Health

How is parvo spread among dogs? Whole Dog Journal discusses a number of canine parvovirus prevention and treatment approaches taken by veterinarians and dog guardians today. Reactions to parvovirus vary widely. In a world where parvovirus is literally everywhere, parvo kills some dogs and leaves others unscathed. And in the debate about parvo vaccination, some people vaccinate their dogs early and often, while others refuse to vaccinate against parvo at all.

When you contact a massage practitioner about your dog, one of the first questions she should ask you is whether and when your dog...

An annual booster using distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, killed or modified-live virus parvovirus is given at one year of age. Thereafter, boosters are given every three years until old age. Beyond 10 years of age, booster vaccinations are generally not needed, and may be unwise if aging or other diseases are present. For animals at high exposure risk to parvovirus disease, an additional parvovirus vaccination can be given at the six-month point, if killed parvovirus is used. This extra booster is typically not needed if MLV parvovirus is used.

Promoting the health of your dog's liver may be the key to preserving his long-term health. The liver, located centrally in the dog's body as the link between the breathing and circulatory activities of the chest and the digestive functions of the abdomen, works hard at its many tasks. The liver manufactures blood proteins and fat, and stores energy, fat-soluble vitamins, and iron.

For each of the past six months, I’ve written an article for WDJ about the cancers that most commonly afflict dogs. It’s my sincere...

Most people are familiar with the concept of a placebo effect

The respiratory system functions rather miraculously. Vital for life, critical for the health of the whole body, it’s one of the major ways the dog’s body unites his external environment with his inner milieu. As a primary site of contact with the outer world, the lungs are susceptible to diseases that can be caused by any airborne germ, irritant, or toxin that happens to be floating around.

Many dogs do just fine after amputation necessitated by osteosarcoma. A new vaccine may help them continue to enjoy life even longer.

If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, follow these steps:

A fishy odor is not normal for a dog. If you note your dog smelling like fish then it can indicate an underlying health issue that needs to be addressed.

Dry skin in dogs contributes to dull coats, dander, hair loss, skin odor, itching, scratching, and irritation. Relieve your dog’s dry skin discomfort with simple home remedies that work.

An herbal extract from China is showing great promise in slowing cancer growth, and giving dogs more quality time with their guardians. When researchers at the Chinese Institute of Material Medicine discovered a region of China that did not have malaria, they found that its people drank a decoction (simmered tea) of Artemesia annua L. at the first sign of malarial symptoms.