Read on to learn what jaundice is, what it looks like in cats, what causes it, and whether jaundice can be reversed if the cause is treated appropriately.

What Is Jaundice?

Jaundice is the general term for yellow discoloration of body tissues. Jaundice is also known as icterus. Jaundice is caused by an accumulation of a yellow-brown compound called bilirubin. Bilirubin is a bodily fluid that is created by the breakdown of red blood cells. Bilirubin is a major part of bile, which is a digestive fluid that is removed from the bloodstream by the liver. If the liver is damaged or if so many red blood cells are breaking down or being destroyed that it overwhelms the liver’s capabilities, bilirubin will leak into the bloodstream. When bilirubin leaks into the bloodstream, it stains body tissues and urine yellow.

What Does Jaundice Look Like in Cats?

Jaundice causes yellow staining of bodily tissues, including eyes and skin. It can be difficult to notice if your cat is jaundiced, as much of their skin is covered in fur. Coat color doesn’t affect how easy jaundice is to recognize. The most likely places that you will notice jaundice is the hairless skin of the ears, the skin right above the eyes, and the whites of the eyes. Cats with yellow eyes are often the first thing that people notice. 

Causes of Jaundice in Cats

Veterinarians will put jaundice into one of three categories, depending on the cause of jaundice.

Pre-liver jaundice caused by destruction of red blood cells due to:

• Auto-immune disease
• Infectious diseases (FeLV, heartworm, tick-borne diseases, Mycoplasma haemofelis)
• Toxicity (onions, propylene glycol, certain antibiotics (TMS), zinc)

Liver-related jaundice caused by:

• Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
• Adverse drug reactions that injure the liver
• Cholangiohepatitis (liver and gallbladder inflammation)
• Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease)
• Infectious liver disease 
• Bacterial sepsis
• Liver cancer
• Hyperthyroidism
• Copper toxicity

Post-liver jaundice caused by:

• Obstruction of the bile duct with gallstones or sludged bile
• Pancreatitis
• Cancer of the pancreas, intestines, or bile ducts
• Liver flukes (parasites)
• Inflammation of the bile duct

Many of the conditions that cause jaundice in cats are considered life-threatening. Therefore, if you notice your cat is jaundiced, please make sure to take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Other Symptoms Associated with Jaundice in Cats

A jaundiced cat will usually have other symptoms that relate to the underlying cause of jaundice. If a cat has jaundice due to destruction of their red blood cells, they will likely act more tired than usual. If a cat has jaundice due to liver disease, they will likely not want to eat, have vomiting and/or diarrhea, and may exhibit strange behaviors associated with liver disease, such as head pressing, drooling, and seizures.

Diagnosing the Cause of Jaundice in Cats

If your cat is jaundiced, your veterinarian will want to conduct a physical exam and laboratory tests on blood and urine to determine the cause. Blood work will be important to check internal organ function (including the liver), electrolytes, and red blood cell health. Initial lab tests include serum chemistry, complete blood count, and urinalysis. If jaundice is related to red blood cell destruction, then anemia may be noted on blood work. If jaundice is related to liver failure in cats, then elevated liver enzymes will be noted on blood work. 

Depending on what initial labs show, your veterinarian may recommend additional testing, which may include:

• Bile acids test
• Bilirubin assay
• Imaging studies, including ultrasound and/or radiographs (x-ray)
• Auto-agglutination and coagulation studies to determine if it is an issue with autoimmune destruction of red blood cells
• Liver biopsy

Jaundice in Cats Treatment

It is important to note that jaundice itself is not life-threatening, but the underlying disorder that is causing it might be, and must be treated. Jaundice in cats treatment is aimed at resolving the underlying cause of jaundice. If your cat has a blood disorder, that will be treated. If your cat has liver disease, that will be treated. If your cat has bile or gall bladder disease, that will be treated. Depending on the cause, surgery and/or hospitalization may be needed. If the underlying disorder is treatable, then jaundice is 100 percent reversible.

Prognosis for Cats with Jaundice

The prognosis for cats with jaundice depends on the underlying cause and whether it can be resolved, or not. In many cases, cats with jaundice can make a full recovery if properly treated. Your veterinarian will assess your cat and determine your cat’s prognosis. 

How to Prevent Jaundice in Cats

While you may not be able to prevent all causes of jaundice, there are things you can do at home to minimize your cat’s risk. These include:

• Having your cat examined yearly by a veterinarian and having any recommended lab tests performed
• Work with your veterinarian to keep your cat vaccinated appropriately for their lifestyle 
• Feed your cat food that is AAFCO certified to be complete and balanced 
• Keep your cat indoors, supervise outdoors activity by keeping them on a leash or keeping them in an outdoor enclosure
• If your cat doesn’t eat for more than two days, take your cat to the vet
• If your cat is vomiting, have them checked by a veterinarian

While jaundice can seem scary, there are often treatments available that can help your cat recover fully. Most causes of jaundice in cats can be successfully treated with early intervention — the survival rate of cats with jaundice is moderate to high. If you notice your cat is jaundiced, please take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible — by working with a veterinarian you trust you are more likely to help your cat recover quickly and without long lasting health complications.

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So when is drooling normal, and when is it not? In this article, you will learn some of the potential medical causes of excessive drooling in dogs, what to do if you notice your dog drooling more than usual, and when it’s a problem. We’ll even share tips for how to deal with health issues that stem from standard, everyday drooling in dogs who tend to slobber!

Dog Drooling: What Is Normal?

Dogs constantly produce saliva from their salivary glands. Normally, most dogs swallow their saliva. Certain large and giant breed dogs, like those mentioned above, have very droopy lips that can accumulate excessive saliva that will then drip out as drool. Other breeds that are known for their drool include:

• Bloodhounds
• Newfoundlands
• Mastiffs
• Bernese Mountain Dogs
• Great Danes
• Boxers
• Bulldogs

Certain environmental factors can also cause dogs to drool more than usual but these are still considered normal, including:

• Dogs that are overheated and cooling themselves by panting
• Dogs that are anticipating eating something yummy
• Dogs that have been given a bitter or yucky-tasting oral medication
• Dogs that have been given eye drops or nose drops

Characterizing Excessive Drooling in Dogs

Excessive drooling, also known as ptyalism, is a condition that occurs when something abnormal is happening in a dog’s body that generates excessive saliva. 

Depending on the underlying cause, dogs with ptyalism may or may not act sick but may have one or more of the following symptoms in addition to excessive drooling:

• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting or regurgitation
• Lip smacking
• Excessive swallowing
• Suddenly head shy (doesn’t want to be touched around the head)
• Changes in eating behavior, such as dropping food, chewing only on one side, refusing to eat hard food, etc.
• Increased irritability or reclusive behavior, especially if the dog is in pain
• Other abnormal behavior such as excessively tired or loss of interest in regular activities
• Pawing at the face or muzzle
• Chin acne
• Anxiety

If your dog is acting normal other than suddenly drooling a lot, it is still a good idea to call your veterinarian for advice, as you could be missing subtle signs of sickness. 

Medical Causes of Excessive Drooling in Dogs

Drooling is impacted by a dog’s mouth, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system, and abnormalities in any of those systems can result in excessive drooling.

The following is a partial list of medical conditions that can cause excessive drooling in dogs:

• Diseases of the mouth: periodontal disease, oral trauma, mouth cancer, infections, chewing on an electrical cord, swallowing problems
• Salivary gland diseases: infections, tumors, trauma, inflammation
• Esophageal diseases: megaesophagus, inflammation (esophagitis), gastric reflux, parasites, foreign body, hiatal hernia
• Stomach diseases: gastric inflammation, gastric ulcers, gastric parasites, twisted stomach (gastric dilation volvulus)
• Neurological diseases: motion sickness, botulism, tetanus, facial nerve palsy, seizures, brain inflammation or cancer, vestibular disease, anxiety
• Drugs and toxins: swallowing caustic substances like bleach, chewing on house or yard plants, licking insecticides or herbicides, ingesting recreational or prescription drugs, spider or snake bites, licking toads, caffeine, drugs used in anesthesia
• Liver and kidney disease (nausea)

What to Do if Your Dog is Drooling Excessively

Suppose your dog is drooling excessively but acting fine in every other way (their behavior, appetite and energy level are all normal and they are not vomiting). In that case, calling your veterinarian or emergency clinic for advice is likely fine as a first step. Your veterinarian may still recommend that you bring your dog in for an examination, or they may instruct you to monitor your dog at home; in either case, follow their recommendations.

If you notice that your dog is excessively drooling and acting sick in any way, or you know that they chewed on or swallowed something toxic or dangerous, take your dog to a veterinarian for evaluation as soon as possible. Some causes of excessive drooling, such as gastric dilation volvulus, are imminently life-threatening without veterinary care, so it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Treatment of excessive drooling in dogs varies widely and depends on the underlying cause. Your veterinarian will need to conduct a physical examination, ask you some questions and may need to run some tests.

If your dog needs treatment, the following are some common treatments for excessive drooling in dogs, according to the cause:

• Dental disease: sedation, x-rays (radiographs), removal of diseased teeth, cleaning of the teeth, antibiotics, etc.
• Salivary gland problems: surgery, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories
• Esophageal problems: medications, feeding modifications, surgery
• Stomach problems: medication, surgery, food therapy
• Neurological problems: medication, surgery
• Motion sickness: anti-nausea medication
• Drugs and toxins: supportive care, removal of drugs and toxins from systems

Some cases of excessive drooling are easy to cure and manage. If your dog is drooling due to motion sickness, medication can help them feel better. If they are drooling due to dental disease or drug toxicity, they will stop as soon as the underlying problem is eliminated.

If a dog is drooling excessively due to megaesophagus, liver disease, kidney disease or seizures from epilepsy, their symptoms can be managed with food therapy and medications. Ensuring these dogs do not develop dehydration from chronic drooling is also important. Working with a veterinarian you trust is critical to eliminating the underlying cause of excessive drooling in your dog.

If your dog’s drool is considered “normal” for their breed, but they are still getting chronic skin infections around their chin and muzzle due to constant wetness, try the following:

• Clean affected skin (or skin folds) every 12 hours with an over-the-counter medicated wipe (either pet or human) designed for acne to dry the area and reduce the number of bacteria on the skin’s surface. Wipes with astringents (witch hazel) can also be helpful, but be sure to avoid causing problems with over-dryness.
• Apply petroleum jelly to cleaned areas to protect the skin
• Use stainless steel food and water bowls and wash them in the dishwasher every couple of days

Related conditions

• Periodontal disease
• Megaesophagus
• Motion sickness
• Vestibular disease
• Seizures
• Gastric ulcers
• Gastric dilation volvulus
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease

The post Excessive Drooling in Dogs: 7 Medical Causes appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Treating Diabetes in Cats Without Insulin: Is It Possible?

Yes, it is possible to treat diabetes in cats without insulin. However, not all cats are candidates for oral treatment for diabetes, and insulin therapy is still considered the mainstay of diabetes treatment in cats. Potential candidates are cats who meet the following criteria:

• They have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
• They are otherwise healthy and do not have any health complications from diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in cats, especially overweight and obese cats, and is due to insulin resistance. While cats with type 2 diabetes are making enough insulin, their bodies do not respond appropriately to the insulin, causing blood sugar to remain high. 

In contrast, type 1 diabetes is a condition where the body does not make enough insulin. Cats with type 1 diabetes are dependent upon insulin to control their blood sugar and cannot receive oral treatment. In general, cats who require insulin to control diabetes include:

• Cats with type 1 diabetes
• Cats who are sick
• Cats who have been treated with insulin injections in the past 
• Cats with liver or kidney disease

These cats are considered poor candidates for oral treatment without insulin, as they are at increased risk for a potentially dangerous medical complication called diabetic ketoacidosis. These cats should regularly receive insulin injections to lower their blood sugar. 

How to Treat Diabetes in Cats Without Insulin

Apart from receiving oral medication to control their blood sugar instead of insulin, much of a cat’s basic treatment plan will remain the same as a diabetic cat who receives insulin injections to control their diabetes. This treatment plan includes:

• Daily medication
• Feeding an appropriate amount of food at the same time every day. The best food for diabetic cats is low carbohydrate, moderate- to high-quality protein, moderate fiber, and moderate fat. Most people elect to feed their cat a therapeutic food that is specifically designed to control blood sugar in cats with diabetes
• Weight loss, if indicated
• Constant access to fresh, clean water
• Moderate daily exercise that is at the same time each day, if possible
• Monitoring your cat’s blood or urine sugar or ketones at home, depending on what your vet recommends
• Monitoring for diabetic complications, and calling your vet if you see increased urination, drinking, vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in energy levels or appetite
• Maintaining or improving your cat’s dental health
• Taking your cat to the vet a couple of times a year for examinations and lab work

Treating a diabetic cat without insulin requires administering a daily medication by mouth that is designed to keep blood sugar normal. Medication options that are currently available for treating a cat without insulin include:

• SGLT2 inhibitors, such as Bexacat daily oral tablet
• Glipizide

Treating Diabetes in Cats with Bexacat

Bexacat is the brand name for bexagliflozin, a drug that is known as a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. SGLT2 inhibitors have been used in humans since 2013. Currently, Bexacat is the only SGLT2 inhibitor on the market that is approved by the FDA for use in cats. However, additional FDA-approved SGLT2 inhibitors are on the horizon. 

This type of medication increases urine excretion of sugar (glucose) by inhibiting SGLT2, a membrane protein in the kidney. Normally, SGLT2 reabsorbs most of the sugar from the blood that is filtered through the kidney. SGLT2 inhibitors, like Bexacat, prevent reabsorption of sugar from the blood as it is filtered through the kidney. The cat then pees out excess sugar in their urine, and their blood sugar is lowered to a normal level.

Bexacat is given as a once-daily flavored 15 mg tablet, and should be given at the same time each day. Bexacat costs about $70 for 30 tablets. 

Pros

• Once-daily flavored chewable tablet increases ease of administration, reduces owner confusion if multiple people are caring for the same cat, and improves the quality of life of people who care for diabetic cats
• Can be given with or without food
• Adverse side effects are generally mild and self-limiting in most cats
• The dose is the same for all cats who weigh more than 6.6 pounds 
• Very low risk for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

Things to Consider

• Can only be used in cats with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes who have never received insulin and are otherwise healthy
• Cannot be given to cats who are dehydrated, have liver or kidney disease, have or have had pancreatitis, or cats with elevated cholesterol or blood triglycerides
• Cannot be given to cats who weigh less than 6.6 pounds
• Common adverse side effects include dehydration, urinary tract infections, vomiting, and loose stools or diarrhea
• Requires ketone monitoring, as some cats are at risk for euglycemic ketoacidosis, a rare but serious adverse reaction
• Long-term use may alter blood calcium levels or increase the risk of urinary tract infections or certain cancers
• Cats may still drink, eat, and urinate more than usual on this medication even though their blood sugar is normal
• Some cats may gain excess weight

Treating Diabetes with Glipizide for Cats

Glipizide (brand name Glucotrol) is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes in humans. In cats with type 2 diabetes, glipizide is often prescribed to lower blood sugar levels. Glipizide lowers blood sugar by increasing the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas and by making the tissues of the body more sensitive to insulin. Most cats start with half a 5 mg tablet twice daily and increase to one tablet twice daily if needed.

Pros

• 100 tablets cost about $15, making glipizide relatively inexpensive
• Can be formulated into a tasty liquid, chewable tablet, or transdermal lotion
• Can be used in cats who weigh less than 6.6 pounds

Things to Consider

• There is some concern that glipizide can contribute to progression of diabetes mellitus in cats, leading to a need for insulin injections 
• Glipizide tablets must be given twice daily with food
• Transdermal lotion has variable absorption and is not considered reliable
• Use of glipizide in cats is considered ‘off label’ usage by the FDA
• Cats need to be screened regularly for liver toxicity while on this drug
• Not all cats will benefit from glipizide, with benefits reported in around 40 percent of cats

How to Give a Cat a Tablet

Treating Diabetes in Cats Without Insulin: Tips and Advice

Once your cat starts treatment for diabetes, you can expect their clinical signs to lessen once their blood sugar is controlled. This can look like:

• Normalized appetite
• Maintaining body weight or gaining some weight (note that weight gain should not be encouraged in cats with obesity)
• Normalized drinking and urination
• Normalized energy and activity levels

These are all signs that the medication is effective. With oral treatment for diabetes, it can take 6-8 weeks to see improvement in some cats. For newly diagnosed diabetic cats, you can expect to visit the veterinarian several times after starting the medication for physical examinations and lab work to ensure that the medication is helping your cat.

In contrast, if the medication is not controlling their blood sugar or if your cat has other health complications, then you will not notice any improvement or your cat may get worse. It is very important to monitor diabetic cats daily for adverse reactions, especially when they are starting a new medication. If you notice any of the following signs while your cat is receiving oral medication for diabetes, stop giving the medication and call your veterinarian immediately:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Acting weak or wobbly
• Excessive tiredness
• Increased drinking and urination

If oral medication is not working for your cat, then your veterinarian will endeavor to discover why and eliminate the problem. Dental disease or urinary tract infections, for example, can interfere with blood sugar control. If your cat has high blood sugar but doesn’t have any conditions that interfere with blood sugar levels, then they will likely need to switch to insulin injections to control their blood sugar. 

Cats who have type 2 diabetes due to obesity may achieve diabetic remission once they have lost the excess weight, and may not continue to require medication to control their blood sugar. Many of these cats can be maintained in diabetic remission with a strict diet alone. This is one of many reasons that if you have a diabetic cat, it is important to work closely with a veterinarian to monitor your cat’s clinical signs and blood sugar. With the right tools, knowledge, and veterinary care, diabetic cats can live longer and enjoy a good quality of life. 

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What is Dilated Cardiomyopathy?

Dilated cardiomyopathy, DCM for short, is a disease of heart muscles, specifically the ventricular muscles, which are responsible for pumping blood forward and through the blood. In DCM, the heart muscles weaken over time resulting in a big, weak, floppy heart. Dilated chambers in the heart have a reduced ability to contract and push blood through the body’s blood vessels. A heart affected by DCM becomes overloaded with blood, and can result in congestive heart failure.

Thirty years ago, DCM was one of the leading causes of heart failure in cats. It was theorized that DCM in cats was due to a dietary deficiency of an essential amino acid called taurine. Most cat foods manufacturers began supplementing their foods with taurine, and now DCM is rarely seen in cats, and accounts for around 10 percent of heart disease seen in cats (1).

Causes of an Enlarged Heart in Cats

Before 1987, dilated cardiomyopathy was the most common type of heart disease diagnosed in cats. Thanks to dietary modifications in commercial cat foods, now DCM in cats is relatively rare. In the past, it was theorized that taurine deficiency was the main culprit of feline DCM. Today, the underlying cause in the majority of DCM in cats is unknown. In some families of cats, a genetic predisposition has been identified, just like in humans.

While dilated cardiomyopathy can affect any cat of any age, Asian breeds, including Persians, Burmese, Abyssinian, Siamese, seem to be disproportionately affected. DCM can also be the result of end-stage heart failure due to other heart disease in cats, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and restrictive cardiomyopathy, both of which are more common in cats than DCM.

Symptoms of DCM in Cats

The most common signs associated with any type of heart disease in cats are rapid breathing (sometimes open-mouth), decreased appetite, and decreased energy levels. Sometimes, cats with heart disease don’t show any signs. Other times, they may hide, not want to eat, or act non-specifically sick. Other more severe symptoms of heart disease in cats include:

• Pale or bluish tinge to gums
• Weakness
• Racing heart
• Collapse
• Sudden onset of inability to move hindlimb due to paralysis and/or severe hindlimb pain (caused by a blocked blood vessel called a thromboembolism)

If you notice any of these signs in your cat, make an appointment to see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Heart disease can progress quickly in cats and become life-threatening. Remember a cat’s instinct is to hide any signs of sickness, so if your cat is showing you that they are sick, then they need to see a vet ASAP to determine what is causing the problem.

Diagnosing Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Cats

A veterinarian will use a combination of oral history from you and physical examination of the cat including taking vitals and listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope. Depending what the veterinarian notices on physical exam, they will recommend diagnostic testing, which can include:

• Chest radiographs (X-rays)
• Heart ultrasound (echocardiogram)
• Electrocardiogram
• Blood work (CBC, Blood Chemistry, thyroid testing, taurine testing, heart biomarkers)

Treatment for an Enlarged Heart in Cats

Cats that are suffering from congestive heart failure due to DCM are usually very sick and require hospitalization to be stabilized. They may need to be put in an oxygen cage to make it easier for them to breathe.

DCM often causes fluid buildup around the lungs that can make it hard to breathe, and using a needle and syringe to remove that fluid (in a procedure called thoracocentesis) is used to help cats breathe. Veterinarians often submit the fluid for testing as well. Even on medication, some cats will require intermittent thoracocentesis to remove fluid from their chest.

Medications for Managing DCM in Cats

Heart medication is the long term treatment of choice for managing DCM in cats. Prescribed medications can include:

• Furosemide, a diuretic that removes excess fluid from the body
• Pimobendan, to strengthen the heart muscle and dilate blood vessels so the heart can pump blood more effectively, alternatively digoxin may be prescribed
• Blood vessel dilators to reduce the work the heart has to do to move blood through the body
• Anti-arrhythmia heart medication if clinically indicated
• Taurine supplementation if clinically indicated

Caring for a Cat with DCM

Cats with DCM should be kept indoors only in a low stress environment. These cats often have a poor appetite, so ask your veterinarian for food recommendations to tempt your cat to eat. Avoid foods that are high in salt; some cats may need a low sodium diet.

Recheck Appointments

If your cat has DCM, it is very important to work closely with your veterinarian and report how your cat responds to therapy and any symptoms as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will need to see your cat back for rechecks fairly frequently to check how they are responding to treatment. Some medications, such as furosemide, must be accurately dosed, as too much will cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and kidney issues, and too little will not be effective. During recheck appointments, your veterinarian will:

• Examine your cat
• Take their blood pressure
• Take blood samples to ensure that your cat is responding appropriately to medication and that there are no negative side effects

Prognosis for Cats with DCM

Unfortunately, DCM in cats that is not related to a taurine deficiency carries a poor prognosis, and survival even with treatment is usually weeks to months after initial diagnosis.

How to Prevent DCM in Cats

Ensure that your cat is eating a high quality cat food that contains animal protein to prevent a taurine deficiency. Do not feed cats a vegetarian or vegan diet. Have your cat’s health and heart checked by a veterinarian once a year to catch any problems early. 

Related conditions

• Congestive heart failure
• Thromboembolism
• Pleural effusion
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The post Enlarged Heart (Dilated Cardiomyopathy) in Cats appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Some chamomile-based products are marketed to calm cats down and promote relaxation. 

So, should you give chamomile to your cats? Are there benefits? And by the same token, are there any potential dangers or risks? Let’s dive in. 

Is Chamomile Safe for Cats?

The short answer to this question is, it depends. In small doses, chamomile is fine for cats. It’s important to know the dosage that is best for your cat, so consult your veterinarian before you give it to your feline friend. 

It’s also important to note that studies about chamomile’s effect on cats are limited. That means potential side effects are not well known. 

“Chamomile has not been sufficiently studied to fully characterize the risks of using it in cats,” says Dr. Jo Myers, practicing veterinarian at Vetster. “Chamomile contains compounds called flavones. One of these (called apigenin) was shown to cause sedation and inability to walk when given to mice at higher doses.” 

Before you purchase any chamomile-infused products for cats, go through the label and ask your vet if any of the ingredients pose any risks for your pet. You should also carefully read the directions so you understand use, dosage, and other considerations. Some of these considerations include whether or not chamomile might interact with other medications or even vitamins your cat might be taking. When in doubt, consult with your veterinarian before giving products containing chamomile to your cat.

Types of Chamomile for Cats

Chamomile for cats comes in different forms. Some of the most common include:

• Chamomile in the form of powders that you add to food
• Chamomile in liquid forms like tea
• Chamomile in capsule form
• As an ingredient in soft chews for cats

Regardless of the type of chamomile you give your cat, it’s important to do so under the guidance of a licensed vet. 

Benefits of Chamomile for Cats

If your cat is suffering from anxiety or not sleeping well, they may be a good candidate to use chamomile. Chamomile has soothing properties that may help a cat suffering from mild anxiety. 

However, Dr. Meyers warns that chamomile-based product claims for cats are unproven. “These products generally do not carry out quality control studies demonstrating the amount of chamomile in each treat, so it’s impossible for any claims about calming or other effects to be accurate,” she explains. 

In addition, the side effects of long term usage in cats are unknown and may cause toxicity in cats. Chamomile is best used as a short-term solution and it is imperative that cat owners follow all instructions on how much to give their cat so they don’t cause problems with toxicity.

Chamomile Dosage for Cats: What You Need to Know

How much chamomile should you give to your cat? Well, it’s not simple to answer. It depends on a number of factors, like:

• What type of chamomile product are you giving your cat
• The concentration of chamomile in the product you’re giving
• Your cat’s body weight
• If your cat is taking other medications, vitamins, or supplements

It is important to follow the instructions on the label of products that contain chamomile and not give more than is recommended. Avoid using the plant leaves, stems, or flowers in or on cats.

“Before giving chamomile or any other supplement to your cat, talk to your veterinarian first to be sure it’s a safe formulation and dosed according to your cat’s age, body weight and health status,” advises Dr. Carol Osborne, of Chagrin Falls Pet Clinic. 

Regardless of dosage, once you get the green light from your vet that chamomile is okay to use and how much to give, and make sure to monitor your cat. If the chamomile causes loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, or soft stool, stop giving your cat the supplement. If your cat continues to have any issues after discontinuing chamomile, call your vet.

Side Effects of Chamomile in Cats

Parts of the chamomile plant are highly toxic, according to the ASPCA, due to their high concentration of toxic chemicals, like: chamazulene, bisabolol, volatile oil, anthemic acid, and tannic acid. If enough of these parts are ingested, it can be fatal.

If your cat ingests too much chamomile, the wrong concentration of chamomile, or a chamomile plant (like its stem, leaves, petals, roots and pollen), they may fall victim to chamomile poisoning. Dr. Osborne warns that toxicity signs include: vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, with or without signs of internal and/or external bleeding. In severe cases, chamomile poisoning can be fatal.

The post Chamomile for Cats: Is It Safe? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

In this article, you’ll learn what incontinence is, why it happens, how an incontinent dog is different from dogs experiencing other urinary problems, and how to treat and prevent incontinence in your dog.

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence in dogs is a condition in which a dog loses voluntary control of urination. It is most often observed by pet parents when they find their dog leaking drops of urine while lying down. When the dog gets up, there is a wet spot left behind. 

While any dog can be affected, urinary incontinence is most common in middle-aged to older spayed female dogs (which is why it is sometimes called “old dog incontinence”). Medium and large breeds are more affected by dog incontinence than small breeds. 

Dogs can also have problems with fecal incontinence, but unless a dog has a neurological disease like a herniated disc in their spine that is compressing the spinal cord and causes both fecal and urinary incontinence, these two conditions typically have different causes and are treated differently.

Incontinence Vs. Urinary Problems in Dogs

Incontinence is different from other urinary disorders in that a dog usually doesn’t realize it’s happening and often does not behave differently. They still go outside and void urine normally. What you will notice with incontinence in dogs is that after your pup gets up after lying down somewhere for a little while, there will be drops or a small spot of urine. 

In contrast, if a dog has a urinary tract infection, they will likely have an increased urge to urinate, may urinate smaller amounts more often, may have a strong smell to their urine, may strain to urinate, and may have bloody urine. 

Urine spraying, a behavioral condition usually seen in dogs that haven’t been spayed or neutered and causes them to urinate inappropriately inside the house, may be confused with incontinence, but it is not the same. 

Signs of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

An incontinent dog can pee normally when they go outside. The most common sign of urinary incontinence in dogs is that the dog is involuntarily leaking urine while lying down. 

Some of the other signs of urinary incontinence include:

• Excessive licking “back there”
• Brown staining around the vulva
• Urine scald (a rash around the vulva caused by persistent wetness)

Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

In a dog with a healthy lower urinary tract, urine in the bladder is prevented from leaking by a sphincter that closes in the urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the dog). Dog incontinence is often caused by a failure of the urethral sphincter to stop urine from escaping from the bladder. This is called urethral incompetence and in older female dogs, it is caused by hormonal changes. 

Other causes of dog incontinence include:

• Neurological disease, such as trauma to the spinal cord due to herniated discs or blunt trauma (hit by car), nerve disease, or brainstem disease
• Chronic inflammation from urinary tract infections
• Birth defects
• Cancer
• Prostatic disease in male dogs

Diagnosing Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

If you suspect your dog has urinary incontinence, make an appointment with your veterinarian. They will conduct a full physical examination, and may also perform a rectal exam,neurological examination, and a urinalysis. 

If a urinary tract infection is suspected, your veterinarian will also order a urine culture and sensitivity to determine what bacteria is infecting the bladder and which antibiotics to use to treat the UTI. 

Your veterinarian may also want to run imaging studies, such as abdominal ultrasound and/or abdominal radiographs (X-rays) to see if there are any anatomical abnormalities. Sometimes bloodwork is ordered. 

Less commonly, if the cause of incontinence cannot be determined, the urinary bladder will be scoped under anesthesia, or special imaging studies will be ordered.

Dog Incontinence Treatment

Urinary incontinence in dogs is typically treated on an outpatient basis: no hospital stay is required unless your dog is sick. If there is a urinary tract infection, treating the infection can resolve the problem. Urinary tract infections can cost a couple of hundred dollars to treat unless they are complicated – then treatment is more expensive.

Dog Incontinence Medication

If a dog’s urinary incontinence is due to a leaky urethra, this condition is not cured but managed with medication. The most common medications prescribed for urinary incontinence in dogs include:

• Phenylpropanolamine
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Diethylstilbestrol
• Deslorelin
• Leuprolide
• Imipramine

Dog incontinence medication can be in the form of an oral pill or chew, or it can be implanted under the skin. Typically, medication is very successful in managing urinary incontinence due to urethral incompetence, and dogs stop leaking urine while they are on medication, negating the need for dog diapers. 

With the right treatment, dogs with hormonal urethral incompetence can live long, healthy lives free of the symptoms of urinary incontinence. The other good news is that the most common urinary incontinence medication, phenylpropanolamine, is relatively inexpensive: a 180-count bottle of 50 mg phenylpropanolamine will run you about $30 a month.

 How a dog responds to therapy is very individual, therefore it is important to work with a veterinarian you trust to determine the right course of therapy for your dog. 

Dog Incontinence Surgery

If there is an anatomical urinary obstruction, cancer, prostatic disease, or a neurological problem, surgery may be recommended. Once the underlying cause is treated, urinary incontinence will resolve on its own. 

How to Prevent Incontinence in Dogs

Spaying female dogs early (before the dog is fully mature) increases their risk of developing hormonal urethral incompetence in middle age, especially in large breed dogs. The same is true for early tail docking. 

You can lower your dog’s risk of developing urinary incontinence by delaying their spay/neuter surgery until they are fully done growing. Dogs mature at different rates, so ask your veterinarian when they think your dog will be fully grown.  

Obesity may increase the risk of urinary incontinence in dogs. Keep your dog at a healthy weight to reduce their risk of many diseases, including urinary incontinence. 

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Dog UTI Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Once your furry friend is diagnosed, dog UTI treatment depends on the underlying cause. If your dog has a one-time, uncomplicated UTI without any underlying problems, then treatment is straightforward and relatively inexpensive. If your dog has recurrent urinary tract infections or underlying disease, such as diabetes mellitus, Cushing’s disease, or urinary stones, then treatment is aimed at resolving the urinary tract infection and the underlying cause (if possible) and will cost more. 

Antibiotics are always prescribed for dog UTI home treatment. Dogs are typically given oral antibiotics in pill or capsule form for the pet parent to administer themselves, or they can be administered by the veterinary staff as a one-time injection under the skin. Be sure to give all antibiotics as prescribed until finished, even if your dog’s symptoms resolve before they’re done with the medication. 

While antibiotics are needed to resolve the UTI, they can also disrupt normal gut flora. Therefore many veterinarians will also recommend probiotics to reduce the likelihood of diarrhea or stomach upset. If you are giving antibiotics and probiotics at the same time, be sure to separate administration of these medications by at least 2 hours, otherwise the antibiotics will kill the probiotics. It’s best to give probiotics to dogs right before bed.

Additionally, because UTIs are painful, veterinarians may also prescribe pain medication, such as muscle relaxants and/or anti-inflammatories. 

If your dog has recurrent or complicated UTIs, treatment may extend beyond antibiotics and could include:

• Therapeutic dog food to dissolve urinary stones and crystals
• Surgery 
• Multiple veterinary rechecks with lab tests
• Treatment of other underlying problems (diabetes, Cushing’s, etc.)

Dog UTI Treatment Cost

Since there are a number of dog UTI treatments available, the cost will vary. The cost of antibiotics can range from $35 to $300, depending on which antibiotic is used (ex: amoxicillin treatment usually ranges from $35 to $75), the size of the dog, how long the dog has to be given antibiotics, and whether or not the UTI is complicated. 

The cost of pain medication typically ranges from $30 to $75, while therapeutic dog food ranges $40 to $100 per bag, depending on the size of the bag of dog food. 

If surgical therapy is needed, it’ll usually be anywhere from $1000 to $3000. 

Veterinary rechecks with lab tests can cost $50 to $150 per visit (with the exact price contingent on geographic location and what tests are ordered), and the cost of treatment for other underlying issues will vary.

Dog UTI Medications

UTI treatment for dogs always involves prescription antibiotics. Amoxicillin is often used as a first-line antibiotic in dogs that have not had a UTI before. Otherwise, antibiotics are selected based on urine culture and sensitivity, which means that bacteria in the urine are cultured in a laboratory, and then different antibiotics are tested to see which one will be effective in eliminating the infection. 

In addition to amoxicillin, some of the antibiotics that are commonly used for UTIs include:

• Trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TMS)
• Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Clavamox)
• Cefovecin
• Enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, orbifloxacin

Less commonly, amikacin, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, or meropenem may be prescribed. 

Uncomplicated UTIs are typically treated with 7 to 10 days of antibiotics, while complicated UTIs may require 4 to 6 weeks of antibiotics.

Prescription pain medication for UTIs may include carprofen (Rimadyl), trazodone, and/or muscle relaxants. It’s also important to note that you should never give your dog any over-the-counter pain medication without first consulting with your veterinarian.  

Dietary Considerations for Dogs With UTIs

If your dog has a single, uncomplicated UTI then you do not need to change their food; regular dog food is fine for them to eat. If they have recurrent urinary tract infections or problems with urinary crystals or stones, then your veterinarian may recommend a therapeutic dog food that is designed to reduce urine crystal formation and promote bladder health. 

The type of therapeutic food that your vet will recommend will depend on the type of crystals or stones your dog has in their urine, so it’s critical to work with a veterinarian to choose the right one. 

UTI Supplements for Dogs

Probiotics are an excellent way to boost your dog’s immune system. This is because the gut has the largest collection of immune cells in the body, and dogs that develop a UTI often have alterations in their gut flora. By giving a high-quality probiotic, you can help improve immunity in the gut, which protects the whole body. 

If you don’t routinely give your dog probiotics, you should at least give your dog probiotics while they are on antibiotics and for a couple of weeks after finishing antibiotics to restore normal gut flora. Remember to separate from antibiotic administration by at least 2 hours. 

Cranberry extract is another supplement pet parents can consider for dogs that are predisposed to recurrent UTIs, as it may inhibit some bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. Additionally, fish oil (which contains omega-3 fatty acids) is known to promote health of the entire urinary tract. Before giving your dog any supplements, check with your veterinarian to make sure there are no contraindications or drug interactions. 

Dog UTI Treatment at Home: Tips and Advice

If your pup has an uncomplicated UTI, you can expect to see improvement after starting treatment. Your dog should start to feel better right away with pain medication, and urinary signs should improve dramatically within the first 24 to 48 hours. Uncomplicated UTIs can be assumed to be completely resolved if there is no recurrence of symptoms after treatment is completed.

If your dog starts to have signs of a UTI again after you have finished treatment, or if their symptoms don’t improve within 24 to 48 hours after starting therapy, then you should assume that treatment is not resolving the infection. In this case, your dog either needs different antibiotics or has a complicated UTI that requires additional therapy. Call your veterinarian right away for advice, as they will most likely want you to bring your dog back to run some tests. Fortunately, UTIs in dogs are often uncomplicated, easy to treat, and respond well to treatment under the supervision of a veterinarian. If your dog has signs of a UTI, work with your veterinarian to get them on the road to recovery as fast as possible.

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If you are just starting out on this journey with a dog that has been newly diagnosed with Cushing’s, or you want to be more informed about what to expect in regards to treatment for Cushing’s disease in dogs, this article will give you the knowledge that you need to make informed decisions for your dog. 

Dog Cushing’s Disease Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Once a dog is diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, their health care depends on the severity of their symptoms, the type of Cushing’s disease they have, the dog’s overall health and condition, and any complicating factors (for example, if they have diabetes mellitus or osteoarthritis).

The most common type of Cushing’s disease diagnosed in dogs is called pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. This means that a small, usually slow growing tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain causes the adrenal glands to secrete too much cortisol, a steroid hormone. This type of Cushing’s disease in dogs treatment involves long-term daily medication that reduces the level of cortisol in the dog’s body back to normal levels. 

Typically, when a dog is diagnosed with pituitary-dependent Cushing’s disease, their veterinarian will prescribe an initial dosage of daily medication for the dog and ask the pet parent to come back in a few weeks for a recheck examination and blood tests.

The reason for the recheck is to ensure that the medication dosage is appropriate:

• If the dosage is appropriate, then your dog’s blood tests will be normal and their symptoms will be improving (appetite, drinking, urinating return to normal, better energy levels,etc.). If this is the case, your veterinarian will likely tell you to continue on the same dosage and ask you to return for a recheck in 3-6 months, as long as your dog is doing well.
• If the dosage is too low, then your veterinarian will increase the medication dosage and ask you to come back again in a few weeks to repeat the examination and blood test.
• If the dosage is too high, then your veterinarian will decrease the dosage and ask you to come back again in a few weeks to repeat the examination and blood test. 

Dogs can also develop a tumor on their adrenal gland that causes the symptoms of Cushing’s disease. This type of Cushing’s is less common, but still occurs in dogs. If this is the case, then your veterinarian will recommend surgery to remove the tumor. While this type of Cushing’s can also be managed with long-term medication, surgery will cure the condition and is the recommended treatment of Cushing’s disease in dogs that is caused by an adrenal tumor, unless your dog is not a good candidate for surgery. 

If your dog has other disease conditions, that complicates things. Sometimes, dogs can develop multiple hormonal conditions at the same time, which can be challenging to manage. Other times, dogs may have silent skin or joint problems that suddenly become a problem once the Cushing’s is under control. In these situations, it is best to have patience and realize that it will likely take longer to get multiple health conditions under control and will require more veterinary visits. 

Dog Cushing’s Disease Treatment Cost

The cost to manage Cushing’s disease in dogs depends on several things: what type of Cushing’s your dog has, how big your dog is, how easy your dog’s Cushing’s disease is to manage (e.g., how many follow-up visits and blood tests are required), the type of medication prescribed, if surgery is required, and your geographical area. Ballpark estimates are as follows:

• Initial diagnosis: $300-$1,000 (examination, laboratory testing, abdominal ultrasound)
• Follow-up visits: $150-$250 per visit (examination, laboratory testing)
• Medication: Ranges from $50-$150/month, depending on the size of your dog, the type of medication prescribed, and the dosage required to control symptoms
• Surgery: $2,000-$4,000

Cushing’s disease in dogs treatment can be costly. Pet insurance, emergency credit lines, savings accounts, and payment plans can all help with the cost of veterinary bills. 

Medication for Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

Medication controls the symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs by suppressing the production of cortisol from the adrenal glands. When dosed appropriately, medication normalizes the levels of cortisol in the body and symptoms of Cushing’s resolve. While Cushing’s medications are very effective, they can also be dangerous, causing abnormally low levels of cortisol that can be fatal, if the dosage is too high. That is why it is very important for pet parents to closely monitor their dogs while on Cushing’s medications and to return to the veterinarian for scheduled rechecks, especially at the beginning of treatment. 

If you notice any of the following symptoms in your dog while they are on Cushing’s medications, stop the medication and call your veterinarian immediately:

• Loss of appetite (misses a meal)
• Excessive lethargy, shaking, or weakness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea 

Most veterinarians will counsel pet parents thoroughly on this risk associated with Cushing’s medications, and most veterinarians will also send you home with a few prednisone tablets with instructions to give them if the symptoms of low cortisol are ever noticed while on medication. 

Trilostane (trade name Vetoryl), is the most widely prescribed FDA approved medication for dog Cushing’s disease treatment. This medication works by suppressing the production of cortisol in a dog’s body, and is very effective in controlling the symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs. This drug is either given once or twice daily and is well tolerated in most dogs. Anecdotally, Cushing’s dogs that are treated with trilostane often need less after a year or two of treatment, and some dogs go into remission completely, no longer requiring medication. 

Mitotane, otherwise known as Lysodren, is the other main drug used to treat Cushing’s disease. It works by selectively destroying cells in the adrenal gland that secrete cortisol. It may also be used in dogs for adrenal tumors that aren’t good surgical candidates since it may destroy tumor cells as well as control symptoms. This medication is usually given once a day.

Other drugs that may be prescribed for Cushing’s disease in dogs include ketoconazole and selegiline hydrochloride.

Diet for Dogs with Cushing’s Disease

Dogs who are being treated for Cushing’s disease usually do not require a diet change; a regular maintenance diet is appropriate for most dogs unless they are also diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. If the dog is overweight, your veterinarian may recommend a short-term change to a weight loss diet to facilitate weight loss. 

Keeping Dogs with Cushing’s Disease Comfortable

Cushing’s disease in and of itself is not a painful condition. Dogs with Cushing’s can have a hard time regulating their body temperature and breathing, however, so make sure they have a cool place to rest and don’t force exercise, especially in the heat. The best thing you can do for a dog with Cushing’s is get the condition treated appropriately, which will resolve symptoms.

Excessive cortisol secreted in Cushing’s disease, however, can mask painful inflammatory conditions, like joint pain from osteoarthritis. It can also mask skin allergies because cortisol works the same way steroids do. If you notice that your dog starts limping, is having a hard time getting around, or starts excessively scratching their skin while they are under treatment for Cushing’s, speak to your veterinarian about how to keep your pet comfortable. 

If your dog has surgery to remove an adrenal tumor, then they will need to ‘stay quiet’ for 2 weeks to allow their incision to heal. This includes no running, jumping, or long walks. For the first 48 hours, your dog will likely just want to sleep, eat a little, and drink water. Make sure they have a warm, soft place to recover, prevent them from licking or biting at the surgery site, and monitor their incision daily for any signs of infection (heat, swelling, redness, discharge), gaping, or loose sutures. 

Dog Cushing’s Disease Treatment: Tips and Advice

Once your dog’s cortisol levels are controlled, you can expect to see rapid resolution of symptoms associated with Cushing’s. This includes resolution of:

• Excessive drinking and urinating
• Excessive eating
• Excessive panting
• Anxiety
• Hair loss
• Skin and urinary tract infections
• Weakness and trembling
• Pot belly

As stated above, if you notice signs of low cortisol, stop medication and call your veterinarian immediately. 

Cushing’s, in general, is fairly easy and rewarding to treat. Most dogs can live for years with a good quality of life, and most pet parents are very pleased with how their dogs respond to therapy. Just be patient, remain vigilant for the signs of adverse drug reactions or low cortisol, communicate regularly with your vet, take it one day at a time, and you will likely be successful in helping your dog feel much, much better. 

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Veterinarians use what’s called a fructosamine test for cats and continuous glucose monitoring to adjust the dose of insulin in order to best control the cat’s blood sugar and minimize the signs of diabetes. 

In this article, you will learn what these diabetic blood tests are, how they work, and what you can expect when it comes to monitoring blood sugar levels in diabetic cats as part of treatment.

What is a Fructosamine Test for Cats?

Serum fructosamine testing is used by veterinarians to evaluate how well a diabetic cat is responding to insulin therapy over the long term. 

Fructosamine is a protein found in blood serum that has sugar attached to it.  The level of fructosamine in blood serum samples is representative of the average blood sugar levels that a cat has had over the past 1-2 weeks. If it is too high, then that lets the veterinarian know that they need to adjust the cat’s insulin dosage, their food, or look for something else that is causing problems with the cat’s blood sugar.

In contrast to a blood glucose curve for cats, only one blood draw is required to obtain a blood sample for the fructosamine test. The fructosamine test is either run in house at the veterinary clinic or the blood sample is sent to a local laboratory for analysis.

Also unlike a glucose curve in cats, fructosamine tests do not require any special timing or fasting, however, serum fructosamine cannot detect abrupt changes in blood sugar, only long term changes. Therefore, it is important to still monitor your cat daily at home for any signs of abnormal blood sugar levels like drinking and peeing more, and call your veterinarian immediately if you see them, even if your cat has normal fructosamine levels when they are tested.

Fructosamine Test vs. Glucose Curve in Cats

Monitoring blood sugar in cats that have been diagnosed with diabetes can be tricky. A glucose curve in cats, which is the standard blood test used for diabetics, isn’t always a reliable test for our feline companions. That’s because when cats are stressed by the veterinary hospital or by having their blood drawn, their blood sugar is higher than it would be at home when they are calm. 

A fructosamine test for cats is unaffected by stress, which can make it a good test for cats that have elevated blood sugar due to stress. This is why veterinarians utilize a fructosamine blood test to check blood sugar control in diabetic cats.

A fructosamine test requires a veterinary professional trained to draw blood samples from a cat – it cannot be done by a pet parent. It is typically done in a veterinary hospital, but it can also be done by a veterinary professional who comes to your home for a house call.

How often your cat needs a fructosamine test depends on how well your cat’s diabetes is controlled. If your cat’s diabetes is well controlled, then you will likely only need a fructosamine test every 6 months. If your cat’s diabetes is not controlled, then your cat may need a fructosamine blood test every few weeks until their diabetes is under control.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Cats

Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) are being used more and more in veterinary medicine as an alternative way to monitor diabetic cats at home. CGM provides continual data about your cat’s blood sugar, and is a good option if your cat’s diabetes is difficult to control, your cat is newly diagnosed with diabetes, or for cats that may be approaching diabetic remission (cure). In general, if your cat is a stable diabetic that only needs blood tests every six months, then testing them with serum fructosamine is a better choice than CGM.

The FreeStyle Libre system is the most common CGM technology that is utilized in cats. It uses a small sensor disc that is placed on an area of skin (usually the neck or thorax) that has been shaved. The sensor disc communicates with a phone app or a reader device that stores data from the disc. Collected data can also be sent to your veterinarian for analysis. CGM measures interstitial glucose, which while it is different from blood glucose, still correlates fairly closely and can be used to monitor diabetic cats. 

CGM is generally well tolerated in most cats. It is easy to place, avoids multiple needle pokes, and lasts about 2 weeks in most patients. In addition, the FreeStyle device has an alarm that will alert you if glucose levels are too high or too low.

Fructosamine Test Process: What to Expect

Fortunately, if your cat needs a fructosamine test, it is a fairly easy, quick, and straightforward outpatient procedure. Sometimes, if your cat doesn’t need an examination by a veterinarian, you may only need a veterinary technician to draw your cat’s blood and submit the sample, which can save you time and money.

For well-controlled diabetic cats, it should only take 15-20 minutes to have your cat’s blood drawn at the veterinary hospital or in your home. If your cat’s diabetes isn’t controlled, then you may need to see the veterinarian and have your cat’s blood drawn, which will take longer – between 45 minutes to an hour and will require additional cost.

There are no restrictions after your cat’s blood is drawn for a fructosamine test – they can go back to their normal routine afterwards. If there is a pressure bandage placed on their arm where blood is drawn, that will need to be removed by you after 15 minutes.

If your veterinary clinic runs the tests in house, then they will likely call you later the same day with results and recommendations. If they have to send the blood sample to the local laboratory, then it will be a day or two before they call you with the results.

If you don’t hear from your veterinary clinic within two days, call them and ask for an update.

Cost of Fructosamine Test for Cats

While the cost of a fructosamine test can vary by geographical location, the average cost of the test ranges from $75-$125. If your cat requires an examination by a veterinarian at the same time as a test, that is an additional cost.

What The Results Mean

If your cat’s fructosamine test comes back normal and your cat doesn’t have any signs of high blood sugar at home, then your veterinarian will likely recommend that you don’t change anything about your cat’s routine. They’ll likely ask you to come back in 6 months to repeat the test.

If your cat’s fructosamine test comes back too high, then your veterinarian will highly increase your cat’s insulin dosage, recommend that you switch foods, or both. If your cat’s fructosamine test comes back too low, then your veterinarian will reduce the insulin dosage. In either case, you will likely be asked to authorize your cat to be retested in 3-4 weeks to check if those changes help regulate your cat’s blood sugar, which is the end goal.

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In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at cat limping, including potential causes of lameness in cats, what to do if your cat is limping, and how to prevent the problem, if possible. 

Why Is My Cat Limping?

There are many potential causes of limping in cats. A bone, muscle, tendon, or ligament injury is the most obvious reason that a cat is limping.

Infections from bite wounds are also a very common reason why cats limp. When cats fight, they can leave behind deep puncture wounds caused by bites. These wounds become infected and abscess, causing inflammation, pain, swelling, and lameness in cats, especially outdoor cats that like to fight. Sometimes, you may see or feel the swelling, and other times, you may not notice it. 

Other reasons that a cat may limp include:

Arthritis that causes joint pain (worse in obese cats); you may not see your cat limping but you may notice your cat jumping less, grooming less, sleeping more, playing less, etc.

