Heartworms are a parasite found in dogs which are spread by mosquitoes. It is a very serious disease and, left untreated, can kill your dog.

At one time heartworms were only found in parts of the United States with mosquito problems but in the last 30 years they have spread to all of the lower 48 states. There is no part of the continental U.S. that is free of heartworms. Unless your dog takes a regular heartworm preventive of some kind he is at risk of developing heartworms after being bitten by a mosquito.

The basic heartworm life cycle is fairly simple. A mosquito carrying heartworm larvae bites your dog and transfers them into your dog’s bloodstream. There they will incubate for a few days until they migrate to your dog’s heart. At that point the microscopic larvae will begin to grow in your dog’s heart until they become very large. They can interfere with your dog’s heart action and pieces of the heartworms can break off which can also cause problems. The heartworms will also continue to reproduce.

Your dog probably won’t show any symptoms of having heartworms until the later stages of the disease. At that point the first symptom is usually coughing. This means that the heartworms have migrated to your dog’s lungs. They will usually be found in the veins and blood vessels leading to the lungs as well. They can also be found in your dog’s liver. From there they will infest other organs, along with your dog’s heart. As they infest organs the organs will begin to stop functioning and your dog will die. Your dog probably won’t be able to tolerate any exercise long before he starts showing any definite symptoms because he will be feeling weak and lethargic.

Fortunately, heartworm disease is easily preventable. There are a number of heartworm preventives in the market such as Heartgard, Interceptor, Revolution, Sentinel, Iverhart, and Ivermectin. Some preventives are given as monthly treats while others are daily pills. There are even long-terms injections available for your pet from your veterinarian. If you give your pet a regular preventive then there is no need for him to ever get heartworms.

In the United States heartworm medication requires a veterinary prescription. Your vet will recommend a test for heartworms before writing the prescription. This is a simple test that draws your dog blood and checks for the presence of heartworm microfilariae in the blood. If your dog’s blood is clear of the presence of heartworms then your vet will write the prescription. If there is any sign of heartworms then your dog will need treatment.

Treatment for heartworms usually takes two forms. There is a quick approach and a slower approach. The quick approach uses an injectable drug to kill the adult heartworms. It is given over the course of two days. It kills the adult heartworms in the dog’s heart and the surrounding blood vessels. There is some risk involved in this approach since the large heartworms will be breaking off and may cause blood clots. When the heartworms break up they are carried to the lungs where they lodge in the tiny blood vessels. They are eventually reabsorbed by the body but it is possible that your dog could have a bad reaction at this time while the heartworms are in the process of dying. Your dog will probably cough during this time and for the next seven or eight weeks.

There is a second, slower form of treatment that involves using the same chemical that is found in heartworm preventive. It kills off the young heartworms as they emerge and allows the older ones to simply die off. This does take a long time and you won’t see a dramatic improvement in your dog. However, it is less risky.

The best way to combat heartworms is to start your dog on heartworm prevention as soon as you get him. Even very young puppies can take heartworm preventive. If you keep your dog on heartworm prevention for his whole life then you’ll never have to worry about heartworms.

Heartworm season is on the way so be sure and get your dog tested and on preventative, you will be glad you did. We keep our dogs on preventative 12 month of the year just to be safe.

The American Kennel Club recently announced that mixed breed dogs will be allowed to list their dogs and participate in AKC Agility, Obedience and Rally events starting April 1, 2010. This means that mixed breeds will be able to compete in the same classes and earn the same titles as their purebred counterparts.

Mixed breed dogs are eligible to compete in these events as part of the AKC Canine Partners Listing Program. All dogs in the Canine Partners program must be spayed or neutered and wolf hybrids are not eligible. Owners of eligible mixed breed dogs can enroll in the program on the AKC web site www.akc.org/mixedbreeds/listing/index.cfm or download an application www.akc.org/pdfs/mixedBreed/ADM001.pdf and mail it in.

These events will still be offered on a voluntary basis by AKC clubs. That means that it’s up to each individual local club whether or not they will offer classes that accept mixed breed dogs. Before you submit your entries for an event you should check with the club to make sure they are accepting mixed breed dogs for the event.

There is some debate among current AKC performance people about accepting mixed breed dogs for these events. Most of the debate centers around the fact that many events only accept a limited number of entries due to the size of facilities and the number of judges. The events can fill up quickly. If mixed breed dogs are added to these events it will probably keep some of the current participants from taking part in some events. You can understand why there is some concern about adding more dogs.

