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Canine Leptospirosis Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection often causing permanent kidney and liver damage in dogs. It is a bacterial disease which attacks the kidneys and the liver, causing uremia (uremic poisoning), jaundice, and sometimes death. The disease is highly contagious and often fatal. It is transmitted by many species of wild and domestic animals,Read more

Canine Bordetella (Kennel Cough) Bordetella bronchisepticum, a bacterial pathogen, is one of the several major causes of infectious tracheobronchitis (ITB, more commonly known as kennel cough), an extremely contagious respiratory disease of dogs. If treated, ITB rarely causes death, but even with treatment, the disease typically lasts for many weeks, during which time the affectedRead more

Adenovirus 1, Adenovirus 2 (AKA Canine Hepatitis) Canine adenovirus infection comes in two forms – Type-1 causes severe (even fatal) liver disease; Type-2 causes respiratory disease which can lead to pneumonia and death. These viruses are very contagious. Dogs of any age can become infected with canine adenovirus via contact with infected saliva, mucous, urine,Read more

Parainfluenza Virus Canine parainfluenza virus is one of the most common causes of infectious tracheobronchitis, also called “kennel cough”, an infection of the windpipe (trachea) and its lower branches (the bronchi). Other important organisms can also cause kennel cough, such as canine adenovirus-2 and Bordetella bronchiseptica, a bacterial pathogen. Kennel cough is characterized by aRead more

Parvovirus Parvovirus is a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease of puppies and unvaccinated adult dogs. This virus is transmitted by direct contact with infected dogs or wild members of the dog family, infected feces, or a contaminated environment. Canine parvovirus can live for months to years in the environment. Canine parvovirus causes fever, severeRead more

Canine Distemper Canine distemper is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease. It is found worldwide in places inhabited by dogs and other members of the canine family. The virus is spread in the air and via direct contact through respiratory secretions of an infected dog or wild animal. Distemper primarily affects puppies andRead more

By Dr Sandy Welton   Dog agility is a sport in which the handler is given a set amount of time in which to direct a dog off-lead through an obstacle course. It  began as an exhibition sport in Great Britain at the Cruffs Dog Show in the late 1970s to keep the spectators occupiedRead more

Canine Aggression:  How to deal with it The best way to prevent canine aggression is to positively reinforce the dog with love and correct disciplinary measures when required during the fist eight weeks – the period which we call the imprintation period. However, it may have gone all wrong here. Often we end up owning dogsRead more

  by Dr David Huchzermeyer   “ … Like A Fish To The Water”, And Other Miracles!   Water is fascinating. Not only for water sports and swimming pool enthusiasts but especially for anyone with an interest in fish. All too easily the fisherman takes life forms in the water for granted, until one dayRead more

Cold Fish?  The All-important Role Of Temperature  By Dr David Huchzermeyer   Fish, like birds and mammals, are vertebrates.  One striking difference in the way its body functions sets fish apart from birds and mammals.  Like reptiles and amphibians, fish are cold-blooded or poikilothermic. Unlike birds and mammals, they can’t regulate their body temperature throughRead more