Cancer in the bone or nerves that causes pain; this can affect any leg

Toe pain from a torn toe nail, foreign body, burned/injured toe pads, or phantom pain from a declawing surgery; cats may also lick their paws a lot or have increased aggression due to chronic pain from declawing

Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus that causes cats to have an abnormal, dropped stance in their back legs (called down in the hocks)

Hip dysplasia that causes pain or dysfunction in the hip joints of a cat’s back legs

Bone infection that causes bone pain in any leg

Bone fractures that healed abnormally, causing abnormal gaits in cats

Tick bite paralysis caused by a bite from certain species of female ticks

Spinal disc disease that causes a cat to drag their legs or be unable to get up

Pinched nerve that usually causes neck and shoulder pain and limping in front legs

Saddle thrombus/aortic thromboembolic disease caused by heart disease that causes a blood clot to block blood flow to the rear legs, resulting in rear leg lameness

Vaccine reaction that causes pain, swelling, and limping after the injection is given 

What to Do If Your Cat Is Limping

It can be tempting to take the wait-and-see approach if you notice your cat limping. However, some conditions are more serious than others and require prompt veterinary attention. You might be asking yourself, what should I do if my cat is limping but acting normal? What about a cat limping all of a sudden or a limp that comes and goes? Here is a general guide: 

Pay special attention to when the limping occurs (e.g., after sleeping, running, playing, etc.) and how long the cat has been limping—your vet will want this information. 

If your vet advises you to monitor your cat’s limping at home, here are some steps you can take to make your cat more comfortable:

• Put all food, water, bedding, and toys on the ground level
• Place a ramp for your cat to walk up
• If you have been tasked with keeping your cat “quiet,” keep your cat in a small bathroom or large dog crate to limit movement
• If you have started treatment but still notice your cat limping, call your vet

It is very important to NOT give your cat any human over-the-counter or prescription pain meds. This is especially important in regards to ibuprofen or acetaminophen—these medications are extremely toxic to cats and should never be given to a cat. 

Diagnosing Cat Limping

A veterinarian will utilize a physical examination, an oral history from you, and various tests to diagnose cat limping. A physical examination is almost always necessary and depending on the cause of limping, may be all that is required to diagnose the problem. Abscesses, for example, can be diagnosed with a physical examination.

Common tests a veterinarian may run for a limping cat include:

• Radiographs (X-rays) to look at bone and muscle
• Blood work to rule out problems like diabetes
• MRI or CT scan if the cause of limping isn’t readily apparent

How to Treat a Limping Cat

Almost all limping cats will be given pain medication but beyond that, how lameness in cats is treated depends on the underlying cause. Here are some examples:

• Arthritis is treated with weight loss if needed and pain medication. Joint supplements, laser therapy, acupuncture, and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as other adjunct treatments, are also available
• Abscesses are lanced by a veterinarian and then treated with antibiotics and pain medications
• Cancer requires surgery +/- radiation therapy
• Paw injuries are treated appropriately
• Bone infections receive antibiotics
• Spinal and nerve disease is treated with surgery, anti-inflammatories, and cage rest
• Saddle thrombus is treated with pain medication, cage rest, blood thinners, and time

Your veterinarian will tailor your cat’s treatment to their specific condition and treat it appropriately. 

How to Prevent Cat Limping

While you can’t prevent all causes of cat limping, there are several things you can do as a pet parent to minimize your cat’s risk, such as:

• Keep your cat indoors to avoid abscesses and injuries
• Keep your cat at a healthy weight to reduce problems with arthritis
• Have your cat checked by a veterinarian yearly to catch any problems early
• Give your cat omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil
• Do not declaw your cat
• Give your cat adequate scratching surfaces
• Keep your cat active with 3-4 daily play sessions every day

Related Conditions

• Abscesses
• Osteoarthritis
• Cancer
• Injuries
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Saddle thrombus

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What Are Eye Allergies in Dogs?

Eye allergies in dogs, otherwise known as allergic conjunctivitis, is an inflammatory condition in dogs. Eye allergies are extremely irritating to dogs, just like they are in people, and cause itchy, red, watery eyes. 

Dog eye allergies can be confused with eye infections because they cause almost the same symptoms and are about as equally common in dogs. This can make it difficult to tell whether it is dog eye allergies vs. infection. Eye allergies are often coupled with other allergy symptoms, such as sneezing or itchy skin. Some key differences between dog eye allergies and infections include:

These differences may be subtle and hard to differentiate. If your dog is experiencing any kind of eye issues, especially if it is the first time, if your dog doesn’t respond to at-home treatment, or you suspect an eye infection or other issue, then take your dog to the veterinarian for an examination as soon as possible. 

Causes of Dog Eye Allergies

Eye allergies are caused when a dog’s immune system has a hypersensitive response to otherwise innocuous environmental substances. Because the dog is having a reaction, we call these things allergens, and they can include grass pollen, tree pollen, mold, cat dander, dust, insect particles, and more. When the dog comes into contact with an allergen, their immune system recognizes it as a ‘foreign invader’ and mounts an inflammatory response that we see as dog eye allergy symptoms. While any dog can develop eye allergies, dogs that have skin allergies tend to have more problems with eye allergies than other dogs. 

Eye allergies in dogs can also be caused by contact hypersensitivity or certain food ingredients. If your dog is sensitive to a particular laundry detergent or after eating chicken, for example, it can cause itchy, red eyes. 

Symptoms of Dog Eye Allergies

Dog eye allergies can be simple to spot if you know what you are looking for. If your dog goes outside in the spring or summer and comes back in with red, itchy eyes, then you can often safely assume it is eye allergies. Symptoms of eye allergies in dogs can include:

• Acute onset of itchy, red, watery eyes
• Swollen, red eyelids
• Pawing at eyes
• Rubbing face on carpet or furniture
• Increased eye discharge that may be clear, white, or caked on eyelids
• Yellow or green eye discharge if the eye develops a secondary infection

Remember that dog eye allergies can mimic the symptoms of other eye conditions that are more serious and painful, and can cause blindness. This includes conditions like eye infections, glaucoma, eyelash disorders, dry eye, and corneal ulcers. In addition, infectious conditions like distemper or eye worms can cause itchy, red eyes and ocular discharge. If this is the first time you see ocular signs in your dog, have your dog checked by a veterinarian to rule out other more serious causes of red eyes before assuming it is eye allergies.

Diagnosing Dog Eye Allergies

A veterinarian will utilize a complete physical examination, ophthalmic examination (of the eye), and eye tests as necessary to diagnose eye allergies in dogs and rule out more serious causes of red eyes. Your vet will also ask you questions about how long the problem has been going on, if it has happened before, if your dog has any problems with skin allergies, etc.

Eye tests that your veterinarian may run include staining the eye to look for corneal ulcers, a Schirmer Tear test to check tear production, and tonometry to check pressure inside the eyes to rule out glaucoma. Other eye tests can include bacterial or viral culture if infection is suspected. 

Dog Eye Allergy Treatment

If your dog has mild eye allergies, you can often manage the condition at home by rinsing your dog’s eyes with sterile saline any time they are red. While human over-the-counter eye drops for allergies may be effective in some dogs, it is best to always check with your veterinarian before putting any human eye drops in your dog’s eyes.

If these treatments don’t help, then the problem may not be an eye allergy or your dog may need stronger prescription-strength allergy eye drops for dogs that are available through your veterinarian. In either case, it’s time to call your vet for advice. Your vet may want to run some more tests, chat with you about food allergies, or prescribe some medication that can help. 

Never use steroid eye drops in your dog without the supervision of a veterinarian. These can cause serious side effects that can result in severe pain and blindness if used inappropriately. 

Eye allergies usually clear up on their own when the dog is no longer being exposed to the allergen, but they may appear again in the future if the allergen reappears. It is helpful to put a reminder in your phone for the same time next year so that you can stop eye allergy symptoms before they start. 

How to Prevent Dog Eye Allergies

You can minimize your dog’s eye allergy symptoms by applying an eye lube (ask your vet for a product recommendation) before the dog goes outside and then rinsing their eyes with sterile saline after they come back inside. This will remove any allergens from your dog’s eyes. Antihistamines can also be helpful to prevent allergy symptoms in the first place if you start them before symptoms begin. Ask your veterinarian for a type of antihistamine and dosage to use in your dog.

Related Conditions

• Infectious conjunctivitis
• Corneal ulcer
• Atopy
• Food allergy

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If your dog has been diagnosed with heartworm disease, it may feel overwhelming and scary. You may wonder what a dog’s life expectancy after heartworm treatment is, and you may not know the right course of action to take. Fortunately, your veterinarian is an excellent resource for all of your questions. Read on to learn more about heartworm treatment for dogs and what to expect.

Dog Heartworm Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Dogs usually require treatment for heartworms in the following situations:

• You missed your dog’s heartworm prevention, you live in an area with heartworm disease, and your dog tests positive for heartworms
• You have adopted a dog who tested positive for heartworm disease
• You didn’t know that your dog had heartworm disease until they were tested

The goals of heartworm treatment for dogs are to improve the health of the dog and eliminate all life stages of the parasite from their body. The type of treatment your veterinarian will recommend depends on several things:

• How sick your dog is from heartworm
• If your dog has any other health conditions
• How many worms they are carrying

If your dog is not exhibiting any symptoms of heartworm disease, then treatment is generally straightforward and successful. If your dog is sick from heartworms, then they will need to be stabilized before starting treatment to eliminate heartworms. This may require that they receive intravenous medications, such as steroids, diuretics, blood pressure medication, heart medication, and fluid therapy. Sometimes, dogs are carrying so many worms that they require surgical removal of worms. Treating these patients can be very difficult, which is why heartworm prevention is so important in dogs. 

The American Heartworm Society recommends that all dogs undergoing treatment for heartworm disease, whether they are sick or not, are hospitalized while they are receiving and recovering from medication injections to kill worms. This is because it is critical that they stay very quiet while they are receiving medication to eliminate the worms. Overheating, excitement, or exercise during treatment—and for 6-8 weeks after the last medication injection—are the most significant factors contributing to life-threatening heart and lung complications associated with heartworm disease treatment, including death from pulmonary thromboembolism. It is best that a dog go on cage/kennel rest as soon as they are diagnosed with heartworm disease.

In some cases, your veterinarian may elect to pre-treat your dog with medication before starting injections to eliminate the worms. These medications can be given at home (and are covered in more detail in the “Dog Heartworm Medicine” section of this article). 

For most dogs, heartworm treatment takes about four months from beginning to end. However, expect some testing to be required after treatment has stopped, and plan to keep your dog on heartworm prevention continually after they are treated. 

Dog Heartworm Treatment Cost

Cost of heartworm disease varies, but in general, you can expect the following:

• Initial physical examination and heartworm test: $75-$125
• Confirmation tests: $25-$45 
• Additional tests (chest X-rays, chest ultrasound): $250-$1,000
• Pre-treatment medications: $50-$100
• Heartworm prevention to kill heartworm larvae: $20-$60
• Injections to kill adult heartworms: $500-$1,500
• Hospitalization during injections: $20-$40/day
• Follow-up veterinary visits and testing: $100-$150
• Surgery costs: $3,000-$6,000

If your dog is very sick or requires multiple rounds of treatment, the cost goes up.

Heartworm disease in dogs treatment can be costly. Pet insurance, emergency credit lines, savings accounts, and payment plans can all help with the cost of veterinary bills. In addition, if you can afford part of the treatment but not all, talk to your veterinarian—they can offer options that can still help your dog.

Dog Life Expectancy After Heartworm Treatment

Dog life expectancy after heartworm treatment varies. Heartworms cause serious inflammation and damage to the heart and lungs. The longer a dog is infected with heartworms, the more damage occurs. Dog life expectancy after heartworm treatment depends on how much damage was done, how the dog tolerates treatment, and the overall health of the dog. 

In general, dogs that are asymptomatic for heartworm disease can live a long, healthy life free of symptoms after treatment. Dogs who are sick with heartworm disease and have symptoms (cough, exercise intolerance, etc.) have a poorer prognosis with treatment. Your veterinarian will be able to best advise you of your dog’s life expectancy after treatment. 

Dog Heartworm Medicine

Dogs who are initially diagnosed with heartworms are given several medications to weaken adult worms, kill worm larvae, and reduce side effects associated with killing adult worms. 

Doxycycline, an antibiotic, is often given for four weeks prior to administration of melarsomine to kill a bacteria called Wolbachia, which is often present with heartworms. This drug often minimizes side effects associated with melarsomine and kills worm larvae.

If a dog is showing signs of heartworm disease (coughing, etc.), they will also be pre-treated with steroids and other medications before melarsomine injections. 

Heartworm prevention medication is often administered for eight weeks before giving melarsomine to kill worm larvae. 

Melarsomine is the only drug approved by the FDA to kill adult heartworms. It is administered by an injection into muscle. After each injection, dogs must be kept as quiet as possible while worms die. This equates to six to eight weeks of rest, no exceptions. Most dogs need to be crated or kenneled to stay quiet, and they must be kept on a leash to do their business. It is best to not have visitors during this time, as it can excite your dog. Remember—this is for your dog’s own good.

Additional medications that may be prescribed include aspirin or heparin to reduce clotting or risk of pulmonary thromboembolism. There is no natural heartworm treatment for dogs.

After treatment, dogs should be given heartworm prevention monthly for the duration of their lifespan. If they have any lingering symptoms associated with inflammation caused by the worms, they will be prescribed medication to manage those. 

How to Treat Heartworm in Dogs at Home

Letting a dog who is undergoing treatment for heartworms exercise or get excited is a serious no-no can result in serious adverse side effects. However, it can be challenging to keep dogs quiet. Here are some tips that can help you:

• Keep your dog indoors and in a large kennel/crate most of the time
• Keep your dog on a leash when they urinate/defecate
• Keep on-leash walks very short and slow; allow your dog to sniff for 10 minutes several times a day
• Refrain from having visitors to your home if that makes your dog excited
• Spend lots of time with your dog just hanging out
• Utilize food puzzles and long-lasting chews
• Reduce overall calories by 20 percent to prevent weight gain while confined
• Train your dog to follow quiet commands while crated
• Utilize over-the-counter calming aids
• If you are struggling, talk to your vet and ask them for advice or additional tools
• If your dog had surgery, monitor the surgical site daily for two weeks for any signs of inflammation and infection, such as redness, swelling, discharge, or odor

Heartworm Treatment for Dogs: Tips and Advice

Most dogs will have lower energy while being treated for heartworms. Signs that your dog is experiencing serious side effects of heartworm treatment in dogs and that you need to call a veterinarian immediately include:

• Pale gums
• Coughing
• Extreme lethargy
• Paralysis/dragging legs/can’t get up
• Confusion
• Swelling, redness, or discharge from injection site

Heartworm poses a grave risk to dogs. The longer they remain in a dog’s heart and lungs, the greater the damage to the cardiopulmonary system, the greater the risk of illness and death, and the higher likelihood that heartworms will be spread to other dogs. While heartworm treatment can feel overwhelming, remember you are doing the right thing and giving your dog the best chance at a healthy life by choosing to have them treated.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 90 percent of Americans aged 20 or older have had at least one cavity in their lives, while 1 in 4 Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 currently have a cavity. 

The prevalence of cavities among humans, however, does not translate to their canine best friends. A 1998 study in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry found that of the 435 dogs whose dental records were reviewed, just 23 (or 5.3 percent of dogs) had cavities. 

That said, they can still be irritating and painful problems for a dog and potentially expensive ones for a dog parent. Here’s everything you need to know about canine cavities.

What Is a Cavity? 

“Cavities” is the more colloquial word for a problem in the dental community known as “caries.” According to a paper in The Canadian Veterinary Journal, the word “caries” is Latin for rottenness.

Dr. Amy Stone is a clinical associate professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She describes cavities as “resulting from bacterial decay of the tooth structure due to the release of acids from oral bacteria digesting carbohydrates on the surface of the tooth.”

As the decay continues, small holes form on the hard surface of the tooth, which expands and goes deeper over time if left untreated.

Can Dogs Get Cavities? 

Dogs can get cavities, but dogs do not get cavities as frequently as humans. While the process by which cavities develop is the same between dogs and humans, there are several reasons why they don’t happen as often in dogs.

“Human saliva is more acidic, human teeth have many pits and fissures (whereas dog teeth are mostly conical), and there is more space between dog teeth to prevent food trapping,” Dr. Stone says. “These differences mean the bacteria species that most commonly cause caries are not as prevalent in the canine [mouth].”

Stone adds that there isn’t a breed- or age-specific predisposition to developing cavities, though they don’t appear to be a problem in deciduous (or “baby”) teeth, which suggests they’re typical among dogs who are more than a year old.

Because of the way a dog’s mouth is structured, cavities are most common toward the back of the dog’s mouth – specifically on teeth called maxillary molars. Dr. Stone says these teeth have thinner enamel, as well as pits and grooves that allow cavity-causing bacteria to thrive. 

Causes of Cavities in Dogs

Cavities do not come about because of another illness or condition. Nor are they simply the result of a lack of dental care or cleaning, Dr. Stone says. “It’s more about the diet. If dogs eat fruit, honey, cookies made for humans, or sweetened peanut butter, they are more likely to develop them.” 

This is another reason why humans get cavities far more frequently than dogs do – the food we eat contains much more sugar, both natural and added. 

The other common cause for cavities in dogs, Dr. Stone says, is dry mouth. Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth is simply a lack of sufficient saliva. When it comes to dogs, slobbering, of course, can be a nuisance for their parents, but it actually helps with their oral health. Like human saliva, the canine variety contains various antibacterial compounds that can help neutralize the bacteria that cause cavities. 

Signs of dry mouth include bad breath, inflamed gums, and a cracked tongue. Dry mouth may be a side effect of different medications, including cancer treatment and antihistamines. 

How to Treat Cavities in Dogs

Canine cavities are diagnosed by a veterinarian or veterinary dentistry specialist, though pet owners may pick up on some of the signs and symptoms at home. These include bad breath, abnormal chewing, dropping food from the mouth, reduced appetite, swelling around the mouth, and of course, discoloration on your dog’s teeth or the appearance of a small, dark spot on the tooth.

“Caries can be treated with fillings or sealants if they are caught when they are not deep into the tooth structure,” Dr. Stone says. “Otherwise, extraction is needed, except in some cases when a root canal may be appropriate. That should be determined by a veterinary dental specialist.”  

That determination will primarily be based on the severity of the decay and status of the tooth or teeth in question.

How to Prevent Dog Cavities

The best canine cavity prevention tip, Dr. Stone says, is to not feed your dog sugary foods, like those listed above.

“Some animals will develop cavities anyway,” she says. “However, following this suggestion will not allow the precursors to be present.”

Brushing your dog’s teeth regularly will lead to a decrease in bacteria in the area where the gums meet the teeth, which Stone says may help somewhat with the prevention of cavities, though it is more critical for preventing periodontal disease, which is not only much more prevalent than cavities in dogs, but also one of the top two diagnoses for dogs (alongside obesity, she says). 

To help with gum disease, and potential caries as well, your veterinarian may recommend a full dental prophylaxis, which is a combined cleaning and full oral examination under anesthesia.

Before your dog can be anesthetized, your veterinarian will need to determine that your dog is physically capable of undergoing anesthesia, Stone says. This is typically done with a full physical examination that includes monitoring vital signs and by checking a blood sample to make sure your dog’s heart and internal organs are healthy for anesthesia. 

“Once under (anesthesia), a full oral exam, dental radiographs, ultrasonic scaling of the teeth to remove the bacteria above and below the gumline, and polishing with fluoride paste will occur,” Stone adds. “This is the one opportunity that we have to put fluoride on the tooth surface to help protect the tooth from cavities. It’s not safe to use fluoride in dog toothpaste when doing normal brushing because dogs swallow the toothpaste and that much fluoride can be toxic.”

While cavities are not prevalent among dogs, they do exist, and provide one more reason to keep up on the home dental care and get your dog’s teeth checked by a veterinarian at least once a year.

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Sure, it’s not always fun to try to stick your hand near your dog’s mouth with unfamiliar objects that could freak them out a little, but that doesn’t make doggie dental care less important. 

And even if you are on top of at-home dental care for your dog, some dogs just need extra help with their oral health – not just for their breath, but their overall health and wellbeing.

Why Dog Dental Care Is So Important

Dr. Jean Herrman, owner of Companion Animal Dental Services in Bolton, Connecticut, likens an unclean or uncared for mouth to taking an IV of bacteria. “It’s the only part of a dog’s body where the bone is completely exposed,” she says. “You have sores in there, and the bacteria then gets introduced into other systems of the body.”

What can that lead to? “Locally, severe dental disease can cause pain from abscesses; nasal infections; eye infection, gum loss, tooth loss, eye loss, or blindness; increased risk of oral cancer; and jaw fractures,” says Dr. Brook Niemiec, who is a Diplomate for the American Veterinary Dental College and runs Veterinary Dental Specialities’ 20 practices across the U.S. “Systemically, periodontal disease has been shown to have negative effects on the heart, liver, and kidneys. In addition, it has been shown to affect cognition, as well as increase systemic inflammation.”

These potential problems are why prevention is so important, and one step in that direction is home dental care. Herrman advises a slow, patient, phased approach if you’re attempting to brush your dog’s teeth for the first time. 

“Start by petting your dog’s face and talking to them nicely,” she says. “Next you can try lifting the lip and gently looking around. Then rub your finger along the teeth. Pick up some dog toothpaste and put it on your finger. Try using a soft wipe or gauze to gently touch the surface of the teeth. Once your dog is comfortable and accepting of this, then you might be ready to move onto actually brushing.”

All of these steps can be taken during separate attempts if necessary, and you should reward your dog with praise, play, or whatever he likes in order to create a positive association with brushing and build trust, Dr. Herrman says..

Dr. Niemiec recommends practicing home dental care daily because plaque, which is the bacteria-laden sticky film that coats the teeth and under the gums, forms in just 24 hours. Meanwhile, tartar, which is hardened plaque that is much more difficult to clear away, forms in three days, he adds.

Home dental care for your dog, however, doesn’t always need to take the form of brushing. “The most effective means of home care is brushing, but dental treats, dental diets, oral rinses and dental wipes can also be effective,” he says.

When it comes to professional dog teeth cleaning, both Dr. Niemiec and Dr. Herrman say it’s ideal to have it done roughly annually for dogs of all sizes, but smaller dogs (ten pounds or fewer) may want to consider cleaning closer to every nine months. It’s also important to start having your dog’s teeth cleaned early in his life, as the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) says most dogs will have developed some degree of dental disease within the first three years of their lives.

Signs You Should Schedule a Dog Dental Cleaning

Usually, when you start noticing signs that suggest it’s time to schedule a dog teeth cleaning, it’s actually past time to schedule a dog tooth cleaning.

Dr. Niemiec notes that most other areas of medicine, including human, human dental, and veterinary non-dental all practice preventative care, but veterinary dental care instead is reactive. “We need to move towards prevention,” he says, which means more regularity in both home and professional dental cleaning.

That said, one sign that it’s definitely time to schedule professional dental care is bad breath. 

“Bad breath is a sure sign of periodontal disease in dogs,” Dr. Niemiec says. “‘Doggy breath’ is not normal. It is a sign of severe infection.”

Other signs that you should seek out immediate veterinary dental care, he says, may include yellow or brown teeth (which are indicative of tartar buildup), red or swollen gums, bleeding from the mouth, changes in the way your dog eats food or treats, facial swellings, or any visible growths.

Dog Dental Cleaning Procedure: Step by Step

The full name for the procedure more commonly known as a dog dental cleaning is a “complete oral health assessment and treatment” or COHAT, says Dr. Herrman, and the biggest difference between this and what humans receive for dental care is that the pet version must be done under anesthesia.

Dr. Niemiec says any “anesthesia-free” or “non-anesthesia” cleanings are not effective because vets cannot clean under the gums without the help of anesthesia. In addition, if you’ve ever had your teeth professionally cleaned, you know it isn’t the most comfortable procedure and may be painful in some instances. We know what is happening and can psychologically deal with it, but a dog cannot. Anesthesia-free dental cleanings are not only ineffective but could also be considered inhumane.

Before the anesthesia is given, the veterinarian will measure your dog’s blood pressure and take an EKG. The vet will often also check bloodwork to make sure your dog is safe for anesthesia. Vitals will be monitored throughout the procedure, and once the dog is asleep, Herrman says the vet will take X-rays of the mouth, do a complete oral exam, and pprobe each tooth one by one to assess if there is a problem.

Most of the tools used are the same ones that are used on humans, Dr. Niemiec says, including scalers and curettes (both scraping tools that remove plaque and tartar from different spots in the mouth, including under the gums). An ultrasonic scaler, which vibrates, is also used for cleaning.

If there are problems with any teeth or the gums that will require further surgical work, which happens often, Dr. Herrman will inform the dog parent of what she’s found and, with their permission, conduct any necessary extractions, grafting, gum alterations, or other procedures while the dog is still under anesthesia.

Dog Dental Cleaning Cost

There’s a wide range in professional dog dental cleaning costs based on a variety of factors, including location and level of care, says Dr. Niemiec, but the starting price for a cleaning might be around $500 and top out near $1,500. 

Dr. Herrman adds that if additional work is done during the same procedure, the cost will rise. “Brushing your dog’s teeth at home is the best thing you can do to avoid extra costs associated with dental disease,” she says.

Dr. Niemiec adds that it’s important to know everything that goes into the procedure you’re agreeing to pay for. Best practices include pre-anesthetic exam and bloodwork, full anesthesia with vital monitoring, full mouth radiographs, cleaning, and polish.

What to Expect After a Dog Dental Cleaning

Your dog should be monitored pretty closely for the first 24 to 28 hours after anesthesia, Dr. Niemiec says, adding that dogs tend to bounce back quickly. 

“If extractions were necessary, some bleeding should be expected for the first few days,” he says. “Soft food is generally recommended for two weeks if any oral surgery is performed.”

Some vets like to see the dog about two weeks after the procedure, but that’s not required, he says.

Herrman says if there was pain or other problems that stemmed from oral health issues, you should see your dog resume his happy, healthy behavior very quickly after the post-anesthesia recovery. 

“Most dogs tend to eat amazingly and are jumping around afterward,” she says. “Toothaches hurt. If you alleviate that for them, they’ll look, feel, and act so much better.”

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To help ease any worries, this article provides everything pet parents need to know about toxoplasmosis in dogs.

What Is Toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by a single-celled organism called Toxoplasma gondii, or T. gondii for short. T. gondii is a parasite that can infect nearly all mammals including humans, though it can only grow to maturity and reproduce in domestic and wild cats. 

Toxoplasma gondii has been found all over planet Earth. If a cat eats prey animals or raw meat infected with T. gondii, the parasite will mature and reproduce in the cat’s digestive tract. When the cats infected with T. gondii defecate, their feces contain millions of infectious parasitic eggs.  

Over time, a cat’s immune system forces the parasite to stop reproducing and instead, form dormant cysts in muscle and brain tissue. Humans become infected when they accidentally ingest parasite eggs from contaminated food or water, or from not washing their hands after cleaning the litter box used by a cat that is actively infected with Toxoplasma.

Toxoplasma behaves differently in dogs because they are considered intermediate hosts (i.e. the parasite cannot mature or reproduce in dogs), and infected dogs are not considered contagious to other animals or humans. Most healthy dogs can eliminate the infection on their own if they come into contact with the parasite, though puppies, geriatric dogs, young dogs with the distemper virus, and adult dogs with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for becoming sick from toxoplasmosis. 

Causes of Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

Toxoplasmosis in dogs can either be an acute or chronic condition. Dogs become infected with Toxoplasma gondii by accidentally ingesting parasitic eggs in soil, eating cat poop, or eating contaminated produce or raw meat.  

Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

Most dogs do not show any symptoms of toxoplasmosis, and even if they do, the symptoms can be quite vague. Toxoplasmosis symptoms in dogs may include:

• Fever
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Tonsillitis (may appear as drooling or difficulty swallowing)
• Jaundice 
• Difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Seizures/tremors
• Incoordination
• Weakness
• Paralysis

If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms listed here, please make an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as possible. These symptoms are also associated with many other disease conditions and often require veterinary assistance to diagnose and resolve the issue. 

Toxoplasmosis symptoms in dogs that require treatment are more common with the acute form of the disease; the chronic form usually has no symptoms and does not require treatment.

Diagnosing Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

To diagnose toxoplasmosis, a veterinarian will conduct a full physical examination and measure vitals, including body temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and weight. Be sure to let your veterinarian know if your dog has eaten cat poop or if you have stray cats that visit your yard. Laboratory tests on blood and urine will be ordered to evaluate your dog’s immune system and organ function.  

Your veterinarian will likely order a fecal test to check for other parasites that can cause the same symptoms as toxoplasmosis. They might also order imaging tests such as radiographs (X-rays) and abdominal ultrasound to get more information. If your dog has neurological signs, your veterinarian may want to evaluate their spinal fluid for signs of infection or inflammation, and also conduct a neurological examination. Remember, symptoms of toxoplasmosis are rare in dogs, so your veterinarian may need to run a few tests to figure out what is going on.

The most specific tests for toxoplasma are serological tests that measure the level of toxoplasma proteins (antigens) present in the body. PCR is the typical test to diagnose toxoplasmosis and determine if the infection is acute or chronic. 

If you are curious as to whether your dog has been exposed to toxoplasmosis, you can have their antibodies tested. If they have already been infected, they will have antibodies in their blood, however, antibody tests are not useful to determine if a dog has an active infection or if they need treatment.

Treating Dogs for Toxoplasmosis

If your dog is very sick from toxoplasmosis, they will need to be hospitalized for treatment. While hospitalized, dogs will typically receive intravenous fluid treatment for hydration and intravenous antibiotics to eliminate the infection through an IV catheter placed in their arm. If your dog has seizures, anticonvulsant medication may be prescribed to control them.

Most of the time, however, dogs will be treated for toxoplasmosis with antibiotics on an outpatient basis, as dogs rarely show symptoms or get very ill from this disease. Also remember – most dogs don’t require any treatment for toxoplasmosis. Usually it is only the dogs with compromised immune systems and very young dogs with developing immune systems that show clinical signs associated with toxoplasmosis.

Cost to Treat Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

The cost for treating toxoplasmosis in dogs depends on a few factors, starting with the testing portion of the process. The cost of testing for toxoplasmosis varies and can range from $300-$1,500. From there, the cost will vary based on the necessary treatment. Hospitalized treatment can cost upwards of $1,000, but when it comes to a simple dose of antibiotics, most dogs can be treated for under $100

How to Prevent Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

Even though Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite, the good news is that most dogs do not get sick from it, and there are ways to minimize your dog’s exposure. 

Because the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis is commonly spread by ingestion of raw meat and unwashed produce, the best way to prevent your dog from acquiring this parasite is to refrain from feeding your dog raw meat and always wash produce before giving it to them.

To avoid ingestion of cat poop, you should limit your dog’s access to it. Keep feral cats out of your yard, and if you have a cat, keep the litter box in an area where your dog cannot access it. 

Additional strategies to reduce your dog’s exposure to toxoplasmosis include:

• Washing your hands after playing outside
• Covering outdoor sandboxes
• Cleaning the litter box daily

If you have further questions about toxoplasmosis in people, check out the CDC website for more information.

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This article will cover what to expect during chemotherapy for cats to help you feel prepared and confident, including the treatment process, costs, and recovery, along with how to keep your cat comfortable during the process.

What is Chemotherapy?

Cat chemotherapy describes medications that are used to treat cancer. Whether used by itself or in conjunction with other cat cancer treatments such as surgery and radiation therapy, chemotherapy can shrink tumors, kill or slow the growth of cancer cells throughout the body, reduce inflammation, and manage symptoms associated with cancer (such as pain or nausea).

Chemotherapy can be helpful for many types of cancer in cats. However, it is most commonly used in cancer that can’t be treated with surgery (such as lymphoma) or when cancer metastasizes (spreads). 

Depending on the situation, it may be one single drug or a combination of drugs, and it can be administered several ways, including injection, intravenous, and pill form. The good news is that the side effects of cat chemotherapy are minimal compared to the side effects that humans experience.

Chemotherapy for Cats: Step by Step

If your cat is receiving a single injection of chemotherapy or receiving it in pill form, your veterinary provider will administer the injection and/or send you home with detailed instructions that include how to give pills and monitor for side effects.

Since the process for intravenous chemotherapy is a bit more involved, we’ll go over it step by step.

Step 1. Pre-Treatment Appointment

First, your veterinarian will have an appointment with you before starting therapy to discuss what drug(s) will be administered and how often, how long treatment will last (it can vary), and any associated costs.

Step 2. Treatment Prep

When your cat goes in for treatment, the support staff will check their vitals, such as weight, temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate. If everything looks ok, your cat will be prepped for treatment by a veterinary technician. This includes shaving and sterilizing their arm and placing an intravenous catheter. 

Because chemotherapy can cause bone marrow suppression in some cats, blood may be drawn from the catheter to check your cat’s blood cells before treatment. Your cat might also receive pre-treatment with medications to reduce nausea or allergic reactions to chemotherapy drugs.

Step 3. Chemotherapy Infusion

Once the catheter is secured, your cat will receive an IV infusion of fluids and chemotherapy drugs. Infusions can take 45 minutes to several hours to complete. Most treatment centers will allow you to stay with your cat while they are receiving treatment.

Step 4. Post-Treatment Care

After treatment, the veterinarian or veterinary technician will go over any side effects to look out for (pain, nausea, appetite loss, etc.) and schedule your cat for their next treatment, if appropriate. This is the best time to ask your provider any questions for home treatment.

Step 5. At-Home Care

During chemo treatment, you should be able to continue your at-home relationship with your cat without interruption. It is safe for most people to pet, hug, and kiss cats who are undergoing chemotherapy, with the exception of pregnant or nursing mothers, who should avoid contact with the cat for 3 days after treatment. If you are pregnant or nursing, be sure to let your veterinary provider know.

Extra care should be taken with litter boxes, as chemotherapy drugs are excreted via urine and feces. Use gloves for 3-5 days after chemotherapy treatments when cleaning your cat’s litter box. It is safe for cats in multi-cat households to continue sharing boxes.

If you are giving chemotherapy drugs at home, follow all instructions from your veterinarian, including safe handling practices.

Cat Chemotherapy Side Effects

Chemotherapy targets fast-growing cells, causing adverse side effects for some cats. In general, side effects of chemotherapy in cats are milder and less prevalent than in humans and can be easily controlled with medication. The most common side effects include:

• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Drooling
• Excessive tiredness after treatment
• Bone marrow suppression
• Increased thirst and urination in cats treated with steroids
• Whisker thinning
• Shaved hair that grows back more slowly

If your cat is receiving chemotherapy, it is important to provide them with a quiet, warm place to rest. In addition, you should also:

Monitor appetite. Decreased appetite is common after treatment for the first day, but if your cat’s appetite remains poor for longer than 48 hours, or if they’re vomiting, contact your vet. You can entice cats to eat by feeding canned food that has been slightly warmed in the microwave or by adding chicken broth or toppers to their food.

Monitor the litter box. If you notice diarrhea, or if your cat is straining in the litter box without producing feces or urine, call your veterinarian.

Monitor energy level. It is normal for cats to have lower energy immediately following treatment, but if it lasts longer than 24 hours, contact your vet.

Monitor hydration. Provide ample fresh water and ask your veterinarian how to check your cat’s hydration status and temperature. Give your vet a call if you notice signs of dehydration or a fever.

Is Chemotherapy for Cats Worth It?

The decision to pursue chemotherapy is a highly individualized choice, and no matter what your veterinarian thinks, it’s entirely up to you. Choosing to go with chemo depends on several factors, including:

• If the type of cancer your cat has will respond well to chemotherapy
• Whether you are treating to cure (remission), slow cancer growth, or provide palliative care (manage symptoms when a cure is not possible)
• Your cat’s age, overall health, and quality of life with and without treatment
• Your financial situation

If your cat has been diagnosed with cancer and chemotherapy has been recommended, first make sure that you are working with a veterinarian you trust and is receptive to questions from you. If you aren’t comfortable, you have the right to get a second opinion. Be sure to ask your provider about the following:

• Prognosis with chemotherapy and without
• Possible risks and side effects of treatment
• Other treatment options
• If a local veterinary oncologist is available to administer treatment (oncologists have access to the latest treatments, research, and drugs)
• Overall cost, including follow-up care (examinations and lab tests)
• What is best for your cat

Cat Chemotherapy Cost

Depending on the treatment, the cost of chemotherapy varies. Intravenous drug therapy is the most expensive treatment, and you will pay more to work with a board certified oncologist vs. a local veterinarian. 

In general, chemotherapy for cats costs $1,000-$5,000.

Cat Chemotherapy Success Rate

The success rate of chemotherapy depends on what type of cancer your cat has been diagnosed with, how far the cancer has spread, and the overall health of your cat. 

Some cancers have an excellent success rate of treatment with chemotherapy, but with others, all chemotherapy can do is slow the progression of the disease or help your cat feel better. The variability of success underscores how important it is to ask your veterinarian questions before starting therapy.

Cats and Chemotherapy: Other Tips and Advice

In addition to educating yourself about the type of cancer your cat has and the options for treatment, it’s also very helpful to enlist support from your community. A cancer diagnosis is hard, no matter if it’s a pet or a human. Having a supportive group of humans beside you as you walk through this journey can be incredibly helpful. 

Many pet parents have found utilizing an online service like CareCorrals can help create a circle of support, empathy, and love. If you find that you are struggling mentally or emotionally, don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional or join a support group.

The post Chemotherapy for Cats: What to Expect appeared first on Great Pet Care.

An Overview of Cushing’s Disease

Cushing’s disease is a condition that causes the adrenal glands to secrete too much of a hormone called cortisol. Excessive secretion of cortisol is most commonly caused by a small, slow growing, typically benign tumor in the pituitary gland, or more rarely, by an often malignant tumor in an adrenal gland. 

The symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs can also be caused by excessive or long-term administration of corticosteroid drugs – typically prednisone, prednisolone, or triamcinolone.

Different types of Cushing’s disease are managed in different ways:

• Cushing’s disease that’s due to a tumor in the pituitary gland is managed with medication 
• Cushing’s disease that stems from a tumor in an adrenal gland is cured with surgery
• Cushing’s-like symptoms as a result of corticosteroid drugs resolve when the dog stops taking the drug(s)

Signs and Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

Cushing’s disease has typically very recognizable symptoms, and it tends to behave the same way in most dogs. How severe the signs are depends on how long the dog has been affected by Cushing’s disease and how much excess cortisol is circulating in their system. The earlier you catch this disease, the less wear and tear it has on your dog’s body, and the faster they can return to normal with appropriate treatment. 

To help you spot any signs and symptoms of cushing’s disease in your dog, we’ve broken them down into two categories.

Early Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

Increased appetite. We know that in people, excessive cortisol levels stimulate their appetite and lead to weight gain. The same appears to be true for dogs. Since insulin in part controls hunger and satiety, the mechanisms that cause this may be related to insulin resistance due to persistently high blood sugar, which is a result of excessively high cortisol. In addition, fat hormones that control hunger are disrupted by cortisol.

Increased urination. Excessive cortisol inhibits ADH, a hormone secreted by the kidney to concentrate urine in order to conserve body water. Thus, dogs affected by Cushing’s disease typically pee more than they typically should.

Increased thirst. Because dogs with Cushing’s are peeing more than normal, they’re chronically dehydrated, which causes them to drink more than normal.

Behavioral changes. Cortisol also functions as a fight or flight hormone, telling the body when to sleep and when to wake up. Chronically elevated cortisol in dogs can cause anxiety, irritability, pacing, and abnormal sleep patterns.

Increased panting. There are several reasons why Cushing’s causes panting in dogs. Dogs with Cushing’s have weakened respiratory muscles. Coupled with an enlarged liver that keeps the diaphragm from expanding properly and abnormal fat deposits in the chest, this results in difficulty breathing and increased panting. Additionally, increased anxiety can also cause panting.

Increased shedding and hair thinning. Excessive cortisol disrupts hair growth, which can lead to thinner hair and shedding. Anxiety can also cause increased shedding.

Symptoms of Advanced Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

Pot belly. Over time, cortisol weakens muscles, including abdominal muscles. This, plus an enlarged liver that is associated with Cushing’s, causes a pendulous abdomen.

Hair loss. Because cortisol disrupts hair growth, dogs start to develop bald patches and hair loss called flank alopecia, usually on both sides of their body.

Skin changes. Excessively elevated cortisol disrupts normal skin cell growth over time and can cause many skin changes, including increased pigmentation, thin skin, excessive bruising, testicular atrophy, blackheads, bacterial infections, hardening of the skin (calcinosis cutis), and slow wound healing.

Urinary tract infections. Because elevated cortisol negatively impacts the immune system, dogs are more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections that they would normally have fought off. The most common are skin and urinary tract infections.

Obesity. Because dogs with Cushing’s eat more, move less, and have altered metabolism, they tend to gain weight quickly.

Weakness. Over time, cortisol weakens muscles and causes them to shrink. Dogs with Cushing’s often have shaky back legs and decreased endurance.

Palsy. Excessive cortisol can also cause facial nerve damage, resulting in a droopy, lopsided appearance to your dog’s face. Additional signs associated with facial nerve palsy can include messy eating, dropping food, extreme drooling, inability to close an eyelid, and discharge from the affected eye.

High blood pressure. Metabolic, hormonal, and electrolyte imbalances in Cushing’s can lead to a dog having elevated blood pressure. This puts additional wear and tear on the cardiovascular system, liver, and kidneys, and can also predispose a dog to stroke, blood clots, and other issues. Additionally, high blood pressure may cause a dog to feel anxious.

What To Do if You Notice Signs of Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

If you notice these signs and symptoms, it is often not an emergency, but an urgency. It is best to call your veterinarian as soon as possible to set up a consultation and physical exam for your dog. 

Your veterinarian will first want to get a history from you (i.e. what you’ve noticed at home and how long it’s been going on). They’ll then conduct a full physical examination and run some baseline tests, including:

• Blood chemistry to check electrolytes, blood sugar, and internal organ function
• A complete blood count to check blood cells
• A urinalysis to check urinary health 

These tests do not specifically diagnose Cushing’s disease, but they can rule out other problems that can cause a lot of the same clinical signs, such as diabetes, kidney disease, and liver problems.

If your veterinarian suspects Cushing’s, they’ll typically want to run additional blood tests. The most common test is called an ACTH stimulation test, which examines how your dog’s hormones respond to an injection of a hormone called ACTH. It’s a very sensitive test for Cushing’s and only takes two hours to complete. Other recommended tests may include dexamethasone suppression tests, a urine cortisol:creatinine ratio test, or measuring your dog’s ACTH levels.

While all of these tests can determine whether your dog has Cushing’s, they cannot differentiate between pituitary and adrenal disease. To find out which form your pup has, your veterinarian may also recommend imaging with abdominal ultrasound. This will tell you specifically whether your dog needs medication for pituitary disease or surgery for adrenal disease.

Fortunately, Cushing’s disease is a common hormonal condition seen in dogs, and it responds very well to treatment. If you notice these symptoms in your dog, seek help as soon as you can to get them back on the road to recovery.

The post 14 Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

While we know that canine cancer treatment can be complicated and very individualized depending on the dog and the stage and type of cancer, there are some common things that you can expect during dog cancer treatments.

Goals of Cancer Treatment for Dogs

The goal of cancer treatment can vary depending on the type and stage of cancer. These goals may include:

Remission. This means that signs of cancer are gone. Remission can be complete or incomplete.

Cure. This is the complete removal of cancer from your dog’s body.

Palliative care. When a cure or remission is not possible, treatment is aimed at controlling pain and improving quality of life as much as possible. Palliative care can include surgery and medications to manage pain and nausea. 

Dog Cancer Treatment: Types and What to Expect

Cancer in dogs is typically treated with either surgery, chemotherapy for dogs, radiation, or a combination of these treatments. 

Surgery

Surgery is often used to completely eliminate a cancerous tumor from a dog’s body. This type of treatment typically has the best outcomes if it is successful at removing all the cancer cells, however it can be useful in reducing a tumor’s size before radiation treatment or as a palliative treatment. Whether a dog is a candidate for surgery will depend on the type and location of the cancer and the dog’s overall health.

Cancer surgery in dogs is typically performed by a surgical oncologist, who has special training and skills. For this procedure, dogs are put under anesthesia and recovery time usually takes around two weeks. 

Not all surgeries will be able to completely remove or cure all types of cancer in dogs. 

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy includes giving dogs one or more drugs that can kill cancer cells. The type of drugs prescribed will depend on the type of cancer your dog has. It is often recommended for cancer that has already spread (metastasized), cancer that has a high potential to spread, or cancer that cannot be treated by surgery or radiation.

Chemotherapy drugs for dogs are either given intravenously in a veterinary hospital setting or administered orally at home. 

Fortunately, dogs do not suffer from the same side effects of chemotherapy as humans do and usually tolerate the drugs very well. 

Radiation

Radiation therapy for dog cancer involves delivering radiation to specific cancer cells to either kill the cancer cells or destroy DNA in order to stop cancer cell replication. It is usually administered in small doses over multiple treatments and dogs are placed under anesthesia during radiation treatment.

Radiation is usually recommended when surgery isn’t an option. It can also be administered in conjunction with surgery if the surgery cannot remove all the cancerous cells from a dog’s body.

Side effects from radiation treatment are minimal for dogs. However, pet parents may see redness and irritation at the treatment site. 

Other Dog Cancer Treatments and Medications

Cancer care for dogs can also include additional medications and nutritional therapy.

Dog Cancer Medications

Sometimes, cancer can make dogs feel pain or it can cause them to lose their appetite. Sometimes, dogs with cancer develop secondary infections that need antibiotics. In any case, there may be times when a dog’s cancer treatment includes additional medications, such as:

• Anti-nausea medication if they are feeling sick.
• Pain medication if they have had surgery or if they have a painful tumor.
• Appetite stimulants if they have a poor appetite.
• Fluid therapy if they are dehydrated.

Nutritional Therapy

Nutritional support is also part of cancer treatment for dogs, and it is important to feed your dog the best quality food you can afford. The main goals with nutrition for dogs that have cancer are to improve a dog’s response to cancer therapy and improve quality and quantity of life. 

In general, dogs with cancer are recommended to eat a diet that is low in carbohydrates, moderately high in protein, and moderately high in fat. 

In addition, dogs with cancer may have special dietary requirements, such as:

• If your dog is losing weight due to cancer (this is called cancer cachexia) or has recently undergone surgery, then it will be important to feed your dog a food that has increased levels of protein and energy to replenish body nutrient storage.
• Most dogs that have been diagnosed with cancer can benefit from eating a diet that is high in omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil.
• If a dog has cancer in their mouth, they may not be able to eat regular food, and should be fed a high quality canned diet.
• If a dog has cancer in their intestinal tract, they may not be able to absorb nutrients very well or they may have vomiting or diarrhea, in which case, they will benefit from being fed a food that is designed to support the gastrointestinal tract.
• Dogs with cancer can benefit from arginine supplementation, which has a positive impact on the immune system.
• Your veterinarian may also prescribe a therapeutic food that is specifically designed to help dogs with cancer.
• In some cases if a dog cannot or won’t eat, a feeding tube can be placed.

Dog Cancer Treatment Cost 

Cost of treating cancer is extremely variable and depends on many factors, including:

• The type of cancer diagnosed and whether it is benign or malignant 
• The type of treatment needed and whether your dog needs more than one treatment
• What type of diagnostics are required (labwork, X-rays, MRI scans, etc.)
• How often you need to go to the vet for follow-up
• Whether you work with a general practice veterinarian or a veterinary oncologist
• The size of your dog
• Your geographical location

In general, the cost of dog cancer treatment can range from a few hundred dollars to remove a benign skin tumor, to thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are usually payment options available to finance care, including pet insurance and payment plans.

If you are concerned about the cost of your dog’s cancer treatment, talk to your veterinarian about your options. 

Prognosis for Dogs With Cancer

Prognosis for dogs that are diagnosed with cancer also depends on several factors, including:

• The type of cancer and whether the cancer is benign or malignant. Malignant cancer spreads quickly and to other parts of the body and carries a worse prognosis than benign.
• How early the cancer is detected.
• The overall health of your dog.
• The location of the cancer—some areas of the body are harder to treat than others.
• What type of treatment you authorize for your dog.

In general, the prognosis for many types of dog cancer with treatment is favorable. Veterinarians can often help dogs achieve remission or a cure in many instances. In many cases, appropriate cancer treatment can extend the lives of dogs diagnosed with cancer, and those dogs generally enjoy a good quality of life. 

Even in dogs that have been diagnosed with a type of cancer that carries a poor prognosis, there are measures that can be taken to help that dog live out their days with maximum comfort and the best quality of life possible.

Your veterinarian will be able to tell you specifically what the life expectancy is for your dog’s type of cancer. 

Keeping Dogs With Cancer Comfortable

Dogs with cancer are sometimes uncomfortable or in pain. The best way to know if your dog is in pain is to observe your dog—do you notice any changes in behavior that might be consistent with pain? Teach yourself how to see your dog’s pain, and if you notice it, talk to your vet about pain management options.

Deep, restful sleep is important for dogs that are being treated for cancer, as their body is healing while they sleep. Many dogs with cancer cannot get comfortable. If this is the case, consider investing in an orthopedic dog bed for your dog. It should be thick enough that you can kneel on it without feeling the floor, and made from orthopedic foam.

Some dogs with cancer have trouble getting around. If this is the case, mobility aids can help. Ramps, non-slip rugs, keeping nails trimmed, and in some cases, dog wheelchairs or braces are all available to help your canine companion get around the best that they can.

After Dog Cancer Treatment: What to Look For

Once your dog has started cancer treatment, they should start improving. Signs of improvement include a shrinking tumor, their blood cell count is normalizing, or they are experiencing less pain and more energy. These are all signs that cancer treatment is working. 

Remember that dogs do not experience negative side effects with chemotherapy like humans do. Most dogs tolerate cancer treatments very well, and start feeling better pretty quickly. Your veterinarian will be your best resource on how quickly to expect improvement in your dog. 

