The Havanese is the National dog of Cuba. He was once called the Havana Silk Dog or the Spanish Silk Poodle mainly because of the coat being like raw silk floss, profuse but extremely light and soft. In its native country of Cuba the coat was never clipped and the hair never tied into a topknot. The Cubans believed the hair falling over the eyes of the Havanese protected them from harsh sun.

The Havanese was brought to Europe in the 18th century where it found favor in the courts of Spain, France and England. By the mid-eighteenth century Queen Victoria owned two Havanese and Charles Dickens had one. In Cuba during this same time period the Havanese became the family dog, playmate of children, a watchdog, and herder of the family poultry flock.

Only a handful of Havanese found their way to the United States after the Cuban revolution. All the Havanese in the world today, except those from the iron curtain countries and those remaining in Cuba come from those 11 Havanese immigrants. Havanese type has remained almost unchanged from that of the dogs painted in the 18th century.

Health Problems of the Havanese

Cataracts in Havanese can develop early or late. They can cause blindness or be slow in growth and not progress to blindness. To date, all the early onset, blinding cataracts have been found in Havanese with chondrodysplasia.

Surgical correction of cataracts (removal) is best done before they become mature. For this reason, annual CERF exams are highly recommended for the Havanese.

Orthopedic abnormalities such as Chondrosysplasia are literally “faulty cartilage.” It can be manifested in a variety of ways:

• By premature closure of the growth plates of long bones either symmetrically or asymmetrically which can result in shorts legs (dwarfism0 that are straight or bowed either unilaterally or bilaterally.

• Chondrodysplastic Havanese dogs can also have legs of normal length but deviated unilaterally or bilaterally.

Treatment for Chondrosysplasia is surgical in cases where deviations are severe enough to interfere with function. Surgical treatment consists of straightening the leg.

Luxating patellas is also a concern in the Havanese breed. It is one of the defects that is considered genetic by the AKC. Surgical correction renders the Havanese ineligible to compete in conformation shows. It is also not recommended to breed a Havanese with luxating patellas as this can be passed into future generations.

Legg-Calve-Perthes results when the blood supply to the femoral head is interrupted resulting in avascular necrosis or death of the bone cells. This also is considered genetic and it is recommended that Havanese dogs affected with LCP not be used in breeding programs.

Treatment for LCP involves removal of the head of the femur and the femoral neck on the affected side.

The incidences of hip dysplasia in Havanese are not known because of the low numbers of dogs that have been checked.

There appears to be a significant number of heart murmurs showing up in the Havanese breed. Treatment of cardiac problems may include drugs, diet and/or surgery.

Deafness has been found in the Havanese breed. Deafness can be diagnosed in Havanese pups as young as 5 weeks of age by use of BAER testing. The incidence in Havanese is not known as testing has not been widespread or consistent.

Other conditions with lower incidences found in Havanese include, but not limited to, seizures, kidney dysplasia, hypothyroidism and skin problems including sebaceous adenitis.

All these problems can be screened in breeding dogs. While there is no guarantee that health problems will not crop up, good, reputable breeders can certainly tip the odds in their favor by screening their breeding dogs for health issues in order to make intelligent breeding decisions.

Connie Limon
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/an-overview-of-some-of-the-health-problems-common-to-the-little-havanese-dog-from-cuba-77522.html

Everyone knows that dogs love to go for a walk, but did you know your dog receives 7 important health benefits every time you snap on the leash? These important health benefits make it worth your time to leash train your dog.

Since many of our dogs are just as overweight and out of shape as their owners, taking your dog for a walk will give him all the same fitness benefits that people get from a walking program. The fact that you care enough about your dog to want him to keep him healthy will keep you on your own exercise program, too.

In addition to the fitness benefits, walking can also improve moods, for both people and dogs. Walking causes your brain to produce more serotonin, a mood enhancing chemical. Walking also causes your brain to produce less cortisol, a stress hormone. When the brain chemicals are re-balanced this way, both you and your dog be calmer and less anxious and less stressed out.

In other words, walking regularly will make both you and your dog happier, healthier, and perhaps even more enjoyable to be around.

