Canine coronavirus

Canine coronavirus is a virus of the family Coronaviridae that causes a highly contagious intestinal disease worldwide in dogs. It was discovered in 1971 in Germany during an outbreak in sentry dogs.

Pathology

The virus invades and replicates in the villi of the small intestine. Intestinal disease may be related to virus-induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cells of the epithelial mucosa of the small intestine.^[2] Canine coronavirus was originally thought to cause serious gastrointestinal disease, but now most cases are considered to be very mild or without symptoms.^[3] A more serious complication of canine coronavirus occurs when the dog is also infected with canine parvovirus. Coronavirus infection of the intestinal villi makes the cells more susceptible to parvovirus infection. This causes a much more severe disease than either virus can separately.^[4]However, fatal intestinal disease associated with canine coronavirus without the presence of canine parvovirus is still occasionally reported. This may be related to the high mutation rate of RNA positive stranded viruses, of which canine coronavirus is one.

Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and control

The incubation period is only one to three days.^[4] The disease is highly contagious and is spread through the feces of infected dogs, who usually shed the virus for six to nine days, but sometimes for six months following infection.^[3] Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and anorexia. Diagnosis is through detection of virus particles in the feces. Treatment usually only requires medication for diarrhea, but more severely affected dogs may require intravenous fluids for dehydration. Fatalities are rare. The virus is destroyed by most available disinfectants. There is a vaccine available, and it is usually given to puppies, who are more susceptible to canine coronavirus, and to dogs that have a high risk of exposure, such as show dogs.

Canine respiratory coronavirus

Recently, a second type of canine coronavirus (Group II) has been shown to cause respiratory disease in dogs.^[7] Known as canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) and found to be similar to strain OC43 of bovine and human coronaviruses, it was first isolated in the United Kingdom in 2003 from lung samples of dogs^[8] and has since been found on the European mainland^[9] and in Japan.^[10] A serological study in 2006 has also shown antibodies to CRCoV to be present in dogs in Canada and the United States.^[11] However, a retrospective study in Saskatchewan found that CRCoV may have been present there as far back as 1996.

Kennel cough

Kennel cough or tracheobronchitis is a highly contagious canine illness characterized by inflammation of the upper respiratory system. It can be caused by viral infections such as canine distemper, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, or canine respiratory coronavirus, or bacterial infections such as Bordetella bronchiseptica.^[1] It is so named because the infection can spread quickly among dogs, such as in the close quarters of a kennel.

Infection

Both viral and bacterial causes of kennel cough are spread through the air by infected dogs sneezing and coughing. It can also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and through direct contact. It is highly contagious, even days or weeks after symptoms disappear. Symptoms begin usually 3 to 5 days after exposure.^[1] The disease can progress to pneumonia.

Symptoms

Symptoms can include a harsh, dry hacking/coughing, retching, sneezing, snorting or gagging in response to light pressing of the trachea or after excitement or exercise. The presence of a fever varies from case to case. The disease can last initially from 10-20 days and can rebreak when the dog is put into a stressful situation which puts stress on the dog's immune system. Diagnosis is made by seeing these symptoms, having a history of exposure is also helpful but not always found as kennel cough is easily spread through contact with contaminated surfaces such as the ground, toys, sidewalks, dog parks

Treatment and prevention

Antibiotics are given to treat any bacterial infection present. Cough suppressants are used if the cough is not productive (nothing is being coughed up). The prognosis is good. Prevention is by vaccinating for canine adenovirus, distemper, parainfluenza, andBordetella. In kennels, the best prevention is to keep all the cages disinfected. Most kennels will not board dogs without proof of vaccination.

Note: You guys can go up to ya vet and request for a vaccination against Kennel Cough =). Notes from wiki

Heartworm

Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis, which lives in the right side of the heart and the adjacent blood vessels. Its presence in these blood vessels causes cardiovascular weakness, compromised lung incapacity, and eventual death. Heartworm disease occurs primarily in dogs but can occur in cats and other animals on rare occasions.

Heartworm is transmitted from dog to dog (and cat to cat) by mosquitoes. Over 70 species of mosquitoes have already been implicated. Transmission of the parasite occurs as follows: when a mosquito draws blood from a dog or cat infected with heartworm, it takes with it a number of small immature worms called microfilariae. Once inside the mosquito, the microfilariae develop into larvae. Later, when the mosquito bites a new victim, the larvae are injected and that dog or cat becomes infected.

