A coughing and gagging dog can be scary. It could just be allergies or some small particle your pup picked up, or something serious. You can’t always tell and your mind may immediately go to the worst-case scenario. And it’s not like your furry friend can verbally tell you what’s going on. It’s up to …
Can You Use Neosporin on Dogs? Whether playing in the park or running around the house, your furry friend, when not being careful (most of the time they aren’t) is prone to scratches here and there. And like every careful and concerned dog owner, you get alarmed at even the minor cuts. And your first …
Canine constipation is never fun. It’s not only uncomfortable for your dog but, in some cases, it can even be dangerous. If your dog is struggling to go to the bathroom, you may be wondering “what can I give my dog for constipation that is safe and effective?” This is a great question, especially if …
Diarrhea is a symptom and not a disease. When your dog has any type of diarrhea, a bland diet and fasting for 24-hours is always the best next step. Often a vet appointment is necessary if you see blood in your dog’s stool or your buddy is lethargic and just not acting like himself. Gastrointestinal …
Canine obesity is a serious problem in roughly half of the dogs living in the United States. That’s why we’re glad you’re here looking into “how to help my dog lose weight”. As dog parents ourselves, we understand how difficult it can be to ignore those puppy eyes when your dog is begging for extra …
If you’re a pet parent, you’ve undoubtedly encountered an unexpected lump or bump on your beloved companion at one time or another (or if you haven’t yet, you probably will!) Perhaps you found a small bump while you were grooming your dog, or noticed an unusual growth on his belly or one of his limbs. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Itchy, flaky skin. Gas and runny stools. Ear infections and hot spots. While these symptoms may seem unrelated, they can all be caused by the same thing: a food allergy. If your dog has ever suffered from that constant itch or the red, irritated skin that comes with it, you probably already know that an …
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 …
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 …
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, …