Signs that cancer treatment isn’t working (and reasons to call your vet) include:

• Continued weight loss and appetite
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Loss of energy
• Swollen potbellied appearance
• Jaundice of skin or eyes
• Hair loss
• Fever
• Swelling (tumor) that isn’t improving or new swellings/tumors appearing
• Loss of vision or hearing
• Inability to get up

Dogs who are receiving cancer treatments are seen fairly frequently by their veterinarian or oncologist, and they can tell you more specifically what signs to look for that would indicate that there is a problem. 

Also, expect that there will be repeat lab work done at follow up exams, and possibly more X-rays or imaging studies to determine whether cancer treatment is working.

In Conclusion

Even though getting a cancer diagnosis can feel scary, your veterinarian is there to walk through it every step of the way with you. It can be overwhelming at first, which is why it always helps to enlist empathy and support from your loved ones when dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Utilizing an online community can be very helpful. Don’t forget to care for yourself, as well.

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This article is intended to help you on your journey with canine osteoarthritis by sharing some treatment plan steps, as well as what you can expect in most cases.

Dog Arthritis Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Once a dog is diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA for short), the typical course of action your veterinarian will take is offering you ‘multimodal treatment’ options. Multimodal simply means “multiple modes of dog arthritis treatment.” 

The reason for this is that dog arthritis usually responds best when multiple types of treatment are used to create a synergistic beneficial effect. In the past, vets just gave arthritic dogs pain medication. But now we know that when you combine therapies – including pain medication, joint supplements, weight loss (if needed), surgery (if needed), a supportive sleeping surface, appropriate exercise, and complementary therapies – dogs respond much better and have less pain and better mobility. This leads to an overall improved quality of life.

In general, the best practices for treating a dog that has OA include:

• Early intervention
• Improve quality of life as much as possible
• Reduce pain as much as possible
• Reduce arthritis flare-ups
• Increase movement through daily exercise

Not all dogs respond the same to treatment. Sometimes, it takes a little trial and error to see what is the best combination for your dog. This is why it is a good idea to work with a veterinarian you trust, keep a journal of how your dog responds to treatment, and be willing to try different things.

Cost of Managing Dog Arthritis

The cost of dog arthritis treatment varies depending on the size of the dog and what treatments are recommended. Cost of care is more expensive for bigger dogs than smaller dogs because medication costs more.

However, here is an estimate of what pet parents might expect to spend on different arthritis treatments for dogs:

• Cost of pain medication ranges $30-$100 per month (depending on size of dog).
• Joint supplements range $15-$50/month (depending on product and size of dog)
• Annual blood work, which is required if a dog takes pain medication chronically, costs $200-$400.
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy costs $200-$400/month if you are working with a certified canine rehabilitation veterinarian.
• Photobiomodulation or piezoelectric therapy costs $60-$100/month.
• Therapeutic foods for OA or weight loss cost $40-$90/month.
• An orthopedic mattress costs $300-$400.
• If surgery is required, such as dogs that need hip replacements, then that can cost upwards of $5,000 per hip.

Dog Arthritis Medicine

To manage pain, most dogs with OA are started on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These may include:

• Carprofen (Rimadyl)
• Grapiprant (Galliprant)
• Meloxicam (Meloxidyl)
• Etodolac
• Deracoxib
• Tepoxalin

These drugs are used to reduce pain and inflammation associated with OA. They are generally well tolerated by most dogs, have a low incidence of negative side effects, and can be given long term. 

However if your dog takes them regularly to manage pain, your veterinarian will require annual blood work to make sure the medications aren’t negatively impacting internal organs. In general, aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are not recommended because of toxic side effects.

Additional pain medications that may be prescribed include amantadine, amitriptyline, gabapentin, or tramadol. These medications work synergistically with NSAIDs to provide more complete pain control. Amantadine inhibits pain signals in the nervous system. Amitriptyline works by increasing serotonin for a general feeling of wellbeing. Gabapentin is a muscle relaxant. Lastly, tramadol has opioid-like effects. All of these medications are given orally in pill, capsule, or liquid form. They can also be formulated into tasty chews by a compounding pharmacy.

In some cases, dogs may respond better if they receive different treatments, such as surgical fusion of the affected joint, or periodic injection of medication, stem cells, or platelet-rich plasma into affected joints. Your veterinarian will be your best resource for what is best for your pet.

Tips for Managing Arthritis Pain in Dogs

In addition to managing pain, dogs with arthritis do much better when their owners provide lifestyle modifications, such as:

• Using ramps to get on furniture or in the car
• Providing non-slip rugs on hard surfaces to help the dog get up and not slip and fall
• Providing a supportive sleeping surface that has been clinically proven to reduce pain and improve mobility
• Regularly trimming nails to avoid paw pain and deformity
• Providing appropriate stretching of tight muscles
• Providing appropriate heat and cold therapy on achy joints and muscles
• Providing complementary therapies such as massage, photobiomodulation, piezo-electric therapy, and acupuncture

Dietary Considerations for Dogs With Arthritis

Did you know that dog obesity is the number one risk factor for development of osteoarthritis? It’s true! OA has a vicious, negative cycle with obesity that involves pain that causes inactivity that leads to weight gain that contributes to the development of OA. 

On the flip side, OA leads to inactivity, which leads to weight gain. Both OA and obesity limit a dog’s movement, negatively impact cartilage health, and contribute to shrinking muscles that result in weakness and altered biomechanics, all of which contribute to chronic pain in dogs.

The good news is that weight loss can reverse many of these issues and in some cases, obese dogs can stop having symptoms associated with OA altogether with just weight loss alone. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for a dog to both reduce pain associated with OA and slow progression of the disease is keep them at a healthy weight and if they are overweight, actively pursue weight loss. Foods that are formulated with L-carnitine can facilitate weight loss. If your dog is overweight, work with your vet to create a weight loss plan.

You can also help a dog with OA by feeding a high quality food. Some dogs can benefit from a therapeutic diet that is formulated to improve mobility and reduce pain in dogs that have OA.

While there are many dog joint supplements on the market today, only a few are backed by science to have any benefit for your dog. In general, omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil at a recommended daily amount of 100 mg/kg of combined EPA and DHA are shown to reduce pain in arthritic dogs. 

Other nutraceuticals that have been shown to be clinically helpful include:

• Polysulfated glycosaminoglycans
• Avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASUs)
• Glucosamine hydrochloride
• Chondroitin sulfate
• Boswellia serrata
• CBD oil

When in doubt, always ask your veterinarian for joint supplement recommendations.

Note: Supplements take longer to work than conventional pain meds – up to several weeks in some dogs. If you are using supplements to reduce the dosage of pain medication, monitor your dog’s pain closely and if you want to reduce pain medication, taper slowly under the supervision of a vet.

Arthritic Dog Exercise Plan

Daily movement is key to helping a dog with OA because it strengthens muscles and improves flexibility. As human physical therapists say, motion is lotion! It is recommended to work with a

veterinary canine rehabilitation specialist or veterinarian, at least at the beginning, so you can learn how to do the exercises safely, and create maximum health benefits for your dog. Before you start any exercise program, it is imperative to ensure that your dog’s pain is controlled. 

In general, exercises to help dogs with arthritis should:

• Be daily and consistent
• Condition both front and rear legs and strengthen core muscles
• Include both cardio and strength training
• Be low impact, such as walking and swimming
• Be fun!

If you have the availability, exercising your dog on sand can be a wonderful way to condition your dog. Check out this awesome video on several other exercise options for dogs with OA.

Arthritis in Dogs Treatment: Tips and Advice

Once your dog is started on an arthritis treatment plan, you should expect to start seeing results immediately. Dogs started on pain medications should immediately be able to move better, be happier, sleep better, and enjoy a better quality of life. If you are not seeing improvement immediately, call your veterinarian.

Other results, such as improved strength and endurance, weight loss, and results from joint supplements will take longer, but patience and consistency usually pay off. You will see better long-term results if you pair pain management with weight reduction or control, high quality food and supplements, a supportive sleeping surface, and daily appropriate exercise. If you are not seeing these results within a week or two of starting therapy, contact your veterinarian.

The post Dog Arthritis Treatment Plan: Steps and What to Expect appeared first on Great Pet Care.

We might not fully understand what is going on in their furry noggins as they nap, but cat-loving experts agree—the feline sleep cycle is like mine and yours. You might even catch your furry BFF’s paws haphazardly swatting like there’s an invisible mouse.

So, what does it mean if you see your cat twitching in their sleep? A team of veterinarians get to the bottom of these questions. Plus, they’ve outlined the tell-tale signs that indicate when twitching in cats could be a cause for concern.

What Does Cat Twitching Look Like?

Sleep twitching in cats, like movements in humans when sleeping, can vary. But Dr. Jo Myers, a veterinarian at Vetster, says there are a few hallmark signs that indicate a cat twitching while sleeping isn’t out of the ordinary:

• The twitching stops if you wake your cat up
• It only happens occasionally and only happens when sleeping
• Your cat is acting completely healthy otherwise

A cat’s rapid eye movement (REM) cycle lasts about six minutes, “so harmless twitching could be expected to last this length of time,” says Dr. Alex Avery, a New Zealand-based small animal veterinarian. During this time, you might hear your cat making sleep noises, see a cat tail twitching, or notice that your kitten is trying to suckle.

“Because each cat’s sleep movements vary so much, the best indication something else could be at play is knowing your cat’s normal sleep characteristics and therefore be able to recognize when something out of the ordinary happens,” Dr. Avery says.

Why Do Cats Twitch in Their Sleep?

Humans can experience a range of movements during sleep. When we first fall asleep, we might experience hypnic jerks, or what some call a sleep start. At the end of each 70 to 100-minute sleep cycle, we enter REM sleep—a sleep defined by increased brain activity (aka dreams) that might be accompanied by sleep talking and/or sleep twitching. Some people even experience a sleep disorder that occurs somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, known as sleepwalking.  

“Thankfully, cats don’t ever appear to sleepwalk,” Dr. Avery says. But cats can experience hypnic jerks [2] and have a physiologically similar REM cycle to humans [3].

According to Dr. Cathy Barnette, the notable difference between a cat’s REM stage and a human’s REM stage is timing. While humans have longer periods of REM sleep spaced relatively far apart, cats cycle in and out of REM sleep more quickly.

“During REM sleep, a cat’s body normally goes into a state of complete muscular relaxation, the extent of which varies by individual,” Dr. Avery explains. Some nerve signals might make their way through the sleep paralysis and that’s when you’ll see the twitch of a paw or whisker.

Do Cats Dream?

Cats and humans alike have a specific part of the brain to thank for sleep muscle relaxation. In the 1950s, sleep research pioneer Michel Jouvet took a hands-on approach to manipulate this area of the brain to answer the question, “do cats dream?”

Jouvet’s findings were this: without paradoxical sleep (complete muscular relaxation), cats acted out movements that appeared to mimic waking life activities like walking, stalking prey, and grooming. He called these sleep movements oneiric behavior [4]. Jouvet couldn’t be sure, but because there weren’t outside stimuli causing the movements, he theorized that a cat’s oneiric behavior is a reaction to a dream-like state. 

“Because we can’t yet talk to our cats, we can’t be sure that what they are experiencing during their REM sleep is the same as us,” Avery says. “They may dream in a different way or may be experiencing a similar physiological state in the absence of dreaming.”

In his book “The Paradox of Sleep: The Story of Dreaming” Jouvet concluded, “How can we wake a cat during paradoxical sleep and ask it questions? We cannot, but the discovery and analysis of oneiric behavior would lead us to believe that cats do dream.”

Cat Twitching: When to Contact Your Veterinarian

Dr. Myers and Dr. Avery agree: most sleep twitching is completely harmless. Signs of something more are “generally too profound to be confused with regular sleep twitching.” If your cat is showing any of the following signs, it’s best to schedule a visit to the veterinarian:

• The twitching is involuntary and doesn’t stop when your cat wakes
• The twitching occurs when your cat is asleep and awake
• The twitching is accompanied by other symptoms like difficulty walking, excess drooling, collapse, seizures, or sensitivity when touched near the tail

Dr. Avery adds that cat twitches in sleep could be a sign of feline allergies, like itching from a flea bite. “While your cat may appear completely oblivious to the outside world while they are sleeping, the body is still able to receive messages of what is going on in their surroundings,” he says. “A cat who is itchy while they are sleeping is one who will certainly be itchy when they are awake.”

Cats can also twitch when they’re awake Dr. Myers says. This could happen when they’re excited or stalking their favorite toy mouse. “These types of twitching are all voluntary and can be interrupted,” she says. If your cat is twitching while awake and the twitch can’t be interrupted, your cat could be suffering from toxicity poisoning, a calcium imbalance, epilepsy, or feline hyperesthesia syndrome.

Wondering if your cat twitching in their sleep could be a seizure? “While it’s possible for a seizure to occur when a cat is sleeping, most seizures in cats occur during periods of excitement, such as while eating, during play, or while falling asleep or waking up,” Dr. Myers explains.

Signs that your cat could be experiencing a seizure include:

• Staring into space
• Loss of consciousness
• Collapse onto one side
• Violent spasms of the entire body
• Paddling of the legs and chomping of the mouth
• Excessive salivation
• Uncontrollable urination and/or defecation

“The length of time a seizure lasts depends on what’s causing it,” Dr. Myers explains. “If you think your cat is having a seizure, try waking them up. If it’s sleep twitching, the cat will wake up and act normal.”

If you think your cat is having a seizure, or you’re unsure if your cat’s twitching could be more serious, Dr. Myers suggests writing down observations and recording a video when possible. “The veterinarian will also want to know how often it happens and if your cat is showing any other symptoms. Also tell the veterinarian about any medications, supplements, pesticides, or natural products you use on or around your cat,” she says.

Otherwise, enjoy curling up with your favorite napping feline. If she’s twitching, she’s likely just dreaming of catching mice, eating her favorite meal, or cuddling with you.

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Here are seven telltale signs of an overweight dog, and what to do if you see these signs. 

Overweight Dog: Risks to Know

Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic problem: if a dog is overweight, they are more likely to have painful, chronic disease and less likely to have a long, healthy life. That is because excess weight not only adds more wear and tear to the body, obesity is also an inflammatory and hormonal condition that predisposes dogs to all sorts of diseases. According to data from the American Animal Hospital, obesity predisposes dogs to developing:

• Orthopedic disease, including osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease)
• Chronic inflammation
• Cancer
• Kidney dysfunction
• Respiratory disorders
• Hypertension
• Skin disorders
• Metabolic and endocrine disorders, such as Type II diabetes
• Reduced life expectancy and diminished quality of life

Is My Dog Overweight? 7 Signs to Watch For

Because dogs come in so many shapes and sizes, it can be challenging to determine if your dog is overweight. A healthy weight in a Labrador Retriever will look different than a French Bulldog. However, there are a few signs that are consistent across breeds that give you clues that your dog is carrying too much fat.

Increased Weight on the Scale

This one might seem obvious, but if you notice the pounds creeping up when you weigh your dog or when your dog is weighed at the veterinarian, excess body fat could be causing the increase. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes excess weight gain is due to other medical problems, such as retained body water or a heavy tumor.

Visual Changes in Your Dog’s Body

Visually inspect your dog from the side and above. A dog with a healthy weight should have a waist that tucks up slightly behind the end of the rib cage, at about the midpoint of the trunk. If there is no tuck, then it is likely that your dog is too heavy. 

While this is a good starting point for weight assessment, there are exceptions. For example, older dogs who have been spayed or neutered may have a droopy belly due to a lack of sex hormones, and dogs with heart disease or Cushing’s syndrome may have a bigger belly due to their medical condition.

In addition to looking for visual changes, you can gently feel your dog’s ribs behind their front legs. A dog at a healthy weight should have easily definable ribs that feel like the back of your hand or an antique washboard—even dogs with long or thick fur. A dog who is too heavy will have ribs that feel like your palm. 

Slowing Down on Walks

Dogs who are too heavy have a harder time exercising due to respiratory compromise and degenerative joint disease, both of which are exacerbated by excess body fat. If your dog is slowing down or lagging behind on walks, it could be a weight problem. However, it can also be heart disease or joint disease, so it is always best to talk to your veterinarian if you notice this in your dog. 

Undefined Tail Base

One place that body fat likes to accumulate is around the tail base. A dog with a healthy weight should have clearly defined hip and tail bones around the base of the tail. You should be able to easily feel them, even in dogs that have skin rolls around their tail base, like Frenchies or Pugs. If you can’t easily feel the bones of the base of the tail, your dog might be too heavy. 

Increased Panting

Dogs who are overweight tend to pant more and have less tolerance to heat than fit dogs. If you notice your dog is panting more than usual, in combination with the other signs above, it could be due to weight. Increased panting can also be due to pain, hormonal issues, anxiety, and cardiovascular issues, so be sure to have your dog checked by your veterinarian. 

Reluctant to Climb Stairs and Jump

Overweight dogs have a lot of extra weight to lug around, and if they are too heavy, then they may not want to climb stairs, jump, or play like they used to. Difficulty climbing stairs can be a sign of arthritis pain as well, which is also exacerbated by weight gain.

High Body Condition Score

A veterinarian uses a body condition score to keep track of a dog’s weight because it is an easily measurable and accurate visual tool. Body condition scores are either on a scale of 5 or 9, with 3/5 and 5/9 being healthy weights, and 5/5 and 9/9 equating to obesity. To evaluate your dog’s body condition at home, before your next vet visit, you can try this one from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) or use our dog weight chart above. 

What to Do if Your Dog Is Overweight

If your dog is overweight, then it is time to start a weight loss program for your dog! Here are some tips to help a dog lose weight:

Increase caloric burn. To get a dog to lose weight, they need to burn more calories than they take in. This can be as simple as taking your dog for regular walks that are strategically designed to increase the burn.

Reduce caloric intake. Restrict the amount of calories (especially empty calories from treats) that you feed your dog. If you are unsure of how much to feed, ask your vet—they can give you the exact amount of calories that your dog should be eating daily. Pro tip: ask your vet how much to feed in grams, get a gram scale, and weigh your dog’s food. For best results, it is a very good idea to feed a therapeutic weight loss diet (e.g., Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Weight Loss & Maintenance Dry Dog Food) that is clinically proven to help dogs lose weight safely, as regular diets aren’t designed to be calorie restricted and can lead to micronutrient imbalances.

Regular weigh-ins. Just like WeightWatchers, regular weigh-ins can track your dog’s progress and allow you to make tweaks if necessary. Weigh your dog monthly, either at home or at the vet clinic, and be patient: most dogs will reach their weight loss goals in 3-6 months. 

Get a check-up. Sometimes dogs can have health challenges, like Cushing’s or hypothyroidism, that make it difficult or impossible to lose weight. In addition, dogs can often have joint disease that makes it too painful to exercise regularly. Get a check-up from your vet before starting an exercise program and to make sure your dog doesn’t have any health conditions that will impede weight loss. 

Remember, exercise and caloric restriction have a purpose: you are helping your dog live longer and have a better quality of life. All of your efforts will pay off with more years to love your pet, deepen the bond that you share, and do both of you a world of good. 

The post Is My Dog Overweight? 7 Signs to Watch For appeared first on Great Pet Care.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is an allergic disease that causes inflammation in the lungs, which results in coughing and difficulty breathing. When a person or pet is exposed to something they are allergic to, the airways in the lungs become inflamed. This inflammation causes the airways to constrict and spasm and for fluid to build up in the bronchi and bronchioles, which are the small and large airways of the lungs. All of these airway reactions result in the symptoms associated with an asthma attack. 

Can Dogs Have Asthma?

Yes, any dog can develop asthma. However, it is much less common than asthma in cats or humans. Small, middle-aged dogs seem to be more affected by asthma than other dogs. 

The cause of asthma is the same whether it is in a dog, cat, or human: constricted airways spasm and become filled with fluid, resulting in difficulty breathing. 

Dogs are less likely to become panicked during an asthma attack than a human. Dogs having an asthma attack are more likely to sit or stand quietly and try to breathe with their mouth wide open. 

Common Dog Asthma Triggers

Asthma attacks in dogs can be triggered by anything the dog has an allergic reaction to. Some of the more common environmental allergens that can trigger asthma include:

• Tree and grass pollen
• Mold and mold mites
• Dust and dust mites
• Cat dander
• Scented candles
• Air fresheners
• Hair spray
• Household cleaners
• Smoke, including cigarette smoke
• Insect particles

In addition to the allergens listed above, certain infectious agents, such as heartworms, lungworms, fungus, or bacterial lung infections, can cause allergic reactions in the airways that mimic the signs of asthma. 

Dog Asthma Symptoms

As mentioned, dogs don’t tend to panic during an asthma attack like humans do. They tend to become very focused on getting enough air, and will often become very still, refuse to lie down, and breathe or pant with their mouth open. You may also notice that it looks like they are working very hard to breathe with exaggerated movements of their chest wall trying to move air in and out. Additional signs your dog may be having an asthma attack include:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Blue-tinged or pale gums
• Decreased eating and drinking
• Lagging behind on a walk
• Decreased energy for play or lack of interest in playing
• Laying around more, lethargy

What to Do If Your Dog is Having an Asthma Attack

If you notice your dog having difficulty breathing, blue gums, or wheezing, it is very important to get your dog to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible for evaluation. Asthma attacks are considered a medical emergency. If you can’t get in to see your regular vet, call an emergency clinic. 

It is also important to get your dog seen as soon as possible while they are having an attack because dogs with asthma can be completely normal in between episodes and not show any signs of disease at all. If you can’t get to a veterinary hospital right away, take a video of your dog with your phone so your veterinarian can see what is going on.

If you are just noticing a lack of energy, decreased appetite, and coughing, it may or may not be asthma. You may not need to go to the veterinary clinic right away, but there is still something wrong with your dog, and it is best to call for advice and get an appointment set up on the calendar. In the meantime, monitor your dog, keep them in a cool, quiet environment, watch for any worsening symptoms, and if you notice any, seek emergency care. 

While an asthma attack is often not life threatening, the symptoms of an asthma attack can be confused for other conditions that are life threatening, including heart failure, pneumonia, foreign bodies that are stuck in the windpipe, or pulmonary hypertension. 

Your veterinarian will conduct a full physical exam, including listening to the heart and lungs. They will also want to take radiographs (X-rays) of your dog’s chest. Your veterinarian may also want to check blood work and/or urine and fecal samples for any parasites if they suspect a worm infestation or infection. 

Dog Asthma Treatment 

Treatment of dog asthma consists of immediately reducing airway inflammation and reopening airways so the dog can breathe and over the long term, minimizing exposure to offending allergens. 

To help dogs who are having an asthma attack breathe, oxygen may be administered. Medication that opens airways (bronchodilators) and reduces inflammation (steroids) is used. Bronchodilators may be prescribed in pill form, or they may be in an inhalant form. Dogs who have repeated problems with asthma can have a special inhaler created for them that fits to their face. Antihistamines are also used to stop the allergic reaction. 

If a dog has airway inflammation due to worms or other infections, then additional treatment will be aimed at resolving those conditions as well. 

How to Prevent Dog Asthma Attacks

As best as possible, remove any triggers from your dog’s environment that cause asthmatic episodes. Strategies to avoid dog asthma attacks include: 

• Changing furnace and air conditioner filters on a regular basis and using high efficiency air filters on your indoor air exchange and vacuum cleaners 
• Stopping smoking inside 
• Removing carpeting where possible and replacing with hard flooring
• Washing pet bedding regularly with hot water or sanitize cycles and using unscented detergent
• Keeping your dog up-to-date on parasite control
• Talking to your veterinarian about seasonal usage of antihistamines, if your dog has seasonal asthma

The post Can Dogs Have Asthma? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Like humans, dogs can experience a range of issues that impact their eyes, from dry eye and allergies to glaucoma and infections. Eye drops are one of the most common treatments for these types of dog eye problems.

Eye Drops for Dogs: Why Your Dog Might Need Them

Your veterinarian may suggest eye drops to treat a variety of conditions, according to Dr. Terri L. Baldwin, veterinary ophthalmologist at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Clearwater, Florida. Let’s go over some of the more common eye conditions that may require eye drops.

Dry Eye

An autoimmune disease, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (AKA dry eye) causes decreased tear production that dries out the eyes. Tears provide essential lubrication to the eyes, and without tears, dogs can experience redness and irritation and ultimately blindness.

“Medicated eye drops are necessary to stop the autoimmune attack on the lacrimal [tear] gland so that the tear gland can produce tears normally on its own,” Baldwin explains. “Until the tear numbers are normal, artificial tears are used to replace the tear film and lubricate the eye.”

Eye Infections

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can cause dog eye infections that lead to symptoms like redness, swelling, yellow or green discharge, light sensitivity, and squinting. In cases like this, Baldwin says dog eye infection drops prescribed by a veterinarian are necessary and “may need to be applied as often as hourly to eliminate the infection.”

Allergies

Your pup can be allergic to anything from pollen to certain foods, and two different kinds of allergy eye drops for dogs are used to treat symptoms like itching, redness, swelling, and excessive tearing.

According to Baldwin, antihistamine eye drops interfere with the cellular response to pollen and allergens to prevent allergic inflammation, while topical anti-inflammatory eye drops – including both nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and steroidal anti-inflammatory medications – reduce inflammation.  

Glaucoma

Glaucoma increases the pressure in the eye, causing pain, watery discharge, and swelling in the eyeball. Without treatment, glaucoma can also lead to blindness. Baldwin explains that eye drops help reduce the amount of fluid produced inside the eye or increase the outflow of fluid from the eye. 

Eye Drop Frequency for Dogs

When it comes to how long you’ll need to administer eye drops for, it really depends on the issue. For an acute condition like an infection, your dog may only need eye drops for a short period of time. Chronic conditions like allergies, dry eye, and glaucoma may require ongoing eye drop treatment to help alleviate symptoms.

Types of Eye Drops for Dogs

There are a number of different eye drops available to treat canine eye issues. These include:

• Antimicrobials (antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals)
• Steroids
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
• Immunosuppressants
• Tear stimulants
• Tear replacers
• Hypertonic saline

Almost all of these eye drops are only available with a prescription. Baldwin notes that while over-the-counter eye drops for dogs do exist, it’s rare to use them to treat dogs.

How to Use Dog Eye Drops

The directions for dog eye drops will vary depending on the medication and issue, but Baldwin offers some general guidelines for the effective use of eye drops for dogs.

Wait five minutes in between drops. The eye absorbs 95 percent of the medication in the first five minutes after drops are given. If dogs need multiple drops, wait five minutes to let the first drop absorb before giving the second drop.

Do not touch the applicator to the eye. This helps keep the applicator tip clean, prevents the spread of infection, and eliminates the risk of injury.

Check the expiration date. You should never give your pet expired medications, including eye drops.

Precautions When Using Dog Eye Drops

As with all prescription medications, Baldwin stresses the importance of using eye drops for dogs as directed — and once you start using them, monitor your dog for any side effects. If the symptoms worsen or don’t improve, call your veterinarian for a recheck.

In multi-dog households, establish a “paws off” rule when it comes to sharing dog eye drops. It’s possible for the dropper to pass infections between dogs, so each pup should have their own eye drops.

Can You Use Human Eye Drops on Dogs?

Yes! “Most of the medications we use on dogs are human eye drops,” Baldwin says. “Very few are actually made specifically for dogs.” 

However, it’s important to note that you should only use human eye drops for dogs when instructed by your veterinarian. Do not assume it’s safe to purchase over-the-counter eye drops for your dog at the drugstore.  

Baldwin explains that there are some human eye drops that can cause systemic side effects in dogs, so it’s crucial to only use ones that have been prescribed to your pet specifically.

Best Prescription Eye Drops for Dogs

All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the author. However, GreatPetCare may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Because every eye issue (and every dog) is different, your veterinarian is the best resource for learning about the eye drops that are best for your dog. If over-the-counter drops will suffice, they’ll let you know. However, some eye issues call for prescription drops, like Ofloxacin Ophthalmic Solution 0.3%.

Veterinarians may prescribe Ofloxacin (also sold under the name Ocuflox) to treat bacterial infections or corneal ulcers. These eye drops are FDA-approved for humans and used “off-label” in veterinary medicine. You need a prescription from your veterinarian for these drops. 

Pros 

• Fast acting
• Sterile ophthalmic solution is easy to administer
• Clears bacterial eye infections and alleviates symptoms like pain, swelling, and itching

Cons

• Only used to treat bacterial infections; ineffective for other eye conditions
• Must be used under veterinary supervision
• Should be stored at room temperature

The post Eye Drops for Dogs: Types and How to Use Them appeared first on Great Pet Care.

On the other hand, we all know some cats can also be aloof and/or territorial. The latter characteristics are often tricky when it comes to introductions, whether to a new cat or other new pet, or even other people. 

“It’s important to note that cat introductions can be very challenging and time-consuming,” says Dr. Audrey Wystrach, co-founder and co-CEO of Petfolk animal clinics. “It’s a process that requires time and patience.” 

Here are some things to keep in mind if your cat has some introductions coming up in the future.

Introducing Cats: The Basics

Whenever your cat will be around new cats, it’s essential that you observe your feline friend’s cues. 

“It’s very important to pay attention to the details when introducing your cat to another animal or person, because your ability to understand what your cat is experiencing and feeling is imperative for their comfort and happiness,” says Lauren Parsch, a certified cat behaviorist and practicing cat behavior consultant. “If they’re experiencing discomfort or viewing the interaction as negative, this is going to shape their future experiences and relationships with this person or animal, and potentially even with other people or animals.”

Getting that first introduction right is important, so be sure to research the steps to take both ahead of time and during to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. 

First, if your cat generally spends a lot of time under the bed or couch, in the closet or squeezed above the fridge, Parsch suggests working to build up their confidence and lessen their fear level before trying to introduce them to other cats.

If you do believe your cat is ready to meet another feline, check out our essential techniques to implement when introducing them. For example, designating a safe space for any new pet entering the picture is crucial, as is making sure your current cat has all the things that make them feel safe and happy readily available when the introduction occurs. 

5 Warning Signs When Introducing Cats

Once you have a plan for cats to meet, be on the lookout for the following warning signs when introducing cats that may signal trouble is afoot:

Negative Body Language

Our cats tell us a lot about what they’re thinking with just a few small moves. For example, “the most common dynamic that will develop between cats is the prey and predator dynamic,” says Parsch. “Cats are both prey and predator in the wild, so it’s very instinctual for them to assume one of the roles.” 

Your cat might display the following prey-type body language upon seeing — or even just smelling — another animal or strange person. These can all be signs of a fearful, anxious, or defensive cat:

• Hunched position 
• Dilated pupils
• Ears down or flattened
• Tucked tail
• Arched back/puffed fur (this is an extreme case, says Parsch, and likely an effort to make themselves look bigger)

Hiding

A cat that’s hiding is often doing so for one of two reasons:

Stress. If your cat is hiding underneath the furniture or on top of the fridge, they’re likely stressed out from a new introduction. This is particularly dangerous, since “cats can even develop stress-related inflammation in their urinary tract that can mimic the signs of urinary tract infections,” explains Parsch.

Playtime. On the flip side, a cat that’s hiding behind something — likely combined with other movements like getting low to the ground, dilated pupils, forward ears, tail tapping or twitching, and a wiggling butt — is probably preparing to pounce in a playful way, like they would with a toy. 

Verbal Cues

The following cat verbal cues are warning signs when introducing cats. Most often associated with anger or fear:

• Growling
• Hissing
• Spitting
• Swatting

Be sure to take note of any of these noises – or any combination of them – when making your introductions. If you notice any negative verbal cues, stop the introductions and try again another time.  

Urine Issues

Cats may develop litter box avoidance or urine marking habits when they feel threatened. “Cats identify and interact with their surroundings largely through scent,” says Parsch. “Urine marking is a desperate attempt for a cat to feel safe and claim a sense of ownership over their territory.” 

For example:

Litter box problems. When introducing a new animal or human, your current cat may spray or urinate outside of their litter box.

Urine marking. They may also urinate on items and areas that heavily hold the cat parents’ scent, like the sofa, the bed, or their shoes, as a means of marking their territory.

Resource Guarding

If your cat feels there aren’t enough resources to go around, they may resort to blocking the newcomer from having access to certain things. 

Signs of resource guarding may include:

• Laying across doorways/entryways
• Blocking entrances to the litter box
• Blocking food or water
• Using intimidating body language (like puffing up or arching) and hissing to get another animal away from a coveted resting spot

Prey or Play: How To Tell The Difference

It can often be difficult to tell the difference between a cat that’s playing and a cat that’s fearful or exhibiting dangerous behavior. 

For example, “a cat that’s growling or hissing is usually demonstrating a fear response and is assuming the role of the prey,” says Parsch. “If they decide to run and try to hide, this can trigger a predator response in the other cat, who will instinctually chase the prey cat. The other cat could then act in an aggressive way, or a playful one.” 

Talking to your veterinarian or having a cat behavior professional examine your cat’s body language can help you further determine their true intention.

Introducing Cats: What to Do When It Goes Wrong

Although a little hissing or growling is normal, Parsch suggests redirecting your cat’s attention to something positive if you notice warning signs when introducing cats. “If they continue hissing or growling [and] have the body language mentioned previously, and you’re unable to draw their attention from the other cat with food or a toy, separate them right away,” she advises. “It’s much easier to keep the exposure very short and sweet than to try to push it and create a negative association.”

In general, the goal should always be to build up positive experiences with that person or animal.

How to Tell When it’s OK to Try Again

After an introduction has gone awry, it can be difficult to determine when to try again. Much of it will depend on whether an actual fight occurred between the two animals, says Parsch. 

“Once a fight breaks out, it’s going to be more difficult to backtrack,” she explains. That’s why your goal during any introduction should always be to pay attention to signs — even subtle ones — and stop extreme behavior from occurring in the first place.

If a fight doesn’t break out, try separating your cat from the new cat for awhile. If they can still smell each other and there are no signs of agitation from either one, you can try again. 

To help animals smell each other when separated, “use a soft brush or clean sock and gently stroke the face, head and shoulders — where the cat secretes its friendliest pheromones — of one of the cats, and then present the brush to the other cat,” suggests Parsch. “If there are no signs of hostility or fear from either cat when presented with the other cat’s smell, you can try to restart the introduction process.”

In general, keep in mind that it’s better to go too slow than to go too fast when introducing your cat to another cat. This makes it easier to always stay one step ahead of those warning signs. Good luck!

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These days, graham crackers are a staple ingredient for s’mores and school lunches – and, dare we say, the perfect pairing with peanut butter.

If you’ve found yourself munching on graham crackers and felt tempted to feed one to your begging pup, you’ve probably wondered: “can dogs eat graham crackers?” Or even, “are graham crackers bad for dogs?”

These are smart questions for any pet parent to ask themselves. After all, there are many foods that are toxic to dogs. So where do graham crackers fall on the scale of safe to dangerous? Here’s everything you need to know about dogs and graham crackers.

Can Dogs Eat Graham Crackers?

Short answer: yes!

“Graham crackers are not bad for dogs, but they also contain ingredients that pets don’t need (like honey and sugar) and are a little higher in calories than an equivalent crunchy dog biscuit,” says Dr. Danielle Bernal, global veterinarian with Wellness Pet Food. “For these reasons, they can be best thought of as ‘okay’ for a one-off treat.”

She adds that in general, it’s best to give dogs a lower calorie, meat-rich treat, which is the better alternative for a dog’s health and wellbeing. But if you happen to be eating a graham cracker and a piece falls on the ground, your pup can go ahead and enjoy!

Can Dogs Eat Honey Graham Crackers?

Yep, graham crackers with honey also get a thumbs up from Dr. Bernal.

“These are okay as a one-off treat, but there are better alternatives that will deliver less calories and better-quality ingredients that support dogs’ nutrition,” she says.

Honey is generally safe for dogs in small amounts.

Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon Graham Crackers?

Not to worry! If your pup downs a graham cracker with cinnamon, you’re in the clear. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, cinnamon is not toxic to dogs. They do note that it may cause negative effects if your pup ingests greater than 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder – but keep in mind that’s way more than what may be sprinkled on your graham cracker.

Are Graham Crackers Good for Dogs?

Okay, so we’ve established that dogs can eat graham crackers, but it’s important to call out that ultimately, graham crackers are not good for dogs.

“There are no toxic ingredients in graham crackers, but they are higher in calories than other dog treats and are not complete and balanced,” says Dr. Bernal. “So keeping these treats in moderation is a good rule of thumb to ensure the health of your dog.”

She points out that pet parents should make sure that any treat (graham crackers included), should not contribute any more than 10 percent of total nutritional intake. 

“For a 22 pound dog, their approximate intake is 400 calories a day. So if one graham cracker rectangle is 59 calories, that 10 percent rule means that they should only receive closer to 2/3 of that cracker,” adds Dr. Bernal.

Since graham crackers are higher in sugar, they can also be a problem for dogs who are overweight, obese, or dealing with diabetes.

“Sticking to a moderate serving is key to ensure pets maintain a healthy weight,” says Dr. Bernal.

Plus, the sugar in graham crackers also isn’t great for your dog’s teeth since it can lead to tooth decay.

And if you find yourself eating sugar-free graham crackers that contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, do not feed these to your pup, as xylitol is toxic to dogs.

Another thing to consider: if you are making s’mores with your graham crackers, be sure that your dog does not get a hold of one. 

“Chocolate can be toxic for dogs, and marshmallows certainly aren’t good for dogs,” says Dr. Bernal. “Made from sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, vanilla extract, and coated with either cornstarch or confectioners’ sugar, marshmallows contain very little, if any, nutritional value or health benefits for dogs.”

Graham Crackers and Dogs: The Verdict

Bottom line: if you drop a graham cracker and your dog scarfs it down, you don’t have to worry that they will get sick. However, you shouldn’t get in a habit of regularly feeding graham crackers to your dog. Stick to treats made specifically for them when you can.

“Dogs aren’t little people,” says Dr. Bernal, “so keeping them on dog biscuits instead of graham crackers is always a good idea.”

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What is Scabies?

Scabies is a catch-all term for the itchy skin disease caused by burrowing microscopic skin parasites called mites. Scabies can also be called sarcoptic mange. Dogs and cats are both susceptible to scabies. The parasite species that most often targets dogs (Sarcoptes scabei canis) is different from the species that tends to target cats (Notoedres cati). However, both species come from the same family of Sarcoptic mites.  

In cats, Notoedres mites cause intense itching, hair loss, and redness. These mites are considered highly contagious — if one cat contracts scabies mites, usually all cats in the household are affected. 

Unfortunately, Notoedres mites can pose a risk to other members of the household, too. Humans who come into close contact with a mite-infested cat can develop an itchy, bumpy rash, typically on their arms, chest, or belly. Humans that are bitten by Notoedres mites are not considered contagious, however. And human symptoms usually resolve once the cat is treated. 

What Causes Scabies in Cats?

Scabies mites are transmitted from cat to cat when the cats are in direct contact with each other, and all cats in contact with Notoedres mites typically develop symptoms. Cats usually start to display symptoms of scabies a few weeks to a month after they become infested with mites. The mites cause itching and other skin problems when they burrow through the skin between hair follicles. Female mites lay 3-4 eggs per day in the burrows they create. The eggs hatch after 4-5 days, then the larvae crawl to the surface of the skin and dig their own burrow. The mites then molt, grow, dig more burrows in the skin, and become reproducing adults within 15 days. 

Scabies is common in large feral cat populations. And while Notoedres mites only reproduce on cats, they have also been known to bite dogs, lynx, tigers, ocelots, foxes, rabbits, raccoons, coatis, bobcats, and humans. 

Scabies mites are only considered contagious when they are on a cat because they die very quickly when deprived of their feline host. So there’s not much risk of environmental contamination since they can’t go from one host species to another, like some other parasites can. 

However, a scabies mite could transfer from your cat to you accidentally and bite you before it dies. So, if your cat is infested, it is still a good idea to wash all their bedding and avoid handling them.

Symptoms of Scabies in Cats

Scabies is a very itchy, non-seasonal skin disease. After a cat has direct contact with another cat that has scabies mites, they may initially experience only mild itchiness. But, generally, itching becomes more intense the longer a cat is infested. 

Cats that are infested for a long period of time develop hypersensitivity to the mites, which is what makes the itching worse. Some cats can become infected without developing itchy skin, but this is rare. 

Additional signs of scabies in cats to look for include:

• Itching, crusting, and bumps that first appear along the margin of the ear and spread to the eyelids, face, and neck
• Itching, crusting, and bumps on the  legs, feet, and perineum (spread through self-grooming)
• Intense scratching; some cats scratch themselves raw to relieve the itchiness of scabies
• Long-term mite infestations can lead to thickened, rough skin covered with gray-yellow crust
• Widespread hair loss
• Enlarged peripheral lymph nodes, as the cat’s immune system tries to fight off severe infestations
• Lethargy, weight loss, fever, and debilitation in severe cases

How to Diagnose Scabies and Mange in Cats

Fortunately, feline scabies is easy to diagnose and treat once your cat undergoes a veterinary examination. Your veterinarian will conduct a physical exam and most likely use a skin scraping to confirm the diagnosis. In this case, your veterinarian may collect a sample from the skin and put it under the microscope to confirm the presence of mites. 

Some veterinarians may request a fecal sample, since cats often ingest mites while self-grooming, which then can be detected in their waste. 

Cat Scabies and Mange Treatment 

Notoedres mites, once diagnosed on a cat, are easy to treat, and there are several products available that can rid your cat of mites. It is important to treat your cat for scabies if they ever become infested, as the disease is highly contagious among cats, will usually get worse if untreated, and can cause serious pain and suffering in your cat. 

Different treatment options that may be prescribed by veterinarians for cats with scabies include:

• Ivermectin injected under the skin every other week for two to three treatments
• Off-label use of selamectin (present in a product called Revolution) applied every two weeks for three applications
• Fipronil (present in several veterinarian-prescribed products, including Frontline Plus for cats)
• Imidacloprid/moxidectin (Advantage Multi)
• Lime sulfur rinses once a week for six to eight weeks (less commonly used because it’s very smelly, stains, and requires a cat to be shaved)
• Amitraz rinses weekly for three weeks (less commonly used due to negative side effects)
• For cats with secondary bacterial infections and intense itching, antibiotics and steroids or Apoquel may also be prescribed

All cats in the household, regardless of whether they are showing symptoms or not, should be treated for scabies mites. 

General Cost of Scabies Treatment for Cats 

The general cost of a veterinary appointment for scabies including a physical examination and skin scraping test can range from $50-$100. The general cost of treatment depends on which medication is prescribed and can range from $35-$150. 

How to Prevent Scabies in Cats

The good news is that feline scabies can typically be prevented by simply using a monthly flea and tick prevention that also protects against mites. Several of the products listed above to treat mites, including Revolution, Advantage Multi, and Frontline for Cats, are also used for flea and tick prevention. So you can protect your cat against several parasites, including mites, with one product. 

In addition to flea and tick prevention, one surefire way to protect your cat against mites is to keep your cat indoors only, or only let your cat outside while supervised or in an enclosure like a Catio. This ensures that your cat will not come into contact with any roaming cats that might be infested with scabies mites. 

Related Conditions: 

• Pyoderma
• Bacterial folliculitis
• Miliary dermatitis

This disease can also be confused with:

• Cutaneous adverse reactions to food (food allergies)
• Ringworm
• Demodex
• Malassezia dermatitis
• Chiggers (trombiculosis)
• Cheyletiellosis
• Otodectic dermatitis
• Autoimmune disorders (pemphigus)

The post Scabies in Cats appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Learn how to recognize rectal prolapse in dogs, what to do if it happens, and steps you can take to prevent one from happening in the first place. 

What Is Rectal Prolapse in Dogs?

Rectal prolapse is the term for when a dog’s rectum protrudes out of the body through the anus. 

It can happen one time (acute rectal prolapse), intermittently, or be a chronic condition that dogs experience throughout their lives. Young dogs that have diarrhea due to intestinal parasites will strain, which can cause rectal prolapse more commonly in this group of dogs.

Rectal prolapse is classified by veterinarians in two ways:

Incomplete rectal prolapse: This is when only the innermost part of the rectum protrudes out of the anus. Incomplete rectal prolapse can occur intermittently, and appears worse when the dog is defecating or straining to defecate. 

Complete rectal prolapse: This is when the entire rectum protrudes out of the anus. Complete rectal prolapse looks like a red, irritated tube that is sticking out of a dog’s anus.  Complete rectal prolapse is a serious threat to a dog’s health, as it can prevent stool from passing. This is considered a medical emergency. 

Fortunately, most dogs respond well to treatment and recover fully from this condition.

What Causes Rectal Prolapse in Dogs?

The most common cause of rectal prolapse is straining to defecate, either from constipation or diarrhea. Dogs can also strain to defecate if they are trying to pass a foreign object, like a sock or chewed up toy. 

Other causes of rectal prolapse include:

• Internal parasites, including hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, coccidia, and Giardia
• Rectal diverticulum ( a herniated pouch in the rectum)
• Proctitis (inflammation of the rectum)
• Rectal or anal tumors, which can cause straining and/or weakened tissues
• Urinary problems, like cystitis (bladder inflammation), urinary stones, or a blocked urethra
• Prostate problems, like prostatic hypertrophy or prostatitis
• Dystocia (meaning difficult birth), when mother dogs have to push very hard to get their puppies out 
• Surgery on the anus or perineum

Symptoms of Dog Rectal Prolapse

The most obvious sign that your dog is experiencing a rectal prolapse is seeing a red tube-like mass at the opening of their anus that is not supposed to be there. The red mass is either intermittent after a dog defecates in a partial prolapse, or it is persistently present in a complete prolapse.

Your dog might try to lick or bite the mass if it is painful, or they might scoot their butt, which can cause bleeding.

A dog that is experiencing rectal prolapse is also often straining to defecate. The medical word for straining to defecate is tenesmus, and dogs that are experiencing tenesmus will posture with a hunched back like they want to defecate, but nothing comes out.

If it isn’t treated, complete rectal prolapse can go from looking like a red tube-like mass to dark blue or black, which indicates that the tissue of the rectum is dying or already dead. This is a serious threat to your dog’s health. 

How to Diagnose Rectal Prolapse in Dogs

To diagnose a rectal prolapse, a veterinarian will conduct a full physical examination of your dog, including a rectal exam. During a rectal exam, a vet will insert a gloved finger into the anus to palpate, or feel the structures and determine the exact problem. Rectal examination can rule out other issues, like stuck foreign bodies, impacted anal glands, or tumors. 

Most times, a rectal prolapse is caused by another underlying medical condition. Resolving rectal prolapse requires also figuring out what that underlying condition is. This may require additional testing. 

Additional tests that may be ordered include a fecal (poop) exam to look for parasites, blood and urine testing, or imaging with radiographs (X-ray) or abdominal ultrasound. If a dog is repeatedly having problems with rectal prolapse, a colonoscopy may be recommended. 

Treatment for Rectal Prolapse in Dogs

Mild, incomplete rectal prolapse may resolve on its own if the underlying cause has stopped.

If your dog is experiencing an incomplete or intermittent rectal prolapse with periods where the anus looks normal, you still need to get to a veterinarian as soon as possible to prevent the problem from getting worse.

Complete rectal prolapse is considered an emergency and requires immediate veterinary care to prevent further damage to rectal tissues. 

If your dog is experiencing a persistent rectal prolapse, apply petroleum jelly, saline, water, or water-based lube to the mass, and gently cover it with a moist cloth. This will protect the rectal tissue from drying out before your veterinarian can treat it.

To correct a rectal prolapse, your veterinarian will gently replace protruding rectal tissue through the anus with the use of lubricants and gentle massage. Your dog will (in most cases) be sedated, anesthetized, or receive an epidural for this procedure because it is not comfortable. If there is severe swelling of rectal tissue, then medication is often applied to the tissue before it is replaced.

Once the rectal prolapse is corrected, a veterinarian will usually put sutures in the anus to keep it from prolapsing again. These sutures are tight enough to prevent prolapse, but loose enough to allow stool to pass. Sutures are generally removed 3-7 days later.

Dogs will usually be discharged on pain medication and stool softeners to decrease straining. A low residue dog food, which means that it creates less stool, may also be prescribed. 

If the rectal tissue is damaged beyond repair, a veterinarian will surgically remove the tissue and connect the anus to healthy rectal tissue. 

In rare cases, if a dog has recurrent problems with rectal prolapse or straining that doesn’t respond to treatment, colopexy may be recommended. Colopexy is a surgical procedure where the large intestine is attached to the abdominal wall.

If your dog has surgery, it is very important to follow your aftercare instructions from your veterinarian carefully. If your dog doesn’t heal correctly, complications can occur, such as the surgical site opening up, narrowing of the rectum, or fecal incontinence.

Other than correcting the prolapse, the most important part of treating rectal prolapse is to identify and resolve the underlying cause. Treatment of the underlying cause depends on what it is. Parasites are treated with a dewormer, colitis is treated with a bland diet, probiotics and medication, etc.

General cost for treatment of rectal prolapse depends on the severity, whether surgery is required, and what the underlying cause is. Minor cases that are caused by intestinal parasites can cost a few hundred dollars to correct. However, major surgery for rectal prolapse can cost several thousand dollars.

How to Prevent Rectal Prolapse in Dogs

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce your dog’s risk of a rectal prolapse:

Treat straining and diarrhea quickly. If you notice your dog straining to defecate or having diarrhea, see a veterinarian as soon as possible to resolve the problem.

Feed a healthy diet. Feed your dog a complete and balanced dog food, and reduce or completely eliminate treats that could cause diarrhea.

Keep up on wellness exams. Have your dog examined by a veterinarian every year, including a rectal exam.

Prevent intestinal parasites. Keep your dog free of intestinal parasites by using a monthly preventative from your veterinarian

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Alopecia in dogs is the medical term for hair loss. Alopecia is different from shedding because it results in baldness, whereas shedding does not. Shedding is often considered a normal process in dogs, and is caused by seasonal changes or stress. 

A dog losing hair for reasons besides shedding is not normal. We’ll explore the different causes of alopecia in dogs and how you can help your dog if you notice hair loss. 

What Is Alopecia in Dogs?

Alopecia in dogs is characterized by complete or partial loss of hair or fur in areas where hair is normally present. 

