Health

Because Canine Parvovirus can be found anywhere infected dogs have visited, the cornerstone to protecting your dog from the parvovirus is vaccination. Since the development of the parvo vaccine, the incidence of infection has been greatly reduced. A single modified live vaccine can confer protection within three to five days. Although parvoviruses continue to evolve, vaccination appears to confer reliable protection against all known strains.

It is normal for dogs to have an occasional bout of gas. But it is not normal for flatulence to occur all the time. Flatulence can be relieved quickly in dogs by use of simethicone, the same anti-foaming drug that is marketed for humans in a variety of over-the-counter preparations. Simethicone is generally accepted as safe for dogs, even in human-sized doses. However, there may be some drawbacks to the use of Gaviscon, Gas-X, or any other simethicone product in your dog.

This synthetic opioid drug comes with some cautions.

Coccidia are common intestinal parasites that impact dogs, particularly puppies and immunocompromised animals. While this may sound alarming, coccidiosis in dogs, the disease caused by the coccidia parasite, is treatable and preventable.

Some dogs have sparkling white teeth (or at least, whitish teeth that are free of tartar) throughout their lifetimes, with absolutely no thought or effort required of their owners. Those are the lucky ones – the owners, I mean – because more than 80 percent of dogs develop a form of canine gum disease by the age of just three years, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society. The owners of those dogs – that is, most of us – should be brushing our dogs’ teeth regularly to prevent the accumulation of plaque and tartar that precipitates gum disease. Proponents of raw dog food diets believe that the mechanical action of chewing raw meat and bones and the superior nutrition provided by the diets help maintain healthy teeth. That may be true, but for dogs on more conventional diets, regular brushing is the most effective method of keeping a dog’s teeth free of tartar and plaque.

If my dog sprains his leg, or is otherwise lame or sore, my immediate go-to is to run a cold hose over the area (or the whole leg) for 5 minutes two to three times a day. You need to time the 5 minutes because it will feel like an hour after just 30 seconds.

The rattlesnake vaccine for dogs is controversial. It doesn't render dogs immune but minimizes tissue damage.

Ringworm is not a worm. Nor is it always ring-shaped. This misnomer of a term derived from an early inaccurate belief that the infection...

Glucosamine for dogs is a supplement that when combined with chondroitin sulfate has strong anecdotal evidence for arthritis relief.

If you have a dog, emergencies are inevitable. Dogs are prone to injuries, ingestion of toxic substances, and illnesses. Are you prepared in an emergency? Do you know what to do and what not to do? After nine years as an emergency veterinarian, I've seen it all! Here are my top tips for helping your emergency-room veterinarian help your dog.

It’s been nearly 2 1/2 years since we lost our precious dog Linus to hemangiosarcoma. He was a sweet, silly, athletic Portuguese Water Dog...

The effects of neutering a dog too early changed the recommendation of when to neuter.