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How to Take Care of a Dog Who Has Gone Blind – 5 Things to Know

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How to Take Care of a blind dog

How to Take Care of a Dog Who Has Gone Blind

Dogs, like people, typically develop poor eyesight as they age—and, like you, they require a “seeing eye” to help them see clearly again.

Dogs that are losing their vision (or who have already lost their sight) can provide a unique set of issues for their owners and their entire family.

However, losing one’s vision does not necessarily imply a reduction in one’s quality of life, especially for pet parents who are ready to adapt their approach to caring for their canine companion.

Causes that are frequently encountered by blind dogs

Dogs can become blind for a variety of reasons, ranging from illness to old age.

Cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, and suddenly acquired retinal degeneration (also known as SARDS) are some of the most prevalent causes of blindness in canines.

Certain breeds and sexes of dogs are also more prone to blindness than other types of dogs.

Female dogs in their middle years, for example, are more susceptible to SARDS, which causes blindness in a matter of minutes. The condition is also more prevalent in some breeds of dogs, according to a study published by PetMD.

These breeds include Dachshunds, tiny schnauzers, and mutts, among others. While cataracts are more prevalent in some breeds of dogs, they are more common in others.

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Miniature poodles, cocker spaniels, miniature schnauzers, golden retrievers, Boston terriers, and Siberian huskies are all examples of breeds that are more prone to cataracts.

Beta-Carotene is a kind of vitamin A.

The health of your dog is dependent on his diet, which can aid in the preservation of his eyesight in some situations. However, there is now no proven treatment or method to prevention for SARDS and comparable vision-impairing disorders.

Beta carotene, on the other hand, can improve a dog’s vision.

According to Pet360, certain foods that are good for you and your dogs, such as carrots and cantelope, have been shown to improve a dog’s vision and minimize the likelihood of cataracts developing in the future. Look for dog food that contains beta carotene in the ingredients list — such as Hill’s® Science Diet® — to supplement your dog’s diet.

The type of veterinary care your dog may require will differ based on what is causing his blindness.

In addition to beta carotene, your veterinarian may recommend that you take your pet to a veterinary ophthalmologist, which may be more expensive than standard care.

An excellent place to begin your search for this specialist is an internet directory maintained by your country’s professional veterinary ophthalmology association, such as the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO).

Living with a Blind Dog is a unique experience.

The adoption of blind and visually impaired dogs from various shelters is the focus of several volunteer organizations that are dedicated to assisting the visually impaired.

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If you have a blind or visually challenged dog, you can seek assistance from one of these volunteer organizations for guidance. Listed below are some useful pointers to get you started:

Put tags or bells on other animals in the house that jingle or make sounds — and try wearing one yourself — so that your blind dog can tell where his friend is when he is apart from him.

Educate your dog on instructions such as “watch,” as recommended by the organization Best Friends Animal Society, to alert him when he’s approaching a hazard.

If you want to educate him to recognize when he is in front of a flight of stairs, you may use the word “step.”

Consider getting down on your dog’s level to search for items in your home that could be harmful to him.

Table corners with sharp edges, for example, could cause injury to your dog if he approaches too rapidly.

Put together a regimen for him that includes everything from getting out of his bed to going to his food, going out the back door, and napping in his favourite area.

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Keep these paths clear of any obstructions to make it easier for him to move throughout the area if possible.

It is possible that you will need to keep him on a leash when taking him outside so that you can direct him to his favourite potty areas. After some time, his other senses will become stronger, and he will be able to perform this habitual action alone.

Assist him in maintaining his physical activity. Just though your dog is vision handicapped does not rule out the possibility of him having fun and playing.

With a leash, you can assist your dog in the same way that a seeing-eye dog would assist a visually impaired human.

Make sure to keep the leash as short as possible so that you can better direct him where he should go. It’s also wonderful to let him sniff about and get a sense of his environment through his sense of scent.

