Raising Healthy Dogs

ift up your dog’s lip. Take a good look—and smell—of his mouth. Is there any yellowish, brownish or grayish gunk on his teeth? That’s tartar (also called calculus). Is there a bad odor (more than normal doggy breath)? That’s halitosis. Are the gums red or bleeding? That’s gingivitis.

“Kennel cough” is a generic term, and rather misleading. It is a contagious illness, but dogs don’t just get it at kennels. They can get it anywhere—at doggy day care, at the pet store, at the park, walking around the block, or even in their own backyards—so “infectious tracheobronchitis” (ITB) or “canine infectious respiratory disease” (CIRD) are better terms.

Like human influenza, canine influenza is highly contagious and targets the respiratory tract. The virus is spread through sneezing, coughing, direct contact with another dog, and from contaminated surfaces and objects (floors, cages, toys, bowls, etc.). A dog can actually spread virus before he starts to show symptoms; this can lead to outbreaks because the dog appears healthy.

Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal infection in dogs (also cats and ferrets). Although it is most common in the Midwest and Southeastern United States, heartworm has been diagnosed in every state.

Diabetes mellitus, often referred to as just diabetes, usually affects overweight, middle-aged dogs between the ages of 7 and 9 years. It is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin. If untreated, diabetes will lead to an early death. Fortunately, treatment is available; you can give your dog insulin by injection to replace that which her body lacks.

The main components of managing your diabetic dog are medication, diet and monitoring. It’s also important to be able to recognize when her blood glucose levels are abnormal, because this can be an emergency.

Inflammation is a natural response of your dog’s body to injury, and it is usually helpful. However, sometimes it can cause more harm than good. For example, arthritis is one example in which the body’s natural inflammatory response is causing damage.

Many dogs suffer from arthritis, whether it is because of an injury to a joint, or just because of wear and tear on aging joints. It’s a painful condition that can affect your canine companion’s quality of life. There are several things you can do to make life easier for your arthritic dog, and they don’t take much time or effort on your part.

If your dog is diagnosed with an uncommon or serious illness, your stress levels will increase and you will want to be absolutely sure that the diagnosis is correct. Your first port of call may be the internet, but Dr Google isn’t always right and you may find yourself becoming more anxious at the results of your internet searches.

Wobbler’s Syndrome (also called Cervical spondylomyelopathy) causes gait abnormalities in dogs. Dogs with this condition can show signs of paralysis or weakness, and they may fall over or appear to slip on the floor. It can affect the hind legs as well as the forelegs, and it can either have a slow and progressive onset or occur suddenly.

Knee injuries are one of the most common orthopedic ailments affecting dogs. The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), also called the anterior cruciate ligament, is very important in stabilizing the knee joint, and when it is damaged, it hurts! It’s likely that any dog with a sudden lameness in one hind leg has ruptured that ligament.

As a dog owner, you want to raise your dog to be in good health and enjoy life to the fullest. To do this, you need to become familiar with the characteristics of a healthy dog. This eBook will provide guidelines to help you assure that your beloved pet has the proper care in order to live a full, healthy, happy life. Filled with helpful information, this eBook will encourage you to provide the very best care and love for your dog. A gallery of “dog photos” adds delight to the contents of this beautiful eBook.

Proceeds from the sale of this eBook will be donated to the Baker Institute for Animal Health, a part of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, whose mission is to improve animal health through basic and applied research.

The feeling of welcoming a homeless dog into your family home is very rewarding. While these dogs make wonderful pets, it’s important to take your time when choosing a rescue dog as your next canine family member. Many owners rush this process because they are keen to adopt a dog from the shelter, but you need to put the same amount of planning into adoption as you would when buying a dog from a breeder.

The holiday season is a time of goodwill, for sharing a meal with friends and family and exchanging gifts with those you love. The last thing you want to do is to spend it at the emergency clinic with your dog!

Don’t let the winter weather get in the way of having fun with your dog. Here are some suggestions that will help you care for him during the colder months

Dogs of any age, breed or gender can get a urinary tract infection.

Canine stomach upsets are extremely common because of the very nature of dogs — they explore their world by tasting. Most are transitory events, but it is possible that symptoms of a stomach upset are due to a more serious illness. No matter what the cause, homeopathic medications may help in their treatment.

Does your dog suffer from regular attacks of vomiting, loose stools and indigestion? Adding some pumpkin to his diet may help. Even if he doesn’t have digestive problems, pumpkin can help to regulate his digestive system and make him a healthier, happier dog.