However, many people welcome the addition of mixed breed dogs to these performance events. They believe that it will increase interest in Agility, Obedience and Rally at events and may lead to more events and more income for clubs, which is always welcome.

If you would like to participate in these events you must enroll your dog in the AKC Canine Partners program. Find a club that offers training classes in your area. You can go to the AKC events page www.akc.org/events/trainingclub to find an AKC club that offers training classes in your area. Many people get started by helping their dog earn an AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate.

If you and your dog are already experienced in events then you simply need to list your dog with AKC Canine Partners to get your AKC number and enter events which will be accepting mixed breed entries. If you will be competing in Agility then you’ll need an AKC Agility Height Card. You can contact your local AKC club for a measuring clinic schedule or have your dog measured at the first trial you attend.

You can find events that accept mixed breed entries in the AKC Event Search web site: www.akc.org/events/search. Click on the “Agility, Obedience, AKC Rally” tab and then check the box for “Mixed Breeds” to further narrow your search.

Please keep in mind that the AKC Canine Partners Program is a new program and it may still be undergoing some changes. However, mixed breeds can now compete in AKC performance events such as Obedience trials. It’s good for dogs and dog owners whenever more kinds of competition opens up for them so this should be seen as a positive step.

If you have a very energetic dog it can be due to a number of reasons. Some of them may be part of your dog’s individual nature or related to his breed. Some of them may be behavioral or part of his environment. Here’s a run-down.

1. Most young dogs are very energetic. This is especially true for dogs that are less than a year old but even dogs that are less than two or three years old may behave like puppies at times and have enormous bursts of energy. If you have a young dog you can expect him to be very energetic until he matures more. Once your dog is three or four years old he will start sleeping and relaxing more and be calmer.

2. Some breeds are more energetic than others. This is simply part of their nature. Sporting dogs, herding dogs, working dogs and some others need lots of exercise in order to be fit and happy. If they don’t get that exercise it can lead to behavior problems. If you have a breed that was bred to work all day and you and your dog are living in a small apartment, then it’s likely that your dog will have a lot of energy to burn. He may not be getting enough exercise to satisfy his needs. Before you get any dog you should always consider what the breed was originally intended to do. This will tell you what kind of exercise requirements the dog will have.

Even if you have a mixed breed dog, that dog may have had ancestors who did some kind of work. Your dog will have energy that he needs to use. Otherwise, he can also develop destructive behaviors in the home.

3. Many people feed their dogs a diet that produces more energy than the dogs need. Dog food today often provides more nutrition than is strictly necessary to meet nutritional requirements. Many people feed foods that have very high levels of protein. If you feed your dog a diet comparable to a dog that is going to run in the Iditarod then it’s not surprising if the dog has a lot of energy to burn. This can, in turn, lead to behavior problems when your dog has no way to burn off this extra energy. Look for a dog food that has more moderate levels of protein and you may see your dog’s energy levels go back to normal.

If you do have a very energetic dog there are some good things you can do to help your dog learn to channel his energy.

For puppies, look into puppy preschool and puppy kindergarten classes. These classes are great ways to socialize your puppy and introduce him to some early training. They can help modify the energy.

For older puppies and dogs sign up for a training class. This is a great way to help your dog use his energy in a positive way. He learns some good obedience training, the two of you are doing something fun together, and he’s getting rid of his energy in a good way.

Check into some dog sports and activities you can do with your dog. There’s everything from agility to frisbee toss to dock diving out there for you and your dog to try. Your dog would love it.

Have fun with your dog. One of the reasons people enjoy having a dog so much is because of their energy and the things we can do with them. See what you and your dog can find to do together.

Tell us what you have done to slow down your over energetic dog in the comment section below.

Until next time…..

Lots of people have to leave their dog home alone during the day (or night) while they work. They worry that their dog is lonely while they’re away. Perhaps you feel guilty about leaving your dog home alone. Maybe your dog cries when you leave the house. Or, maybe your dog has some behavior problems and destroys things while you’re gone. Sometimes people think that if their dog had a dog friend to play with while they were away the dog would be happier. What’s the real story?

First of all, ask yourself if your guilt is well-founded or not. Almost all of us have to work and that means dogs will be left alone at least part of the time. Realistically, we can’t spend every waking moment with our dogs and it wouldn’t be good for us or for our dogs if we did. You, as a human, need to have some life away from your dog. And your dog needs to have some down time when he’s not watching your every move waiting to see what you’re going to do. Your dog needs some time to relax on his own.

