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Thursday, March 20, 2008

 

Hereditary Orthopedic Diseases in Dogs

Do you ever read about a dog breed and discover that a particular breed can be prone to a number of diseases - most of which you can't understand? Are you in the process of choosing a dog and you want to know which breed-specific hereditary disease that the breeder should have screened out in the breeding stock?

Most breeders spend a lot of time and resources trying to get rid of genetic diseases in their lines. However, some amateur breeders and puppy mills are breeding dogs without screening the parents and perpetuating poor genetic health.

This article is not exhaustive but will attempt to describe some common hereditary musculoskeletal diseases and indicate some of the dog breeds that have shown a tendency to inherit these diseases in the past. Since so many dogs have inherited orthopedic problems, these disorders are extremely well researched and studied. If you want to check on a particular dog breed you can go to www.dog-breed-facts.com and search on a particular breed for its health issues.

There are a number of common inherited diseases for which reputable breeders screen their breeding stock. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has specialists evaluate X-rays, DNA, thyroid, cardiac and other tests and register the results. A prospective pure-bred puppy buyer should ask to see the OFA results for the dog's sire and dam.

Chondrodysplasia or dwarfism in the legs is a disease that causes malformation of the carpal and radius bones of the front legs resulting in a stunted and bowed look. Puppies born with this disease do not show any signs until they grow older. The disease can be painful and often the only choice is to euthanize the dog. This disease is most common in the Alaskan malamute and the Beagle.

Elbow dysplasia is a hereditary disease in which the elbow joints of the front legs are malformed. Lameness usually makes its appearance around 7 to 10 months of age and is treated by anti-inflammatories and also surgery. All breeds are susceptible to the disease but it is most common in large male breeds. These breeds include the: Basset hound, Bernese mountain dog, Bloodhound, Bouvier des Flandres, Chow Chow, German shepherd, Golden retriever, Great Pyrenees, Irish wolfhound, Labrador retriever, Mastiff, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard and Weimaraner.

Hip dysplasia is a disorder that results when there is a loose fit of the 'ball and socket' hip joint and the ball may continuously slide part way out of the socket. Over time this will cause osteoarthritis in the joint and the dog will become lame and weak in the hind end. Some relief can be found with the use of nutriceuticals such as glucosamine and chondroitin, and anti-inflammatories. Some cases are so bad that the dog must have surgery or be euthanized. Ensuring that your dog isn't overfed and overweight can delay the onset of hip dysplasia. Larger breeds that grow fastest during the first four months seem to be more prone to this disease. Hip dysplasia is the most common inherited orthopedic disease in large and giant breeds and many medium-sized breeds as well.

Legg-Calve-Perthes is a disease of the hip joint where the ball or head of the femur deteriorates and causes pain and lameness in the hind leg. This disease usually affects young small dogs aged from 4 to 12 months. This condition is successfully treated by surgery. This disorder can affect all terriers, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Miniature pinscher, Miniature poodles, Pugs and Toy poodles.

Panosteitis or 'pano' is a common condition which suddenly causes lameness in a growing puppy or adolescent dog. The lameness is a result of inflammation of the long bones of the front and hind legs and can be mild to severe. A veterinarian will probably prescribe pain medication and ask you to restrict exercise. Affected puppies usually grow out of the condition as they mature. It is most common in male medium- to giant-sized dog breeds which include the: Afghan Hound, Basset hound, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Labrador retriever and Rottweiler.

Luxating Patella (Patellar luxation) or slipped stifle is a hereditary condition where the knee cap slips out of its groove. In some cases, the kneecap will slip back into place while in other cases; a veterinarian may need to put it back in place. If it is not corrected through surgery, then osteoarthritis will usually result. The condition is quite prevalent in toy breeds. It is commonly seen in the Affenpinscher, Australian terrier, Basset hound, Boston terrier, Chihuahua, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel, Maltese, Papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Poodle (miniature and toy) and Lhasa Apso.

Mike Mathews is a contributing writer and editor for the popular dog breed site: http://www.dog-breed-facts.com. He provides informative, real-world advice and tips on dog breeds, dog health, dog grooming and more. As well be sure to check out his free report on Dog Training.