It takes about six and a half to seven months for the larvae to mature and start producing thousands of new microfilariae inside the circulatory system. The adult worms end up occupying the right chamber of the heart and the pulmonary arteries, while the microscopic microfilariae circulate throughout the bloodstream.

All these worms within the blood vessels produce an increased workload on the heart, along with restricted blood flow to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, eventually causing multiple organ failure. At first, pets may exhibit a chronic cough and reduced exercise tolerance, followed by sudden collapse and death.

Once infected, one pet can easily become a "carrier" or reservoir of infection for an entire neighbourhood. Sometimes, a dog or cat may have heartworm disease but show no symptoms. By the time symptoms do occur, the disease is well advanced.

What are the signs of Heartworm Disease?
When a dog is infected with heartworm, it can suffer one or more of the following symptoms:
1. Coughing: can be occasional or severe
2. Exercise intolerance
3. Weight loss
4. Fluid retention in the abdomen
5. Breathing difficulties
6. Deaths in severe cases


Prevention is preferred to treatment. While there are effective treatments available, most veterinarians prefer to promote prevention of heartworm disease. Oral and topical medications that are administered monthly and have shown to be highly effective in preventing heartworm disease are available from your veterinarian.

How do I know if my dog has heartworms?
If you have a medium to large sized dog and it spends most of its time outdoors, it is strongly recommended that you put your dog on HEARTWORM PREVENTION. This is usually a monthly prevention (either topical application or oral medication) for the rest of its life. However, before you start any form of heartworm prevention, you must bring your dog to the veterinarian for a blood test which will confirm if your dog has heartworms or not. It is important to pursue the blood test before any heartworm prevention is initiated.

Can I start the heartworm prevention without blood tests?
Yes. Only if your dog is between 3-6 months, you can start the heartworm prevention without any blood tests. But if you dog is older than 6 months, it is important and essential to test for heartworms. You CANNOT start any form of prevention without a blood test. This is because, if your dog is positive for heartworm, it is necessary to treat the disease first before embarking in any form of prevention.

Starting heartworm prevention regime
As long as your dog is between 3 - 6 months of age, you can start the prevention now. But if your dog is already older than 6 months, then you have to bring it to your veterinarian today and he/she will explain to you the tests required and the types of prevention that is most suited for your dog.

Alternatively, You may starts your dog on revolution too.

Pet Shop Grading System

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) licenses the keeping and display for sale of pets to safeguard the welfare of animals.

All pet shops are required to have a pet shop licence and to comply with licence conditions. In spite of this, and despite strict enforcement of the licence conditions, AVA continues to get complaints against pet shops. Many complaints relate to pet operator’s poor knowledge and giving incorrect pet care advice to customers, poor customer service and poor business ethics.

To raise the standards of animal welfare and professionalism of pet shops, AVA will grade pet shops according to their compliance with licence conditions and their adoption of best practices. The grading will give the public better assurance that the pet shop they patronise is of a good standard. The grading will also promote responsible pet ownership through better customer education and information dissemination.

Allocation of grades

For a start, AVA will grade pet shops selling dogs, cats and small mammals by 31st March 2007. All shops will start with a clean slate. Offences committed prior to 31st March 2007 will not be factored into the grading:

Grades will be allocated according to a Combined Percentage Score (CPS) achieved. The formula for calculating the CPS is as follows:

CPS = (% score for compliance with licence conditions x 80%) + (% score for adoption of best practices x 20%)

Compliance with licence conditions will have 80% weightage while adoption of best practices will have 20% weightage in the CPS.

Grades will be allocated as follows:

Grade A: CPS = or > 90%

Grade B: CPS 70 – 89%

Grade C: CPS 50 – 69%

Grade D: CPS < style="font-style: italic;">Example One

Score for licence condition compliance = 90%

Score for adoption of best practices = 20%

CPS = (0.9 x 80) + (0.2 x 20) = 76

Shop’s grade = B

Example Two

Score for licence condition compliance = 100%

Score for adoption of best practices = 50%

CPS = (1.0 x 80) + (0.5 x 20) = 90

Shop’s grade = A

Real-time grading

The grade will be reviewed at licence renewal or when the shop is compounded for an offence. When a shop is compounded for an offence, it may or may not be downgraded. This will depend on whether the CPS changes, which will depend on the number of offences and whether the offence is major or minor. Pet shop licence conditions are grouped into three categories as follows:

1. Housing & Environment

2. Management & Healthcare

3. Regulatory Requirements

Any breach of licence conditions listed under “Housing & Environment” and “Management & Healthcare” will have an immediate and direct impact on animal welfare. As such, any breach of these conditions will be considered a major offence. On the other hand, a breach of a condition listed under “Regulatory Requirements” will not have a significant impact on animal welfare and will be considered a minor offence. 10 CPS points will be deducted for a major offence while 5 CPS points will be deducted for a minor offence.

