Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:
Everyone will see the end of their life. Our dogs are no exception. But our dogs are lucky because they have us to depend on as stewards of their care. If your dog has a terminal illness, it will fall to you to face this challenge. Peace, dignity and pain free existence are all a part of this journey that we must champion for our dogs. There are some important considerations if you are a dog’s hospice guardian. First, set … Read more
Think “doggy breath” is just part of owning a dog? Dr. Brook A. Niemiec, is a Board Certified specialist in Veterinary Dentistry by the American Veterinary Dental College as well as the European Veterinary Dental College. He is not only a former President of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, but is Chief of Staff of Southern California Veterinary Dental Specialties, as well as an author of several veterinary books and articles. To say he knows about canine dental hygiene is … Read more
Guess what! Veterinarians are humans too. We give you advice and we know the right recommendations, but sometimes being human trumps being a veterinarian. It might make you feel better to know that we face the same struggles you do. Here are some things that you might not expect from me: I forget to brush my dog’s teeth. A dog’s teeth should be brushed every day. Dental plaque can become dental tartar in 36 hours, so it is best to … 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
Home remedies are popular for otitis externa (ear infections) in dogs. The reason for this is that ear infections are often due to underlying issues, like allergic diseases. Thus, they tend to recur and become chronic. People often get frustrated and want to avoid a trip to the vet, which is where a home remedy for a dog ear infection would come in. But first, you’ll need to understand what dog ear infections are. What are Dog Ear Infections? Ear … Read more
You love your dog and want her to live long and well. You might hear people mention dental hygiene and you know that you are supposed to go to your own dentist. You might even know that dogs need dental care too, but you probably do not really know how important it is. It is truly a life or death issue. When your dog pants in your face and you want to plug your nose, you think it’s just “dog breath”, … Read more
Aging is a normal process and is not a disease, but there are some common and predictable changes that occur as your dog ages. Knowledge is power and being aware of these changes allows you to make accommodations to keep your dog’s life easy and happy. 1.Cognitive dysfunction (Brain Aging) The brain ages too and with that progression comes some slowing down of the mental processes. Some dogs are not severely affected, but every dog has some degree of cognitive … Read more
Mankind has a way of taking something great and trying to make it greater. Our belief, as a species, that we can improve on nature has gotten us into trouble over the years. The problem is that in our arrogance, we seem to get more than we bargain for. Genetics are extremely complex and no single trait can be prioritized with selective breeding without the other traits that reside on the same gene being selected as well.¹ So when we … Read more
Everyone is afraid of antifreeze poisoning and their pets. The horrible reputation of this toxic compound is well deserved. Would you know what the signs are if your dog was poisoned? Antifreeze is frequently spilled or available in areas where curious pets can reach it. It is somewhat enticing to drink and vets all over the country see and treat this toxicity every year. Many times with a poor outcome, depending on the speed with which treatment is sought. The … Read more
As the days grow shorter and colder and we are stuck inside (with everyone else), viruses and colds run rampant. We all have a stash of cold and flu medications that we turn to for congestion or a runny nose, but did you know that some of these can really hurt your dog? Whether you are tempted to “home medicate” your dog or he helps himself to the medications on the counter, medications that are tested safe for humans may … Read more
We have all seen the sad faces of dogs lying balled up on the cold ground tied to a tree or post. These days, it is fortunately becoming less common. Most people know that it is not good for a dog to be tied all the time and social media helps highlight the plights of such mistreated animals. Hypothermia is a very real threat for animals restrained from seeking good shelter. Tied pets are certainly at risk. They are not … Read more
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in human is characterized by episodes of depression during the period where day length is shorter. There have been many therapies tried to treat SAD in humans, ranging from light therapy to cognitive behavioral therapy. The people that suffer from SAD report significant impact to their quality of life. Our dogs live closely with us and experience the seasonal changes much as we do. Dog owners report mood and behavior changes in dogs during the winter. Could … Read more
If your household contains more than one dog and there is conflict between them, it makes life a little less peaceful for everyone. We are supposed to be the superior species in the relationship with our dogs, but sometimes it is easy to expect dogs to function like people. Our human tendencies make us want to identify the underdog and lift him up, but is this the way to end the war? Dogs exist with a definite hierarchy and feel … Read more
When you go to find a new fur-ever friend, you want to stack the odds of a good match in your favor. There are things that you need to think about for each candidate. This dog will be your best friend and constant companion for 13-15 years (depending on his size and breed background) and you might not consider all the factors in the excitement of adoption. Find out everything that you can about each dog. The staff at the … Read more
Most dog people have heard of the scary outbreak of Canine Influenza in and around Chicago last March. It was a challenge because there was not much beyond supportive care for treatment and the only means of prevention was trying to avoid taking dogs to areas where other dogs would be, such as dog parks and boarding kennels. Some dogs died and over 1,000 were reported ill. Now infected dogs have begun to be identified in the Western US, places … Read more
If you are like most dog people, you have a pile (or a box or basket) full of “dog stuff”. (Mine is actually labeled “dog stuff”) But it needs to be sorted and streamlined for the new year. How can you decide what should stay and what should go? Here is the list of items to throw out right now! 1. Retractable leash It is hard enough for our dogs to learn our boundaries, but when the boundaries constantly change, … Read more
