DOG HEALTH AND MEDICINE

[From Tufts August 2011 Issue]

Last year I purchased a 3-month-old mahogany colored poodle with green eyes - a beautiful dog. I have had mostly springer spaniels for many years, and this guy has a habit that stumps me.Cappy will take my wrist or hand gently in his mouth and rub his tongue across my skin. I have asked many experts what he is doing, but none can come up with an answer except, He owns you. Is there some reason he does this?
Irene Byington
Shelter Island, N.Y.

[From Tufts December 2011 Issue]

Folk wisdom has long held that a warm, dry nose means a dog is sick. Veterinarians frequently hear the comment from owners, says Michael Stone, DVM, a specialist in small animal medicine at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, but the truth is that its a fallacy in most cases.

Snoring has been an age-old problem in dogs and people. In both instances, it can be a harmless nuisance or a sign of an anatomical problem. In most cases, a dogs snoring is not a major cause for alarm, says Elizabeth Rozanski, assistant professor of emergency and critical care at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. The key is to determine what is considered normal for your dog. …

My 1-year-old male golden retriever has just been diagnosed with panosteitis, and I have been searching for more information on it. Im told it is more common in shepherds and wolfhounds. My vet said its a bone inflammation that may stay with him for two to five years. We have changed his breeder-recommended kibble (evidently, the protein amount is higher than the original). He is now on a senior blend, 50 mg of Deramaxx for…

Restoring a dogs health requires a partnership between owner and veterinarian. The veterinarian selects the appropriate medicine and relies on the owner to give the medicine in the correct dose at the right time for the full duration. Far too often, the medicine stays in the refrigerator or the medicine cabinet because an owner lacks the confidence to administer it or tires of struggling with his dog to accept the medicine.

[From Tufts December 2010 Issue] This is the first of an occasional column by best-selling author Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, DACVB, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School. When Bernie was first brought to see me, he was 2 years, 10 months old. His owner, a charming older woman living alone, clearly doted on Bernie. A castrated male, Bernie was first acquired by the woman from a breeder when he was 8 weeks of age. He…

[From Tufts January 2011 Issue] Its easy to spot problems with the muzzle - the dogs snout - because the signs are readily discernible. The skin or nose may exhibit depigmentation, ulcers, scaling, itchiness or redness. The muzzle includes the nasal planum, or nose; the nasal cavity, or interior of the muzzle; and the skin and bone overlying the nasal cavity. Diseases of the nasal cavity are usually associated with sneezing, bleeding and discharge from the nostrils.…

"Jessie was one of a kind," says Bill Tidman of his shepherd/collie mix. "Other than my wife, she was my best friend.""She was just...

Q We have a Samoyed, about nine years old and in good health. Recently, he was shaved head to tail for an accumulation of burrs. Our previous groomer had not been brushing him well (its quite an event to brush him-he has a huge mane of white fur and a lot of undercoating), and the new groomer ended up having to shave him almost completely, even around the neck area. There were burrs embedded everywhere.

Q I know that people can help prevent diabetes by staying trim and active. I assume thats true for dogs, too, right?
Christian Chase
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"We don't give the same anesthesia drugs to every patient," says Tufts veterinary surgeon, John Berg, DVM, Your Dog's editor-in-chief. "We adjust protocols for every dog to make the procedure as safe as possible for the individual." For instance, he says, "there are anesthesia drugs that have minimal effects on the heart and others that affect the heart more. So for a dog with cardiac disease, we'll probably go with an anesthetic agent that doesn't impact the heart so much.

Warm weather is prime season for ticks. The parasites can transmit infectious disease, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or even paralysis, because of a toxin in their salvia.

We asked Michael Stone, DVM, board-certified in small animal medicine at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, how owners can protect their dogs from ticks. His response:

Unfortunately, tick control is more difficult than flea control. Even with the use of anti-tick products, youll still find an occasional tick on your dogs coat. Adult ticks most commonly migrate to the ears, around the neck and between the toes.