Bathing Your Dog Needn’t Be a Chore It was once believed that dogs should be bathed only when dirty. But that attitude has changed with the advent of shampoos formulated specifically for dogs. If a gentle shampoo is used, a dog can usually be bathed weekly without drying out his coat. Though your typical puppy […]

When Brushing Your Shedding Dog, Use the Right Tool It's only logical that if you get to your dog’s hair before it falls out, it won't end up on your clothes, your furniture, your pillow, or your dinner plate. That means you need to brush -- sometimes weekly, sometimes a few times a week, and […]

ASK AKC  Dear AKC: I have a 14 ½ year old Shih Tzu which I love dearly. I got her to keep me and my younger daughter company when my oldest daughter went off to college. Now she's blind, she's almost deaf, she stumbles on her back right leg when she walks, and she hardly […]

Some veterinarians view low-energy lasers as a noninvasive alternative treatment of arthritic inflammation and chronic pain in dogs. It’s not a panacea, but combined with other treatment, it can ease your dog’s arthritis pain. Arthritis (osteoarthritis) is a common degenerative disease in which cartilage wears away and inflammation, swelling, and joint deformity all result. The […]

ASK AKC  Dear AKC: My seven-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever is beginning to limp on his right rear leg. He doesn't want to put any weight on it. About two years ago, he had surgery on his left knee to fix a ruptured cruciate ligament due to an injury. Is it possible the other knee will need […]

Caution is Recommended with the Use of Any Diet Pill There is a diet pill that was developed specifically for dogs and it has been the only drug shown to be safe and effective. As with humans, various diet pills have been evaluated for their ability to decrease appetite or caloric absorption. These include herbal […]

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 […]

ASK AKC   Dear AKC: My two-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever usually has a black nose but this winter it turned a very light pink. His nose is not dry, but looks like someone drained the color out of it. What causes this? Is there anything I can do to fix it? -- In the Pink Dear […]

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 […]