Hamster Is Not Doing So Well in his Hamster Cage

One should observe the smallest changes in the behavior of the hamster every day to keep diseases away from the little creature. It is important to note whether the hamster goes on a search for food, comes to the hamster house at the same time and if it moves the same way.

A weekly health check in which some investigations are carried out can prevent harm. The hamster can be helped by a veterinarian if the diseases are detected early.

Health check for hamsters

This health check is necessary especially with home held hamsters because they are even more sensitive. It is recommended that the weight of the hamster in a hamster cage is checked and noted on a regular basis. You can use a kitchen scale for weight control.

All body parts should be checked, ears, eyes and cutting teeth in particular. This way you can see if the hamster is sensitive and you will know how to take care of it in the future. Then, open its mouth and if it is a healthy hamster, then you should notice a yellowish discoloration of the upper incisors.
The scanning of the hamster is also extremely important, so that you can identify tumors early. You should pay attention to thickening or inflammation.

Then an examination of the hamster fur is also necessary. You should be able to determine whether the hamster has bald patches or other irregularities and then treat its problems accordingly.

The last thing you should be careful with is whether the hamster has anus glued points. Now you can put the hamster back in its cage and reward it for its cooperation with a treat.

 You should consult a veterinarian as soon as one notices serious injury or changes in the behavior of the hamster in the hamster cage to make sure that the hamster will be well.

You can refer to different listings and check a few possibilities to have a clue about which disease it could suffer from.

If the hamster presents a significant weight loss, it is possible that the hamster has a serious illness or that it is under great stress. A weight fluctuation of 5 grams per week is normal.

Neither an excessive weight loss nor a significant increase in weight are good signs and should definitely be examined by a veterinarian in more detail.

If you make the health check on bare skin, you might notice that the hamster is infected by a fungus, mites or parasites.
If the eyes of your hamster are glued or cloudy, it could be suffering from conjunctivitis.

Broken teeth should necessarily be treated by a veterinarian. However, if their incisors are too long, then this can be regulated by the administration of more branches and other rodent materials. If there is still no improvement, then you should consult a veterinarian once again.

If the hamster has a taped nose or is breathing heavily, it may be suffering from a respiratory disease. False or wet dandelion and other plants are very helpful in such cases.

Hamster owners are always very frightened when they notice bloody in the urine of their hamster. This may indicate a bladder or kidney disease so the hamster must be treated by a veterinarian.

If thickening is identified during palpation, this may be an indication of a tumor. In this case, you should find a good vet you trust and see what options you have. The tumor can be removed surgically.

The visit to the vet with the hamster

Please do not hesitate to consult a veterinarian if the life of your hamster is at stake. Hamsters may have a short life expectancy, but they should get a corresponding treatment in case something is wrong with them and thus their lifespan is maximized.

Select only veterinarians that have been recommended by others, too, for your little rodent because, unfortunately, there are many veterinarians who do not value the life of a hamster and do not opt for a surgical procedure which is too complicated for such a small animal. Take the first visit to the vet and see how he behaves and then try another vet practice if you believe that the vet does not care enough for your little hamster.

You should always have food, water and some treats to reward the little hamster when you take it on a trip to the veterinarian. You should also have some litter and nesting material in a transport box so that the hamster will not be distracted from its natural circadian rhythm too much.

Serious problem: obesity and fleas of dogs

A dog's body, if it bears a heavy load, it eventually leads to disease. Continued overweight (obesity) can lead to major health problems for your pet. Therefore it is important to observe the figure in order to detect an increase in weight in time. Depending on breed, age and agility of body shape, the tendency to excess weight are very different. You know your pet best and should already be aware of when minor changes happen.

Difficult to unhealthy weight gain and obesity in dogs

Superfluous bacon rolls are not only unsightly, but can also make your dog get sick. Overweight loads on the joints, weakening the defense for external parasites like dog fleas, the lungs and diaphragm function makes more prone to diseases, tumors or allergies. Obesity is a cause of high blood pressure and diabetes in the long run, damaging the heart, kidneys, liver and joints. Imagine your four-legged friend needs surgery suddenly and then the bias caused by his excess weight, can be life threatening for him! If your dog is too fat, it reduces the quality of life and shortens his life expectancy at worst.

