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AKC: Health

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Entries in this blog

7 Pet-Safe Plants That Won’t Hurt Your Dog

When it comes to plants and pets, both can bring a lot of love and light into your life. Unfortunately, the two don’t always mix so well. In fact, some plants can be downright deadly for pets. The good news is that many plants are safe for dogs, and if you choose your plants wisely, the two can coexist beautifully, says Justin Hancock, garden expert at Costa Farms in Miami. Here are expert picks on the best plants for pet owners. RNEDDEER/Getty

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Poisonous Plants for Dogs: A Full List

It’s important to protect your canine best friend from plants that are poisonous to dogs. Whether you’re an avid gardener or have a few potted plants on your front stoop, you should be aware that some plants might not be your dog’s friend. In fact, many shrubs, trees, and flowers commonly found in the garden and in the wild are dangerous if your dog eats them. Some can cause discomfort, some will make your dog miserable, and some can even be fatal if ingested. Shrubs That Are Poisonous to Dog

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Tips on Heartworm Prevention & Medication for Dogs

With the change in seasons comes warmer weather and longer days. Unfortunately, pesky bugs also come out. Critters are not only irritating for your dog but they can be very harmful too. In fact, the deadly parasite heartworm is transmitted only by mosquitos. Here are a few tips to keep your dog safe: 1. Preventative Medicine The American Heartworm Society and many veterinarians recommend year-round preventative medication due to heartworm being found in all 50 states. While the prevalen

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How to Perform Dog CPR on Small & Large Pets

In an emergency knowing how to conduct CPR on your dog could save their life. Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer in American Kennel Club, demonstrates how to give CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to dogs until they can reach a veterinary. What is CPR For Dogs? CPR involves chest compressions with or without artificial respiration. It is ONLY used on dogs when you cannot feel or hear the dog’s heartbeat and the dog is NOT breathing. This can occur for a few reasons: trauma, chokin

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What Do Flea Bites Look Like on Dogs?

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 hos

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11 Flea & Tick Prevention Tips

It’s that time of year again. Flea and tick season is upon us, and nothing annoys a dog more than those pesky pests. Responsible dog owners know that their canine companion’s warm body and soft fur is a personal paradise for these insects. But once they move in — and begin feeding on your pet’s blood — they can cause a wide range of health problems, from skin infections to Lyme disease. Your best bet for effective and safe solutions is to ask your veterinarian, who is the most up-to-date on fle

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Mastitis in Nursing Mother Dogs

Mastitis in dogs is not as common as in other species, such as cattle, but if left unchecked, the condition can lead to life-threatening consequences. To ensure the health of nursing dogs, breeders should be aware of the signs and management options. Karen Von Dollen, DVM, of NC State College of Veterinary Medicine offers suggestions on what to look for in your bitches after whelping to catch and treat mastitis early for the quickest resolution. What is Mastitis? Mastitis is an infectio

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Lyme Disease in Dogs: Symptoms, Tests, Treatment, and Prevention

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial illness that can be transmitted to humans, dogs, and other animals by certain species of ticks. It is caused by the spiral-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that is carried inside a tick and gets into a dog or person’s bloodstream through a tick bite. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can travel to different parts of the body and cause problems in specific organs or locations, such as joints, as well as overall illness. Give

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Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

Have you ever taken your dog out for a potty break and turned your back, only to discover your canine pal chomping on a large mouthful of grass? While you might panic and think about the vomit you’ll be cleaning off the carpet later, this behavior is not always cause for alarm. But why do they do it, and how do you know when it’s a problem? And are there ways to get dogs to stop eating grass? Reasons Dogs Eat Grass There are a variety of reasons why dogs find grass to be a delicacy. These

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Blood in Dog Poop: What to Do if You Find It

Blood belongs in blood vessels, so when it makes an appearance anywhere else on or around our pets, we worry — and with good reason. Blood in dog stool is a symptom of a wide range of conditions. Some are more serious than others, but knowing what you’re looking at can help you communicate more clearly with your veterinarian. Blood in Dog Stool The first thing you should do if you find blood in your dog’s stool, whether the stool is formed or loose (like diarrhea), is to call your veterina

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Tips for Making Your Home More Accessible to a Senior Dog

Taking care of a senior dog can present a lot of challenges for pet owners. Your canine companion is moving more slowly. His coordination and eyesight aren’t what they used to be — and neither are his bones. To help your aging dog get around better, here are some ways you can make your home more accessible. High Places One of the first things you’ll notice as your dog gets older is that he’ll have trouble jumping or climbing onto things that used to be a breeze for him. Couches, beds, chai

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Distemper in Dogs – Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Distemper is one of the most serious diseases your dog can get. It is also one of the most preventable. Here are the facts, symptoms, treatment options, and prevention methods that every dog owner needs to know about distemper. What Is Canine Distemper? Canine distemper should sound familiar to you if your dog is up-to-date on his vaccinations. Veterinarians consider the distemper vaccine to be a core vaccination, along with the parvovirus, canine adenovirus, and rabies vaccines. The di

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External Dog Parasites: Fleas, Ticks, Lice, Mites

External parasites live on the outside of a dog’s body. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), at some point in their lives, many pets experience discomfort caused by external parasites, such as fleas, ticks, or mites, on their skin or in their ears. These parasites can cause serious skin problems or carry disease. Modern medicines make treatment, control, and prevention of many external parasites much easier than in the past. Fleas Fleas are tiny wingless insects

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The Ins and Outs of Potty Pad Training

For all the joy and excitement of bringing home a new puppy, potty training can be enough to make you wonder what you were thinking. In fact, one of the most popular questions on The AKC GoodDog! Helpline is how to potty train a puppy. The goal of potty training is simple, but the details can be confusing, like whether to use puppy pads or even an indoor doggy bathroom. Having your dog go outside is the ideal solution, but potty pads can sometimes play a role in successful potty training. For

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How Does Daylight Savings Time Affect Dogs?

