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The best in health, wellness, and positive training from America’s leading dog experts

Vet Visits

Blood Pressure Tests for Dogs: Worth It?

A health exam for all adults includes a blood-pressure reading. So why not for our dogs? There are a few reasons that veterinarians save blood-pressure testing for only certain cases. Although an estimated 20 percent of humans suffer from white-coat syndrome" (temporary high blood pressure caused by the anxiety associated with visiting the doctor)

The Scooting Dog Decoded

Why is Rover dragging his butt across the carpet? Not just annoying to watch, this behavior is usually indicative of a bigger problem - infected or impacted anal sacs. Also called anal glands, these little pouches are found on several different mammals including dogs and cats, and are not very noticeable when healthy. When they are clogged or infected, however, your dog will MAKE you notice them.

3 Steps to the Perfect Vet Visit for Your Dog (and You)

Planning ahead for your next appointment at the veterinary clinic will reduce your dog's stress level and foster good behavioral conditioning. With these easy tools, you can turn a grandly BAD entrance into one that is stress-free and smooth. Say goodbye to undesirable behaviors like lunging, growling and barking!

That All-Important Wellness Visit

While we know you don't want to hear it, your senior dog needs a twice-yearly veterinary well-visit. There are many health issues that can be treated if detected early

Common Values in a Canine Blood Test

Here are some of the values you might find on your dog's chemistry panel, or chem screen

Get Your Dog’s Bloodwork

When it comes to that most primitive part of us, there's nothing as basic as blood. In virtually every culture across the planet, blood represents the stream of life itself. Because its looping path always leads it back to the heart – that great repository of emotion – blood has come to represent all that truly matters to the human spirit: passion, heritage, mortality, atonement, commitment, sacrifice, even our connection to the divine.
Black labrador

What To Do If Your Dog Has Worms

Deworming agents are present in any number of prescription and over-the-counter treatments for dogs and puppies. If your dog shows signs of a gastrointestinal worm infestation, there are all sorts of products available that are made exclusively to rid dogs of various types of worms. But there are also deworming agents included – whether they are needed or not – in many flea and tick treatments and in most heartworm preventive drugs; in fact, it's sometimes hard to find a minimalist flea treatment or heartworm preventive drug that does not contain dewormers. The question is, is this really necessary? Are intestinal parasites that much of an ongoing threat to most dogs – and their owners?

When to See a Vet and When to See a Trainer

or gradually becomes uncharacteristically undesirable."

How to Decipher Veterinary Code

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.

Use Caution When Filling Veterinary Prescriptions at Human Pharmacies

A few years ago, I was at my vet’s office when an older couple brought in a Chihuahua puppy who was very ill. Despite the staff’s best efforts, less than an hour later the pup was dead. The cause? A drug overdose, due to a prescription error made by a human pharmacy.

Veterinary Applications of Laser Therapy

Acupuncture Points and Trigger Points: Traditional Chinese acupuncture points are stimulated by a focused laser beam, used solely or in combination with acupuncture needles, to produce a systemic effect; high doses of laser therapy may be used to deactivate trigger points (hyperirritable spots that induce pain elsewhere in the body) found in muscle, ligaments, tendons, and periosteum.

Latest Blog

Parallels between Force-Free Training and Gentle Parenting

Both gentle parenting and force-free training emphasize empathy for the living being you're responsible for, and patience with their behavior as their core tenet.