It is usually caused by an underlying medical problem, either associated directly with the skin or indirectly through problems with metabolism, hormones, the immune system, or the blood and lymphatic system. 

Alopecia is a very common disorder in dogs. Some breeds are predisposed to genetic causes of alopecia (which we’ll discuss in more detail below).

Types of Alopecia in Dogs

There are three main categories of alopecia in dogs that can help you determine why your dog is losing hair. These include:

Multifocal Alopecia. This is when dogs lose hair in multiple areas of their body. 

Symmetrical Alopecia. This is when dogs lose hair on both sides of their body in a symmetrical pattern.

Patchy/Diffuse Alopecia. This is when dogs lose hair in patches or all over the body.

Symptoms of Alopecia in Dogs

The main symptom of alopecia in dogs is simply baldness where there was hair or fur before. 

Beyond that, veterinarians use clues like what part of the body is affected, if the dog is itchy or the skin is inflamed, and the breed of the dog to determine the cause of hair loss. 

Dogs that are losing hair due to medical issues with hormones or immune disorders may have additional symptoms, such as:

• Weight loss or weight gain
• Changes in appetite
• Increased thirst and urination
• Decreased energy
• Skin or urinary infections
• Crusty noses or eyelids

Why Is My Dog Losing Hair?

A veterinarian can help you determine why your dog is losing hair and the cause of your dog’s alopecia. Below are some common causes of hair loss in dogs:

Demodex Skin Mites

Demodex mites can cause one small area of hair loss, multiple small patches of hair loss, or complete hair loss. Dogs infested with demodex mites may or may not be itchy, and their skin may be swollen, red and crusty or look completely normal.

Ringworm 

Ringworm causes hair loss in one small area or multiple areas. It also causes scaly skin, redness, but it may not be circular.

Cushing’s Disease

Dogs with Cusing’s disease often show signs of symmetrical alopecia. This includes hair loss on the body, bacterial skin infections, and blackheads.

Bacterial Infections 

Bacterial infections of hair follicles with Staphylococcus can cause circular hair loss with redness, crusting, and dark bumps. 

Vaccines

Injections with vaccines or medication can cause localized inflammation and hair loss for 2-3 months after injection.

Inflamed Glands

Inflamed sebaceous glands in the skin of short-coated breeds can cause hair loss and crusty skin.

Hypothyroidism

When a dog’s thyroid is underactive, hair loss and balding can be a symptom of the disease. 

Cancer

Dogs with lymphoma may display hair loss on the body with scaling and intense skin redness. These areas may later form plaques and nodules on the skin. 

Keratinization Disorders

These disorders are associated with excessive dandruff and greasy skin, which may lead to hair loss in dogs. 

Breed Predispositions for Hair Loss

Certain breeds may experience alopecia due to their genetics. The following are hair loss disorders and breeds who are predisposed to them:

• Breed-related alopecia. This is seen in hairless breeds, such as the Chinese Crested Terrier, Mexican Hairless, Inca Hairless, Peruvian Inca Orchid, and American Hairless Terrier.

• Hypotrichosis. This is a birth defect when hair does not grow normally. It is seen in Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Whippets, Beagles, French Bulldogs, Yorkshire Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Belgian Shepherds, Bichon Frise, Basset Hounds, and Lhasa Apsos.

• Color dilution alopecia. This is another genetic disorder seen in fawn or blue Doberman Pinschers, cream Chow Chows, blonde Irish Setters, blue Pit Bull Terriers, silver Labradors, and other breeds with dilute coat colors.

• Cyclical flank alopecia. This is seen in Boxers, English Bulldogs, and Airedale Terriers.

• Pinnal alopecia. This is alopecia on the tips of the ears. It is seen in Greyhounds, American Water Spaniels, Dachshunds, Boston Terriers, Portuguese Water Spaniels, Whippets, Italian Greyhounds, Chihuahuas, and Manchester Terriers.

• Alopecia X. This is also known as growth-hormone responsive alopecia. It is characterized by hyperpigmented skin on a dog’s neck and body. Alopecia X is most often seen in Pomeranians, Akitas, Chow Chows, Keeshonds, Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds, and Alaskan Malamutes. 

Diagnosing the Cause of Dog Hair Loss

If your dog is losing hair, the best thing to do is go to a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. 

A veterinarian will ask you questions about your dog and conduct a full physical examination. They can often get clues from the pattern of hair loss and whether the dog’s skin is itchy and inflamed.

Alopecia can be further diagnosed by the location on the body where hair is being lost. For instance, pinnal alopecia occurs on a dog’s ear tips; traction alopecia occurs on the top of the head due to a dog wearing rubber bands or barrettes that are too tight; and dermatomyositis is alopecia on the face, ear tips, tail, and feet. 

However, if your veterinarian thinks there is an underlying medical cause like hormonal disorders or cancer that is causing your dog’s hair loss, they will likely want to run some additional laboratory tests. 

Additional tests that may be ordered include:

• Blood and urine tests
• Skin scraping
• Fungal culture for ringworm
• Black light exam for ringworm
• Thyroid testing
• Testing for Cushing’s syndrome
• Other hormonal testing
• Skin biopsy

Cost of testing varies depending on what is the underlying cause: simple tests for ringworm cost less than $100. Hormonal testing or skin biopsies can run several hundred dollars.

How to Treat Alopecia in Dogs

Treatment for a dog losing hair depends on what is causing the alopecia. 

If alopecia is due to mites, the first step in treatment is eradicating the mites. If your dog’s hair loss is due to ringworm, then antifungals are required. If the cause is inflamed hair follicles and auto-immune skin disorders, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, and/or special shampoos may be prescribed. 

Other treatments may include hormones, spay/neuter surgeries, retinoids, or melatonin. It all depends on what is causing the hair loss. 

How to Prevent Hair Loss in Dogs

While not all causes of alopecia in dogs can be prevented, there are several measures you can take to ensure your dog doesn’t lose their hair:

Purchase puppies from reputable breeders. These breeders should guarantee their breeding stock to be free of genetic disorders that cause alopecia by showing you test results and offering a health guarantee.

Use flea and tick prevention. Use appropriate flea and tick control that also protects dogs against mites (ask your veterinarian).

Feed the right food. Feed your dog a complete and balanced diet. Proper nutrition supports overall skin and coat health, which can decrease excess oil production and reduce chances of bacterial infections.

Avoid hair accessories. Do not use tight rubber bands or barrettes in your dog’s hair.

Treat hormonal disorders. If your dog is diagnosed with a hormonal disorder like hypothyroidism or Cushing’s, have them treated appropriately to avoid losing hair.

The post Dog Losing Hair: 10 Causes and How to Help appeared first on Great Pet Care.

One eye issue that dogs can experience are corneal ulcers. While a dog eye ulcer can happen in any dog, they are more common in dogs with dry eyes and brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds with prominent eyes. 

In this article we will go over everything you need to know about dog eye ulcers, what to do if it happens to your dog, and how to prevent corneal ulcers.

What is a Dog Eye Ulcer?

Corneal ulcers, or dog eye ulcers, are caused when inflammation of the cornea (the clear, front surface of the eye) causes an open sore on the surface of the cornea. Dog eye ulcers can happen in any breed or age of dog, though brachycephalic dog breeds with prominent eyes, such as Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, and Boxers, are predisposed to this disease condition. 

Dog eye ulcers are very painful and require immediate treatment once noticed. They can occur all of a sudden (acutely) or be a chronic problem. Corneal ulcers can be superficial or deep, and uncomplicated or complicated.

Superficial corneal ulcers are shallow erosions of the surface of the cornea, and heal within 5-7 days with treatment.

Deep corneal ulcers can extend all the way through the cornea and put a dog at risk for a ruptured eyeball. Deep ulcers take longer to heal, and may require surgery.

Uncomplicated corneal ulcers are usually superficial and due to trauma, and respond well to medical treatment, healing in 5-7 days.

Complicated corneal ulcers usually have an underlying cause that prevents them from healing, and require the underlying cause to be resolved before the ulcer can heal. 

Causes of Dog Eye Ulcers

The most common cause of dog eye ulcers is trauma to the eye. Trauma can be due to the eye being hit by something or something getting stuck in the eye, like a splinter or sharp grass seed. 

Additional causes of corneal ulcers can include:

• Eyelids roll in (entropion) or out (ectropion)
• Hair that grows on conjunctiva and rubs on the surface of the eye (ectopic cilia)
•  Eyelashes that grow inward and rub on the eye (distichiasis)
• Hair that is growing around the eye that rubs on the eye (trichiasis)
• Eyelid tumors
• An inability to completely close the eye that results in drying out the eye (lagophthalmos)
• Insufficient tear production associated with keratitis conjunctivitis sicca (KCS), commonly known as dry eye
• Bacterial or viral infection
• Corneal defects
• Chemical burns 

Symptoms of Eye Ulcers in Dogs

Signs of a dog eye ulcer include redness, excessive tearing, squinting, and rubbing at the eye. 

Additional signs of a dog eye ulcer include:

• Increased sensitivity to light
• A sudden white film over the eye (due to swelling of the cornea)
• A prolapsed third eyelid that doesn’t go away
• Lethargy
• Head shyness
• Sudden blindness in one eye

Diagnosing Eye Ulcers in Dogs

Corneal ulcers are generally simple to diagnose. Your veterinarian will conduct a complete physical exam and an ophthalmological examination of the eyeball and surrounding structures. The ophthalmological examination will let your vet know if there are any underlying conditions, like eyelash abnormalities, that are causing the ulcer. 

The standard test for a corneal ulcer is fluorescein dye test. During this test, your vet will put a drop of yellow dye in your dog’s eye, and then shine a black light on the eye. Normal, healthy eyes will not pick up any yellow stain. If your dog has a corneal ulcer, the affected part of the eye will stain bright, fluorescent yellow. 

Additional tests may include:

• Schirmer Tear test if KCS (dry eye) is suspected
• Tonometry to check intraocular pressures if glaucoma is suspected
• Corneal culture and sensitivity for bacterial infections in complicated or deep ulcers

Basic testing for corneal ulcers generally costs $100-$150.

How to Treat Dog Eye Ulcers

Treatment of dog eye ulcers depends on 3 things:

• Whether the ulcer is deep or superficial
• Whether the ulcer is complicated or uncomplicated
• How rapidly the ulcer is growing

Superficial, uncomplicated dog eye ulcers can usually be treated with antibiotic eye drops or ointment that are applied several times a day. Pain medication is also prescribed, and dogs are fitted with an elizabethan collar (or dog cone alternative) to prevent them from scratching their eye while it is healing. Some eye medications can cause drooling. With treatment, superficial uncomplicated dog eye ulcers heal in 5-7 days, at which point you will take your dog back for a repeat eye stain test to see if the ulcer has healed. Cost of treatment is generally between $25-$50.

If an ulcer doesn’t heal after one week of treatment, then it is considered complicated, and the underlying cause must be resolved in order to resolve the ulcer. If the underlying cause is an eyelash or eyelid abnormality, surgery is usually required to correct it. If the underlying cause is dry eye, then medication will be prescribed to improve tear production and lubricate the eye. If the pet has a thickened, chronic ulcer that won’t heal, then surgery on the ulcer itself may be required. If the ulcer is deep and rapidly spreading, your dog may need to be hospitalized for surgery immediately to save the eye. Cost of treatment of complicated ulcers depends on the underlying cause. Surgery can cost several hundred dollars to $1,000 or more.

Signs a Dog Eye Ulcer is Healing

Signs that a dog eye ulcer is healing include decreased redness and squinting, and the dog just seems more comfortable. 

Additional signs a dog eye ulcer is healing include:

• Third eyelid goes back down
• Eye no longer looks white
• Less head shyness
• Increased energy

How to Prevent Dog Eye Ulcers

While you can’t always prevent dog eye ulcers, there are several things you can do to lower the likelihood that your dog will develop one. Follow these best practices to help prevent corneal ulcers.

Correct eye abnormalities. If your dog has any anatomical eye abnormalities that can cause an ulcer, get surgical correction as soon as possible.

Don’t ignore eye irritation. If you ever notice your dog squinting, rubbing, or pawing at their eye, or eye redness, get your dog’s eye checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Treat dry eye. If your dog has been diagnosed with dry eye, use medications as prescribed

Treating a corneal ulcer takes vigilance, time, effort on your part, and patience. However, most corneal ulcers in dogs can be successfully treated and/or prevented in dogs that are predisposed to them. 

The post Dog Eye Ulcer: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment appeared first on Great Pet Care.

The bad news is that worms are more common than you realize. With changing weather patterns and increased mobility of pets and people, they are growing in prevalence. 

The good news is that you can protect your dog against internal parasites with a product like Interceptor Plus. 

What Is Interceptor Plus for Dogs?

Interceptor Plus is an oral medication that protects against five types of worms in dogs: heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. The active ingredients in this tasty soft chew for dogs are milbemycin oxide and praziquantel. Originally produced by Novartis Animal Health, Interceptor had been around for more than 25 years as a heartworm prevention medication. Interceptor was added to Elanco Animal Health’s portfolio when the company acquired Novartis in 2015, and Interceptor Plus was approved for use in dogs by the FDA in 2017. It is available in all parts of the United States and via online pharmacies by prescription only. 

The difference between Interceptor vs. Interceptor Plus is that Interceptor only contains milbemycin oxide and Interceptor Plus contains milbemycin oxide and praziquantel. Both protect dogs against heartworm disease, adult hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections. The main difference between these two medications is that Interceptor Plus also protects against tapeworm infections. 

What Is Interceptor Plus Used for in Dogs?

Interceptor Plus is prescribed to prevent heartworm disease and treat and control roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and tapeworm infections in dogs. Heartworms are internal parasites that are transmitted by mosquitoes. Heartworms live in the large artery that exits the heart, and cause inflammation and damage to the heart and lungs. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms are internal parasites that live in the intestines and cause diarrhea and weight loss. Some intestinal parasites in dogs are also contagious to people, especially children. 

Credelio, a highly effective oral tick and flea control medication, can be paired with Interceptor Plus to provide broad-spectrum parasite protection for dogs. Your veterinarian may recommend using both of these products together.

How Does Interceptor Plus Work?

Milbemycin oxide, an active ingredient in Interceptor Plus, kills roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and young heartworms by interfering with the central nervous system of the parasites, causing paralysis and death. 

Milbemycin is not effective against the adult form of heartworms, so it is important to test your dog for adult heartworms before administering Interceptor Plus. This can be done with a simple blood test at your local veterinary clinic.

Praziquantel, the other active ingredient in Interceptor Plus, works by expelling tapeworms from the intestines and preventing newly hatched insect larvae from reaching adulthood or reproducing. 

How to Give Interceptor Plus to Dogs

To control worms in dogs, Interceptor Plus should be given once a month, preferably on the same day each month. Most dogs will readily eat Interceptor Plus, as it looks and smells like a chewy treat. 

Interceptor Plus is designed to be chewed before it is swallowed. If your dog swallows treats whole, break the chew into pieces before feeding it to your dog. If your dog refuses to eat it, you can try offering the chew wrapped in a pill pocket, stuffed in a piece of hot dog, or covered in a small amount of peanut butter, canned food, or spray cheese. 

Interceptor Plus for Dogs Reviews

Interceptor has been used within the veterinary community for over 25 years for heartworm disease prevention and intestinal parasite protection in dogs with great success and a high level of safety. Praziquantel, the additional active ingredient in Interceptor Plus, has also been used to treat tapeworms in dogs for many years. I personally have prescribed Interceptor Plus to thousands of patients and used Interceptor Plus in my own pets without any problems and excellent control of internal parasites.

Internal parasites can be found in any dog—even dogs that rarely go outside. Interceptor Plus is recommended for all dogs (6 weeks or older and 2 pounds or greater).

Many pet parents ask how Interceptor Plus for dogs compares to other oral parasite control products like Heartgard and Simparica Trio. Here is a comparison chart:

Interceptor Plus Side Effects

In general, Interceptor Plus is considered to be very safe and tolerated by the majority of dogs. The following rare adverse reactions have been reported in dogs after administration:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Weight loss
• Salivation
• Convulsions
• Incoordinations

If you are concerned about giving Interceptor Plus to your dog, please talk to your veterinarian.

Interceptor Plus Dosage for Dogs

Dosage of Interceptor Plus varies depending on the weight of your dog. There are four dosages available for different weight ranges in dogs: 2-8 pounds, 8.1-25 pounds, 25.1-50 pounds, and 50.1-100 pounds. For maximum efficacy, talk to your veterinarian about the right dose for your dog. 

Puppies older than 6 weeks of age and weighing more than 2 pounds can safely take Interceptor Plus.

Interceptor Plus stays in your dog’s system for about 24 hours, killing and removing any heartworm larvae and intestinal worms. If your dog is accidently infected in the next month, the next dose of Interceptor Plus will kill all larvae before they have a chance to grow or reproduce. 

Cost of Interceptor Plus for Dogs

Interceptor Plus costs approximately $80-$100 per year, depending on the size of your dog (it is more expensive for larger dogs).

Interceptor Plus Storage Instructions

Interceptor Plus can be safely stored at room temperature out of reach of dogs.

Where to Buy Interceptor Plus

Interested in purchasing Interceptor Plus for dogs? You can check to see if it is available on your veterinarian’s online pharmacy.

The post Interceptor Plus for Dogs: Internal Parasite Protection appeared first on Great Pet Care.

What Is Credelio for Dogs and Cats?

Lotilaner, the active ingredient in Credelio and Credelio CAT, is part of the isoxazoline class of parasiticides. It is deadly to ticks and fleas. It was approved for use in dogs by the FDA in 2018 and for use in cats in 2021 as the first oral flea and tick treatment for cats. Lotilaner is not available as generic, it is only available as brand name Credelio, made by Elanco. Credelio can be purchased from veterinarians and online pharmacies across the entire United States. 

What Does Credelio Look Like?

Credelio tablets are small, light brown tablets that come in blister packs. Credelio only comes in tablet form. 

What Is Credelio Used For in Dogs and Cats?

Credelio is an oral medication prescribed to kill fleas and ticks on dogs and cats. 

Credelio for dogs offers protection against four types of ticks—lone star tick, American dog tick, black-legged tick, and brown dog tick—and is suitable for dogs 8 weeks or older that weigh 4.4 pounds or more. It starts killing fleas and ticks (Ixodes ricinus species) on dogs within four hours. In a well-controlled U.S. study, Credelio killed 100 percent of fleas on dogs within 12 hours after administration and for up to 35 days after administration.

Credelio CAT starts killing fleas on cats (as young as 8 weeks weighing 2 or more pounds) within six hours. It also protects against black-legged ticks (deer ticks), the most prevalent tick species in cats in the U.S., in cats 6 months and older. 

Fleas and ticks are not just a nuisance, these parasites can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, plague, tapeworms, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Several of these diseases are also infectious to humans, making it doubly important to protect your pets against external parasites like fleas and ticks. In addition, some dogs and cats have flea bite allergies, and the bite of just one flea can cause them to feel itchy enough to tear their hair out and create hot spots. 

In addition to external parasites like fleas and ticks, pets are at risk for internal parasites, some of which can be transmitted to humans (like hookworms and roundworms). If you have a dog, Credelio can be paired with Interceptor Plus—which protects against five major worms—to provide broad-spectrum parasite protection for your pup. Your veterinarian may recommend using both of these products together.

How Does Credelio Work?

Credelio kills fleas and ticks by inhibiting specific receptors in their neurological system. These neurological receptors are different from receptors in dogs and cats. Credelio works fast because it is quickly absorbed into the blood. Because Credelio kills fleas before they have a chance to lay eggs (which takes anywhere between 20-24 hours after a female flea has her first blood meal), Credelio also prevents fleas from laying eggs. One of the perks of Credelio is that since it is an oral product and not topical, bathing your pet is not suspected to have any impact on its efficacy or how long it provides protection. 

How to Give Credelio to Dogs and Cats

Credelio for dogs is given by mouth and is formulated into a tasty beef-flavored tablet. 

Credelio for dogs is gluten free, however, the tablets contain flavoring made with pork liver, soy, barley, wheat, and lactose, so consult your veterinarian before giving to your pet if they have food allergies.

Credelio CAT has a vanilla and yeast scent and flavor that is designed to be appealing to cats, and has been successfully administered by most cat owners in the U.S. 

The manufacturer does not recommend splitting the tablets for dosing, as they are not scored for splitting, and there are a wide range of dosages available for different pet weights.

Credelio must be given with food or given within 30 minutes of feeding to assure it is absorbed completely from the intestinal tract. If your pet won’t readily eat it, you can place the tablet in their mouth. Pets can chew it or swallow it whole. You can try offering the tablet wrapped in a pill pocket, stuffed in a piece of hot dog, or covered in a small amount of peanut butter, canned food, or spray cheese. There are no efficacy studies available for crushing the tablet or adding it to water, but many veterinary professionals have reported success with doing that with picky pets. 

Credelio Reviews

Credelio is widely used and accepted within the veterinary community as a safe, effective way to control fleas and ticks in dogs and cats. I have personally prescribed Credelio to my dog patients with success and client satisfaction. 

Credelio CAT is the only oral tick and flea medication for cats available on the market.

Many pet parents also ask how Credelio for dogs compares to other oral flea and tick products like Nexgard, Bravecto, and Simparica. Here is a comparison chart:

Credelio Side Effects

Credelio contains lotilaner, an isoxazoline class of drug. This drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions in a few animals that include tremors, incoordination, and seizures. Even with the reported reactions, the FDA attests that approved isoxazoline products are considered safe and effective for dogs and cats, and that there is a slight chance for adverse effects, as with any drug. 

Credelio should be used with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or other neurological problems. In general, the most frequently reported adverse reactions of Credelio in dogs include weight loss, increased urination, elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, and diarrhea.

If you have a dog with medical conditions or are concerned, ask your veterinarian if Credelio is right for your dog. 

Credelio CAT should be used with caution in cats with a history of neurological disorders. In general, the most frequently reported adverse reactions of Credelio in cats include weight loss, rapid breathing, and vomiting.

If you have a cat with medical conditions or are concerned, ask your veterinarian if Credelio CAT is right for your pet.

Credelio Dosage for Dogs and Cats

Credelio is given orally once a month according to your dog’s weight: 

• 4.4-6.0 lbs: 56.25 mg (1 tablet)
• 6.1-12.0 lbs: 112.5 mg (1 tablet)
• 12.1-25 lbs: 225 mg (1 tablet)
• 25.1-50 lbs: 450 mg (1 tablet)
• 50.1-100 lbs: 900 mg (1 tablet)
• Greater than 100 pounds: Administer the appropriate combination of chewable tablets

Credelio CAT is given orally once a month according to your cat’s weight: 

• 2.0-4.0 lbs: 12 mg (1 tablet)
• 4.1-17.0 lbs: 48 mg (1 tablet)
• Over 17 lbs: Administer the appropriate combination of chewable tablets

Credelio can be used in dogs 8 weeks of age and older that weigh 4.4 pounds or more. Credelio CAT can be used in cats 8 weeks of age and older that weigh 2 pounds or more. (However, the effectiveness of Credelio CAT against black-legged ticks in kittens less than 6 months old has not been evaluated.) Credelio has not been studied for use in breeding animals. If your pet is pregnant or nursing, talk to your veterinarian before administering. 

Cost of Credelio

The cost of Credelio depends on your pet’s weight, your geographical location, and if you are purchasing through your local veterinary clinic. In general, Credelio is $15-$20 per month for dogs, and $8-$10 per month for cats. 

Credelio Storage Instructions

According to the label, Credelio tablets must be stored at 59-77 degrees Fahrenheit. Temporary periods of time outside of this range, 41-104 degrees Fahrenheit, are permitted. Store out of reach of pets to prevent accidental overdose.

Where to Buy Credelio

Interested in purchasing Credelio for dogs or cats? Check to see if this medication is available on your veterinarian’s online pharmacy.

The post Credelio for Dogs and Cats: Tick & Flea Protection appeared first on Great Pet Care.

But is a black dog tongue normal? We’ll cover this topic and talk about pigmentation, different breeds who have black dog tongues, and if a black or discolored tongue could signal a medical problem that requires veterinary attention.

Black Dog Tongue: What Does It Look Like?

A dog can have extra pigmentation in their tongue that makes it appear black, blue, or purple. Pigmentation in a tongue can make the overall tongue black or blue, or it can create dark pigmented spots on a tongue that is otherwise pink. 

Black or spotted tongues like this are completely normal – the coloration is just extra pigment. Most dogs that have black, blue, purple, or spotted tongues are born that way. 

As a dog ages, the color of the tongue or the spots may change a little and get darker or spots might slightly change shape, but in general, the tongue color and spotting that a dog is born with is the way it will stay for the life of the dog. 

Black, blue, and purple tongues and dark spots are flat just like a pink tongue, have the same texture, and do not have any bumps or raised areas. 

Is It Normal for Dogs to Have a Black Tongue?

Dogs that are born with black or spotted tongues (or blue or purple) are considered normal. The dark color and spots are just highly pigmented cells on the surface of the tongue, and are similar to freckles in humans. 

Another way to think about the variety in the color of dog tongues is to think about how some dogs have black skin, other dogs have pink skin, and some dogs have both. Dogs can have dark pigmentation on their skin, lips, around their eyes, eyelids, paw pads, toenails, and as you now know, on their tongues as well. In addition to having a black or spotted tongue, dogs can have black or spotted gums and lips as well.

While a pigmented black dog tongue can be considered completely normal in many dogs, there are some medical conditions that can cause tongue discoloration. 

Abnormal things to watch for include:

• Rapidly appearing dark spots on the tongue or a dark spot that starts changing appearance rapidly. These can be a sign of cancer, trauma, or bleeding disorders.

• Spots or discoloration of the tongue that also have a different texture than the rest of the tongue or are bleeding

• Foul odor coming from the mouth

• Bleeding and blackened gums around teeth. This can be associated with periodontal disease

• Weakness, collapse, or difficulty breathing with blue gums is a medical emergency

Regardless of whether your dog has a black tongue, pink tongue, or a spotted tongue, it is a good idea to regularly check your dog’s teeth, gums, and tongue for any changes. Seek veterinary attention if you notice anything out of the ordinary or if you have questions about your dog’s black tongue.

Dog Breeds with Black Tongues

Chow Chow dogs are bred to have solid blue-black tongues, and tongues that are black on the top and edges are actually considered to be a breed standard in this breed. Shar Peis are also bred to have blue-black tongues as well as blue-black gums and roof of the mouth. 

Shar Peis and Chow Chows aren’t the only dog breeds that have darkly pigmented or spotted tongues. In fact, there are many dog breeds that have black or spotted tongues. Darkly pigmented tongues are more common in dogs that have black points (black eyebrows, shoulders, lips, etc.). In addition, dogs that are closely related to Chow Chows in the Spitz family, Mastiff breeds, and Setter, Spaniel, and Pointer breeds are prone to having black tongues. 

These breeds can include (but are not limited to): 

• Rottweiler
• Airedale
• Labrador Retriever
• Pitbull
• Mastiff
• German Shepherd
• Newfoundland
• Golden Retriever
• Akita
• Irish Setter
• Great Pyrenees
• Pomeranian
• Dalmatian
• Australian Shepherd
• Shiba Inu
• Siberian Husky
• Belgian Malinois
• Australian Cattle Dog
• Belgian Sheepdog
• Bichon Frise
• Cairn Terrier
• Collie
• Cocker Spaniel
• Doberman Pinscher
• Gordon Setter
• English Setter
• Tibetan Mastiff
• Flat-Coated Retriever
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier
• Kerry Blue Terrier
• Keeshond
• Pug

Should You Worry About Your Dog’s Black Tongue?

In general, if your dog is healthy, happy, and has had a black, purple, blue, or spotted tongue their whole life, then there is nothing to worry about. 

As stated above, if you notice rapid changes in your dog’s tongue such as a new spot appearing or a change in texture or any raised areas, or if your dog is acting sick in any way in conjunction with a change in tongue appearance, it is important to seek the services of a veterinarian as soon as possible. 

The main concern with black spots suddenly appearing on otherwise pink tongue or gum tissue is oral melanoma. 

Oral melanoma is a tumor of melanocytes, which are pigmented cells. Oral melanoma can appear on the tongue, gums, or roof of the mouth, and is usually a malignant tumor that invades surrounding healthy tissue, including the jaw bone and skull, and spreads to other areas of the body, including lymph nodes, lungs, and bones. 

Oral melanoma is more common in some dog breeds that have naturally black-blue tongues, including Chow Chows, Retrievers, and Cocker Spaniel. It is also more common in Miniature Poodles and older dogs in general. 

The main signs associated with oral melanoma include:

• Tumor-like growth on tongue or gums, may or may not be pigmented, often bleeding
• Drooling, often bloody
• Bad breath
• Difficulty eating
• Loose teeth or pain

The prognosis for oral melanoma is better if the disease is caught early, the tumor is surgically removed, and the dog is treated with chemotherapy. 

Oral melanoma is one of the reasons why it is important to regularly monitor your dog’s oral health and see a veterinarian if you notice any changes in your dog’s mouth or if you are worried about a black or spotted tongue. 

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If your dog is suffering from an upset stomach, you might be wondering: can dogs have Tums? 

Here, we’ll explore whether calcium carbonate, the active ingredient in Tums, is safe for dogs, whether Tums can be used to treat indigestion in dogs, and more.

What Are Tums?

The primary ingredient found in Tums is calcium carbonate, a naturally mined material that is found all over the planet. Calcium carbonate is found in chalk, marble, and limestone. Calcium carbonate is also found in baking powder and some toothpastes.

The primary medical use for calcium carbonate is for helping relieve occasional heartburn, acid reflux, upset stomach, and ingestion in humans. While calcium carbonate is primarily used as an antacid, it can also be used to prevent or treat osteoporosis in humans.

Acid reflux is a condition that occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, and it is a very common cause of heartburn symptoms in humans. Heartburn occurs when the acidic contents of the stomach touch the lining of your esophagus and cause pain.

Calcium carbonate, when chewed and swallowed, quickly neutralizes esophageal acid, relieving the symptoms associated with heartburn. 

Can I Give My Dog Tums?

The short answer is yes, you can give your dog tums. But the more important question is: should you?

There are very few negative side effects seen in dogs that are given appropriate amounts of calcium carbonate on a short term basis. However, elevated blood calcium levels and other mineral imbalances are possible if a dog is given too much calcium carbonate or if they are given it over a long time period. 

The biggest problem is that the calcium carbonate found in Tums can decrease absorption (and therefore effectiveness) of other medications. Tums can interfere or negatively interact with certain antibiotics, antacids, and iron supplements, so if your dog is on any other medications, consult with your veterinarian before giving Tums. 

It’s always essential to talk to your veterinarian before you administer any human over-the-counter medications to your dog. 

Can Tums Help Dogs? 

Calcium carbonate is prescribed to dogs for a couple of different medical conditions, including:

Low calcium. Dogs with low blood calcium levels, which can occur in pregnant or lactating dogs or dogs with low functioning parathyroid glands 

Kidney disease. Kidney disease in dogs can cause blood phosphate levels to be too high. Calcium carbonate binds phosphate in the intestines, preventing it from being absorbed, and lowering the level of phosphorus in the blood. 

Can Tums Be Toxic to Dogs?

Dogs like the taste of Tums, and it is possible for them to eat too many if they get into a bottle of Tums. If your dog eats more Tums than he should, call your local veterinarian, after-hours emergency clinic, or the Pet Poison Hotline immediately for advice. 

In most cases, eating too many Tums will likely not be lethal, but can cause vomiting, electrolyte imbalances, diarrhea, and/or constipation. 

Additional signs of Tums toxicity in dogs can include drooling, tremors, difficulty breathing, acting-drunk or uncoordinated, or collapse. 

Precautions When Giving Tums to Dogs

While Tums can be used on a short-term basis to help a dog with an upset stomach or for the above-mentioned medical conditions, they should not be used on a long-term basis unless under the supervision of a veterinarian. There are also certain precautions to take when giving your dog Tums:

Read the label. Tums are created with humans in mind, not dogs. Some sugar-free calcium carbonate products contain xylitol, which is very toxic to dogs. Dextrose is a safe sweetening ingredient in Tums, but xylitol is not. 

Watch for allergies. Some dogs may have allergies to food dyes in colored Tums. Food dyes are designated with the letters ‘FD&C’ – if you see those on the ingredient list, don’t give them to your dog. It is best to just give white Tums to dogs.

Do not give Tums to puppies. Do not give Tums to young dogs or puppies that are still growing. In large and giant breeds this can take upwards of two years! The calcium carbonate in Tums can alter a growing dog’s blood calcium levels, which can negatively impact a growing skeleton.

Only use Tums on a short-term basis. Do not use Tums in dogs on a long-term basis, as they can imbalance the level of minerals in a dog’s body. At the most, you can give a dog Tums for a day or two, as long as they are otherwise healthy and do not have any other medical conditions or on any other medications. 

Talk to your veterinarian. It is best to always consult with a veterinarian before giving your dog Tums.

Giving a dog Tums should not substitute for a veterinary visit – at best, they could be a short-term band-aid to help your dog feel a little better until you can get them seen by a veterinarian. Tums do not provide long-lasting relief from stomach problems in dogs, and giving a dog Tums may mask the symptoms of serious medical conditions that need a veterinarian’s help. 

Tums Alternatives: How to Treat Dog Digestive Problems

Signs that your dog is having problems with their stomach and/or intestines include vomiting, diarrhea, low energy, weight loss, and constipation. Since Tums are only moderately effective at controlling symptoms associated with acid reflux or upset stomach in dogs, it is a good idea to consider alternatives to giving your dog Tums. 

The following list of ideas may help your dog feel better without giving them Tums:

Add in a nightly snack.  If your dog vomits up food first thing in the morning, they could have a sour stomach from waiting too long to eat. Try giving them a small, high-protein snack right before bed.

Withhold food and try a bland diet.  If your dog is suddenly ill with mild vomiting and/or diarrhea associated with something they ate, you can try not feeding them (but still give them access to water) for 6-8 hours (except in toy breeds, puppies, or diabetic dogs). Then offer frequent, small meals of bland food – boiled white chicken, lean ground meat, low-fat cottage cheese, and rice or potatoes for several days. Many dogs will recover without incident. 

If your dog doesn’t stop vomiting within a day, refuses to eat when you offer food for more than a day, has no improvement in stool quality,  or is otherwise acting sick in any way, call your veterinarian.

Talk to your vet about other medications. Ask your veterinarian for acid-reducing medication recommendations, such as proton pump inhibitors or H2-blockers, like cimetidine. 

As always, if your dog is struggling with gastrointestinal problems, it is best to talk to your veterinarian. They can get to the bottom of your dog’s problem and recommend treatments that are safe and effective, bringing you peace of mind and relief to your dog. 

Editorial image credit: Jenari / Shutterstock.com

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What is Frostbite?

Frostbite is a term for what happens to skin and associated body tissues when they are exposed to extremely cold temperatures. When the air temperature is lower than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, blood vessels in the skin constrict in order to keep the core body temperature in a normal zone. The body does this to avoid damage to vital organs like the heart and brain and to preserve life. This protective measure reduces blood flow to areas of the body that aren’t considered critical for life, such as extremities including fingers, the nose, and ear tips. Cold temperatures plus reduced blood flow to these areas can result in these body parts freezing, which is severely damaging and results in the condition we call frostbite. 

Can Dogs Get Frostbite?

Just like all mammals, dogs that are exposed to freezing temperatures can get frostbite. The parts of a dog’s body that are most susceptible to frostbite are the parts that are farthest from the heart and are exposed to the elements. This includes the paws, the tip of the tail, and ear tips. Dogs that have less hair in these areas, dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors without shelter in the winter, and small dogs are at highest risk of developing frostbite. In addition, dogs that have poor blood supply to their ear tips, such as the miniature Italian Greyhound, are at increased risk for dog frostbite in these areas. Dogs with heart disease, diabetes, or other medical conditions that cause poor circulation are also at increased risk for frostbite. In addition, dogs that live in freezing, damp environments have a higher risk of frostbite than dogs in cold, dry environments.

Dog Frostbite: 7 Signs to Know

Frostbite in dogs is easy to spot once you know what you are looking for. The most common frostbite symptoms in dogs include:

• Holding one paw up after being outside in freezing temperatures (frostbite is painful, and this signifies pain)
• Skin that is cold or feels hard or brittle to the touch because the skin cells are frozen
• Damage to the skin, which results in discoloration on the paws, ear tips, or tip of the tail that is either gray, pale, or blue. In severe cases, frostbite will kill skin and result in  blackened, dead skin
• Swelling of the affected skin due to inflammation
• Dog yelps or pulls body part away when you touch it (signifies pain)
• Blisters or ulcers that occur as dead skin sloughs off; this is a delayed symptom that can take hours to days to develop
• Skin turns red and painful when it is thawed

It is important to note that signs of frostbite in dogs can take hours or days to appear on the tips of the ears or the tip of the tail. If the skin is severely damaged, it will die. Dead skin will turn black over a couple of days and then slough off, leaving behind ulcers or red, raw skin. If the skin becomes infected, it may develop an odor and pus may appear. 

What to Do If Your Dog Has Frostbite

If you think your dog has frostbite, you will need to administer first aid to your pet. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Move your dog to a warm, dry area immediately.
2. Call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic as soon as possible and get your dog seen by a veterinarian.
3. If your dog has signs of hypothermia, treat that first, as hypothermia is life threatening. 
4. If you cannot move your dog to a warm, dry area, do not warm frostbitten skin if it has the chance of freezing again. Thawing and then refreezing skin and body tissues will cause more damage. 
5. If your dog is in a warm, dry area, place affected body parts in a bowl of warm water or wrap affected body parts in a moist, warm compress. Use warm water, not hot. The water should be cool enough that you can comfortably keep your hand in it—around 102-105 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not use a heating pad or a hair dryer to warm affected areas.
6. After you have warmed the skin, pat the skin dry. Do not rub or massage any skin that appears frostbitten. This is painful and will cause additional damage. Keep your dog wrapped in a dry blanket or towels that have been warmed in a dryer if possible. 
7. Do not give your dog any human pain medications, as they are toxic to dogs. 

A veterinary examination is recommended for any dogs that have developed frostbite, as these dogs are often affected by additional problems associated with hypothermia. Your veterinarian can also prescribe pain medication that is safe for your dog to keep any pain associated with frostbite under control. If the frostbite is severe enough to cause the skin to die, then your veterinarian will advise you on what to expect, including sloughing and signs of infection. Your veterinarian may also prescribe antibiotics if they suspect skin infection is likely. Your dog may need to wear a dog cone (e-collar) to keep them from licking the affected area. In severe frostbite cases, amputation of the affected area may be required, however, most cases are mild.

How to Prevent Frostbite in Dogs

The only way to prevent dog frostbite is by protecting your dog from prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures. Remember—there are several factors involved in the development of frostbite, including wind speed, time spent outdoors, relative humidity, your dog’s size, breed, and age, the amount of hair on your dog, and any medical conditions that your dog may have. If you’re wondering how many minutes of exposure can lead to frostbite, there are charts available that tell you how long it takes humans to develop frostbite. Keep in mind that frostbite can take less time to develop in some dogs than humans.

You can reduce your dog’s risk of developing frostbite by:

• Minimizing outdoor exposure when temperatures are freezing
• Taking shorter, more frequent walks instead of longer walks
• Putting boots and a jacket on your dog when temperatures are freezing
• Paying attention if your dog starts holding up a paw outside or shivering, and taking them inside immediately if this happens
• Providing fresh water so your dog stays hydrated—hydrated dogs have lower risk of frostbite

The post Dog Frostbite: 7 Signs and How to Prevent it appeared first on Great Pet Care.

In this article, we’ll explore how omega 3 fatty acids can benefit dogs.

What Are Omega 3 Fatty Acids?

Omega 3 fatty acids are part of the structure of healthy cells. They benefit every aspect of your dog’s health, including boosting your dog’s immune system and lowering inflammation.

“Omega-3 fatty acids are a polyunsaturated fatty acid, also known as PUFA. Omega-3 and Omega-6 are considered essential,” says Dr. Melissa Thompson, vice president of medical operations at the Arizona Humane Society. “For the most part, the body does not make these fatty acids and must get them from food or supplementation.”

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish, flaxseeds, and canola oil. Their full names are Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). There are many varieties of omega 3 supplements for dogs that can help your dog get the healthy omega 3s they need. 

Omega 3 Benefits for Dogs

Omega 3 is good for dogs on many levels. “The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids have been scientifically shown to improve comfort and mobility in dogs with osteoarthritis,” says Dr. Elizabeth Tursi, an emergency veterinarian at NorthStar VET. 

Benefits for dogs also include

• Skin and coat benefits
• Vision support
• Brain support
• Heart benefits 

“Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids play an important role in maintaining the structure and integrity of the skin barrier,” adds Dr. Tursi. “Supplementation can improve the skin and coat’s health while enhancing the appearance.” 

Several studies support supplementing with omega 3, specifically for skin issues like allergies or chronic itching. Some studies also show low doses of omega 3 may help with dog seizures. 

Omega 3 Side Effects for Dogs

As with any supplements, there are potential side effects. 

“If a dog ate a large amount of omega 3, they would likely have a bit of a tummy ache,” Dr. Thompson says. “You may see vomiting and/or diarrhea, but that should resolve once out of their system.” 

It’s always a good idea to discuss potential supplements with your veterinarian. This is especially true if you’re giving more than one type of supplement as you want to ensure there are no negative interactions or over supplementation. 

Omega 3 Suggested Amounts for Dogs

The suggested supplement amount will vary depending on your dog’s size and some veterinarians suggest starting around a ¼ of the recommended maximum amount to see how your dog handles it. 

Once your dog starts on the supplement, you can look to see if your dog’s stools remain normal. If so, you can gradually increase to the amount recommended by your veterinarian and the package guidelines. If not, you’ll want to dial it back or pause for a couple of days, and then restart with a lower amount. If your dog continues to have issues, talk to your veterinarian.

Omega 3 Dog Supplements Buyer’s Guide

There’s a vast array of omega 3 supplements for dogs on the market, so it’s important to keep in mind a few things when you are shopping. Below are a few of our recommended tips:

Look for certifications. Some pet supplements meet specific qualifications to be certified by the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC). These supplements take the extra step to ensure quality and purity standards.  

Consider sustainability. Since many omega-3 supplements are made with fish oil, looking for companies that practice sustainable practices is important. Brands should list where and how their fish oil is harvested. 

Think about the delivery method. Most omega 3 supplements for dogs come in soft gel, liquid, or powder form. Depending on your dog’s size and preferences, one of these options may work better for you than others. Small dogs and toy breeds may have difficulty eating soft gels or capsules, so take that into consideration when buying. 

Take your pet’s health needs into consideration. Before starting on a supplement, make sure to review your dog’s health history and diet with your veterinarian. Some dogs who have sensitive stomachs or other health conditions may not do well on an omega 3 supplement like fish oil. 

Omega 3 for Dogs FAQs

Can I give my dog omega 3 for humans? 

It is not recommended to give a dog omega 3 supplements manufactured for humans. All supplements are not the same and some have higher concentrations of fish oil. There are so many high-quality omega 3 supplements for dogs, you can choose one of these special formulations. 

What foods have omega 3 for dogs? 

Fatty fish like salmon, anchovies, krill, and sardines are good sources of omega 3 fatty acids for dogs. Flaxseeds also have omega 3s. However, flaxseeds contain ALA, and dogs do not convert ALA to EPA or DHA very well. In general, fish sources are better sources of omega 3s for dogs. 

Are omega 3 supplements safe for dogs? 

In general, yes. Most dogs thrive on omega 3 supplements. However, there are always exceptions and it’s best to discuss supplementation with your veterinarian. 

How long does it take for omega-3 to work for dogs?

Like any supplement, it normally takes a few weeks for your dog to absorb the benefits and for you to see a difference. In some cases, it works quicker. 

Can dogs overdose on omega 3? 

Yes. It can cause vomiting and diarrhea. If you give your dog fish oil and then see soft dog poop, loose stools, or diarrhea, you’ll probably want to pause your supplementation. 

The post Omega 3 for Dogs: Benefits and Supplements to Try appeared first on Great Pet Care.

To help pet parents understand the risks of the changing seasons (and to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits), we’ve put together this detailed list of fall dangers for dogs. 

7 Fall Dangers for Dogs to Watch Out For

Watch out for these seven dangers to help keep your canine companion safe and healthy this season!

Acorns

Mature acorns (or oaknuts) fall off oak trees starting in late summer around August or September and continue to fall throughout October. While these get squirrels scampering around the base of the trees trying to store up reserves, the small brown nuts can be a harmful fall danger for dogs. 

“While most acorns aren’t overtly toxic to pets, they can cause stomach and intestinal blockages, which can be fatal without emergency surgery,” says Dr. Megan McCarthy of Best Friends Animal Society. If your dog consumes a large amount of acorns, it could cause kidney or liver damage, as some contain high amounts of tannins, she adds. 

If you have oak trees in your neighborhood, monitor your dog during walks and prevent them from eating acorns, and be vigilant about picking up acorns in your backyard if your dog tends to eat things they shouldn’t.   

Leaf Piles 

Dogs tend to get endless joy jumping through the piles of fallen leaves that you worked hard to gather. While these make for great video clips to share with friends, consuming leaves can cause GI (gastrointestinal) upset, such as vomiting or diarrhea, says McCarthy. Monitor your dogs during playtime in the yard to prevent them from eating leaves, and remove fallen leaves from your yard as soon as you can. 

Pet parents typically stop using flea and tick medication when summer ends, but fall is actually peak time for these pesky parasites. If you are planning to be outdoors hiking and playing or if you live in an area that has fleas and ticks, you should continue to use preventatives.

Halloween Candy

Consumption of Halloween candy is one of the most common fall dangers for dogs, says McCarthy. With all the fun happening around this popular holiday, it can be easy to get distracted and leave a bowl of candy within reach of your furry friend. These candies, often made of chocolate, can be toxic to dogs. “While rarely fatal, chocolate ingestion can cause significant illness as it affects the heart, GI system, and blood pressure,” warns McCarthy. Your dog may also eat the wrappers, which can cause stomach or intestinal blockages. 

Another risk, McCarthy warns of, is sugar-free candy that contains artificial sweeteners, such as xylitol or birch sugar. “This causes low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, and even death.” 

It is important to keep your Halloween candy away from your dog and in a sealed container. If your dog consumes any candy, call the 24/7 Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 to get a diagnosis and a treatment plan if you need to bring him to the veterinarian. 

Antifreeze

In really cool and hot temperatures, your car’s antifreeze functions to regulate temperature and keep the vehicle running smoothly. This liquid is also one of the deadliest threats to both dogs and cats. It can pose a risk in garages if it leaks onto the floor and is then licked up by pets. 

“It contains the chemical ethylene glycol, which is sweet tasting and odorless, so animals like to lick and consume it — even a tiny amount can be deadly,” warns McCarthy. Once consumed, this causes the animal to appear “drunk” and they may become lethargic, uncoordinated, drink and urinate frequently, experience seizures, or become comatose, she adds. Without treatment, this leads to kidney failure that is fatal. 

Keep an eye on your driveway or garage to check for signs of antifreeze leakage. If you spill antifreeze, use litter to soak it up, and dispose of the litter. If you think your pet has ingested antifreeze, contact your veterinarian right away for treatment. 

Toxic Mushrooms 

Piles of fallen leaves and the damp conditions they create are ideal for mushrooms to crop up in your yard and neighborhood, sometimes overnight. While not all fungi are bad for your dog, it’s important to keep them away from your curious eaters. “Non-toxic mushrooms can still cause GI upset, such as vomiting and diarrhea, if consumed. Some, such as the Amanita mushroom, are deadly,” shares McCarthy. 

While out on walks or hikes, keep your pet leashed and maintain a watchful eye on what they might be sniffing to eat. Check your yard daily and remove any mushrooms that may have popped up. 

Shorter Days 

Most people walk their dogs after work and, with the days being shorter in the fall, it means you are walking with low visibility. This requires a bit more caution and additional precautions. Putting on a reflective collar, harness, and leash can make the dog more visible to automobiles at night, suggests McCarthy. “You can also use light up collars or small flashing lights attached to their harness or leashes for added safety.” 

Walking during nighttime also means you have to be a bit more vigilant as to what your dog might be getting into, lest she chomps on that chicken bone on the side of the road, which could splinter and irritate or even puncture their intestines.

Holiday Food Scraps

According to McCarthy, one of the most common veterinary emergencies during the fall and the holiday season is the consumption of human food by pets, such as sweets and candies. You may be tempted to give your dog leftover turkey after Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey skin, ham, and gravy are high-fat foods that can lead to pancreatitis. Additionally, onions and garlic are toxic foods for dogs, so if you have any dishes with these ingredients on the table, keep them away from your pet. 

Keep any human food out of reach of your dog and in sealed containers; cover and put away garbage cans, and have dog-safe foods readily available, so your pet doesn’t feel left out. If your dog has consumed anything she shouldn’t, getting immediate treatment (such as induction of vomiting, activated charcoal administration, and supportive care) can help her recover quickly. 

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To prevent these problems and keep dogs at a healthy weight, veterinarians may recommend weight loss for dogs. If you’re wondering how to help a dog lose weight—and do it safely—we’ve rounded up some effective methods and tips. But first it helps to understand more about what causes obesity in dogs and how excessive fat can impact your pet’s health.

Understanding Obesity in Dogs

Obesity in dogs is caused by excess body fat. Dogs that weigh more than 30 percent of their ideal weight are generally defined as obese. Veterinarians use body condition scores (which are similar to BMI measurements in humans) and breed standards to determine the ideal weight for a dog. 

Overweight Dogs: How it Impacts Health

Excessive fat on a dog is not just a cosmetic problem—obesity comes with significant health consequences. In fact, obesity is likely the greatest health threat that dogs face. We now know that obesity is an inflammatory and hormonal disease, and is linked to many diseases in dogs, including osteoarthritis, cancer, kidney disease, urinary tract problems, underactive thyroid, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and liver disease. 

