Care

Urinary tract infections in dogs are very common, especially in females. Early treatment will prevent serious illness, so learn to recognize the dog UTI symptoms and which dogs are at greatest risk.

Most of us would probably enjoy using massage as a bonding exercise and a therapeutic tool for our dogs. Now you can learn how to use this valuable tool through instructional videotapes, featuring experts in the field. Whole Dog Journal reviews the leading tapes that teach dog massage.

“Considering how prevalent hawks are across North America, hawk attacks on our pets are not common, and most of the claims we hear about are unsubstantiated, with only a few verified reports each year,” behavioral expert Hillary Hankey states.

The gold standard is to brush your dog’s teeth every day, but even weekly will help.

The insects we encountered on our walk were likely yellowjacket wasps, as they are the most likely to build ground nests. It would explain why we didn't find any stingers on our dogs. Yellowjackets, bumblebees, paper wasps, and hornets can all sting multiple times without hurting themselves. A honey-bee stinger, however, remains in the victim's skin, tearing out of the bee's body when it flies away, and causing its death a short time later.

Dogs with different colored eyes – eyes that display more than one color – have a condition called heterochromia.

Holistic veterinarians have long decried the annual vaccination schedule recommended by many conventionally trained veterinarians for all dogs. Many holistic veterinarians suspect that many of the complex ailments that plague our modern dogs – from allergies to digestive problems to aggressive behavior and so on – have their roots in immune system problems brought on by excessive and unnecessary vaccination. However, many of us are convinced by our veterinarians that our dogs won’t be safe unless they receive these boosters every year. Fortunately, a recent study indicates that most dogs retain humoral antibody protection from past vaccinations for longer than previously thought.

Mother Knows Best takes a pack leader approach to dog management and training, comparing a trainer’s body language and physical corrections with observations on how mother dogs similarly train their puppies. Benjamin, a dog trainer, emphasizes the importance of social structure in a dog’s environment, and suggests that because mother is so successful a teacher in Nature, a training regimen that imitates this natural learning will also succeed in owner/dog relationships.

Snakes and dogs are a bad combination in any circumstances, but it's helpful to know what venomous snakes look like, both where you live and where you might be traveling.

Energy medicine, once so exotic that it was dismissed out of hand by America’s physicians and veterinarians, is now going mainstream. In addition to the canine therapies described last month, energy healing techniques such as flower essences, animal communication, and kinesiology are used by holistic veterinarians in the U.S. and around the world. Understanding what these therapies are and how they work will help you decide which energy therapies might be appropriate for your canine companion.

The primary function of the dog's hair is as a protective and insulating coating. But if the eyes are the gateway or the window to the soul, the skin and hair are both gateway and window to the embodiment of an animal's inner health and well-being. Shiny hair, that is, a hair coat that exudes a healthy and lustrous sheen, is an indicator of overall health of the animal.

Foxtail" is a generic term that's often applied to several species of wild grasses