DOG HEALTH AND MEDICINE

I recently read that the American Animal Hospital Association recommends vaccines not be given more frequently than every 3 years and that excessive vaccinations can aggravate autoimmune diseases. The veterinary hospital I visit with my dog recommends a distemper shot every year. Is there science to support the idea of vaccinating annually?

Theres no getting around it - dogs can smell pretty stinky. Some of the odor comes from bacteria and yeast in the skin that break down and oxidize oils (fats) on the skins surface. That fat breakdown releases the telltale volatile compounds that we associate with dogs un-perfume-like scent. Some of the nasty odor also comes from the waste left behind on a dogs coat by resident microorganisms, and some comes from sweat.

Has your dog been squinting more than usual? Is at least one of his eyes red? And is there some mucous discharge from one or both eyes - not the grey, jelly-like ooze that you can easily wipe away but something thicker and perhaps more yellowish as well as harder to remove? If so, get your dog to the veterinarian. Theres a reasonable chance he is not producing enough tears and has a condition called dry eye, known in medical circles as kerato-conjunctivitis sicca. Its a fairly common illness among dogs that can lead to impaired vision if not diagnosed and treated.

In the largest study to date on aging in dogs, researchers will follow tens of thousands of dogs for 10 years to gather critical information on whether canine life expectancy can be improved. They will also examine whether dogs overall quality of life can be maintained over a longer geriatric stretch. Which dogs will participate? Perhaps yours.

My cock-a-poo beagle mix Lila started having seizures a little before she turned 3. My vet put her on phenobarbital and that helped, but the seizures are now starting to occur more frequently. Should I go back to the doctor to increase the dosage?

Imagine if the time came that your dog needed an operation, and her recovery took a few hours instead of a few days in the hospital. It would result in her going through a lot less pain and could also mean less cost, since a stay in a veterinary hospital can easily run hundreds of dollars a day.

Just like people, dogs can get lupus. Its an autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system mistakes the bodys own tissues for foreign invaders and starts attacking and destroying them. Two types of lupus strike our canine pets: systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). The first is much more devastating, with worse symptoms that can have life-threatening implications. The second is not as dangerous but needs to be brought under control to avoid serious complications down the line.

Sometimes a dogs itchiness becomes so relentless that the incessant scratching, biting, licking, and rubbing in an effort to relieve the problem leads to hair loss, wearing away of the skin, nasty bumps, scaly red spots, crusty areas forming over scabs, and the skins thickening and hardening. In addition, as part of the itch-scratch cycle, the dog will often develop secondary bacterial or yeast infections.

My 9-year old Maltese, Maggie, has had a droopy tail for a few months. She is also very protective of her rear and tail area and yipes occasionally when touched there, or even sometimes when I pick her up. She also suffers from low-grade kidney disease, for which she has been taking benazepril and aluminum hydroxide. Aside from the droopy tail and yiping, her activity level is normal. She still jumps, runs, eats, poops, and urinates fine. Her anal glands were cleared, and she had a rectal exam. My vet felt it may be a nerve issue and prescribed gabapentin. So far, no change. Any thoughts?

I appreciated your June 2019 article on how to surgically fix the labored breathing that comes with laryngeal paralysis, which affects a significant number of older, larger dogs. But I also heard about a drug to treat the disease and make breathing easier. Can a drug really take the place of an operation?

If you bring your dog to the veterinarians office because he has started urinating in the house, does the doctor simply perform a clinical exam followed by x-rays and blood work, or does she add in some questions that help her learn the story of the dogs life? For instance, a vet might ask, Has anything changed lately? Have you moved, or has someone moved into or out of your household? Has there been a divorce or some other difficult event? That way, the doctor may find out that the dog is stressed, perhaps because he is sensing your own stress, and that is what is making him urinate indoors.

Ive been giving a joint supplement to my 2-year-old Yellow Lab since I brought her home at the age of 8 weeks in order to help prevent problems from hip dysplasia.