Early on the second Sunday of March, at 2 a.m., most Americans will experience the loss of one hour’s sleep when their clocks skip ahead for Daylight Savings Time. Many of us will adjust by sleeping in, drinking a second cup of strong coffee, and changing the time on our clocks and watches. Although our dogs don’t understand the time change, they will need to spring ahead with their humans and accommodate a new routine. How does this affect them? And how can we make it easier for our dogs to

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How to Pick Safe Edible Chews for Your Dog

If you’ve ever lost a shoe to your dog’s teeth, you know how much dogs love to chew. It relieves the pain of teething, exercises jaw muscles, and cleans teeth. Chewing is also great for beating doggy boredom and can help your dog relieve anxiety or frustration by giving them something enjoyable to focus on. Thankfully, there are all kinds of chew toys on the market; however, edible chews are some of the most exciting. How do you know which ones are safe for your dog? This guide to choosing the p

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Why Music is Therapeutic for Dogs

Some dogs take to music right away, even howling along to their favorite tunes. Other dogs tend to retreat from these sounds in fear. The fact that pleasant sounds can capture a dog’s attention is something people know intuitively and science confirms it. If you listened to a recording of dogs and their owners, you’d probably hear what is known as motherese or baby talk (e.g. “Gimme kissies”). People tend to adjust their volume and cadence when speaking to their dogs. And dogs take notice, ba

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5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Dog’s Teeth Clean

Oral hygiene is just as important for dogs as it is for humans. Poor oral hygiene can lead to serious life-threatening conditions including kidney, liver, and heart muscle damage. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 80 percent of dogs show signs of canine periodontal disease as early as age three. Practicing good dental care at home will lead to more than sweeter-smelling kisses; your dog will live a happier, healthier, and longer life. Thankfully, cleaning your canine com

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How Can I Stop My Puppy From Chewing on My Hand?

A common complaint among new puppy owners is that their puppies are constantly biting their hands. Although this behavior can be alarming or overwhelming, it’s extremely natural. Puppies understand the world around them by putting things into their mouth. Biting and mouthing are normal puppy behavior and aren’t generally a cause for alarm or concern, and it certainly doesn’t mean your puppy is aggressive. Some puppies (and breeds) are naturally mouthier than others, but all puppies should be

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Super Bowl Safety Tips for Dog Owners

The Super Bowl is almost here. As your family is getting ready to cheer on your favorite team at this weekend’s big game, don’t forget to make plans for how to support your dog during game day gatherings. With a little preparation, you’ll be able to keep your dog happy and safe while you enjoy football. Don’t Pass the Snacks One of the big risks to dogs at Super Bowl parties is the snacks. Unfortunately, most of the foods that we enjoy eating during Super Bowl parties are dangerous for our dog

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Valentine’s Day Safety Tips for Your Dog

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for exchanging candy hearts and cards with people you love. You can celebrate Valentine’s Day with your dog. Give them a special toy or treat, take them for a long walk, or cuddle on the couch. However you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day, be aware that many of the holiday’s traditions can pose a hazard to your pet. From toxic sweets to choking hazards, the following list will help keep your dog safe as you celebrate with your loved ones. Chocolate It may be a tra

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How to Show Your Dog You Love Them

When it comes to love, dogs offer all of the devotion with none of the guile. They won’t sign up for a secret account on Match.com, or see another owner behind your back. And that flirtation with the pet sitter … well, it’s harmless. After all, there’s a reason dogs have a reputation for being faithful friends. Reciprocating, though, can sometimes be a challenge. Dogs, after all, approached our hearth; it has been in many ways a rather lopsided arrangement in the love department since the dawn

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7 Easy Ways to Keep Your Senior Dog Happy

Just ask any senior dog and they’ll tell you they make wonderful pets. They’re loving companions – content to curl up at your feet for a nap or take a leisurely stroll around the block. And they have fewer of the high-energy problem behaviors of younger pups. They won’t bounce around demanding attention like in their youth, but they still want you to know they have specific age-related needs. Here are some easy ways to keep your senior dog happy and repay all their years of friendship Provide A

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Can You Get Sick From a Dog?

Zoonotic diseases, which can be spread between animals and people, are increasingly making the news. With reports about bird flu and swine flu on the rise, it makes sense that many of us worry about catching illnesses from our pets. When it comes to canine colds, however, we don’t need to worry. Can I Catch a Cold From My Dog? Dog colds are not contagious to humans. You can’t catch a cold from your dog, any more than your dog can pick up a human strain of a cold virus from you. However, dog co

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Is Your Home’s Heat Too Warm For Your Dogs?

Dogs, like humans, do not tolerate significant variation of body temperature. On average, a dog’s normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees F. Small dogs may have a slightly lower temperatures and large dogs slightly higher. Because of this inability to handle wide swings in their body temperatures, dogs have wonderful internal mechanisms that keep their body at the correct temperature at all times, regardless of the air temperature. Dogs don’t use their skin to perspire, like humans, because of

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