Home » Archive by category "Dog Health" (Page 8)

What Can I Catch from My Dog? Zoonotic Disease!

Dogs can carry all kinds of bugs that are potentially contagious to people, often without obvious symptoms. Believe it or not, your cute, furry friend could be harboring thousands of disgusting parasites right now! Thankfully, the risk of your family contracting a zoonotic disease from your dog is low, as long as certain precautions are taken. You are much more likely to catch disease from other humans than you are from your dog, but it is always good to be aware of potential health risks for your family. What is a zoonotic disease? A zoonosis is a disease that is transmissible between animals and humans. Certain people are at much higher risk for contracting zoonotic diseases from dogs. This includes the very young, the very old, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals, such as those infected with HIV or being treated for cancer. How are zoonotic diseases transmitted? Zoonotic diseases are...
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Are Your Dog’s Allergies Real?

The sad, hard truth is that veterinarian’s are not qualified nutritionists. They are, however, doctors for our pets to help them, and us out when something goes wrong. When your dog begins scratching, chewing and licking his skin due to irritation, it’s not hard for your chosen vet to assume allergies are the culprit. You may get sent home with a very expensive prescription diet or medications to help with the symptoms. Meanwhile, the underlying problem still is not being addressed to make these symptoms go away completely. You Are What Your Dog Eats Your vet is doing his job when he prescribes these quick fixes for your dog’s allergy problems. However, it takes more than just a vet to bring relief to your pet. You need to take a moment and look at what is causing the histamines in his body to flare up and make him so uncomfortable...
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Can Dogs Drink Milk? The Answer May Surprise You!

We’ve heard it from our veterinarians, family members, friends and neighbors. Milk is harmful to dogs, right? The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no, and the choice to give your dog milk should be an educated decision that we make for our pets. Balance the pros and cons carefully before letting your dog have his own bowl of dairy. SO lets find out together the answer to “can dogs drink milk”. My Dog Drank Milk, This Is Dangerous, Right? Not necessarily. Giving your dog cow’s milk does carry it’s own risks of causing tummy upset due to the lactose. In cow milk, fat is actually a large globule that causes bloat, cramping and discomfort even in humans when we drink it. These large globules of fat is what makes cow’s milk so hard to digest, taking up to 24 hours to get through the human’s system!...
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How to Clip Dog Nails

If you have a dog, you must learn how to keep his nails trimmed, clean and healthy. While your groomer can clip your dog’s nails for you when your dog pays them a visit, this unfortunately is not often enough for the average dog. It may seem like a bit much, but weekly nail trimmings can keep your dog’s toenails in top shape while keeping stress at an absolute minimum. Conditioning this activity along with repetition makes nail trimming easy and routine. The Right Tools Before you being cutting your dog’s nails, you need the right tools to get the job done. Don’t buy the first and most inexpensive pair of nail trimmers you come across at the pet store. Usually, the cheaper the tool the more unreliable it is for a good cut. You want a straight, clean cut on each nail, and you can only get this with...
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How Dogs See the World

It is a grand myth that dogs are completely color blind and view the world through a black, white and gray lens as if they were viewing an old movie. Dogs do in fact see color, but their color limitations are greater than that of humans. This is because of the structure of the dog’s eye. There are cones within the eye, both in humans and canines. These cones are what allows our brains to detect colors. Humans have three cones that let us see colors within the red, blue, green and yellow spectrum. Dogs only have two cones, and this is where their limitations begin. What Colors Can Dogs See? Dogs see fewer colors than we can, but they are not stuck in a world of blacks and whites. The two cones that dogs have in their eyes allows them to see blue and yellow, with no ability to...
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Can You Use Human Shampoo on Dogs?; What’s Safe, What’s Not

can you use human shampoo on dogs
Bathing your dog is a must as I’m sure you know. Many people ask, can you use human shampoo on dogs? The answer is that you should not. You don’t have to consult the services of a professional groomer to get your dog clean, but choosing the right kind of shampoo or soap for your dog is essential. The wrong type of shampoo can cause reactions, or dry out your dog’s skin make him itch and develop a bad case of dander. Some shampoos and conditioners are just so harsh that it will literally cause the strands of fur to break off as they become brittle! Find out the best, safest and most useful cleansers before washing your dog with any product! Shampoo When choosing a dog shampoo, always use one labeled for dogs only! You cannot use human shampoo, even baby shampoo on a dog. The reason for this...
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Dog Years to Human Years: How Dog Years Work

Dog Years Compared to Human Years A dog’s age times (X) seven is the classic formula for calculating how old a dog is in “human years to dog years.” While this formula is generally accepted, it oversimplifies the lifespan of dogs and misleads owners into thinking that all dogs are the same. Dogs are like children—there is no magic formula. Expecting a magic formula is detrimental to the owner’s expectations of his or her dog, as well as the dog’s short term and long term well-being. That is why I do not put much faith in a dog years to human years chart. Unlike children, however, dogs come in many breeds varying in both shape and size. There are many generalities about the respective breeds, such as illnesses, likes, dislikes, lifespan, and activity that first-time dog adopters use as magic formulas for finding the “perfect breed.” While generalities are generally...
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Canine Pregnancy; Everything You Should Know!

You may have made the big decision to breed your dog, or perhaps you adopted one who may be pregnant. Facing pregnancy in any species can be an overwhelming scenario, but if you are prepared with the basic knowledge you need about your dog’s pregnancy you can help her and your family pass through this special time as stress free as possible! Gestation, how long are dogs pregnant? A lot of people ask the question, how long are dogs pregnant. Surprisingly, there is a lot of misinformation out there. After mating occurs, your female’s eggs will be fertilized by the male’s sperm. Then, gestation happens! This is when the puppies become puppies inside your female’s uterus. Gestation usually takes 63 days on average, but can be slightly shorter or longer. During the first half of the gestation your female can remain her normal daily schedule of exercise and her normal...
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Belly Bands and Diapers For Dogs; What Is Their True Purpose?

There are many types of Belly Bands and diapers available on the market. Some stylish and other disposable. Just check out the selection on Amazon here, there is over a thousand to choose from. Some may laugh at the thought of a doggy diaper while others may see it as a quick fix for a dog with poor potty habits.  The truth is, belly bands and diapers are not meant to be used for potty training at all!  In fact, far too many pet owners misuse these items as a training tool or a band aid for a lack of house training instead of tackling the problem head on.  It is the root of the problem, the dog not understanding that he must eliminate in a designated place, that causes potty problems and using an item to simply allow him to go where ever he wants or needs will only...
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DNA Testing For Dogs and Why It Is A Good Idea

With the advancement of technology available to everyday consumers in today’s society, we are now able to to purchase DNA testing kits for our pets to learn the breeds in their ancestry.  While this may seem like a frivolous way to spend money, it actually plays a valuable role in helping our canine companions to fit in better with their families, appease their instinctual drives, and help us to better understand their behaviors, possible health concerns, and an educated guess at the adult size of mixed breed puppies. Why Does My Dog Do That? Perhaps you have a mixed breed shelter dog who likes to nip at the heels of your children as they run by, or a pooch that, no matter what you do, continues to dig holes in your back yard. What if these behaviors are not relative to the amount of exercise and training he receives, but...
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