Below are examples of how the grade may or may not be affected by action taken for an offence committed by the shop.

Example One

A Grade A pet shop has a CPS of 95. If it is compounded for a minor offence, its CPS will drop to 90 but it will not be downgraded. If it is compounded for a major offence, its CPS will drop to 85 and it will be downgraded to B.

Example Two

A Grade B pet shop has a CPS of 85. If it is compounded for a major offence and a minor offence, it will lose 15 CPS points, giving it 70 CPS points. It will remain as a grade B pet shop. However, if it is compounded for two major offences, it will lose 20 CPS points, giving it 65 CPS points. It will thus be downgraded to a C.

3

After a shop is downgraded, it can request re-grading one month after the downgrade. This is to encourage downgraded pet shops to take immediate steps to improve.

Implications of a lower grade

Routine inspections of lower grade pet shops will be conducted more times per year. Therefore a Grade A pet shop will be inspected once a year (at renewal) and a Grade B shop two times a year, whereas a Grade C shop will be inspected three times a year and a Grade D shop more than three times a year. Besides having to be inspected more times a year, the licensee and shop staff of Grade D pet shops will be required to attend remedial training. A pet shop that is consistently graded D may also not have its licence renewed.

Automatic D Grade

Pet shops that have been prosecuted and convicted under Animals & Birds Act 2002, Animals and Birds (Pet Shop and Exhibition) Rules 2004, Wild Animals & Birds Act or Endangered Species Act will be automatically graded D.

Publication of pet shop grades

Pet shop grades will be put up at AVA’s website at www.ava.gov.sg. The pet shops will also be required to display their grade in their shop premises. Any queries can be directed to

6471 7198 or E-mail to ava_cawc@ava.gov.sg.

click here

Link to the official letter

PET SHOP GRADES

I dig this information from the AVA website! Do take a look before You buy! ^^

AVA website
PET SHOP GRADES
Grades updated 28th August 2008*





Rex

Dog Licensing

Under the Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules, all dogs above 3 months of age must be licensed for rabies control.

The licence fees for dogs other than in dog farms are as follows:

• For a dog below 5 months of age: S$14.00 per annum
• For a sterilised dog: S$14.00 per annum
• For a non-sterilised dog: S$70 per annum
• For a fourth or subsequent dog: S$175 per annum

It is mandatory to register

click here

Read-up page for Dog Licensing

Oh ya, You require a SINGPASS to register for Singapore citizen and Singapore PR

Click here for foreigners registering for their dogs

No. I'm not working for AVA. I just thought this might be helpful to You guys ^^ Oh ya, I just found out something...

Question: Do You guys know why only dogs are required to be licensed? -
Answer: Cause cats rarely carry rabies here

Snakebites: Reducing Your Risk

How can I avoid snakebites?
Snakes are most active in the spring, early summer and fall. Most snakebites occur between April and October, when weather is warm and outdoor activities are popular. Although most snakes are not poisonous, there are several kinds of snakes in the United States that are. These include rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths and coral snakes. Each year, approximately 8,000 venomous snakebites occur in the United States. Here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of snakebite:

* Regularly trim hedges, keep your lawn mowed and remove brush from your yard and any nearby vacant lots. This will reduce the number of places where snakes like to live.
* Don't allow children to play in vacant, weed-infested lots.
* Always use tongs when moving firewood, brush or lumber. This will safely expose any snakes that may be hidden underneath.
* When moving through areas with tall grass and weeds, always poke at the ground ahead of you with a long stick or pole to scare any snakes away.
* Wear loose, long pants and tall boots when working or walking in areas where snakes are likely to be.
* Never handle snakes, even dead ones. If you see a snake, slowly back away from it.
* Always sleep on a cot when camping in snake-infested areas.
* Be aware of snakes if you are swimming or wading in rivers, lakes or other water such as flooding.
* Learn to identify poisonous snakes and avoid them.


What are the signs of a snakebite?
You may not always know you were bitten by a snake, especially if you were bitten in water or tall grass. Signs and symptoms of a snakebite may include the following:

* Two puncture marks at the wound
* Redness or swelling around the wound
* Severe pain
* Nausea and vomiting
* Labored breathing
* Fever-like symptoms such as sweating
* Numbness or tingling
* Blurred vision
* Diarrhea
* Fainting
* Convulsions
* Rapid pulse


What should I do if I get a snakebite?
A bite from a poisonous snake is a medical emergency. If you or someone else gets bitten by a snake, get help immediately.



