Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
Do you know the risks and benefits of neutering or not neutering your dog? Apologizes to William Shakespeare, but the decision of whether or not to spay or neuter a dog is a big one for owners. Just like any medical procedure, there are pros and cons, risks and benefits. You should understand these before making a final decision. Unfortunately,…
If your dog is dealing with a complicated or long-term medical condition, you might find it useful to keep track of their symptoms and progress. You can try a diary, or a table, but how about something which allows to see what’s happening at a glance? A good system allows you to track anything you might need, including: activity elimination…
The extracapsular repair is an old technique but it can work and it is the least invasive surgical technique to date. It is not recommended for large dogs but it can be done successfully. It is, however, more vulnerable during the post-op recovery. Thank you, Luanne, for sharing Sandy’s story. Sandy’s story Sandy’s conservative management for her ACL injury had…
To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is one of the big questions. However, even the experts who believe that we are over-vaccinating our dogs agree that there are at least three infections for which vaccination is a must. These are rabies, parvovirus, and canine distemper. Canine parvovirus Canine parvovirus is an acute, highly contagious disease that is often deadly,…
Spondylosis is a type of osteoarthritis that affects the spine. It is common in older dogs, although dogs with early stages of the disease will often show no symptoms. It is characteristic of abnormal bony growths, or osteophytes, around the joints between vertebrae. Osteophytes/bone spurs Osteophytes are bony growths that form in response to damage to a joint. These are…