An eye infection occurs for quite a few reasons. Sometimes, it is because trauma of some kind has allowed bacteria to multiply in the damaged tissue; in other cases of infection, one or more local defense mechanisms — tears, for example — have been compromised.

Baker Institute is a part of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and is one of the oldest research centers dedicated to the study of veterinary infectious diseases, immunology, genetics, and reproduction.

Though you may read about the many risks of eating fish, you need to take such details with the proverbial grain of salt. Just stop to consider both sides of the argument. The opposition says: Fish has mercury Fish has easily swallowed bones Some fish can lead to health problems. On the other hand, those [...]

Vegetables are a vital constituent to any human diet, and the same should be true for dogs. Despite some pretty severe physical differences, dogs and humans aren’t a million miles away from each other biologically. Foods that a healthy for humans, will generally speaking also be beneficial for dogs, although as with any rule there are exceptions.

Yogurt has long been known for its many health benefits to the human digestive tract, but it is also beneficial for dogs too. Just like in the digestive systems of human beings, yogurt’s cultures work many wonders in the bellies of dogs too.

Everyone thinks that clause in their will, where they leave instructions for the care of their pets is enough. What if you are “NOT DEAD YET”? Legally, there are two other stand-alone methods, of assuring your beloved animals are taken care of as you intended and in the manner you choose. They are Pet Trusts and Pet Protection Agreements. Rachel Hirschfeld, Esq. in her book, Petriarch, created the latter.

Most of us understand the health benefits of coconut oil: stress relief, lower cholesterol, increased immunity,and enhanced digestion.
These are just some of the health benefits of coconut oil. This begs the question, if coconut oil is good for me, is it also good for my dog?

I get a lot of email at Raising Healthy Dogs and one question keeps coming up – how do I know if I am making the right decisions for my dog? The answer is not easy but I always think about my own parents. They were great people who loved me dearly but you know what? They made mistakes. Lots of them. That did not mean they did not care or did not love me any less, it just meant they were acting on the best available advice they had, and living within their resources.

While there are many everyday expenses to dog parenting, including food, supplies, toys, treats and regular check-ups at the veterinarian’s office, many people do not consider the cost of medical emergencies.

Hydrotherapy is a documented rehabilitation treatment using water exercise and swimming exercises to help dogs when they are recovering from surgery or other injuries. It provides a good, non-impact exercise that doesn’t put pressure on sore joints or muscles. Hydrotherapy is also great for helping overweight dogs to lose weight or otherwise keep your dog in shape so he won’t get overweight.

Obesity is a problem that both humans and canines have in common, with more than 40 percent of dogs showing up at their veterinarian’s appointment being overweight. Have you ever wondered if there was a way for you and your dog in shape at the same time? Well, there is, and the Pooch to 5K website will show you exactly how to do it.

Having dogs in my life has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. But I have to say, it isn’t always easy financially. In fact, the rising cost of dog guardianship and overall economic down-turn has, unfortunately, led to many people turning over their pets to shelters. Personally, for me, I cannot imagine a situation where I would ever give up my dogs but some people become so overwhelmed with life they feel their only option is to give up the dog. So let’s talk about the true cost of raising a dog.

August 11, 2003 was the worst day of my life. That was the day I had to put by my best boy, Cooper, to sleep. Cooper was my first dog. I never knew what I was missing in my life until I met him and now a mere 13 years later he was gone.

Obesity in dogs is just as bad for them as it is for humans. It is connected with problems like heart disease, breathing issues, liver problems, diabetes, musculoskeletal diseases, stomach problems, as well as putting stress on the dog’s joints, tendons and skeleton. It also causes dogs to have a shortened lifespan, as well as have problems giving birth, less tolerance to heat, and being more likely to succumb to various diseases or even death.

So with Thanksgiving just around the corner in the United States, it is important to take extra special care of your dogs.  If your dogs are like mine, they have given me so many reasons to be grateful this year. Now it is our turn toshow them appreciation for the things they do each and [...]

So it is a fact of life that someday we, or one of our friends will get sick – sick enough that they cannot take care of or walk their dogs. I never really thought about this until recently when a great friend of mine got sick. She is fortunate enough to have a loving, caring husband that was able to handle everything. But it would have been nice if he had some help with “the dog”.

Each year, more than 15,000 dogs and cats are bitten by snakes every year all over the U.S. Some are poisonous and some are harmless, but you still need to be prepared and know what to do if your dog is bitten by a snake.