What to do if you get bitten by a snake:

* Remain calm and call for help.
* If you are alone, try to get to the nearest hospital as soon as you can.
* Restrict movement as much as possible and try to keep the wound below the level of your heart. This will reduce the spread of venom.
* Take off any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
* Try to remember what the snake looked like: its color, shape and markings. This will help with your treatment.
* Cover the bite with a clean, dry bandage.




What NOT to do if you get bitten by a snake:

* Never apply ice to the snakebite or soak the wound in water.
* Never cut the place that has been bitten.
* Never try to suck the venom out of the snakebite.
* Never apply a tourniquet or try to stop blood flow to or from the snakebite.
* Never try to pick up or trap the snake.
* Do not drink alcohol to relieve the pain of a snakebite.
* Do not drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee or colas after you’ve been bitten by a snake.

Courtesy by familydoctor.org, USA

bite from a cat or a dog?

How should I take care of a bite from a cat or a dog?
Here are some things you should do to take care of a wound caused by a cat or dog bite:

* If necessary, call your doctor (see the shaded box below).
* Wash the wound gently with soap and water.
* Apply pressure with a clean towel to the injured area to stop any bleeding.
* Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
* Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection.
* Report the incident to the proper authority in your community (for example, the animal control office or the police).
* Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.



Call your doctor in any of these situations:

* You have a cat bite. Cat bites often cause infection. You don't need to call your doctor for a cat scratch, unless you think the wound is infected.
* You have a dog bite on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is deep or gaping.
* You have diabetes, liver or lung disease, cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or another condition that could weaken your ability to fight infection.
* You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, warmth, increased tenderness, oozing of pus from the wound or a fever.
* You have bleeding that doesn't stop after 15 minutes of pressure or you think you may have a broken bone, nerve damage or another serious injury.
* Your last tetanus shot (vaccine) was more than 5 years ago. (If so, you may need a booster shot.)
* You were bitten by a wild animal or a domestic animal (such as a pet) of unknown immunization status.



What will my doctor do?
Here are some things your doctor may do to treat a cat or dog bite:

* Examine the wound for possible nerve damage, tendon damage or bone injury. He or she will also check for signs of infection.
* Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.
* May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered.
* May prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
* May give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.
* May ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.
* If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you're taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.


Will I need a rabies shot?
Probably not. Rabies is uncommon in dogs and cats in the United States. If a dog or cat that bit you appeared to be healthy at the time of the bite, it's unlikely that the animal had rabies. However, it's a good idea to take some precautions if you're bitten by a dog or cat.

If you know the owner of the dog or cat that bit you, ask for the pet's vaccination record (record of shots). An animal that appears healthy and has been vaccinated should still be quarantined (kept away from people and other animals) for 10 days to make sure it doesn't start showing signs of rabies. If the animal gets sick during the 10-day period, a veterinarian will test it for rabies. If the animal does have rabies, you will need to get a series of rabies shots (see below).

If the animal is a stray or you can't find the owner of the dog or cat that bit you, call the animal control agency or health department in your area. They will try to find the animal so it can be tested for rabies.

If the animal control agency or health department can't find the animal that bit you, if the animal shows signs of rabies after the bite or if a test shows that the animal has rabies, your doctor will probably want you to get a series of rabies shots (also called post-exposure prophylaxis). You need to get the first shot as soon as possible after the bite occurs. After you receive the first shot, your doctor will give you 5 more shots over a 28-day period.


How can I prevent cat and dog bites?
Here are some things you can do to prevent bites:

* Never leave a young child alone with a pet.
* Do not try to separate fighting animals.
* Avoid sick animals and animals that you don't know.
* Leave animals alone while they are eating.
* Keep pets on a leash when in public.
* Select your family pet carefully and be sure to keep your pet's vaccinations

Photo of a Human Rabies patient being restrained

Courtesy by familydoctor.org, USA

Dogs with Demodectic Mange Have Defective Immune Systems

It is common for dogs to have the Demodex canis mite living on their skin. The tiny cigar-shaped parasite burrows into the skin yet most healthy dogs show no signs of infection. However, in dogs with defective immune systems, the mites can multiply and cause a disease called demodectic mange or demodicosis.

