Dog Health

The shoulder joint of the dog functions like a ball-and-socket. The head of the humerus (the bone extending from the shoulder to the elbow) is rounded and acts as the ball fitting inside of the...

A canine EKG, or electrocardiogram, is a procedure that records the electrical activity of the heart through electrodes attached to the skin. The EKG can be an important diagnostic tool in a...

An intestinal blockage is a veterinary emergency, not to be confused with the much less serious condition of mild to moderate constipation. Intestinal blockages are often caused by foreign objects...

Canine renal failure is most often seen in older dogs, although it can affect dogs of any age. Renal failure occurs when the kidneys become diseased and begin to lose their ability to function...

The BUN, or blood urea nitrogen, is often tested as a measure of kidney function. Urea is one of the waste products that build up in the blood when the kidneys are not capable of performing...

Being prepared for an upstairs fire or other emergency is crucial to the safety of your pets. Create an evacuation plan for rescuing your pet from an upstairs fire, and list each step in...

Proper oral care is an important part of keeping your dog healthy. Teeth which are not cared for properly can cause widespread infection and chronic pain. Regular dental cleaning is an important...

Examination of the anterior chamber of the eye is performed by a veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist as part of a thorough ophthalmic exam. The anterior chamber is located between the...

Canine electrocardiographs are common procedures in a small animal veterinary practice. They are normally used as a diagnostic tool when canine heart disease is suspected and used to monitor heart...

Fish Flex is a brand name for the antibiotic cephalexin. This item can be purchased over the counter online or at a local pet store that carries supplies for pet fish. Antibiotics are used to...

If you have a dog with paralysis, it is very important to know how to prevent bed sores. Due to decreased circulation, dogs suffering from paralysis are more prone to serious infection, so...

High levels of creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) in dogs is usually a sign of poor health. Most commonly, these levels are associated with the kidneys and can indicate that your dog is...

Low platelet counts in dogs, also called thrombocytopenia, is an extremely dangerous condition. Platelets are blood cells that promote clotting after an injury to the blood lining occurs. When the...

Demodectic mange, also know as "red mange," is caused by Demodex mites. All dogs have demodectic mites on their skin, however in some dogs the mites proliferate and cause a serious skin disease...

Measuring the intraocular pressure in a dog's eye is a common veterinary procedure used to diagnose canine glaucoma. This is not a procedure that can be done at home because of the specific...

If you own a dog that requires injections, you may need to learn to give your dog an intermuscular injection. Unlike subcutaneous injections, intermuscular injections require that the substance be...

Dogs, like humans, can suffer from a psychological disorder called obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In its human form, people may wash their hands over and over, check the locks to the house...

Onions, a member of the allium family, are toxic to dogs. Other allium species are garlic and chives. They are all very toxic to dogs. Ingesting a small amount of onion, either directly or...

The most common hip problem in Doberman pinschers is hip dysplasia, which occurs when the hip joint's ball and socket do not fit together properly, usually usually because of a malformation of the...

Mange mites are small, flea-like creatures that live in the fur of animals with mange. They are insects similar to fleas in that they are born, breed and die on an animal, or in close proximity to...

It's difficult enough to eliminate a whipworm infection in your dog, but it can be even more difficult to remove whipworms from the environment in which your pet lives. Most household cleaners do...

Sometimes when canines are ill Tylenol can be an acceptable medication (in conservative doses) to ease pain. Dogs have sensitive systems and in cases of serious inflammation or chronic pain, a...

Scabies, also known as sarcoptic mange, is caused by the parasite Sarcoptes scabiei. These microscopic creatures burrow under the skin of pets and cause intense itching, hair loss and a host of...

Pulmonary congestion in dogs is called congestive heart failure and usually caused by an underlying condition. Treating congestive heart failure depends on what underlying conditions are causing...

Removing a dog's teeth should only be done by a veterinarian under general anesthesia. Some reasons why a dog would need teeth removed include severe crowding, infection, pulp exposure, broken...

