In This Issue

● All About Anal Glands
● Dealing With Urinary Incontinence
● 3-Legged Puppy Finds His Perfect Match
● Fighting Like Cats & Dogs
● Vet Corner: Xylitol Poisoning
● Reader Q: How To Soothe Itchy Ears

Recent Food Recalls

10/30/19 – FDA: “Pig Ear Salmonella Outbreak Appears To Be Over”
09/26/19 – Performance Dog Raw Pet Food
08/31/19 – Aunt Jeni’s Frozen Raw Dog Food
08/14/19 – Texas Tripe Raw Dog Food

HEALTH ALERT #1

Anal Glands: To Squeeze Or Not To Squeeze

Dogs have two scent glands located on either side of their anus. During bowel movements, these anal glands excrete a pheromone-rich fluid unique to each individual dog. This helps them “mark their territory” and leave behind personal information for other dogs to find.

However, some dogs are not able to express their anal glands naturally. These pups may scoot or lick their rear end, and could even face infections or ruptured glands if the sacs are not manually evacuated.

Many groomers routinely express anal glands as part of their grooming packages, but is this really necessary if the dog has never shown signs of impaction?

Holistic veterinarian, Dr. Michel Selmer, DVM, CTCVMP, chatted with iHeartDogs about when to squeeze and when to leave these pesky glands be.

A Tip From +THE HEALTHY HOUND

Teach your dog the “Leave It” and “Drop It” commands to prevent them from swallowing harmful items. Here’s how!

HEALTH ALERT #2

5 Causes Of Canine Incontinence & How To Manage It

Dogs experience urinary incontinence for a variety of reasons. Not only is it embarrassing for the dog, it is also stressful for you.

The first step to helping your dog manage this heartbreaking issue is scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian to pinpoint the cause. He or she will ask you several questions, perform a full physical exam, and run lab work.

While each cause of incontinence has unique treatment options, there are also several things you can do at home to help make life easier on your pup.

QUIZ OF THE WEEK

Which dogs are most at risk for urinary incontinence?

1. Young Females
2. Senior Males
3. Senior Females

IN THE NEWS

Three-Legged Puppy Shares Second Chance At Life With Fellow Survivor

Harland’s story began on the side of a Cincinnati street. Abandoned in a zip-tied garbage bag, he suffered fractures to his front and rear right legs. The injury to his front leg is so severe the limb will have to be amputated once his rear leg heals.

Despite his pain and betrayal at the hands of the first humans he’d ever known, Harland thrived at the SPCA. So when Todd Allen came to the shelter in search of a dog for his son, Andrew, the Senior Operations Manager had the perfect pup in mind.

You see, like Harland, Andrew is a survivor.

Learn his harrowing story, and find out how the pair is doing now.

A Tip From +THE HEALTHY HOUND

To protect your dog’s spine and joints, it is important to know how to pick them up correctly. Are YOU doing it right?

BEHAVIOR & TRAINING

Can You Teach A Dog To Get Along With Cats?

Some dogs do more than just get along with their feline housemates, they seem to be the best of pals. In order for your pets to break the stereotypes, you’ll first need to determine if your pup is cat friendly.

If you are among the lucky ones whose dogs are naturally gentle with cats, congratulations! Your work is done.

However, if your dog is reactive to cats, you may be able to change their behavior using socialization, desensitization, and impulse control techniques.

(Note: Since the process could potentially be dangerous, you may want to hire a professional trainer to help you.)

Learn how to implement these training techniques in your own home.

VET CORNER

Xylitol: How To Protect Your Dog From This Deadly Ingredient

by By Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, DABT, DABVT

If you are a long-time subscriber, you have surely seen us post warnings about the sweetener, Xylitol.

Ahana Brutlag, the Associate Director of Veterinary Services at Veterinary Centers of America, explains that Xylitol is a “sugar alcohol found naturally in berries, plums, corn, oats, mushrooms, lettuce, trees, and some other fruits.”

It is typically used in dairy products, but Xylitol can also be found in many trendy new powdered peanut butters to keep the calorie count low.

Common culprits include Nuts n’ More, Krush Nutrition, and P28, but be sure to check all peanut butter labels before sharing with your pooch.

These items, as well as many sugar-free gums and mints, have contributed to an increase in Xylitol poisonings among dogs.

Humans can consume this chemical without any trouble, but it is extremely toxic for dogs.

“Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs,” Dr. Brutlag says.

Learn more about Xylitol in this in-depth post and check out our list of 11+ products that may contain Xylitol.

READER QUESTION

Red, Itchy Ears: What Causes Them & What Can You Do To Help?

Several readers have written in recently about their dogs’ chronically itchy, inflamed ears. This isn’t surprising, considering skin and ear problems are the most common issues dog owners report to their vets.

There are several risk factors that can contribute to chronic ear infections, including breed. Did your dog make our list of breeds genetically predisposed to otitis?

Floppy-eared pups, dogs that love to swim, and those prone to allergies are also more likely to suffer from itchy, stinky, inflamed ears. Learn how to tell if your dog has an ear infection.

While otitis tends to be a chronic issue, there are several ways you can help prevent and minimize your dog’s suffering.

Do you have a question or topic you’d like The Healthy Hound to address in an upcoming newsletter? Click here to let us know!

Quiz Answer:

3. Senior Females. Urinary incontinence can occur in dogs of any age, sex or breed; but it is most commonly seen in spayed females of senior age.

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