Since a dog’s normal lifespan is so much shorter than ours, the effect of a sedentary lifestyle and too much food has an even more devastating effect on dogs than on people. The stress of excess weight and too much fat can cut a dog’s life short by as much as two years, according to Marty Becker, DVM, the author of The Healing Power of Pets. Walking daily will prevent many of the more common health problem in dogs.

Regular exercise, including a daily walk, will tone your dog’s muscles, improve his digestion, and make him feel happily tired. It may also boost his immune system. And it could even prolong his life, because excess weight leads to chronic illnesses in dogs, such as heart disease and diabetes. Getting regular exercise helps your dog keep his weight down, so he can stay healthy.

Once you establish a regular walking program, your dog may experience some or all the following benefits:

1. A regular walking program will help your overweight dog lose the extra pounds, which will help him feel more energetic and enthusiastic about life.

2. The weight loss could help him live longer, and the regular, gentle exercise could help reduce any pain he now feels from arthritis, hip displasia, or simple inactivity. (Remember, if your dog has any problems with his joints, or any illnesses that affect his breathing or movement, talk to his vet before beginning any exercise program.)

3. The increased fitness could reduce the chance that he will get one of the chronic diseases associated with excess weight, such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.

4. Your dog will look up to you as the real leader of the household, and the two of you will form a strong, natural bond.

5. Some disciplinary problems may go away on their own when your dog starts getting the exercise he really needs and when he can use his brain and creative intelligence while discovering the world outside.

6. He’ll probably feel calmer, more content, and more playful because he feels better, and because his internal chemistry has adjusted to more normal levels.

7. He’ll sleep better, and snore less. This may not seem like a big deal unless you’ve become accustomed to waking up many times in the night because your dog just can’t get comfortable. Overweight dogs (like overweight people) tend to snore.

So get out and walk every day with your dog. It will make both of you happier, and healthier.

Jonni Good
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/7-dog-health-benefits-from-leash-training-your-dog-79554.html

My dog keeps scratching her ears. After a week I finally looked in there and one of them has black/brown colored "goop" in it. We took a Qtip and put alcohol on there to clean it out. We couldnt get it all. Does anyone know what she might have? Also, is there something at the pet store we could get. Trying to avoid a Vet bill unless she needs Rx’s. Thanks for any help.

they sell ear cleaner at Petsmart. clean em for a few weeks, if it doesn’t go away, it could be ear mites…then you need to go to the vet…shouldn’t be too expensive. (probably just dirty)

Because they a lovable, loyal animals, dogs are highly preferred as pets. Dogs become family members, so their health is very important. Pet owners need to keep in mind that dog health and liver problems are very closely tied together.

The liver is an important part of the digestive system, so if there is a liver problem, a dog health will be severely affected. There are many kinds of liver problems that dogs can have, including cirrhosis of the liver, toxicity, hepatitis, fibrosis, etc. But in this article, we will be discussing hepatic micro vascular dysplasia.

Hepatic micro vascular dysplasia

This is a common liver problem for dogs. With hepatic micro vascular dysplasia, there is a mixing of venous and arterial blood on a microscopic level. Another name for this condition is hepatic-portal micro vascular dysplasia. Though this condition affects all dog breeds, it seems to occur more often in terrier breeds.

As there are no symptoms that are peculiar to this condition, it is hard to diagnose with any certainty. Among the symptoms that a dog might have are seizures, central nervous system disorder symptoms and other gastro intestinal disorder symptoms, such as diarrhea and vomiting. A bile acid response test is the first step in diagnosing the condition.

Another condition, photo systemic shunts, will also have an abnormal bile acid response. A liver biopsy then needs to be done to eliminate the possibility of photo systemic shunts so that the condition of hepatic micro vascular dyplasia can be properly diagnosed. For more info see http://www.aboutdoghealth.org/dogbreedhealth/Bull-Dog-Health.html

If diagnosed before symptoms appear, there is a good prognosis for a dog with hepatic micro vascular dysplasia. However, once symptoms begin to be seen, the only recourse is to use diet and medication to manage the condition.

