Health

Calendula Officinalis (also known as the Marigold plant, but usually called calendula) and hypericum (also known as Saint John's Wort), are very safe, yet incredibly effective at cleaning the site of an injury and encouraging the body to heal. Homeopathic and herbal preparations of calendula and hypericum have proved invaluable in modern-day holistic dog care. In fact, it's difficult to find an herbal wound preparation that does not contain some form of one or both of these potent plants.

Learn the signs of dog anxiety so you can avoid having your dog shut down.

For decades, the standard in the veterinary profession was to spay female dogs and cats at the age of six months, and neuter males at nine months. This standard has contributed significantly to the tragedy of pet overpopulation, since most cats and many dogs have reached physiological sexual maturity by that time. Fortunately, the standard is changing. Female dogs can come in season (and get pregnant) prior to age six months. A dog's estrus cycle can be messy, leaving spots of blood on carpets and furniture, and a dog in heat can be a real nuisance. Every unsterilized male dog for miles around will make supercanine efforts to reach her.

Some dog breeds were developed for certain jobs for which a cropped ear was thought to minimize the risk of injury. Today, however, that rationale makes little sense.

Humans and dogs have different needs for hydration and electrolyte balance. Most healthy dogs do not require added electrolytes in their diet under normal circumstances. Understanding how dogs regulate their hydration and when electrolyte supplementation is truly needed can help you make informed decisions, especially during times of illness or extreme exertion.

Water plays a critical and complex role in the health of all mammals, constituting 55 to 75 percent of the body mass of warm-blooded creatures. A fetus develops in its mother’s amniotic sac and, from birth till death, water bathes and fills every one of a mammal’s billions of cells. In essence, the bodies of people, dogs, and other mammals are water-cooled engines. Releasing water vapor by panting and sweating through its paw pads induces gentle cooling in a dog’s body. Water also lubricates a dog’s joints and muscles, cushions the spaces between each individual cell, and fills up all of the minute hollows in a dog’s body. The principal element of blood, water transports oxygen to all canine body tissues, and helps the white blood cells produced by a dog’s immune system move about its body and fight infections.

Dogs are pregnant for 62 days, but that doesn’t mean 62 days from breeding.

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 requirement for a rabies booster depends upon the vaccine used and state laws.

On April Fool's Day 1996, my soon-to-be-husband took me to get a puppy. We already had one dog, Ladybird, but she was getting older and we felt a young friend would encourage her to be more playful. We also hoped Ladybird would pass on some of her fine qualities to the puppy. We drove out of town to a place where people play paintball. There were more than a dozen young dogs running around, and the owner told us to take our pick. One young female seemed to want my attention more than any of the others, and I fell in love with her pretty face. We took her home and named her Cheyenne.

Holistic care and home support are effective for treating canine cancer.

Running or jogging has benefits for you and your dog, but keeping your dog safe while exercising is paramount. Here’s how to get a safe start to running together.