Natural disasters affect everyone, including your pets. If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you will need to make certain that you protect your dog from the unique health concerns that can arise during a storm. During a hurricane, dogs are exposed to many of the same dangers as people. Being prepared will keep your pet safe both during and after the storm.
Make an Emergency Plan for Your Dog
Long before disaster strikes, your family should have an emergency plan in place. A good emergency p
Since the 1950s, the popular calculation of how old a dog was “in human years” has been that 1 dog year is the equivalent of 7 human ones. Even though this formula has been around for a surprisingly long time, the reality is not so cut-and-dried. That doesn’t stop many people from defaulting to this traditional calculation. “You can’t really kill the seven-year rule,” says Kelly M. Cassidy, a curator of the Charles R. Connor Museum at Washington State University, who compiles studies about longe
A total of 174 chicken breeds are described in a publicly accessible database which scientists have built up in recent years. This database, the Synbreed Chicken Diversity Panel (SCDP), includes information about a large proportion of the available chicken species and their diversity. The researchers created a family tree of exceptional completeness and detail.
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A total of 174 chicken breeds are described in a publicly accessible database which scientists have built up in recent years. This database, the Synbreed Chicken Diversity Panel (SCDP), includes information about a large proportion of the available chicken species and their diversity. The researchers created a family tree of exceptional completeness and detail.
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If you are an owner of man’s best friend, you can relate to watching your furry companion lunge himself into a pool. While this is pleasing to watch for many humans, it does raise a question — is chlorine safe for dogs?
When humans swim in a pool, most chlorine levels are safe, even if you happen to ingest water by accident. Most canines, on the other hand, have ears and eyes that are more sensitive than the ears and eyes of their owner. This sensitivity makes dogs more susceptible to the dange
Researchers report the first evidence in a non-human species, the domestic dog, of a relation between joint hypermobility and excitability: dogs with more joint mobility and flexibility tend to have more anxiety problems.
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Hot spots are one of the most common skin conditions in dogs, particularly in the summer months. These painful, oozing sores can appear seemingly out of nowhere and often spread rapidly. While hot spots are frustrating to deal with, they can be treated and even prevented with the right management.
What Are Hot Spots?
Also known as acute moist dermatitis, hot spots are localized areas of skin inflammation and bacterial infection. Often a hot spot will begin as a small red area that owners may m
Dogs have evolved new muscles around the eyes to better communicate with humans. New research comparing the anatomy and behavior of dogs and wolves suggests dogs' facial anatomy has changed over thousands of years specifically to allow them to better communicate with humans.
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What Is Canine Dehydration?
Dehydration in dogs occurs when the body loses more fluid than it’s taking in. All mammals rely on water to keep their bodies functioning properly, and dogs are no exception. In fact, water is necessary to virtually every important body function, including lubricating joints, cushioning internal organs, aiding digestion, and regulating body temperature. When we think of nutrition, we generally think of food. But water is a critically necessary ingredient that allows
Aggressive behavior in pet dogs is a serious problem for dog owners across the world, with bite injuries representing a serious risk to both people and other dogs. New research has found that clinical animal behaviorists should focus on helping dog owners to feel confident in the effectiveness of the behavior modification techniques that they recommend and, in their ability, to actually use them successfully.
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For dogs with mammary tumors, deciding a course of treatment can depend on a variety of factors, some of which may seem to contradict one another. With a new, practical system developed by veterinarians, determining a prognosis and making treatment decisions should be an easier task.
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An itching, scratching dog conjures up nightmarish images of fleas hopping everywhere—especially onto our furniture, beds, and carpets. Fleas are prime suspects if your dog is scratching without any apparent reason, but before you can blame fleas for your dog’s discomfort you need to do a little more investigating.
The best way to find out if your dog has fleas is to look for symptoms of flea bites on dogs.
What Are Fleas?
Fleas are tiny parasites that feed off of the blood of their hosts. Th
A new study used behavioral data from more than 76,000 dogs, to test the hypothesis that key behaviors in the domestication syndrome are correlated.
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Dogs experience joint pain, stiffness, and aches just like people do. This discomfort can limit their mobility, prevent them from enjoying their favorite activities, and ultimately impact their quality of life. Even simple actions like jumping on the couch or walking up the stairs can become difficult for dogs with joint disease, which is often upsetting for pet owners. While any dog can experience joint pain, large- and giant-breed dogs are particularly prone to developing orthopedic disease.
The levels of stress in dogs and their owners follow each other, according to a new study. The scientists believe that dogs mirror their owner's stress level, rather than vice versa.
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Identifying the movements of extinct species from millions of years ago can provide insights into ancient migration routes, interaction between species, and the movement of continents.
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Rickettsia bacteria cause a number of human and animal infections, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Now, researchers have for the first time surveyed the prevalence of Rickettsia antibodies and Rickettsia-carrying ticks in wild boars, hunting dogs and hunters in Brazil.
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One of the most important responsibilities you have as a dog owner is to make sure your dog is properly vaccinated to help protect against dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases. Knowing what to vaccinate for and when can be confusing, so we’ve created this guide to help you take the best care of your dog. The information is based on the latest guidelines from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
The AAHA classifies vaccines as core vaccines and noncore or lifestyle vaccines. Core
Anyone who’s had a child or babysat for one has been through the diaper experience. But some pet owners may find that, for a variety of reasons, their dog needs to wear a diaper. There are products made specifically for canines. Why, you might ask, would a dog ever need a diaper?
Reasons to Use Dog Diapers
Urinary Incontinence in Dogs
Actual urinary incontinence is not a behavioral issue. It may be caused by a urinary tract infection, bladder problems, a weakened urinary sphincter muscle, and
Researchers have found no genetic evidence that the iconic Australian kelpie shares canine ancestry with a dingo, despite Australian bush myth.
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Warmer weather typically means spending more time outdoors with your dog. These grooming tips will help keep your dog feeling cool and comfortable. As a bonus, they will also enhance the relationship you have with your pet.
“Grooming is one of nature’s strongest ways of bonding,” says Jorge Bendersky, a certified master groomer and best-selling author. “It’s a way to show our love.” Even if you have a designated groomer, there are things you can do at home in-between visits.
Brushing Your Dog
Removing a tick from your dog, or worse — ticks — may not be pleasant, but it’s important to do it promptly and correctly. Once you know how to remove a tick, it will be a fairly easy process.
Because they can carry infectious organisms, every year ticks infect thousands of animals and people with illnesses like Lyme disease, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis, among others. Pathogen transmission can occur as quickly as three to six hours after a bite occurs, so the sooner you remove the tick the les
Wildlife ecologists who are studying different conservation practices in the forests of Costa Rica recently made a startling discovery on a wildlife camera trap -- wild bush dogs documented farther north than ever before and at the highest elevation.
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