Health and Diet Blog

Tiffany Doggett asked:


As pet owners, one of the most frequent problems we have to deal with is diarrhea, especially with dogs. While dog diarrhea is not an illness in itself, it’s a symptom of another underlying problem. In many cases, canine diarrhea is not a sign of a serious condition, but in some circumstances diarrhea can indicate the presence of a more severe and dangerous medical problem.

What is Diarrhea?

Typically, healthy adult dogs will defecate once a day if fed once a day or twice a day if fed twice a day. Puppies, on the other hand, tend to defecate more frequently. In either case, normal stools are firm; however, when a dog is suffering from diarrhea, its stools will be loose and soft due to the presence of excess water. Diarrhea also often increases the frequency of ********** as well as urgency. Dog diarrhea may also be accompanied by additional symptoms such as flatulence, a bad odor, abdominal pain, and matted hair beneath the animal’s tail.

Causes

One of the reasons that dog diarrhea is such a common and frequent problem is that it can be caused by numerous different factors and conditions. Canine diarrhea can be triggered by problems originating within the digestive tract or from another part of the dog’s body. For instance, ulcers, cancer, food allergies, toxins, foreign bodies, and worms are examples of problems within the digestive tract that can lead to diarrhea. On the other hand, liver disease, kidney disease, Addison’s disease, and anxiety are problems not related to the digestive tract that can trigger diarrhea. Clearly, the potential causes of dog diarrhea are extremely numerous and also range in severity from relatively minor problems to life-threatening ones.

Puppies versus Adults

The common causes and frequency of canine diarrhea tend to vary somewhat between puppies and adult dogs. First of all, puppies typically experience diarrhea more often than adult dogs do. A major reason for this is related to the difference in common causes of diarrhea in puppies versus those that are common for adults. Puppies are more likely to eat garbage, swallow foreign objects, and experience intussusception, which involves the bowel folding been back upon itself. In contrast, adult dogs are more likely to experience diarrhea as a result of diseases such as liver or kidney disease. Since the latter triggers of diarrhea are less common, puppies tend to suffer from diarrhea more often than adult canines.

Chronic Versus Acute

When your dog is suffering from diarrhea, it’s important to keep in mind that there are two different types of diarrhea — acute and chronic. Acute diarrhea involves sudden onset and resolves quite quickly while chronic dog diarrhea is an ongoing problem that can last for weeks or even months. While most cases of canine diarrhea are acute and non-severe, in some circumstances veterinary care is necessary. With respect to acute diarrhea, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately if the stools contain blood or are accompanied by other troubling symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or abdominal pain. With regards to chronic dog diarrhea, veterinary care should be sought out in all cases.

Diagnosis

Since there are more than a hundred potential causes of dog diarrhea, pinpointing a trigger in a specific case can be quite difficult. However, there are a number of different diagnostic tests that can be conducted in order to narrow down and hopefully identify the underlying cause. These tests include fecal analysis, blood tests, x-rays, and abdominal ultrasounds. While fecal and blood tests can reveal the presence of parasites, infections, or allergic reactions, imaging tools such as x-rays and ultrasound can reveal the presence of foreign bodies or of physical abnormalities suggestive of diseases such as cancer.

Treatment

When an adult dog or puppy is suffering from diarrhea, the necessary treatment will depend upon the underlying cause. More severe cases of canine diarrhea will often require hospitalization and intravenous fluids. Also, more specific treatment steps will be required to deal with the underlying condition or problem. However, for mild cases of dog diarrhea that can be treated at home, certain dietary changes can be very helpful. In some cases, reducing food intake or providing a bland diet for a few days can help relieve diarrhea. Also, it’s important to provide the dog with plenty of fresh water in order to prevent dehydration. There are also several natural supplements and homoeopathic remedies available that can help relieve diarrhea. These natural products are particularly popular with pet owners who prefer a more holistic healthcare approach for their canine companions.

Prevention

Although dog diarrhea is a very common problem, there are ways to lower the chances of your dog suffering from it. To begin with, it’s important to ensure that your dog has a clean living environment and clean water in order to prevent infections. It’s also important to be aware of any food allergies that your dog may have and to prevent your dog or puppy from eating garbage or rancid food as much as possible. Other good prevention techniques include reducing stress and anxiety and promoting your dog’s overall health and strength through the use of natural supplements, regular exercise, and a healthy diet. When your dog is happy and healthy, diarrhea will cause fewer, less frequent problems for your beloved canine companion.

