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Inoculation against a bacterial disease called leptospirosis is not considered a core vaccine, meaning you should discuss with your vet whether your particular dog is at risk. The offending bacteria particularly thrive in relatively warm climates with high average rainfall.

A female wire-haired pointer, the tenth most popular dog breed, has only a 1 percent chance of getting cancer. But if she is spayed before she is a year old, her risk for cancer of the lymph nodes shoots up to more than 10 percent. A male mastiff has a 6 percent chance of developing a joint disorder, but that risk rises to 21 percent if he is castrated before he is one.

Dogs seem happiest when they stink. Who among us hasn’t had—or at least seen—a dog happily rolling her body back and forth over something positively rank?

Love going on vacation but hate leaving your dog at home? What about taking your pet on a cruise?

Your dog loves to go to the beach with you—and why shouldn’t she? Not only does she get to frolic in the water, but she also gets to play in the sand—digging, retrieving toys that you have tossed for her, licking objects with interesting scents that have come ashore (like crabs and seaweed), and eating food that has landed off your picnic blanket. The thing is, all that sand-to-mouth contact means she’s probably going to swallow some sand.

People tend to think of cats as the pets whose human family members move a laser beam around the floors and walls for them to chase, but some people do it for their dogs, too. It’s understandable. Lots of dogs have a very high predatory drive, so creating an easy game for them to go after something seems like just the right kind of fun.

Q: We’ve always gotten dogs who were at least a year old but recently took in a 10-week-old puppy who won’t stop urinating in the house. I keep opening the back door to let her go do her business, but she just looks around and then comes back in. Even when I walk her, whether she “goes” is hit or miss. I’m getting annoyed. Any suggestions?

August 26th is National Dog Day, and the entire month is National Dog Month. To show your pet how much you appreciate them, why not treat him or her to a nice cold pup treat during these dog days of summer? Options abound, from a Starbucks “Puppiccino” to a Dunkin’ Donuts “Puppy Latte” (a small espresso-sized cup with whipped cream) to Dairy Queen’s 4-ounce cup of vanilla soft serve in its “Pup Cup.”

Q: I’ve noticed a little cauliflower-shaped bump on my 12-year-old dog’s forehead, between her right ear and eye. I think it has been bleeding periodically because sometimes it appears dark in color as if blood has dried. I know I have to take her to the doctor and am scared. Is it cancer?

• The One Day of the Year that the Most Dogs Go Missing
• Short Takes: Which Sunscreen, and for Which Dogs?; Might Gluten in the Diet Make Some Dogs Act Strangely?
• When It Comes to Canine Cancer Risk, Size Matters
• Dispelling the Myth that Purebred Dogs Are More Disease-Prone
• There’s a Dog Who Needs
• Pop Dog-Bathing Quiz
• Ever Thought of Getting a Second Dog?
• Dear Doctor

For dogs, the scariest day of the year isn’t Halloween. It’s July 4th. It’s estimated that animal control officers see a 30- to 60-percent increase in lost pets from July 4th to July 6th, with July 5th being noted as one of the busiest days of the year for shelters.

Sunburn can especially affect thinly-furred dogs and is sometimes also a precursor to canine skin cancer. You can put a T-shirt on your pet, but certainly during the summer hours when sunlight is at its strongest—from about 9 AM to 3 PM—sunscreen may also be necessary on parts of his body that the cloth won’t cover, like the bridge of his nose and the tips of his ears. Some dogs, like those with short hair and pink skin (think Dalmatians or Chinese cresteds), would benefit from a sprayable sunscreen applied pretty much all over their bodies, with an SPF of at least 15. There is a commercial sunscreen approved for dogs called Dermoscent Sun Free.