Reducing the amount of protein consumed is the objective of diet therapy while the reduction of ammonia in the digestive system is accomplished with medication. So that dogs with this condition are able to excrete soft, formed stools, lactose injections are advisable.

Twice a day, injections of antibiotics are given. These may be neomycin, metranidazole or some other antibiotic. The response to the treatment will vary from one dog to another. Some dogs respond well enough to live out a normal life span, but other dogs will have a shortened life due to this condition.

Dog owners will usually take preventative measures once they are made aware of the connection between overall dog health and liver problems.

Amanda Fain
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-health-in-relation-to-liver-problems-128608.html

Not what the next new "hot brand of dog clothing" is, or where the most expensive/extravagent dog spa is, or the newest designer breed is, but updates on things like food, veterinary care.. You know, stuff that really matters.

Whole Dog Journal- you can get a subscription online or have it mailed to you.

While any dog owner recognizes that there are certain chores that he must leave strictly to the veterinarian, he wants, at the same time, to be given at least some idea of the role he can play in preventing dog health problems. Below are a few tips owners can use to avoid problems common problems.

Feeding Your Dog To Keep Optimum Health

The basic principle to be understood in the feeding of dogs is that, with only minor variations, they have the same nutritive requirements as man. A dog apparently has less need for starches and its digestive juices do not handle fatty foods well. Thus, the dog`s meat should always be quite lean, otherwise it will commonly cause a stomach upset with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea

Most animals will get along perfectly well on dry or canned commercial dog foods. Great strides have been made in the improvement of commercial dog foods in recent years. Their formulae are specially prepared by trained scientists to meet all of the dog`s needs and the federal government, on the basis of careful experiment to furnish normal maintenance diets, guarantees all nationally known brands. This means that the dog can live its entire life without eating anything but dog food.

While some companies will claim that their biscuits are a complete food and are often justified in their claim, most experts agree that the large majority of the biscuits that are manufactured serve best only as a supplementary food

Caring For Your Pets Eyes To Prevent Illness

In the general care of the eyes, the average dog owner can be advised to keep them clean. This can be done by washing them once a day with a lukewarm solution of boric acid (made by dissolving one teaspoonful of boric acid powder in a glass of hot water) or by the application of boric acid eye ointment direct to the eyeball.

The care of any significant eye diseases is strictly a job for the veterinarian. For safety`s sake, any injury to the eye should be considered an emergency and the veterinarian should be contacted immediately. Professional attention should be given even to very mild eye irritations that do not readily respond to simple treatment with washings of boric acid solution or applications of boric acid eye ointment.

How To Prevent Ear Ailments

Proper ear hygiene consists in keeping the hair of the ear clean and thoroughly combed out, free from parasites at all times and in maintaining the cleanliness of the inside of the ear. To clean the inside of the ear, dampen a piece of absorbent cotton with alcohol, squeeze out the excess moisture and clean out all the accumulated scurf as far down into the ear as the finger can conveniently reach.

Have no fear of doing damage to the inner ear, for the finger simply cannot penetrate that far. The cleaned surface should be dried with a piece of cotton. The next step is to put some boric acid powder on the back of a spoon handle or other convenient object and dump the powder into the ear. Then manipulate the ear so that the powder will penetrate as far into the ear canal as possible. After this is done to both ears, allow the animal to shake out the excess powder.

If this procedure is followed about two or three times a week, it is very unlikely that the dog ever will be affected by the common ear ailments.

Prevention Is The Best Cure

By taking steps to avoid dog health problems, you are less likely to have to suffer the consequences of an ill pet. If you are concerned about your pet or notice any strange symptoms, you should consult your veterinarian immediately. Regular check ups will also help detect potential illness or health problems early. Check ups should be given about every 6 months.

Jimmy Cox
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/you-never-have-to-have-any-dog-health-problems-77025.html

Is your dog one of your best friends? If so, you’re especially motivated to want to take care of his health. As I’m sure you’re aware, your pet’s health is a very important part of your responsibilities as an owner.

