Bentley is safe!Dog lovers around the world breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that Dallas has quarantined the dog belonging to Nina Pham, the Dallas nurse who contracted Ebola.On Monday, workers in haz-mat suits entered Pham’s apartment and removed the year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Dallas Animal Services (DAS) whisked him to an […]

While the benefits of pet ownership far outweigh the costs, every responsible dog owner should know that along with love and companionship comes financial responsibility. In today’s challenging economic times it pays to save wherever you can. But saving money doesn’t mean you need to skimp on your pet. The AKC offers the following preventative […]

ASK AKC  Dear AKC: When I take my floppy-eared dog to be groomed, he sometimes comes back shaking his head like his ear is bothering him. It appears to be a little irritated. He does occasionally get ear infections. Is there any connection between his grooming and ear infections? - Shaking My Head Dear Shaking: […]

Dog Ear Infections and Other Issues Canine ear infections are very common and certain breeds (dogs with long hanging ears) are predisposed to them. Overall, the problem is more common during the warm months, when ear infections are reported to be 10 to 15 percent of all patients brought to veterinary hospitals. Ear infections can […]

Your Dog’s Weight Gain and Excessive Shedding Might Indicate Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is a clinical condition resulting in inadequate production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is characterized overall by a general decrease in cellular metabolic activity. Dogs afflicted with hypothyroidism most commonly show weight gain, are lethargic and inactive, have a dull hair […]

Of the many devastating diseases that create infertility in dogs, the most well known is brucellosis -- infection by the bacterium Brucella canis. Most people regard brucellosis as a sexually transmitted disease, but it is actually spread more often through oronasal (mouth and nose) contact with infected fluids. When a bitch has brucellosis, puppies are normally […]

When we think about the activities of our dogs, usually we picture their play, their “jobs” or their quiet repose on our laps or couch. However, in all animals the ability to stand quietly at rest is critically important for health and soundness. Many dog owners don’t realize that the reason their dogs flop down […]

When a bitch goes through a false pregnancy (also called pseudopregnancy or pseudocyesis), she thinks she has puppies. In one study, more than 60 percent of bitches had signs of false pregnancy after coming out of heat, whether they were bred or not. Mammary enlargement, with or without milk production, is a common sign of false […]

The first step in screening a bitch is to perform a vaginal examination, inserting a gloved finger or using a scope to assess the vaginal lining. The most common vaginal abnormality is a persistent hymen-- a membrane found part-way in the vagina. The hymen normally ruptures as a bitch matures, but sometimes it doesn’t. If […]

Main Reasons Your Dog May Be Itchy Finding the source of your dog’s skin irritation can be a daunting, long process, but the good news is that with a combination of careful diagnostics, management, and medication, dog owners can do much more than scratch the surface of those annoying canine itches. Veterinary dermatologist John C. […]