 

What Writers Must Know about Internet Commerce

Let's assume you're a writer and you want to make money by writing. In the olden days (last year, maybe) you would think up an article idea, hammer a few paragraphs out, and then check with some editors if they were interested in buying a finished product.

If you were lucky, you sold it. If you were not exactly unlucky, the editor rejected your idea but paid you to go out and write something else. And the most common response was a great big bunch of nothing. No response. No answer. No sale.

You have probably heard that a writer can make money on the Internet, but you're probably thinking, "How on earth is that possible?" After all, just about every job offer that comes to writers for Internet type stuff pays less than even a skinflint magazine editor would have paid ten years ago for the same material. The big difference is that the Internet publishers seeking writing support want their content virtually overnight and the old-fashioned editors did not mind giving you a few weeks.

There are two ways to make money on the Internet and they mirror the ways people make money in the brick-and-mortar business world. First, you can sell something. Whether it's ceiling fans or candles or airline tickets, you can make money if you have a product that you can trade to people for cash.

The other way you can make money online is by selling advertising. The best models for this include TV programs, magazines, and newspapers. Take a TV program; it's content that is offered for free to people who want to see it. A newspaper isn't exactly free, but it contains a lot of high-value content from around the world and it's offered at a very nominal fee (less than it costs to print it, I bet) to just about anyone who wants it. They'll even bring it to your house every morning! Who else will deliver for a product that does not even cost a dollar-for no extra shipping and handling fee?

Then there are magazines. They cost more but they're still a great buy considering the content you get, the articles, the pictures, and the sheer volume of printed pages.

So how do these enterprises make money? They do it by offering content that people want and then selling advertisement. TV shows make money because they sell some of their viewing time to advertisers who offer commercials. Newspapers and magazines do take in some subscription money, but the thing that keeps them in business is ad revenue.

And how do advertisers manage to survive? Smart businesses know the best opportunities for their particular type of advertisements. There's a whole science to that. If a well-placed smart commercial on a certain TV show increases sales, then everybody wins. The company earns money because the ad draws customers; the TV show earns money because it sells time (and eyeballs) to the advertiser.

You can build a website that features lots of top-quality content and then sell advertising on that site.

Now you can't just throw up any old site (and the operative word here is "throw up") and figure that advertising will work. You need a quality product. You also have to offer something of value.

That's where the good news comes in: you're a writer.

You can create your own online magazine of sorts. The goal is to attract people interested in the same subject to look at your site. There's a whole science to that, too. But if you do it right, people on your site may be interested in ads on related subjects.

The Internet is all about niches. Let's say you want to write about dogs. Bad idea. It's too broad for the Internet. With the Internet you have to think narrow. You could write about dog training. Or adopting poodles from the pound. Or photographing dogs.

The idea is that your highly targeted information will resonate with a particular subset of readers. With billions of Internet search a year, you don't need to have broad appeal to get a big audience.

Then you sell advertising. Now in the traditional business model, that meant pounding the pavement, talking to potential advertisers, and often working with them to get an ad finalized. Then you had to hound them for payment.

On the Internet, you can sign up with search providers to put ads on your site. These ads (offered by the big search engines) use electronic algorithms to automatically match ads by content to your site so that your dog training site won't offer ads for gastric bypass surgery. You don't sell a single ad: you merely clear some room for Google or Yahoo to put ads on your site. They match the ads to your content.

In the print world of our ancient ancestors, an advertiser paid if his ad ran, regardless of whether anyone responded. Internat ads work on a different model; they run for free and the advertiser pays only when somebody clicks on them. This is what is meant when they say advertisers pay for clicks.

The good news is that you can find qualified advertisers and start generating ad revenues from a website pretty quickly without ever having direct contact with your advertisers.

You can also get advertisers the old-fashioned way by selling space on your site to individual vendors. Those arrangements are worked out individually.

Savvy Internet entrepreneurs can make money either selling products (including electronic products like e-books or online courses and now even online audios) or selling advertising or a bit of both. There are strategies for what to use and how, but those are the basics.

So what exactly does this mean for us writers? Writers need to start thinking about what they write not just in terms of how to tell the story, but how to best position the content in the marketplace.

