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Pet Health Articles

Dogs + Preventive Care & Wellness

  • The adaptable, affable Tibetan Terrier is a great choice for the dog owner whose idea of exercise is a walk around the block. Although the long coat can be challenging to care for, it is well worth the effort when admirers stop during a stroll to ooh and ahh over this dog.

  • Helping your pet lose weight may be challenging at first, but with a little patience and persistence, you can be successful. Research has shown that small amounts of weight loss help improve the quality of life for overweight pets: they feel better, move easier, play more often, and live healthier lives. This handout focuses on commonly asked questions and tips for owners to help their overweight pet successfully achieve some weight loss.

  • Toy Fox Terriers love to curl up in a lap, but can be up and running when a bird flies by the window. They're curious, always wanting to know what's going on and to be part of the action.

  • Teaching a dog to come when called is perhaps the most important behavior we ever teach. You can train a reliable recall using positive reinforcement and it can be incorporated into daily play time. Puppies should be set up to succeed by having training challenges, such as distractions, added gradually. Until a recall is reliable, puppies should be held on leash when they are not in a secure, fenced area.

  • Transdermal means the application of a medicine or drug through the skin, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Relatively few drugs are currently available for transdermal application. The biggest risk with a transdermal medication is that it could be insufficiently absorbed, resulting in inadequate drug levels and treatment. The inside of the outer ear flap (not inside the ear canal) is an excellent area to apply transdermal medications. After you have administered the medication, try to distract your pet from scratching or rubbing the ear for a few minutes by feeding your pet, taking your pet for a walk, or playing together immediately afterward. If your pet is prescribed a transdermal medication patch, your veterinarian will often shave an area to affix the patch.

  • On the hunt, Treeing Walkers are alert, intense, and loud, sounding off with their big coonhound bawl. But don't let that fool you; at home they are calm, affectionate, and great lovers of pillows and blankets.

  • TTouch is a form of touch therapy devised and popularized in 1978 by Linda Tellington Jones, an equestrian with a long-standing interest in massage, training, and physical therapy techniques. TTouch is a simple, light massage technique in which the practitioner uses a clockwise circular motion of the fingers on the skin of the patient.

  • Controlled substances are medications or illicit drugs that affect the central nervous system and have the potential for abuse or dependence, both in humans and in animals. These drugs are often needed to manage pain and other conditions in pets and are relatively safe when used appropriately and under the guidance of a veterinarian. Be sure you understand the risks and responsibilities associated with controlled substance use.

  • Emergencies in Dogs

    Todos sabemos que las urgencias requieren atención inmediata. El problema es: ¿podemos reconocer una urgencia en el momento en que se produce?. Algunas son evidentes (un perro que cruza la carretera corriendo y es atropellado por un coche), pero otras pueden ser igual de graves aunque no tan obvias. Por ejemplo, una dilatación/torsión gástrica es probablemente la urgencia no traumática más grave para cualquier perro.

  • Every dog has wants and needs, including social interaction, physical exercise, intellectual exercise, and time to rest. When their needs are met predictably and enrichment is consistently available, dogs experience less stress and frustration and may be less likely to develop problematic behaviors.