The Most Common Horse Health Problems

If your horse is sick then chances are it is one of the few most common problems. While anything could happen, you should check for the most obvious problems first and then consult your veterinarian. Whether you're deciding when to administer horse wormers to your horse, or you think your horse might have a more serious problem, it's important to check signs and symptoms and fix the issue as quickly as possible.

Colic

Colic can include a variety of digestive problems in the horse's stomach and unfortunately all of them can be fatal. Horses have weak digestive tracks and any incident of colic should be dealt with immediately in order to prevent fatality. Severe colic usually results in blockage or twisting of the entrails which will usually require surgery to fix, and not all horses survive. Watch for signs of bloating, signs of pain such as clenching the teeth, staring or nipping at the sides, pawing the ground constantly or standing with legs splayed out from the body.

Parasites

Parasites are one of the most common health problems in horses and most horses will have them at several periods during their lifetime. It is important to use horse wormers such as Equest Pramox or similar on a regular schedule to keep your horse from being infected. Try asking your vet about a good worming schedule and then looking for equine wormers online to save money.

Heaves

Heaves is sort of like a horse's version of asthma because it will cause difficulty breathing. The technical term for the problem is ROA (Recurrent Obstructed Airways) and is usually caused by an allergic reaction to airborne particles such as mould spores in hay. Horses with heaves will have difficulty breathing after exertion and might be short of breath, cough up phlegm, or have bulging muscles under the ribs. You can prevent heaves by keeping your horse outside as much as possible and making sure that the stable or barn is kept as clean and dry as possible to limit airborne particles that could cause heaves.

Hoof Problems

Hoof problems are very common in horses. Problems range from laminitis (or inflammation) to dry rot in the hoof. Most hoof problems can be solved by regularly clipping and cleaning a horse's hooves. Keeping a hoof pick handy to pick mud and debris out of hooves and keeping the ground dry can prevent most rot. Keeping hooves trimmed will usually prevent ingrown hooves. Unfortunately laminitis can be more difficult to prevent as studies show that it can actually be caused by eating too much grain or stress.
No matter what the problem is, it is very important to have your horse checked out by a veterinarian. Some equine health problems can be quite serious and even parasites can prove fatal if not treated with horse wormers in time. Remember to always ask a vet, and to act as quickly as possible to solve health problems.
Horse owners should worm their horses 4 to 6 times per year. You can purchase horse wormers online to save money or to find the wormers that you want.

How Often Should Horses Have Equine Bodywork Done?

One question that I often get from my current and potential equine bodywork clients is "How often should my horse have bodywork done?" Unfortunately, the answer is going to be completely different for each horse as there are so many factors involved with coming up with a therapy plan. But here are a few general guidelines that might help you determine the best frequency plan for your situation.
Monthly and Bi-Monthly Maintenance Equine Bodywork
As a general rule, for horses in good health, with no underlying physical conditions and lightly ridden or pastured, a program of once or twice a month equine bodywork is more than sufficient to keep them moving freely and feeling good. Bi-monthly maintenance massage still allows most horses to realize the health benefits of the massage without losing ground between sessions, but is usually often enough to catch many emerging imbalances before they can become ingrained habits. Any longer than once or twice a month and the horse loses the benefit of the massage and will likely not show any long-term improvement. Regular evaluation by you or your equine bodywork professional also provides the opportunity to quickly make any necessary changes to your therapy program based on changes in your horse's level of exercise or health.
Examples of horses that can benefit from monthly or bi-monthly bodywork:

• Pleasure horses (lightly ridden)
• Broodmares
• Young horses not in training
• Retired horses on pasture or stalled (bi-monthly minimum if stalled)

Weekly Equine Bodywork
Unfortunately horses that can benefit the most from this level of bodywork are often the ones that receive it the least. There is a common misconception that horses getting moderate exercise and who don't have any pre-existing problems don't need bodywork. But in fact these horses are the ones that are most prone to developing problems. Regular bodywork for these horses can actually help to prevent future injuries by keeping their soft tissue supple and joints flexible. Overworked soft tissue is more susceptible to strain and chronically contracted muscle tissue. When this happens, a snowball effect can occur, where the adjacent muscle groups must take up the load for the groups that are not functioning to their full potential. The end result is ever decreasing range of motion, muscle fatigue and pain and decreased performance.
This group of horses is best served with weekly bodywork sessions. The more they work, the more often bodywork is recommended. Stretching sessions of 3 to 5 days per week followed by a weekly full-on bodywork session to release adhesions, increase lymph flow, flush waste products from the tissues, and perform joint mobility exercises is ideal.
Horses that can benefit from weekly bodywork sessions:

• Horses in training (ridden 3 to 5 days per week)
• Performance horses
• Working horses (police horses, cart horses, ranch horses, etc.)
• Geriatric horses (arthritis)
• Horses with known imbalances and non-acute lameness (clubfoot, old chronic injuries, ringbone)
• Laminitic horses

Multiple Equine Bodywork Sessions Per Week
Really ANY horse will benefit from multiple bodywork sessions per week, as there's no such thing as too much bodywork! However, most people simply don't have the time or resources to maintain this level of bodywork for their horses unless it is in the short term. Despite this fact, there are horses that will require bodywork 2 to 3 times per week. Certain conditions may need the extra momentum gained with multiple sessions per week - at least for the first week or two of therapy. Certainly horses that are in an extreme amount of pain will greatly benefit from this frequency. Compensation from an acute injury can cause strains in other parts of the body, adding to the horse's level of pain and discomfort.
Additional benefits can be realized through increased circulation to aide the healing process, flushing of waste products from the affected tissues and decreasing inflammation, to name a few. These processes are a daily battle for the healing horse, so the more often they can be countered through bodywork, the better the horse will feel, and the more energy the body can expend in actually healing. State of mind is just as important to the healing process as the bodies physical immune system.
Horses that can benefit from multiple bodywork sessions per week:

• Horses with heavy workload (ridden every day)
• Horses in acute injury recovery (particularly if stalled)
• Laminitic horses (early stages)
• Chronic imbalances/injuries (start of therapy - first week or more)

Hopefully this will give you some idea of what to expect when developing a therapeutic bodywork program for your horse. Just remember that these are not hard and fast rules, but will vary depending on the individual needs of your horse and the goals that you and your veterinarian have with your treatment plan. Always consult your veterinarian before implementing any therapy into your horses injury recovery plan.

About The Author:
Lisa Carter is a Certified Equine Massage Therapist (CEMT) with multiple certifications in equine bodywork.  She incorporates her knowledge and experience with Parelli Natural Horsemanship, equine bodywork and as a veterinary technician to provide her clients with the resources they need to make informed decisions for their horses.  She encourages and facilitates network building between equine health care professionals, working together to find the best combination of therapies to meet the needs of the "whole horse".  

Tips on Tropical Fish Keeping

Tropical fish keeping can be more than just a simple hobby. It can be a way to beautify your home, teach your children about caring for a pet and provide you with something very enjoyable to watch. Tropical fish keeping is also very easy, even if you've never owned a fish before. If you're considering trying your hand at tropical fish keeping, here are some of the main items you'll need so you can begin shopping around:
· Aquarium tank
· Aquarium stand (optional)
· Air pump
· Lighting equipment
· Hood
· Filters
· Heater
· Thermometer and water test kits
· Aquarium Gravel (2" on bottom of tank
· Aquarium Maintenance Kit
· Decorations
If you're new and inexperienced at tropical fish keeping, I strongly recommend you learn all you can about the topic and visit your local pet or fish store for help and advice prior to making your purchases on the equipment required. The type of fish you get will depend on your personal choice. Guppies and Betta are both very easy to raise, so you may want to start with them.
Choosing a tank is one of the largest decisions you'll make in your fish keeping hobby. Keeping your budget and size of your room in mind, try to get a fish tank large enough to allow your fish plenty of room. Even if you're new at tropical fish keeping, try to start with at least a 10-gallon tank. It's better to have a big tank with fewer fish than a smaller tank that's crowded. The more water surface they have, the more oxygen they'll get. Air pumps will help aerate the water and keep your fish supplied with oxygen.
While an aquarium stand is an attractive addition, you can also use an end table or some other kind of table if you're trying to cut back on costs. The expenses involved in getting started on tropical fish keeping can add up quickly! Make sure you keep your tank away from direct sunlight and heating or cooling vents. The tank should also not be near noisy appliances or machines, as they'll be stressed very easily.
Your aquarium tank can be an acrylic or glass tank. Your pet store can help you choose the heaters, lights, air pumps and hood you'll need for tropical fish keeping. While some people choose complete filtration systems, others choose to go with a simple canister or sponge filter. Filtration systems are available in three types: biological, mechanical, and chemical. The purpose of filters is to help keep the water clear, remove odors and eliminate harmful substances from the water.
Pet and fish stores offer heaters that have attached lights (fluorescent or incandescent) and hood, providing you with one complete and very convenient system.
A heater that's thermostatically controlled will help you to maintain the correct temperature in your water. While tropical fish may be very easy to keep and maintain, they do have certain requirements to ensure a healthy environment. A water test kit is a necessity for tropical fish keeping to ensure their water is the proper pH level and temperature.
Once you've set up all the necessities for your aquarium (pumps, heaters, filters, lights, etc.), you're ready for the fun stuff: selecting decorations. You'll be amazed at the many different varieties of aquarium decorations you'll find. You'll have so much fun; you may find yourself at the pet or fish store every week!