 Heat stroke is a very dangerous condition where the body’s temperature goes up drastically due to heat exhaustion, heat stroke or exposure to an unusually hot environment with no access to shelter or water. Heat stroke can affect our furry friends just as easily as it can us, and dogs can even die if they [...]

Some people wonder, do dogs grieve? While a dog isn’t a human being,  they do have feelings. A dog can get very attached to either another animal or a certain person. We can tell this whenever someone is gone for a long time and the dog is very happy to see them or when someone [...]

All in all, there are several things you can do to help your dog with the pain and discomfort of arthritis. Work with you vet to come up with plan to help your dog live with arthritis.

So one of Raising Healthy Dog readers asked the question “does my dog know when I am sick?” While there are no empirical studies, ask anyone that has ever been sick and they will tell you how their dog stayed by their side or just behaved better while their guardian was ill. But for this reader, the reverse was true. She had been taking cancer drugs and at first her dog was standoffish. As the drugs built up in her body, her dog refused to even be in the same room as her. Heartbreaking as this is, if this is happening to you, know that it is quite common. Basically, cancer drugs (pregnancy and other medical issues) make you smell different. The famous author and dog trainer Jean Donaldson says “dogs unpack the universe with their noses”. Just know that your dog is not snubbing you, he is just wondering where his real mom is.

The benefits of adding raw fruit and vegetables your dog’s diet are wide and varied. Healthier, cleaner teeth and gums, improved breath, stronger immune systems and a milder body odor are among the most commonly reported. Each combination is as unique as our pets but the positive results are clear.

Summer is a great time for having fun with your dog. Lots of us are able to spend more time with our dogs doing outdoor things. We may have vacation time, more daylight in the evenings, and it’s just nicer to do things when it’s warm. But hot weather can also have some dangers for dogs Here are some hot weather safety tips for you to keep in mind for your dog.

If you follow these water safety tips for your dog then you should both have a great time when you go for a dip.

Is there any face more dear than the graying muzzle of an elderly dog?  Your dog may be getting older, yet he still enjoys many of the same things he did when he was younger.  Just because a dog is getting a little older doesn’t mean he can’t still have fun playing!  In fact, your [...]

Most of us feel like our dogs are family and we all probably have a natural impulse sometimes to use human products on our dogs.  But, is it a good idea to use human products on dogs?  Should you give your dog a human painkiller or use your shampoo on your dog?  In general, the [...]

Most dog guardians today want to feed their dog a healthy diet, but  aren’t always sure exactly what foods are healthy.  Take berries, for example.  If you check the Internet, you will find lots of different information about berries.  People seem confused about whether or not berries are good for dogs, or even safe to [...]

Watching the news these days it seems no one is safe from a disaster, natural or otherwise. But disasters happen to someone else, right? Well not really. A good friend of mine just had a house fire which made her house unlivable. However, prior planning and a clear head allowed her to exit the house leading her two beautiful dogs to safety. So it got me to thinking about what I would do with my dogs if my house burned down.

Advances in veterinary care are resulting in a longer lifespan for our beloved canine companions. A dog in the United States lives on average until they are 12, and smaller breeds generally outlive larger dogs by several years. This means we have to learn to manage the age related problems that our dogs develop, so their quality of life is as good as it can be.

Dogs, just like people, can get an upset stomach and determining the reason for the upset will make it so you know if it’s serious or not and what to do about getting him back on the road to feeling better.

An allergy is when some sort of irritant causes itching, welts, and rashes to name a few symptoms. The term “allergy” means there is some sort of overreaction by the dog’s immune system to a certain substance.

If you have allergies, then you know just how itchy and miserable they can make you when they act up due to pollen in the air or whatever irritant causes the allergy.

A uninary track infection or cystitis as it is sometimes called, is caused when bacteria attack a dog’s urinary system. It can be caused by several different kinds of bacteria. The organs that can be affected are the kidneys, bladder, ureters, uretha, and prostate gland. If not treated quickly, it can get into several of these organs and cause major issues for your pet.

While eye infections are somewhat common, they can still be a serious condition that if not treated right away could lead to blindness or worse. They are also usually very contagious, so you should wash your hands when treating them and make sure your dog doesn’t pass it to some other pet.

Ear infections are a painful affliction that can cause your normally peaceful dog to go into a frenzy of head shaking, ear scratching, and whining. While ear infections are usually not life threatening, they are still something that must be treated by your veterinarian.

