Once upon a time, all commercial boarding kennels closely resembled old-school animal shelters or puppy mills – you know, a row of narrow chain-link pens on concrete inside a loud building or under a barn roof. Fancy ones might contain a hard cot-style bed and dog doors that led to equally narrow individual outdoor runs.
Dog Care
Have you ever witnessed a dog fight, a dog getting hit by a car, or falling out of an open truck bed? Has your dog ever sustained a deep cut on his paw pad from stepping on a sharp shard of glass or metal, or gashed himself on some innocuous item in the yard while
As the saying goes, “Sh*t happens,” and as every responsible dog owner knows, cleaning up after their dogs is an absolute must. For those of us who try to be good stewards of the environment, biodegradable poop bags seem like a smart choice. Who wants to think of their dog’s poop festering away in a
Many of us wonder what our dogs do when home alone. How is my young puppy handling the first few trials of being crated when I leave the house to head to the store? Does my adolescent dog endlessly pester my older dog? Is my ailing dog seemingly comfortable throughout the day? Does my dog
Many modern dog owners turn to dog daycare facilities as a source of socialization and exercise, especially in cases where dogs are otherwise home alone for the owner’s full workday. We’ve all heard the saying, “A tired dog is a good dog,” but there’s a vast difference between a dog who sleeps because he’s tired
Given that “itchiness” is the most common reason for veterinary visits, I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising that dog ear infections run a close second. Ear disease is a symptom that something else is going on in your dog’s body, such as allergies, so it makes perfect sense that ear infections in dogs are a
In my 13 years as a veterinarian, I’ve worked in emergency and general practice, as a freelance writer, a volunteer with the homeless population and most recently, as a palliative and hospice-care doctor. While all of these positions were rewarding, working in palliative/hospice care has been deeply life-altering and fulfilling. It’s a gift to make
Oh, my. What’s that smell? If your dog is in the room, it could be really bad breath, dreadful flatulence, leaking anal glands, skunk residue, malodorous dandruff, infected ears, wet dog odor, urine from scent marking, vomit, diarrhea, or something your pup recently rolled in, like manure, dead fish, or well-rotted mammal parts. Some offending
Cars were invented for humans to travel in, comfortably and safely. It’s only recently that we humans started bringing our dogs with us everywhere we go, and even more recent that we have become concerned about our dogs’ safety in cars, too. Unfortunately, it’s a little late in the game to try to marry our
Veterinary care sure is expensive, isn’t it? And it’s even more so when we sabotage our own pet’s care. Think that sounds crazy? You figure nobody would undermine the very approach they’d just paid top dollar for? Well . . . Have you ever: * Been told to give your dog crate rest, but then
More than a year into living under the cloud of a worldwide pandemic, we’re all still dealing with lifestyle changes to stay safe. For most people, this includes not being able to accompany pets into the vet’s office as practices continue curbside service. Some dogs (and some owners!) are handling this reality better than others.
The phrase “toothpaste for dogs” sounds like the punchline to a joke – the epitome of a ridiculous product that’s not necessary but is being marketed by an avaricious industry looking to profit by foisting useless gear on unsuspecting dog owners. I’m sure that some comedian somewhere could get a good five minutes of laughs
It’s a good idea to check your dog carefully for ticks after every outing. You may find loose ticks crawling through your dog’s coat. You may find ticks that are attached – either recently attached skinny, flat ticks, or ticks that have been feeding for a while and are engorged, making them oval to round