Research suggests that certain breeds of dogs have a genetic predisposition to demodicosis. Transmission of the mite is from the mother to her puppies during nursing in the first 72 hours after birth. Demodicosis is not contagious to other dogs or to people.

There are many expressions of demodicosis and the prognosis for a permanent cure really depends on the type of demodicosis. For example, if your dog has localized demodicosis, it is a mild, self-limiting disease. This kind of demodicosis usually affects dogs 6 ot 9 months of age and clinical signs consist of nothing more than a patch or two of hairlessness with mild itchiness. Ninety per cent of these cases resolve on their own, regardless of whether they are treated or not. The prognosis for full recovery is excellent and recurrence is rare.

On the other hand, there is a generalized second form that results in large amounts of hair loss from all over the body. Dogs that have this form respond moderately well to treatment.

However, if there is a concurrent skin infection, the prognosis is more guarded. With this third type of mange, there is usually pain and itchiness associated with it and patients may exhibit depression, inactivity, appetite loss and irritability.

A fourth type of demodicosis (called pododermatitis) affects the paws only.

Treatment
The recommended treatment for generalized demodicosis is a topical treatment called Amitraz (Mitoban™). If used once weekly, it has been shown to be almost 80 per cent effective. There is also an antiparasitic medication called Ivermectin (Ivomec™)that has been shown to be safe and highly effective against the demodex mite. In order to use it, you must sign a release form authorizing its use on your pet. Since demodicosis is not so much the result of a mite problem as it is an immune-system defect, dogs that have been successfully treated for demodicosis will always be at risk of a relapse. However, there should be no Recurrence unless the patient becomes reinfected with demodex mites.

To note
If your pet scratches excessively or experiences patchy or generalized hair loss, you should consult your veterinarian so that he or she can rule out demodicosis as well as other skin disorders.

Animal arthritis

Introduction
The canine skeletal system is a marvel of bones, cartilage, and ligaments that provide the body with a framework to erect on four strong legs, protect internal organs, and provide a full range of motion. The muscles furnish the power to propel the dog into action, but without healthy bones, joints, and connective tissue, the muscles cannot do their job.
Joints — the skeletal hinges — give the skeleton flexibility for walking, trotting, running, jumping, climbing, and moving the head and neck to increase the field of vision. The dog's body has three types of joints: ball and socket such as the hip and shoulder joints; hinged joints such as the knees and elbows; and gliding or plane joints such as the wrists and ankles. The joints are lubricated for smooth action by synovial fluid and are stabilized by tendons and ligaments. When the joints are damaged by injury or disease, arthritis (joint inflammation) can occur.
“He has arthritis” is probably the most common reaction of the pet owner whose Fido or Fluffy is stiff-legged after exercise, has trouble getting up in the morning, or is reluctant to go up or down stairs. But since such stiffness or lameness can have several causes and since arthritis itself comes in different types, a trip to the veterinarian is a more prudent move than slipping the pooch a couple of aspirin for the discomfort.

Degenerative joint disease
Arthritis results from inflammation in the joints and is generally divided into two types — degenerative and inflammatory — according to the source of that irritation. 

Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) results from destruction of the cartilage that protects the bones that make up the joint. Cartilage destruction can be the result of normal stress on abnormal joints or abnormal stress on normal joints(1). Hip dysplasia(2), a malformation of the hip sockets, is one example of normal stress on abnormal joints. Constant jumping over obstacles, stretching or tearing ligaments during strenuous exercise, or injuries in a fall or accident are examples of abnormal stress on normal joints. 

Degenerative joint disease can be further subdivided into primary disease for which no known cause is evident and secondary disease for which a cause can be pinpointed. Among the causes of secondary degenerative joint disease are hip dysplasia, patella luxation (loose kneecaps), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD, the development of cartilage “flaps” in the joints when bone development is disturbed), trauma, and ruptured cruciate (knee) ligaments. Secondary degenerative joint disease can sometimes be prevented or halted by surgical repair of the joint before arthritis progresses.

Degenerative arthritis may not manifest until the dog has had years of abnormal stress. Since cartilage has no nerves, the damage can progress with no outward signs until the joint is severely compromised and the lubricating fluid has thinned and lost its ability to protect the bone surfaces.

Inflammatory joint disease
Inflammatory joint disease can be caused by infection or by underlying immune-mediated diseases. Inflammatory arthritis usually affects multiple joints and is accompanied by signs of systemic illness including fever, anorexia, an all-over stiffness. 

