Common Plants Poisonous to Dogs
Dogs are curious creatures. They tend to satisfy that curiosity by putting things in their mouths and eating them. In some cases, this curiosity can be fatal. Here is a list of the ten most common plants that are poisonous to dogs. You can find a complete list of toxic plants on the ASPCS website.
1) Grapes and raisins are very…
Common Poisonous Foods for Dogs
Many dog owners give their pets tidbits of human food. While veterinarians frequently complain about this, but most owners cannot resist. However, many foods are toxic to dogs. Here is a list of the most common poisonous foods for dogs. The list is not exhaustive, but does contain the ten most common foods that cause problems for your dog. A…
Five Summer Hazards for Your Dog
Each season contains hazards for our pets. Here are five hazards to guard against this summer.
1) Heat stroke. Never leave a dog in the car, even for “just a minute.” Temperatures can soar in minutes in the hot sun. Even leaving a car window open is not adequate to save the dog. By the same token, make sure that outside…
Why it is important to spay your female dog
It is important to spay your female dog before her first heat or as soon as you acquire her, if she if older. There are many myths about spaying dogs and many benefits to doing so.
First, we will discuss the benefits. When a dog is spayed, her uterus and ovaries are removed. This totally eliminates the possibility of uterine or…
Why you should neuter your dog
Neutering your dog is an important part of responsible dog ownership. There are many good reasons to do so as well as many myths about the process. This article will explain the importance of neutering and dispel some of the myths about it.
The most important reason to neuter your dog is to prevent unwanted litters of puppies. One male dog…
Lyme Disease and Your Dog
Lyme disease is the most common tick borne disease in the United States in dogs. It was first discovered in humans in an area of Connecticut called Old Lyme in 1975. It is caused by a spirochete (bacteria) species of the Borrelia burgdorferi group. Most cases are found in wooded areas in the Northern part of the United States, but…
Ehrlichia in Dogs
Ehrlichia is a type of bacteria and a tick borne disease in dogs and other animals, including humans. Ehrlichia causes ehrlichiosis in dogs. It is primarily transmitted by the brown dog tick. It can also be transmitted from an infected donor dog to a blood recipient dog.
Ehrlichia bacteria infect the white blood cells. The severity of the illness and the…
Internal worm parasites and your dog
When people think of parasites and their dog, most people focus on external parasites such as fleas and ticks. Dogs also get internal parasites, such as tape worms, hook worms, whip worms, round worms, and heart worms. This article will explain the facts you need to know about all the worms except heart worms, which are addressed in another article.
Tape…
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused by several strains of Leptospira bacteria. It is most common in warm and wet climates and least common in the Southwest, but can cause problems anywhere.
Dogs are at risk when they drink from stagnant water, roam on rural property or in barnyards, or catch rodents and other wild animals. Leptospirosis is spread by contact…
Kennel Cough, The Doggy Common Cold
Kennel cough is a highly contagious disease that causes upper respiratory problems and a deep, persistent cough. Because it is so contagious, it can sweep through a kennel in a matter of days, hence the name “kennel cough”. This infection is actually found wherever dogs congregate, such as dog shows, the groomer, veterinarian’s offices, or dog parks.
Dogs with kennel cough…
Five Winter Hazards for Your Dog
Each season seems like it comes with its’ own hazards for our dogs. Winter is no exception. Dogs have to worry about several things in the winter, including the cold, ice, de-icing solutions, car antifreeze, and lack of water. Each of these poses problems for your dog that are not as prevalent at other times of the year.
The cold is…
Dental Care and Your Dog
Did you know dogs get cavities? In fact, dogs get all the same problems with their mouths we do: cavities, gum disease, abscesses, and bad breath. Further, in addition to causing pain in their own right, mouth problems can lead to infections, heart problems, and death.
How can you tell if your dog has a problem? Look inside the dog’s mouth. …
Rabies 101 and Your Dog
Rabies! The very word is enough to strike fear in most dog owner’s hearts. Since rabies is fatal to mammals, it is treated very seriously by health authorities and the incidence is low in the United States and Canada. Other countries have a higher incidence, though, and wild animals lurk in even very urban areas. It pays to know the…
Distemper 101
Distemper used to be the scourge of the dog world. Every dog went through it, with some dying, some suffering brain damage and being destroyed, and some coming through it okay. One reason trainers used to wait until a dog was eight or nine months old to start training was to see if the dog would come through distemper okay. …
Snake Bites and Your Dog
Snake bites range from clinically insignificant to life threatening and even deadly. Most snakes are not poisonous. Even poisonous snakes do not inject venom every time they bite. The trouble is there is no way for an owner to know if this is a “dry bite” or if the snake shot a full dose of venom into the dog. For…
Parvo 101
Veterinarians dread dealing with a dog who has bloody diarrhea or is throwing up blood. It usually means the dog has parvo, an extremely contagious virus that often kills the dog. Even if it doesn’t kill the dog, it means days on an IV while the dog recovers. The dog must be kept in isolation so it…
What to do in a Doggy Emergency
If you have a dog, you will eventually have an emergency. Your dog will eat something he isn’t supposed to, get in a fight with something, catch that car he is always chasing, or get very ill. While no one wants to have an emergency, a little preplanning and information can make having one go smoother.
First, your veterinarian’s…
Vaccinations and Your Dog
Vaccinations can be a controversial topic. Some people do not believe in vaccinating their dogs, some give fewer vaccinations than the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommends, and some follow those recommendations completely.
Just as humans get vaccinations against certain diseases when young, it is recommended that puppies get a series of vaccinations against such diseases as adenovirus cough and…
Pet Insurance
Veterinary medicine has reached the point where almost any treatment available to humans is available to dogs. That is good and bad. Knowing there is something that can be done to help your pet if only you could afford it is worse, in many ways, than knowing there is nothing that can be done. Economic euthanasia is…
Diseases to Vaccinate Your Dog Against
Dogs get viruses that can threaten their health as well as make them miserable. Vaccinations exist for many of these illnesses. Vaccination schedules vary and are discussed in a separate article. Here are the diseases for which vaccines exist.
Adenovirus cough is one of the causes of kennel cough. The dog’s trachea and bronchial tubes are inflamed. …