Believe it or not, most dogs sleep while their owners are away. Although your dog may greet you ecstatically at the door when you arrive home, chances are that five minutes earlier he was taking a nap. Your dog simply has excellent hearing. He most likely hears you pull your car in the driveway, or even drive down the road; he can hear you enter your apartment building. Your dog has plenty of warning so he can be waiting at the door to greet you. Most dogs do sleep and relax while you’re working so there’s no need to feel too guilty about leaving them alone. He doesn’t spend the day fretting and pining for you.

Of course, there are some exceptions. If your dog has separation anxiety, which is a psychological condition, then your dog may bark, whine, cry, defecate in the house and destroy things while you’re away from him. But you should know that there is a difference between genuine separation anxiety, which may require behavior modification and medication to treat, and a dog that is simply sad to see you leave for work. Your dog may bark and cry when you leave the house but as soon as you’re gone he may pick up a rawhide and start occupying himself or take a nap. If your dog does this then he probably doesn’t suffer from real separation anxiety. He knows how to cope with your absence.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get a second dog as a playmate for your dog. Many dogs will enjoy having another dog to play with. But you should make sure that you have time for a second dog. If you’re already finding it hard to make enough time for one dog then two dogs can be even more demanding. There is twice the grooming, twice the exercise, twice everything. Plus, two dogs playing wildly in a house can get on your nerves sometimes. There are times that two dogs can be twice as naughty. Of course, they can also be twice as loving and comforting, too.

You should also consider your dog’s reaction to getting another dog. Not every dog likes to have a new dog come into the household. Dogs can be just as jealous and possessive as people can. If your dog is strongly bonded to you then he may not like the idea of sharing your time and attention with a new dog. In extreme cases two dogs may not get along at all and you may need to rehome one of them.

Even if your dog gets along well with other dogs in neutral places things could be very different if you bring a new dog into his home. Consider carefully before getting a second dog. It could take your dog a while to accept the newcomer and things could be tense until the dogs call a truce.

Getting a second dog as a playmate for your dog can be a good idea but it’s not something that you should rush into without thinking it through. Consider your situation and your time. Consider how your dog is likely to react. Then you may decide that your dog does need a friend but you’ll know you’ve made a good decision.

Tell us your experiences getting a friend for your dog in the comment section below.

Until next time…..

With the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami in Indonesia and other natural disasters, people often wonder can a dog sense a natural disaster?

Scientifically, the evidence about whether a dog can sense a natural disaster seems to be inconclusive. Some owners claim that their dogs have warned them immediately before an earthquake has occurred. In 2003 a Japanese doctor claimed that public health records showed an excessive amount of dog barking before the 1995 Kobe earthquake but seismologists were skeptical.

A geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey office claims that he can predict earthquakes based on the number of missing pet ads in earthquake-prone areas — his theory being that pets often leave an area before a big earthquake. However, a three-year study found no evidence to support his claims.

On the other hand, many people remarked on the surprising lack of animal carcasses following the tsunami in Indonesia, suggesting that animals knew in advance about the devastating tsunami and got out of the area. One theory is that animals, including dogs, can detect underground rumblings and vibrations prior to an event. However, this kind of foreknowledge would be an extension of the animals’ normal senses and not some kind of mystical ability to forecast natural disasters.

Since we can’t ask dogs and it’s hard to predict where or when an earthquake or other natural disaster will occur, it’s hard to set up any kind of scientific test to confirm whether a dog can sense a natural disaster before it occurs.

Dogs do have some senses that are more acute than our human senses and it’s possible that they may be able to pick up on sounds and vibrations before they’re apparent to people.

It is true that dogs are able to predict other things before they occur, such as seizures. But, here again, dogs seem to be relying on picking up physical and chemical signals before they are noticed by humans.

Dogs are certainly able to use their senses in other ways that often seem nearly miraculous to us, such as traveling hundreds of miles to return home after they’ve been lost, so it seems possible that dogs could use a combination of instinct and their senses to sense a natural disaster before it occurs.

It should also be mentioned that dogs are used extensively in the aftermath of natural disasters to find survivors and to help locate the dead. Without the help of these highly-skilled dogs and their keen senses it would be much more difficult to help people recover from natural disasters. We all owe a debt of thanks to these great dogs and their handlers.

Do you have any stories about a dog that can sense things before they happen? Tell us about it in the comment section below.

Until next time………..