The good news is that you can drastically reduce your dog’s risk of most of these diseases and live longer, healthier, and more pain-free through proper diet, exercise, and weight management. 

7 Ways to Help Your Dog Lose Weight

Fortunately, if your dog is carrying around extra weight, it is fairly straightforward and simple to help your dog slim down. Here are seven tips to get you started. 

Ask Your Vet for Target Weight and Daily Calories

You know your dog needs to lose weight, but how many pounds? And how much should you be feeding your dog every day? This is where your vet’s knowledge comes in. Don’t hesitate to ask your vet for a healthy dog weight, and how many calories you should be feeding your dog every day to facilitate weight loss. This calorie amount includes dog food and any treats the dog receives during the day. You can also calculate calories yourself (but it is much easier to ask your vet).

Do Monthly Weigh-Ins

Just like Weight Watchers, you need to see your dog shed pounds to feel successful and make sure you are on the right track. Most veterinary clinics will let you come by and weigh your dog for free, and keep a record of their weight loss journey. If you have a small dog, you can always check progress at home by weighing yourself while holding your dog, then weighing yourself alone and subtracting to get your dog’s weight. However, your vet office may have a more accurate scale. Most healthy dogs should be able to reach their target weight within 3-6 months.

Use a Weight Management Dog Food

It is a good idea to switch your dog to a weight loss dog food instead of just restricting the amount of their regular food. This is because restricting a maintenance food leads to imbalances in micronutrients. Instead, switch to a low calorie, low fat, and high fiber diet that is designed to be fed for weight loss to ensure your dog does not develop an imbalanced nutritional state. 

While there are many over-the-counter weight loss foods, most veterinarians prefer to use therapeutic foods that have been clinically proven to facilitate rapid, safe weight loss in dogs. 

If your dog eats their food too quickly and then begs for more, try giving them their food in a food puzzle or slow feeder bowl.

Weigh Your Pet’s Food

Using a measuring cup to measure pet food turns out to be fairly inaccurate, and feeding even a kibble or two extra each day to a small dog can sabotage your weight loss goals. This is why it is most accurate to weigh the food daily on a gram scale. Again, you will need your veterinarian’s expertise. Just tell them that you weigh your dog’s food, and you would like to know how much, in grams, to feed each day. Your veterinarian will need to know the exact brand of food you are feeding to calculate the amount to feed. 

Give Low Calorie Treats

While you are restricting your dog’s calories, it still might be an important part of your bond to feed your dog treats. You don’t have to stop feeding treats, but instead of choosing high calorie milk bones, give your dog raw or cooked veggies. Many dogs love veggies like carrots, cucumber, zucchini, and green beans. You can also give berries and apple slices in moderation. 

There are also commercially available low calorie, high fiber dog treats that you can purchase. You can also break treats into small bits so that your dog thinks they are getting many treats! Just remember that 90 percent of a dog’s daily calories should come from their dog food, and if you want your dog to lose weight, it is important to not exceed the daily calorie count. 

Walk for Weight Loss

Taking your dog on a brisk 30-minute walk every day can boost calorie burn, reduce behavioral problems including begging, and improve heart health and immune function. Commit to 30 minutes daily of low-impact cardio with your dog, rain or shine. It will be good for you both! You can even train a dog to walk on a treadmill if there is inclement weather, or play indoor fetch or other games. 

Supplement for Weight Loss

L-carnitine, an amino acid derivative, has been shown to facilitate weight loss and promote muscle building. It is often included in a lot of weight loss dog foods but can also be supplemented. 

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, have also been shown to facilitate weight loss and reduce inflammation. They can also help dogs that have arthritis pain feel better, and most dogs can benefit from a daily fish oil supplement. 

Check with your veterinarian before starting any supplements to make sure they are right for your dog. 

Weight Loss Safety for Dogs

It is always a good idea to get your dog checked out by a veterinarian to make sure there aren’t any underlying conditions, like Cushing’s or hypothyroidism, that can make it very difficult for dogs to lose excess weight. Your vet can also make sure your dog is healthy enough for an exercise program, and ensure that any pain from osteoarthritis that might make your dog reluctant to move is controlled. 

If you are changing your dog’s food, do so gradually. Introducing a new food too quickly can cause stomach upset, leading to diarrhea, nausea, and possible refusal of the new food. 

Start any new exercise routine slowly, even with healthy dogs. As long as your dog is healthy, you can use the following guidelines from the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention for a safe dog exercise program:

• Week 1: 10 minutes brisk walk, 20 minutes casual pace (to allow for the sniffing on the way home)
• Week 2: 15 minutes brisk walk, 15 minutes casual pace
• Week 3: 20 minutes brisk walk, 10 minutes casual pace
• Week 4: 30 minutes brisk walk, 5-10 minutes casual/cool down

You don’t need a warm-up at the beginning unless your dog is stiff when they start out. Otherwise, just go for it!If you are walking your dog in cold winter weather, jackets and protective booties may be needed. If you are exercising in the heat, try to time walks during the cooler parts of the day. If it is warmer than 85 degrees or you will be going longer than 30 minutes, bring water. Avoid walking very old, sick, or brachycephalic (smush-face) dogs in the heat.

The post How to Help a Dog Lose Weight: 7 Effective Methods appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Diabetes in Cats Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Cat diabetes can seem overwhelming at first because there is a lot to learn, but it gets easier over time. If your cat has been diagnosed with diabetes, your veterinarian will create a treatment plan that involves medication, diet, exercise, and treatment of any other conditions, such as weight reduction for obesity or antibiotics for urinary tract infections. 

If your cat needs insulin treatment, your veterinarian will prescribe an initial insulin dose, show you how to administer the insulin and give you detailed instructions for home care, including food recommendations, weight loss recommendations if applicable, and exercise recommendations. 

Next, they will ask you to return for a recheck in one week. During this recheck, your cat will be weighed and the veterinarian will conduct a full physical examination. They may recheck blood and urine tests as well. Your vet may adjust the insulin or oral medication dose based on what they find, and further rechecks will depend on how well your cat’s blood sugar is controlled. 

How to Give a Cat Insulin in 10 Steps

Since giving your cat insulin shots will likely be part of a veterinarian-recommended treatment plan, here are the steps you can take to ensure you do it safely:

Step 1: Take the insulin out of the fridge and roll it a couple of times to mix the contents. Do not shake the bottle.

Step 2: Use an alcohol wipe on the top of the bottle. Turn the bottle upside down, and insert the needle into the rubber top.

Step 3: Use the syringe to draw up the correct amount of insulin. Remove any air bubbles by lightly flicking the syringe. Double-check check the amount that you are giving is correct.

Step 4: Use an alcohol wipe to disinfect the injection area on your cat. 

Step 5: Using your non-dominant hand, gently pick up the loose skin in between your cat’s shoulder blades.

Step 6: In the area of lifted skin, insert the needle at a 45-degree angle and gently pull back on the syringe. If there is no blood, inject the insulin, and then withdraw the needle. If there is blood, withdraw the needle and try again. Enlist help if you need it. 

Step 7: Check the injection site to make sure there is no insulin on the skin (wetness).

Step 8: Each time you inject insulin, try to slightly vary the site of injection to avoid scarring.

Step 9: Place the used syringe in a safe disposal container. 

Step 10: It can help to have the veterinary staff shave a patch of fur where you are giving the injections so you can better visualize the skin. 

Treating Diabetes in Cats Without Insulin

Cats that have uncomplicated Type II diabetes mellitus may be able to be managed without insulin. A newer alternative to insulin for treating feline diabetes is called Bexacat (bexagliflozin), a once-daily flavored tablet. It lowers blood sugar by increasing urine excretion of glucose through the inhibition of a membrane protein called SGLT2, which is found in the kidney. However, cats who have previously been treated with insulin, who are currently receiving insulin, or who have insulin-dependent diabetes should not use Bexacat.

Another alternative to insulin for cats with uncomplicated Type II diabetes mellitus is a drug called glipizide. Glipizide is a medication that works by stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin. It comes in tablets, oral flavored liquid, or a lotion that is rubbed on their skin. 

In addition to medication, weight loss is necessary to treat overweight or obese cats with Type II diabetes mellitus. In fact, some cats may be ‘cured’ of Type II diabetes mellitus with weight loss and medication alone, and may not need to continue on medication for the rest of their life. It is always important to work closely with a veterinarian in order to monitor your cat’s clinical signs and blood sugar.

Diabetic Cat Diet: What to Feed

Nutrition is an important facet of cat diabetes treatment. Factors like food type and the way you feed a diabetic cat are important to success. Here are a few best practices to help:

Keep feeding times the same. The goal of feeding a diabetic cat is to match the blood sugar-lowering effect of insulin or glipizide with the blood sugar-raising effects of a meal. Most insulins are at their highest effect in a cat’s body 2-4 hours after injection. Most food is absorbed and blood sugar goes up about 1 hour after eating. Therefore, the best chance at controlling blood sugar is to give insulin first and feed the cat 1 hour later. Most diabetic cats do well with twice daily feedings, however, if your cat is a ‘grazer’, then you can free-feed a measured amount of kibble each day and add in a small meal of canned food morning and night in conjunction with insulin injections. If you can only inject insulin once a day, feed the day’s total calories in 2-3 meals within 6-8 hours of giving insulin. If you treat your cat with glipizide, then give glipizide at the same time you feed your cat in the morning and evening. 

Keep everything consistent. The type of food, the amount, and the time you feed your cat should be the same every day, as much as possible. Pet owners often fail to achieve control of their cat’s diabetes because they are not disciplined with timed feeding. This can be very frustrating, so set yourself up for success with a consistent routine.

Follow your vet’s recommendation for food. When it comes to the type of food to feed a diabetic cat, pet parents should follow their veterinarian’s recommendations. Diabetic cats should eat a diet that is ultra-low in carbohydrates because carbs cause elevated blood sugar. In fact, low-carb canned foods may reverse diabetes in some newly diagnosed diabetic cats. 

Diabetic diets for cats are low in carbohydrates and contain fiber to help cats feel full and promote intestinal health. Avoid soft-moist foods because they cause severe elevations in blood sugar. 

For cats with food allergies or if you want to make a home-cooked diet for your cat, it is recommended to consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist so they can formulate a diet recipe for you that is complete and balanced.

Follow feeding recommendations for weight loss. Healthy weight loss is an important part of therapy in overweight diabetic cats and will lower the amount of medication required in most cats. Therefore, your veterinarian will prescribe restricted caloric intake until your cat achieves their ideal weight. This can usually be achieved within 2-4 months using a low-carb weight loss food.

Keep treats at a minimum. Diabetic cats should not be provided snacks or treats unless the treats have very low calories and no carbs. Providing 3-5 tiny pieces of white meat chicken or turkey can make a nice daily treat. Alternatively, you can hand-feed your cat’s kibble as a treat.

Have fresh water handy. Diabetic cats become dehydrated quickly if their blood sugar levels are too high. Keep fresh water available at all times, and if you notice they suddenly start drinking more, that could indicate that their blood sugar levels are too high. Call your veterinarian for a follow-up.

Diabetic Cat Exercise Plan

Having a regular exercise plan for your cat is another way to help regulate blood sugar levels and keep your feline happy and healthy. As with feeding, try to keep the exercise sessions at the same time each day. High-intensity exercise is not recommended, as it can cause abrupt changes in blood sugar levels. A stroll around the block on a harness or two moderate-intensity 15-minute play sessions at the same time each day are recommended. 

In the event that your cat does experience low blood sugar while exercising, (which will look like weakness or collapse) you will need to raise your cat’s blood sugar quickly. The best way to do this is to rub a small amount of sugar on their gums, so always keep a small container of honey or corn syrup handy. It is also a good idea to ask your veterinarian for exercise recommendations for your cat, especially if your cat has any other health challenges. 

Cat Diabetes Cost

How often a diabetic cat needs to see a vet depends on how well the cat is responding to therapy and if there are any other health complications, such as hyperthyroidism or kidney disease. Cats with uncontrolled diabetes or other disease conditions have higher veterinary bills than cats with uncomplicated diabetes.

Cats with uncomplicated diabetes that are well controlled with therapy should see the veterinarian every 3-6 months for a check-up and a laboratory test called fructosamine, which measures how well blood sugar is controlled over time. Glucose curve tests are unreliable in cats because stress can make a cat’s blood sugar go up. 

Costs associated with cat diabetes include:

• Physical examinations cost $50-$100, every 3-6 months
• Fructosamine tests cost $60-$90 
• At home urine glucose strips cost $15-$20/50 count 
• A bottle of lente insulin costs $60-$70 and will last 2-3 months. You may be able to purchase insulin for less at big box retailer pharmacies or online 
• Glipizidine costs $0.10/day to treat most cats 
• A large bag of diabetic cat food costs $70-90, but should last you quite a while 
• A case of canned diabetic cat food costs $50-$60

Diabetes in Cats Treatment: More Tips and Advice

When you are managing diabetes in cats, it is important to maintain a good relationship with your veterinarian and communicate on a regular basis. Additionally, here are some other things to consider as part of your cat’s treatment plan. 

Keep detailed notes. Keep a journal of relevant information about your cat, including how much water they drink daily, weekly body weight, current insulin or glipizide dose, and how much food is eaten each day.

Watch for early signs of blood sugar issues. The early signs that blood sugar is not regulated included increased drinking and urination. If you notice this, call your veterinarian.

Pay attention to your cat’s urinary health. If your cat shows any signs of urinary tract infections (straining to urinate, increased urge to urinate, accidents in the house, bloody urine) or skin infections (pimples, red, flaky skin), call your veterinarian. If your female cat isn’t spayed, have her spayed.

Don’t use steroids. Avoiding using steroids, including hydrocortisone, on your cat. These can make diabetes worse. If your cat has skin allergies, ask your vet about alternative treatments that are safe for cats with diabetes.

Try at-home urine testing. Check for sugar in your cat’s urine at home with over-the-counter urine glucose strips. While they can’t tell you how high the sugar is, they can let you know that there is sugar so you can inform your vet.

The good news is that a consistent routine of properly timed feeding and medication creates an excellent prognosis for cats with diabetes.

The post Diabetes in Cats Treatment Plan: Steps and What to Expect appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Diabetes in Dogs Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Diabetes in dogs can seem overwhelming at first because there is a lot to learn, but it usually gets easier as you gain confidence in your routine. If your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes, then your veterinarian will create a treatment plan that involves:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Insulin administration

The plan will also involve the treatment of any other conditions, such as urinary tract infections or obesity. 

First, your veterinarian will prescribe an initial insulin dose, show you how to administer the insulin, and give you detailed instructions for home care, including food recommendations and exercise recommendations. 

Next, they will ask you to drop your pet off at the clinic in one week for a glucose curve. The veterinary staff will check your dog’s blood sugar every 1-2 hours for 6-8 hours to see how well the insulin is controlling your dog’s blood sugar. Your dog may need to go in for several glucose curves until the dose of insulin has been adjusted to best control blood sugar. 

In some cases, your vet may use a different test called fructosamine, which measures how well blood sugar is controlled over a longer period of time. 

How to Give a Dog Insulin in 10 Steps

Since giving your diabetic dog insulin at home will be necessary in most cases, it’s important to learn how to do it safely and effectively. Here are some steps:

Step 1: Remove the insulin from the fridge and roll it a couple of times to mix the contents. Don’t shake the bottle.

Step 2: Wipe the top of the bottle with alcohol wipe, turn the bottle upside down, and insert the needle into the rubber top.

Step 3: Draw up the correct amount of insulin in your syringe. Flick the syringe to remove any air bubbles, and double check the amount that you are giving is correct.

Step 4: Wipe the area of skin where you will be injecting with an alcohol wipe.

Step 5: Using your non-dominant hand, gently pick up the loose skin in between your dog’s shoulder blades.

Step 6: Insert the needle at a 45 degree angle in the lifted area of skin, gently pull back on the syringe, if there is no blood, inject the insulin, and then withdraw the needle. If there is blood, withdraw the needle and try again. It is best to do this quickly and smoothly, so enlist help if you need it.

Step 7: Check the injection site to make sure there is no insulin on the skin (wetness).

Step 8: Try to slightly vary the site of injection each time to avoid scarring.

Step 9: Do not put the cap back on the needle – place the used syringe in a safe disposal container.

Step 10: It can help to have the veterinary staff shave a patch of fur where you are giving the injections so you can better visualize the skin. 

Diabetic Dog Diet: Food and Feeding Tips

An important facet of dog diabetes treatment includes diet and nutrition. While the food type is important, the way you feed a diabetic dog is also critical to successful management of their condition. Here are a few best practices to help:

Pay attention to timing. The goal with feeding a diabetic dog is matching the blood sugar lowering effect of insulin with the blood sugar raising effects of a meal. Most insulins are at their highest effect in the body 2-4 hours after injection. Most food is absorbed and blood sugar goes up about 1 hour after eating. Therefore, the best chance at controlling blood sugar is to give insulin first and feed the dog 1 hour later. 

Most diabetic dogs do well with twice daily feedings. However, if your dog is a ‘grazer’, then you can free-feed a measured amount of kibble each day and add in a small meal of canned food morning and night in conjunction with insulin injections. If you can only inject insulin once a day, feed the day’s total calories in 2-3 meals within 6-8 hours of giving insulin. 

Keep things consistent. The type of food, the amount of food, and the time you feed your diabetic dog should be the same every day, as much as possible. Pet owners often fail to achieve control of their dog’s diabetes because they are not disciplined with their dog’s feeding and insulin injections. This can be very frustrating, so set yourself up for success with a consistent routine.

Stick to vet-recommended foods. When it comes to the type of food to feed a diabetic dog, pet parents are best served by following their veterinarian’s recommendations. Diabetic dogs should eat very little carbohydrates because carbs cause elevated blood sugar. Diabetic diets are low in carbohydrates and contain soluble or insoluble fiber to help dogs feel full and promote intestinal health. For dogs with food allergies or if you want to make a home-cooked diet for your dog, it is recommended to consult with a board certified veterinary nutritionist so they can formulate a diet recipe for you that is complete and balanced.

Some dogs may need weight-loss food. Healthy weight loss is an important part of therapy in overweight diabetic dogs, and will lower the amount of insulin required in most dogs. Therefore, your veterinarian will prescribe restricted caloric intake until your dog achieves their ideal weight. This can usually be achieved within 2-4 months using a food that is high in fiber and low in calories. 

Be extra careful with treats. This is the hardest part! Diabetic dogs should not be provided snacks or treats unless the treats have very low calories. Fresh veggies, like cucumber slices or green beans, make a great snack for diabetic dogs. Alternatively, you can hand feed your dog’s kibble as a treat.

Always provide fresh water. Diabetic dogs become dehydrated quickly if their blood sugar levels are too high. Keep fresh water available at all times, and if you notice they suddenly start drinking more, that could indicate that their blood sugar levels are too high. Call your veterinarian for a followup.

Diabetic Dog Exercise Plan

Having a regular exercise plan is another way to help regulate blood sugar levels and keep your diabetic dog happy and healthy. As with feeding, try to keep the exercise sessions at the same time each day. 

High intensity exercise is not recommended, as it can cause abrupt changes in blood sugar levels. 1-3 walks or hikes of moderate intensity at the same time each day are recommended. 

In the event that your dog does experience low blood sugar on a walk (which will look like weakness or collapse) you will need to raise your dog’s blood sugar quickly. The best way to do this is to rub a small amount of sugar on their gums, so always carry a small container of honey or corn syrup with you. 

It is also a good idea to ask your veterinarian for exercise recommendations for your dog, especially if your dog has any other health challenges. 

Dog Diabetes Cost

The cost of diabetes care includes vet visits, insulin, syringes, and therapeutic food. If your dog has uncomplicated, easy-to-control diabetes, the costs are lower. However, costs go up for complicated conditions that are harder to manage. 

In general, here are what pet parents can expect to spend on diabetes diagnosis and care for their dogs:

• Glucose curves cost $100-$150 and they are run every 3-6 months or more frequently if the diabetes is not well controlled
• Physical examinations generally cost $50-$100
• Insulin costs more for larger dogs because they require more than small dogs. A bottle of insulin typically costs $60-$70, you may be able to purchase it for less at big box retailer pharmacies or online. Different types or brands of insulin may have different price ranges.
• A large bag of diabetic dog food costs around $90-$100

Diabetes in Dogs Treatment: Other Tips and Advice

Diabetes in dogs is best managed when there is a good relationship between the pet owner and the veterinarian, and the two parties communicate regularly. Here are more tips to help your dog’s treatment go smoothly:

Track symptoms. Keep a journal of relevant information about your dog, including how much water they drink daily, weekly body weight, current insulin dose, and how much food is eaten each day.

Watch for warning signs. The early signs that blood sugar is not regulated included increased drinking and urination. If you notice this, call your veterinarian.

Pay attention to your dog’s urinary health. If your dog shows any signs of urinary tract infections (straining to urinate, increased urge to urinate, accidents in the house, bloody urine) or skin infections (pimples, red, flaky skin), call your veterinarian. If your female dog isn’t spayed, have her spayed.

Stay away from steroids. Avoiding using steroids, including hydrocortisone, on your dog:  they make diabetes worse. If your dog has skin allergies, ask your vet about alternative treatments that are safe for dogs with diabetes.

Consider at-home urine testing. Check for sugar in your dog’s urine at home with over-the-counter urine sugar strips. While they can’t tell you how high the sugar is, they can let you know that there is sugar so you can inform your vet.

The good news is that a consistent routine of twice daily insulin and properly timed feeding creates an excellent prognosis for dogs with diabetes.

The post Diabetes in Dogs Treatment Plan: Steps and What to Expect appeared first on Great Pet Care.

That is why it is important to recognize the early symptoms of diabetes in dogs, so that if something is wrong, you can get help.

Here, we’ll outline some of the signs of diabetes in dogs, how these signs may look similar to or different from other diseases, and what pet parents should do if they suspect their dog may have diabetes.

Understanding Diabetes in Dogs

Diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes in dogs. Insulin is the hormone that is largely responsible for blood sugar regulation in dogs. Diabetes is a disease where blood sugar is unregulated and higher than normal, either due to the loss of insulin-secreting ability by the pancreas, or insulin resistance. 

Diabetes in dogs is thought to be caused by immune-mediated destruction of the cells of the pancreas, the organ that secretes insulin. This type is known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or IDDM.

Another disease, diabetes insipidus, also occurs in dogs and can be confused for diabetes mellitus. However, it is an unrelated disease of water metabolism. 

Signs of Diabetes in Dogs

Diabetes mellitus in dogs is a fairly straightforward condition that has a list of typical associated symptoms. Here are some of the most common signs of diabetes in dogs:

Increased Urination

Increased urination is caused by sugar in the urine. Increased sugar in the blood makes the kidneys work hard to keep blood sugar levels in balance, and if the kidneys can’t keep up with the sugar in the blood, then they will try to flush excess sugar from the body through the urine. You may notice your dog having to go to the bathroom more frequently or having accidents in the house.  

Increased Thirst

Increased thirst happens as the dog’s body becomes dehydrated from the kidneys dumping excess sugar in the urine. This signals the dog’s brain to drink more to compensate for the loss of fluid. Uncontrolled diabetic dogs are often dehydrated. 

Increased Appetite

A dog with diabetes may have an increased appetite. This is because there isn’t enough insulin in the body or the body is resistant to insulin. Without insulin, sugar remains in the bloodstream until it is excreted by the kidneys, and doesn’t move into the cells where it is needed. This causes a dog to want to eat more than usual. 

Weight Loss

Weight loss occurs for the same reason as increased appetite. The sugar in the blood cannot move into the cells, which starves the cells of needed energy and weight loss results. 

Blindness

Blindness occurs from cataracts. The sugar in the blood can build up on the lens inside the eye, and can result in blindness. Owners will often notice increased opacity inside their dog’s lens as the cataract develops. Cataracts can cause total blindness, partial blindness, or decreased vision in low light. 

Vomiting and Diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea can occur in severe cases of uncontrolled diabetes in dogs, which causes dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that make the dog feel very sick. This results in vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite. These signs in a diabetic dog indicate a severe potentially fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. If you notice the signs of DKA in any diabetic dog, call or go to an emergency clinic immediately. 

Repeat Infections

Repeat infections are also common in diabetic dogs. Because diabetic dogs have a suppressed immune system, they are at increased risk for bacterial skin infections that are red and flaky. In addition, the excess sugar in the urine can lead to repeated urinary tract infections, which can manifest as straining to urinate, strong urine odor, or blood in urine. 

What Should You Do If You See Signs of Diabetes in Dogs?

If you notice the signs of diabetes in your dog, then it is important to schedule an appointment with your local veterinarian as soon as possible to get things figured out. This is important because:

• Vets have the technology to diagnose and treat diabetes.
• Other conditions, such as kidney disease or liver disease, can mimic the signs of diabetes.
• If diabetes is uncontrolled it can result in significant problems, including blindness, infections, liver disease, severe dehydration, weight loss, and in terminal cases, death. The earlier you can get your dog treated, the better their prognosis becomes.

At the vet, expect that the doctor will want to conduct a full physical examination and run some tests, including analysis of blood and urine samples to check for abnormalities, including sugar in the urine or elevated sugar in the blood. They may also need additional testing, depending on what problems your dog is having. Additional tests can include imaging studies, like X-rays (radiographs) and abdominal ultrasound. 

If your dog is having any diabetic complications, such as urinary tract infections or blindness from cataracts, then your vet will recommend treatment for these conditions as well. 

If your dog is diagnosed with diabetes, then the first thing to do is breathe. Diabetes can often be successfully managed in dogs with insulin injections and a special food that is lower in carbohydrates and higher in fiber. Insulin needles are tiny and many dogs don’t even notice that they are getting a shot, especially if you distract them. Weight loss in overweight dogs diagnosed with diabetes is also prescribed.

The most challenging part of controlling diabetes in dogs is that it is a process, not a cure – the goal is to manage symptoms and control blood sugar since most dogs never regain the ability to secrete insulin on their own. In addition, prescribing insulin isn’t an exact science, and most dogs need slight tweaks in their insulin dosage to get it right. 

One of the cornerstones of managing diabetic dogs is a glucose curve. This is a lab test where your dog stays several hours at the veterinary hospital and has their blood sugar checked every couple of hours. Glucose curves give your vet information on how well the insulin is controlling blood sugar throughout the day, and whether any changes are needed. Your vet may order glucose curves frequently at the beginning of your dog’s diagnosis with diabetes, but if your dog is well controlled, then they may only need a glucose curve every 6 months or so. If your dog is overly anxious at the vet or not amenable to multiple blood draws, ask your vet about alternative ways to assess your dog’s diabetes.

The most important thing to remember is that with proper treatment, most diabetic dogs can live relatively long and happy lives. By seeking early veterinary attention when you first notice the signs of diabetes, you give your dog the best chance at a happy life. 

The post 7 Signs of Diabetes in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Gastritis is a common cause of vomiting in dogs, and in this article, you will learn everything you need to know about this canine stomach condition. 

What Is Gastritis in Dogs?

Gastritis is a term used to describe inflammation of the stomach from any cause. Gastritis can have an acute (sudden) onset, or it can be chronic and long term. Chronic inflammation in any bodily organ is bad for your dog’s health, but the risk gastritis poses to your dog’s health depends upon the cause, how severe the inflammation is, and if any other organs are involved. 

All dogs are at risk for acute gastritis, however, young dogs that tend to get into garbage or otherwise eat things they shouldn’t are at higher risk for acute gastritis. Older, small-breed dogs, like Shih Tzus, Miniature Poodles, and Lhasa Apsos are more commonly affected by chronic gastritis. In addition, Norwegian Lundehunds, Basenjis, and Drentse Patrijshond dogs are at risk of certain types of chronic gastritis. 

What Causes Gastritis in Dogs?

The most common cause of dog gastritis is dietary indiscretion – eating something that doesn’t agree with them and causes their stomach to become inflamed and angry. This may include consuming:

• Garbage
• Dead animals
• High-fat people food
• Plant material
• Toys
• Too many treats or dog food
• Spoiled food
• Irritating chemicals or cleaning agents
• Fertilizers
• Mulch
• Mushrooms

All of this can upset a dog’s stomach and cause gastritis. Dogs that are stressed can also develop gastritis. 

Additional causes of gastritis in dogs include:

• Liver or kidney disease, which results in a buildup of toxins in the blood that irritate the stomach
• Stomach cancer
• Addison’s disease, which results in electrolyte imbalances that irritate the stomach
• Inflammation from intestinal parasites
• Certain drugs, like NSAID or steroids, which can irritate and erode the stomach lining, causing stomach ulcers
• Infectious viruses or bacteria that attack the lining of the stomach
• Acid reflux, where stomach acid flows backward from the duodenum into the stomach
• Bilious vomiting syndrome from acid reflux from fasting overnight while sleeping, usually causes vomiting first thing in the morning that is green or yellow foam without food present
• Pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas that is often associated with inflammation in the gut
• Adverse food reactions (the most common allergens are protein sources like chicken, beef, dairy, egg, or soy)

Gastritis in Dogs: Symptoms and Signs 

Signs of gastritis in dogs vary depending on whether the problem is acute or chronic. 

Signs of acute gastritis can include:

• Sudden onset of vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Dry gums, sunken eyes, and skin tenting, all signs of dehydration
• Blood in vomit or feces
• Painful abdomen
• Lethargy
• Increased thirst

Acute gastritis is often short in duration, lasting less than 24 hours, and often will resolve on its own.

Signs of chronic gastritis in dogs can include:

• Intermittent vomiting (can range from daily to every few weeks) that may be stained green or yellow from bile, and can contain undigested food, fresh blood, or digested blood that looks like coffee grounds. Vomiting may be stimulated by eating or drinking. 
• Loss of appetite that may be intermittent or chronic
• Weight loss associated with chronic loss of appetite
• Increased thirst
• Diarrhea or melena (black stools associated with digested blood) in dogs with concurrent intestinal disease

Chronic gastritis usually does not resolve on its own. If your dog is suffering from chronic gastritis, get help from a veterinarian. 

How to Diagnose Gastritis in Dogs

Diagnostics for acute gastritis and chronic gastritis are usually different. Acute gastritis is often self-limiting, which means it often resolves on its own within 24 hours before the dog is seen by a veterinarian. Often, the cause is never determined. If the symptoms don’t resolve within 24 hours, or if the dog is acting sick enough to cause you to be worried, then it’s time to call a veterinarian. 

If your dog is suffering from acute gastritis, then your veterinarian will conduct a full physical exam. She will likely ask you about what your dog has recently been eating, or if your dog has any other medical conditions, so be sure to have all the information on hand, including the brand of dog food you feed. 

Diagnostic tests may include a fecal test to check for parasites or other abnormalities, blood lab tests, and sometimes X-rays (radiographs) and a urinalysis, but not always. 

If your dog is suffering from chronic gastritis, then your veterinary visit may look a bit different. Your vet will still conduct a full physical exam and take a history from you. Diagnostic testing will likely be the same to start (blood lab tests, fecal test, urinalysis, abdominal radiographs) but may also include advanced imaging like abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy and biopsy of the stomach, and specialized testing depending on what your vet thinks is causing the problem. 

Treatment for Gastritis in Dogs 

Treating Acute Gastritis

Acute gastritis in dogs is typically treated by withholding food for 12-24 hours to rest the stomach, and then feeding small amounts of bland food every 6-8 hours that can either be purchased from your veterinarian or cooked at home until all symptoms resolve. This typically takes 2-3 days. If symptoms do not resolve, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. 

Once symptoms have resolved, then you can slowly transition back to your dog’s regular food by mixing the bland diet with the food for a couple of days. The most typical recipes for bland diets in dogs include boiled chicken breast without skin or spices and either rice or white potato. Lean ground meats or low fat cottage cheese can be substituted for chicken breasts. 

Additional treatments may include maropitant, a medication to stop nausea, antibiotics or parasite medication if needed, and fluid therapy if the dog is dehydrated. Getting treatment for acute gastritis is important if it doesn’t resolve quickly, as gastritis is painful, makes your dog feel miserable, and can lead to more serious disease if not addressed. Most dogs respond well to treatment and recover fully. 

General cost for treatment of acute gastritis can range from $150-$500, depending on testing, treatment, size of your dog, and your geographic location.

Bilious vomiting syndrome causes gastritis in the early morning usually after fasting all night, and is arguably the most benign cause of chronic vomiting in dogs. This condition can often be managed by simply feeding your dog a small, high protein snack right before bed. If this doesn’t help, ask your veterinarian for a dosage of famotidine (Pepcid) to give your dog at night to reduce stomach acid. 

Treating Chronic Gastritis

If your dog is suffering from chronic gastritis from other causes, then treatment depends on resolving the underlying cause if possible. If it’s not possible to treat the underlying cause, managing the symptoms as best as possible can ensure a good quality of life. Treatment may include medication, specialized food, surgery to remove polyps or foreign bodies, or treatment for cancer, if detected. 

Medications that may be prescribed for chronic gastritis may include maropitant for nausea, steroids or other immunosuppressive medications for chronic inflammatory conditions, antibiotics like amoxicillin or metronidazole, antacids, or medications such as sucralfate for gastric ulcers. 

Foods that might be prescribed for dogs with chronic gastritis are often low-fat and contain a single carbohydrate and protein source. Alternatively, a novel protein or hydrolyzed protein food may be recommended if food allergies are suspected. Frequent (every 4-6 hours), small meals are recommended, and any prescribed diet must be fed for 2-3 weeks to assess how your dog responds. 

Cost of testing and treatment for chronic gastritis varies with the underlying cause, and can range from $150-$500 for uncomplicated cases to several thousand dollars for severe or difficult to diagnose and treat cases. Left untreated, gastritis will likely continue to cause pain and weight loss, and may lead to loss of stomach tissue and permanent digestive problems. 

In both acute and chronic gastritis, probiotics may be recommended by your veterinarian to treat bacterial imbalances in the gut. Gastritis can be caused by an overgrowth of ‘bad’ bacteria that cause inflammation, and in addition to removing the ‘bad’ bacteria with antibiotics, probiotics can help repopulate the gut with ‘good’ bacteria. 

How to Prevent Gastritis in Dogs

Acute gastritis can be prevented by avoiding feeding your dog table scraps, securing garbage or other things your dog might accidentally consume, keeping your dog in a secured yard to prevent free-roaming, and making sure your dog is free of intestinal parasites by having their poop tested every 6 months or using parasite prevention, like Heartgard. 

Monitor your dog closely for any signs of gastritis if they take NSAIDs for arthritis pain or are on steroids for any reason. 

Feed your dog an appropriate complete and balanced diet, have them checked if they show signs of gastritis, and take them to the veterinarian at least once a year for an examination.

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But what is that poop telling you, exactly?

Here’s what you need to know about your cat’s poop to ensure they’re as healthy — and regular — as they should be.

How Often Do Cats Poop?

Every cat will be different, but for the most part, your cat should poop once or twice a day. The more important thing is that whatever the normal number is for your cat, “if you monitor your cat’s bathroom habits, the number of times they poop a day should be consistent,” says Dr. Sara Ochoa, DVM, veterinarian at Whitehouse Veterinary Hospital. 

The size and breed of your cat won’t really play into how often they poop, either.

How Often Do Kittens Poop?

Kittens may poop a little more frequently than once or twice a day, but they’re also usually eating a little more often than older cats. “As your kitten gets older, they also decrease the frequency that they are pooping,” Ochoa explains. 

How Long Can a Cat Go Without Pooping?

Believe it or not, most cats can go a few days without pooping before you need to worry. In fact, Ochoa often sees cats go a day or two without pooping if they aren’t eating regularly, or if they were put on a fasting diet to prepare for surgery.

Cat Not Pooping: Common Causes

Constipation — or the act of not pooping — can be caused by several factors. Some common ones include:

Diet. If your cat is eating a diet that is too high in fiber, then they may also not be pooping, says small animal veterinarian Dr. Sarah Wooten.

Dehydration. Cats can easily become dehydrated if they aren’t drinking enough water. This in turn can cause them to become constipated.

Blockage. Mischievous cats may eat things that they shouldn’t, like string or their cat toys. “This can cause an obstruction, causing them to not be able to poop,” Ochoa says. Consuming bones or hair can also cause constipation, Wooten adds. 

Other causes of constipation can include:

• Lack of exercise
• Dirty litter box causing them to ‘hold it’
• Stress from a hospital visit
• Certain medications
• Neurological conditions like sacral nerve trauma or spinal cord disease
• Hormonal or electrolyte imbalances
• Narrowed pelvic canal due to incorrectly healed pelvic fracture
• Tumors of the rectum
• Rectal diverticulum
• Anal sac disease
• Bite wounds or trauma to anus

What to Do if Your Cat Isn’t Pooping

If you’ve noticed a change in your cat’s fecal movements, or if they haven’t pooped in several days, there are some things you can do to try to help. First, try adding some cat laxatives to their diet. “You can get this at the pet store, and it’s often sold as hairball medications,” Ochoa says. 

Another option is to give your cat MiraLAX. “MiraLAX works by increasing the water in your cat’s colon, helping the poop become softer,” Ochoa says. “Adding a small amount [generally ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon] to their food will help them poop more easily.” However, before giving your cat laxatives, it is always a good idea to talk to your vet first. 

Certain pain medications can also cause constipation. If you believe this could be the reason for your pet’s poop problems, consult with your veterinarian about decreasing, or even stopping, the medicine to help clear it up.

If your cat hasn’t pooped for more than two days, it’s best to pay your veterinarian a visit. “Your veterinarian will want to take X-rays to see if they are constipated, and what their intestines look like,” Ochoa says. “They may also give your cat an enema to help alleviate this constipation.”

Products to Help Cat Poop Problems

Remember to always consult with your veterinarian if you’re worried about a change in your cat’s pooping consistency or frequency, as over-the-counter products won’t help when a more serious issue is at play. If you’re interested in trying out some products at home to help your cat poop more regularly, ask your veterinarian about fiber, prebiotic and probiotic supplements that can provide digestive support.

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Let’s take a closer look at why some dogs seem to fart more than others, what causes gas in dogs, when dog farts are a cause for concern, and more importantly, what pet parents can do about this smelly situation. 

Dog Farts: What They Are and Why They Happen 

After a dog eats, the bacteria in the gut breaks down the food. During this process, gas is released. When excessive amounts of gas form in the stomach or intestinal tract, that gas has to go somewhere! Gas is either released through burps (eructation) or through the other end (flatus or flatulence). Intestinal gas is mostly composed of gases that are odorless, including nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. The problem is any gas that stinks, such as ammonia or hydrogen sulfide. Inadequately digested protein also contributes to the rotten smell of dog farts.

A small amount of daily farting is normal for dogs. However, if you feel like you have to leave the room every time your dog passes gas, you notice a distinct uptick in the number of farts your dog lets fly each day, or your dog is passing gas and having problems with vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in appetite, then something might be wrong. 

Why Does My Dog Fart So Much? 

There are many reasons why a dog could develop excessive gassiness, and they range from medical to food related to behavioral. 

Some of the more common causes of gassiness in dogs include:

Excessive Air Swallowing (Aerophagia)

Dogs that swallow excessive amounts of air while they eat fart more than other dogs. Dogs that may have an increased incidence of aerophagia include brachycephalic dogs (flat-faced, short-nosed dogs like Bulldogs, Pugs, etc.), dogs that are gluttons or competitive eaters, nervous dogs, dogs with respiratory conditions, and dogs that are fed right after exercise.  

Abrupt Food Changes

Suddenly changing dog food can upset the balance of gut flora and lead to increased flatulence.

Poorly Digested Foods

Food that is not properly digested is available for fermentation by gut bacteria, which results in, you guessed it, dog farts. Ingredients that are slowly absorbed, such as whole grains, beans, and peas, and spices can also contribute to gas. 

Fiber-Containing Foods

Diets high in fermentable fiber and containing inulin, psyllium, oat bran, or pectin may cause excessive gas due to decreased digestibility of fiber and increased fermentation within the GI tract. 

Inappropriate or Spoiled Foods

Dietary indiscretion (i.e., getting into the garbage) or food that has been contaminated with bacteria or fungus can cause gas in dogs. 

Disease Conditions

Intestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, imbalances in gut bacteria, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal parasites like hookworms or giardia, adverse food reactions (food allergies), cancer, infections with Salmonella or Campylobacteria, and viruses that attack the digestive tract can all cause excessive gas. 

Sedentary Lifestyle

An older study reported that pet owners detected a higher incidence of flatulence in sedentary dogs. 

Lactose Intolerance

Adult dogs lack the enzyme necessary to digest milk products, and consuming dairy products like cheese may cause flatulence. 

Dog Gas: When to Worry

While dog farts themselves aren’t life threatening (except to human noses!), they can sometimes indicate a disease process that needs intervention. As noted above, several different intestinal disorders can lead to excessive flatulence, and in these cases, excessive gas should not be ignored. 

If dog farting is accompanied by the following warning signs, seek veterinary assistance:

• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Difficulty defecating (constipation)
• Abdominal bloating or pain 
• Loss of energy
• Respiratory problems, such as coughing, sneezing, excessive panting, wheezing, etc. 

You should also contact your veterinarian if your dog has excessive, out-of-character farting that doesn’t resolve with home remedies.

Dog Farting a Lot: What to Do

If you notice excessive gas in your dog, then it is always a good idea to get a veterinary check-up. Your veterinarian will conduct a physical exam and may recommend some laboratory tests to determine the cause of your dog’s flatulence. It can be helpful to bring a stool sample with you. 

If your dog has a clean bill of health from your veterinarian, there are several home remedies that you can try to help reduce gas in your dog, such as:

Exercise. Exercise increases intestinal movement, so encourage your dog to have an active lifestyle. Depending on your dog’s breed, age, and overall health status, this may include taking your dog for twice daily brisk walks, playing games of fetch, or getting your dog involved in agility training. This will help expel excessive gas and promote regular bowel movements. 

Frequent, small meals. Feed small meals three to four times a day in a quiet environment, away from other pets or children. 

Food puzzles. If you have a dog that bolts (gulps) their food, try using a food puzzle or spread their food out on a cookie sheet to slow down eating. 

Digestible diet. Slowly transition to a food that is highly digestible, with low fiber and fat concentration. Therapeutic intestinal foods and therapeutic hypoallergenic foods are a good choice for dogs that have food allergies or digestive issues (both require a prescription card from your vet). You could also try an over-the-counter limited-ingredient food that uses protein sources your dog has not eaten before, like alligator, rabbit, or venison. If you want to cook for your dog, ask your veterinarian about a balanced, home-cooked diet that will reduce gas. 

Supplements. Supplement your dog with a high-quality probiotic daily to balance gut flora. You can also try feeding dog food and treats that contain zinc acetate and Yucca schidigera to reduce dog gas. 

Simethicone. Simethicone (brand name Gas-X) works by decreasing the surface tension of intestinal gas bubbles, making small bubbles into big bubbles that are more easily eliminated. It does not decrease gas formation, but it aids in elimination.

To help prevent dog gas, do not feed your dog table scraps and make sure they can’t get into the garbage or eat other things they shouldn’t, including poop. You should also avoid feeding your dog any dairy products or abruptly changing their dog food.

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Anorexia is the medical term for when a dog refuses to eat. Anorexia may happen suddenly, or your puppy may gradually eat less and less over time. In this article, you will learn why puppies stop eating, how long a puppy can go without eating, warning signs that your puppy needs immediate veterinary care, and how to encourage a puppy to eat.  

Why Is My Puppy Not Eating?

Just like humans, there are a variety of reasons why a puppy won’t eat:

They’re nauseous. A nauseous puppy will likely not want to eat anything. Nausea can be due to many things, including motion sickness, digestive disorders, intestinal parasites and neurological problems.

They’re sick. If a puppy has a fever, an infectious disease (such as parvo or distemper), is suffering from congenital liver and kidney disease or was accidentally poisoned by ingesting something toxic, it may cause loss of appetite. 

They’re anxious. Psychological distress from changes in routine, rehoming, being left alone, changes to the family or environment, vet visits, etc. can cause a puppy to turn up their nose at food. 

It’s too hot. Like people, dogs don’t like to eat very much if they are hot. 

They’re in pain. Pain from any source can kill an appetite. Common sources of pain in puppies include teething and growing pains. 

They were recently vaccinated. Recently vaccinated puppies can experience mild fever, soreness, and loss of appetite after vaccination. These reactions are usually mild. If your puppy seems to be in severe pain, is vomiting, has a swollen face or hives, or doesn’t eat for more than a day after vaccines, seek veterinary attention immediately. 

Picky eater. Some puppies are picky eaters. If they don’t like their food, they refuse to eat it. However, if you give in to their particular ways and feed them treats or people food instead, you will train them to continue to be picky. If your vet has told you that your puppy is perfectly healthy, you may need to wait your puppy out for a meal or two to convince them to eat the food you are offering under your veterinarian’s supervision.  

How Long Can a Puppy Go Without Eating?

Puppies shouldn’t go more than 12 hours without eating. While most healthy adult dogs can go a couple of days without eating without any adverse effects, this is not true of puppies. 

Young and small breed puppies can develop juvenile hypoglycemia because they have very little fat, making it harder for them to regulate their blood sugar and body temperature. Hypoglycemia in puppies is most common in toy breeds, such as Maltese, Chihuahuas, Yorkies, and Toy Poodles. 

Signs of juvenile hypoglycemia include:

• Extreme tiredness
• Shaking
• Cold extremities
• Collapse
• Seizures
• Coma

Owners of these toy breeds should keep high fructose corn syrup or sugar water on hand in the event their puppy develops hypoglycemia and seek veterinary attention immediately if they show signs of hypoglycemia. 

How Often Should Puppies Eat?

In general, small and toy breed puppies should be fed every 4-5 hours until they are between 12 and 14 weeks of age, at which point meal times can be extended to every 6-8 hours. Adult toy breeds (16 weeks of age and older) can be fed twice daily. 

For medium to large breed puppies, the following feeding recommendations are general guidelines only:

Puppy Won’t Eat: What to Watch Out For

If your puppy isn’t eating, how do you know when it is a more serious issue? The following warning signs indicate that your puppy’s health may be in danger and it’s time to call a veterinarian and get your puppy seen:

• Puppy won’t eat or drink anything for longer than 12 hours*
• Anorexia in conjunction with vomiting
• Anorexia in conjunction with diarrhea
• Pseudo-anorexia (your puppy is hungry and wants to eat but can’t eat because of problems chewing or swallowing their food)
• Anorexia in conjunction with lethargy, weakness, excessive tiredness or any other signs of sickness
• If you know your puppy has eaten something they shouldn’t (toys, people food, toxins, cleaning supplies, human medications etc.)
• If you’re informed that other puppies in the litter are ill and not eating
• If your puppy was recently vaccinated
• If your puppy was recently at a place that many other dogs visit, such as a dog park or doggie daycare
• If multiple dogs in your household or neighborhood are ill 

*If your puppy has lost their appetite but is otherwise acting happy and healthy and drinking water, it is okay to try to coax your puppy to eat if they miss a couple of meals. If it lasts longer than a day, speak with your veterinarian.

How to Get a Puppy to Eat

If a veterinarian has ruled out medical causes for your puppy’s poor appetite, here are some recommendations to get your puppy to eat:

Set a specific mealtime. Leaving food out for long periods may make your puppy less likely to eat. Offer a small amount of food at the regular feeding time. When your puppy is done, pick up the food and don’t offer any other food until the next meal. If your puppy refuses to eat, pick it up and try again one hour later. If your puppy refuses to eat for longer than one day, seek veterinary attention. 

Make it a little more enticing. Try warming food for ten seconds in a microwave to increase the aroma, and don’t forget to stir it. You can also add the following to your puppy’s meals to entice them to eat: chicken broth, canned food, meal toppers and white meat from a rotisserie chicken.

Try smaller food. If you have a small breed, get food formulated for small mouths. 

Move the food bowl. Place your puppy’s food in a quiet, low-traffic area of the house and calmly praise your puppy when they eat. Alternatively, try spreading canned food on a lick mat or putting food in food puzzles or dispensers to provide mental stimulation and food fun.

Try fewer treats. Cut back on the treats, only use treats for training and cut the treats into small pieces. This reduces calories, but your puppy still thinks they are getting a lot because there are lots of pieces! Treats should generally make up no more than 10 percent of a dog’s diet.

Ensure that you are accurately judging your puppy’s appetite. Many pet parents become concerned if their puppy doesn’t eat as much as a pet food bag says they will. Every puppy is unique, so ask your veterinarian if your puppy is at a healthy weight and how much your puppy should be eating each day. 

Feed your puppy separately from other animals in the home. Also, keep kids away while your puppy is trying to eat. If your puppy is crate trained, you could try feeding your puppy in the crate. 

Provide safe chews for teething pain. Help relieve pain from teething by providing appropriate chew toys, like a frozen Kong filled with canned puppy food.

Reduce stress. If your puppy is stressed or anxious, try using a pheromone spray or diffuser near your puppy’s feeding station to lower stress. 

Stimulate their appetite. Walk your puppy or engage in other exercises or games before meal times.Finally, if you switch your puppy’s food, do so slowly to avoid upsetting your puppy’s tummy.

The post Puppy Not Eating: Causes and What to Do appeared first on Great Pet Care.

As with any new food fad, it is important to pause, do the research and see what the science says before feeding anything new to your dog. To help you with that, here is a veterinary perspective on goat’s milk for dogs. 

What is Goat’s Milk?

Goat’s milk comes from domestic goats. According to the USDA, goat’s milk is similar to cow’s milk with a few differences:

• Goat milk is higher in calories, protein and calcium than cow milk.
• It has higher prebiotics and probiotics, which promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
• Goat milk has higher levels of potassium, niacin, and vitamin A than cow’s milk and it has lower levels of vitamin B12, folate, and selenium than cow’s milk. 
• Goat milk may be easier to digest than cow’s milk because it has slightly lower levels of lactose, a sugar that many dogs and people cannot digest.