All in all, rabies is an extremely deadly and contagious viral disease carried in the saliva and bite of an affected animal. The only way to prevent your dog from catching this horrible virus is to have him vaccinated and maintain booster shots hereafter the first shot at about six months of age.

Your dog has two cruciate ligaments in his knee. They criss cross the space between the femur and the tibia (hence their name), and prevent these bones moving forwards and backwards against each other. Between the two bones lie two little crescents of cartilage called menisci (singular is meniscus). These act as shock absorbers when your dog walks and runs, and protect the cartilage at the end of the two bones.

Parvovirus is an extremely contagious viral illness that is spread from dog to dog by both direct and indirect contact with infected feces, as well as germs on surfaces like clothing, food dishes, floors, etc for up to five months. It’s also thought that rodents and insects carry it from place to place. It is a very serious and potentially deadly disease and in some circumstances, dogs can die in as little as two days with or without treatment.

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation, pain and stiffness of the joints. Statistics show that one in five adult dogs are afflicted with this ailment.

Obesity is becoming as severe a problem for dogs as it is for their owners. Studies show that in the last 20 years dogs are steadily catching up to humans in terms of being overweight. It’s estimated that between 25 and 40 percent of dogs are either obese already or will become obese.

It’s been estimated that up to six percent of dogs in the world have epilepsy, which acts the same way in canines as it does in humans who are afflicted with it.

Epilepsy is a neurological disease of the brain that causes uncontrolled, recurring seizures. Essentially, the neurons in the brain aren’t working properly, so the nerves in the brain send a scrambled signal to your dog’s body and it can’t work properly and seizures happen.

All in all, heartworms are a very serious and potentially deadly disease that can easily kill your pet. That’s why the American Heartworm Society recommends you give your dog a preventative all year long.

Kennel cough, also called canine tracheobronchitis, is an infectious disease similar to bronchitis or a cold in people. It causes a dog’s upper respiratory system to be inflamed. Kennel cough gets its name from the fact that dogs in close quarters like kennels tend to get the disease more easily and spread it more.

Canine distemper is an extremely communicable, multi-systemic viral illness that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems.

Bloat. Such a simple word that may not sound serious, but it is dead serious when it comes to dogs that get this life threatening condition. Bloat is considered the second leading cause of dog death right after cancer and nearly 50 percent of all dogs with bloat die.

A dog is not an impulse purchase. If you decide to invite a dog to join your family, you are choosing to share many years of your life with this animal. During that time you are responsible for training him, feeding him, grooming him and keeping him safe. You must do your homework before you [...]

So, where do you go from here? How do you take this information, and work out what your dog needs? You’ll need to vaccinate your dog with the core vaccines, that’s a given. As far as which non-core vaccines to use, this depends on your dog’s activities, where you live, and other factors such as whether or not your dog is likely to be exposed to disease.

It may take a little while for you to find the right veterinarian for your dog. It’s worth the time and effort. If your dog ever has an accident or becomes unwell, you’ll be more relaxed, because you have confidence in the people who are caring for him.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to treat ailments in people for over two thousand years. This treatment method uses very fine needles to stimulate specific points in the body known as acupuncture points. The result is a free flow of energy through the body, which leads to recovery.

Next time you are feeding your dog, spend a few moments reading what’s written on the bag of kibble, or on the back of the can. If you can learn how to read dogs food labels, you’ll be able to choose the right food for your dog.

Laser therapy for dogs can provide pain relief with no adverse effects, and help to put a spring back into their step. So if you have a dog who is suffering from pain, ask your vet if laser therapy is right for them.

So I just read a book on caring for your senior dog and the book listed one resource for obtaining financing for pet care; http://www.carecredit.com.  It is a division of GE Capital. I do not have any immediate need but in case one of our readers do I applied for credit.  It is a no-interest [...]

When looking to provide the best care for our dogs, we often think about ensuring that we have chosen the right vet, offered the right food, and offered enough activity to both physically and mentally keep our pets stimulated and happy.  While these things are certainly crucial, however, they are not always the complete picture.  [...]

As a dog owner, you want to do the best you can for your animal.  You likely provide the best possible veterinary care, spend time walking and playing with your canine companion every day, and generally doing things to ensure that your dog is both healthy and happy.  This is certainly a great way to [...]

As humans, we are often told of the many benefits of taking fish oil supplements.  After all, these powerful anti inflammatory supplements can help with a wide range of conditions.  But what about when it comes to pets?  You might be surprised to learn that Omega 3’s are as beneficial to your dog as they [...]