Signs of weight gain and obesity in dogs

A fat dog that is getting heavier, his hair loses its gloss, and heat is annoying him. Weight gain affects your dog's behavior. If you are also feel not able to fee his ribs, this is a bad thing, as they  are a good benchmark for the ideal weight. You should be able to with the flat of your hand to feel for any problems, and at the base of the tail you should be able to feel the bone. For short-haired four-legged friends it can be seen quite well from the top if they are overweight, when the cross was too broad and the waist is still poorly defined. The optimum weight for your fur nose can be detected by the vet and at home, you should check it regularly. Stand alone on the scale, then the dog, and the difference will tell his weight.

Causes of obesity and weight gain in dogs

The reasons for weight gain can be varied. Triggers such as castration in almost every other dog causes an increased appetite. Also, metabolic disorders or other illnesses can cause weight gain. Medical causes can recognize the veterinary treatment including a cardiovascular check and is based on blood values. But usually overfeeding and insufficient exercise causes weight gain and obesity. Type and quantity of food should be adjustd based on the age and activity of your dog, so he can be supplied the energy he can burn accordingly. Especially in elderly animals that is often neglected, and can cause serious consequences.

Important Note

The Content Advisor cannot replace a visit to the vet. This information should not be used alone as the basis for health-related decisions. In diseases of animals and use of medication should consult a veterinarian.

Hip Dysplasia (HD) in Dogs

Hip dysplasia - short HD - is a largely genetic disorder of the hip joint, which - contrary to the popular opinion – is not only found in German shepherds. Indeed, this was the breed that was first diagnosed with HD, but it can be encountered in almost all breeds. However, large growing dogs run a higher risk of suffering from HD. Besides, the genetic background, a poor diet and an incorrect posture also play important roles in the development and progression of the disease. We distinguish between various degrees of HD severity, the Norberg angle being an essential criterion. This is the angle formed between the line connecting the centers of both femoral heads and the front hip joint. In the event of HD, this angle is 105 ° or less.

Symptoms and disease progression

Hip dysplasia is difficult for dog owners to recognize at first, but obvious symptoms include pain and dogs are generally considered less prone to pain. In addition to this, the manifestations of symptoms are considered to be dependent on age and the stage of the disease. As the disease progresses, you will notice that the dog will sit more often during longer walks and that it will sometimes howl because of the pain. You will definitely see the changes during the progression of HD.

You might notice that the dog is more inclined on one side and might have some trouble with its hind legs. A crunching or cracking of the joint can be heard. You should always consult a vet who can confirm the suspicion and detect the level of severity if these symptoms appear. A dog is suspected of suffering from HD if the Norberg angle is sharper than 105 ° or if there are slight irregularities in the acetabular or femoral head. The animal must be observed.

A light form of HD occurs when the femoral head and acetabulum are uneven, the Norberg angle is less than 100 ° and there are slight arthritic changes. An average high angle and a significant degree of unevenness of up to 90 ° are visible. These arthritic changes are to be expected in any case. HD leads to serious changes and a flashy hip-Norberg angle below 90 degrees. Various arthritic changes are the result.

Medicines and cure

Hip dysplasia is not curable, in principle, but you can relieve the pain and delay the progression. The first thing you should avoid is the dog climbing stairs, jumping, getting into high boot racks and you should reduce its walks on hard because the more the hip is hereby charged, the faster the joints wear down. The vet will resort to different treatments depending on the severity of HD.

First of all, it will certainly come to drug therapy and analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. Their implementation may take several years of pain, the pectineus muscle - a muscle on the inside of the thigh – may be cut or removed and the vet might cut around the edge of the joint capsule. A surgical tightening of the joint capsule is also possible. However, this is performed only in young animals because there are no abrasions.

