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h ealth

The study also noted that more ease in dogs is valvular disease, which there may be no symptoms at all.
research is needed to confirm a cause- primarily affects small breed dogs over As heart disease progresses to con-
effect relationship, and to give recom- 5 years of age and makes up 70-75% of gestive heart failure, which occurs when
mendations about prescribing dogs as a heart disease in dogs. Heartworm disease the heart is unable to meet the body’s
recovery strategy. causes 13% of heart disease even though demands, a dog may develop more obvi-
Dogs, meanwhile, too get heart dis- it is entirely preventable. Myocardial dis- ous symptoms such as fatigue, reduced
ease, just like their human companions. ease, such as dilated cardiomyopathy, willingness to walk or exercise, difficulty
To be more precise, heart disease in dogs makes up 8% of heart disease and pri- breathing, loss of appetite, weight loss, a
is almost as common as it is in humans, marily affects large breed dogs of all ages. distended abdomen, trouble sleeping or
but unlike people, smoking and a fatty The clinical signs of heart disease coughing.
diet are not risk factors. depend on the type of disease and sever-
The most common form of heart dis- ity. It is important to note that early on letters@tehelka.com

Did you know about these behavioural pattern of your dog?

Chasing its tail Rolling in gross things once in a while — it’s a way of exploring
Tail-chasing is often playful, especially It’s happened to a lot of us — enjoying a their surroundings, especially if they’re
if your dog is young. Many dogs chase nice walk with our dogs until we hap- digging holes. In rare cases, it could
their tails because they’re getting to pen upon a pile of something disgust- mean your dog is anemic or has pica, an
know their bodies, see it as a chew toy, ing and they just have to roll in it. What eating disorder in which animals are
or because it’s a nervous habit. How- makes a dog want to roll in garbage, compelled to eat things that aren’t food
ever, if your dog does it for long peri- poop, or dead animals? Well, like run- (such as paper, grass, or even rocks).
ods of time or frequently it can cause ning around after pooping, there are Pica can develop for many reasons,
an injury or mean something more a lot of theories, but none of them are from boredom to thyroid conditions
serious. Take your dog to the vet to get certain. Dogs could be doing it to mask to nutritional imbalances. Boredom
checked out if they’re chasing their tail their scent or because what smells ter- causes dogs to seek an outlet for excess
frequently to rule out a medical issue. rible to us might smell good to them. energy, and nutritional imbalances can
result from a lack of digestive enzymes,
Spinning in Circles Digging holes difficulties with digestion, or a diet that
This behavior may seem funny and You spend a lot of time maintaining doesn’t include enough essential nu-
can sometimes be harmless, but can your lawn, only to go outside and find trients. If you notice your dog compul-
also be a sign of medical issues, anxi- your dog halfway into a crater they’ve sively eating dirt (or anything else that
ety, or other problems. It’s normal for been digging. It might be frustrating for isn’t their food), talk to your vet to de-
dogs to circle in their beds or around you, but for them, it’s perfectly natural. termine whether there’s an underlying
blankets before sleeping to ensure They might simply be following their health issue.
they’re comfortable (nesting), or spin instincts or denning, a behavior com-
in circles before going to the bathroom. mon in breeds such as Huskies. Licking or biting paws
Visit the vet if your dog spins frequent- Digging holes can also result from Like many behaviors, licking paws can
ly, particularly if it’s elderly—spinning wanting to escape the yard or some- be normal. Nonstop licking or chew-
could mean a memory, hearing, vision, thing they fear, hearing moles or bugs ing on paws to the point of red spots,
or neurological issue—or if your dog under the ground (if your dog is digging though, is cause for concern. These
spins in stressful situations, it signals holes in random parts of your yard, this behaviors result from a wide variety
anxiety. might be the case), wanting to cool off of causes — they could mean bore-
in hot weather, or wanting to stash dom, anxiety, dry skin, pain or arthritis,
Running around after pooping away food or treats. Read other com- or allergies. Licking dry skin is a dog’s
There are a few theories about it. Your mon reasons dogs dig here. In some attempt at reliving the dryness.
dog might be marking its territory, as cases, dogs might be missing key min- Allergies or an injury could be causing
dogs have scent glands in their paws erals in their diet and may be seeking it discomfort or itchy skin, causing dogs
(this also explains kicking after poop- from the soil, which brings us to… to react by licking. Since there are so
ing, which many dog owners assume is many potential causes of compulsive
covering up the mess). Or, it might just Eating dirt licking or chewing, be sure to check
feel free and relieved. It’s common for dogs to eat dirt every with your vet once you notice it.

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