Health Issues for the Labrador Retriever
Most dog breeds possess a breed specific health problem usually to do with the way their bodies are designed. The Dachshund suffers from back problems due to its low set back and the short-necked breeds such as the Bulldog can be prone to breathing difficulties.
The Labrador Retriever is no exception to the rule and probably the most common health issue this dog encounters is hip dysplasia. Canine hip dysplasia is an issue for many dog breeds. The problem lies in the dog’s hips basically there is a problem when the joints that normally make the hip work effectively become loose.
Labrador Retriever information pertaining to the dog’s health will all mention hip dysplasia. Basically the femur does not sit snugly within the pelvic socket as it once used to, the condition can vary considerably from dog to dog. It could be deemed as very mild right through to the other end of the spectrum and be very serious.
Occasionally a Labrador Retriever may have hip dysplasia but not really display any symptoms for awhile, then as time goes by the dog may start to show signs of arthritis. A dog might show difficulty in rising from a sleeping position and they may ‘telegraph’ their legs, meaning that they will hold the affected limb out straight. This will be done in an effort to ease the discomfort felt in the limb. Information on Labrador Retrievers very often touches on the subject of hip dysplasia.
Generally speaking hip dysplasia is an inherited health problem for dogs however the problem can be encountered for other reasons. Younger dogs can also suffer from it especially if they enjoy a life of jumping over fences, walls and other various obstacles. The problem arises in Labrador Retrievers under the age of two years because their actual joints within their hips have not yet developed properly.
When the dog jumps a lot it is literally over stretching its hip joints and they are being worked by the dog way beyond the Labrador Retrievers capability. Generally speaking, and I stress this is only a general observation, the Labrador Retriever will begin to display signs of hip dysplasia prior to it reaching a year old.
The dog may limp every so often or appear stiff when rising. If a dog is affected at a reasonably young age then the chances run high that they will suffer from arthritis when older. A dog’s hips can actually be x-rayed at the age of four months although most vets prefer to leave this until the animal is at least two years of age, this way the Labrador Retriever’s hips are completely developed.
You can request to view a puppy’s registration papers prior to purchasing as these will show that the puppy has been hip scored and graded accordingly. There are treatments available to help dogs suffering from hip dysplasia just simply research some Labrador Retriever information specifically relating to the topic. Just make sure to buy from a breeder who screens their puppies for hip dysplasia and gives a puppy warranty.
Dog Health Food – Could Your Dachshund Be Getting Sick From Their Food?
Dog health food could add years to the life of your Dachshund. By making sure that your dog is not eating toxic additives they’ll have more energy and vitality.
With companies around the world looking for ways to increase their profits, you have to question if they are going to justify the expense of high quality ingredients. With many sources of cheap protein available now, who knows how it was produced, under what conditions and if it even has any real nutritional value for your dog?
With so many cases of profits being put before the health of humans, what is being done to our beloved dogs? By taking waste products from human food production and putting them in to dog food, there has been a huge increase in diet related health problems in recent years.
In 2007 over 100 different brands of dog food were recalled after contaminated ingredients caused the deaths of a number of dogs and made many more very ill. Eventually it was found to be melamine in rice protein and wheat gluten, from a factory in China. This means that there could be anything in your dog food no matter what the standards are in the US factory. Also there is very little nourishment in these grains for dogs. Usually it’s just a filler to add bulk to the food.
Recently there was a case of melamine being found in milk powder that had been produced under the much stricter human food production standards. This leads me to think that it’s only a matter of time before there’s another contaminated batch of dog food released, and I certainly don’t want to have my puppy suffer as a result of not taking action. We now need to be aware of how safe the food we are feeding to our dog is, not just if it has the right nutrition in it.
Now we have to have a look at the actual nutritional value of your dog food. More and more it’s becoming accepted practice to bulk out dog food with rice and corn proteins. These proteins are an unusable by product of the human food industry, until someone realised that they would fall under the definition of protein and could therefore be added to dog food. Now while there is nothing wrong with plant proteins, they simply give very little nutritional content for a dog. Even if they were whole proteins rather than the highly processed ones that are added, a very small amount would be sufficient for a dogs diet. Instead, often there is more plant protein than animal. This isn’t going to help your Dachshund stay healthy and free of disease.
These days fish protein is being hailed as a great source of nutrients, which may be true. But, along with that protein comes a carcinogenic preservative which has also been linked to severe allergies. So be wary of fish meal in your dog food
This is just the start of what could be going into the food that your Dachshund is eating every day. By learning about dog health food you could add years of life to your best friend. If you make it yourself you will know exactly what is in your dog’s food, and best of all it’s great fun.