The correct way to clean the dogs

Whether your dog's ears are long, shaped like a rosebud or bat ears, or they stand up in prick-eared fashion, it's important to keep them clean. In extreme cases, dogs with dirty, infected ears can lose their hearing. Infected ears can lead to other health problems as well. Fortunately, regular ear cleaning is easy to do and it 

 doesn't require much in the way of accessories.

What you will need

You only need a few things to clean your dog's ears:

• Ear cleaner
• Cotton balls or cloth

If you have a Terrier breed or a dog that has a lot of hair inside the ear, you may need a hemostat. This is a pair of tweezers with a small clamp-shaped end and handles so you can easily remove hair from inside the ears. This will allow air to get inside the ear and prevent ear infections. You can use a little ear powder sprinkled in the ear to make this hair easier to grip.

With most dogs you can simply use the ear cleaner and the cotton balls or cloth. You can buy ear cleaner from your veterinarian or from a good pet store or a pet retailer online. There are many good brands.

Cleaning your dog's ears

To clean your dog's ears you should make sure the ear cleaning solution is at room temperature. Nothing will make a dog squeamish about his ears faster than if you squirt cold liquid into them so make sure the cleaner is a pleasant temperature.

Try to clean your dog's ears when you're both relaxed. Your dog should be in front of you. It's good if you have some treats with you so you can reward him for his cooperation.

Start by putting a few drops of the cleaner in one ear. Then gently massage the base of his ear. Slowly move your fingers over the base to loosen any wax and dirt that have accumulated. This should feel good to your dog. Then gently take one of the cotton balls or the cloth and stroke the inside of the ear to remove the loosened wax and dirt. Keep wiping the inside of the ear until the cotton ball or cloth comes away clean. You may have to put in a few more drops in the ear and massage a little more if it is very dirty.

You should not hold the bottle up and pour it into your dog's ear. Not only is this unpleasant for your dog but that's far too much liquid to put in his ear. It only takes a few drops of the cleaner each time to loosen the wax and dirt.

Once you have cleaned the first ear you can move over and clean the other ear. Make sure you give your dog some treats while you're working to keep him cooperating.

Mites and infections

If your dog has ears that are no more than normally dirty, it should just take you a few minutes to clean them. However, if your dog's ears are very gunky with brown or black wax, cleaning may take longer. This might indicate that your dog has had some mites or an infection at some time. Look for signs that your dog has any current infection or parasites. If you see anything that looks suspicious you should contact your veterinarian. Your vet can provide you with a miticide to get rid of ear mites. A yeast infection can be harder to eliminate. If you see signs of an infection you should talk to your vet and let him or her examine your dog's ears.

Tips On Caring For Your Dog's Teeth

You might be surprised to learn that bad teeth can lead to many other health problems in dogs. The dog's heart, kidneys, and liver can all be affected by persistent harmful bacteria in your dog's teeth and gums which is passed from his bloodstream to his other organs. Bad dental hygiene can lead to serious health problems for your dog later.

