Allergy sufferers everywhere know how stressful allergies can be to deal with. What people may not know is that animals have their own allergies, too. Just like humans, their immune system sometimes overacts to allergens. However, their bodies respond differently than ours do. It’s important to be able to identify allergy symptoms in your pet […]
Dogs possess an amazing ability to sniff out changes in human physiology, even drawing attention to diseases such as cancer. Their ability to detect low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and alert humans is well established. People with type I diabetes can experience abnormal drops in blood sugar – potentially resulting in fatigue, unconsciousness, or seizures. That’s […]
New or worsening aggressive behavior in older dogs or cats may result from undiagnosed pain. It’s sad but true that many dog owners may unnecessarily turn their dogs over to animal control for euthanasia when the dog’s behavior could have been returned to normal with good veterinary care. In a study published in the Journal […]
Nail clipping can be a stressful task for dog owners and their pets. However, skipping this grooming habit can have negative outcomes for pets, such as: In the wild, running along hard surfaces helps wear down nails, meaning nail trimming is not needed as much. Domesticated dogs, especially indoor dogs, do not get this friction. […]
Like humans, dogs can get carsick. Besides vomiting, signs of trouble may include inactivity, yawning, excessive drooling, whining, and smacking lips. This makes travel stressful for both the pet and the owner. There are ways to treat it, though. The first way is conditioning. Get the dog used to the car and movement. First, just […]
Cold and flu season is ending, and you have stocked up on cough drops and medicines to keep yourself healthy. While these remedies can help fight illness, remember to store these products away from pets. Cough drops can be especially dangerous for your pups. The normal ingredients in cough drops, including sugar, menthol, eucalyptus oil, […]
Cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs aged 10 and older.1 About half of these cancers are curable if caught early. Lymphoma and bone cancer are two of the most common in dogs. Some breeds also seem to be prone to certain cancers. Below are some common symptoms of cancer in dogs to […]
Periodontal disease is a frequent problem seen in veterinary practices. Primary-care veterinary practices, where diagnosis of periodontal disease is predominantly based on visual oral assessment of conscious dogs, report an average prevalence of 9.3 to 18.2% within the dog population.1 Oral health should not be neglected. Good oral hygiene can prevent certain health issues that […]
Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), also known as bloat, is a life-threatening condition in dogs. GDV happens when the stomach expands well past its normal size because of trapped gas or fluid. Afterwards, the stomach begins to twist around itself. This can cause major damage to the stomach and surrounding organs. GDV is a life-threatening event that, […]
You may have heard that dogs are good judges of character. But did you know they can tell when people are liars? Akiko Takoaka, Ph.D, of Kyoto University, conducted a study of 24 dogs. A researcher pointed to a container with food concealed underneath. All the dogs went to the container. The researcher then pointed […]
