DOG HEALTH AND MEDICINE

Your dogs nose has gone from black to pink - or from pink to black. Whats that about?

My dog was limping something awful, to the point that I thought he had torn a ligament and was going to need an operation. But when I took him to the vet, it turned out the problem was that he was very overweight and needed to lose some excess pounds.

Diseases that can be transmitted between animals and people are termed zoonotic, and their danger is ever-present. By some estimates, six out of every 10 infectious diseases in people are caused by exposure to animals who themselves were exposed to parasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. And some parts of the world, including the northeastern United States, have been called areas of emerging zoonoses, that is, areas where more diseases are being transmitted between species, according to the journal Nature. But adhering to various simple sanitation measures can keep both you and your pet protected. Check out the zoonotic diseases below - and what you can do to make sure they dont spread among your family members.

It is always something of a financial challenge having a diabetic pet, says Orla Mahony, DVM, a veterinarian at Tuftss Foster Hospital for Small Animals.

Were supposed to be engaging in at least 150 minutes (2 hours) of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week. And guess what? If you have a dog, youre much more likely to reach that target without even trying.

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.