And that's not all. It's estimated that about four-fifths of dogs have some kind of periodontal disease by the time they are three years old. Your dog could have inflamed gums or a painful tooth and you probably don't even know it. Many older dogs stop eating, even though they're hungry, because it's painful for them to eat. Their owners assume this is just an ordinary sign of old age when it's really a dental problem that could be easily treated. This kind of problem can shorten a dog's life.

Fortunately, regular dental care for your dog can eliminate these problems and it's not hard. If you take just a few steps you can keep your dog's teeth and gums healthy and avoid serious health problems later.

Brushing your dog's teeth

The most basic thing you can do to care for your dog's teeth is brush them on a regular basis. Dogs even like it! All you need is a toothbrush designed for your dog's mouth and some doggy toothpaste. You can find both of these items at a pet store or online. A doggy toothbrush has a long handle and is angled so you can reach back inside his mouth. Doggy toothpaste comes in flavors that dogs like such as peanut butter or beef. That's why dogs are so cooperative when you brush their teeth - they think the toothpaste is a treat. All you have to do is put some of the toothpaste on the toothbrush and brush your dog's teeth the same way you would brush your own teeth. You don't have to rinse. It's safe for your dog to swallow the doggy toothpaste.

Be careful not to use human toothpaste for your dog. It contains xylitol, an artificial sweetener, which is harmful to dogs.

More dental hygiene

There are some other things you can do to help your dog with good dental hygiene. For example, look for treats and snacks that have been approved by the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) or the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). You can also find toys that are good for dental health that have been approved by these organizations.

American or Canadian-made rawhides, natural bones, and certain dental chews are all considered good for a dog's teeth and gums. Toys with nubs and other things that rub against the teeth and gums are also good for chewing. There are also some toys such as Dental Kongs that you can insert doggy toothpaste into the crevices so your dog can clean his own teeth while he chews.

You can also use a doggy mouthwash for your dog to keep his breath fresh. Many of these products contain chlorhexidine which is an anti-plaque antiseptic. It is also used in some human mouthwashes but be sure to use a rinse or spray that is made for pets.

Teeth cleaning

When you take your dog to the vet for his check-up you should make sure that your vet examines his teeth. It's important to catch any tooth or gum problem early so it can be treated. Many vets recommend regular cleanings under anesthetics now but this is up to you. Your dog will probably need to have a thorough cleaning of his teeth under an anesthetic at least once in his life so plaque and tartar can be removed.

Tips For Your Pet Cat Care

One of the things that most kids and even some adults love these days is having their very own pet cat. Cats are equally amazing pets when compared to dogs and they are also very lovable. To those who are looking forward to owning some cats, here are some of the things that they would like to do when taking care of their pet cats:

• As pet owners, one the most important things that you need to do is to ensure the safety of your cats. Pet owners might like keeping their cats inside their homes to ensure that they are safe at all times. If you let your cats stay outside, they might end up going somewhere and might not be able to go back home so keep them inside your house as much as possible.
• To those who are planning on keeping their cats outdoors, be sure to have a sturdy fence or have a cage to keep your cats in case you would be leaving home. Fences are very helpful because it keeps your cats from going astray and it also helps make sure that your house is safe even if you are not at home.
• It is also important to bring your cats to their Vets for check-ups. Going to the Vets regularly would ensure the health of your pet and it could prevent them from getting sick. The Vets would also be able to know if your cats need something for their health.
• Pet owners should also make sure that they only feed their cats with healthy cat food. To those who are first time owners, what they can do is check out their vet and ask for some healthy food tips.
• Another thing that pet owners need to do is to make sure that they potty train their cats. Doing this would ensure pet owners not to have a hard time cleaning up the mess of their cats. What pet owners need to do is to find some litter boxes in pet shops. The litter boxes is the best way to help potty train your cats so be sure to get one to make sure that your cats would not leave any mess in your house.
• Be sure to groom your cat everyday. This would keep your cats clean and good smelling all the time. Follow your Vets advice regarding the hygiene of your cats to make sure that they would be able to enjoy playing with their pets.