ask a vet

We are aware of the dangers of sun exposure for ourselves and we hear frequently about skin cancers and the damaging effects of sun for people. The ultraviolet light radiation present in the light from the sun is the cause of the skin damage. Most of us have probably even experienced painful sunburn, so we would like to protect our dogs as much as we can. Sunscreen is recommended for humans to reduce the harmful effects, but what about for … Read more

We know that dogs have ears and in fact, the ears are sometimes the cutest part of their whole head. Some dogs have darling curly and fluffy ears. Some dogs’ ears stand up and some dogs even have one that stands and the other that flops over! Let’s face it, dogs’ ears are really endearing (hehe). But they serve an important purpose for our dogs and there are some things that all dog lovers really need to know. 1. Normal … Read more

Many things can cause redness and irritation of the eye. Most dog lovers want to know how to decide when to seek professional help and what is an emergency. Corneal injury is something that will require veterinary assistance and needs to be handled quickly. The cornea is very thin, and injuries can quickly penetrate it and rupture the globe of the eye, causing irreparable harm. If your dog seems to be in pain and squints his eye, your vet can … Read more

As our society ages and Baby Boomers reach their senior years, everyone is more likely to be touched by Alzheimer’s disease. It seems like everyone knows someone who has been affected by this diagnosis, whether it is a friend or a family member or just someone they know. According to alz.org, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia affect 1 in 3 human seniors. Our dogs age faster than we do and many people with senior dogs wonder if their dogs can … Read more

Parasite products are not created equal, but if you don’t know to ask the right questions, you might assume you are getting something that you are not. Very often in my hospital, clients come in with over-the-counter flea products that they are not happy with and even some of the ones I sell can be a poor fit if the expectations are mismatched. It is important that pet owners know the ways that these products work and how they can … Read more

We see memes on the internet that seem amusing, like dogs looking frightened in cars and captions about going to the vet, but really, since the vet is your first line of defense to protect your dog, it is much better for everyone if your dog likes going to the vet. You might be thinking that you can’t blame your dog because there are injections and samples of all kinds, but if you and your vet work together as a … Read more

Many people can seamlessly add a new dog to their family. Others have dogs that flourish in a single-pet environment. Each dog is an individual, but there are certain breed-associated characteristics that can affect how they relate to one another. Having been selectively bred for these characteristics over multiple generations, some breeds are more dog-friendly than others. As with humans, canine personalities tend to be the result of nature and nurture. If you are considering adding a dog to your … Read more

Got a puppy? Wonder just when he is going to stop growing? It’s a common question that veterinarians receive. When people adopt dogs from shelters and rescues as puppies, they usually do not know what breeds make up the dog. (the fact is, no one can guess with good accuracy either, see Think You Know A Pit Bull When You See it, So Did We….) People like to plan and even though it usually doesn’t matter because they already love … Read more

Anyone who cuddles a dog knows that sometimes there are unpleasant aromas associated with them. We are all familiar with the terms “dog breath” and “smell like a dog.” Not all smells will be helped by bathing. Some of them come from actual health issues and it is important to know the difference because one needs a bath (or 3) and the others will require medical intervention. Odors that will respond to bathing are things like rolling in stinky stuff … Read more

Ticks are creepy and crawly and look enough like spiders to make me and my staff cringe. They are not just repulsive, they also carry some pretty serious diseases. That’s why we should have all pets on a tick control product that helps prevent an infestation. But even the best protected dog can get an occasional tick. If you find one, you should remove it quickly because the longer a tick remains attached to the skin, the greater the chances … Read more

All dogs need to be cleaned sometimes, and some more than others! Because humans bathe frequently and take good hygiene for granted, we may think that baths are not particularly important or difficult, but there are some things that you should know when it comes to canine cleansing. 1. All shampoos are not created equal. Consumer advocates have published blog posts that declare that the human shampoo market is just a scam and that all shampoos are the same. It … Read more

Recent headlines about the threat of Zika virus have hit the news and social media. Scary stories about people getting sick have caught people’s attention. Even though it is in the headlines now, Zika virus is not new. It has been found in monkeys and apes since the 1940s. Usually disease in nonhuman primates is mild with only a transient fever, but the humans affected by Zika virus are much more significantly affected. Since the discussion has included monkeys and apes, … Read more

Dog lovers know that most dogs need to have their nails trimmed. It is a matter of hygiene (and sometimes safety, if your dog steps on your toes or claws at your legs). Long nails can bruise skin and damage floors. Eventually, nail overgrowth can harm your dog, too, by forcing him to walk abnormally or growing into the skin. Ouch! But most dog owners (and their dogs) hate nail trimming. To learn more, see Why Does My Dog Hate ... Read more

Anyone who has been around a dog knows that dogs communicate with their tails. Low wagging tails indicate submission. Relaxed waving tails can indicate relaxation and happiness. A stiff and high, slowly waving tail can indicate alertness or aggression. A friendly, wagging tail makes us smile and improves our bond with our dogs. Communication is an obvious function of your dog’s tail. But dogs may depend on their tails as part of their locomotion as well, just like scientists think … Read more

We love our dogs and want to take the best care of them, but we have to keep in mind that they belong to a different species than we do. Many of their features are very dissimilar from ours. We all remember as kids being warned that we should “wash behind our ears”. How about dogs? How often should their ears be cleaned? A healthy dog that spends most of her time indoors, may not require routine ear cleaning and … Read more

Thump, thump, thump. Jingle, jingle, jingle. These are not the sounds of Santa Claus and his reindeer. These are the familiar sounds of an itchy dog. Itching, also called pruritis, is triggered by nerves in the skin. Anything that makes the itch nerves fire can create itching. Scratching dogs can drive us crazy! We just want to make it stop! The first step to solving the problem is trying to figure out why your dog is itching. Related: 4 Best … Read more

Do you have an older dog? Are you noticing changes in him/her? The most important thing that you can know is that aging is not an illness and there are things we can do to help dogs deal with some of the common age associated disorders. Joint issues are often age-associated troubles. Arthritis is a joint problem so extremely common that it gets overlooked and left untreated. Any living thing with bones and joints can get arthritis. More correctly called … Read more

Sleep is necessary for us all. Sleep allows our bodies to rest and regenerate and dogs are no different. Healing can occur during rest times and our brains and bodies need to reset during the inactive times that we sleep. Studies also show that there is a relationship between sleep and learning. 1 We know that sleep is important for ourselves and our dogs, so we would like to know how to tell if our dog is sleeping well. There are … Read more