In human medicine, goat milk has been shown to help reduce inflammation in people with allergies or other inflammatory conditions and lower cholesterol in rat studies. Some claim that the smaller size of fat globules in goat’s milk vs. cow’s milk also makes goat’s milk more digestible. However, unless you are feeding raw milk, most milk is homogenized, which reduces the size of fat globules in both goat’s milk and cow’s milk to about the same size. 

Is Goat Milk Good for Dogs?

As of now, there are no objective, peer-reviewed studies available to prove or disprove the health benefits of feeding goat’s milk to dogs. Most of what you will read is anecdotal, stemming from personal experience or marketing hype from companies that want to sell you goat milk. That said, pasteurized goat’s milk will likely not cause any negative side effects and is safe when fed in small amounts to most adult dogs. 

Benefits of Goat Milk for Dogs

Goat milk provides the following nutritional benefits to dogs:

• It’s a source of hydration. Since the major component of goat’s milk is water, the main benefit of feeding goat’s milk to a dog is promoting healthy hydration.
• It has healthy fat and protein. Goat’s milk is rich in fat, which can be used as an energy source for active or underweight dogs, and high in protein and amino acids, which benefits muscle building and repair of damaged tissues.
• It supports a healthy gut and strong bones. Goat’s milk has calcium to build bone strength and high probiotics and prebiotics to support healthy gut bacteria.

People also use goat’s milk as a supplement to help with common inflammatory ailments, including gastrointestinal issues, allergies, osteoarthritis and cancer, but does it help? We’ll look at some of the science in more detail below: 

Goat’s Milk for Dogs: What the Science Says

Here are some common beliefs surrounding feeding goat’s milk to dogs and what the science says:

Potassium in Goat’s Milk Helps Reduce Stomach Acidity and Helps with Intestinal Issues

False. All dairy products, including goat’s milk, can be inflammatory, and inflammation is often a major driver of digestive problems. Goat’s milk has whey proteins, hormones and sugar, which can cause inflammation. Goat’s milk does not change the acidity of a dog’s stomach, and if your dog has any digestive issues, it is better not to give your dog any dairy products, including goat’s milk. 

Goat’s Milk Helps Dogs with Itchy Skin

False. Like many digestive issues, dog skin problems are often inflammatory and exacerbated by giving dairy products. If your dog has itchy skin or any inflammatory conditions, including osteoarthritis and cancer, skip the goat’s milk or talk to your veterinarian before giving it. 

Goat’s Milk Boosts a Dog’s Immunity

Possibly True. Goat’s milk is rich in probiotics, which help promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Since the largest immune system in the body is in the gut, this could promote a stronger immune system. 

Types of Goat’s Milk for Dogs

If you are interested in giving your dog goat’s milk, there are many different forms to choose from:

• Pasteurized goat’s milk. This is the most common form of goat’s milk available for dogs and is convenient and safe. Pasteurization removes potentially pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella that can cause illness in you and your dog, prolongs the product’s shelf life and provides a consistent product. It can be fed alone or by adding to food.

• Goat’s milk powder. This form of goat milk is often sold as a supplement you can sprinkle over food or mix with water. Goat milk powder has also been marketed as a milk replacement powder for puppies. However, goat and cow milk do not provide the proper nutrients for growing puppies and should not be used solely as puppy replacement milk. Unpasteurized goat milk should not be fed to puppies because of their underdeveloped immune systems. 

• Goat’s milk kefir for dogs. Kefir is a fermented product made from pasteurized milk, supplemented with probiotics, and then incubated to activate the probiotics. Kefir can be used as a food topper or fed alone. In humans, kefir is beneficial in inflammatory conditions, gastrointestinal conditions, boosting immunity and fighting cancer. If your dog is suffering from any of these conditions, talk to your veterinarian to see if goat’s milk kefir can benefit your pet. 

• Raw goat’s milk. Raw goat’s milk has not been pasteurized. A veterinary nutritionist and the CDC would say that consuming raw milk products puts your dog at risk of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, E. Coli and Listeria. Use your discretion when deciding on raw goat milk, and get your veterinarian involved in the conversation if you intend to feed your dog any raw milk products. 

How Much Goat’s Milk for Dogs is Safe?

When feeding goat milk labeled for dogs, feed the amount listed on the label for your dog’s weight. If you are feeding human goat milk products, as with any treats, goat milk should not exceed 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake, and the other 90 percent should be a food labeled complete and balanced by AAFCO. 

If your dog shows any negative side effects, reduce the amount of goat milk you are feeding or stop feeding it entirely. 

Goat Milk for Dogs Side Effects

Goat milk is not for all dogs. Some dogs may develop negative side effects, including loose stool, intestinal gas or diarrhea, and goat’s milk is not suitable for these dogs. In addition, if your dog has any of the following medical conditions, goat’s milk is not a good treat:

• Pancreatitis or history of pancreatitis
• Obesity (goat’s milk is high in fat and calories)
• Inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis, digestive disorders, auto-immune disorders, cancer or skin conditions

Where to Buy Goat’s Milk for Dogs

Goat’s milk can be purchased at grocery stores, health food stores, pet stores and online retailers. You can feed dogs goat milk marketed for humans and goat milk marketed for dogs. 

The most important thing is to purchase good quality goat milk that has been pasteurized to remove harmful bacteria. In general, goat milk sourced from goats that are organically raised and fed grass on pasture is of better quality. 

The post Goat’s Milk for Dogs: Benefits and Uses appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Can Humans Get Fleas from Dogs?

The short answer is yes, fleas that live and feed on dogs can jump onto humans and bite us. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is the most common flea in the U.S., and the most common flea seen on cats and dogs. While the cat flea will bite a variety of mammals including humans, we aren’t its preferred host. However, when a flea emerges from a cocoon, it will jump on the nearest warm mammal, and that might be a person if there aren’t any other options available.  

How Can Humans Get Fleas from Dogs?

If your dog has fleas, they may jump off your dog, onto your skin, and bite you. In other scenarios, fleas can infest the home environment (carpet, bedding, cracks and crevices, etc.), and then jump onto a human and bite them. Fleas may also lay eggs in the home environment that can hatch, develop, and bite humans as well.

Can Fleas Live on Humans?

The good news is that fleas that live on dogs do not “live” on humans in the same way. There are a few reasons for this: first, flea bites are itchy and hard to miss, and most humans will notice fleas on themselves right away. Fleas do not reproduce on humans because fleas need fur or feathers to hide and several days to feed in order to lay viable eggs. Fleas cannot bite through clothing, however, rarely they may hide under clothing and repeatedly bite a human.

Can Humans Get Fleas in Their Hair?

Fleas rarely infest human hair: most flea bites are located around the feet and ankles because that is as high as the flea can jump and get a quick bite before being noticed by a person and picked off. It’s even hard for fleas to jump and land on us! Accordingly, humans do not typically have flea dirt on their body or in their hair because flea dirt is the digested blood in feces excreted by fleas, and fleas do not typically stay undisturbed on humans long enough for that to happen. 

Most fleas will bite a human two or three times, realize we aren’t the preferred “meal,” and then jump off. If your dog has fleas, however, and sleeps with you, you may find flea dirt in your bed.

What Do Flea Bites Look Like on Humans?

Flea bites in humans are usually smaller than mosquito bites, and occur in clusters (often three bites) around the feet, ankles, near the edges of tight-fitted clothing (like socks), or in moist bendy parts of the body, like armpits or legpits. They may be surrounded by a red halo. Flea bites may be very itchy or minimally itchy, it depends on the person. Flea bites look similar to bed bug bites, but bed bug bites are usually on around the face, neck, hands, and arms. If in question, consult with your doctor.

Can Humans Get Sick From Flea Bites?

If you are sensitive or allergic to flea bites, you can develop hives or a rash. Furthermore, scratching at the bites can cause a secondary bacterial infection. 

While plague is commonly transmitted in the U.S. by ground squirrel fleas and not the fleas that live on dogs, there are some cat flea bite-related diseases that you should know about. Typhus is transmitted by infected cat fleas and their flea dirt; it is rare in the U.S. with most cases reported in California, Texas, and Hawaii, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

If a human accidentally swallows a dog or cat flea infected with a common tapeworm, the human can become infected with tapeworms. Small children are much more at risk than adults because of their close proximity to the ground and their propensity to put everything in their mouth. 

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Humans

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If you are getting bit by fleas, then you must eradicate fleas on all your furry pets and in your environment, otherwise the pets will get continually infested and you will keep getting bit. Ask your veterinarian for the best flea treatments for your area. A product that quickly kills adult fleas and an insect growth regulator that prevents eggs from hatching is usually recommended, and all pets in the household (including cats!) need to be treated to prevent reinfestation. 

For dogs, Nexgard, Bravecto, and Simparica are veterinarian-recommended products available that can kill fleas quickly before they start reproducing, and keep killing fleas for a month. For cats, Revolution or Advantage II are some of the products available for flea control. These products require a prescription, and your veterinarian can advise you on how often to administer them to your pets. If your dog swims regularly, inform your veterinarian, as this may impact how long a flea product lasts. Follow all instructions exactly or risk reinfestation. 

In addition to killing fleas on your pets, you need to get rid of fleas in the environment. This is particularly important if your pets get reinfested even while using products. Remember: If you are seeing fleas on your dog or getting bit, then there are likely fleas of all life stages developing in your home. (Ew! That is called the biomass). If this is the case, the following tips will help you:

• Vacuum all flooring, throw rugs, and both sides furniture cushions every couple of days for a month. This will suck up adult fleas, any developing immature fleas, and flea eggs. If you have a bad infestation, vacuum daily for one month and then once a week for an additional two months to eradicate the flea biomass. (It only takes 24-48 hours for fleas to start laying eggs.) Throw away the vacuum bag at least twice a week, as it may contain developing fleas. 
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in cracks and crevices. This dries fleas out, and dried out fleas are dead fleas.
• Wash all pet bedding every couple of days. If your pet sleeps with you, wash your bedding every couple of days. 
• Clean pet carriers daily, or bar access.
• Use an outdoor inverted aerosol insecticide where fleas like to hide (under decks, warm, moist areas).
• Purchase flea traps, and change out weekly for two months.
• If you do all this and nothing helps, consult with a local exterminator. 

How to Prevent Flea Bites on People and Pets

If you keep fleas off your pets and your pet’s environment, then flea bites should cease. Here are some tips to stop the problem before it starts:

• Keep grass mowed short, clean up and remove all leaf litter, and bar access to wildlife dens or under decks where fleas like to lurk.
• Utilize flea control products correctly per label instructions during flea season on all pets (including cats!). In warm areas, this may require year-round flea control.
• If wildlife frequent your yard, utilize outdoor insecticides, or talk to your landscaper about applying professional products.
• Regularly vacuum carpets, rugs, and furniture, including under cushions.
• Keep your house clean: sweep floors and mop regularly.
• Wash pet bedding on hot at least monthly, preferably every two weeks.
• Comb your dog with a flea comb a couple times a week. If you find fleas, dip them in soapy water to drown them. 

As always, it is recommended to enlist the help of your friendly local veterinarian if you have fleas biting you or your pets.

The post Can Humans Get Fleas From Dogs? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Fleas are still so prevalent that flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), or itching due to fleas, remains the number one cause of itching and allergic skin disease in dogs in the United States. 

Flea allergy dermatitis can be frustrating for pet owners, extremely uncomfortable for dogs and fleas can transmit disease to animals and humans. Fortunately, flea allergy dermatitis is easily preventable and treatable.

Can Dogs Be Allergic to Fleas?

The majority of dogs will find flea bites uncomfortable. However, some dogs are hypersensitive to flea bites. These pets will experience a much more severe reaction to flea bites than other dogs and are therefore considered allergic to fleas. 

Dogs with flea allergy dermatitis, also referred to as flea bite hypersensitivity, have often been already diagnosed with other allergies such as food or environmental allergies. Flea allergies can develop at any age, but most cases of FAD appear in dogs between 2 to 5 years old. Flea allergies are the most common type of allergy diagnosed in dogs and cats.

What Causes Flea Allergy in Dogs?

Flea allergies occur once an animal has been exposed to fleas. As a flea feeds, it releases saliva rich in enzymes, peptides, amino acids and histamines. The body recognizes these compounds as antigens, triggering an immune response. 

Some dogs may show signs of itching within minutes of a bite, while others may experience a more delayed reaction 24 to 48 hours later. A single flea bite can make a sensitive pet itchy for up to two weeks. 

In many cases of flea allergy dermatitis, dog owners are confused about their pet’s symptoms because they have not seen a flea on their pet. However, it is important to acknowledge that fleas are tiny, about the size of a sesame seed, and very fast. Fleas can discreetly hop on and off your pet while they are on a walk or playing in the park. Fleas also do not need to live on your dog. These tiny, mighty bugs can live in your home, hiding in the cracks between cushions or in your dog’s bed after biting your dog. Another reason owners may not always find fleas on their pet is that they may be biting and scratching so vigorously that the fleas are removed before they are spotted. 

Dog Flea Allergy Symptoms

Dogs suffering from flea allergy dermatitis often display the following symptoms:

• Itching, redness, and crusting primarily on their back from just behind the rib cage to the base of the tail (this area is often referred to as the flea triangle.) 
• Biting or chewing their skin excessively
• Raw open wounds where hair has been chewed called hot spots around the base of the tail or the face
• Dragging themselves along the carpet
• Hair loss secondary to biting, chewing, or scratching
• Red bumps on the skin similar to pimples
• Oily appearance to the skin and coat
• Small black dots, called flea dirt, in the coat
• Loss of sleep/scratching through the night
• Decreased appetite and restlessness

Some of these symptoms occur because dogs are itching so severely that they traumatize their skin barrier and allow secondary infections to form. These infections compound a pet’s itch and irritation, making the situation even more uncomfortable for affected dogs. 

Diagnosing Flea Allergy in Dogs

Flea allergy in dogs can be quickly diagnosed by discovering fleas or flea dirt (little black specks of dried blood) in a dog’s coat. That said, the absence of fleas does not exclude flea allergy dermatitis as the cause of a dog’s itch because, as we discussed, fleas are not always present on a dog after they have taken a meal and caused the allergic reaction. 

In many cases, FAD is diagnosed based on the symptoms, coupled with the lack of consistent, reliable flea prevention being administered year-round.

Your veterinarian will need to perform a physical exam to rule out other causes of itching and make sure your dog hasn’t developed any secondary skin infections due to the severity of their itching.  

Dog Flea Allergy Dermatitis Treatment

First and foremost, any fleas on the pet will need to be completely removed, and new bites must be prevented. Your veterinarian will prescribe a reliable and safe flea product to kill any fleas actively on your pet and prevent any new bites in the future. A flea control product will be needed for all pets in the house (cats included) to eradicate these pesky insects from the animal’s environment fully. 

An anti-itch medication may also be prescribed to help your pet feel more comfortable while their skin heals. This may be a steroid or a prescription allergy medication such as Apoquel or Cytopoint. Apoquel is an oral tablet for dogs that relieves and controls allergic itch and inflammation due to skin allergies. Cytopoint is an injection given at your veterinarian’s office that controls allergic itch in dogs and provides relief for up to 8 weeks.

Secondary skin infections that may have developed will also need to be treated. Typically this will be a medicated shampoo and possibly oral antibiotics or antifungals as deemed necessary based on physical exam findings. 

Environmental treatment is also necessary. The inside of the house should be treated using a combination of flea bombs, sprays, vacuuming carpets and couches, washing all upholstery such as bedding, curtains, throw blankets and more. Treating your backyard, patio and porch is also advisable. In some cases, such as for large homes or those with many animals, hiring professional exterminators is a good idea.

Treating the environment alone is not sufficient to prevent FAD, as it will only rid the home and surrounding area of fleas present at that moment. In a short time, new fleas can move in and take root, especially if there are unprotected pets in the home to provide hungry fleas with meals.

Preventing Flea Allergy in Dogs

Thankfully, flea allergy dermatitis is easily preventable and begins with strict, year-round flea control. Monthly flea prevention comes in topical and oral forms to fit a variety of pets’ lifestyles and needs. Other products, such as flea control collars, are beneficial if applied correctly and changed regularly. 

Unfortunately, many over-the-counter options are not reliable at eliminating fleas entirely, so a prescription flea control product is necessary for pets who are hypersensitive to flea bites. 

Despite popular belief, fleas are not entirely dormant in winter months, especially if they have found their way inside our temperature-controlled homes. Therefore, flea products should be given year-round. If flea control products are discontinued in the winter months, it can be much harder to prevent an infestation in the spring and summer when flea numbers are the highest.

Unfortunately, fleas are here to stay, no matter how clean we keep our pets and our homes. By keeping our pets on a reliable and safe flea control product year-round, dog owners can avoid unnecessary veterinary visits, expensive treatments and save their dog from the discomfort that flea bites can cause.

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As a pet parent, you already know that your dog’s stool can tell you a lot about their overall health. So when things seem off (maybe your dog’s poop is yellow or has mucus in it), it can be worrisome. And pet parents often worry about soft dog poop. 

Whether your dog’s poop starts solid then turns soft, gets softer as the day goes on, or is exhibiting some other odd characteristic, it’s helpful to understand a bit more about what’s going on and when soft dog poop is a cause for concern.

Soft Dog Poop: An Overview

Soft stool in general is defined as feces that are not fully formed, or that is soft in consistency and cannot be easily picked up. Soft stool—which sometimes looks like soft-serve ice cream in consistency—can progress to diarrhea, which can be serious, says Dr. Ashley Rossman of Glen Oak Dog and Cat Hospital in Glenview, Illinois. 

Types of Soft Poop in Dogs

Dog stool can be characterized by several factors, says Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC’s Chief Veterinary Officer. These include:

• Color (including dark brown, light brown, yellow, green, red)
• Texture (including formed, very hard, soft, pudding-like, diarrhea, watery)
• Whether or not mucus is present
• Whether or not blood is present and, if so, whether it’s streaks of blood or completely bloody
• Blood color and consistency (including bright blood, dark blood, purple, black, and tar-like)

If your dog is having issues with soft stool, it can further be categorized as:

Soft-Serve Dog Poop

Watery, formless feces that comes out resembling soft-serve ice cream is often referred to as “soft-serve” dog poop. This type of stool can be a sign that the pet’s microbiome is not balanced. “This can occur if the dog gets into garbage, is eating things in the yard, or is eating other things that are not typical to his or diet,” says Dr. Rossman. “Changing a dog’s diet too quickly can also cause this, as can stress.” In other cases, a parasite may cause soft stool to appear before it evolves into diarrhea, she added. 

Soft Dog Poop with Mucus

Dog poop that presents with mucus can occur for the same reasons as soft-serve dog poop including a microbiome imbalance, eating inappropriate things, a dietary change that happens too quickly, food allergies, or a parasitic infection. 

Orange or Yellow Soft Dog Poop

Feces that are yellow or orange can sometimes be tinged that color if the dog ate something yellow or orange, says Dr. Rossman. Other times, “this can occur from a disease, like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency,” she added. “This is a disease that can be confirmed through a diagnostic test done by your veterinarian.”

Dog Poop Consistency Changes

Sometimes, pet parents notice that their dog’s poop consistency changes throughout the day or even during the course of a bowel movement. These changes are worth noting and sharing with your veterinarian.

When Your Dog’s Poop Starts Solid Then Gets Soft

Poop that changes in consistency during a bowel movement is usually a sign of an unbalanced microbiome. “The first treatment step is to add in a good probiotic,” says Dr. Rossman. “Every veterinarian has an opinion on what probiotics they prefer, and they are not created equally. Be sure to ask your veterinarian for assistance in choosing a brand.”

When Your Dog’s Poop Gets Softer as the Day Goes On

Just like humans, dogs tend to defecate after they’ve eaten. While movement and time of day should not have an impact on your dog’s stool throughout the day in general, “if a patient’s stomach is already upset, then movement can cause increased gastrointestinal motility, and thus soft stool or diarrhea,” says Dr. Rossman. 

Dr. Klein adds that it’s not uncommon for some dogs to have a normal bowel movement at the beginning of a walk, and then proceed to have one or more bowel movements where the stool is soft. “This is usually because the fecal contents have not been sitting in the colon long enough for the water to be absorbed,” he says. “If the dog is happy, eating, and not having any accidents, this can be normal behavior.”

Soft Dog Poop Treatment

Helping firm things up is possible, depending on what is causing your dog’s soft poop in the first place. Possible treatments for a dog with soft poop include:

At-Home Options

If your dog is not in distress and there is no blood present in your dog’s poop, trying a few things at home under the guidance of your veterinarian may help to firm up your dog’s stool. 

These options include:

• Adding a good daily probiotic.

• Adding organic canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, says Dr. Klein, as this may contain xylitol, which is toxic for dogs) or other forms of fiber. 

• Changing your dog’s food to a bland diet can help, says Dr. Rossman. “Home-cooked bland diets are also acceptable,” she added. “An example would be old-fashioned white rice—not instant—and boneless, skinless cooked chicken breast, or lean cooked hamburger meat.”

Veterinarian Options

If at-home options haven’t helped, your veterinarian can run some diagnostic tests to determine if an underlying cause other than stress or diet—like a health issue—is causing the problem. “An example of one of the many tests is a PCR test that tests for different bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens,” says Dr. Rossman.

Recommended treatment options may vary depending on test results. Your veterinarian may prescribe a medication, probiotic, or prescription diet to help firm up your dog’s poop. 

Any stool that is abnormal for your dog that persists longer than 48 hours should be reported to your veterinarian, says Dr. Klein. Any dog that has blood in the stool, or a dog that has diarrhea combined with vomiting, poor appetite, or lethargy should be examined by a veterinarian immediately.  

General Cost to Treat Soft Dog Poop

The cost of the treatment prescribed will vary depending on the cause and severity of the symptoms, but a typical dog fecal test can range from $25 to $45, while more specialized testing (if indicated) may cost several hundred dollars. Medication prices vary depending on the medication prescribed and the length of time it is needed. 

Treatment costs fluctuate depending on the level of testing, the severity of symptoms, and what medications or follow-up care is required. 

If your dog’s soft poop is the result of dietary indiscretion, your veterinarian may run a fecal test and provide instructions based on the results. Costs are wide-ranging for the treatment of anything abnormal associated with soft dog poop. Depending on your region, state, and whether an emergency or specialty service is involved, pricing will vary. 

Some of the more frequently administered tests and their associated costs include:

Pet health insurance such as MetLife Pet Insurance can help offset medical costs. Look for plans that help cover veterinary bills for diagnostics and treatments for any accidents or illnesses your dog incurs. You hope never to use pet health insurance, but poop happens, and it’s nice to have an active policy just in case.

The Bottom Line on Soft Dog Poop

Any time your dog has a bowel movement that’s abnormal, it’s worth paying attention to. Noting the consistency and timing of the event can help if you do need to consult with a veterinarian down the road. 

“Every dog is an individual,” says Dr. Klein. “Work with your veterinarian to find the proper, balanced, age-appropriate diet that works for your dog.” Once you find a diet that works, Dr. Klein suggests sticking with it for the long haul. “Don’t make frequent changes, as most dogs don’t do well with changes in diet,” he says. “Dogs don’t need different or changes in food. They thrive on the proper food for their particular medical and physical needs.”

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For one, they are super easy to clean up messes of all kinds in a flash with just a rip and a swipe. Plus, they help neutralize bad smells, and also may help disinfect. Specifically, baby wipes are notoriously gentle on skin. So, if you use them on your kids, you might want to double up and use them on your dogs, too. And as a pet parent, having wipes on hand is a necessity to take care of plenty of accidents, dirt, and grime that your dog can get into. 

But can you use baby wipes on dogs? Or should you really be using pet wipes for dogs that are better suited for their skin? We asked a veterinarian to explain, and to share some of the best dog wipes on the market.

Wiping Down a Dog: When You Might Need to Do It

There are so many instances where wipes come in handy with dogs.

“Wipes are convenient, waterless ways to do a quick and easy clean,” says Dr. Jerry Klein, DVM, veterinarian and American Kennel Club Chief Veterinary Officer.

You may keep a container by the front door to wipe down your dog’s paws after a rainy walk, or carry a tiny package with you to wipe your dog down after a muddy hike before getting in the car. And during winter months in cold climates, sidewalks and streets are often coated with salt, which transfers to your pup’s paws.

They’re also a great grooming tool. Instead of sticking your fingers into your puppy’s ears or eyes, grabbing a wipe is a quick way to easily remove ear wax and eye crusties.

Can You Use Baby Wipes on Dogs?

The simplest and most accurate answer is, unfortunately, no. You shouldn’t use baby wipes on your dog.

“People tend to think that what is safe for humans is also safe for animals, but this is not true,” says Dr. Klein. “Ingredients in human wipes are not formulated for dogs, especially those with fragrances.”

According to Dr. Klein, although a baby’s skin is sensitive, the most important thing to remember is that the natural pH of a human’s skin (baby or adult) is different from the pH of a dog’s skin.  

“A human’s natural skin pH is around 5.5, and a dog’s skin pH is higher (or more alkaline),” says Dr. Klein. “If using a human (baby) wipe on a dog on a regular basis, it could affect and alter the pH of the dog’s skin, and eventually cause irritation. This could lead to secondary concerns such as cracks that could lead to infections.”

He also adds that dogs, unlike babies, tend to lick areas that most humans cannot reach, which means that they can ingest more chemicals transferred from the wipes to skin. And over time, those amounts can accumulate and cause possible toxicity.

“Check the ingredients and chemicals that are part of the particular wipes that you intend to use. Propylene glycol is considered a harmful ingredient because it is designed to maintain moisture even when cleaning dirt and debris,” says Dr. Klein. “Even if this might be good for humans, vets strongly advise that this ingredient be kept away from dogs, since it can poison some of your dog’s organs over time.”

Other harmful chemicals in some wipes include: 

• Butoxy PEG-4 PG-Amodimethicone
• Phenoxyethanol
• Polysorbate 20 

“They are considered carcinogens for dogs,” Dr. Klein says.

Instead, dog wipes designed specifically for our canine companions are formulated with safe ingredients. 

“Most dog wipes are made to clean areas that come in contact with dirt, urine, or feces on paws, or to clean up soiled hair and skin near genital areas,” says Dr. Klein. “But some canine wipes are used to do maintenance hygiene cleaning on dogs that have skin folds or excessive tearing near eyes. Ingredients in wipes intended for dog paws are quite different from those in other types of wipes.”

Best Dog Wipes

When shopping for dog wipes, you should still pay attention to the label, since even wipes specifically made for dogs may contain sketchy ingredients.

“Some popular commercial tear stain products contain the antibiotic tylosin tartrate, which is not approved for the use in dogs,” says Dr. Klein. 

He also suggests staying away from wipes that contain antibiotics, unless prescribed by your veterinarian or canine ophthalmologist.

However, if you’re in a bind, you can use a human/baby wipe on your dog once in a while.

“If you do run out of canine wipes or have to do a necessary emergency wipe, it is acceptable to use a human or baby wipe on a dog, but limit it to a one-time wipe,” says Dr. Klein. “If possible, use a fragrance-free wipe which would have less ingredients that could cause irritation.”

The post Can You Use Baby Wipes on Dogs? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

For humans, spinach is touted as a superfood and is known to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity and triglycerides-lowering properties [1].  

Since spinach is so beneficial to humans you may be wondering: can cats eat spinach? This article will let you know if you should be feeding your cat spinach, how you should prepare spinach for cats, the health benefits and possible risks of feeding cats spinach. 

Can Cats Eat Spinach? 

In general, cats can eat spinach. Spinach is non-toxic to cats and can be enjoyed by most felines without any issues. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that their diet must contain animal products in order to provide all of their essential nutrients. However, you can supplement your cat’s diet with certain fruits and vegetables. In fact, just as fruits and vegetables are beneficial to human diets, they can be beneficial when added to your cat’s diet in small quantities. 

At this time, there are no known studies that have specifically researched feeding spinach to cats but one study in geriatric cats did show that diets supplemented with added fruits and vegetables increased the cats’ lean body mass and improved their kidney function [2]. 

Can Cats Eat Cooked Spinach? 

Cats can eat small amounts of cooked spinach. The biggest concern that veterinarians have with feeding cats spinach is that spinach is high in oxalates, compounds that, when consumed in high amounts, may increase the risk of kidney or bladder stones. Based on studies, cooking spinach has been shown to decrease the amount of oxalates present, thereby decreasing the potential risk of feeding spinach [3]. 

When cooking spinach for cats, it is best to steam or gently saute this vegetable without adding oils, salt or spices. Boiling is not generally recommended because it decreases many of the beneficial nutrients in spinach. 

Can Cats Eat Raw Spinach? 

Raw spinach is also okay to feed cats in moderation. Feeding raw spinach to cats will ensure that the spinach retains the highest amounts of many vitamins. However, raw spinach does contain high amounts of oxalates and should not be fed to cats with a history of urinary tract stones or abnormal urinary symptoms. 

Is Spinach Good For Cats? 

Spinach is chock full of beneficial vitamins, minerals and other health-producing compounds. It is rich in vitamins A, B6 and K, fiber, magnesium, manganese, potassium, folic acid, iron and calcium [4]. These nutrients are essential for different cellular functions throughout our own bodies and our cats’ bodies. 

Listed are benefits of some of the nutrients found in spinach [5]: 

• Vitamin A: Crucial for vision, growth and immune function. 
• Vitamins B6: Important for red blood cell function, immune response and nervous system function. 
• Vitamin K: Allows for normal blood clotting. 
• Manganese: Supports the nervous system and bone development. 
• Fiber: The fiber in spinach can help to promote your cat’s healthy digestion and fiber-enhanced diets are often recommended for pets that need to lose weight. 
• Iron: Supports oxygen transportation throughout the body. 
• Calcium: Crucial for healthy bones and teeth, muscle contractions and nerve impulse conduction. 

Spinach is not a very common ingredient in commercial cat foods but can be found in certain varieties of Hill’s, Purina, and Fancy Feast brands of wet or canned cat foods. 

Is Spinach Bad for Cats? 

Spinach is not bad for cats and it can be a healthy treat or addition to your cat’s diet. However, as with most things, moderation is key. Any treats or foods that you feed your cat in addition to her regular cat food should make up no more than 10 percent of her daily calorie intake. Feeding a higher proportion will unbalance the diet and can lead to nutritional deficiencies and excesses. 

Most cats need to eat around 200 calories per day, which means that no more than 20 of their daily calories should come from extra foods. The good news is that spinach is very low in calories, with one raw spinach leaf containing only about 2 calories [6]. For this reason, it would be hard to give a cat too much spinach. 

For cats with a history of kidney stones, bladder stones, or any history of abnormal urinary symptoms, it is generally recommended to avoid feeding spinach, as this may increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones. However, one small study showed that feeding cats a diet containing high amounts of oxalates did not increase their urinary excretion of these compounds [7]. It instead showed that feeding high levels of low quality proteins increased urinary oxalate levels. 

In general it is best to discuss whether or not you should feed your cat spinach, or any non-standard foods, with your veterinarian. 

Spinach for Cats: The Verdict

In summary, spinach is a super healthy and nutritious vegetable. When fed in small quantities to a healthy adult cat, spinach can be beneficial to your cat’s health and may serve as a nutritionally dense low-calorie treat. 

Avoid feeding spinach to cats with urinary issues or cats with other medical concerns without first speaking to your veterinarian.

The post Can Cats Eat Spinach? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Skin tags on dogs are benign growths that are typically small in size, but they can cause big worries in many dog owners. Read on to learn about dog skin tags, including what to do if you suspect that your dog has one of these growths. 

Can Dogs Get Skin Tags?

Just like humans, dogs can develop skin tags as a normal part of the aging process. No one knows exactly what causes skin tags in dogs or humans, but they are a common finding and typically not a cause for concern. 

As long as you can rule out more serious skin masses, skin tags on dogs do not typically require treatment and do not cause any problems for dogs. 

What Do Skin Tags Look Like on Dogs?

Dog skin tags can take on a variety of appearances. Many canine skin tags are small, fleshy masses that are no bigger than a pencil tip. In some cases, however, skin tags may grow to be the size of a lima bean, or even larger. 

Skin tags may be small and round, and many owners will confuse skin tags for a tick and attempt to remove it with tweezers. They can also be long and narrow, hanging from a dog’s skin almost like a cow’s udder. Skin tags on dogs can have a smooth surface, or they may have a bumpy, cauliflower-like surface. They are usually the same color as the surrounding skin, but this is not always the case. 

What Causes Skin Tags on Dogs?

The cause of dog skin tags is largely unknown. They tend to be more common in older dogs, but they can occur in younger dogs, too. Some breeds (such as Cocker Spaniels) have a higher likelihood of forming skin tags, suggesting that genetic factors may also be involved. 

In some cases, skin tags may be caused by friction. This hasn’t been definitively proven, but some short-haired dogs tend to develop multiple skin tags along the lower chest. When these dogs lay down, this portion of their chest touches the ground; friction against the ground may result in tissue proliferation and skin tags. Dogs also seem to be more likely to develop skin tags in the armpits and groin (where there is skin-on-skin friction), and there may also be a correlation between chronic itching and skin tags. 

Types of Dog Skin Tags

There are several unique types of skin tags. While all skin tags are caused by a benign skin tissue proliferation, they can differ in the specific type of cells to form the skin tag. These skin tags can’t be distinguished on appearance alone—further testing is needed to identify the cells within the skin tag. 

Common types of skin tags on dogs include

• Fibrovascular papillomas
• Collagenous hamartomas
• Hyperplastic/hypertrophic scars
• Fibroepithelial polyps

Diagnosing Dog Skin Tags

Suspected skin tags should be evaluated by a veterinarian, to rule out more serious concerns. Your veterinarian will first perform a thorough physical examination of your dog, paying careful attention to your dog’s skin. In most cases, your veterinarian can identify skin tags with a reasonable degree of certainty based on appearance alone. However, in some cases, your veterinarian may recommend additional testing to ensure that your dog’s suspected skin tag is not a cancerous mass. 

There are two tests that can be used to diagnose a skin tag: cytology and histopathology. 

Cytology involves collecting a small cell sample from the skin tag using a needle.  Histopathology requires removing all or part of the skin tag for tissue analysis. These samples are then sent to a pathologist for analysis, allowing a definitive diagnosis to be made. Cytology is less invasive and less expensive than histopathology, but it is often impractical to obtain a cytology sample from a small skin tag. If testing is necessary, your veterinarian will recommend the best test for your dog’s skin tag. 

Dog Skin Tag Removal

Skin tags are not cancerous and, in most cases, no treatment is required. However, some skin tags become problematic and may need to be removed. For example, if your dog’s skin tag is very large, prone to trauma, or constantly being nicked by the clippers during grooming, your veterinarian may recommend removal. Some owners also choose to have large skin tags removed for cosmetic reasons. 

Dog skin tag removal is often performed while your dog is anesthetized for some other procedure, such as a dental cleaning. Anesthetizing a dog solely for skin tag removal is rarely in the best interest of the dog, but it’s pretty easy to remove a skin tag while your dog is anesthetized for another routine procedure.  

Your dog will be left with a small incision that may or may not require skin sutures. 

Dog Skin Tag Removal Cost

In general, you can expect to pay approximately $100 for skin tag removal, in addition to the cost of the primary procedure. There may be additional charges if your veterinarian recommends histopathology.

Depending on the skin tag’s location and your dog’s temperament, your veterinarian may be able to remove your dog’s skin tag using sedation and a local anesthetic. In this case, your dog will not be fully anesthetized, but instead will be lightly sedated and have a local anesthetic injected around the skin tag. The cost of sedation, local anesthetic, and skin tag removal will likely be several hundred dollars.

Other Dog Skin Tag Treatments

There are no pills or ointment that will eliminate or shrink a dog skin tag—they require surgical removal. However, if your dog’s skin tag becomes ulcerated or inflamed due to trauma, your veterinarian may recommend a topical spray or ointment for treatment. The goal of these topical medications is to decrease inflammation and secondary infections, allowing your dog’s skin tag to return to its normal state.

Can You Prevent Dog Skin Tags?

Soft, padded bedding may decrease the formation of skin tags associated with friction. However, most skin tags have no identifiable underlying cause. Unfortunately, this means there’s nothing specific that you can do to prevent skin tags. 

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Here, find out if you can give dogs shrimp, if dogs should eat shrimp and what to do if your dog has a problem after eating shrimp.

Can My Dog Eat Shrimp?

The short answer is yes, most dogs can safely consume shrimp. However, the way the shrimp is prepared, how much you feed your dog, and your dog’s health should be considered when thinking about whether or not to feed your dog shrimp. 

If you are unsure about what to feed your dog, it’s best to check with your veterinarian before introducing new human foods to your furry friend. Dogs should only eat cooked shrimp (steamed, boiled or grilled are the best home-cooked preparations) or freeze-dried shrimp, which can make excellent training treats. If you cook for your dog and want to add shrimp to your dog’s diet, consult with your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to formulate a complete and balanced recipe. 

In general, it is recommended that treats make up no more than 10 percent of your dog’s daily caloric intake and that the rest of your dog’s diet is food that has been formulated to be complete and balanced, per AAFCO standards. While shrimp are nutritious, feeding too many shrimp can lead to nutritional imbalances. It is ok to feed a small dog up to 3 shrimp total per week. For dogs over 40 pounds, you can feed up to 1.5 cups of shrimp total per week.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Shrimp?

Dogs should not eat raw shrimp. Raw shellfish, including shrimp, can carry harmful parasites or bacteria like Salmonella, so always cook shrimp using safe food-handling practices before feeding it to your dog. 

Call a veterinarian if your dog accidentally eats raw shrimp and exhibits any signs of parasites or bacterial infections, including:

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Distended or painful abdomen
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss

Can Dogs Eat Shrimp Tails or Shells?

In general, it is not advised to feed shrimp shells or tails to your dog. While some dogs may easily chomp down and chew up the shell and tail, they may present a choking hazard or intestinal obstruction issue in other dogs. Furthermore, shrimp shells and tails can get caught in between teeth, which can irritate the gums. 

Before feeding shrimp to your dog, remove the shells and tails, devein them and cook or freeze-dry them. If your dog accidentally eats a shrimp tail or shell, monitor them for 24 hours and call your veterinarian if they are acting sick in any way. 

Can Dogs Eat Cooked Shrimp?

Dogs should only be fed cooked shrimp. Boiled, steamed, freeze-dried or grilled shrimp without any butter, oil or spices is the recommended preparation for dogs. It is okay to serve cooked shrimp warm or cold to your dog. 

Shrimp scampi is not a good snack for dogs because of the garlic, which is toxic to dogs, and the butter, which can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and pancreatitis (painful and life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas). Shrimp prepared for shrimp cocktail is safe for dogs, but skip the cocktail sauce! 

Can Dogs Eat Fried Shrimp?

Even though your dog may disagree, they should not be fed fried shrimp because their systems are not designed to digest high-fat food. Fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, and popcorn shrimp may cause stomach upset, diarrhea and pancreatitis, so skip these shrimp preparations for your dog. Breaded shrimp should also be avoided.

Is Shrimp Good for Dogs?

When prepared properly, shrimp are a high-protein snack that is low in carbohydrates and high in beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. They are also low in calories, which can make them a good snack for dogs that are trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. 

Shrimp are high in B vitamins, which improve the health of the gastrointestinal and circulatory systems, phosphorus for strong bones and antioxidants that can fight free radicals that cause cancer and brain aging. There are several dog food and treat manufacturers that have caught on to the health benefits of shrimp and feature these tiny, mighty crustaceans in their formulas.

Is Shrimp Bad for Dogs?

Shrimp are low in calories, however, they are high in cholesterol and may not be a good treat for dogs that struggle with high cholesterol. This includes dogs that have been diagnosed with conditions including hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes, pancreatitis or have gallbladder problems. 

In addition, some Briards, Rough Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Doberman Pinschers and Rottweilers have a genetic predisposition for high cholesterol, so if you have one of these breeds, they shouldn’t have shrimp if their blood work shows high cholesterol levels. 

Are Dogs Allergic to Shrimp?

Every dog is different, and some dogs may be allergic to shrimp. The first time you feed your dog shrimp, start with a small amount and watch your dog for any signs of illness after feeding shrimp. 

Signs of shrimp allergies in dogs include:

• Swollen face or muzzle
• Hives (firm bumps all over body that may be itchy)
• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 

Stop feeding your dog shrimp and call your veterinarian for advice if your dog acts sick after eating shrimp. 

Can I Feed My Dog Shrimp? The Verdict

Most dogs love shrimp as an occasional treat, so if your dog tolerates and likes eating shrimp, it is fine to feed them as a treat in moderation. If you have more questions about feeding your dog shrimp, talk to your veterinarian.

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“Cracked and dry paws are not uncommon in dogs and can cause both pets and owners some distress,” says Dr. Linda Simon, a veterinarian based in the U.K. Paw health is important for dogs, and dry and cracked paw pads could signal anything from excess dryness to an underlying health condition. Typically, though, they’re easy to treat. 

Read on to learn what causes rough, cracked dog paws, signs of trouble to look out for, how to treat them, and when to contact a veterinarian for help. 

Why Are My Dog’s Paws Cracked?

“Dry, cracked paws can be caused by many different issues, typically stemming from where your dog walks on a frequent basis and the environment you live in,” says Dr. Megan Conrad, a veterinarian based in Oregon. 

Cold weather is one of the most common triggers for dried-out paws. In winter months, a combination of indoor heating, snow, and ice can zap moisture from your dog’s skin. 

Summer’s heat could also spell trouble for dog paws. Surfaces like hot sand or pavement can rapidly dry them out and result in hard calluses that crack more easily. Dogs who often take a dip in the pool or the ocean may be even more prone to problems since both chlorine and salt dry them out. 

Another common culprit? “Dogs lick their paws frequently in an attempt to soothe itchy paws due to allergies, and may find themselves with red, irritated, inflamed paws,” says Dr. Conrad. Breeds like Beagles, Bichon Frise, West Highland White Terriers, and Poodles are especially susceptible to this problem, according to the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (AKCCHF). 

Other potential reasons for dry, cracked paws in dogs include: 

• Acral lick dermatitis (lick granuloma), excessive licking at paws due to boredom, stress, or compulsiveness
• Gaps in nutrition due to poor diet, gastrointestinal disease, or liver disease 
• Hyperkeratosis, a common and typically harmless thickening of skin around paws and nose, especially in senior dogs 
• Pemphigus foliaceus (PF), an autoimmune condition that causes crusty skin, pustules (pimples), and ulcers 

Symptoms of Cracked Dog Paws

Numerous signs could clue you in that something’s wrong with your dog’s paw pads. You may notice: 

• Rough, cracked, or peeling skin on paws
• Redness and swelling
• Licking or chewing at paws 
• Holding a paw up
• Limping or sudden trouble walking 
• Bleeding 
• Brown staining of the fur around the paw pads or toes

Do Cracked Paws Hurt Dogs?

Just as dry skin and chapped lips tend to hurt us, cracked paws tend to be painful and frustrating for dogs, too. 

If your dog has dry, cracked paws they just won’t leave alone or other concerning symptoms like redness, swelling, odor, yellow or green discharge, or bleeding, schedule an appointment with a veterinarian. They can help you figure out what’s at the root of the problem and get the proper cracked dog paw pad treatment, says Dr. Conrad. 

Cracked dog paws can pop up when you least expect them. And if your pup requires an unexpected visit to the veterinarian, that means vet bills can pop up, too. Having a pet health insurance plan in place to help cover such costs can provide pet parents with peace of mind. For example, plan options from Spot Pet Insurance include accident and illness coverage, diagnostic tests, emergency care, and more.

On the other hand, if you’re only seeing a little dryness and cracking, you can try to treat them at home first.

How to Treat Cracked Dog Paws

“Dogs are usually excellent at healing and should find their paws naturally improve over time,” says Dr. Simon. 

Here’s how to support the healing process: 

Step 1: Clean paw pads with lukewarm, soapy water to remove any irritants. Rinse well and pat dry.

Step 2: Apply a dog-friendly paw balm or moisturizer according to the label instructions before going out to play and in the evening. Rub it in as much as possible.

Step 3: Use a temporary buster collar to ensure they don’t chew or lick at their paws if necessary. 

Also, pay attention to what may cause dry paws. For some dogs, this is an ongoing issue—especially during cold winter months. Being prepared with dog paw balm can help ease symptoms of cracked paws early. 

How to Prevent Cracked Dog Paws

It’s not always possible to prevent paws from cracking, but these strategies can help ensure you’re doing your best to protect your best bud.

Put on Booties 

Dog boots may take some getting used to (see: hilarious Tik Tok and Youtube videos of stomping doggos). But they’re one of the best tools available to protect paws from hot, cold, and rough terrain as well as ice and irritating de-icing products on the ground. 

As you introduce your pup to them, make sure to reward her for good behavior with plenty of treats, pets, and praise. 

Trim Fur Around Paws

If dog boots are too much of a hassle, there are other options. For one, you can keep snow and ice balls from drying out paws by keeping fur around toes clipped short and applying a paw balm before you head outside.  

Skip Tricky Terrain

“If you can’t hold your hand against the street for 5 seconds, it is too hot for your dog to be out on,” says Dr. Simon. To avoid painful blisters and burns, don’t walk your dog on rough terrain without boots, and never take her out on hot pavement, sand, or roads. 

Ensure Your Dog is Well-Nourished

Check in with your veterinarian to make sure your dog is on an appropriate diet that contains all of her required nutrients for her age and health status. Ask about whether you should start her on a skin and coat supplement too, suggests Dr. Simon. 

Do Regular Paw Checks 

Check your pup’s paws after long walks in the woods or games of fetch to remove any burrs or pieces of grass, take note of cracks or injuries to treat, and—during winter months—wipe them off in case of exposure to de-icing agents or other chemicals (like antifreeze) on the ground. If her paws look dried out, apply a balm or moisturizer after cleaning them off.  

While dry, cracked paws can be a nuisance, they’re usually easy to treat with a little TLC.

The post Cracked Dog Paws: Tips and Treatments appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Although it has similar symptoms to other causes of bloody diarrhea, such as parvovirus and pancreatitis, it is a unique condition that occurs primarily in small breed dogs. 

While it is undoubtedly scary to see your dog having bloody diarrhea and vomiting, quick veterinary intervention can be a lifesaver, and the prognosis is good for most dogs who receive timely and aggressive treatment. 

Read on to learn about hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs and what to do if your dog develops this common condition.

What is Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis in Dogs?

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is a sudden onset of profuse bloody diarrhea, often in an otherwise healthy dog. Due to profuse diarrhea and significant blood loss, the condition can lead to rapid dehydration and can be life-threatening. HGE is often accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting. Luckily, with prompt veterinary intervention and aggressive treatment, the prognosis is good, and most dogs will recover within a few days. 

What Causes HGE in Dogs?

We don’t know exactly what causes dogs to develop HGE. One theory is that it may be a hypersensitivity reaction to bacteria or certain dietary components. Several studies have also shown a correlation between the bacteria Clostridium perfringens (a common cause of food poisoning in humans) and dogs who develop HGE. Further research is needed to identify what causes HGE in dogs. 

Although we don’t know what causes HGE, we know that it is not contagious between dogs. It most commonly affects small and toy breed dogs, primarily the Yorkshire Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Miniature Schnauzer, Maltese, Dachshund, Toy Poodle, Bichon Frise, Shetland Sheepdog and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Young to middle-aged dogs are most commonly affected.

HGE Symptoms in Dogs

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is characterized by a sudden onset of profuse bloody diarrhea. Symptoms often come on quickly over the course of a few hours. Many dogs also experience vomiting, often before the diarrhea starts, and in some cases, there may be blood in the vomit. 

Other symptoms of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis can include:

• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Dehydration
• Depression
• Shock
• Collapse
• Hypothermia
• Cool extremities
• Pale gums

If your dog shows any of these symptoms, this is an emergency, and you should seek veterinary care immediately. If left untreated, this condition can lead to severe dehydration and hypovolemic shock, which can be fatal.

Diagnosing HGE in Dogs

To diagnose hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, your veterinarian will first perform a complete physical examination and will take note of your dog’s medical history and current symptoms. Your veterinarian may also recommend some diagnostic testing such as:

Blood tests. These will be used to evaluate your dog’s red blood cell count, which can help diagnose hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Blood work may also show other changes, such as a low protein level, which can indicate proteins are being lost through the gastrointestinal tract.

Radiographs (X-rays). X-rays of your dog’s abdomen will rule out other possible causes of diarrhea and vomiting, such as a foreign body, intussusception or gastrointestinal obstruction.

Parvovirus testing. This is performed to rule out parvovirus as the cause for your dog’s symptoms (parvo can also cause vomiting and bloody diarrhea).

Fecal evaluation. A stool sample will be reviewed to look for parasites and bacteria to determine whether these might be contributing to your dog’s diarrhea.

HGE in Dogs Treatment

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is a severe condition and requires veterinary intervention immediately. Without veterinary treatment, your dog can rapidly develop life-threatening dehydration and may go into shock due to blood and fluid loss.

Once under veterinary care, your dog will need to be hospitalized for intensive care, monitoring, and treatment. The mainstay of HGE treatment in dogs is aggressive intravenous fluid therapy to help rehydrate your dog and replace the blood volume lost due to diarrhea. Intravenous antibiotics will likely be administered. Some dogs may also need plasma infusions to help replace the protein lost due to the large volumes of bloody diarrhea they have experienced.

Medication for HGE in Dogs

In addition to fluid therapy, your dog will be given supportive care, which includes medications to help your dog feel better and to alleviate the inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. 

Antiemetic medications will be provided either by injection or by mouth to help curb any ongoing vomiting. Gastroprotectant medications, such as omeprazole or pantoprazole, are also often given to protect the stomach lining from ulceration. Pain medications, such as buprenorphine, are administered to help alleviate abdominal pain and make your dog more comfortable. 

Probiotics are often prescribed to help regulate the intestinal microbiome and block pathogenic bacteria. Your dog will likely continue to receive probiotics when discharged from the hospital. Probiotics typically come in the form of a powder or capsule that can easily be sprinkled onto your dog’s food.

Your dog may also go home on a special low-fat, easily digestible diet, which can help prevent further GI upset. Your veterinarian may recommend transitioning back to your regular dog food after a certain amount of time or they may recommend continuing this prescription diet for the rest of your dog’s life.

