Dog Health Issues

When you hear the word “mange,” you automatically think of stray dogs with scabby skin. What you may not realize, though, is that any dog can get mange, even the ones that stay indoors most of the time. Mange may look bad, but fortunately it is a treatable condition. While vet-prescribed medication should be your …

Are you wondering how to remove a tick from a dog? There are plenty of myths and misconceptions when it comes to tick removal, with many guides giving incorrect or even harmful advice. So today, we’re going to clear it up and help you learn how to remove a tick from a dog safely, effectively …

Fleas are nasty pests that nearly all pet owners have to contend with at one point or another. Unfortunately, there are not too many options for dog parents who want to know how to get rid of fleas naturally. And that’s where we come in. We’ve done the research and found the best all natural …

Making sure your dog gets enough exercise is important both for their mental and physical health. But how do you know what the “right” amount of exercise is? While there is no one right answer to the question “how much exercise does a dog need every day?” there are some steps you can take to …

If you’ve had dogs or other small animals sharing your household for any significant amount of time, odds are, one of them has been prescribed doxycycline at some point in their lives. This common antibiotic is effective against a wide range of pathogens, making it a go-to for many vets. Still, even though this drug …

Every dog owner has experienced it. Frequent trips to the yard. Slimy, grass-laced throw up on the carpet. And restless nights. All the telltale signs of a dog with an upset tummy. More often than not, these short bouts of stomach trouble are caused by something minor and resolve themselves in a matter of days. …

Like humans, dogs can suffer from occasional dehydration, either from repeated episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, exercising vigorously in hot temperatures, or an illness that causes a fever. Diabetic dogs may also become dehydrated due to hyperglycemia (too much sugar in the blood), which causes them to urinate excessively. Even heavy panting (usually caused by …

Just like their human counterparts, dogs sometimes need help managing their pain. Dogs — like people– may have acute pain from an injury or a surgical or dental procedure. Or they may suffer from pain that is more chronic in nature, such as pain from arthritis or hip dysplasia, both of which can cause discomfort …

Any problem involving the eye has the potential to be quite serious. This is true in humans and doubly so in dogs. Since our canine companions can’t tell us what happened to them or give us a list of symptoms, it’s important that we take any changes in a dog’s eyes seriously. That means all …

Dogs, much like humans, can have itchy dry skin. Some of the reasons that may itch are because of food allergies, fleas, ticks, or just plain dry skin. With the dry skin and itchy fur, there are a variety of ways that one helps keep their dogs skin from itching. From dry shampoo to sprays, …

When I became an official dog mom several years ago, I was tormented by thoughts of something bad happening to my new little fur child on my watch. She was, afterall, so small and helpless. “She may be out of sorts for the next few days, so if she doesn’t eat or doesn’t have an …

A few days ago, it was so cold here in Alaska that Eira’s eyelashes, eyebrows, and whiskers frosted over within minutes of being outside to go potty. But today, the temperatures have risen to almost 40 degrees, and it’s windy. Eira has been having bursts of extra face-itchiness and discomfort during windy spells in this …

Guess what temperature it was here in the Anchorage area of Alaska yesterday? 0 degrees Fahrenheit. When I let Eira out in the morning to go potty, the clip on her lead was frozen. I had to rub it between my hands to melt the ice keeping it stuck together. I put water out for …

If you’re the owner of a dog with allergies or itchy skin from any cause, you probably know how frustrating and difficult managing the problem can be. First, there are trips to the vet to determine the underlying cause of the itching, which can be anything from canine eczema to ringworm to sarcoptic mange. Then, …

There’s nothing worse than seeing your fur-baby in pain. And because they can’t explain to us how they’re feeling, we aren’t sure how, exactly, to help. Once, when my German shepherd, Bella, was about four, she howled in pain while chasing a ball. She stopped abruptly and began to limp. I ran to her, picked …

Anyone who has ever cared for a dog with atopic dermatitis knows how heartbreaking and frustrating the condition can be. Also known as canine eczema, it manifests as severe itchiness accompanied by red, irritated, inflamed skin. Severely affected dogs will often bite, chew, rub and lick these itchy areas incessantly, sometimes until they bleed. What’s …

There is nothing worse than seeing your beautiful pooch in pain or seeing them act differently to normal. When their head and ears hang low, their puppy dog eyes are more apparent than usual and they seem unhappy, you just know there must be something wrong. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether or not …

Two dog afflictions always loomed in my consciousness when I lived in the lower 48 states: flea medicine and heartworm medicine. Each is costly but oh so necessary. Now that I live in Alaska, though, fleas aren’t as much of a problem to guard against as they were in California or Oklahoma. (Especially Oklahoma! So …

Have you ever noticed your dog obsessively licking or scratching his skin, biting or chewing his paws, or dragging his butt across the carpet or floors as you desperately try to redirect your dinner guests’ attention? These behaviors are nothing to sneeze at.  If your dog has shown any of these symptoms, chances are good …

Have you ever seen a cauliflower wart-like growth on the skin of your dog? Yes, it is exactly what it looks like. If you didn’t know, dogs can get warts just like humans. Okay, don’t panic! The good news; it’s not that serious and it can be controlled or subdued. However, if you want to …

One of my closest friends is an avid animal lover. At one point she had 3 dogs, and her routine vet bills were already stretching her tight budget. Then the unthinkable happened – she was out ice fishing with her husband and their dogs when her oldest dog Dexter cut his paw open on a …