It’s a tiny gesture, but it’s one that he’s likely to notice and enjoy. You can also provide a hand in the game.

Ensure that he has access to an open, safe place where he can run around freely, such as a backyard, and engage in fetch games with dog toys that produce noise.

He will ultimately be able to track down the ball using his senses of smell and hearing, and when you call for him to bring it back, he will use those same senses to return to you.

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There is little doubt that the treatment of blindness in dogs will necessitate a significant amount of time and effort. However, with love and time, both of you will be able to acclimatize to this natural state.

Because your dog’s vision has diminished, this does not imply that his overall quality of life has been compromised. Continue to shower him with the same affection and love that you have always shown him, and he will repay the favour.

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Keeping Pet Food Safe and Dry: 5 Tips to Know 

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Keeping Pet Food Safe and Dry: 5 Tips to Know 

Keeping Pet Food Safe and Dry

 

When it comes to the quality and freshness of your cat and dog food, where you keep it can make a major impact. Hill’s dry and canned cat and dog food can be stored in a variety of ways, but here are some of the most often asked questions and best practices.

 

What is the best way to keep dry food for my cat or dog?

 

It is recommended that the pet food from Science Diet, Healthy Advantage, and Prescription Diet be stored in a cold, dry place under 100°F (38°C). This is to avoid rancidity caused by vitamin degradation and fat oxidation.

When a pet food is kept in its original bag, which acts as a fat barrier, it will keep its finest flavour. The normal depreciation or destruction of vitamins can be accelerated if they are kept at temperatures above 120°F (48°C) for more than 48 hours.

In the garage, is it safe to keep the canned food for my cat or dog?

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It’s nоt а gооd ideа tо keeр yоur рet’s fооd in аn unаttended lосаtiоn, suсh а gаrаge оr the bасkyаrd.

 

Fоr dry саt аnd dоg fооd

Stоre the fооd in а сооl аnd dry envirоnment. It is best tо stоre the bаg оff the flооr tо reduсe роtentiаl infestаtiоn.

 

Fоr саnned саt аnd dоg fооd

Рriоr tо орening, stоre саns in а рlасe where the temрerаture is between 50-100°F. Dо nоt freeze саnned саt оr dоg fооd аs it саn сhаnge the texture аnd tаste оf the fооd.

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Should I use a plastic storage container for my cat or dog’s food?

Dry food can be transferred from one bag to another container by many pet owners.

Keeping dry pet food in a variety of plastic containers (trash cans, zip-top bags, garbage or kitchen bags, rubber or plastic containers) can impart an unpleasant odour and flavour to the food, according to research conducted by packaging engineers at Hill’s® Pet Nutrition.

It is not possible to prevent fat from accumulating on the outside of Zip-to-close bags, garbage bags, and other types of bags.

Clean metal containers (such as small metal tins or garbage cans) are appropriate storage options. When using a storage container, keep your food in its original bag within the container to create an optimal location for storage.

How do I keep my pet’s food in an airtight container?

The store opened cans of Science Diet, Healthy Advantage or Prescription Diet pet food in the refrigerator to retain moisture, decrease air exposure, and reduce odour transmission.

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Using a plastic pet food cover that fits the top of the can is the best method to store opened cans of cat or dog food.

While plastic lids are available, plastic wrap can also be used to protect the contents from the elements. Moisture is well-sealed by zip-to-close bags, but oxygen and odours are not.

Occasionally, my pet refuses to eat all of the food I give it. Once it’s in the bowl, how long is the dry food good for my cat or dog? Upon opening, how long are the cans still good for?

 

For the dry cat and dog food

If the bowl is kept in a cool, dry, out of direct sunlight, and not subject to contamination by insects and vermin area, you can leave dry food in your cat’s or dog’s bowl indefinitely. We, however, recommend that you wash and refill your pet’s food bowl every day.

 

Food for canned cats and dogs

Your pet’s mouth should be cleared of any moist or canned food that has not been eaten within four hours of the ambient temperature being above 50 degrees.

