EVERYDAY DOGCARE

I have an older dog - a 10-year-old golden retriever - that I just adopted from a rescue. When I put a Seresto flea and tick collar on her, she started having seizures. She no longer has the collar but is now on phenobarbital to control the seizures. What do you advise using for flea and tick control on a dog that has a history of seizures? I know that the new pill is not advised for these dogs.

Dogs love to dig in and roll in the dirt and run through the woods, and though they dont like to go out in the rain will gladly jump in a swamp or smelly debris, says veterinary dermatologist Laurie J. Stewart, VMD, DACVD. Maybe thats why Dr. Stewart, owner of Veterinary Dermatology of New England in Westford, Massachusetts, quips that bathing in dogs is highly underrated."

Truth be told, healthy dogs who are free of skin disease dont need to be bathed for their own sake.

The skin is the bodys largest organ, for dogs as well as for people, and allergies in dogs often affect that organ. In such cases, which are referred to as atopic dermatitis, bathing can be a great way to reduce irritation, itching, pain, inflammation, crusting, and odor, says board-certified veterinary dermatologist Laurie J. Stewart, VMD, DACVD. In fact, while dogs with healthy skin may be able to get away with a bath every few months, a dog with a skin condition may need baths as frequently as twice a week.

A good dog shampoo will contain the following chemicals to do the job of cleansing your dog: Taurate Lauroyl lactylate. In a conditioner, these are that ingredients that do the conditioning: Behentrimonium Glycerin Cetearyl alcohol There are many good products available. The most popular dog shampoo on Amazon is Earthbath All Natural Dog Shampoo, which has ingredients that fit the criteria set forth by veterinary dermatologists. They are also cruelty-free and biodegradable.

An anxious dog who would not be able to handle someone sticking a hand in her mouth for an extended period of time and doing some light probing would not make a good candidate for dental cleanings without anesthesia. This point is agreed upon by both dentists in favor of anesthesia-free dental cleanings and those against it. The dog needs to be mellow enough to allow the cleaning, says veterinarian Ellie Shelburne, who schedules some patients in her Northampton, Massachusetts, practice for anesthesia-free dental work.

You might share the medicine cabinet mirror with your dog while you shave or apply your makeup, but some of the medicines you have inside the mirrored door are very, very toxic to your pet and should at all times be kept out of paws reach. Says the American Veterinary Medical Association, about one quarter of all phone calls to the Animal Poison Control Center are about human medications.

Q Sassy, age six, has had a constant problem back there and goes to the vet frequently to have her glands expressed. Within a week she is scooting again and licking her behind. The vet suggested adding more fiber to her food, but her bowel movements are not soft. What to do?
Gary Thomas
Houston, Texas

When your dog is hurt, you have no time to lose. Your pet needs attention. Now. Considering the many scrapes and tussles a typical dog will endure in a long, eventful lifetime, it's good to know that you safely can handle some of his or her health problems by at home. But which ones? And how? And which situations definitely require a veterinarian's immediate attention?

Keeping Your Dog Engaged

Owners can take greater responsibilities in helping slow the aging process by noting early changes in their dogs' appetites, behaviors and physical conditions. Veterinarians offer these recommendations:

Reinforce basic commands. You can teach an aging dog to "Sit" before heading out the door for a walk or "Give me a paw" shake before settling down his or her food bowl. Test hearing and sight by teaching your dog to make eye contact with…

Q Do I really have to trim my dogs nails? Im afraid Ill hurt him by cutting into the quick.

Girls pull their hair back into ponytails; boys get buzz cuts. It helps keep them feeling fresh and cool for summer. Do dogs like to have their locks pushed or cut away in the hot summer months, too? No, says Tufts veterinary dermatologist Lluis Ferrer, DVM, PhD, DECVD, and in general, its a bad idea. Hair on a dog is actually insulating from the heat, Dr. Ferrer comments. The hair coat creates an air chamber between…

We have had Great Danes for several years. Most have been males neutered at about 6 months. Recently, we have heard breeders and others say this age is too young for large-breed dogs. They say neutering them this early causes them to grow taller and not fill out. Our male is 18 months old and was neutered at 6 months. He now is 36 inches tall at the shoulders and barely tips the scale at 140 pounds. [The Great Dane Club of America includes no weight requirements in its standard, but other sources list weight for males at 135 to 170 pounds and height of 33 to 36 inches.] What is the medically recommended time to neuter a large breed?