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…
Leptospirosis a zoonotic bacterial disease that affects many species, including dogs. The infection can cause mild flu-like symptoms or can turn into a life-threatening disease. Leptospirosis responds well to antibiotics—if treatment starts early. The real problem is recognizing it in time. Early symptoms often look like a mild flu—lethargy, poor appetite, vomiting—so diagnosis is frequently delayed. By then, the bacteria…
Do you have a first aid kit for your dog? Or do you think that you don’t need one? No matter how carefully you try to keep your dog safe, injuries and unlucky incidents happen. The situation doesn’t need to be life-threatening for you to benefit from having a first-aid kit on hand. I established a first-aid kit for my…
Believe it or not, any wastes that come out of your dog’s body carry useful information. Gross is in the eye of the beholder. Our dogs feel about poop quite differently than we do. To a dog, poop can be a source of intel, a snack, as well as sometimes a source of missing nutrients. What can your veterinarian learn…
What else, other than color and consistency, should you look at when examining your dog’s stool? What does your dog’s poop contents tell you about their health? Mucus Healthy poop should not have any coating on it. Sometimes you’ll find poop covered by a slimy substance – mucus. Mucus is produced in the intestine to lubricate and protect the gut…