Again, this type of arthritis is subdivided into infectious and immune-mediated categories. Infectious joint disease can be caused by bacteria, by tick-borne diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and by fungal infection. 

Immune-mediated arthritis is cause by underlying weakness in the immune system and can be hereditary. Rheumatoid arthritis, a deforming type of immune-mediated arthritis, is rare in dogs. Systemic lupus and an idiopathic (unidentified) immune-related arthritis both can cause nondestructive joint infections. 

Because infectious joint disease and immune-mediated joint disease call for different treatment protocols, diagnosis must be accurate. The immuno-suppressive drugs used to treat the immune-mediated disease may allow the infectious type of disease to thrive.

Signs of arthritis(3)
Reluctance to walk, climb stairs, jump, or play
Limping
Lagging behind on walks
Difficulty rising from a resting position
Yelping in pain when touched
A personality change resisting touch

Treatment
Degenerative joint disease can sometimes be halted or prevented by surgery when x-rays indicate joint malformations. If surgery is not indicated or advisable, relief can be achieved with painkillers, exercise, rest, and diet. However, even over-the-counter painkillers should not be used without the advice of a veterinarian

.(4)
Researchers are ever busy trying to find new generations of drugs to relieve pain. The latest in pain relievers for canine arthritis includes
Rimadyl, Adequan, and Palaprin, all available only from veterinarians.
Rimadyl (generic name carprofen) has gotten raves from veterinarians for its ability to relieve pain with few side effects. Long-term use of this drug requires periodic blood tests for liver function, but most dogs apparently do well on it. Like all drugs, however, Rimadyl is not effective for all patients.
Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan)(5) is given by injection twice each week for four weeks. It not only relieves the pain of arthritis, it binds to damaged cartilage to facilitate repair, blocks the action of destructive enzymes that cause inflammation, and stimulates the production of healthy joint fluid.
Palaprin6 is a buffered aspirin specifically for dogs; it can be used in the same circumstances in which aspirin is used but without the gastrointestinal irritation that sometimes occurs with aspirin.
There are other drug treatments; dogs with arthritis should be under veterinary care, and the veterinarian can determine which treatment is best for each dog.
Diet also plays an important part in arthritis treatment, especially to control the patient's weight. Excess weight causes more stress on the joints and exacerbates existing arthritis pain. In large breed dogs, periods of rapid growth can lead to development of OCD and joint dysplasias if the underlying genetic code is present, so special attention should be paid to the diets of these puppies to prevent too-rapid weight gain.
Whether drugs, surgery, or both are indicated in arthritis treatment owners should make sure their pets get plenty of rest and are not asked to perform painful exercise during treatment and recuperation. Veterinary advice in the matter of exercise should be followed even though it may seem that the recovery is slow. Ultimately, the type and duration of exercise will have to be restricted to reduce the pain as much as possible.
Notes
From Canine Orthopedics by Robert L. Rooks DVM and Connie Jankowski, the primary source of information for this article.

Ear mites

Are small parasites (called Otodectes cyanotis) that can infest the ear canals of both dogs and cats, causing severe itching which leads to self-trauma. In most cases, this is due to an allergic reaction to the mites. Affected ears usually have brown or black, crusty debris in the ear canals. Sometimes the skin around the ears is crusty, red and scaly.

How are the mites transmitted?

Ear mites are extremely contagious. They can be passed from the mother animal to her offspring. Additionally, the mites are easily spread to other pets within the household including cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, mice, ferrets, etc. The mites do not infest humans, but can bite us.

Symptoms and Treatments

A diagnosis is usually made by examination of the ear discharge under a microscope. Sometimes during an ear exam with an otoscope, the parasite can be seen moving around in the ear canal. Treatment of an ear mite infestation involves applying medication either into the ear canals or administration of medication by injection. All infested animals and in-contact animals need to be treated. A thorough cleanup of the pet's environment is also needed. For example, wash pet beds or blankets in hot, soapy water. It is important to discuss the most up-to-date treatment options with your veterinarian rather than relying on over-the-counter remedies. A follow-up examination will be booked with your veterinary health care team to make sure that the treatment has completely cleared the parasites. Ear products without an insecticide will not kill the mites.Ivermectin, fipronil (Frontline), and selamectin (Revolution) have also been used by some veterinarians. Milbemycin (Milbemite) and Acarexx, a form of ivermectin are approved for the treatment of ear mites in cats. Depending upon the medication used, the ears may need to be treated two to four weeks until all mites are killed.

Ear mites are not considered to be a zoonotic disease (disease which can be transmitted from animals to humans).