DOG HEALTH AND MEDICINE

Acupuncture treatment, by many accounts, is proving valuable in treating dogs suffering from such ailments as musculoskeletal pain and nausea as well as various side effects of chemotherapy. Tufts veterinary school graduate Karen Fine, DVM, who practices in Massachusetts, describes one dog who was in so much pain from apparent disc disease in his neck that she told his owners if acupuncture didnt help, and they declined to take him for a workup by veterinary specialists, they should seriously consider putting him down to relieve him of his misery. But within five days of his first treatment - when Dr. Fine inserted a number of thin needles in his skin and left them there for 20 minutes - he was 60 percent better. Today, he is 90 percent improved. Acupuncture literally saved his life.

Veterinarians often need to see inside a sick or injured dog to figure out whats wrong. But whats the best imaging technique to use? It depends on what the veterinarian suspects might be the problem. What follows is a guide to the various ways doctors view whats happening under the coat. As youll see, the cost of imaging is a good reason to have pet health insurance.

I know that selenium deficiency can be a rare cause of cardiomyopathy in people. Im wondering if too little selenium could also be contributing to the new cases of cardiomyopathy in dogs that have been linked to grain-free diets. I know there has been a lot of talk about a deficiency of the amino acid taurine, but maybe its too little of the mineral selenium thats causing the problem. Do you think that could be the case?

My puppy loves playing tug of war with a rope toy, but Ive heard it can make dogs aggressive. Should I not give into her urge?

You find your old pal is having a harder and harder time taking in air, particularly in warm weather or during physical activity. This is not a normal sign of aging. A healthy old dog should be able to breathe comfortably.

Imagine a medical device that hastens the healing process and provides relief from conditions ranging from osteoarthritis to itchy hot spots on the skin, often to the point that a lower dose of medication may be used. The Assisi Loop may be such a device.

Labrador retrievers have remained the most popular dog breed for almost three decades, but Lab lovers who opt for chocolate rather than black or yellow Labs may be in for more veterinary bills - and heartache. A study of some 2,000 Labs published in Canine Genetics and Epidemiology shows that chocolate Labs are two times as likely to get dermatological problems in the form of hot spots. They are also more likely to end up with otitis externa - the canine version of swimmers ear. They die younger, too - at an average age of 10.7 years as opposed to 12 years for the other two colors.

If your once-athletic dog can no longer catch a tossed treat, or your senior pauses before descending a flight of stairs, theres a chance that his vision may be cloudy because of cataracts in one or both eyes.

While all dogs like to run to a certain degree, some make better running companions than others. Dalmatians, Doberman Pinschers, Labrador and Golden Retrievers tend to make good running partners, as well as herding dog breeds (but they can get easily bored and look for something to herd along the way, such as a car).

Advances in dog anesthesia techniques have made veterinary surgery considerably safer nowadays, but its usage needs to be tailored to the individual dog to make it as risk-free as possible. Here are the important questions to ask before your dog undergoes surgery.

Most dogs are easy enough to get a pill into, even on a regular basis if need be. You simply make a meatball out of some wet dog food or something else soft, like deli meat or cheese, and your dog will end up reminding you about his medication after a while. You just have to make sure with the veterinarian that whatever food you use to wrap the pill doesnt contain ingredients that are bad for the condition youre treating.

One of your dogs eyes has whitish or clear gook in the inner corner. To what degree should you be concerned?