Weight Gain in Labrador Retrievers
As most of you know, Labs are rarely picky eaters. My three will eat anything and everything dropped on the kitchen floor including spinach leaves, jelly beans and hot Chinese mustard. This love for food and zest for life generally means that Labs also have the tendency to put on excess weight.
Is your dog overweight?
The best way to detect obesity is not to just weigh your pet, but to observe its figure as you would a human being (see diagram). Does your Lab have a streamlined figure? Or does your Lab have no figure at all? Then, feel the ribs. If you can pinch at least an inch of fat over the ribs (with the exception of dog breeds like Greyhounds), then there is a good chance that your pet is overweight.
Is your dog overweight?
The best way to detect obesity is not to just weigh your pet, but to observe its figure as you would a human being (see diagram). Does your Lab have a streamlined figure? Or does your Lab have no figure at all? Then, feel the ribs. If you can pinch at least an inch of fat over the ribs (with the exception of dog breeds like Greyhounds), then there is a good chance that your pet is overweight.
The AKC standard for Labrador Retrievers is dogs 65 to 80 pounds; bitches 55 to 70 pounds. Obesity in dogs is a serious medical problem. Fat dogs are more at risk in surgery, more prone to injury, and have more stress on heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and joints. Excess weight can worsen osteoarthritis, cause respiratory problems in hot weather and during exercise, lead to diabetes mellitus, and generally lessen the quality of life for a family pet.
1. Cut out treats, or cut back on treats. Try using peeled baby carrots, frozen green beans, air popped pop corn or a piece of banana or apple as a treat.
2. Use frozen green beans, or unsalted canned green beans as a substitute for some of your dog's food.
3. Provide some opportunity for prolonged exercise a couple of times a week. Long walks, play sessions, and strenuous training sessions help keep muscles in shape and bodies functioning. Time alone in a yard is not sufficient; although dogs will run fence lines if a person or animal happens by, they are generally as lazy as people and will not run for the sake of exercise. Sign your dog up for day care if you don’t have the time.
4. Watch the fat content in the food you buy. Fats are energy sources; if the energy isn't expended, fats merely add unneeded calories. Fat content of dry food for adult dogs generally ranges
1. Cut out treats, or cut back on treats. Try using peeled baby carrots, frozen green beans, air popped pop corn or a piece of banana or apple as a treat.
2. Use frozen green beans, or unsalted canned green beans as a substitute for some of your dog's food.
3. Provide some opportunity for prolonged exercise a couple of times a week. Long walks, play sessions, and strenuous training sessions help keep muscles in shape and bodies functioning. Time alone in a yard is not sufficient; although dogs will run fence lines if a person or animal happens by, they are generally as lazy as people and will not run for the sake of exercise. Sign your dog up for day care if you don’t have the time.
4. Watch the fat content in the food you buy. Fats are energy sources; if the energy isn't expended, fats merely add unneeded calories. Fat content of dry food for adult dogs generally ranges
Heat Exhaustion in Dogs
The dangers of heat exhaustion are everywhere here in Houston, TX. Labs seem especially prone to it because they want to play constantly and unlike us humans, dogs cannot express their discomfort and will continue doing their activities long beyond the point of comfort eventually pushing themselves into the danger zone.
Also, leaving your Lab in the car, even with the windows down, is extremely dangerous. Temperatures in the car can get to 140 degrees or more in a very short time.
I often see folks jogging with their Labs at the hottest part of the day. Jogging is fine but do it early in the morning or after the sun goes down and make sure your Lab stays hydrated.
Here are some signs to look for:
· Heavy Panting
· Labored Breathing
· Walking Erratically
· A Desire to Lie Down
· Drying of the Tongue/Gums
· Thick Sticky Saliva
If you think your dog has heatstroke please do the following:
· Remove the dog from the hot area into the shade IMMEDIATELY
· Cool him down with cool (BUT NOT COLD) water. DO NOT USE ICE WATER.
