At What Age Do You Stop Treating your Dog?
1. Your 13-year-old dog has laryngeal paralysis, a progressive condition that is making it harder and harder for her to breathe. She's getting to the point where she's literally struggling to take breaths. You
a) Schedule a surgery to treat the condition.
b) Know that the breathing problem is going to continue to worsen and will just put her down when you have to because the risks of anesthesia that go along with the surgery are too great for her.
c) Wait and see.
Are You Prepared to Protect Your Dog in the Event of a Calamity?
Pet Food Manufacturer Deploys a Disaster Relief Network
A few years ago Hill's Pet Nutrition started a Disaster Relief Network as an extension of its Food, Shelter & Love Program. It is comprised of more than 100 shelters nationwide that are on board to expedite fulfillment of dogs' and other pets' food needs when the areas they are in or near are affected by catastrophic events, disrupting lives.
You see a dog left in car on a hot day
Franklin’s Health Scare
It seemed Franklin had a problem down there, as my Aunt Ceil would have put it. At first we - and his veterinarian - thought it was just an infection. There was swelling in the area near his penis, and the doctor put him on antibiotics. That cleared up the swelling around the edges, but the doctor said he still had a mass that didnt look right. She took a needle aspirate and examined the contents under a microscope. There were no cancer cells. But she said that alone couldnt rule out cancer. (Let the sweating and yes, tears, begin.)
Dr. Google, Paging Dr. Google
Many pet owners love to consult Dr. Google, says Tufts veterinarian Alicia Karas, DVM, facetiously. Not that she doesnt understand the allure.
Its tempting, she comments, right there at your fingertips. Its free, she adds. And it seems spot on. My dog is limping - how can I get her through this without a visit to the vet? Ah, heres the answer.
The problem, Dr. Karas says, is that not even the best pet-related sites on the Internet can walk you through how to take care of your own particular dog with his own particular circumstances. There are just too many variables. The issue gets particularly serious when it comes to dispensing drugs.
Are Dogs “Word Worthy?”
Q: When I talk to my dog, Charlie, he usually cocks his head, as if he is really listening and understanding what Im telling him. Do dogs know words, or is he just listening to the tone of my voice?
A: Dogs read your voice tone more than the actual words to gauge if youre delivering praise or discipline. Try this test with Charlie. Stiffen your muscles, grab a telephone book, and begin to call out the names alphabetically in a stern, low tone in
Tug Games
The game of Tug has an undeserved bad rap in some training circles, while others, most notably the Agility world, have fully embraced it as an excellent activity to create focus and high arousal. Those two extremes aside, its a great game just because its fun, many dogs adore it, its the perfect play activity for human family members who might otherwise want to get in appropriately physical with the dog and its a terrific energy-burner.
One of the most commonly-heard myths about playing Tug is that it makes the dog dominant. Theres so much misinformation passed around about hierarchy in dogs - this is just another log on the fire. If you are concerned about what Tug might do to your relationship with your dog, just remember that the definition of leader is the one who controls the good stuff, and orchestrate your Tug-play accordingly.
Compatible Playmates
Playing With Your Dog – Family Interaction
