Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
Dogs can become itchy and begin to scratch for many different reasons. However, allergies of various types are among the most common causes. Canine Flea Allergy Dermatitis A flea allergy is one of the most common reasons dogs become itchy. When a flea bites a dog, it injects a substance into the dog’s skin which causes an allergic response. For…
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large, elongated gland that sits transversely behind the stomach. The pancreas is an amazing organ that performs two vital functions: Dogs of any age, sex, or breed, and occasionally cats, can get pancreatitis. Unfortunately, there is a poor understanding of the exact cause. However, there is often a parallel…
Collapsing trachea is seen mainly in small breeds of dogs, such as Toy Poodles, Yorkies, and Pomeranians. It often shows up in puppies or young dogs but worsens with age. That is because secondary inflammation narrows the trachea, making it even more challenging to breathe in air. Introduction The trachea—windpipe—carries the air your dog breathes from its nose (or mouth)…
Allie was a sweet, loving senior Maltese. She had not lost her appetite, and her weight seemed stable. However, Allie had been losing muscle. So much so that she looked like skin and bone. How could she be wasting away before her owner’s eyes and yet her weight remaining the same? I will not include a photo, but it was…
Does your dog eat poop? Why do they do that? Canines seem to enjoy many smells and tastes that people find offensive. For example, dogs are generally attracted to the odor of feces while investigating their environment. Some dogs, including puppies, will even eat the poop of cats and other animals. The technical term for that is coprophagia. Behavioral reasons…