· If an ice pack is available, put in the armpits or neck region
· Offer drinking water but do not force into the mouth
· Get him to the vet right away.
Also, leaving your Lab in the car, even with the windows down, is extremely dangerous. Temperatures in the car can get to 140 degrees or more in a very short time.
I often see folks jogging with their Labs at the hottest part of the day. Jogging is fine but do it early in the morning or after the sun goes down and make sure your Lab stays hydrated.
Here are some signs to look for:
· Heavy Panting
· Labored Breathing
· Walking Erratically
· A Desire to Lie Down
· Drying of the Tongue/Gums
· Thick Sticky Saliva
If you think your dog has heatstroke please do the following:
· Remove the dog from the hot area into the shade IMMEDIATELY
· Cool him down with cool (BUT NOT COLD) water. DO NOT USE ICE WATER.
· If an ice pack is available, put in the armpits or neck region
· Offer drinking water but do not force into the mouth
· Get him to the vet right away.
Heartworm Disease
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. Dogs and cats of any age or breed are susceptible to infection. Canine heartworm infection is widely distributed throughout the United States. The highest infection rates (up to 45%) in dogs not maintained on heartworm preventative are observed withn 150 of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
How Heartworm Happens: The Life Cycle
First, adult female heartworms release their young, called microfilariae, into an animal's bloodstream. Then, mosquitoes become infected with microfilariae while taking blood meal from the infected animal. During the next 10 to 14 days, the microfilariae mature to the infective larval stage within the mosquito. After that, the mosquito bites another dog, cat or other susceptible animal, and the infective larvae enter through the bite wound. It then takes a little over 6 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult worms. In dogs, the worms may live for up to 7 years. Microfilariae cannot mature into adult heartworms without first passing through a mosquito.
Heartworms in a dog heart
How Do You Detect Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm infection in apparently healthy animals is usually detected with blood tests for a heartworm substance called an "antigen" or microfilariae, although neither test is consistently positive until about seven months after infection has occurred. Heartworm infection may also occasionally be detected through ultrasound and/or x-ray images of the heart and lungs, although these tests are usually used in animals already known to be infected.
Prevention
Heartworm disease is preventable, therefore all pet owners MUST to talk to their veterinarian about how to best protect their pets from this dangerous disease. Heartworm prevention is safe, easy and inexpensive. While treatment for heartworm disease in dogs is possible, it is a complicated and expensive process, taking weeks for infected animals to recover.
There are a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection, including daily and monthly tablets and chewables, monthly topicals and a six-month injectable product available only for dogs. All of these methods are extremely effective, and when administered properly on a timely schedule, heartworm infection can be completely prevented. These medications interrupt heartworm development before adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease.
It is your responsibility to faithfully maintain the prevention program you have selected in consultation with your veterinarian.
There are a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection, including daily and monthly tablets and chewables, monthly topicals and a six-month injectable product available only for dogs. All of these methods are extremely effective, and when administered properly on a timely schedule, heartworm infection can be completely prevented. These medications interrupt heartworm development before adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease.
It is your responsibility to faithfully maintain the prevention program you have selected in consultation with your veterinarian.
Treatment
Usually, all but the most advanced cases of heartworm disease can be successfully treated in dogs. Adult heartworms in dogs are killed using a drug called Immiticide that is injected into the muscle through a series of treatments. Treatment may be administered on an outpatient basis, but hospitalization is usually recommended. When the dog is sent home, exercise should be limited to leash walking for the duration of the recovery period, which can last from one to two months. This decreases the risk of partial or complete blockage of blood flow through the lungs by dead worms.
Re-infection during treatment is prevented by administration of a heartworm preventive. These preventives may also eliminate microfilariae if they are present.
Re-infection during treatment is prevented by administration of a heartworm preventive. These preventives may also eliminate microfilariae if they are present.