Dog Health Care Issues | Common Ailments| Page 4 of 8

All About Dogs

New Canine Cancer Blood Test Available

The National Canine Cancer Foundation in Phoenix has announced that a new, simple blood test is now available for dog lovers to confirm veterinary suspicion of cancer in their pets. Developed by Veterinary Diagnostics Institute, which is a reference laboratory based in Simi Valley, California, the test is called VDI TKcanine+. It is used by veterinarians to measure two compounds in the dog’s blood: the thymidine kinase (or TK) level, which indicates unusually rapid cell division; and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which indicates when inflammation is present. Together, these measurements detect cancer in its early stages before signs become

June 18, 2015 No Comments

Choosing/Working With a Vet

8 Secrets To Stress Free Vet Visits

Vet visits are an essential part of every dog’s life, if only for routine check-ups and yearly vaccinations. With a little careful preparation they needn’t be traumatic — for your dog or you! If you can make your puppy’s first vet visit relaxed, she won’t develop anxiety about future appointments. Your puppy should be comfortable with being touched. Dogs aren’t naturally comfortable with having their tail lifted or their belly, feet, and nails touched. Find a time when your puppy is relaxed and calm and get him used to these actions. If it’s something that he becomes accustomed to with

June 18, 2015 No Comments

How To Get Your Dog To Take Their Medicine

It is a well-known fact that both dogs and kids hate to take their medicine. Since dogs cannot grab a cup of water to swallow a pill, you have to a bit more resourceful. Medication is a necessary evil, and you will have to figure out some way to make it work whether you put it in their dinner, treats, or water. Here are some solutions to help your dog take oral medications. Use food Food is your friend when it comes to coaxing dogs into taking their medication. You can put a pill or even liquid medication in the

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Keeping Fido Fit, Not Fat

Our pets weigh too much. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention’s latest veterinary survey, 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of adult cats in the United States — that’s 88.4 million pets — are classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarians. But the bigger problem, reports APOP founder Dr. Ernie Ward, is that pet owners don’t even realize their chubby four-legged friends have a weight problem. “Twenty two percent of dog owners and fifteen percent of cat owners characterized their pet as ‘normal weight’ when it was actually overweight or obese,” Dr. Ward says. “This

June 18, 2015 No Comments

A Checklist For Your Dog’s First Aid Kit

All good dog parents want to keep their pups safe, and that means being prepared for potential doggie disasters. One of the best ways to be ready is to create a first aid kit for your four-legged friend. But what exactly do dogs need in a first aid kit? Some of the items are probably obvious, but others may be a bit more surprising. That’s why we decided to put together this comprehensive list of what you should include, as well as why. Wound spray There are all kinds of ways that your dog can get cut, scratched, or otherwise

June 18, 2015 No Comments

How To Recognize And Handle Dog Seizures

Most pet owners probably don’t know this, but dogs can have seizures just like humans. Few things are worse than seeing your four-legged friend suddenly flop to the ground and tread water that isn’t even there, but for some dogs, this is their reality. So how do you know if your dog has or may get seizures? And what should you do if they start experiencing them? Causes of Epileptic Seizures in Dogs Some causes of seizures in dogs are preventable, but others are genetic or related to illness. Common reasons can be divided into several different categories:

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Blood And Hounds

In Episode 3 of the second season of “Cesar 911,” Cesar visited a veterinary hospital to help an over-excited dog that was used as a universal blood donor to other dogs. Now, unless you’ve ever gone through the experience of your dog having to have a transfusion, you may not even have been aware that dogs, like humans, do have blood types, but that’s where the similarity ends. Human blood types You’re probably familiar with the human blood types O, A, B, and AB, which come in both “positive” and “negative” varieties. What these letters refer to are the most

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Carsick And Vomiting Dog Problem

Help with Carsick and Vomiting Dog Dear Cesar, I have 2 Cavachon dogs. My boy dog rides in the car easily and enjoys it, but my 1 ½-year old girl dog salivates the WHOLE time she is in the car and if the ride is more than 15 minutes she will vomit EVERY time. It’s REALLY bad. What can I do about my dog vomiting in the car? She doesn’t seem to be outgrowing it at all and the dog vomiting prevents either of them from getting to go in the car, which is a shame since my boy dog

June 18, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

What Makes My Dog Itch?

If your dog is frequently scratching, you may suspect a problem with fleas. But fleas are far from the only cause of skin irritations and itches. Insect bites and stings are fairly common on dogs. Some cause minimal to no symptoms, while others can cause a life threatening allergic reaction. The most common signs of an insect bite are redness and swelling at the site of the bite. In more severe reactions, hives may appear along with swelling of the face and muzzle. If a dog is sensitive to proteins in the insect’s venom or saliva, you may see more

June 18, 2015 No Comments

Constipation

Dr. Sherry Weaver If the animal is still passing stool but it appears to be very firm-and the animal is otherwise healthy, i.e. normal eating and drinking habits, add 1/4 teaspoon of fiber, such as canned pumpkin or bran to the animal’s diet. If this does not work, your pet has not defecated for more than one day, or your pet appears otherwise ill, take the animal to a veterinarian. Never use commercially-sold enemas made for humans. These may be toxic and deadly to dogs and cats! 0

June 18, 2015 No Comments