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For a maximum of 5-7 days, opened tins should be kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of 40-45°F. Any cat or dog food that is left over beyond that point should be disposed of.

 

How can I determine if a can or bag of cat or dog food that hasn’t been opened is still good?

 

For the dry food of cats and dogs

To the right of the 4 or 5-digit SKU number, at the bottom of the bag, is the dаtecоde on our plastic bags. Dаtесоdes will be located on the top of medium and large bags, generally on the front flap.

Dog food is best consumed before the month of April in 2010, according to this example. The unopened bag of pet food should be disposed of after April 1, 2010.

 

Food made from canned cats and dogs

The “best before” date stamped on the bottom of all canned goods is what we mean when we say “please”.

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The following illustration shows that this tin of pet food is at its freshest if opened no later than December 31, 2010. In other words, after December 1st, 2010, all unopened cans of pet food must be thrown away!

Hill's best before

Your pet’s well-being depends not only on what you feed him but also on where you keep his or her cat food and dog food. Keep these guidelines in mind when storing your pet’s food.

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How to Prevent Your Dog from Destroying Your Home

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How to Prevent Your Dog from Destroying Your Home

How to Prevent Your Dog from Destroying Your Home

The mouths of dogs perform similar functions to those of our hands. It’s the instrument they use most frequently to discover new places. A common way that dogs investigate new things is by biting down on them and chewing on them.

Chewing can become a problem for certain dogs and correcting it is an important element of dog care.

It’s no secret that dogs like to gnaw on things for many different reasons.

 

  • Teething can cause a puppy to chew.
  • Boredom or inclination are also potential causes.
  • If your dog is frightened by the surroundings or is left alone, it could be a sign of stress.

Find the root cause.

The most important step in eliminating the habit is to determine the root cause of the chewing:

You’re probably bored if you’re chomping on random items around the house, whether or not you’re there. To get rid of excess energy, it’s likely that your dog will benefit from increased play, exercise, and physical activity.

Additionally, providing appropriate chew toys might be an effective means of reducing or eliminating chewing behaviour.

 

Dog Separation Anxiety

The anxiety of being parted from a spouse or partner could be to blame. As a result of your absence, your dog may try to flee the area by chewing on the ground or by pawing at the ground.

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In order to treat this form of chewing, you must be absent from the dog’s environment, and the dog’s fear must be addressed.

Separation anxiety in dogs can be treated with methods such as socialization, desensitization, and counter-conditioning. Ask your veterinarian whether a veterinary behaviourist could help your dog.

 

Maintain proper self-control.

When you catch your dog in the act of chewing, you can only successfully discipline it. A shoe that has been chewed up an hour after it was done will not be linked to punishment by your dog. When you wave the shoe in front of your dog’s face, it may appear like it is guilty, but this is simply a reaction to you.

 

Observe your dog in action.

Stopping your dog from chewing should be as simple as giving a command or making a loud noise. Provide a chew toy for your dog if he stops playing. When your dog begins to play with the toy, reward him with praise and encouragement.

 

There is a wide variety of chew toys available.

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In addition, it is crucial to select the correct chew toy. Don’t ever offer your dog something that resembles a toy you don’t want him to play with. Your dog won’t be able to tell the difference between shoes or clothes and appropriate objects if you give them to him.

 

Dog’s chewing toys should be used.

Objects in your home can be protected from your dog’s chewing using products that can be applied with a simple spray.

These products have a taste or smell that is unappetizing (but not hazardous) to dogs, but is not irritating to human taste or smells.

You should always seek the counsel of your veterinarian if you have any more questions or concerns.

 

 

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5 Things You Need to Know before You Get A Dog

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5 Things You Need to Know before You Get A Dog

It sounds funny to think that a little Chihuahua would be able to stop a thief. If you think about it, other than yapping and possibly causing lots of harm with their sharp little teeth, any criminal could easily pick up the Chihuahua and the dog’s effort to stop crimes would be in vain.

