Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
Are pain and itch just intensified versions of the sense of touch? Are Pain and Itch the Same—or Different? Pain and itch play an important protective role. They alert dogs to harmful stimuli and irritants. When these sensations become chronic, however, they cause suffering. For years, scientists have tried to determine how closely itch and pain are related. Historically, researchers…
A melanocytoma is a benign tumor of cells that produce pigment—melanocytes. Only a histopathologist can determine the difference between a melanocytoma and a malignant melanoma. As a general rule, tumors of the pigment-producting cells are usually benign where the skin is covered by fur and malignant in bare-skin areas such as lips or nail beds. The one exception are eyelids…
In people, some foods, such as asparagus, can make urine smell quite weird. I don’t expect your dog eating a plate of asparagus for dinner? I am even not sure it would make their urine smell bad because Jasmine did get some asparagus in her meals and I don’t recall any noticeable changes in the smell of her pee. Of course,…
By now, it should be your mantra—blood doesn’t belong outside the blood vessels. Urine is no exception. There should never be any visible blood in your dog’s pee. Frank blood When you see blood and recognize it as such, it is referred to as frank blood. In other words, it is the blood that is fresh, bright red, and looks…
If you’re the kind of person who freaks out at the sight of any blood in your dog’s stool, your dog is better off than if the opposite were true. Blood has no business being in the poop. Blood in your dog’s stool isn’t always the end of the world type of emergency, but you need to take it seriously.…