Dogs are led by their noses. Sometimes they get into trouble by following their nose. If your dog happens upon a Porcupine, the result can be serious injury. An attack by a Porcupine which really...

My dog Peanut is a beautiful dog, however, she gets anxious when she goes to the Veterinarian's office for her annual check up. Even though she had blood drawn, and given 2 shots, she had an...

This article is dedicated to my beloved Lily. She was a part of our family for 12 years-and we loved her so dearly. She was diagnosed with a chronic disease at 10--and we knew the decision would...

So, your pet had fleas-and now they've invaded your home. What can You do? The store bought pest control products aren't working? No surprise here.

Nothing say's I love you like a pet. Unfortunately life has thing's in store for us that we have no control of and just can't understand. Having a beloved pet become gravely ill is very difficult...

A short while ago I was flirting with a moonlighting roofer, but the serenading ended abruptly when he overestimated my age by a good ten years. When I advised him that a guy should knock a...

Discovering your dog has lymphoma can be very distressing. While it can be difficult to treat lymphoma, it is one of the of the cancers that is treatable. While doctors don't understand why dogs...

Puppies are often "hand-raised" by people when the mother dog is unable to care for her litter because of illness or death. Raising a litter of puppies is difficult work that consumes many hours...

Dogs, like humans, can suffer from anxiety, which can be triggered by separation from their owners or from exposure to a frightening situation. Anxiety may lead to destructive or aggressive...

The first two weeks of a newborn puppy's life are essential to his health and survival. A mother dog is the best caretaker for her puppies because she produces nutritious milk and cares for them...

Thunderstorms can not only be frightening for children but for our pets as well. If your normally calm and loving companion heads for under the bed at the first thunderclap, or screams in terror...

Cushing's syndrome is a problem of the adrenal glands after they have experienced a long-term exposure to glucocorticosteroids. This exposure can happen as a result of drug treatment for other...

Veterinary care is expensive. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, pet owners in the United States and Canada spent 11 billion dollars on veterinary care in 2002. It is a scary...

Heart worms are transmitted to dogs through mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites a dog, heart worm larvae travel through the dog's blood until they reach the heart or lungs, where the...

Euthanasia of a beloved pet who is old or in pain can be a difficult choice and is an individual one. It is never an easy decision to put your beloved pet to sleep. As I write this we have...

Symptoms of brain cancer in dogs include holding the head at an odd angle, loss of coordination, not recognizing familiar people and walking about aimlessly. According to the Dog Owner's Home...

It's Saturday and you're outside with the family dog when suddenly you notice her with a mouthful of daffodils. Great...she's dug up the flower bed. But more important is that daffodils are toxic...

If you're reading this out of necessity, I hope you do choose to take your dog to the vet immediately. They will anesthetize the dog and remove the quills. It will be expensive but it is...

This is the story of our dog SARGE and his battle with PARVO.

An occasional cough is normal in dogs, and is usually nothing to be concerned about. However, if your dog has developed a frequent or chronic cough, you need to have him checked by your...

Mange is inflammation caused by an infection with mites. Two types of mites are responsible for the majority of mange in animals, sarcoptic mites and demodectic mites. Sarcoptic mites burrow into...

Arthritis is an overall term for the many reasons dogs get inflamed joints. Dogs get arthritis for the same reasons that people can get arthritis. Although veterinary science has come a long way...

Like humans, animals experience grief. Animals that have been separated from an owner or lose an animal companion feel something similar to human grief. Scientists have found that biochemical...

It's the hardest decision I've ever faced - when to euthanize my very best friends, my loyal, loving dogs. How do you know if the time is right, if it's not too soon, if maybe they'll get better?...

Splay puppy syndrome, sometimes called Swimming Puppy Syndrome because the movements of the puppy resemble a swimming motion, is a condition of unknown origin affecting puppies at approximately...