Ravi Kuwadia asked:


IBS is a very common bowel disorder. Anyone can be afflicted with this above age 15. The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome are very common with other diseases and hence are often mistaken for other diseases. If diagnosed that the patient suffers from IBS symptoms there are few Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment methods available. You should always consult your physician before using any of the treatment methods as you could be worsening your condition unknowingly.

Medicines:

Your doctor can recommend medicines that can counteract the symptoms you are experiencing. But be aware of the side effects of the medicines before pursuing this route for Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment. There may even be times when the medicines can worsen the side effects you are experiencing. Also the effect of medicine is just temporary. Medicine is one method of treatment but is not permanent solution. It cannot cure IBS symptoms permanently.

In fact your body can become immune to these medicines over long run and the same dose may not have the same effect anymore. It is also possible you take an overdose to cure constipation which may end up causing diarrhea. So in using this method of treatment for IBS symptoms one should be aware of it’s side effects and one should definitely keep long term relief in mind.

Anti Depressants:

Some patients go into depression because of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In such cases anti-depressants can be prescribed by the doctor, as well as psychotherapy. Such methods will cover up the symptoms of the condition rahter than deal with them effectively. One should always employ to natural treatment methods first before medicinal route for curing IBS symptoms, or at least lower the symptoms.

Herbs and Natural Remedies:

Peppermint is a herb that can smoothen out your intestinal muscles. Slippery elm and aloe are effective herbs to use for abdominal pain.

There are also essential oils that can help relieve the IBS symptoms. Essential oils should always be used with base carrier oils for safety. Pure essential oils by themselves are very potent and can be harmful. One should always consult a professional for these alternate treatments.

There are also different food products that you should avoid. Take help from a dietitian or a nutritionist. Certain food products can cause constipation. But too much avoidance of these food items can also cause diarrhea. Thus, professional help is needed to establish a delicate balance. Keeping food data sheets can help in determining which foods trigger the IBS symptoms.

Large meals should be avoided as they produce much compaction and strain on your stomach and other organs playing vital roles in the digestive system. Thus, it is advisable for any patient afflicted with irritable bowel syndrome to take smaller meals. This may mean you would have to take more meals in smaller portions. This can effectively reduce the strain your stomach would experience when processing the three large meals you have become accustomed to.

The symptoms can also be reduced by eliminating fatty foods from ones diet. Fatty foods are harder to digest slowing the digestion process. Your stomach can feel more strain which can trigger the symptoms of IBS.

In general, fiber rich food is recommended. Many people experience significant relief in their symptoms by adding fiber to their diet. Fiber can help in constipation as well as diarrhea. Fruits and Vegetables are excellent source of fiber. So there are dietary changes one can make to cure IBS symptoms.

There are many more Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment methods that you can choose from. Whatever method you choose, just make sure to refer them to your physician first, so that you can be sure you are on the right track.

Groshan Fabiola asked:


Dancing with the Stars began its tour at Seattle on Tuesday, but one show favorite wasn’t able to make it to the show. Cheryl Burke, a two-time winner in the celebrity dance competition, wasn’t present at the show’s opening night and on the Thursday show in Sacramento , due to her abdominal pains. TV Guide went on to interview the 23-year-old professional dancer, who said that she was “cramping and in pain” during the rehearsals and “couldn’t even stand up straight.” She then headed to the hospital, where she was told that she may have a case of appendicitis. On Wednesday, Burke headed home to San Francisco to meet her family physician whose diagnosis was good.

“She does not have appendicitis,” Susan Madore, Burke’s publicist, confirmed to the Associated Press. “They told her to take it easy for a couple of days.”

Burke’s absence was indeed felt during the Dancing with the Stars tour, as the program had to be rearranged. Choreographer Louis van Amstel even deemed her sudden absence as a disaster. In fact, some numbers were removed, while partners were changed. Tuesday also saw a new dress rehearsal for a made over show.

“We had a couple of moments when we ran onto the floor at the wrong time, in the wrong place, in the wrong direction,” Karina Smirnoff, who filled in to dance with Drew Lachey, Cheryl Burke’s celebrity partner and season 2 winner, revealed.

However, despite the sudden changes, the show went smoothly with Cheetah Girl and Dancing with the Stars season 5 alum Sabrina Bryan giving an impressive performance despite having Derek Hough as her new partner. Hough was also filling in for another ailing dancer, Mark Ballas, who unfortunately had to cancel out on the show for the rest of the Christmas season as he dislocated his left arm.