If you can set up a wholesale arrangement with local or even international vendors, you can sell products using a "shopping cart" type website, lots of photos, and some cool product descriptions.

If you have the expertise (or can get it) and can write about how to beat a speeding ticket, land a job working on a cruise ship, or sell your home without a real estate agent, you can write electronic content (e-book, e-course, other materials that are delivered online including audios and videos) and sell that.

First, of course, you have to understand how these kinds of enterprises actually function. Even some off-the-wall business angles are good to study, because the same principles always apply. You target a specific niche market, develop content to attract visitors, and then sell either advertising, products, or both.

Jo Ann LeQuang writes for a living. If you would like to write for a living or write for a better living, find out more of what she has to say at http://www.workingonlinewriter.com .


 

Parvovirus A Very Realistic Threat To Your Dogs Health

Parvovirus was first identified in 1977 and can infect dogs of all ages, but usually strikes young unvaccinated puppies under the age of 6 weeks. Most puppies acquire temporary parvo-destroying antibodies by ingesting them through their mothers first milk, (colostrums). Puppies should be vaccinated starting at 6 to 9 weeks of age, and then every three weeks until they reach 16 weeks. Afterwards, yearly boosters are recommended.

Veterinarians can now test for the presence of parvovirus in their own clinics. Symptoms include loss of appetite, persistent vomiting, and profuse, odiferous diarrhea, often streaked with blood. In dogs, the lining of the intestines, lymph nodes, and bone marrow are the main target areas for Parvo. In puppies less than 6 weeks of age, the virus can infect heart cells, causing irreparable damage to the heart.

Certain breeds seem more prone to Parvo, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls, and German Shepherds, but scientists do not know why. Parvo is highly contagious, and is spread by oral contact with infected feces. Keep your dog away from other dogs with unknown vaccination status, and from areas where such dogs congregate.

If you board your dog, make sure that the owner/instructor requires proof of vaccination for all their customers. Do not take you unvaccinated or unprotected puppy to pet stores or parks until it is fully protected. Prevent your dog from coming in contact with feces, and always observe good hygiene at home. You can disinfect daily with a 1 to 30 ratio of chlorine bleach to water mixture. Parvo is much less common than it was 20 years ago but we still cannot completely eliminate the risk completely.

Remember, if you have further questions about Parvovirus or any other health issue, or if you think your dog has symptoms of a serious illness, be sure to contact your veterinarian at once. Your veterinarian can explain and break down and explain any issue and or questions you may have.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can shop for the latest dog collars, dog clothes, pet supplies and more. Check them out at http://www.joncopets.com


 

Associate Marketing: Is It the Simplest Means To Make Money Online?

Affiliate marketing has been around long before the internet, but it has become so much more popular as a way to make money since then. Let's take a quick look at what it is and what it is exactly that makes it so special, shall we?

Affiliate marketing is not about writing your own product and trying to find people to buy it. Affiliate marketing is about recommending someone else's product or products and making a percentage from that sale. It's basically piggybacking on the efforts of other peoples work, which is ok, because they want you to!

These marketers who have their own products will be very eager for you to recommend their products. If they know what they are doing then you are their best friend! And you can easily have a great, profitable business relationship with these other marketers; they create the products and you sell them!

This is really great for both the affiliate and the creator of the product. The average affiliate marketer just wants to make some extra money. They do not bother with creating products or services or even handling other tasks that come along with being a product creator or owner, like customer service, updates, upgrades, etc. Great affiliates are really good at figuring out what people want to buy and then directing those people to the product. This is one of the many wonderful advantages to being an affiliate marketer: It is not your job to sell the item. It is your job to simply pre-sell the item. Let the items sell themselves.

Affiliate marketing can be even more lucrative for the affiliate marketer by offering buyers incentives for buying through your affiliate link. What kind of special offers? Well, the smartest affiliates are affiliates that have actually tried the product or service they are promoting. When the affiliate has actually tried the product, they can create better offers based on what they know of the product! The affiliate marketer that does this can provide additional reports or even videos that explain the advantages or secrets of what the buyer can do with the product or service! If you are an affiliate marketer selling a software application, then you can tell your visitors that they will receive a video from you showing the best ways to make use of the software program.

