Health

For those of us who regularly swim for fitness, we know why swimming is often referred to as “the perfect exercise.” In addition to the physical benefits shared with other forms of aerobic exercise, swimming offers some unique benefits. It eliminates the effects of weight-bearing on the joints, exercises the entire body – upper and lower – at the same time, and, in most cases, is something we can do for our entire lives, even if age precludes us from taking part in other forms of exercise. The physical benefits of swimming are the same for your canine companion as they are for you – that is, if you have a dog who will swim. Even though they actually have a stroke named after them, the notion that all dogs are “natural swimmers” is an erroneous one. Some breeds were developed to work in water and are more physically adapted for swimming than others. The problem here is not getting these dogs into the water, but keeping them on terra firma when we want them to stay clean and dry. However, occasionally, even a water breed shows disdain for water – yes, there are some Labrador Retrievers who hate swimming. Conversely, there are dogs you’d never imagine taking kindly to the water who become devoted and skilled swimmers. Although not blessed with the physical advantages of a water breed, and despite sinking rear ends or heavy, wet coats, these Boston Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Siberian Huskies have learned to enjoy swimming. They don’t know or care that they have to work a little harder than a Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, or a Newfoundland – they just want to have fun!

Follow our simple dog poop color chart to learn why your dog's poop is not brown.

A few months ago, I wrote about the British Kennel Club’s registration of two special Dalmatians over the objections of the breed clubs there (Whole Dog Journal June 2010). These two dogs were the result of a breeding project begun in 1973, in which a single outcross to a Pointer was made in order to reintroduce the normal gene for uric acid back into the Dalmatian bloodline.

A dog who constantly scratches himself due to dermatitis may respond well to Apoquel.

In June, Virbac recalled VeggieDent Chews for Dogs in Australia as a precautionary measure after veterinary researchers noticed a possible link between dogs developing kidney disease and consumption of these chews. No reason has been found and there is as yet no proof that the chews are causing the Fanconi-like syndrome. The chews were introduced to Australia in March of this year. They are manufactured in Vietnam, and are made of corn, starch, glycerin, soy, rice, yeast, sorbitol, corn derivatives, and water. VeggieDent chews have been marketed in the U.S. since September 2008, and in Europe and Japan for two years, but Virbac claims it has not received reports of problems anywhere except Australia – the only country that required some imported pet foods to be irradiated. Virbac blames the irradiation for the problem.

These products and informational resources on the bordetella virus are meant to help you alleviate your dog's symptoms of kennel cough. For more information on kennel cough from Whole Dog Journal, see Kennel Cough: Treatment, Symptoms, Prevention.

Anorexia, bulimia, and weird pregnancy cravings are common in humans, but did you know dogs have eating disorders, too?

veterinary dentists say they are responsible for far more than their share of broken molars in dogs who chew them. Large bones

Digestion involves the balanced interaction of several biodynamic systems. A healthy animal ingests raw materials (food), changes these raw materials into usable nutrients, extracts from these nutrients the essentials for life and vitality, and excretes (in the form of feces) those substances that have not been digested or that weren’t utilized.

depends on your dog's lifestyle."

Most dogs usually gently poke a porcupine with their nose or dab at it with a paw, walking away with a sore nose or foot and just a few quills to be pulled. But some dogs do go all out, attacking and killing the porcupine, leaving the scene with a face full of quills.

The name Ray Carlisle is synonymous with Doberman Pinschers. A breeder and exhibitor for 40 years, a show judge for the last 20 years, and a former president of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, the United Doberman Club, and the American Working Dog Federation, the New York resident travels the world on behalf of his favorite breed. I vaccinated my dogs for many years