EVERYDAY DOGCARE

Canine Itching Remedy In 
Your Own Medicine Chest Just like us, sometimes dogs get a nasty itch that keeps them scratching. A short-term treatment can be Benadryl (diphenhydramine), which you may have on hand for when you yourself feel itchy. But proper dosing is critical. The wrong amount can cause everything in a dog from […]

Because your dog takes time chewing a piece of rawhide, you might assume it’s like chewing gum and doesn’t provide any (or many) calories, or that the dog burns them off while tugging away. Not so. A rawhide treat that’s roughly 2 inches by 6 inches and just an eighth of an inch thick will […]

When it’s summertime and the weather is hot, many dogs, like their human families, enjoy splashing around in a pool, lake, or at the beach. But they absolutely should not take a dip unless under your watchful eye. Contrary to popular belief, doggie paddling doesn’t come naturally to all canines. Some dogs can’t even swim. […]

Garlic for warding off fleas and ticks? You said in a recent issue that garlic is toxic for dogs. Why, then, do some companies sell garlic tablets and granules to be ingested by dogs for flea and tick control? James Edwards Alto, New Mexico Dear Mr. Edwards, We don’t recommend using garlic to ward off […]

In people it’s called an ACL tear — a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament that helps connect the thigh bone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia) and leaves both competitive and amateur athletes crumpled in pain. In dogs, it’s called a CCL tear — same ligament, different name. It tends to hobble dogs more gradually […]

Your dog won’t stop licking one of his front legs to the point that there’s a significant abrasion at or above his “wrist” (carpal joint). It looks like a big open sore, with the fur eaten away right down through the skin. You keep telling him to leave his leg alone, but he simply cannot; […]

Nearly 50 percent of all calls to the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center are about pets inadvertently getting into medications for people. Pills can mistakenly be dropped on the floor or intentionally given to dogs in a well-meaning but ill-fated attempt to make a sick animal feel better. Here are the top 10 human medication […]

Marty Becker, DVM, founder of the Fear Free initiative to help veterinarians ensure that dogs and other pets feel safe and calm during veterinary visits, says that every time we hug a family member, whether two- or four-legged, the “feel good” hormone oxytocin is released in the body. It provides a sensation associated with calmness, […]

Having your dog microchipped is an integral part of responsible and loving care for your pet. Microchipped dogs who become separated from their human families and end up at shelters are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their people as dogs who are not microchipped. What happens to dogs who are not […]

Generally speaking, the tallest people are about 35 percent taller than the shortest ones — the difference between someone who is 6 feet 6 inches and another person who is 4 feet 9 inches. But the difference from largest to smallest in the dog world can easily exceed 400 percent. To put it another way, […]

People often wonder which is better for diagnosing allergies in a dog: skin prick tests or blood tests. The answer: neither one. For one thing, prick tests are not performed on dogs. Rather, dogs with suspected allergies undergo what is called intradermal testing. The difference is that with a skin prick test, a physician will […]

Almost one in four Americans have now had to evacuate their home due to a disaster or other emergency, according to data just released by the ASPCA. Almost half of those people left at least one pet at home. Forty percent were gone for at least four days, with almost 10 percent gone for at […]