ask a vet

Every dog lover has had to give medications to their dog. Sometimes, the meds are flavored and appealing, and sometimes, they aren’t. Many dog owners and vets alike have hidden pills in peanut butter. Peanut butter is excellent camouflage to hide bitterness and is very popular among dogs. Recently, certain food manufacturers have started to add xylitol to peanut butter to try to make it a lower calorie choice for those people watching calorie intake. Xylitol is a sugar substitute found … Read more

Bath time can be a stressful experience for both dogs and their owners. Many dogs dislike water, the noise of running faucets, or the sensation of being wet. However, with the right approach, patience, and positive reinforcement, bath time can become a more enjoyable and even rewarding activity. I recommend gradual training, the use of positive associations, and dog-specific products designed to make bathing and drying easier. These tips will help you turn bath time into a stress-free experience for … Read more

It is the time of year when I start to see lots of skin issues. One of those is Pyotraumatic Dermatitis or Hot Spot. A hot spot is an area of the skin that is inflamed and excoriated. The hair is often missing in the center and all the hair around the lesion is caked together with moist, smelly crusts. It is extremely uncomfortable for the dog and smelling the odor is not pleasant for you. Why do hot spots … Read more

Dogs cough for a variety of reasons. Just like people, they can cough to clear their airways of debris or mucous, but a persistent cough should be checked out by a vet. All dogs cough sometimes, but only a veterinarian can help you rule out some of these causes, pinpoint why your particular dog is coughing, and give you a plan for treatment. Whenever I see a coughing patient, I think through these possibilities and then apply what I know … Read more

Heatstroke in dogs is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate action. As a veterinarian, I’ve seen too many cases where quick intervention could have saved a dog’s life. If you think your dog has heatstroke, don’t wait—act now. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the signs, symptoms, and urgent steps you need to take before heading to the vet. What To Do If Your Dog Has Heatstroke When a dog’s body temperature rises dangerously high (above 104°F), it can … Read more

As our society ages and Baby Boomers reach their senior years, everyone is more likely to be touched by Alzheimer’s disease. It seems like everyone knows someone who has been affected by this diagnosis, whether it is a friend or a family member or just someone they know. According to alz.org, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia affect 1 in 3 human seniors. Our dogs age faster than we do and many people with senior dogs wonder if their dogs can … Read more

Owners will invariably notice if their dogs urinate in odd places like a spare room, kitchen or in their beds. It makes for a stressful morning when your pillow or bed linens are soiled, and no one wants to be getting ready for sleep at night only to find that they have to strip the whole bed before they can rest. Unfortunately, there is no one answer to why a dog might urinate in odd places. There are a myriad of … Read more

Most dog owners know that they need to do something for their dog’s dental health these days, but not many know what the most significant thing really is. For a long time, people thought that teeth were not important. After all, animals in the wild get no dental care at all and they seem fine, right? Perhaps animals without dental care SEEM fine, but we do not know if they are suffering from severe pain. Vets have tried to spread … Read more

Let’s face it, dogs fart. But why do some dogs clear the room with their gas all the time? It comes down to where gas in the intestinal tract comes from. Extra air can come from the mouth and be swallowed with food. Sometimes it will exit the other end, but with a lovely added aroma that it picks up on its way through the bowels. If your dog is a fast gulper or has a short face (like a … Read more

As a veterinarian, I’ve seen countless cases of parasitic infections in puppies that could have been prevented with the right care and knowledge. Parasites may seem like an unpleasant topic, but understanding them is critical to ensuring your pet’s health and happiness. Here’s everything you need to know about worms and other parasites, their impact on your dog, and how to safeguard your furry friend. 1. All Puppies Have Worms It may be surprising, but all puppies are born with … Read more

Dog lovers (me included) like to make our dogs happy and do things that they enjoy. We all know that if our dog hates the trip to the vet, we are less likely to prioritize it. The dogs that have to be dragged in our door are the ones that we see the least. And when we do finally see them, it is more likely to be when they are very sick, so our chances for an ideal outcome are … Read more

All living things need to move. It is a fundamental of life science that “form follows function”. It is a scientific way of saying “use it or lose it”. Walking your dog is a great idea for you both. But what if you want to walk and your dog doesn’t? First, make sure that there is no medical reason that your dog refuses to walk. Diseases, like heart problems or arthritis, (among others) can make your dog reluctant to go … Read more

It is so hard to watch your dog grow old before your very eyes. It seems like just yesterday, she was a bounding puppy! Now she is just a little stiffer and sleeps more. Wouldn’t you love to know some ways to help her age gracefully?  1. Help your dog get up and down As nerves and muscles age, certain movements can become difficult. Senior dogs are more likely to suffer from difficulty rising and impaired balance. This means that … Read more

Since our dogs are our closest companions and frequent travel buddies, we want to ensure they can travel safely with us. It is an established fact that a dog running loose in a moving car is not a safe situation. Injuries to the dog could occur in the event of an accident, and even worse, an accident could be caused by the unrestrained dog, injuring both the dog and people. Several states have distracted driving laws that could be enforced … Read more

If your vet tells you that your dog has an auto-immune disease, don’t panic. You need information to help you know what is coming and it might help you to have some background. Here is the scoop on Immune Mediated Disorders. It is the job of a body’s immune system to protect it from disease. Part of the job of this miraculous system is to mobilize killer cells and direct them to targets so they can eliminate them from the … Read more

When choosing a dog, many people are drawn to purebred breeds for their predictable traits, such as appearance, temperament, and behavior. However, alongside these benefits comes a lesser-known downside: an increased risk of genetic conditions. This article delves into why purebred dogs are more prone to genetic health issues, what it means for pet owners, and why adopting shelter dogs can be a great alternative to buying a purebred dog. Why Purebred Dogs Are More Prone to Genetic Conditions The … Read more

Distemper is a serious disease, and we’ve seen several people express concern over it and the pain it can cause pets and their families. We asked Dr. Kathryn Primm, a veterinarian with over 20 years’ experience treating pets and owner of Applebrook Animal Hospital in Ooltewah, Tennessee to share her expert knowledge with our readers on the dangers of distemper, and what you can do to prevent it.   What should pet owners know about distemper?   Dr. Primm: Distemper is caused … Read more