Use Natural Tick Repellents to Protect Dogs from Diseases

Ticks are responsible for a number of diseases in dogs. Average pet owners often find it difficult to detect the ailments caused by tick bites in dogs. So, it is important to consult your veterinarian as soon as you find your dog showing any symptoms of tick-borne disorders. You may also find it difficult to find where your dog may have been bitten by a tick. The diseases caused by ticks can be prevented and cured efficiently by the use of natural tick repellents. Synthetic products used for repelling ticks may have many harmful effects on your pet. So, vets mostly recommend the use of natural products for keeping away fleas and ticks.

The diseases that can be caused by ticks in dogs are listed down:

Lyme disease:

Lyme disease is caused in humans as well as in dogs. This disease is transmitted by deer ticks that are infected by a bacterium called borrelia burgdorferi. The common symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs are swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, swollen joints and arthritis that may lead to lameness for some period. Dogs in the United States are commonly affected by this disease. Kidney failure is the worst case of Lyme disease.

Canine Ehrlichosis:

Canine Ehrlichosis is another disease caused in dogs because of tick bite. The brown dog tick causes this disease in dogs. The main symptom for the disease is weight loss without any proper reason. Other symptoms are bleeding from eyes, depressed attitude, fever and runny nose. In this disease, the gums are easily bruised. The Gulf States and the southwestern states are the places where this disease is quite common in dogs.

Canine anaplasmosis:

This disease can be caused by the deer tick as well as the brown dog tick. Each tick leads to a different type of illness. The symptoms in this disease are a painful neck, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea and lack of appetite.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever:

This disease can be caused in dogs due to three tick species - the wood tick, lone star tick and American dog tick. All these ticks lead to the penetration of a bacterium called Rickettsia rickettsii in the defenses of a dog. This bacterium causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs. The symptoms associated with this disease are neurological problems, stiffness when the dog walks, lesions breaking out of the skin and fever. This disease can be fatal, and so consult your vet as soon as you find any symptoms.

Canine Babesiosis:

This disease differs from the rest of the tick-borne diseases since here a protozoa is responsible for the disease instead of a bacterium. This disease is carried by a tick known as Ixodid tick. In this disease, the red blood cells in a dog are destroyed leading to anemia. Other symptoms are lack of energy and fever.

An effective way to cure these diseases and protect your pet from them is to use natural products for keeping away fleas and ticks, such as Khakibos Flea Repellent. Fleas and ticks can cause several skin problems that can be cured using Natural skin remedies meant for dogs.

Important Nutrients To Ensure Proper Health Of Dogs

Nutrients are important for the health of your pet dog. Animals obtain nutrients from the food they eat, and use them as an energy source. If you have a puppy, its growth depends largely on the nutrients it takes. Lack of nutrients may hinder the growth and metabolism of your pet. Lack of nutrients may also cause problems in the skin and coat. You can use several natural remedies for treating skin problems in dogs. However, a balanced diet containing all the vital nutrients can not only eliminate skin and coat issues, but also keep away other problems and illnesses.

In general, your pet’s diet should contain all the essential nutrients. However, if your vet has instructed you against giving any particular nutrient to your pet, because of any illness or any other reason, obey the instructions. This article discusses the essential nutrient classes that are vital for proper growth and health of your pet dog.

Water:

Water is the most crucial nutrient. Water is extremely essential for life, and it accounts for about 60 – 70% of your adult dog’s body weight. Although food fulfills some portion of your dog’s water requirements, still you need to provide fresh clean water to your pet at all times. Water deficiency may lead to serious consequences for pets. A 10% decrease in water level of the body may cause serious illness while a 15% loss may lead to death.

Proteins:

Proteins are the fundamental building blocks for hormones, enzymes, organs, tissues, cells and antibodies. Proteins are very important for repair, reproduction, maintenance and growth. Proteins can be acquired from several sources. Animal-based proteins like egg, fish, beef, turkey, lamb and chicken consist of amino acid profiles completely. However, you should not give raw eggs to your dog as raw egg has avidin. Avidin is an anti-vitamin, which interferes with the metabolism of energy, amino acids, glucose and fats. Soy, cereals and vegetables also have proteins, but they are considered as incomplete proteins.

Fats:

Fats are a concentrated form of energy, which provide your dog an energy that is greater than twice the energy given by carbohydrates or proteins. Fats are important in cell structure and are required for generation of certain hormones. Your dog’s body also needs fats to absorb and utilize fat-soluble vitamins. The internal organs are provided with protection and insulation through fats. Your dog’s diet must have essential fatty acids since the dog’s body cannot synthesize them in adequate levels. Lack of essential fatty acids may lead to increased skin issues and reduce the growth. Linoleic acid is one of the essential fatty acids for dogs.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates provide energy for your dog’s tissues. The intestine health depends largely on this nutrient. It is important for reproduction too. Although there is no defined minimum carbohydrate requirement, the minimum glucose requirement has been defined, which is required for supplying energy to the critical organs like the brain.

Vitamins:

These are catalysts in enzyme reactions. Small vitamin amounts are necessary for normal metabolism and function in dogs. In most cases, where a balanced and complete diet is given to dogs, a vitamin supplement is not necessary. However, dogs suffering from specific vitamin deficiencies should be given vitamin supplements. Small pet dogs suffering from vitamin deficiency should be given a natural vitamin supplement meant for puppies. Consult your vet before giving a vitamin supplement to your pet, to make sure that your dog gets the adequate vitamin amount.

These are the major nutrient requirements of your pet dog. Consult your vet to plan a diet that contains all these nutrients in proper amounts.