Weight Management in Dogs

Has your dog been particularly interested in “Larry the Cable Guy” and the Nutri System ads lately? If so, he may be worried about his weight, and perhaps you should be too. Although any dog can become obese if overfed, the breeds most prone to being overweight include Labradors, Dachshunds, Beagles, Cairn Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, Collies and Shelties. Health Risks Associated with Obesity – Your dog’s weight can have a significant impact on his quality of life and on his longevity.... [Read more]

The Importance of Spaying & Neutering Your Dog

What is the importance of spaying and neutering your dog?  According to the Humane Society, approximately three millions dogs or more are euthanized each year.  Remanded to shelters because they have been abandoned or because their owners can no longer care for them, the over-population of dogs in animal shelters has reached major proportions.  While the aforementioned statistic is hard to imagine, it is nonetheless true.  This is why animal advocates constantly remind the general population to have... [Read more]

Puppy, kitten doesn’t make good gift on Christmas Day

I had planned to write a post on the topic of giving your children a puppy or kitten as a Christmas present, then I read this article written by the Aiken SPCA that covered it all.  Enjoy. Happy Holidays! The calls have already begun coming in. “I want to get my kids a puppy for Christmas. Can you hold it until Christmas Eve?” We certainly understand that kids love puppies and kittens, and many would be very happy to see one as a member of the family on Christmas morning. However, if you take... [Read more]

What Causes Worms in Dogs?

There are a variety of worms that cause illness in your dogs such as: heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms.  What causes worms in dogs? Let’s take a closer look. Hookworms are predominately found in dog feces.  If your dog eats these feces they can develop this condition.  Look for the following signs: loose stool or blood in the stool, the dog seems bloated, gas, has an unusual appetite, and his coat seems to be on the dull side. Roundworms come from dogs ingesting the... [Read more]

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Puppy

When you have pets that live both indoors and outdoors, you run the risk of fleas.  Fleas not only attack your pets, but also the other people living in the house.  Here are a few ways to rid your puppy and yourself of this miniscule menace. Fleas are a fact of life for animals.  Your puppy will get them if he ever goes outdoors.  Fleas are small, so they can jump from puppy to another surface like the couch and then to you.   Fleas bite – hard.  For most puppies, the bites are irritating and... [Read more]

Worms: Ways to Prevent Them in Your Dog

Unfortunately, dogs can develop worms quite early in life.  Here are some ways to prevent them in your dog. 1. One of the major causes of tapeworms is attributed to fleas and lice.  Brush your dog regularly with a flea comb and keep a watchful eye for any odd behavior exhibited by your dog.  Dogs that ingest fleas, for example, can develop tapeworms.  Thus, it is necessary to determine whether or not your home or yard is infested with these parasites, which will require using a variety of methods... [Read more]

Feeding your Puppy

There’s one thing that puppy will run for every time – lunch!  Puppy needs to be fed regularly in order to grow big and strong.  Learning to feed your puppy is an important part of his care and responsible pet-ownership.  Puppy doesn’t care what you feed him, but you should.  Puppies needs are different than an adult dog.  They don’t need to eat the same food that you would feed to an adult dog. Go to a store that is used to dealing with pet food like Petco.  Ask one of the salespeople... [Read more]

Common Dog Diseases & Tips for Preventing Them

Part of caring for your dog involves his health.  All dogs get sick at some point in their lives.  But, there are preventive measures that you can take to protect his health from the time he is a puppy.  Here are a few of the more common dog conditions and how to prevent or combat them. When talking about dogs you may have heard the word “distemper”.  Distemper is a condition common to dogs.  It can cause damage to the lungs or the brain and spinal cord similar to the human polio virus.  Distemper... [Read more]

Puppy and the Kids

Kids are thrilled when the new puppy comes home.  They want to love on him and play with him all the time.  But, before you let the kids have at the unsuspecting puppy, set some ground rules to protect them both. If your kids were the catalyst for the puppy, you should know one thing.  You will be the one taking care of the puppy most of the time.  It is sad, but true.  Indulging their need for another living thing means another dependent for you. To keep the kids involved, give them tasks to do concerning... [Read more]

Common Household Poisons to Dogs

I’ll never forget the day I arrived home from work to find brown slimy piles all over the floor, on the couch, on my bed, and on the rugs. There was also an empty bag of chocolate chips on the floor. Then I saw my peek-a-poo, Buffy, laying on the floor barely consciounce. I grabbed her up and rushed her to the vet. Thankfully, she was OK (since she threw up everything she consumed) after an overnight stay in the vet for observation. I learned that day that chocolate is toxic to dogs. I was very... [Read more]

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