so prevalent in puppyhood. Regular exercise also leads to a more calm, better-behaved puppy.

Playing with a puppy is also an important part of the bonding process that occurs between the puppy and its owner. Puppies and dogs by nature are social creatures and play is part of the "pack" behavior that has been passed down from their forbearers. It is also important that you let your puppy interact and play with other puppies and dogs in your neighborhood. This fulfills some of their needs to belong to a "pack" even though you and your family are viewed as the "pack" from the puppy’s perspective most of the time.

Once you feel you can provide the basic necessities for a puppy to thrive, there is only one more component needed in the equation. That component is love and kindness. Love and kindness is the main ingredient in any successful relationship. There will be good and bad times with your puppy as he grows to adulthood. If you can commit to provide love and kindness throughout, you have the start of a wonderful new partnership.

To learn more about taking care of a puppy and learn things related to training puppies and dogs, including behavior problems, from an expert in the field, please visit: Taking Care Of A Puppy. For additional information visit: http://www.PuppyDogBehavior.com