Back to the original question: Is affiliate marketing the easiest path to make good money online? Without a doubt, yes, it is. Once you take into consideration the fact that you do not have to make a product and all that you have to do is promote products to people that are already looking for products you are promoting, taking candy from a baby could not be easier.

John Gottshall has a FREE step by step guide to making money online. It is not one of those guides that's disquised as a sales letter for something that costs money, it's the real thing. Get it while it's still free => http://www.secretprofitfiles.com


 

School Weblogs - Why Blogging Benefits Schools - Part 1 of 2

Weblogs or blogs as they are known are here to stay. They will evolve as time goes on but communicating online via blogs whether through text, video or podcast audio, is something that is going to be a part of the internet for some time. Schools today can benefit greatly by providing their students with a school-sponsored weblog as a means to communicate with their teachers and other students in their school. In the same way that many blogs have virtual communities formed around them, schools can create and foster a community environment that provides a beneficial learning environment for kids today rather than just a place they have to go everyday.

School Policies & Contact Information

In the news today we see many schools enacting policies and practices to help them run better and provide a positive learning environment for all children. One area for example has to do with what is or is not acceptable in regards to the clothing allowed at the school. Schools that use a weblog would be able to have all their policies listed in one easily accessible location for parents to review. Regarding a school dress code policy, the school would be able to post actual images of the type of clothing that is not allowed on campus so parents would be able to have a clear idea of what clothing is acceptable when they go to school. Other policies such as grade requirements for playing sports or participating in school sponsored clubs as well as the school disciplinary policies for things such as fighting, bullying, being late or failing to complete homework assignments can also be posted on the school weblog. Contact information can also be provided for parents with questions or concerns regarding a policy.

School Events and Sports

Schools utilizing a blog can use it as a way to boost school spirit and participation by placing video clips of sporting events such as basketball, football or soccer games, track and field events. Other events such as science fairs, dance recitals, awards and more all can be promoted on the weblog as well. Through promoting the school clubs and teams this way other students can find out what is going on in the school as well. Promoting the school activities like this is also a great way to attract perspective students and their parents who have recently moved or are going to move into the area.

Additional Class Instruction

School weblogs can be a great place and informational resource where students can go for additional help with their school assignments. Many times teachers do not have enough time to devote to each student to answer each and every question. Through a blog setup by the school, teachers can post amplifying information on topics that they cover in class, further explanations, and more examples - things that they do not have time to cover in class. Students can then look over this additional information to help them when they are working on their homework. Every person learns differently, and by explaining information in different forms, either with diagrams, words, or other means the idea can be conveyed so that the student can grasp it.

The school blog can also provide links to other valuable educational resources that can be used. Teachers that find a good informative video to watch, website to read or podcast to listen to that covers a topic can place a link on the blog page and students can then access the information to assist them in their assignments.

Utilizing a chat room feature, schools using weblogs would provide a way for students and teachers to discuss problems that come up when working on homework assignments. Some students have anxiety over asking questions in class, so by providing a way that they can ask teachers questions outside of the class can help them overcome problems they may be having. An online chat feature would also be a way that students can form study groups to work on assignments.

While the use of weblogs in school can provide students with a valuable educational resource they can also provide them with other information to help them with the day to day problems they may face. Read Part 2 for more on how weblogs can provide valuable resources for students, teachers and parents as well as some of the privacy and security concerns that will arise.

John Collins is a contributing writer for Computer Internet Resources. Visit http://www.blogging.computerinternetresources.com for more information on blogging, its uses and applications as well as reviews of blogging software and services.


 

Famous People With Tourettes

Tourettes is a relatively uncommon neurological disorder that a very small percentage of people actually have. Some who develop Tourettes are determined that it is practically a death sentence with them being forced to hide indoors and avoid contact with others. However, this is far from the truth. There have been several very famous people who have Tourettes who set a shinning example of what is possible for you to do.

There are several people who definitely have Tourettes and openly talk about it, while others have announced they have Tourettes but do not talk about it as much. It is generally very inspiring to people who do have Tourettes because it shows how some people have managed to overcome many of the obstacles that Tourettes represents.