However, Carly, a Chihuahua from St. Johns, Canada became a hero when her yapping alerted her owners of a man that was trying to steal her fur sibling, a Newfoundland named Silas.

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Brave Chihuahua on the lookout

The pet owners let her dog’s out around 8:00 p.m. and a minute later Carly started barking nonstop. Dooling went out to investigate and saw a man dragging her Newfoundland down her driveway.

I said: “Excuse me, what are you doing?” he told me hes taking his dog and I said, “No, you’re not”

Without hesitating, the woman self-described as short walked up to the man and punched him on the face, then took her dog back home with her.

The man had come prepared with his own leash and had hooked up the leash to Silas’s leash. There was no way that I was going to be able to wrestle the dog out of his hands so the only thing I could think was just punch him, said Dooling.

After hitting the man, the criminal ran off down the street. It’s an inconvenience or a nuisance, you could say, when she does bark, but she’s my guard dog. Some people have big Dobermans. I have a Chihuahua.

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Carly the Chihuahua

As for her dogs, Dooling said Silas was subdued for much of the night and next day after the near-theft, while Carly the Chihuahua was on high alert, barking at anything that passed by the windows.

We have been reading posts on social media regarding people stating that there have been attempts to steal dogs from backyards. At this time we would like to remind everybody that any suspicious activity *needs* to be phoned in to us so patrol division can be dispatched and investigate.

Additionally, if you see that a friend has something posted on their Facebook of this nature please encourage them to call.

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The mysterious pooch was discovered by a journalist and their news crew who were in the Bang Rakam District of Thailand reporting on drought conditions. The news crew revealed that they spotted the dog after it ran out of a house near to where they were filming. They then turned the camera on the adorable animal and shot a short video clip which was uploaded to Thai news site Matichon on November 12.

Never underestimate the power of a yappy Chihuahua

A daring dachshund proved herself a rare breed of heroine after she saved two boys from a savage bear attack. The super sausage dog raced into action after spotting two boys being ravaged by a massive black bear in Russia.

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Bear attacks boys in Russia

The giant animal attacked the youngsters soon after they emerged from their village shop. “He caught up with Stas first. The bear threw him to the ground, began to trample him, bite him, he grabbed his head, then shoulder and back. I watched – and ran at the bear. I didn’t think about myself or what would happen. I just wanted to save my friend.”

“Nikita ran and saved me. He hit the bear’s head with a stone.”

At this point the bear, which now had a sore head, turned on Nikita, gnawing and clawing him, leaving Stas wounded and frightened. At this moment a little dachshund called Tosya arrived on the scene and barked furiously at the bear. Now the beast left Nikita and chased the darting dog into the forest.

Tosya diverted the bear well away from the village, before losing the wild animal and returning safely home. According to one report, the dog , hailed as a heroine, was rewarded with cake.

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Bear cub alerts tourists

Both children were rushed to hospital, with Stas suffering scratches, bites and bruises, while Nikita had more serious wounds, with deep cuts on his hands, and bites on his legs.

Nikita’s mother Maria Nikonova says: “It was a shock. I couldn’t believe that bears can attack children in the middle of the village. It was terrible to look at all these lacerations, his torn clothes all covered in blood.”

Hunters tracked and shot the bear, which had earlier left a village couple marooned in their house as it laid waste to their garden. A bear cub created absolute havoc by running inside a coffee shop. The clip shows the bear cub running around the coffee shop and attempting to jump on tables.

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Laughter can be heard on the clip, and everyone was quickly moved out of the way of the bear and it ran out of the shop again. It is thought that the cub might have been lost and disorientated or separated from its mother.

The smell of food, coffee and pastries may also have attracted the bear to explore inside. Hilariously, the shop advertises itself as a place where tourists can get close to nature – in this case, far closer than anyone would expect.

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