It’s the same sad song each year: “My dog has fleas and they are out of control”! Every time warm weather approaches, veterinarians across the country will once again be overflowed with complaints and questions from worried dog and cat owners who are waging the recurrent battle against external parasites, particularly fleas and ticks. The…
Advances in veterinary medicine have led to increased longevity for pets, but special problems still crop up in older animals, especially dogs, either as a direct or indirect result of aging. An older dog may suffer from a variety of major and minor ailments that do not normally afflict younger pets. Among the most important…
Unusual behavior following a heat cycle (estrus) in the non-pregnant female dog is a common occurrence. This condition is termed false pregnancy (hyperluteoidism, pseudocyesis, pseudo-pregnancy). It is a hormonal imbalance and may cause a wide range of clinical signs. Let’s have a brief review of a normal estrous cycle on the female dog in order…
One of the most difficult tasks facing a veterinarian is how to manage hip dysplasia. There are several modes of therapy available, but only the most commonly accepted techniques will be discussed. 1. Maintenance: This is non-surgical management and consists of rest and restricted exercise, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Its best use is in…
The growing popularity of larger breeds of dogs has brought with it a threat of a crippling disease of the hip joints known as hip dysplasia. This disease was first described in the United States back in the 1930s. Research has produced abundant information on hip dysplasia, but many questions still remain unanswered. It is…
Most dogs love avocados. They taste good, and they are an excellent source of fat. Fat is responsible for providing dogs with extra amount of energy and gives them healthy skin as well as an extra glow in their coat. Strangely enough, it was the dogs themselves who led us to the idea of using…
If you feed your pet dog a diet consisting of only cuts of lean meat, chances are he would have severe nutritional problems. While a dog is a carnivore – meat eater – he cannot live on protein alone. Just like his owner, a dog needs a balanced diet including fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and…
Special diets for dogs are not only prescribed by veterinarians for the obese animal, but also for various health reasons. For example, if your dog suffers from congestive heart failure, due to heartworm or other heart diseases, your veterinarian may want to put him on a low-sodium diet, along with the proper medications, which combined,…
“Should I put my dog on a diet?” The answer to that question is Yes, but only if your veterinarian recommends it. The same care, consideration, and advice should be taken when your dog needs to be put on a special diet program, as you yourself would get from your personal physician if you were…
Demodectic mange is known by several common names including red mange, pustular mange, and puppy mange. The disease is caused by a cigar-shaped mite that lives in the hair follicles of the skin. The presence of this mite in the hair follicle causes local inflammation and disruption of the hair growth cycle. Alopecia (hair loss)…