“At first it was weird to do the new numbers with someone else,” Bryan, who is dating Ballas, said of her new partner. “And when Derek and I do the cha cha [the most memorable number she did with Ballas], it’s just hard.”

For more resources about Dancing with the Stars or for the full story of Cheryl Burke Misses Dancing Tour Shows Due to Abdominal Pain please review http://www.buddytv.com

Kevin Pederson asked:




Some Home Remedies for the usual and unusual bites we face in our daily lives.

- Mosquito Bites

• For mosquito bites apply lime juice diluted with water over the bite.

• You can also apply calamine lotion for mosquito bites.

• Apply a salt water solution or paste over the bite, this helps in relieving the itching problem.

• Mix one teaspoon baking soda in one glass of water and rub the solution with a cloth over the bite for 15 to 20 minutes.

• You can apply an antihistamine cream which relieves the itchiness from the bite.

• Applying rubbing alcohol over the bite helps to soothe the itch.

• Apply fresh damp mud on the bite. This can be used for bites similar to this like bug bites, chigger bites and others.

• Take an oat meal bath this will help to reduce the swelling and itchy feeling.

• Rub dry soap over the mosquito bite. It reduces the itchy feeling and the swelling.

• You can also use a banana peel which is to be used inside out. This provides relief from the bites.

• A mixture of pure olive oil and vinegar also helps in relieving the mosquito bite problem.

- Chigger Bites

• Apply clear nail polish on the bites, it provides you quick relief.

• You can rub bacon grease on the affected area as this provides quick relief from the chigger bites.

• Vicks Vapor Rub is another way to cure this problem. The petroleum chokes the chigger and methanol helps in relieving the itch.

• The mixture of camphor and phenol in mineral spirits also helps in shedding this problem.

• A hot water bath is an excellent way of dealing with this problem.

• Rubbing the affected area with Listerine also helps in alleviating this problem.

- Wasp bite

• First thing first, the bitten area should be cleaned with soap and water solution.

• You can apply a poultice of meat tenderizer or salt over the sting as soon as possible. You can use half a teaspoon of any of the products with water and leave it over the bite for 30 minutes.

• You can use this remedy for wasp itch or fire ant bite. Household ammonia can be use as it helps to minimize the sting produced due to the bite.

- Other bites

• You can use make a paste by mixing water with cornstarch. Apply this paste if you have been bitten by any poisonous insect like a spider. The paste helps in drawing out the poison from your body.

• You can wash the area with mild soap and water to remove the germs and other allergy provoking substances. This can be done for most of the bites like bug bites.

• A paste of baking soda and water works great for most bites.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Dr.Varburg asked:






Percocet is a trademarked, potent compound painkiller used to treat moderately severe to severe acute (short-term) pain. The main ingredient of Percocet is oxycodone, a potent opioid agonist; in addition, the drug contains paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen. It is notable for its potential for drug abuse.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved Percocet in 1976, under application ANDA 085106.

Pharmacology

Endo Pharmaceuticals currently manufactures Percocet, as well as Percodan which contains oxycodone and aspirin. Percocet tablets are available in six combinations of oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen, with different appearances and maximum daily doses:

* 2.5 mg oxycodone HCl & 325 mg acetaminophen: pink oval tablet, maximum daily dose 12 tablets

* 5 mg oxycodone HCl & 325 mg acetaminophen: blue round tablet, maximum daily dose 12 tablets

* 7.5 mg oxycodone HCl & 325 mg acetaminophen: peach oval tablet, maximum daily dose 8 tablets

* 7.5 mg oxycodone HCl & 500 mg acetaminophen: peach capsule-shaped tablet, maximum daily dose 8 tablets

* 10 mg oxycodone HCl & 325 mg acetaminophen: yellow capsule-shaped tablet, maximum daily dose 6 tablets

* 10 mg oxycodone HCl & 650 mg acetaminophen: yellow oval tablet, maximum daily dose 6 tablets

For the 2.5 mg oxycodone HCl tablet, the usual dose is 1-2 tablets every six hours as needed for pain; for the other tablets, the usual dose is 1 tablet every six hours as needed for pain.

Watson Laboratories manufactures generic versions of five of the six types of Percocet tablets (with 5, 7.5, and 10 mg oxycodone HCl).