Health

In my career, it has happened more times than I can count. I’m finishing up with a dog’s wellness exam and the pet parent asks, “By the way, my dog has dry skin. What do you think about it?”

Enzymes given with food are used for digestion, but certain enzymes (proteases, which break down proteins) can also help with inflammation, pain, recovery from injury, and more when given apart from food. Systemic enzyme therapy, also called metabolic or proteolytic enzyme therapy, allows enzymes to enter the body where they can be used for healing rather than digestion. Examples of proteolytic enzymes include pancreatin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin (from the pancreas); bromelain (from pineapple); and papain (from papaya).

It’s frustrating to see rusty brown tear stains on your dog’s beautiful face. With so many tear-stain-removing products for sale in the pet supply...

You can share your Thanksgiving turkey with your dog. However, be aware of any additional ingredients you've use in cooking the turkey to avoid causing stomach upset or worse in your dog.

Frequent swimming and allergies are among the common causes of a dog ear yeast infection. Untreated, it can lead to scratching, head tilting, and neurological issues.

Along with size and temperament, health is one of the most important considerations when you are thinking about bringing a dog into the family.

The female dog’s reproductive system is the “nest” that nurtures a simple union of two single cells into a weave of billions of intercommunicating cells, which then form into organ systems and ultimately unify into the whole organism we call “dog.” We’re talking about the act of creation, the production of entire litters of living, breathing, best friends of mankind. It’s an amazing, powerful, complex system.

Corticosteroids are perhaps the most enigmatic of all the drugs in the western medicine man's arsenal. It has been said by many practitioners that they are the most used and most abused of all our medicines. Corticosteroids are a necessary component of a healthy physiology and they can be life saving ... or they can cause multiple adverse side effects that can be devastating to a dog's health and well-being.

Would a dog benefit from using medical marijuana? Legally, they're not allowed to, but many believe it could relieve pain the same way it does for humans.

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If a dog cannot retract his erect penis into the sheath, it is called paraphimosis. You may hear this colloquially referred as to “red rocket out,” or “lipstick showing,” or “red rocket dog.” No matter what you call it, it is not a normal state.

The symptoms of marijuana toxicity will vary based on the dog, but general symptoms in dogs include depression, vomiting, urinary incontinence, ataxia (wobbliness), tremors, stupor, and bradycardia (slow heart rate). However, Dr. Wismer explains about 25% of dogs exposed to cannabis will become stimulated instead of depressed and show agitation and high heart rate. Dogs with severe marijuana toxicity can develop low blood pressure and coma.