Mozart

One of the most famous people who is suspected of having Tourettes was Mozart. There is nothing official that proves this theory though, and many Tourettes experts deny this possibility. Nevertheless, some historians do swear that he did have Tourettes based upon some of his behavior. At this point, there is no way to absolutely neither confirm nor deny these claims.

Tim Howard

The goalkeeper for Manchester United, he played in the 2000 Olympics. It has been said that Tim's symptoms started appearing in elementary school. He was considered a discipline problem by some of his teachers, and was often teased in school. Tim serves as a great inspiration for anyone with Tourettes who wishes to participate in athletics. He has shown due to his Olympic participation that Tourettes will not hold someone back; it is possible to still pursue a great and successful athletic career.

Howard Hughes

Famous Hollywood film director and an aviator, he was quiet well known for having several tics and obsessions. He still managed to direct numerous films, as well as own and fly several planes and airlines. He was able to be successful in his career, despite having a major germ obsession that worsened, as he got older, instead of diminishing like many Tourettes symptoms.

Howie Mandel

Comedian and brains behind several television series, Howie Mandel has managed to live his life to the fullest possible while still dealing with his Tourettes. He owns 2 different homes, including one that is kept sterile so that he can stay there free of germs in the event that his germ obsession kicks up. He has been known for television shows such as Bobby's World and St. Elsewhere. Howie has made it clear that having Tourettes has definitely not stopped him from reaching a great plateau many comedians would love; he has been voted as one of the 100 Best Stand Up Comedians of all time. Another piece of proof that Tourettes does not stop success in careers.

Dan Ackroyd

Actor, screenwriter, comedian, and musician Dan Ackroyd has suffered from symptoms of Tourettes and Asperger's Syndrome. While this has dealt Dan a double blow in terms of difficulties, he has still managed to have a very successful and fulfilling career that many others could even dream about. He is known for several movies such as The Blues Brothers, Ghost Busters, and even comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live. He is a great source of inspiration to anyone who is looking at trying to juggle Tourettes and an acting career.

David Beckham

Soccer player from the United Kingdom David Beckham is another example of Tourettes not being enough to hold back an incredible athlete. While he has struggled with obsessions and compulsions, he still manages to make it work around his career so that he can do the best he possibly can. Because of being from the United Kingdom, it also goes to show that Tourettes is something that can strike anyone in any country, not just the United States.

Jim Eisenreich

Baseball has had a major league player who was diagnosed with Tourettes. He has played with the Florida Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies and since retiring enjoys spending much of his time helping teach people about Tourettes. Jim is a good example of someone who was diagnosed very late in life; he was not diagnosed until he was a professional ball player, unlike most others who are diagnosed when they are in elementary school.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Basketball is not left out in terms of athletes with Tourettes. Mahmoud is diagnosed with Tourettes and has played for the Denver Nugget and the Sacramento Kings. He was formerly known as Chris Jackson and has been a great inspiration for those looking at athletics.

Rodney Marks

In a world where tics and compulsive behavior is normal, most people do not think it is possible to have a very technical job that is quite stressful. However, Rodney Marks is an Australian astrophysicist who has proven that it is possible to do very detailed work and still suffer from Tourettes.

Steve Wallace

Many NASCAR fans do not realize that Steve Wallace is another person that can be added to the list of famous people with Tourettes syndrome. Many do not think it is possible to control the tics in order to drive at the speeds necessary in order to truly participate in NASCAR however, Steve has proven that is it very much possible to do.

Brad Cohen

Continuously in trouble in school, for making strange noises Brad Cohen went on to become a great teacher and author. Many people could never imagine someone with Tourettes being capable of teaching students, much less focusing long enough to be able to write a book. However, he has proven that it is possible to come out of the ordeal and manage symptoms enough to live a very fulfilling life.

As you can see, there are several people who have been in the public spotlight that people do not even realize have Tourettes. Everyone has different degrees of the illness with some only suffering mild cases, while others suffer from very severe cases. Those with Tourettes can be inspired that their disorder will not force them to live in the darkness, alone. People are able to come out of the shadows and attempt at managing their symptoms so they too can live successful and fulfilling lives

Steve Driskill is the Author of "End Your Child's Tics Now!" which can be found at http://www.facialtics.org and deals with Tourettes Sydrome and how it can be managed with diet.


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