There are things that you can do to help your dog live longer and better. The New Year is a great time to make plans and achieve goals. Resolve to get your dog to a healthy weight. Purina’s Life Span Study proved that normal weight dogs lived an extra 1.8 years over their overweight counterparts.1 It is more than just feeding him less. You must make sure that you are meeting nutritional needs while still reducing his calorie intake. A premium … Read more
Fear is a normal response to stressful situations, but for some dogs the fear becomes a pathologic process that interrupts normal daily life. Scientists have identified certain brain chemicals that can be quantified in a laboratory to shed light on the physiology of fear. Anxiety disorders in humans are certainly diagnosed and managed medically, but it is harder to assess for dogs because they cannot be interviewed about their fears and feelings. Cortisol is a hormone associated with feelings of … Read more
Researchers at the University of Tennessee-College of Veterinary Medicine (UT-CVM) have investigated recent outbreaks of canine distemper. Canine distemper is caused by an adenovirus that affects multiple body systems. It is highly contagious with no known cure. We had thought that canine distemper was well controlled by our country’s history of repeat vaccination of pet dogs, but these new outbreaks are alarming. The scientists at UTCVM noticed the occurrences of distemper (thought by most to be very nearly contained) and decided … Read more
Pet owners have to choose vets before they really get a chance to know them. Since “behind the scenes” is well…behind the scenes, how can a layman know if a vet and staff are capable? Here are things that are telltale signs that your vet is doing a great job: 1. Guidelines Veterinarians are not left to their own devices to decide what is best for your pet and the best ones make an effort to stay abreast of the … Read more
Scientists have always conjectured that life span was related to resting metabolic rate and small animals like mice tend to have higher metabolism and shorter lives. Large animals, like whales, have a lower resting metabolic rate and based on this theory would be expected to live longer. Some of the ideas include that the faster rate of metabolism produces more oxygen free radicals that can age and damage tissues. But dog lovers know that small breed dogs seem to outlive … Read more
We all want our dogs to live longer. Certain compounds may hold the key to our hopes. Rapamycin is an FDA approved drug for humans after kidney transplant. As early as 1977, rapamycin was used as an immune modulator in cases of immune mediated disease and to prevent rejection post organ transplant. 1 Along the way, it was discovered that some of the mouse populations treated with rapamycin exhibited prolonged life span. More than one study has been able to … Read more
There is something in your kitchen and maybe many other rooms of your home that can seriously hurt your dog. We add it to many of our food items and we use it in utilitarian jobs around our houses. It even crops up in recreational gear. It is salt and it can be a danger to your dog. Sodium ion toxicosis is a clinical syndrome that occurs when an animal ingests salt out of balance with the amount of water … Read more
Most commercially available pet foods are balanced for all stages of life for pets and do not require supplementation, at least not for survival. Premium pet foods are often even more than balanced. Make sure that you know what is in the food you feed before you add anything more. For more on this see 6 Questions You Need To Ask About Your Dog’s Food. Too much of a good thing can be worse than not enough. There is so … Read more
The holidays are a festive time full of family, festivities and fun. Nothing can put a damper on fun like a visit to the animal ER. There are always rumors of dangers and there are real dangers, so here are some things to know about: Mistletoe Real mistletoe is very toxic to animals (as well as humans). If you hang it, make sure it stays out of reach. Symptoms of ingestion can include some very bad signs, like GI upset, … Read more
Sometimes pets get sick and then they get better all on their own without any intervention from you or your veterinarian. But lots of times when they’re sick, if you wait to see if they’re going to get better on their own, whatever is wrong gets worse and makes your dog’s likelihood of recovery less. So how do you decide? Obviously the best way to decide is to take your dog to the vet and let the veterinary professionals tell … Read more
As Thanksgiving approaches, we should all think about where this country began. We all enjoy the benefits of the struggles of the early pioneers who helped this country begin. No matter where your family originated, you cannot help but be awed by the revolutionary spirit and tenacity of these founding citizens. But have you ever wondered what role animals played? Dogs are undoubtedly an important part of today’s American life. Certainly livestock played their part in the early days, but … Read more
Did you know that there are things that you do that can reduce your dog’s lifespan? You can kill your dog with kindness. See if you are guilty of any of them and make an effort to fix them for your dog’s best life. Getting Happy-Fat Obesity shortens lives and impacts overall health. Look at your dog with a critical eye. When you press on his sides, can you feel his ribs? You should be able to. Look at him from … Read more
The role of emotions in animals is a source of controversy and discussion. Emotions that are attributed to dogs include any emotion that we humans experience. For a long time, we have assumed that dogs were not capable of thought complex enough to be defined as emotion, until now. The only scientific way we can quantify emotion is by defining and measuring the changes in the brain when an emotion is felt. Scientists have developed studies to define and measure … Read more
Dogs have gas. Almost all dogs have flatulence (pass wind) at one time or another. It is embarrassing and gross. Some dogs have an ongoing and frequent problem that impacts the quality of life for the whole family. Have you ever thought about why this disgusting occurrence happens? The way a dog eats and digests his food plays a role in how it is processed (and what byproducts are produced during the processing). Bacteria in the gut act upon the … Read more
Everyone who knows a dog has seen him or her engaging in movements that appear to be dreaming while asleep. Their eyes dart and roll. Their limbs twitch like they are running. People say they are “chasing rabbits”. Some dogs whine or vocalize, but they seem to be fast asleep. Dreaming for humans has been associated with Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. There are numerous studies about the nature of sleep for us and theories about what dreams might signify. … Read more
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