Your dog makes all sorts of noises, and a lot of them probably sound like human coughs. In fact, a flu-afflicted person is often described as having a “barking” cough. But dogs can actually cough too, often sounding like you do when you’re congested and have a cold, or as though they are sneezing in […]
Bloat is a life-threatening condition that acts rapidly and can lead to the death of your dog within hours if the condition is not recognized and treated immediately. Unfortunately, the cause of bloat remains unknown at this time, but you can learn to identify its symptoms before it may follow its deadly course. What is […]
“With human beings, it’s a matter of lifestyle putting on weight, not eating properly and not exercising,” explains Dr. Deborah Fine, assistant professor of cardiology at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine. “With dogs, what we see is mostly caused by genetics or breed susceptibility.” There are various ways of ensuring a healthy […]
Look up “dog chasing tail” on YouTube, and you will find thousands of videos showing breeds, ranging from sprightly adult collies to yipping tiny lap dogs running around in circles, trying to catch their elusive tail. Your own dog may even be a tail chaser, since the playful behavior is quite common. But too much […]
As the owner of both a dog day care facility and a boarding kennel in Virginia, Laura Sharkey works hard to keep the dogs in her care free of injury and disease. One disease she doesn’t really worry about? A condition called kennel cough. In fact, she doesn’t even require the dogs she cares for […]
Why Does My Dog Snore All Of A Sudden? Any level of snoring indicates something is, at least, partially obstructing your dog’s airways. Veterinarians say common causes include: Rhinitis Your dog might have a temporary inflammation in its nose. Dogs can catch upper respiratory infections or even suffer from allergies. Fungal Disease Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by […]
“Nobody knows why it happens, but the cells in the pancreas that make insulin begin to dysfunction.” Below, Nelson explains the signs and treatment of diabetes mellitus (aka “sugar diabetes”) in canines. What Is Diabetes Mellitus? Just as humans get two types of diabetes (type 1 and 2), so do pets. Dogs are more likely […]
“Flu” seems to be a catchall word used to describe many different illnesses, from human flu to avian flu. Now, dogs can catch dog flu. But do you really understand the symptoms, treatment and prevention of this potentially life-threatening illness? Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines about canine influenza (aka […]
A dog’s bite may be worse than its bark — especially if the pooch isn’t feeling well. A new study has determined that dogs brought to a veterinary behavior clinic for biting children most often didn’t have a previous history of biting. The research, which was conducted by a team of experts from the University […]
