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Thursday, September 23, 2010
Dog Liver Cancer - Is Liver Cancer In Dogs Treatable?
There are two types of dog liver cancer - a primary liver cell cancer, and a secondary tumor which has spread from another part of the body such as the mammary gland. In this article, we will only discuss primary liver cancer.
Cancer of the liver occurs most frequently in elderly dogs. In fact, over 80% of dogs affected by this type of cancer are over 10 years of age. In almost one-third of dogs that are diagnosed with primary liver cancer, they have no symptoms of the disease. Their cancer is an incidental finding when they are taken to their veterinarian for some other reason.
Diagnosis
Those dogs that do have symptoms of cancer show signs of liver disease. These include vomiting, increased thirst and yellowing of the skin, gums and conjunctiva. As the tumor grows, their abdomen may appear swollen.
Your veterinarian will suspect some form of liver disease based on these symptoms, and will run some blood tests to make sure they are on the right track. They are looking for high levels of liver enzymes in your dog's blood. This may not mean your dog has cancer, but definitely indicates that their liver isn't working properly.
The next step in getting an accurate diagnosis is to have an ultrasound of your dog's abdomen, so their liver can be examined. Dog liver cancer can show up in two forms. Firstly, there may be many small cancerous nodules distributed throughout the liver. Secondly, there may be one large tumor affecting just one lobe of the liver.
A biopsy of the liver tumor will identify the exact type of cancer, and give you a better idea of your dog's prognosis. This can be done in two ways. Firstly, a biopsy needle can be guided by ultrasound into the tumor, and a sample removed for examination. The second method is by fine needle aspirate biopsy. This is safer for those dogs with extensive dog liver cancer, because if the liver isn't working well it can affect the ability of the blood to clot. A fine needle biopsy has less risk of hemorrhage.
Prognosis
If the cancer is confined to one lobe of the liver, the median survival time for dogs suffering from primary liver cancer is around 3 years. The mass can be surgically removed and the patients tend to do well for quite some time.
The outlook for those with the nodular form of liver cancer isn't good.
If you own a senior dog, and they start to become unwell with vomiting and excessive drinking, it's important to rule out dog liver cancer.
Has your dog been diagnosed with liver cancer? "My Dog Has Cancer...Now What?" is a special book that will help you understand the treatment options available for your dog. Inside the book, you'll find individual chapters that cover surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and alternative therapies.
Please don't waste another minute! Download this important Dog Cancer Treatment book today at: --> http://dogcancers.org/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ginny_Carroll
Doberman Pinscher Training Tips
It is your responsibility as the leader to take the time to teach your dog what behavior is acceptable and what is not. If you do not take the time to do this, you cannot expect your dog to act the way that you want him to. Dobermans are very trainable so a little invested time goes a long way.
From the minute that you bring your Doberman home, you should start with house training. Take him to his special place in the yard every single time and offer a command word so that eventually your dog will know what is expected of him simply by hearing the word. Keep in mind that accidents will happen but like a child, he should never be punished for them. Just because he understands what is expected of him does not mean that he can always hold it until he is let outside.
Obedience commands are a huge part of training Dobermans. These dogs require mental stimulation so they are happy to learn as many different commands that you take the time to teach them. With the naturally aggressive nature of this breed, obedience commands are vital in controlling them. They are loyal dogs that, when trained properly, will always look to you for their next command of what they should do to make you happy.
Some Doberman owners find crate training helpful. However, the crate needs to be used to provide the dog with his own safe place and never to inflict punishment. Also, if you happen to have a Doberman with separation anxiety, a crate is not the answer to the problem, especially if he has never been in one. You need to deal with separation anxiety issues in an effective way, not with a crate.
One of the trickier Doberman Pinscher training tips to master is walking on a lead. Once they understand exactly how you want them to walk, they are generally quite well-behaved, it is getting to that point that is challenging. Most owners find a pinch collar effective but only after the dog is six months old and only if you fully understand how to properly use it. A doberman that has been properly trained on how to walk on a lead will be able to enjoy his walk much more because he is able to be relaxed rather than feel as though he has to be in control.
Quit Dog Barking
Bark Off is a tool designed to quit dog barking in your dog. This is exactly what to know about it in terms of how it works.
Shock collars have gotten bad publicity in recent years as it's been debatable as to how much damage it actually inflicts on your pet. Rather than simply retraining bad habits, some people ask at what cost do these refined habits come and just how much emotional as well as physical damage does it cause in terms of long-term damage.
Bark Off has changed all of that because rather than inflicting physical damage by shocking your dog, the device emits sound waves which are higher pitched than humans can hear but which your dog can here a comfortable and safe level which rather than shocking or scaring them simply commands their attention, thus breaking the barking habit very quickly.
After repeated use, your dog equates the sound with a time when it should be quiet so device is ideal for retraining bad habits in different scenarios rather than getting your dog to keep quiet altogether. This is important because a lot of people own dogs in the first place because of the protection and safety aspect so this ensures your dog remains as loud as ever in times when it matters and quiet in the times in which you want peace and quiet.
Barking and barking alone triggers the sound waves, so all you've got to do is switch the device on and as long as your dog is within the 20 foot radius of the device when it's barking, you'll see an immediate difference straight out of the box.
The fact that it is battery powered means that you can take it anywhere you take your dog which means that you don't have to dread bringing your dog along on long car trips because of the noise which you'll have to put up with. I know some people who even use the device on their unwitting neighbor's dogs next door.
German Shepherd Dog Training - Tips For Speeding Up The Process
The biggest mistake people make with German Shepherd dog training is starting out with basic commands like sit, stay, lay down, and the like.
This is a major oversight and will only result in what amounts to parlor tricks, if you haven't already established your role as the leader in your dog's eyes.
This type of training starts the first day you bring your new puppy home, and it must be practiced on a daily basis for the maximum effect.
Put yourself in the position of pack leader, then all the novel training just becomes a matter of time and practice.
The first thing you can do to train your dog to obey and follow you, physically and mentally, is to enter and exit every door first, whether it's interior or exterior.
Putting your shepherd in this physical following state, will naturally and instinctively begin to form a following mentality too.
This is the first step, no pun intended, to getting the most out of your GSD's famous obedience and loyalty traits.
One other early thing to watch for and correct is biting, because German Shepherds are very mouthy dogs, even if they are just playing.
You are not a chew toy, and any biting, chewing, or teething on your or any other person should be stopped immediately, and replaced with an actual toy, bone, or rawhide.
This will take some patience, especially during the early teething stages, but consistency and persistence are key to any type of training.
Once you've mastered these two basic concepts, it's time to move on to one more abstract form of training: socialization.
German Shepherds are very loyal dogs, and without proper training, this can lead to them being over-protective and aggressive toward other animals and guests.
While I rarely recommend dog parks, because of the irresponsibility and unpredictable nature of many owners and their pets, they are great for socializing your dog, even if you just walk them up to the fence and around.
If you feel comfortable with the dogs, and there aren't too many, then letting them in can help their social skills, as long as they are learning from other well-behaved dogs.
No matter where you take them, getting them around other people and animals is essential and must be done as often as possible. If you see any signs of aggression of over-protectiveness, stop and correct them immediately.
Use calm and assertive commands, never violence, because that will only escalate the situation now or in the future.
Once you've got this foundation laid, the tricks and basic commands become a cinch.
The most useful are sit, stay, lay down, and heel, because they can be used in public situations by you or others to keep your dog in control at all times.
German Shepherd dog training is well worth the effort, because it can really make your GSD shine, while providing physical and mental stimulation for both of you.
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