As the summer comes closer, many people will be making additions to their homes and some of these will be made using chemically treated wood products.

If you have a pet around the house, then you may need to take a couple of extra precautions when creating your deck or patio structures.

Most newer wood products that are chemically treated are now treated in such a manner that the primary problem chemicals, arsenic and copper, are not water soluble. Meaning they do not dissolve in water. and that the wood will not be technically dangerous in the event a pet chews on it.

However I said technically. See the below excerpt from Safe Use of Chemically Treated Wood, for a more specific details.

Chromium is the agent responsible for binding the arsenic and copper to the molecules that makes up woods. This process renders the toxic principals water-insoluble, and they cannot leach out of the wood. EPA and U.S. Department of Agriculture studies have shown that CCA-treated lumber is safely used in the presence of plants and animals.

Plants do not absorb the chemicals and animals that chew on the wood cannot digest out the arsenic. However, these chemicals can be released as toxic gases if the wood is burned.

There is also the possibility of skin and lung iritation from contact with surface residues or sawdust created during construction.

Please note the red highlighted area. This to me means that though the EPA is willing to let animals chew on it and consider it safe, that they do acknowledge the chance of problems.

In part this is due to the nature of the dust and other particulate matter (torn wood fibers at such small levels), that this material could put your pet at risk.

You could use this wood to build a dog house, but would not want to use it for the flooring, any place where your dog spends extended periods of contact or where food would come into contact with.

In general, if you are going to be outside cutting chemically treated wood products all weekend, wear a mask for yourself and leave your dog inside.

Trust me, I know my dogs would rather be outside too. However the last thing I want to do is fill their sensitive noses and lungs with a bunch of arsenic fumes, copper dust and who knows what else just because they need to be sniffing every little dust pile.

Technorati Tags: animal illness, canine illness, chromium, pet chews, toxic gases

All dogs are at the mercy of lethal and disabling illnesses. As a responsible owner, it is vital to your pet well-being that you realize and understand that many dog illness symptoms are much easier and cheaper to prevent then to treat.

Many dog illnesses are airborne, while others can be transmitted through contact with other pets, pet waste, or through parasites. One of the biggest jobs as a pet owner is to simply take notice of your pet’s behavior patterns and habits. Learn to be observant of these things so that you will know when something is not “normal”. This will be your first step in knowing what illness symptoms affect your dog

There are many different dog illness symptoms to watch out for. Many of these can also be caused by less harmless problems, so it is important to contact your veterinary office for clarification or further testing in the event you detect any of these signs.

Canine Bordatella: is a bacterium that can cause respiratory tract infection known as “Kennel Cough”. Canine Bordatella symptoms include eye and nasal discharges and a loud, rough cough or hacking.

Canine Coronavirus: is contagious viral illness that is quite common in dogs. Canine Coronavirus will cause sickness with signs of diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss. Coronavirus can mimic or coexist along side of Parvo, making it tricky to detect.

Canine Distemper: is another common and threatening viral infection of dogs. Early Canine Distemper symptoms include: fever, sneezing, coughing, fluid discharge of the eyes and nasal cavities, and more severe symptoms include: pneumonia, convulsions or paralysis.

Canine Parvovirus: is an example of the most fatal viral illnesses for dogs. Canine Parvovirus symptoms include: sudden and inexplicable weight loss and vomiting, dehydration, and bloody diarrhea. Parvo can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis (ICH): is a virus that causes a contagious form of hepatitis in dogs. Early symptoms of this virus include: weakness, loss of appetite, cough, and eye and nasal discharges, and more advanced stages may include: yellowing of the gums and other mucus membranes, and death.

Lyme Disease: is a bacterial infection transmitted through other Lyme infected parasites, most often through a tick bite. Lyme Disease Symptoms include loss of appetite, pain when moving, fever, lameness and lymph node enlargement. This is a dangerous disease as a tick can leave your dog and still bit you.

Rabies: is a heavy and perilous illness of most mammals, including humans. The infection is spread by the bite of another infected animal. Rabies symptoms include unusual behavior, unprovoked attacks and foaming at the mouth. Most animals that are found to have rabies will likely be euthanized.

Note: While puppies will often have a much more serious forms of the illnesses listed above, they all can and do affect dogs of all ages.

I did make reference to “sudden and inexplicable” signs like vomiting and diarrhea. Use your head people. If you feed your dog a lot of carrots, which are notorious for causing diarrhea in dogs, then do not panic and think your dog has Parvo simply because he is pooping a lot. Some common dog illness symptoms are easily explainable, while other less common dog illness symptoms are not.

On the other hand, if your dog’s diet has not changed for months, they start vomiting suddenly and often, and have diarrhea, then you should take your pet to the vet anyways. While it still may not be Parvo, your pet could still have a problem. This is where doing your best to be observant comes in handy.

Technorati Tags: canine illness, dog illness symptoms

We have broken down the canine illness category into several sub-categories and will now be placing all canine illness articles and topics within the following categories.

We hope this will make it easier for people to find corresponding information about the illness that affect their pets.

— Canine Behavioral Problems
Some pets have non-traditional problems. These would be problems that may not have a definitive medical reason for being. Behavioral problems consist of aggression, chewing, excessive licking, and many other disorders.

— Canine Cancers
There are many types of potential problems associated with canine cancers. Some by be benign, some malignant, but you will find them here.

— Canine Deficiency Conditions
Canine deficiency problems occur when your pet is either lacking something, such as a vitamin deficiency, or their body is not producing something it needs, such as a blood deficiency.

— Canine Glandular Diseases
Some of the more common problems your pet may encounter are actually glandular diseases. These diseases can affect the thyroid, prostate, pituitary and other glands.

— Canine Hereditary Problems
Many canine health problems can be passed down through your pets hereditary genes. While these problems can skip your pet, you should know what risk factors are built in and how to look for them.

— Canine Infections
Every day your pet risks potential for some form of canine infections much the same way we do. Pets can get colds, the flu, and a host of other viral, bacterial or fungal infections. Learn how to spot them, treat them and prevent them.

— Canine Injury
Canine injuries can and do happen. A broken leg, a twisted ankle or just a scrape from a stick can all lead to potential problems for your pet. Find out how to help protect your pets when this happens.

— Canine Neurological Problems
Canine neurological problems could range from trauma to your pets head, such as a concussion, to harder to diagnose issues like pet depression.

— Canine Organ Specific Illnesses
Many pet illnesses may only affect very specific parts of your pets body. These organ specific illnesses, such as liver disease, skin problems, or heart conditions are found here.

— Canine Parasitic Problems
During your pet’s lifetime they will encounter a host of parasites. Most commonly these will be fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. These parasites carry a host of problems for your dogs.

— Chronic Canine Illness
Some canine conditions classify as chronic. This may mean that there is a treatment, but no known cure. Diabetes for instance, is treatable, but not curable. These types of problesm will be found here.

— Miscellaneous Canine Problems
Miscellaneous canine ailments that might not fit neatly into other categories. This could be because of unknown or inconsistent causes, such as canine diarrhea or poison prevention.

Technorati Tags: canine health problems, Canine Hereditary Problems, canine illness, Canine Neurological Problems