Choosing The Right Veterinarian
Choosing the right veterinarian for your American Eskimo dog
is one of the most important decisions you will make about
the health of your dog. Without a doubt, at some point
your Eskie will fall ill on a Sunday evening when most
veterinarian offices are closed. If this happens, you
will have no choice but to go to an emergency clinic. This
will be very costly and the emergency clinic will not have
your pet's health file on record. So it's important to
establish a relationship with a veterinarian at a clinic
that is open 7 days a week and where you can call 24/7 for
help in case of an emergency. Try to pick such a
clinic that is closest to home so when your Eskie's health
is in distress, you do not have very far to drive.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are important to ward off illnesses that can be
fatal for your American Eskimo. Routine vaccinations include
distemper, parvovirus and rabies. You may wish to consult
with your veterinarian on additional vaccines available
including bordetella, often referred to as kennel cough,
leptospirosis which can be picked up by drinking standing
water, lyme disease contracted through ticks, giardia,
sometimes called beaver fever picked up by drinking stream
or river water and heart worm which can be contracted
through hiking in areas such as the Okanagan. Factors such as
where you live and where you take your Eskie, will help you
and your veterinarian to decide which vaccinations are
appropriate for your dog.
Bloodwork
Whenever humans go to their doctor for their annual checkup, invariably that involves
going for blood tests. Although veterinarians rarely suggest a blood test for your dog,
unless they are suspicious of illness, you may want to ask your veterinarian for a
general panel blood test at the time of the yearly checkup. Having blood tested on your Eskie
may help to detect the
early onset of diseases before the diseases display physical symptoms. It gives
you an opportunity to adjust a diet or maintenance or your dog's health to help prevent the
onset of diseases. The general panel blood test typically
ranges in price between $50 and $100 depending on your veterinarian.
Vomitting
Vomitting is not natural for any dog. Sometimes you may see your Eskie vomit once perhaps if he picked
up something off the grass. If your Eskie vomits more than once or twice in a row, it is time to pack him up and take him to
the vet immediately. Dehydration from vomitting happens quickly. This can lead to other health problems. Repeated vomitting
is a serious sign of something gone wrong. It is a reaction to something. It could be a food allergy or it could be due to
toxic exposure to something. It could also be a sign of some other potentially life threatening health
problem. In either case, you need to take your Eskie to the hospital right away.
PRA Sited As "common" In Eskies
PRA is an eye disease that has been sited as "common" in Eskies. It is a
disease that can sometimes lead to blindness. If you see a change in the way your Eskies eyes look or notice any
changes in their vision, be sure to visit the West Coast Veterinary Eye Specialists in New Westminster.
There are two top notch veterinary opthalmology specialists on staff with diagnostic
and surgical facilities. This is the only specialty eye clinic for animals in the province.
West Coast Veterinary Eye Specialists
460 East Columbia Street
New Westminster, BC V3L 3X5
http://www.westcoastanimaleyes.com
info@westcoastanimaleyes.com
phone: 604-777-4448
There is a genetic test called The OptiGen prcd-PRA Test
that is performed by OptiGen Labs in New York. For information about the test, please visit
http://www.optigen.com/opt9_test_prcd_pra.html
There are lists of Eskie breeders on the web who have had the OPTIGEN Pattern A test
done on their Eskies. You can avoid buying an Eskie with PRA by ensuring it comes from a breeder
who has had the dame and sire of the puppy OPTIGEN certified. Here are the lists:
http://myweb.cableone.net/lenise/optigen.htm
Tear Stains
Tear stains will appear in some Eskies eyes and not in others. It depends on the structure of the
eye and whether or not there is any leakage from the eye. The staining is caused by a natural element in the eye fluid.
It is typically rust coloured. According to veterinary opthalmologists, this a natural occurence and not much can
be done to eliminate the staining. No chemicals should be applied in or around the eye area. For best management,
gently wipe under your Eskies eyes in the morning with a wettened cottonball. Be sure not to touch the eye surface.
Eye Goop
From time to time you may see some mucus appear on the surface of the eyeball. It is generally
semi-transparent and colorless. When you see this, you should wash your Eskies' eyes right away. Otherwise, not only
may it occlude his vision, but it can scratch the inside lid or the eyeball which may cause vision problems. To
clean your Eskies' eyes, you'll need a
bottle of sterile saline solution, thimerosal free. You can buy this at one of the big drug store chains such as
Shoppers. It's called "Saline Solution" by CIBA Vision. To apply, place your hand under your Eskies' chin, tilt his
head back and squirt the saline solution into the affected eye. Then wipe the excess off from around his eye with
Kleenex. Repeat this until you see the mucus has disappeared
from the eye. Never touch the eyeball.
Don't Shave Your Eskie
Don't shave your Eskie. All Eskies have very fair skin that is not meant to be exposed to the sun.
Sun burn and skin problems can occur. An Eskie has a double coat of hair. An inner thick coat that protects the skin
and a longer outer coat that crowns the body. An Eskies hair acts as a temperature regulator. It keeps
him both warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Dogs do not have sweat glands. They cool off by panting. You can
thin out the inner coat, clip the outer coat, but never shave your Eskie for health reasons. Also, it has been reported
with some Eskies that their hair does not always grow back.
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