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis Treatment Cost

Because dogs with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis require hospitalization and several days of treatment, this condition can be quite costly to treat. Pet owners should expect to spend between $500 and $1,500 on hospitalization and treatment, depending on the severity of the condition and number of days spent in the hospital.

How to Prevent HGE in Dogs

We don’t know exactly what causes HGE in dogs, so we unfortunately don’t know how to prevent it. Further research is needed to determine what causes HGE and what can be done to avoid this condition.

Related Conditions

• Parvovirus
• Pancreatitis
• Histiocytic Ulcerative Colitis
• Salmonellosis
• Campylobacteriosis

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In this article, you’ll learn what causes cats to throw up food, the difference between throwing up and regurgitation, how to interpret vomit and most importantly how to recognize when vomiting food is a sign of a serious medical issue.

Why Do Cats Throw Up Food?

Vomiting isn’t a specific disease or diagnosis, it is a non-specific symptom caused by many things and may be a common occurrence in feline-friendly households. Occasional vomiting (once a month or less) is usually not a sign of concern, especially if the material brought up includes hair. However vomiting more often indicates something is awry, and some sort of investigation and intervention is warranted. 

Cat Vomiting vs. Regurgitation

If your cat is bringing up food, it may not be vomiting, which is why it is important to know the difference between vomiting and regurgitation. 

Vomiting can happen at any time and is an active, strenuous activity often preceded by retching. Cats feel nauseous, may drool or vocalize and often won’t want to eat. 

Regurgitation is due to problems with the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Regurgitation is a passive process, the cat burps and undigested food comes out. Regurgitation usually happens soon after eating, and the cat may regurgitate and then try to eat again. There is no nausea.

Why Do Cats Throw Up Undigested Food? 

Is your cat throwing up food but acting normal? The most common cause for cats to regularly vomit undigested food is gorging. When cats gorge, they overextend their stomach, which triggers the cat to vomit. 

Eating grass can also cause vomiting. While we don’t know exactly why cats eat grass, we do know that the shape and texture of grass may irritate their gag reflex and cause vomiting.

If your cat is vomiting due to gorging or eating grass, it is not a medical emergency. However, there are other reasons why a cat keeps throwing up after eating that do require veterinary attention, which can include:

Intestinal obstruction: things that can get stuck or lacerate the gut, including small toys, bones, large hairballs, hair ties, ribbon or tinsel, can all cause vomiting. 

Allergies or adverse food reactions: cats can have allergies to ingredients in their food that can cause chronic vomiting. The most common allergens are poultry, beef, pork, eggs, soy, turkey and lamb. Cats with food allergies usually have diarrhea and itchy skin as well. Adverse food reactions are a problem with the food, such as food poisoning, reactions to food additives, lactose intolerance (adult cats can’t digest milk), or eating people food that doesn’t agree with the cat.

Gut inflammation: cats can vomit and have diarrhea due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Chronic untreated IBD has been associated with a specific intestinal cancer called lymphosarcoma. Bacterial overgrowth in the gut can also cause vomiting and diarrhea. 

Intestinal parasites or viruses: parasites, such as hookworms and roundworms, are a common cause of vomiting and diarrhea in cats. Cats with worms can also have a potbellied appearance. Cats with panleukopenia, feline leukemia or other viruses can also vomit. 

Problems elsewhere: Diseases that cause nausea, such as chronic kidney disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, neurological disease, hyperthyroidism, inner ear problems, and diabetes can all cause vomiting. 

Poisoning: chewing on lilies or other toxic house or yard plants or accidental ingestion of antifreeze, pesticides, herbicides, or human prescription drugs can all cause vomiting. Some cats can also vomit in response to medications prescribed to them.

Stress: moving, visitors, changes in routine and adding new pets to the household can all cause stress in cats, which can cause vomiting. 

Age-related disorders: Many age-related illnesses in cats can lead to GI upset. Chronic vomiting in senior cats can point to worrisome issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), intestinal lymphoma (a type of cancer), liver disease, hyperthyroidism, or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, chronic vomiting can lead to more rapid dehydration and weight loss in older cats, which can exacerbate underlying health conditions. Therefore, cats of any age (and especially those of advanced years) should receive regular physical exams by your veterinarian as well as routine bloodwork and urinalysis to rule out any emerging disorders that could affect your cat’s health and quality of life.

Cat Vomiting Food: When to Worry 

If your cat vomits often, consult with a veterinarian at your earliest convenience. Vomiting is never normal, but there are some specific symptoms associated with vomiting that indicate a potential emergency that requires veterinary intervention as soon as possible: 

• Acute vomiting (your cat experiences sudden vomiting).
• An uptick in chronic vomiting (your cat occasionally vomits, but has started vomiting more frequently).
• Decrease in appetite
• Weight loss
• Acting tired or weak
• Straining to urinate or defecate in the litterbox, or inappropriate elimination elsewhere in the house
• Increased aggression (could indicate pain)
• Hiding more
• Drooling
• Fever 
• Diarrhea
• Yellowed skin or whites of eyes (jaundice, can indicate liver disease)
• Fresh red blood in vomit or material that looks like coffee grounds (digested blood, evidence of gastric ulcers or severe stomach irritation)
• Vomiting in conjunction with medication administration
• Worms in your cat’s stool in addition to vomiting
• Your cat has already been diagnosed with a disease like diabetes or kidney disease.
• You see evidence that your cat consumed something dangerous, such as chewed up hair ties, ribbon, tinsel, poisonous plants or other poisonous substances.
• Your cat is very young or very old.

Treatment Options for Cats Throwing up Food 

Your veterinarian will conduct a complete physical examination, discuss your cat’s symptoms with you and will likely recommend some tests. These tests can include bloodwork, urinalysis, fecal exams for parasites and imaging studies, such as abdominal ultrasound or abdominal radiographs (X-rays). 

It is a good idea to bring a sample of the vomit, a stool sample and anything else out of the ordinary you think your cat may have consumed to the appointment. In addition, know the brand and type of food you feed your cat and how much and how fast your cat eats.

Treatment will depend on the cause of vomiting and may include:

• Medication to reduce nausea
• Deworming for parasites
• Treatment for diseases outside the stomach that can cause nausea
• Detoxification of poisonous substances
• Surgery to remove an obstruction
• Diet changes for food allergies or hairballs 
• Medication such as steroids to reduce inflammation in the gut

In many cases of mild, acute vomiting, nausea medication and a bland diet for a couple of days are all that is needed to heal the cat.

Pet parents often wonder if there are any home remedies for cat vomiting. Unless your cat is vomiting due to gorging food, there are no home remedies for cat vomiting. Do not ever give a cat human medication for vomiting unless directed by a veterinarian and never let a cat go more than a day or two without eating.

How to Prevent Cats Throwing Up Food

If you are concerned about your cat developing a problem with vomiting, follow these steps to reduce the likelihood of that happening:

Slow your cat’s eating by using a food puzzle. If your cat gorges on their food, consider a puzzle feeder or an automatic feeder that feeds pre-measured amounts at different times of the day. Alternatively, you can feed your cat several smaller meals throughout the day or spread the food out on a flat surface.

Switch your cat’s food. Consider changing your cat’s diet to a food formulated for sensitive stomachs. If your cat vomits food and hair, brush your cat more often to remove hair and consider switching to a hairball food.

Minimize stress in your cat’s environment. Stress can cause vomiting, so keep your cat calm at home by providing enough litter boxes, water bowls and food and offer plenty of scratching and climbing opportunities.

Bring your cat in for regular veterinary care. Have your cat checked out yearly by your veterinarian, and speak with them more often if you have concerns about your cat’s habits.

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If your cat is itchy and has diarrhea or other unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, a dietary problem could be to blame. Let’s explore whether certain foods can cause allergies in cats and if so, how you can help provide relief for your pet.

Can Cats Have Allergies to Food?

Yes, cats can be allergic to ingredients in their food. However, these food allergies are actually rare in cats. They are much more likely to have allergies to things in their environment, such as mold and grasses. When cats do have food allergies, they are typically directed at a specific protein source. Chicken is the most common food allergen in cats, but they can also be allergic to beef, turkey, egg, soy, or milk, as well as less common meat sources such as venison or duck. 

Cats are very unlikely to be allergic to grains or gluten. In fact, although cats are carnivores, grain-free or gluten-free foods are no more healthy for them than foods with grains and gluten. Most cat foods contain carbohydrates, such as wheat, corn, or potato, because they are an important source of vitamins and minerals. The total amount of carbohydrates in the food is a much more useful metric of healthfulness than whether it is grain-free. This is because foods higher in total carbohydrate content are associated with weight gain in cats.

What Causes Cat Food Allergies?

We don’t really know why food allergies exist. But we do know what happens in the body when a cat has allergies. Allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies a protein from a food as a cause for alarm instead of a benign source of nutrition. This causes the cat’s body to mount an immune response, attacking the “invader.” Immune responses cause inflammation, and it is this inflammation that we see as allergy symptoms, such as itching (inflammation of the skin) and diarrhea (inflammation of the intestines).

Cat food allergies usually emerge in young cats but they can develop at any time in a cat’s life. Allergies may also get worse over time. Neither sex nor breed are specific risk factors, although there is early evidence that Siamese cats and their cross-breeds may have increased risk (1). About 25 percent of cats who have a food allergy also have an environmental or flea allergy (2).

Cat Food Allergy Symptoms

Unfortunately, cat food allergy symptoms are common to many other conditions and can vary widely between cats.

When humans have allergies to something in the environment, such as grass or pollen, they may cough and sneeze. While cats with environmental allergies can have respiratory signs, they frequently will lick their feet and bellies. Cats with environmental allergies may also develop ear infections. Some veterinarians also believe that feline acne is also associated with allergies. Feline acne occurs on the chin and has various appearances, from black dirt to zits to swelling of the whole chin area. 

To make things complicated, cat food allergies can also cause excessive licking and ear infections just like environmental allergies. But typically, food allergic cats will also have gastrointestinal signs, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or decreased appetite. Unfortunately, there is no specific set of cat food allergy symptoms. The gastrointestinal signs of cat food allergies are common to many other ailments in cats, including most types of gastrointestinal disease (parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, etc.), pancreatitis, liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and others. Although many people think it is normal for cats to vomit occasionally, in fact this could be the first sign that your cat has an allergy or other problem. Therefore, if you notice any of these signs, it is important to have your cat examined by a veterinarian. 

Signs of food allergies in cats can include:

• Licking feet, face, or abdomen
• Vomiting
• Loose stool or diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss
• Ear infection
• Excessive gas
• Miliary dermatitis (crusty bumps all over the cat’s body)
• Breathing problems (rare)

Diagnosing Cat Food Allergies

The best way to diagnose a food allergy in a cat is through an elimination diet trial. The idea is that if you can completely exclude the source of allergen from your pet’s environment, then the symptoms should resolve. 

Importantly, since the signs of food allergy are common to other diseases in cats, your veterinarian is likely to start with testing for and treating other more common causes of your cat’s symptoms. These include various causes of gastrointestinal inflammation, flea allergy, and environmental allergy. Once these causes of your cat’s symptoms are excluded, then it is time to start a diet trial. While any veterinarian can conduct a food trial, veterinary dermatologists are specialists who focus on skin and allergies and are often the best resources for diagnosing and treating allergic disease.

Although it sounds simple, an elimination diet trial is difficult to do properly. First, your veterinarian will select a novel protein or hydrolyzed food. Hydrolyzed means that the protein source in the food has been broken down into short chains of amino acids. (Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins can be thousands of amino acids long.) These short chains are not recognized by the body as containing an allergen. For some cats, a novel protein diet is also an appropriate choice for an elimination diet. Novel proteins are those your cat has never been exposed to, such as venison, rabbit, or kangaroo. However, some foods may cross-react, such as chicken and turkey or beef and bison, and therefore diets with similar proteins may not be appropriate as novel diets.

Selection of the food is the easy part. The hard part is remembering to not give your cat any treats, snacks, medications, or supplements that contain anything edible other than the elimination diet. This means other cats in the house will need to be fed separately or else everyone needs to be on the same elimination diet. If you accidentally allow your cat to eat anything other than the prescribed diet, you have to start the whole trial timeline over again.  

Diet trials last from 4-12 weeks. Every 2-4 weeks, your cat will be evaluated by your veterinarian and you will discuss how she is doing. It is important for you to keep a record of her symptoms at home. The reason that diet trials have a broad timeline is that some cats respond to their elimination diet quickly, while for others it takes more time. An elimination diet trial is not considered over until your cat improves OR at least 12 weeks have passed without improvement. If a cat responds, gastrointestinal signs will usually improve before skin signs. This is because cells turn over more quickly in the GI tract than they do in the skin.

According to recent research, “alternative tests of blood, serum, saliva and hair have been found to be unsatisfactory” in the diagnosis of food allergy in cats (3).

How to Treat Cat Food Allergies

The best treatment for cat food allergies is to eliminate the allergen from your cat’s environment completely. This means that none of the ingredients in your cat’s food can come from the source of your animal’s allergy. These are usually called “limited ingredient” or “novel protein” diets. 

But more than just looking at primary ingredients, an allergen-free diet means there should be no risk of contamination with the allergen. It is similar to how some human foods that don’t contain peanuts are made in facilities that also process peanuts, so are not safe for those with peanut allergies. Human food is required to state any possible allergen contamination on the box, but there is no such requirement for cat food. In fact, very few pet food companies can guarantee no contamination. It is expensive to completely shut down machinery and deep clean it between making different foods, and most food companies are not designing food to be truly therapeutic. The few companies that do make this guarantee for their limited-ingredient diets include Royal Canin, Hill’s, and Purina. These guaranteed diets are usually the prescription diets, so they can specifically be labeled as a therapy or treatment for your cat’s disease (allergies). If you want to use a different brand of food for your cat’s allergen-free food, talk to your veterinarian.

In addition to allergen-free food, all treats, dental chews, medications, and toys should be allergen-free. It is okay for you to eat the food your cat is allergic to, as long as you don’t give her table scraps or let her lick the dishes.

Medication is unlikely to be required for food allergies in cats as long as your cat is maintained on an allergen-free diet. However, if a flare-up of symptoms happens, then your veterinarian may prescribe a short course of medication to get her feeling better faster.

Food allergy is just one of the many causes of your cat’s itchy skin or GI discomfort, and in fact one of the less common ones. Therefore, it is important to have your cat seen by your veterinarian before you change her diet or try to do an elimination diet on your own. 

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Meowing at humans is a normal behavior, but what can you do if your cat meows excessively all the time, or has recently changed from a quiet cat to an overactive talker? 

Cat Meowing: How Much is Normal?

Cats use meowing to communicate with us. The most common normal reasons a cat meows are because they want something from you including attention, play, food, to go outside, etc. 

A cat will also meow to say hi or to announce their presence. Some cats will meow to themselves as they walk around the house, or they may meow because they are lonely. Female cats in heat will meow to attract a mate. 

The amount a cat meows varies between individual cats and between breeds of cats. Bengals, Abyssians, and Siamese cats, for example, are known to be ‘talkers,’ and meow more than your average domestic cat. 

When it comes to how much meowing is too much, it is less about the amount of meowing and more about overall changes in your cat’s behavior. Some cats just meow a lot, just like some dogs bark a lot. If your cat has been a lifelong talker, then that is likely normal for your cat. However, if your cat has started meowing more recently, or if your cat’s voice is suddenly louder or softer or different in any way, then something might be going on that is causing excessive meowing. 

Why is My Cat Meowing So Much?

If your cat has had a recent uptick in meowing, there is likely something that has changed in your cat’s world. There are many things that can cause increased meowing in cats, including:

Medical conditions. Certain conditions such as hyperthyroidism or general pain can cause cats to vocalize more than usual. In addition, hyperthyroidism causes a cat to be hungry, which can cause increased meowing if your cat normally meows at you to get food.

Boredom or loneliness. When cats are bored or lonely they often use meowing as attention seeking behavior.

Stress or anxiety. If you have had changes in your household or your cat has been stressed for any reason it can lead to increased meowing.

Advanced age. Senior or geriatric cats are more susceptible to old age diseases, including arthritis,  hearing loss, vision loss, and dementia, which can lead to increased vocalization especially at night. 

Other Symptoms to Watch For

If your cat has suddenly become a meowing over-achiever and it is due to a problem, cats will often drop other clues which can help you understand why your cat is communicating with you more than usual.

Excessive meowing due to a medical condition may include other symptoms such as:

• Changes in weight
• Changes in appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Decreased energy
• Increased energy
• Hiding more than usual

If your cat is older and starts vocalizing more, watch for signs of:

• Vision loss
• Hearing loss
• Dementia

Stress may cause cats to develop cystitis or a urinary tract infection. Watch for the following symptoms of urinary problems in addition to meowing:

• Urinating or defecating outside the litter box
• Straining in the litter box
• Bloody urine

Stress, separation anxiety, or loneliness may also cause cats to display the following behaviors:

• Over grooming that leads to bald patches
• Litter box problems
• Increased hiding
• Acting jumpy or clingy
• Following you more than usual

If your cat is meowing more than normal, it is always a good idea to note any behavior changes and get your cat checked out by a veterinarian to make sure there isn’t an underlying medical cause.

How to Get a Cat to Stop Meowing So Much

While vocalization is normal and healthy for cats, if excessive meowing is interfering with your quality of life then there are strategies you can use to reduce the amount of meows coming from your cat. 

If underlying medical problems have been ruled out, then the best thing to do is ignore your cat when they start meowing at you to get something. Do not reward the meowing with treats or attention because this will reinforce the behavior. 

Instead, ignore your cat when they are meowing at you and reward them with whatever it is they want when they are being quiet and polite. This may be hard to do in the beginning but eventually they will get the idea. 

Additional strategies to reducing excessive meowing include: 

Environmental Enrichment

If your cat is bored, invest in environmental enrichment to reduce stress. This involves things like plentiful vertical and horizontal scratching opportunities, increased vertical space and climbing opportunities, outdoor time on a leash or in a Catio, food puzzles and hunting opportunities, etc. 

Stress Reduction

Evaluate your cat’s environment for stressors, such as stray cats, overcrowding of cats, not enough resources, etc. and remove or reduce stressors if possible. If you aren’t sure what stresses your cat, here is an educational resource on all things that can stress cats out. 

Litter Box Maintenance

Have one more litter box than the number of cats to ensure good litter box hygiene and habits. Clean boxes daily and make sure they are in accessible areas so your cat can easily find them.

Exercise

Increase daily play and exercise sessions to wear your cat out. Cats will be less stressed and lonely if you make sure they get plenty of interaction and activity throughout the day.

Maintain Routine

Cats don’t like changes, so keep feeding, play time, bedtime, etc. at the same time every day as much as possible so your cat knows what to expect and when to expect it. 

Utilize Calming Aids

Utilize calming aids for stressed cats, including pheromone diffusers, thundershirts, or Assisi loop technology.

Try Calming Supplements

Calming supplements such as CBD oil, or products that contain l-theanine, milk protein, or tryptophan which can help reduce anxiety that contributes to excessive vocalization. Some cats also benefit from catnip.

Adjust Feeding Schedules

If your cat is bugging you at night for food, try giving your cat a small high protein snack before bed, and consider getting an automatic feeder that will dispense a pre-measured amount of food at the time you determine.

The Conclusion on Excess Cat Meowing

By knowing why your cat is meowing and then employing the strategies listed above you should be able to reduce excessive vocalization in most cats. If you are still hitting a wall, reach out to your local veterinarian for additional tips and tricks that will help your cat be less vociferous.

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Dog aging and growth differs from that of a human child and the common belief that one dog year is equal to seven human years isn’t quite accurate. Let’s take a look at a dog’s typical growth trajectory, when they stop growing, and how factors like breed and genetics play into the equation. 

Dog Growth: An Overview

While it is obvious that dogs grow and age more quickly to humans, dog growth and development is not just a shortened version of human growth. That is why comparing 7 human years to 1 dog year is not considered an accurate representation of how dogs age. 

A recent paper that analyzed the genome of over 100 Labrador Retrievers from birth through old age revealed that 1-year-old dogs are genetically much older than we previously thought. In fact, they concluded that the DNA of a 1 year old Lab is genetically equivalent to a 30 year old human, suggesting that puppies age more quickly than human children. 

The research also showed that a 7-week-old puppy was similar to a 9-month-old human baby. As time passes and the dog gets older, however, the rate of aging in dogs slows down.

It is important to realize the comparison between human aging and dog aging is nonlinear and not a perfect comparison. For instance, a 1-year-old large breed dog is still growing and experiencing hormonal and body composition changes that are more comparable to an adolescent human than a 30 year old. This highlights that we still have a lot to learn about canine growth and aging. 

When Do Dogs Stop Growing?

Generally, dogs stop growing between 6-18 months depending on their size and breed. Dogs are considered to be done growing when the growth plates at the ends of their bones close, meaning that the bones cannot grow any longer. 

Dogs may still pack on additional fat and muscle mass after their bones are done growing, but this does not impact when a dog is considered to be full grown. 

All puppies develop fairly rapidly and at the same rate until they are about 6 months of age, when differences of growth and maturation are noticed in different sized puppies. Cessation of growth in dogs is influenced heavily by a dog’s size. In general, big dogs take longer to finish growing than small dogs. This makes sense, as a Great Dane is a bigger animal than a Chihuahua, and it simply takes longer to make bigger bones in large-breed dogs. 

When Do Small Dogs Stop Growing?

Small and toy breed dogs tend to stop growing around 6-8 months of age. 

Small breeds are considered any dogs that have an adult weight of 30 pounds or less. This includes dogs that are as small as a 5-pound Maltese and as big as an adult 25-pound Corgi. 

When Do Large Dogs Stop Growing?

Large breed dogs typically stop growing between 12-18 months of age. Between 6-8 months of age, large breed puppies have a lanky look to their bodies and are awkward and clumsy—which is frankly adorable.

Large breeds are considered any adult dogs that weigh more than 50 pounds. Large breed puppies, as already noted, grow more slowly because they have to make bigger body parts. 

Growth Based on Breed

In both categories of small dogs and large dogs there is a fairly wide range of adult weights and sizes. This wider weight range will contribute to some variability between when dogs—even in the same category—finish growing.

For example, a 75-pound Labrador Retriever and a 150-pound Great Dane are both members of the large breed category. However, a Labrador will finish growing between 12-18 months of age, and a Great Dane can take upwards of 2 years to finish growing. 

Furthermore, there are medium sized dogs that weigh between 30-50 pounds that don’t fit into small or large breed categories. Medium size dogs tend to mature by 12 months of age. But every breed is different, so be sure to check with your veterinarian or breeder to determine a more accurate idea of when your puppy will finish growing. 

When Is a Dog Considered an Adult?

All dogs are considered to be adult dogs once they hit their one year birthday, even though large breed dogs take longer than one year to finish growing. 

If you have a medium or small breed dog, your dog is considered to be an adult by the time they are one year of age. If you haven’t already transitioned your dog to adult dog food by one year of age, this is the time to do it. If you have a large or giant breed puppy, ask your veterinarian about the best time to switch from large breed puppy food to adult large breed food. 

Dogs are considered adults when they have reached physical, sexual, and emotional maturity, and have gone through puberty and adolescence. Emotional maturity will result in more focused, less distractible  behavior, increased consistent obedience to commands, and a more calm demeanor.  

Keeping an Eye on Your Dog’s Growth: Why It’s Important

While puppies will go through growth spurts just like human children, it is important that your puppy grows at a steady, regular rate to avoid medical conditions, such as panosteitis, a painful condition that resembles growth pains in growing children. It is also important for your puppy to grow at a regular rate, not too fast or too slow, to reduce the likelihood of other developmental orthopedic disorders, including Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD). 

Controlling your puppy’s rate of growth is best done under the supervision of a veterinarian, who can monitor your puppy’s growth and development, and suggest the proper nutrition and exercise specific to your dog and your family’s lifestyle. 

To avoid disorders associated with rapid growth, avoid overfeeding your puppy. If you have a large breed puppy, you can further ensure joint health by feeding an appropriate amount of large breed puppy formula food, which is specifically formulated to support healthy growth and development in large breed puppies. 

While it can be bittersweet to watch your puppy grow up (where does all the time go?!?), knowing when they will reach maturity and how to care for them in the meantime will contribute to a lifetime of health and wellbeing. 

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One of the ways cats puzzle and delight humans is in how they cling to us and seemingly shadow us at all times. If you’re wondering: “Why does my cat follow me?” you’re not alone. Let’s get to the bottom of why they do it, what they are trying to communicate, and when it’s a problem.

Following Behavior in Cats: Why it Happens

In most cases, a cat following you around is considered normal behavior, especially when they share a close bond with you. 

Cats follow humans for multiple other reasons, including:

• Curiosity
• Attention-seeking behavior (they want cuddles and pets)
• Boredom
• Hunger
• Wanting to play
• Territorial behavior

Some breeds, including Ragdolls, Bengals, Maine Coons, Persians, Siamese, Tonkinese, and Sphynx are considered to be “velcro cats” that bond closely to their humans and may follow them more than other breeds. 

Why Does My Cat Follow Me Everywhere?

You are the center of your cat’s world and the keeper of all their resources, so it makes sense that your cat follows you around. In addition, your cat shares a strong bond with you, may be curious to what you are doing, may have insecurity, may want your attention, or may think that you will feed or play with them. They may also want access to a part of the house they are normally barred from entering. 

These are all normal reasons why cats may seemingly follow you everywhere. In some cases, your cat may follow you because they feel stressed or anxious about being separated from you. However, most of the time, your cat follows you because they want something or they are just curious about what you’re doing. 

Why Does My Cat Follow Me to the Bathroom?

While we don’t know for certain why cats like to follow people to the bathroom, there are some theories that make sense based on feline behavioral tendencies. One theory is that cats are territorial mammals that want to know what is going on inside their territory. And the bathroom (like the rest of the house) is considered part of your indoor cat’s territory. 

But cats may also venture into the bathroom with you because—let’s be honest—bathrooms have lots of fun things (including you) in them. Things like toilet paper rolls, dripping sinks, blinds on the windows, water in the toilet, towels on the floor, may be looked at as play things for our feline friends. Plus, in the bathroom, you’re a captive audience. 

Cats may also like the bathroom because it is full of things marked with your scent, which can be comforting. Another comforting and cozy part of the bathroom? Yep, the sink is often an alluring spot for your kitty to snooze. 

If your cat’s habits of following you to the bathroom are a problem for you, talk to your veterinarian or a feline behavior specialist on how to retrain your cat. 

My Cat Follows Me Everywhere and Sleeps with Me

If your cat follows you everywhere and sleeps with you, this is a sign that your cat is strongly bonded with you and, dare I say, loves you. In general, this isn’t an issue, but if your cat exhibits any signs of separation anxiety (see below) or if it is annoying to you, talk to your veterinarian or a certified feline behavior specialist on ways to get your cat interested in things other than you. 

Cats who sleep with their family should be given a monthly dewormer to reduce the risk of transmitting parasites to their family.

My Cat Follows Me Everywhere But Won’t Cuddle

Cats that follow their owners but don’t want to cuddle can be frustrating, especially if you want to get in some snuggles. 

Some reasons a cat may not enjoy physical contact include individual personality variations, a lack of adequate socialization during kittenhood, a history of being feral, or a previous negative experience associated with human physical touch. 

If this is the case, talk to a feline behavior specialist on how to help your cat become more comfortable with human touch. 

Why Does My Cat Follow Me and No One Else?

Cats form strong social ties with people and places. It could be that your cat shares a strong bond with you but hasn’t formed that bond with anyone else in your household. Other reasons may be that your cat is curious about what you are doing, may have insecurity or separation anxiety, or may associate resources, including food, play, treats, and toys, only with you and not other people. 

Should You Be Concerned About Your Cat Following You?

In general no, following behavior is considered normal feline behavior. One reason to be concerned is if your cat exhibits sudden, clingy behavior that wasn’t present before. 

This is usually due to something that is bothering the cat, and can include separation anxiety, something that has frightened the cat, or an underlying medical condition. 

Hyperthyroidism, diabetes, chronic pain from any source, or neurological conditions can all cause clingy, abnormal behavior. So, if your cat suddenly starts acting overly clingy, have your feline checked out by a local veterinarian to rule out any medical causes.  

How Can You Tell if Your Cat Has Separation Anxiety? 

While separation anxiety in dogs is a well documented condition, less is known about separation anxiety in cats. Separation anxiety in cats is triggered by being separated from a human or other animal with which the cat has a strong bond. Separation anxiety can range from mild to severe. Mild forms of separation anxiety may go unnoticed by humans, and severe forms can be misinterpreted as bad behavior—which it is not. 

You can tell if your cat has separation anxiety if you notice that your cat behaves differently when you prepare to leave. If your cat hides, meows more, follows you more, or tries to block you from leaving when you pick up your keys or purse, then your cat may have separation anxiety. 

Cats with separation anxiety are also known to exhibit the following behaviors when they are left alone:

• Urinating or defecating outside the litter box.
• Loud and frequent meowing.
• Destructive behavior, such as scratching furniture, curtains, or knocking things over.
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Excessive eating or not eating.
• Increased aggression with other cats in the household. 
• Excessive grooming, resulting in bald patches.
• Overly enthusiastic greeting when you come home.

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The Journal of Pediatric Nursing has noted increased empathy, decreased separation anxiety, and improved social interaction among children with autism who have a pet cat (2). Similar benefits can be seen in children with Down syndrome. 

In addition to the emotional and social advantages that growing up with a pet can provide, children may benefit physically, as well. Pediatrics medical journal states that pets in the home may boost a child’s immune system (3). The presence of a cat or dog during a child’s first year of life can decrease the number of respiratory infections and help reduce the development of allergies and asthma later on.

Benefits of Pets for Children

Here’s a closer look at how pets can benefit the children who care for them: 

• Pets can help children develop a heightened sense of empathy. As a general rule, children tend to focus on their own feelings. But caring for a pet encourages children to imagine how their pet is feeling. Developing this perspective early on encourages children to apply the same concern for the feelings of their peers.
• Pets teach children to be good caretakers. Kids learn how to be courteous, kind, nurturing, gentle, careful, compassionate, and patient.
• Pets can improve social skills. In many cases, pets play the role of a child’s first best friend. Children often talk to their pets, which helps them develop language and conversational skills. 
• Taking care of pets fosters a sense of self-worth. When children help with pet care, they learn about responsibility, cooperation, obedience, and sharing. That helps them develop a sense of achievement and value. 
• Pets can help boost kids’ self-esteem. Nothing embodies unconditional acceptance like a purring cat or devoted dog who is a child’s #1 fan.
• Pets can help combat feelings of loneliness. Long-haired, short-haired, and even hairless pets often act as a living security blanket, offering physical comfort, loyalty, love, and affection when kids need it most. 
• Some pets can be specially trained to support children recovering from trauma.
• Pets can act as a natural mood stabilizer, helping children work through behavioral and learning problems.

While the 2021 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association indicates that more U.S. households have dogs than cats (4), families with small children may be more inclined to consider adopting a cat. Felines are relatively low maintenance and easy to housetrain, making them perfect companions for busy homes. Furthermore, quieter, more introverted children may be better suited to owning a cat rather than a pet of another species.

Do Cats Bond with Humans?

Cats may have the (undeserved) reputation of being aloof and unaffectionate, however, this notion couldn’t be further from the truth. Cats simply express affection in ways different from their canine counterparts. 

Cats are more independent, so their displays of affection are often more subtle. However, a 2019 study published in Current Biology revealed that adult cats and kittens display signs of secure attachment to their owners, similar to the bond human infants have with caregivers (5). The majority of cats in the study were less stressed and more willing to explore new surroundings while in the presence of their pet parents, from whom they drew comfort and security. 

Cats can bond with children as strongly as they can with pet parents. We humans just need to learn how to recognize that bond to understand the extent of their love for us. To avoid disappointment, misunderstanding, or hurt feelings, children especially should be educated on the unique ways in which independent felines display affection.

For starters, learning feline body language, particularly how to interpret the position and movement of a cat’s tail, is vital to building clear communications and a solid bond with your cat. For instance, while a wagging tail in a dog can indicate friendliness, a tail flip in a cat typically indicates annoyance. That’s an important distinction!

Cats show us their affection in a variety of unique and endearing ways, which include:

• Purring
• Vocalizing, including meowing, mewling, chirping, or trilling
• Kneading
• Headbutting (a.k.a. head bunting), cheek rubbing, or rubbing on your ankles. Cats spread their pheromones (scent markers) in this manner to inform other cats that you belong to them.
• Licking or grooming you
• Displaying their belly or rolling on the ground in front of you. Cats only display their abdomens if they’re extremely comfortable around you.
• Sitting in your lap. Cats will curl up on or next to you to indicate that they feel safe and comforted by your presence.
• Following you around and wanting to be in your presence
• Wandering around and exploring in your presence. While you may think your cat is disinterested in you, cats tend to only explore when they feel secure. Take this action as a compliment!
• Engaging in play activity
• Hunting and bringing toys or prey as gifts
• “Love bites” (nibbles) or pawing at you
• “Eye kisses” — when cats stare at you and then slowly blink their eyes to tell you they love you. Try mimicking it back to them!
• Greeting you at the door upon your arrival home

Now that you’re fluent in the language of cats, be sure to share your newfound knowledge with your child to set their kid-cat relationship up for success.

Best Cats for Kids

When it comes to choosing a cat who’s likely to be a good fit for a household with children, there are some key personality traits that can help. For a harmonious home life, look for cats that are:  

• Well socialized
• Friendly
• Gentle
• Patient
• Comfortable with being handled
• Tolerant of noise and sudden movement
• Not overly nervous, timid, or aggressive when unprovoked

While the prospect of adopting an adorable kitten can be hard to resist, be aware that younger children (particularly those under the age of 5) may be unpredictable or too rough with a fragile kitten. They could unknowingly injure the young cat or even cause the kitten to develop into a more fearful and timid adult cat. Training a kitten can also be more time-consuming, which may prove difficult in a busy home with rambunctious toddlers. 

If you have young children, adult cats around 2-3 years of age are a great choice. Older children can do well with cats of every age, from kittens all the way to senior cats. What’s most important is to find a cat that is comfortable around children. Consider searching for adoptable cats that are kid-friendly using online sites such as Petfinder, which can match you to available cats at a shelter near you.

Don’t forget that personal chemistry is a crucial part of any pet decision. Be sure to visit the shelter, breeder, or rescue center as a family and observe how comfortable a potential pet is with your child. You may also want to consider fostering a cat for a short time before committing to adoption to ensure the fit is good for everyone involved. 

Best Cat Breeds for Children (of any age)

Provided they have the right temperament, any breed of cat can be a great match for a household with children. However, some cat breeds are more likely than others to possess kid-friendly characteristics and traits.

Here are some cat breeds generally considered to be calm, tolerant, and great with kids of all ages:

• American Shorthair or British Shorthair
• Ragdoll
• Birman
• Persian or Exotic Shorthair
• Burmese
• Maine Coon
• Manx
• Siamese
• Siberian

Best Cat Breeds for Older Children

These cat breeds tend to be more energetic and adventurous, so they may be better suited to households with older children.

• Abyssinian
• Bengal
• Cornish Rex
• Munchkin
• Sphynx

Cat Breeds to Consider with Caution

While some individual cats within these breeds may be perfectly suited to children, most tend to be more subdued and not as tolerant with kids.

• Himalayan
• Russian Blue
• Turkish Angora or Turkish Van

In addition to these breeds, individual mixed breed or non-pedigree cats can also make fantastic pets for kids if they have the right temperament.

Introducing Kids to a New Cat

Once you’ve found your family’s new forever cat, parents can help encourage a successful bond between kids and cats from the very start. When bringing the cat home for the first time, choose a day when you know your household will be calm and less busy. Leave the cat in their carrier for a few hours in a quiet room, such as a bathroom. Then let them out to roam in a safe, enclosed space for about a day. After the cat has developed a sense of security in their new space, it’s time for slow and gentle introductions.

Instruct children to offer their hand initially for the cat to sniff, then they can start to pet the cat lightly. If the cat tolerates this attention, your child can try to pick up the cat (provided they can support the cat’s body weight), or you can encourage your child to sit on the floor and try to set the cat gently on their lap. 

You can increase the frequency and duration of these interactions at the cat’s own pace until the cat feels more comfortable with your child. Parents should continue to supervise all interactions between kids and cats as their bond develops.

10 Ways for Cats and Kids to Bond

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With proper coaching, parents can encourage a strong bond to form between kids and cats through a variety of fun, safe activities, as well as age-appropriate caretaking tasks to help instill a sense of responsibility. Children should be taught that pets cannot be ignored just because they are busy or not in the mood to take care of them. Cats and other pets are lifelong commitments.

Here are some ideas to help children and cats bond and develop mutual affection:

Naming the new cat 

Once your family has found the purr-fect new addition, involving your child in the naming process is a great way to get them emotionally invested in their new pet.

Shopping for toys, food, and bedding 

If you encourage a child to pick out things that will help a cat get comfortable in their new home, they’ll be more inclined to use them to make the cat feel welcome.

Helping out at mealtime

Younger children can assist parents by measuring out food and water at mealtime, but should never be left unsupervised around your cat’s food and water bowls. By age 10-13, children can be assigned to feed and water a cat on a regular schedule. Though it’s always a good idea to double-check from time to time to make sure your cat is being fed consistently.

Cleaning and litter box care

Waste disposal is best reserved for older children who understand how to do it safely and are sure to wash their hands afterward. Though it’s not an appropriate chore for very young, encourage them to accompany you while you do it to get them accustomed to the task. 

Giving treats

Occasional cat-safe treats can be used as a positive reinforcement to further strengthen the human-feline bond.

For example, lickable cat treats or purees, like Catit Creamy Lickable Cat Treats, can promote extended interactions and longer bonding sessions, because you hold the treat tube in your hand while your cat licks away at the yummy puree. Catit Creamy Lickable Treats come in three low-calorie flavor options — chicken & liver, salmon, and tuna — so you’re sure to find a healthy lickable treat to tempt the taste buds of your favorite feline.

Grooming 

Not every kitty likes to be brushed frequently, but children can be taught how to safely and carefully brush their cat.

Reading

Books can be an excellent way for children to learn about cats. Younger kids may enjoy storybooks about cats, while older children can discover important skills, like how to train a cat or decode feline behavior and “tail language.”

Book idea for younger children (Pre-K – grade 3):

“How to Care for Your Cat: A Color & Learn Guide for Kids” by Janet Skiles

“Kitten (ASPCA Pet Care for Kids)” by Mark Evans

Book ideas for older children:

“A Kid’s Guide to Cats” by Arden Moore

Playing

Designating a 15-minute playtime for kids and cats twice a day is a great way to socialize cats, encourage exercise, and foster bonding. 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many children who were attending school remotely had more time to spend with their pets. Now that in-person learning is increasing, you can help maintain the bond between kids and cats by maintaining a consistent, after-school “mini-break” for kids to spend time playing with, grooming, or feeding their pets. (Cats like after-school snacks, too!) 

It’s important to teach children how to play appropriately with cats, to avoid the risk of accidental scratches and bites. Some cat-friendly ideas: a feathered wand cat toy, cardboard box fort, or a smartphone app designed specifically to engage cats. Avoid playing with strings and ribbons, which can pose gastrointestinal linear foreign body risks if ingested. You can also make mealtime more fun with Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor Hunting Feeder.

Training and tricks

Teaching cats tricks can be a fun and rewarding way for older children to bond with a new kitty.

Visiting the veterinary clinic

Annual check-ups and even sick visits to the veterinarian are great opportunities for kids to learn more about what it takes to keep a cat healthy…and may even help them become better caretakers. Ask your child to pay special attention to your cat’s behavior and overall wellbeing at home. You may be surprised to learn about signs and symptoms they pick up on before you do.

Kids and Cats: Safety Tips

With proper preparation, education, and supervision, kids and cats can learn to get along with each other pretty easily. Even so, both kids and cats can be unpredictable at times. So it makes sense to have some guidelines in place to ensure everyone in your home stays healthy, happy, and unharmed.

Here is a helpful list of DOs and DON’Ts you can follow to keep kids and cats safe:

• DO emphasize to children that cats are not toys. To avoid accidental scratches or bites, teach kids how to handle cats gently and appropriately. 
• DO encourage children to use quiet voices around cats and avoid shouting or screaming.
• DO limit jumping, running, and sudden movements…especially those meant to startle or frighten the cat.
• DO remind kids that most cats do not enjoy belly rubs or being held for too long of a time. Suggest other ways they can show their love, like head scratches or playing with a special toy. 
• DO remind kids to open and close doors carefully. This can help prevent cats from getting injured, getting locked up where they shouldn’t be, or escaping outdoors accidentally.
• DO allow cats to escape to a quiet room or “safe space” if they need a break from activity. Baby gates can be great boundaries.
• DO teach children how to read cat body language so they know how to recognize fearful or angry body posture or tail movement. But remember that adult supervision is often required to detect these behaviors and halt the interaction before injuries can occur.
• DO keep your cat healthy and ensure their vaccinations and preventative treatments are up-to-date to prevent the spread of potential zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be passed between humans and animals). Your cat should be regularly dewormed and treated year-round with a veterinarian-approved flea and tick prevention product. Consistent flea prevention can help prevent the spread of Bartonellosis (cat scratch fever).
• DO keep young children away from cat litter (as well as any sandboxes where a cat may have defecated) to prevent contact with harmful bacteria and parasites such as intestinal worms and Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite that causes Toxoplasmosis. 
• DO teach children of all ages to wash their hands thoroughly after any contact with pets, used food or water bowls, and pet waste.

• DON’T allow cats to sleep in a crib or the same room as an infant to prevent accidental smothering.
• DON’T permit a child to pick up a cat unless they can fully support a cat’s weight using both hands.
• DON’T allow children to rough-house, wrestle, corner, or taunt the cat. No hitting. No grabbing. No pulling of the fur, tail, ears, or feet. If you observe your child repeatedly abusing the cat in this way, consult your pediatrician or a child psychologist.
• DON’T let children play games with cats that focus on the hands or quick finger movements. Underneath it all, your loveable furball still has the instincts of a predator, and those wiggly, fast-moving fingers might look a lot like prey. 
• DON’T punish a cat for hissing, growling, biting, or scratching, as punishment will only make the behavior worse. Proper training with positive reinforcement to prevent the escalation of fearful or aggressive behavior is more effective. 

By following these simple safety precautions, you’re not only protecting your child and your pet, you’re also fostering a lifelong bond and rewarding relationship that will bring them both years of happiness.

The post Kids and Cats: 10 Tips to Promote Bonding appeared first on Great Pet Care.

What Vitamins Do Dogs Need?

Vitamins are organic compounds that your dog needs to sustain life, grow, and be healthy. Most vitamins and minerals are found naturally in food. You are probably already familiar with most essential vitamins needed for the human body. Dogs need basically the same vitamins as humans, but the levels they need are different than humans. If dogs are given inappropriate amounts of vitamins or minerals, it can cause deficiencies or toxicities that result in serious health problems. This is why it is important to use a recipe created by a board certified veterinary nutritionist if you cook for your dog.

Important Vitamins for Dogs

The following is a list of vitamins that dogs need:

Vitamin D helps dogs maintain phosphorus and calcium balance for healthy bone and muscle growth. It is also important for the immune system and growth in puppies. 

Vitamin E supports the growth of puppies and is a valuable antioxidant in senior pets. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that benefits cell function, metabolism, and defense against oxidative damage. Deficiency will lead to muscle degeneration and reproductive problems. 

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin and helps prevent bleeding problems and improves blood clotting.

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is required for growth, a healthy immune system, cell function, and eye health. 

Choline is a key nutrient for dogs and aids in important liver and brain function. 

B Vitamins regulate metabolism, are important for health of the nervous system, proper function of red blood cells, gene activation, hormone regulation, and a healthy immune system. While B vitamins offer benefits for all pets, they are noted to alleviate fatigue and improve appetite in some older pets.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces inflammation, improves cognitive aging, and healthy immune function, making it especially valuable in senior pets. 

What Minerals Do Dogs Need?

Minerals are inorganic substances that are used by the body to build teeth and bones, carry oxygen in red body cells, maintain a proper pH, regulate enzymes, contract muscles, conduct nerve impulses, and more. Minerals are divided into two groups: major minerals and trace minerals. Major minerals are required in large quantities, and include phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur. Trace minerals are required by the body in small amounts, and include copper, zinc, iodine, chromium, manganese, selenium, and fluorine. 

Important Minerals for Dogs

The following is a list of most major and trace minerals required by your dog to be healthy: 

Potassium, sodium, and chloride are the three main electrolytes present in the dog’s body. Electrolytes are minerals and are present in the body as electrically charged ions and particles. Thus, these electrolytes play a crucial role in maintaining your dog’s fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and body pH balance. 

Magnesium is the main component of enzymes, bones, and intracellular fluids. Additionally, magnesium has a large effect on neuromuscular transmission. 

Zinc assists in activating hormones, enzymes, and various other bodily functions. Recent research has shown that more than 200 enzymes require zinc for activation and production. Zinc also aids growth, wound healing, reproduction, strengthening the immune system, skincare, protein digestion, and thyroid function regulation. 

Copper helps provide the synthesis of chemical transmitters used by the nervous systems, bones and connective tissues, and the formation of collagen. Additionally, it provides antioxidant defense, pigmentation of the skin and hair, and aids growth of red blood cells. 

Selenium is a trace mineral and has many health benefits. The primary function that selenium performs is the metabolism of thyroid hormones and antioxidant protection. 

Iron is one of the most necessary minerals for the dog’s body. It plays many roles, but its most crucial function is transporting oxygen throughout the body.

Calcium and phosphorus are two minerals that are the building blocks of bones and teeth. Calcium is also important in nerve impulse transmission, muscle contractions, controlling blood pressure, blood clotting, and hormone and enzyme secretion. 

How to Choose Vitamin and Mineral Supplements for Dogs

Before adding supplements to your dog’s food, it is best to always check with your veterinarian. Remember that most dogs can get all the vitamins and minerals they need from their dog food, but some dogs can benefit from a multivitamin supplement. For example, senior dogs may benefit from a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement, which can help improve joint health. Fatty acid supplements can also help alleviate joint inflammation in senior dogs. When in doubt about what to give your dog, check with your vet.

Nutritional Products for Dogs

All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the Great Pet Care editorial team and do not reflect a direct endorsement by the author. However, Great Pet Care may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We’ve curated a list of our favorite vitamins and nutritional products for dogs. Happy shopping!

VetriScience Canine Plus Multivitamin Soft Chews

If you’re concerned that your dog isn’t getting all the vitamins and minerals they need to thrive from their diet, this comprehensive multivitamin from VetriScience is formulated to fill any nutritional gaps. It contains vet-recommended vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidants to promote overall health and well-being. Plus, your dog will get balanced stress B complex to help boost mood, memory, and cellular metabolism, along with Omega fish oils to help combat inflammation.

Highlights

• Daily multivitamin formulated to help support heart, brain, and immune health
• Made with 25+ premium nutrients not found in ordinary dog foods
• Vet-recommended, especially for dogs on homemade or raw diets
• Feed according to manufacturer’s directions: Half a chew daily for dogs under 30 lbs, one chew daily for dogs 30-60 lbs, two daily chews for dogs over 60 lbs

Things to Consider

• Suitable for dogs of all sizes and ages, though the manufacturer suggests checking with your veterinarian, as supplements may not be appropriate for some large breed puppies under the age of one.

Nordic Naturals Fish Oil Supplement for Dogs

If your dog could have a sharp mind and healthy skin and coat thanks to one product, Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil supplement is worth considering. It contains fatty acids along with EPA and DHA to support your dog’s eyes, heart, and brain whole keeping her joints healthy and skin beautiful. All Nordic Natural omega-3’s are of the triglyceride molecular form that is naturally found in fish.

Highlights

• Derived exclusively from wild anchovies and sardines 
• May be served directly on your dog’s food or served by itself
• Friend of the Sea certified & sustainably made in a zero-waste facility powered by biofuel
• Crafted from fresh, wild-caught, omega-rich fish
• Non-GMO verified and third-party tested for purity 
• May reduce shedding and improve coat

Things to Consider

• Does not come with a pump, so the oil must be measured for each dose
• Also available in capsule formula 
• Do not use Nordic Naturals human products on pets

The post Vitamins and Minerals Required in Dog Nutrition appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Can Dogs Get Yeast Infections?

Yes, dogs can absolutely get yeast infections, and they are very common. Most yeast infections in dogs, including dog skin yeast infection and dog ear yeast infection, are caused by a type of yeast called Malathessia pachydermatitis. This type of yeast gets its name from the fact that chronic skin infections with Malathessia cause skin to thicken and darken, making it look like the dog has elephant skin. 

What Does a Yeast Infection Look Like on a Dog?

Yeast infections caused by M. pachydermatitis create problems with skin and ears. Skin yeast infections in dogs typically affect the lips, feet, belly, armpits, groin, and neck. However, any area of skin can be affected.

How do you know if a dog has a bacterial infection or a yeast infection? One way to differentiate between the two is how your dog smells. Yeast infections typically have a musty odor that, combined with the signs listed below, signals that your dog is having a problem with yeast.

The signs of a skin yeast infection in dogs include:

• Itchy skin, but not always
• Red skin
• Hair loss
• Increased dandruff
• Greasy skin
• Increased odor of skin
• Thickened, black bald skin in long-standing infections (a.k.a. elephant skin)
• May also have concurrent skin bacterial infections

The signs of a ear yeast infection in dogs include:

• Itchy, red ears (head shaking, scratching, rubbing)
• Increased odor of ears
• Black/dark brown debris in ears

Don’t forget, however, that dogs can have yeast and bacterial infections at the same time, and most yeast infections are caused by underlying problems. If you notice dog yeast infection symptoms, it is time to talk to your vet.

What Causes Yeast Infections in Dogs?

