Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
Cortisol is a vital hormone from the glucocorticoid family of steroid hormones. Cortisol is primarily produced by a dog’s adrenal glands. In health, cortisol plays a critical role in the dog’s ability to cope with stress. It stimulates glucose production and the breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to provide fuel for the body. Cortisol also suppresses the immune system.…
A healthy appetite is a reflection of good health. A dog that doesn’t want to eat is a sick dog. Can wolfing down their food ever be a problem? A ravenous appetite can be a reflection of a health problem, particularly when your dog is also losing weight or having diarrhea. However natural to dogs, eating too fast can create…
In my last post about xylitol poisoning, I mentioned that dogs respond to high blood xylitol levels with a spike in insulin secretion. This spike results in a dramatic drop in blood sugar levels. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to delve into how insulin works. Insulin is a hormone. It is produced by beta cells within the pancreas…
Do you have that one friend who swears that their dog loves spicy foods? Does that mean that your dog would too? There is no biological or evolutionary reason why dogs would seek out or enjoy the heat of spicy foods. The compound that gives spicy foods their heat is capsaicin. Capsaicin is a chemical certain plants produce to discourage…
The thought of a small to medium-sized dog jumping down from a sofa or bed makes me cringe! The sight of a large, older dog leaping out the back of a truck or van makes me gasp as their joints come in jolting contact with the hard ground. Am I just the “nervous type”? Well, that’s for another discussion. I…