There are a number of health issues that can affect your special pet.

For example, if your dog gets worms, you need to make sure that you take him to the vet if you can’t get rid of the worms by yourself. Worms come in several different varieties, such as roundworms, tapeworms and heart worms. It’s critical that you get rid of his worms as soon as possible before really serious health conditions arise because of these parasites.

You’ve also got to keep a close watch on fleas because they can really cause problems. You certainly don’t want your dog to suffer needlessly.

Make sure you keep your pet current with his innoculations and take him to the vet for periodic checkups.

If you can keep tartar from growing around your dog’s teeth, that would be best. However, if you’re not prepared to do that, be sure his gums aren’t infected with tartar that has gotten out of control. You’ll need to take him to the vet for teeth cleaning if you aren’t prepared to keep his teeth free of tartar deposits by regularly brushing them.

Brush your dog’s hair on a regular basis, especially if he is one of the long-haired varieties — like collies or shelties. While you’re brushing his coat, be on the lookout for skin growths or rashes that need medical care. The time you spend brushing his coat can be a special time of closeness between you and your dog.

Be careful not to give your canine buddy chicken bones which can easily splinter and get caught in his throat. In fact, don’t give small bones to him at all because of the danger of splintering with resulting internal cuts.

Be sure that your dog always has a fresh full bowl of water — especially during the hot summer months.

Choose a good brand of nourishing dog food instead of inferior brands. Don’t let him become overweight because that is a health hazard — just like in humans.

Be on the alert for symptoms that may show that your dog is in pain. If your dog refuses to eat, you need to take him to a vetinarian to see what’s the matter.

Older dogs often develop arthritis and there are special supplements that can be given to them that can help. Be sure to check with your vetinarian to see what treatment option would be best.

Be aware of where 24-hour emergency care is located. That way you’ll be prepared in case your dog needs immediate medical attention on a weekend or evening when the vet has gone home.

The suggestions in this article can help you to be a more informed dog owner, but there are a lot more topics relating to dog health that you need to research to help your dog be as healthy as possible.

Knowing that your buddy is healthy and happy will be your reward for being an informed owner.

Patricia Wagner
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/simple-health-tips-to-help-you-take-better-care-of-your-dog-79171.html

You may all know the importance of daily brushing and flossing for regular good health of your teeth and gums, but that’s as humans and also thanks to dental health education being so updated today. But, did you stop to consider the fact that since science has revealed oral health benefits us by lowering our risk of cardiac problems, it could well be the same for our canine pals? Keeping this medical fact in mind, pet owners are advised to pay extra attention to cleaning their dog’s teeth regularly to keep diseases such as plaque and tartar at bay; even a simple swipe across Fido’s gums with a clean damp cloth should do the trick!

Moving on from the basics to the more advanced techniques for maintaining your dog’s oral health: first understand the importance of proper, balanced and nutritious diet for your pooch i.e. canned food or dry food, any treats and toys apart from regular meals and how much exercise and post-meal oral hygiene is practiced? These are all questions pertinent to your dog’s good oral health maintenance program.

It is strongly suggested that as a caring dog owner, you provide your dog with a daily diet filled with nutritional foods and multivitamins, if he needs them. It is preferable to give your dog dry dog food as compared to the moist, tinned stuff that since this rubs against the teeth to perform the action of a plaque-remover and over time, reduces it too. Adding water to the dry dog food or even adding gravy to it robs the small kibbles of this essential property, so dog owners beware!

As for the treats you give your dog – well, they aren’t much different from the snacks we humans munch on, which we all know are not that great for us either since there are very few of us that actually reach for that recommended crunchy fruit or veggies bag when our stomach growls! So, let these be a rare treat and of dog-bones, raw meat, jerky or dog bikkies (unless they are the hard kind) and keep the greens and corn starch chews that have more than just empty calories like rawhide given between meals, typically. These actually help prevent tartar – so stick with the program, man – and you can be your dog’s best friend by promoting his long life through a good, regular and well managed oral health program!

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-diet-how-it-affects-the-oral-health-of-your-pet-753456.html