Winter is a great time for walking and hiking with your dogs;  no bugs, no humidity, fewer people.  But there are also some real challenges when hiking or walking with our dogs in the Winter.  Besides the extreme cold, there is also the possibility of ice and snow.  So before hitting the streets or the [...]

Preventing dental disease in dogs is important and more emphasis should be placed on it by dog guardians. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80% of dogs show signs of dental diseases by age three.  This could explain why Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) reports that its policyholders filed more than $5.1 million in claims [...]

If you are like me, you love your dog, as if it was an intricate part of your family. And when your beautiful dog suffers pain from bug bites and stings you want to relieve that suffering as quickly as possible. However, you also know that a visit to the vet, to help sooth bug [...]

Many pet owners won’t neuter their male dogs. Some transfer their emotions about the procedure onto their dogs, and decide that it’s a cruel and unusual punishment.  But most avoid neutering their dogs because they’ve heard one or more of the many misconceptions about neutering. Despite all these rumors and myths, neutering is a responsible [...]

One of my favorite things to do with my dogs is to hike with them off leash.  But over the years there have been several occasions where mine or my friend’s dogs have gotten into trouble.  Only preparedness and clear thinking carried us through the situation. First and foremost, always try to walk or hike [...]

It seemed like everyone was out this weekend buying holiday decorations for their homes.  But before decorating with plants, remember your four-legged friends.  When ingested, some holiday plants will cause our dogs mild irritation while others can be downright dangerous. Following are three of the more common holiday plants and their toxicity. A complete list [...]

Proper nutrition for puppies is very essential to ensure their proper and healthy growth. Growing pups require proper nutrition to remain disease-free and have a normal growth. Nutrition for your puppy: To make sure that your canine friend stays healthy and fit, you need to take care of all its nutrition needs. Following information will [...]

A hot spot is a hairless, intensely itchy patch found on a dog’s skin. They are also known as acute moist dermatitis, moist dermatitis and pyotraumatic dermatitis. As a responsible dog owner, it’s very important for you to be aware of the causes and cures of hot spots- one of the most common dog problems. [...]

Tips for Dog Grooming: Dog Grooming may seem to be a tedious task, but if you have the right knowledge, you will be amazed to see how easy dog grooming is. Benefits of dog grooming: Dog grooming keeps your pet dog’s coat free from fleas, ticks and other microorganism that cause harm to your dog’s [...]

Becoming a dog owner for the first time can be a very exciting time in your life, the joy of adding a new furry member to your family should be something that will last a lifetime. However, just like having a baby there are some very definite guidelines that you will need to follow in [...]

As a pet owner, you likely understand the importance of providing your dog with prompt medical attention any time he or she is injured or sick.  We love our pets as if they were humans, and providing them with medical care when it is necessary is something that most people do not hesitate to do.  [...]

For many owners the comfort of having their favorite furry friend sleeping on their bed at night provides a sense of security for owner and dog, children especially seem to like having the family dog sleeping on their bed. Often this habit starts out during puppyhood and continues on well into adulthood. While there is [...]

In recent years veterinarians and the ASPCA have begun to offer microchip identification for your dogs, there are some advantages and some disadvantages to using this new technology to identify your dog.  The chip is implanted in the loose skin between his shoulder blades using an injection that unlike some people seem to think does [...]

Spaying or Neutering is the process of removing the reproductive organs from your dog. In case of males it is called neutering and in females it is called spaying. The details of spaying and neutering are not relevant, but it is an important process to be done for a better life with your dog. It [...]

The Secret to Canine Urinary Tract Health Cranberries have many health benefits for dogs. Canine urinary tract infections can be serious business for dogs and they can mean serious vet bills for owners. For owners of dogs with chronic urinary tract infections, the expenses can mount quickly. Many humans have the same problem and many [...]

One of our readers asked the question “is garlic good or bad for dogs?”  While animals of all types have been given garlic for centuries, the debate as to whether it is good or bad for animals continues.   So lets look at the arguments for and against garlic. The Stink on Garlic and Dogs [...]

While we all try to take the best care of our pets, sometimes,  we are faced with medical needs for our dogs that we may not have planned for and just cannot afford.  Then because we can’t pay for the health care or surgical treatment, our companion may go untreated.  But don’t despair, there are [...]

Two common canine ailments are diarrhea and constipation.  Did you know that canned pumpkin can offer a solution to both? Diarrhea is more a symptom rather than a disease and is typically a sign that something is wrong with your dog’s digestive system. A lot of things can cause diarrhea in your dog; it may [...]