How many of us own dogs that get stressed out at vet visits? Recently, a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association showed that over an alarming 20% of the nearly 60 million households in the U.S. that own dogs, do not take their animals to the vet. While there are a variety of reasons …

What dog doesn’t love the outdoors!? My cocker spaniel Alfie certainly does. There is nothing he loves more than running through the countryside as fast as he can without a care in the world. A member of the gun dog family, spaniels are well-known for needing large amounts of exercise, up to two hours a …

As humans, we’re prone to getting colds once in a while. The sniffles, stuffy noses, sneezing, and all-around feeling of malaise that come with colds is certainly not pleasant. And we all know that colds are highly contagious and can easily be spread from one person to another. That is, after all, how people get …

Nothing frustrates a dog parent more than arriving home and being greeted with a smelly wrecked living room or kitchen, courtesy of your pooch. Like humans, dogs don’t mean to make gastrointestinal messes. The main culprit is IBD – Inflammatory Bowel Disease. IBD leads to unpredictable and uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. If your …

Did you find out that your canine companion is suffering from kidney failure? As a dog ages, kidney failure becomes more prevalent. Like humans, a dog’s kidneys maintain an average concentration of salt and water in his body. They balance substances in the dog’s blood and filters body waste as urine. Dog kidneys also aid …

You’ve spent a lot of time and effort training your dog to pee outside or on a pee pad in the house in order to avoid having to clean up any unsightly messes. And after a good stretch of time with no accidents, you’ve decided that she’s in the clear and is officially house trained. …

Have you ever tried to give your dog a pill and ended up with a handful of doggy slobber and a pill rolling on the floor and under the stove? When it comes to taking medicine, some dogs are fairly good at outsmarting their owners. While my English Cream Golden Retriever Jake will pretty much …

Owning a dog can be both incredibly rewarding and shockingly expensive. As a Financial Planner, I often help my pet-parent clients budget for regular dog expenses and plan for the unexpected ones. Vet care can be one of the most expensive parts of owning a dog, accounting for more than 25% of the total annual …

Dogs are naturally innocent and curious creatures, and these are some of their best traits. Unfortunately, these cute and endearing traits can also make the dogs we love vulnerable to injury, sickness, fleas, ticks, and even bee stings. A bee sting can happen anywhere – on a camping trip, at the dog park, on routine …

There are few issues that plague dogs (and their caretakers) more persistently than problems with the skin. Although some breeds are more prone to skin problems than others (my shih-tzu, for example), all dogs are susceptible to a wide array of skin conditions ranging from a simple flea allergy to a full-fledged case of sarcoptic …

I’ll never forget the alarm I felt when one morning, I awoke to find my German shepherd dog’s tail fur gone from her tail. This was at least five years ago, and Bella, my dog, looked up at me with guilty eyes and then proceeded to chew the last bits of fur off her poor, …

Owning a dog with liver disease can be challenging. I know this for certain because my dog, Joey, a 13-year-old shih tzu, was diagnosed with a rare  form of liver disease about three years ago. In his case, we found the problem quite by accident. During an exam for an unrelated issue, my vet found …

My black German Shepherd was about nine years old, healthy, and active when she came into the house one night limping on her back leg. I thought she might have pulled a muscle or something, as she liked to dash about the backyard, particularly if there was a cat around! I waited to see how …

Although most pet owners couldn’t put a price on their beloved dog, it’s important to face the fact that owning a dog is expensive – often more expensive than we expect. Routine vet costs alone will easily cost you hundreds of dollars per year. When you consider the fact that most pet owners will experience …

When Capa, my Labrador Retriever mix, sat in his chair with his head bobbing up and down uncontrollably, it freaked me out. My dog is healthy overall, and I wasn’t told about any health problems or chronic conditions when I adopted him. Still, here he was with his head shaking as if he had developed …

Dogs are the best, aren’t they? They are such innocent, happy little creatures who just want to explore the world around them and have a great time. Unfortunately, the world around our dogs isn’t always totally safe. And while we all want our dogs to hold on to that carefree energy that makes them, well, …

As temperatures continue to rise this summer, there are a number of harmful conditions your dog is exposed to that typically aren’t an issue any other time of the year. With one of these being paw pad burns, it’s essential to know how to recognize the signs that your pup is suffering so you can …

Dogs are life long snuggle buddies and forever friends. They comfort you in times of need, celebrate your accomplishments and, know how to give some sloppy kisses. They are faithful, loyal and, good companions. From sled to service dogs, these animals have shown their value to us. Generations of strong, healthy breeds have shown the …

With the rise of autism in current times, do you find yourself wondering whether your dog could have autism? Does it make you worry when you notice your canine companion unwilling to play, cuddle, or reluctant to do just about anything? Veterinarians have been trying to figure out the occurrence of autism-like symptoms in puppies …

Summer is here! Warm weather means fun in the sun, lots of time spent outside, and of course, swimming. If your dogs are anything like mine, swimming is their favorite way to enjoy the warmer months. No matter where you live, there is somewhere for your dog to swim. We don’t live near the ocean, …

If you’ve ever had to keep your dog cooped up for a day or two, you probably know that a bored dog can be pretty annoying! Mental exercise is one of the best ways to keep your dog, or any animal, entertained! Your dog is happiest when he gets to use his brain, and is …