Also, young dogs can also have an osteotomy of the pelvis. This elaborate operation leads to an improvement of the femoral head and the acetabulum. A very expensive, but extremely effective treatment is the insertion of an artificial hip joint, which promises a life free of symptoms. However, subsequent rehabilitation measures like specific movements or muscle building are required. There is an equally good and long-lasting success with respect to the promises of relief from pain if the joint head is removed. Physical therapy should follow. Unfortunately, permanent impairment is sometimes observed. The efficacy of alternative medicine in veterinary medicine is controversial, but the insertion of gold pins in the muscles of the acupuncture points seems to be a popular solution.

Prevention (vaccination)

There is no real prevention of HD except for a vaccine. One can only achieve the prevention of progression through proper nutrition and targeted movement. Excessive loads, compressing and stretching of the joints should be avoided. An added dose of the lining cartilage anabolic agents is possible. A particularly important approach to prevention is avoiding the inheritance of HD. Therefore, numerous dog breeding associations require a certificate showing that breed dogs are free of HD. However, there is no guarantee that a dog will not present hip dysplasia even if its parents or ancestors did not suffer from this disease.

Spy Sweeper

Powered by Webroot, Spy Sweeper is often cited as a reference. Here is a short description of the latest version, stamped 5.5.

Like Spyware Doctor, Spy Sweeper offers a version with an antivirus program. Besides, no one knows exactly which one it is because, according to the dialog boxes and icons, the software is called Spy Sweeper, Spy Sweeper with Antivirus, Webroot Antivirus and even Outright with Antispyware. In short, it is to be understood that Webroot's antivirus functionality of its software is in the foreground.

In practice, this spyware remover features two shields. The first defends your PC against potentially unwanted programs. The Antivirus Shield comes complete on some points, having almost the same features as the rest of such programs.

Web browsing: Spy Sweeper includes full protection, but this is reserved for Internet Explorer. The software monitors the installation of BHO, cookies, favorites and changes made to the security level as well as the embezzlement of the start page and search engine. The "standard" antivirus shield complements are enabled for the detection of BHO.

Network: It offers Hosts file protection, filtering any known advertising sites and blocking, rather blurring, internet communications, being meant to protect the system against the communications between your computer and the sites carrying potentially unwanted software. Admittedly, is this not the main feature of antispyware software?
System: System is the part where the two shields (antivirus and potentially unwanted software) come together. Spy Sweeper supervises the execution of ActiveX components, the implementation process, the reading or writing of files, keyloggers and the use of the Windows Messenger service (not to be confused with the instant messaging software; Windows Messenger Service is used to display messages on the desktop).

Email: Spy Sweeper also monitors the e-mail input and output. It has been proven that it is compatible with Outlook Express but also with Mozilla Thunderbird.

As for the manual scanning of the system, there are the traditional options, namely the choice between a full scan, which can be quite slow, a quick scan (but which skips some components) and a custom scan in which case you can select the components to be scanned. Any of these should identify cookies and check compressed files, memory, registries or even file systems. Also, there is the possibility not to include or scan all user accounts on the computer and enable or disable virus scanning at any time.

Scans can be scheduled with flexibility: you can choose the frequency (day, week, and month), but also refine the planning, selecting the time of the scan or certain days of the week when you want it to be performed.
Originality should not be sought in the interface of Spy Sweeper as it follows the lead of its competitors. Thus, you can find the traditional four main modules to the left of the window (analysis, protection status in real time, options.) Here is a small detail that may be important: Spy Sweeper offers more direct access to the quarantine area, whereas the Spyware Doctor hides it in strange settings.

Generally, you can blame the interface for this spyware removal software confusion: it is not uncommon to take a checkbox for a simple status indicator, particularly when dealing with the settings. Similarly, when starting a custom scan, you should have direct access to sites to be included or excluded without having to go through several tabs of options.

Finally, it is quite some cumbersome software. The interface needs such a long time to appear when called from the notification area, so much that one sometimes wonders if the software is not blocked.