Health

Knuckling in dogs is a condition where a dog walks or stands on the top of their paws instead of placing their pads on the ground. Knuckling results in the paw folding under when the dog walks.

Hypoglycemia is a serious risk factor in diabetes management. Recent studies suggest that approximately 10 percent of diabetic dogs experienced hypoglycemic episodes that required hospitalization. One large survey found that the majority of diabetic dogs presented for hypoglycemia were receiving high doses of insulin (0.7 units or more per pound of body weight).

The sight of your dog constantly scratching, licking, or chewing is a familiar and distressing one. Dog allergy shots can offer a dog some needed long term relief.

however.üIt can be a sign of immune problems if a dog's nose is normally black

Are the classic plastic cones really all that bad? It depends on which dog you ask. Some dogs seem to accept the weight of the heavy plastic, the restricted visibility imposed by the opaque material, the need for increased clearances around the house, and even being gouged by the thick plastic tabs that are supposed to be belted by the dog's collar at the base of the cone. Today there are a number of alternatives to the classic Elizabethan collars to prevent a dog from licking a wound, aggravating a hot spot, tearing out his surgical stitches, or removing a bandage. The alternatives offer a dog greater comfort, better mobility, and improved visibility.

Heartworms are just what they sound like: worms, up to 14 inches long as adults, that develop and live within the blood vessels of...

Dogs are most commonly allergic to flea bites, and they can be allergic to certain foods, but environmental allergies often present the biggest challenge...

A valid food elimination trial for the purpose of confirming food hypersensitivity consists of three phases: elimination, challenge, and provocation. In the first (elimination) phase, the dog is fed a diet consisting of a single protein source and a single carbohydrate source. Both of these ingredients should be completely “novel” to the dog – foods he’s never eaten before. (Thirty years ago, lamb and rice was the go-to food elimination diet, because those ingredients were not yet widely available in commercial pet foods. Because the diet was novel, few dogs had developed allergies to those ingredients, and “lamb and rice” gained an unearned reputation as a “hypoallergenic” diet.

Symptoms of vestibular syndrome (also known as vestibular disease) in dogs include head tilt, unsteady gait, and falling to one side.

Cherry eye appears without warning as a smooth pink lump located near the inner corner of the eye.

Symptoms of GERD in dogs include regurgitation, decreased appetite, difficulty swallowing, and acting uncomfortable. Some dogs with GERD may have a chronic cough. You may also notice that your dog’s bark sounds different than it used to. One of the classic symptoms experienced by dogs with GERD is that they are more likely to regurgitate than vomit (see sidebar). However, conditions that cause chronic vomiting may lead to the development of GERD.

What the heck do all those letters mean? They can seem as random as letters in a bowl of alphabet soup. But those acronyms pack a lot of information in just a spoonful. Here’s a guide to deciphering all the letters that you may see that have to do with veterinary professionals.