Normal dogs with healthy skin and ears do not usually have problems with yeast infections. Dogs develop problems with yeast when they have an underlying skin disease, ear disease, hormonal problem, or if they swim a lot (swimmer’s ear).

While any dog can develop a yeast infection, certain breeds, including West Highland White Terrier, Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, Basset Hound, and Dachshund appear to be predisposed to yeast problems. Additional factors that are risk factors or causes of yeast infections in dogs include:

• Living in an area that is hot and humid
• Having a hypersensitivity condition such as atopy (environmental allergies), food allergy, or flea allergy
• Seborrhea
• Hormonal conditions such as Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism
• Dogs that have lots of skin wrinkles

Diagnosing Yeast Infections in Dogs

Yeast infections in dogs are diagnosed by a veterinarian. They will use the dog’s medical history and your report of what you notice, a physical examination, and some simple skin tests to diagnose if your dog’s skin or ear problem is caused by yeast. Typically, a veterinarian will take a small sample from the dog’s skin or ear with a cotton swab, stain it, and look at it under a microscope slide. If lots of yeast are noticed, then the dog is diagnosed with having an overgrowth of yeast that is causing skin or ear disease.

If your veterinarian suspects an underlying problem that is causing yeast to overgrow (such as a skin allergy or hormonal condition), they will likely recommend additional testing. 

Dog Yeast Infection Treatment: Ways to Manage

Dog yeast infections are treated by reducing the number of yeast with antifungal medication and treating the underlying cause if possible. Remember—if the dog is healthy, yeast don’t overgrow and cause problems.

If your dog only has a problem in their ears or on a small area of skin, then topical antifungal therapy will be prescribed. This can include medicated shampoos, creams, lotions, and sprays. 

If the problem is widespread or chronic, then topical therapy and oral therapy with antifungal medication like ketoconazole will likely be prescribed. If your pet is itchy or has inflammation, then steroids or other anti-itch medication may also be prescribed.

If your dog has allergies, then your veterinarian will discuss various allergy treatments with you. If your dog’s yeast infection is caused by a hormonal disorder, then your vet will go over that with you as well. Often, if you manage the underlying conditions, your dog will not have problems with yeast again. 

Cost to diagnose and treat a yeast infection typically ranges from $75-$150. This does not include the cost to treat an underlying condition, if present.

Dog Yeast Infection Home Remedy Risks

You may read on the internet that apple cider vinegar or coconut oil will cure a yeast infection, but this is not accurate and may make the problem worse. One at home remedy that you can utilize, however, is hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a gentle disinfectant that has antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties and can be very helpful as an adjunct therapy to manage both skin and ear yeast infections in dogs. HOCl is only effective if it is a stabilized formula, and comes in liquid and in wipes. 

How to Prevent Yeast Infections in Dogs

If your dog has problems with yeast infections or you just want to make sure yeast infections DON’T become a problem, there are several things you can do at home to minimize your pet’s risk:

• If your dog has an underlying condition that predisposes them to yeast infections, get that problem managed.
• If your dog swims a lot or has problems with repeated ear infections, instill a few drops of a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol after swimming or daily as needed in their ears to dry and acidify the ear canal. Do NOT use this solution if they already have an infection, as the alcohol is irritating to damaged skin. You can also use a hypochlorous acid ear solution as well.
• Use hypochlorous wipes to clean their paws and skin folds daily, or anywhere they seem to have a buildup of yeast. If your dog has seasonal allergies, use the wipes to remove pollen and dust that might be aggravating.
• Give your dog a high quality probiotic daily to balance their gut health, which can help balance health in the rest of the body as well.

The post Yeast Infections in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

With the privilege of sharing time with an aging dog comes the special task of caring for these furry angels, helping them live long and live well. Recognizing dog behavior changes that come with age can help you adjust your lifestyle, home, and care routines to give your senior dog the best life possible.

Understanding Aging in Dogs

First, it is important to debunk a very common myth: 7 human years do NOT equal one dog year. While dogs do age faster than humans because their metabolism is faster than humans, a 10 year old dog is not necessarily the equivalent of a 70 year old human. 

Dogs reach maturity faster, and become the equivalent of a 15-20 year old human by the end of their first year, depending on their size, and then their aging process slows down. Dog cells turn over faster, and their genetic programming causes them to age faster than humans, which is why they don’t last quite as long as we do. 

How fast dogs age is dependent on what size and breed they are. Small breed dogs tend to reach maturity faster and live longer, large and giant breeds take longer to reach maturity (it is just more body to grow) and they do not live as long as small breed dogs.

When it comes to signs of aging, senior dogs age almost exactly the same way humans do. Their joints ache the same way ours do, they develop hip problems, their bones thin out, their muscle mass decreases, their digestive tracts lose efficiency in digestion, they develop hormonal disorders, and they definitely can develop dementia.

Dog Behavior Changes That Come With Aging

Even though dogs age the same way we do, we may not recognize the signs that our dog is getting older, and may need some additional support. Senior dog behavior changes can provide subtle clues that tell us our friend needs help. These are ones to watch for.

Sleeping More and Decreased Energy

One of most common signs of advanced age in dogs is excessive tiredness. This results in your dog sleeping more than average, lagging behind on walks, or losing interest in activities that used to thrill him, like fetch or tug. 

Several medical conditions seen in older pets, including hypothyroidism and heart disease, can cause a dog to be more tired than usual. Osteoarthritis can also put a hitch in your dog’s giddy-up, and cause your dog to slow down and play less just because it hurts too much. 

Weight Loss

As a dog ages, it can be harder for that dog to maintain lean muscle mass. We know that in humans, muscle mass starts declining after age 30, and the same happens in our aging dogs. Dogs can also lose weight due to any number of medical conditions that are commonly seen in older dogs, including cancer, kidney or liver disease, or diabetes.

Sudden Personality Changes

Dogs may get more grouchy as they get older because of a number of reasons. Pain is a very common reason for increased irritation in older dogs—they don’t want to be touched because it just hurts. Dementia can also cause dogs to be more irritable because they are confused about what is going on. Dementia can also cause dog pacing at night, panting and whining, and just strange behavior, like staring or barking at walls. Senior dog anxiety at night is also a common sign reported by dog lovers. 

Trouble Getting Around

Osteoarthritis is very common in older dogs. Approximately 20 percent of dogs over the age of 1 in North America have arthritis, and the incidence is much higher in older and bigger dogs. 

Signs of osteoarthritis in older dogs can include difficulty or reluctance to climb stairs or jump into the car, lagging behind on walks, decreased interest in play, sleeping more, difficulty getting up, and difficulty sleeping. 

Loss of Potty Training

Urinating or defecating in the house in a previously house trained dog could be one of the dog behavior changes that signifies aging. Just like humans, dogs can lose tone in the muscles that control urination and defecation as they age. Or they can be confused from dementia and not know they are going potty in the house. 

A medical condition like Cushing’s disease or kidney disease can also cause dogs to have to go more often, leading to household accidents. If you notice this problem, talk to your vet about solutions. 

How to Help Your Dog Age Better

There are many ways to help your dog age better and potentially even avoid disease! Here are some easy-to-follow tips for helping your dog feel better during his or her golden years:

Maintain a Healthy Diet

One of the most important things you can do is make sure your dog is supported with high quality nutrition. If you feed your dog the right amount of good food, keep your dog at an ideal body weight (not sure, ask your vet!), then you will prevent many diseases (and save a bunch of money on vet bills)

When it comes to nutrition, it is virtually impossible to get every macro and micronutrient that a dog needs into every kibble. Furthermore, older dogs may have decreased digestive capabilities, and may not be absorbing everything they need from their food. Giving your older dog a good quality nutritional supplement is a great idea to ensure complete nutrition.

Explore Joint Supplements

If your dog is slowing down or showing signs of joint pain, using a veterinarian-formulated joint supplement can help slow down joint disease and reduce inflammation. Make sure to discuss the best options for your dog and lifestyle by speaking to your veterinarian.  

Keep Your Dog Busy

Keep your dog active, both mentally and physically. Play with and exercise your dog every day. Give your dog food puzzles to solve, and train your dog in new behaviors. This will benefit your dog’s cardiovascular disease, hormones, musculoskeletal system, cognition, general happiness, and more.

Consider An Orthopedic Bed

Older dogs often have achy joints and bodies that need extra rest. Furthermore, they may not be sleeping as well because they are sore. Providing your dog with a high quality orthopedic dog bed has been shown to improve the lives of older and support your dog’s overall health and wellness. 

While aging is a foregone conclusion, decreased vitality and wellness in you or your dog’s advanced years is not. With proper attention and care and a little advanced planning, your grey muzzle can live well into their golden years and beyond.

The post 5 Dog Behavior Changes to Watch for in Aging Pets appeared first on Great Pet Care.

There are many things that can affect the hip joint in dogs. Fortunately, many of these conditions can be successfully treated or managed well enough to promote good quality of life in most dogs.

What Causes Hip Problems in Dogs?

A dog’s hip joint is a ball and socket joint, where the head of the femur forms the ball, and the hip bones form the socket. Anything that impacts the growth of the bones or cartilage of the hip joint can impact the hip and cause problems for our pups. 

Trauma, genetics, infections, or osteoarthritis associated with normal wear and tear can all cause hip problems in dogs.

Common Hip Problems in Dogs

The hip is the largest joint in the body, and susceptible to several issues. The following are the most common hip problems seen in dogs.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a disease in dogs that causes malformation in the hip joint, leading to uneven rubbing of cartilage in the joint and resulting in pain, lameness, and early onset osteoarthritis. 

Hip dysplasia is thought to be a genetic condition. Breedings dogs in breeds that are known for hip dysplasia, including Labrador and Golden Retrievers, should be tested and shown to be negative for hip dysplasia to prevent the condition in puppies.

Osteoarthritis

Hip pain and limping can be due to osteoarthritis in the hip joint. Osteoarthritis is a progressive inflammatory condition that results in swelling and loss of articular cartilage in the joint. Cartilage loss leads to pain and reduced mobility in dogs, and can be a significant issue in large breed dogs. There is no cure, but pain and mobility associated with osteoarthritis can be managed with medications, supplements, diet, exercise, and other therapies.

Hip Dislocation 

Hip dislocation in dogs occurs when the hip joint becomes dislocated due to trauma (hit by car, for example), or the hip dislocates due to severe hip dysplasia. If a dog has a dislocated hip due to trauma it can be treated, however, dogs with hip dislocation due to hip dysplasia require surgery to treat.

Legg Calve Perthes Disease

This is a disease that causes spontaneous degeneration of the head of the femur, which is the top of the leg bone that moves with the hip joint in dogs. The cause of this disease is not known, however it is mostly seen in small breed dogs, including Miniature Poodles and West Highland White Terriers. This disease usually only affects one hip joint, and treatment is surgical removal of the affected bone.

Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease that causes abnormal cartilage growth. This disease affects large and giant breed dogs, and causes joint pain and swelling, and can also cause osteoarthritis in the joint.

How to Help a Dog With Hip Problems

The way to help a dog with hip problems varies with the type of hip problem present. For example, the treatment for hip dysplasia in a puppy is likely aimed at surgical correction of the disease, while treatment of hip arthritis may be managed with diet, exercise, and pain control. Decisions about treatment are best made under the supervision of a veterinarian that has knowledge about your dog’s disease.

In general, any dog that is diagnosed with a hip problem should be kept at an ideal weight because excessive weight can lead to pain and decreased ability to walk and get up. If you are unsure what your dog’s ideal weight is, ask your vet.

Motion is lotion, so providing your dog 30 minutes to an hour of low-impact walking every day is a good way to keep joints lubricated and mobile, and to keep good muscle tone. Swimming is an excellent exercise for dogs with hip problems. There are also canine rehabilitation specialists that have underwater treadmills that your dog can walk on to build muscle, strength, and mobility.

If your dog has a hard time getting around, getting into cars, or climbing stairs, then you need to modify the environment to help your dog. Get a ramp that your dog can use to get into the car or climb stairs, and put down non-slip rugs on hard floor surfaces that might be slippery for your dog. Getting a good night sleep may be hard for dogs that are in pain from hip problems, so make sure to provide your dog with a supportive sleeping surface like an orthopedic bed that cushions the dog’s achy joints up and away from hard floors.

Managing pain is an important part of helping a dog with hip problems. There are several prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications that can provide relief. Over-the-counter hip and joint supplements can also be beneficial. Many people have seen their dogs feel better on CBD oil or by giving dogs joint supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin.

Photobiomodulation, otherwise known as cold laser therapy, has also proved to help reduce pain and swelling in dogs with hip problems. Additional treatments that are available for dogs with hip problems include acupuncture, massage, arthroscopic surgery, and intra-articular joint injections.

How to Prevent Hip Problems in Dogs

The best ways to prevent hip problems in dogs include proactively managing your dog’s weight, starting joint supplements early, and purchasing puppies from breeders that certify their dogs are free of hip diseases such as hip dysplasia.

If you adopt a puppy with hip dysplasia, getting surgery early may help prevent arthritis and pain down the road. In large and giant breed dogs, starting a high quality joint supplement in early adulthood may help protect and preserve cartilage, and help maintain joint health and mobility. 

The post 5 Common Hip Problems in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

These skin lesions can be frustrating for both dogs and people. While licking is part of normal grooming behavior, sometimes things can get out of hand and you need some help to know what is going on and more importantly, how to stop it from happening. 

What is a Lick Granuloma?

A lick granuloma is a chronic skin problem caused by excessive licking. They occur when a dog keeps licking one specific area of their bodies. This then makes the skin itch or hurt, which causes more licking and chewing to happen. This is followed by inflammation and infection, and then—you guessed it—more licking. 

It’s a vicious lick-itch cycle that causes angry, reddened, chronically irritated skin that can look scarily like a skin tumor. 

Lick granulomas are generally seen in middle-aged to older, large breed dogs. Male and female dogs are equally affected.

This condition is especially common in certain breeds including:

• Labrador Retrievers
• Doberman Pinschers
• Great Danes
• Golden Retrievers
• Boxers
• Akitas
• Dalmatians
• Irish Setters
• English Setters
• Shar-Peis
• Weimaraners

What Causes Granulomas in Dogs?

Lick granulomas are caused by self-trauma. Something bothers the dog, either mentally or in the area of the body where the licking occurs, and the dog begins to lick that one area over and over again until the hair falls out and the skin gets red and inflamed. Over time, the skin thickens or becomes infected.

Having said that, there are a myriad of conditions that can bother a dog enough to create a lick granuloma, including:

• Skin allergies or hypersensitivities
• Bacterial or fungal skin infections
• Skin mites, especially demodex mites
• Underlying joint pain or osteoarthritis
• Trauma to the skin (bruises, cuts, abrasions, etc.)
• Skin cancer
• Foreign body under the skin (grass awns or splinters)
• Neuropathies (nerve pain or sensory nerve dysfunction)
• Behavioral problems associated with compulsive licking
• Stress and anxiety
• Licking due to stress from boredom or lack of mental and physical exercise

Lick Granuloma Symptoms in Dogs

Lick granulomas all have one common symptom: excessive licking of skin in one spot, enough to cause problems. 

The most commonly affected areas of the body are on the legs: on the top of the wrist, around the ankle, and in between or on top of the toes. 

Additional symptoms include:

• Hair loss in affected area
• Eroded or ulcerated skin from being licked so much
• Raised, reddened plaques or nodules
• Itchiness

While acral lick dermatitis usually only occurs in one area, in some cases, a dog can have multiple areas of the body affected.

How to Diagnose a Lick Granuloma in Dogs

If you think your dog has a lick granuloma, then it is time to make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your dog examined. After examination, your vet may recommend some testing to determine why your dog is licking. 

Depending on what your vet suspects, these tests may include:

• Skin scraping
• Culture for ringworm
• Skin testing for bacterial infection
• Bloodwork to check for hormonal conditions
• X-rays to look at the bones and joints
• Allergy testing for skin allergies
• Food-elimination test to check for food allergies
• Neurological testing to check for nerve disorders
• Orthopedic exam to check for joint pain or problems
• Behavioral consult to check for psychological causes
• Skin biopsy to rule out skin cancer

Lick Granuloma Treatment

Unfortunately, lick granulomas can be tough to treat especially if no underlying cause is found. Time and patience are required to clear up this problem. 

Treatment consists of healing the acral lick granuloma, preventing licking, managing any pain, and fixing the underlying cause if one is found. 

Treatments for lick granulomas in dogs may include:

Topical Ointments

These may include lotion, cream, or ointment applied directly to the lick granuloma. These medications are typically a combination treatment that includes some combination of antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatories, capsaicin, and pain medication. 

The medication is applied until the condition resolves. Dogs must be kept from licking the medication off for at least 15 minutes after application, and pet parents should wear gloves when using this medication to avoid any accidental absorption. Cost of topical medications to treat lick granulomas range from $40-$80. You must treat the lick granuloma until it disappears entirely. 

Oral Antibiotics and Antihistamines

Oral antibiotics and antihistamines are used to treat skin infections or allergies. Cost depends on the size of the dog, type of medication used, how long a dog has to be treated, and can range from $40-$150.

Behavioral Therapy and Medications

Therapy and behavioral drugs may be used if there is a psychological component to your dog’s licking. Behavioral drugs that have been used to treat psychogenic licking include tricyclic antidepressants and dopamine antagonists, like naltrexone. Prices range, and a minimum of 4 weeks of therapy is recommended.

Allergy Therapy

Drugs such as Apoquel or injectable Cytopoint may be prescribed, or a food elimination trial with a hypoallergenic therapeutic diet may be prescribed to deal with an allergy. Prices vary. 

Cold Laser Therapy

6-10 sessions of photobiomodulation, otherwise known as cold laser therapy, have shown to be of benefit to some dogs in reducing pain and inflammation. Price per session ranges from $25-$50.

Lick Prevention Products

Preventing licking with bandages, T-shirts, or e-collars may be necessary to interrupt licking behavior. 

If you have cost concerns about medications, ask about generic medications, over the counter human medications that can be used, getting an online prescription, or scripting out to a big box pharmacy. 

How to Prevent Lick Granulomas in Dogs

The best way to prevent lick granulomas in dogs is to stop the problem before it starts. If you notice that your dog is licking one part of his body more than usual, talk to your veterinarian as soon as possible to avoid a little problem becoming bigger and harder to solve. 

Having your dog examined regularly, as recommended by your veterinarian, and addressing any possible underlying causes early will also help prevent lick granulomas from happening. 

If your dog licks excessively due to stress or anxiety, then increasing exercise and asking your vet for pointers on how to reduce stress for your dog can help prevent any behavioral licking problems. 

Related Conditions

• Demodex
• Ringworm
• Cancer
• Deep bacterial skin infection

The post Acral Lick Dermatitis (Lick Granuloma) in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Studies show that cats infected with FeLV live shorter lifespans than cats without it. Because of the effects of this disease, it is important to protect your cat from infection. Vaccination can help with that, but it isn’t necessary for all cats. 

Read below to understand if your cat needs the FeLV vaccine.

What is the FeLV Vaccine?

The FeLV vaccination protects cats against the symptoms of feline leukemia virus. It was first created and placed on the market in 1985. This vaccine has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Pet parents can go to any veterinary clinic in the country and request the FeLV vaccine. This vaccination is not known to be required by any level of law in the US.

How Does the FeLV Vaccine Work?

After vaccination, a cat’s immune system creates a memory for a specific virus—both by producing cells that fight the disease and by producing immunoglobulins, important proteins that find the virus, stick to it, and signal the body to destroy it. 

If a cat is not vaccinated against a particular virus, his immune system will require days to weeks to mount an effective immune response when he is exposed to it. If, however, a cat IS vaccinated against a particular virus, his immune system will kick in within minutes to hours after exposure!

Some studies have shown that the FeLV vaccine may prevent symptoms (signs) of FeLV disease, but not necessarily infection. Testing of cats exposed to FeLV after vaccination shows the presence of proviral DNA of FeLV in the body. This is not an active infection, and the virus should not replicate or infect the cat. However, it is possible that in future years FeLV could begin to replicate (or grow) and cause FeLV disease. 

There are currently 2 different kinds of FeLV vaccination:

Inactivated virus vaccine: this means the actual virus in its complete form is altered in the laboratory so it can no longer infect cats—also known as “killed” vaccines.

Recombinant canarypox vector vaccine: This means an important piece of FeLV was placed into another harmless virus called canarypox. This live canarypox virus will express important proteins from FeLV that will then stimulate an immune response, but FeLV itself is not present in its entirety

Feline Leukemia Vaccination Schedule for Cats

Before any cat is vaccinated against FeLV, they need to be tested for FeLV. There are a variety of tests, and your veterinarian will choose the exact test based on what his/her clinic uses. If your cat tests positive for an infection, it is not recommended to vaccinate against FeLV. 

Every cat receives two doses for FeLV, 2-4 weeks apart. The duration of immunity—or the length of time that the vaccine protects your cat—is proven at 1 year in most vaccines. Studies have shown that several vaccines can provide 2 years of protection, but not all cats will experience full protection at 2 years. Your veterinarian will help you decide your cat’s level of risk and whether you can wait 2 years until the next vaccination.

Side Effects of the Feline Leukemia Vaccine

As with any cat vaccination, the FeLV vaccination can cause the following side effects:

• Local swelling and/or pain (vaccine should be given in the left rear leg)
• Decreased activity
• Fever of short duration
• Granuloma (non-cancerous growth from chronic inflammation)

In rare cases, cats can develop injection site sarcomas, a severe form of skin cancer that is very invasive and cannot be easily treated. Approximately 1 in 10,000 cats who are vaccinated will develop this disease. Other types of injections can cause this rare disease as well, such as long-acting steroids.

Speak to your veterinarian if you are concerned with this rare side effect. Ask your veterinarian where they inject vaccines in cats. An outdated veterinary practice was to give vaccines to cats in between the shoulder blades, and this is associated with a much higher risk of developing sarcoma. Vaccines should be given low on your cat’s hind leg (usually the left) or on the tail.

Manufacturers of the FeLV Vaccine for Cats

There are four licensed manufacturers of the FeLV vaccine in the U.S. They all create FeLV vaccines alone, as well as some create a combined product with other viruses. Either killed or canarypox vector vaccines are made. 

The following manufacturers make FeLV vaccinations:

Cost of the FeLV Vaccine for Cats

Individual FeLV vaccines will cost approximately $25-$35 each at a veterinary clinic. This does not include the examination fee at each appointment. Your cat will need to be tested for FeLV before receiving his first vaccine, which also generally ranges anywhere from $25-$40.

Does Your Cat Need the Feline Leukemia Vaccine?

Kittens are recommended by feline specialty groups to be routinely vaccinated against FeLV since they are most susceptible to contracting FeLV. Not every kitten will have exposure, however, so not every veterinarian will recommend vaccination of your kitten. 

After the first round of FeLV vaccination (2 boosters), whether or not your cat should be vaccinated 1 year later depends on if there is any potential for exposure to FeLV. Adult cats build natural immunity to the FeLV disease, so vaccinating adult cats should only occur if there is substantial risk of exposure to FeLV. 

Possibilities for FeLV exposure include:

• If your cat goes outdoors.
• If your cat spends considerable time on porches or at screened windows and comes into close contact with roaming cats/
• If you decide to adopt or purchase a new cat that is either FeLV infected or has not been tested.
• If you foster (temporarily care for) any cat whose status of FeLV infection is unknown.
• If your cat goes to cat shows.
• If you routinely board your cat.

Your veterinarian can help you determine whether your cat should be vaccinated against FeLV.

The post Feline Leukemia Vaccine (FeLV) for Cats appeared first on Great Pet Care.

The majority of bites come from pit vipers, including rattlesnakes. The severity of snake bites range depending on the level of toxicity and amount of snake venom in the bite, the location of the bite (bites to faces or vital organs are more severe), how many times a dog was bitten, and the size of the dog, with smaller dogs being at higher risk. 

Dogs bitten by a rattlesnake can develop severe swelling around the bite. Snake bites can also cause severe pain, weakness, low blood pressure, and blood-clotting abnormalities. Dogs that have been bitten by a rattlesnake require immediate, emergency care that is often expensive and requires hospitalization. To treat rattlesnake bites, veterinarians usually administer an antivenin, an antiserum that contains antibodies that neutralize the poisonous effects of rattlesnake venom. 

Dog parents looking to protect their pooch against snake bites may have heard about a rattlesnake vaccine for dogs. But does this vaccine actually work and does your dog need it?

What is the Rattlesnake Vaccine?

The rattlesnake vaccine for dogs has been available since 2003. It contains inactivated venom from the western diamondback rattlesnake, adjuvant (an agent that improves the immune response of a vaccine), and preservatives. 

Like all dog vaccines, the rattlesnake vaccine is monitored by the USDA. It is offered through local veterinarians, mostly in areas that are endemic for rattlesnakes, such as the western and southwestern states. If you are curious about whether the rattlesnake vaccine is available in your area, check with your local veterinarian. 

How Does the Rattlesnake Vaccine Work?

According to the manufacturer, the vaccine works by creating antibodies that protect against rattlesnake venom, thereby neutralizing the venom if a dog ever does suffer a bite. The rattlesnake vaccine is only meant to protect against venom from the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. It provides no protection against bites from coral snakes, water moccasins, or the Mojave Rattlesnake. 

The vaccine manufacturers claim that dogs that have been properly inoculated with a rattlesnake vaccine suffer less pain and have a lower risk of permanent damage from bites. The important takeaway from this is that even if a dog has been vaccinated, the manufacturer states that it is still imperative to seek emergency veterinary care if your dog has been bitten.

It is important to note that there are no peer-reviewed studies that prove that this vaccine actually works, and a peer-reviewed study published in 2014 found that this vaccine did not provide any protection to dogs that had been bitten and required treatment with antivenom. In addition, a 2018 study suggests vaccination has been linked to anaphylaxis and lack of clinical protection in dogs who have been subsequently bitten by a rattlesnake. 

Rattlesnake Vaccination Schedule for Dogs

Your veterinarian will be your best resource to answer questions that you have about the rattlesnake vaccine schedule and if this vaccine is recommended for your dog. 

Manufacturer guidelines for the rattlesnake vaccine indicate that a dog should receive an initial vaccination and then a booster one month later, followed by annual vaccine boosters preferably in the spring before rattlesnake season peaks. 

Manufacturer guidelines state that the vaccine should be given at least 30 days before any potential exposure to rattlesnakes, and if your dog is exposed to rattlesnakes for longer than 6 months, twice yearly boosters are recommended because the antibodies decline over time and the dog loses protection. 

Precautions When Considering This Vaccine

You may have noticed there is some controversy surrounding this vaccine in the veterinary community, or you may have been told by your veterinarian that she doesn’t recommend the vaccine because there are no controlled studies proving its efficacy. 

There are anecdotal reports of dogs reacting less to snake bites with this vaccine, and there are reports that the vaccine made no difference, which can be confusing and subjective. In addition, there are no studies that prove that the dogs that reacted less to snakebites after vaccination were actually injected with venom from the bite. In fact, up to 30 percent of all snake bites can be dry bites, meaning that the snake did not inject any venom during the bite. 

Furthermore, a pet parent may develop a false sense of security after having their dog vaccinated with a rattlesnake vaccine and decide not to seek immediate veterinary care if their dog is bitten, resulting in suffering and possible death. This vaccine should never be considered the sole means of protection against rattlesnake bites.  

Dogs that have a history of vaccine reactions or dogs that are sick or have a condition that suppresses their immune system are not good candidates for the rattlesnake vaccine. 

Manufacturers of the Rattlesnake Vaccine for Dogs

Rattlesnake vaccine is manufactured by one company, Red Rocks Biologics, based in Sacramento, California. 

Cost of the Rattlesnake Vaccine for Dogs

The cost of a rattlesnake vaccine for dogs varies, and the price is set by your veterinary clinic. Prices can run anywhere from $30-$50 per booster, and may also require the cost of an examination as well ($40-$75).

Does Your Dog Need the Rattlesnake Vaccine?

Having your dog vaccinated with a rattlesnake vaccine is a very personal decision that can only be made by you, the pet parent, and must be based on your veterinarian’s recommendations. 

It is critical to realize that even if your dog receives this vaccine, if your dog is bitten, the vaccine will not make your dog immune to the snake venom. At most, it may buy you some time so you can transport your dog to the veterinary hospital, and it may lessen some symptoms. Anytime a dog is bitten, you must seek immediate emergency veterinary care.  

If your dog is routinely exposed to places where rattlesnakes live, then the vaccine may be helpful for your dog, however, that is a decision that you must make under the guidance of and in partnership with your local veterinarian. Together, you make up your dog’s health care team, and your veterinarian can help you make informed decisions about the health and wellness of your dog. 

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Because vegetables do not carry significant calories, they are a great consideration for between-meal snacks and treats as well as helpful additions to a complete and balanced dog diet.

Vegetables provide large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well as a healthy dose of fiber.

Whether you want to add vegetables to a homemade dog food, imbue some extra flavor to your dog’s kibble, or have a snack or treat option to help your dog stay healthy, you have come to the right article.

Are Vegetables Good for Dogs?

In general, vegetables are good for dogs. There are a few notable exceptions such as onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives that could be dangerous—and even toxic—to dogs.

But overall, vegetables are low-calorie, high in vitamins and minerals, and they provide fiber to help dogs feel full between meals. Vegetables can be added as a topper to your dog’s current food, be included into a homemade diet that has been vetted by a veterinary nutritionist, and can serve as treats or between-meal snacks to keep our dogs feeling satiated.

Overall, vegetables are low in fat, but many provide our dogs with protein. This makes vegetables a good snack or treat choice for dogs who are overweight, dogs who currently have pancreatitis or have had pancreatitis, and dogs with diabetes. The fiber provided by vegetables has beneficial effects on blood sugar levels, and helps healthy intestinal bacteria to thrive, while also promoting normal bathroom habits.

But despite all the positives of veggies for dogs, it is possible for pet parents to feed their pups too much of a good thing. If you have a dog that will eat anything you put in front of them, offering too many vegetables can cause bloat. In dogs with bloat, their stomach can get so stretched with food that the stomach has trouble pushing that food down into the intestines and instead will cause stomach pain.

Often, dogs with bloat will need help from some medications and fluids at the veterinary hospital to feel better.

Best Vegetables For Dogs

The levels of vitamins and minerals in each individual vegetable can differ widely. Below are a list of vegetables that can be fed to dogs, and some nutritional highlights for each vegetable.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a vegetable that you may not have considered giving to your dog before—but dogs can eat asparagus and this stalk-shaped veggie has a great deal to offer. Asparagus is an all around good source of many vitamins and minerals needed on a daily basis and provides a good dose of antioxidants to help control inflammation in your dog’s body.

Broccoli

Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable related to cauliflower and brussels sprouts, is a great vegetable for dogs. Broccoli is a good source of protein, is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate, and provides dogs with a dose of potassium and manganese.

Another perk of broccoli for dogs is that it provides a variety of bioactive compounds including kaempferol and sulforaphane that can help manage inflammation in the body.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and alpha-linolenic acid—also known as ALA (an omega-3 fatty acid).

Vitamin K is most notably important for the creation of proteins involved in normal blood clotting. Dogs can get their vitamin K through healthy intestinal bacteria, or by eating a food that contains vitamin K. Pets who have intestinal disease or are on antibiotics—and may not have a healthy intestinal bacteria community—may benefit from a boost of vitamin K from Brussels sprouts.

Carrots

Carrots are a good source of soluble fiber and beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in your dog’s body.

Soluble fiber can help temper blood-sugar spikes in pets that need more glycemic control. Soluble fiber can also feed good gut bacteria that assist in proper digestion of food, production of certain vitamins, and other health perks.

Vitamin A has roles in vision maintenance, bone and tooth growth, immune system function and skin health. In medical health conditions involving the skin, lungs or intestinal tract, or if your dog needs an immune system boost, having an adequate nutritional supply of beta-carotene may help those systems.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a good source of fiber and B-Vitamins for dogs. There are several B-vitamins, but all of them are important for metabolism and energy. B-vitamins are essential for skin, brain, and blood health.

B-vitamins are water-soluble, so once your dog’s body has the amount of B-vitamins it needs for the day, any extra are removed from the body in the urine. In dogs that have medical conditions or are taking medications that cause them to urinate more often than a normal dog, they may become deficient in B-vitamins and may benefit from foods—like cauliflower—rich in B-vitamins.

Celery

Celery is a vegetable in the carrot family and is a good source of fiber, vitamin K, and potassium. It also contains some vitamin A, C and E as well as a small amount of many minerals needed by dogs on a daily basis.

Potassium is an important electrolyte for dogs that helps support normal water balance in the cells. Potassium is also critical for the heart to beat properly.

In addition to vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, Celery possesses a variety of antioxidants that can help temper inflammation. If your pet has arthritis, IBD, kidney disease, cancer or another condition involving inflammation, adding celery to the diet or as a snack may help prescribed medications and supplements to tame some of that inflammation.

Green Beans

Green beans are good sources of protein, fiber, vitamins A, C and K and some B-vitamins. They are also a good source of manganese.

Green beans have so many vitamins and minerals that they are great options for homemade dog-food diets. Although all homemade diets need to be evaluated by a nutrition-savvy veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist to ensure the diet is complete and balanced, green beans are an ideal inclusion to achieve the daily amounts of vitamins and minerals for your dog.

Kale

Kale is related to the cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts and is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth. Kale contains large amounts of vitamins A, C and K, provides some B-Vitamins and good amounts of calcium, manganese, copper, potassium and magnesium.

Similar to green beans—because it is so nutrient dense—kale is an excellent addition to homemade dog-food diets to ensure you are creating a complete and balanced diet. Again, be sure to have your recipe approved by a veterinarian.

Kale also contains powerful antioxidants that can help dampen inflammation in the body. The key to fighting body inflammation is to use many sources—prescription medication, supplements, and diet. Kale is an excellent choice to mix into your dog’s food if they are fighting an inflammatory condition.

Peas

Peas are another excellent vegetable source for dogs. In addition to their high levels of vitamins A, C and K, peas have a good amount of the various B vitamins—higher than other vegetables in this list. Peas also have a higher protein level than other vegetables in this list.

Because peas are higher in protein than other vegetables, and are also a good source of fiber—meaning they will help keep dogs fuller for longer periods of time. Peas are a great vegetable to choose for dogs who beg for food between meals.

Spinach

Spinach is a vegetable related to beets and quinoa. Extremely nutrient-dense, spinach is a good source of insoluble fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and B-vitamins—especially folate.

In addition to all the vitamins and minerals it provides, spinach also contains many plant compounds involved in eye health (such as lutein) and compounds involved in controlling body inflammation (like quercetin).

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable that can provide a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals to our canine friends.

Sweet potatoes, like the other vegetables of vibrant color, are full of antioxidants to help fight inflammation in the body. The beta-carotene (vitamin A) they provide is also important for the maintenance of good vision and a healthy immune system.

Zucchini

Zucchini is another vegetable to consider for dogs. Although probably not the tastiest when raw, cooked zucchini does provide some protein, and many vitamins and minerals.

Zucchini also provides antioxidants that can help other medications and supplements to control inflammation in your dog’s body.

How to Prepare Vegetables for Dogs

Vegetable preparation is straightforward when you are feeding them to your dog. Vegetables can be used as snacks, treats, or meal toppers. Preparation methods include feeding raw or cooked vegetables.

Feeding Your Dog Raw Vegetables

Many vegetables can be given raw to your dog. If you would eat any vegetables raw from the above list, you can feed them to your dog raw. Make sure to take the right precautions and wash all vegetables before feeding—just like you would for yourself, or your human family.

The biggest downside of feeding vegetables raw is that dogs do not digest raw vegetables well and therefore, dogs cannot absorb many of the vitamins and minerals that vegetables have to offer. In raw form, vegetables serve more as a fiber source, and a way to keep your pet full between meals without adding extra calories to their daily intake. If your dog is overweight or begs you for food in between meals, raw vegetables may be a good solution for you.

Additionally, raw vegetables might make sense as an on-the-go treat, since they are easy to pack in a bag and give to your dog while you’re on the move.

Feeding Your Dog Cooked Vegetables

Cooked vegetables can be fed to your dog, but with certain precautions in mind. If you or I were cooking vegetables, we would choose between sauteing, baking, or grilling. Often these methods of preparing vegetables include oil, butter, or spices. Oil and butter are sources of unnecessary and potentially harmful levels of fat for your dog. Excess fats can cause stomach upset (throwing up or diarrhea), weight gain, pancreatitis, and other medical conditions that can cause pain and suffering.

Spices for dogs are also unnecessary, due to your dog’s strong sense of smell. Any spice that livens up your food, may be overwhelmingly potent to your dog. So when it comes to spices, just avoid them and keep vegetables plain.

My best suggestion for cooking vegetables for your dog is to blanch them. Blanching simply requires boiling some water and then tossing the vegetables in for a couple minutes and then pulling them out. Any cooked vegetable needs to be cooled to lukewarm or room temperature before feeding.

Blanching vegetables helps to break down some of the structure of the vegetable allowing your dog’s digestive enzymes a place to start the breakdown process. This helps your dog absorb the vitamins and minerals hidden within the vegetable structure.

Precautions When Feeding Dogs Vegetables

Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives all derive from the allium family of plants. These vegetables are all toxic to dogs and cats and can cause damage to the red blood cells, resulting in anemia.

It’s also important to be mindful of the glycemic index. Some vegetables—such as potatoes, corn, parsnips, and winter squashes—should all be given in moderation—especially in dogs that are overweight or have problems with blood sugar.

Lastly, keep an eye on portion control when feeding your dog vegetables. It is generally recommended that all food given outside of normal meals be less than 10 percent of your dog’s daily calorie intake.

The good thing about vegetables is that they are so low in calories that adding some as a topper to food, giving as treats, and giving as snacks in between meals will not add significant calories to your pet’s diet.

The post 12 Vegetables Dogs Can Eat appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Bugs range from being a nuisance, like gnats, to being a true health hazard, like ticks. Keeping ticks off your pet with a parasite preventative is your first line of defense, but these persistent creatures can still latch on despite your best efforts.

In order to pull off ticks safely and effectively, pet parents need to have the right kind of tick removal tools. But with so many options available, how do you choose the right one for your dog?

What is a Tick Removal Tool?

Tick removal tools are specifically designed to safely pull a tick’s whole body and head from your pet without putting you or your pet in jeopardy.

While it might be tempting to just grab onto a tick embedded in your dog’s skin and try to yank it out with your fingers, your hands aren’t the best instruments for tick removal. Not only are they ineffective at getting out the entirety of the tick, but you also run the risk of accidentally squeezing the tick and injecting the infectious agents into your dog.

Plus, pet parents with cuts on their hands are at a greater risk of coming in contact with potential harmful tick-borne disease, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Tick tool designs vary from basic tweezer-type implements to tools that use leverage to remove the tick. The right type of tool for you and your pet depends on a few factors:

• Your dexterity
• Your dog’s fur type
• The location of the tick on your dog’s body
• The size of the tick

Speedy tick removal is critical since these parasites carry a number of diseases that are harmful to pets and people alike. Ticks feed on the blood of mammals by latching on for a day to as long as a week. They can’t fly or jump and require direct contact in order to attach to a host, so they’re most commonly found in tall grass, leaves, and woodland paths where a potential host might brush up against them.

What makes these parasites even more dangerous is that they can be tiny—as small as the size of a pinhead or grain of sand. Ticks also like to hide on dogs in hard to find places, such as under armpits, and in and around ears. The best way to prevent disease transmission is to check your dog for ticks after they play in areas where ticks are known to reside, and if you find a tick, use a dog tick removal tool within 24-hours of a tick attaching.

Common Tick Removal Tools

Though the goal is the same no matter the tool, the design and mechanics of how to use tick tools varies. Below are some common types of tick removal tools, how to use them, and which situations they work best for.

Basic Tweezers

Many households already have tweezers but it’s important to note that the pointed, fine-tipped style is the most effective type for tick removal. Metal tweezers are easy to use on ticks of all sizes and can be sterilized by soaking in rubbing alcohol once the job is complete. However, the sharp ends might pinch your dog, particularly if the tick is small.

Tick Key

Instead of pulling up on the tick, this tool moves across the skin to drag the tick out. It’s simple to use, and because it’s not sharp it doesn’t cause pain to your dog when removing a tick. This metal tool can be sterilized once the tick is removed. However, it might not be effective on smaller ticks, since the tool could pass over a tiny tick’s body. The size of the tool might also make it challenging to use on certain parts of your pet’s body, like close to the eyes or on the tail.

Tick Scoop

This plastic tool is a single motion removal tool that gets rid of ticks via a v-shaped notch in a spoon-like bowl. Once the tick is isolated within the notch it can be removed with a forward sliding motion. These tools have a comfortable, familiar shape, and if the tick is large enough it’s easy to remove. However, it might be difficult to capture smaller ticks within the notch, and because it’s made of plastic it’s not as sturdy and can’t be sterilized as thoroughly as metal tick removal tools.

Tick Twister

As the name suggests, this plastic tick tool is shaped like a tiny garden hoe and requires a twisting motion to remove the parasite. This tool usually comes in two sizes, enabling even the smallest ticks to be isolated and removed. However, while the small size is good for snagging tiny ticks, pet parents with large hands might find it difficult to manipulate. It can also be challenging to use on dogs with long fur, as it might become tangled in the tool during the twisting removal process.

Metal Tick Removal Set

These metal tool sets look like medical-grade equipment and can be easily sterilized after use. The tweezer has a long handle that allows for better leverage, and the fine pointed tip can isolate even the smallest ticks. The notched tool can be used with a forward sliding motion for larger ticks. These tools are heavy, which could make them uncomfortable for smaller dogs, and the sharp, pointed end of the tweezers could be painful if accidentally poked into the skin.

How to Safely Remove a Tick

No matter what type of tool you select for tick removal, the basic procedure for how to pull a tick out remains the same. Keep your dog calm during the process since reactivity will make the job more challenging for both parties. It might help to give your dog a xylitol-free peanut butter-filled toy to keep them occupied, especially if the tick is attached in a difficult location.

Step 1: Part your dog’s fur and place the tool near the embedded base of the tick and close to your dog’s skin.

Step 2: Pull the tick out using steady, even pressure and without wiggling or squeezing the tick. Make sure you’re following the directions for removal based on the type of tool you are using.

Step 3: Place the tick in rubbing alcohol to kill it and use an antibiotic wipe or spray to clean the area around the bite.

Step 4: Don’t forget to wash your hands as well once you’ve finished cleaning your dog.

Monitor your dog for signs of illness after the removal of a tick. Check the site of the bite for redness or swelling, and watch for malaise, reluctance to move or a loss of appetite. Contact your veterinarian if your pet’s health declines.

Other Helpful Items for Tick Removal

While picking the right tool to actually remove the tick from your dog is important, pet parents should also have a few other items on hand during the process.

These items include:

• Rubber gloves for an extra layer of protection
• A magnifying glass for small ticks
• Disinfectant for the tick tool
• A lidded jar to keep the tick for further examination if your dog seems ill

Where to Buy Tick Removal Tools

Most brick and mortar pet stores and online retailers carry a variety of tick removal tools. They range from $5 to $15 dollars, and many come in multi-packs.

Given tick size fluctuations and the variety of places on your dog’s body where these parasites can latch, it’s helpful to purchase a few different types of tools so that you’re prepared for speedy tick removal in every scenario.

The post 5 Tick Removal Tools (and How to Use Them) appeared first on Great Pet Care.

“Cats are fastidious about cleanliness,” explains Dr. Marci L. Koski, certified feline behavior consultant and founder of Feline Behavior Solutions.

Flexible felines spend up to 50 percent of their waking hours on grooming, bending, and stretching to make sure that all of their fur—from the tips of their ears to the ends of their tails—is groomed to perfection.

In multi-cat households, some cats groom each other, offering a few quick licks behind the ears or a full bath for their feline friends.

Cat Self-Grooming: An Overview

Grooming is an essential cat behavior. Felines groom themselves to remove dirt and debris from their fur; distribute the oils in their skin to keep their coats silken and smooth; swipe away dead skin cells; remove parasites; and keep injuries clean and prevent infection from setting in. For outdoor cats, grooming also helps remove scents that could reveal their locations to potential predators, according to Koski.

“Grooming is also soothing behavior,” she adds.

Since cats are dependent on grooming for both health and survival, their tongues are designed for the task. Koski notes that cats have papillae on their tongues. These are hooked hairs that give their tongues the feeling of sandpaper and serve as bristles designed to “comb” their fur, removing mats and keeping them clean.

Why Do Cats Groom Each Other?

Mother cats start grooming their kittens at birth, moving their rough tongues over their newborns to stimulate breathing and bowel movements.

“A cat’s mother will groom them not only to keep the kittens clean but to teach them proper grooming for when they are older,” explains Jessica Watson, certified animal training and enrichment professional at Best Friends Animal Society.

The act of cats grooming each other, called allogrooming, does not stop when kittens take over their own grooming.

Part of the reason cats groom each other might be for practical purposes. Koski notes that cats tend to focus their mutual grooming around the head and neck, which are spots that are difficult for cats to reach on their own.

Cats also groom each other as a sign of affection. Allogrooming is most common in cats that are related or have strong social bonds.

The higher likelihood of mutual grooming among related cats led researchers at the University of Georgia to recommend that those considering adopting more than one cat (or bringing an additional cat into their homes) were more apt to engage in this important social, bonding behavior.

While it is uncommon for cats in shelters to engage in mutual grooming, Watson notes that cats living in the same household who are not related but are comfortable with each other may also groom each other on occasion.

What if Cats Fight After Grooming Each Other?

When cats groom each other and then fight, it is not a sign of dominance, mating behavior, or acting territorial—and the “fighting” might not be fighting at all.

“When cats fight after grooming it may be because one cat is done with the affection and wants to be left alone, like a hug that lingered too long,” Watson says. “Or, they may not be fighting at all—they may in fact be playing. Cats like to wrestle and it’s an important part of how young cats learn to hunt and defend themselves that carries on into adulthood.”

The grooming-wrestling-fighting cycle is normal and there is no need to step in to stop it—unless one cat has an illness or injuries that make mutual grooming a bad idea, or bite or scratch injuries resulting from the fighting. For example, cats with skin injuries or stitches following surgeries or other medical procedures need time to heal. In these situations, allowing self grooming or allogrooming could cause irritation.

“Unless there is a medical concern, this behavior is natural and there is no need to stop or discourage it,” Watson says.

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Catching liver disease early is the best way to help your cat. Read more to understand what causes liver disease, how to identify symptoms, and what it takes to treat your cat.

Liver Problems in Cats: An Overview

The liver is a very vital organ to your cat’s overall health. It breaks down nutrients from food into energy and medications into effective treatments. Vitamins and minerals are stored in the liver until a cat’s body needs them. It has many roles in metabolism—meaning the liver helps many processes that are crucial to staying alive.

The liver is found just underneath a cat’s rib cage. A muscle called the diaphragm separates the chest (with the heart and lungs) and the abdomen (with the liver, gastrointestinal system, kidneys, etc). Between the diaphragm and the stomach is the liver. The gallbladder is a structure within the liver, filled with bile that breaks down food. The liver looks like a round, smooth organ with reddish-brown coloration and multiple parts to it, called lobes.

Because the liver provides so many critical processes, if the liver is diseased, it affects the whole body. Energy from food declines, vitamins and minerals are unavailable, the body cannot effectively process medications, bleeding doesn’t stop, and more.

Types of Cat Liver Disease

There are four categories for types of liver disease in cats. These include: 

• Inflammatory
• Lipidosis
• Cancer (neoplasia)
• Infectious

All of these types of feline liver disease have extremely similar symptoms, so you cannot tell these apart based on how your cat feels. 

Inflammatory means there is inflammation somewhere in the liver. This can be primary or secondary. Primary inflammation means that the liver itself is the reason for the inflammation. However, the liver may be inflamed because of other conditions or even because other nearby or related organs are inflamed. The most common inflammatory liver condition in cats is called cholangiohepatitis, which is primary inflammation involving the gallbladder. These conditions range from mild to severe.

Hepatic lipidosis, also known as fatty liver disease, is when individual liver cells store too much fat, which stops the liver from being able to metabolize food for energy. While overweight cats are at a higher risk of developing this condition (due to having more body fat), cats of healthy weight can also develop lipidosis. When this condition is diagnosed, it is usually considered moderate to severe.

Cancer is a possible cause of liver disease in cats and is usually severe. 

Infectious liver disease can be caused by a variety of pathogens (viruses, parasites, and fungi) and is the least common cause of liver disease in cats. It can be mild to severe.

Cats can also suffer from cirrhosis of the liver, but it is rare.

Symptoms of Liver Disease in Cats

Liver disease commonly causes vague symptoms  in cats, such as a change in appetite and a change in behavior. 

A comprehensive list of possible symptoms include:

• Weight loss
• Decreased (or absent) appetite
• Decreased activity level
• Drooling and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Change in litter box habits
• Change in behavior (ex. Hiding)
• Yellow tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes
• Orange-tinged urine
• Enlargement of the belly (abdomen)
• Increased thirst and/or urination

One of the most specific symptoms of liver disease in cats is icterus, also known as jaundice. Icterus occurs when the skin turns a yellow tint as well as the white parts of the eyes. Icterus is due to a normal byproduct of the liver building up in the body. 

However, this process can occur for a couple other issues that do not directly involve the liver, so veterinarians cannot assume there is liver disease even with icterus. Testing is needed to confirm whether this is being caused by your cat’s liver. 

Causes of Liver Disease in Cats

One of the most common causes of liver disease in cats is cholangitis also known as cholangiohepatitis. As previously mentioned, this is due to inflammation and it encompasses 25 percent of all cases of feline liver disease. 

A theory for why this inflammation happens includes bacteria making its way from the gastrointestinal system to the bile ducts, infiltrating the gallbladder and biliary tree (connections from the gallbladder to the liver and intestines). 

There are several diseases that may cause secondary inflammation in the liver. For example, the liver can be inflamed due to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or inflammatory bowel disease (inflammation of the stomach and/or intestines). The pancreas, stomach, and (some of the) intestines are physically close to the liver inside a cat’s body.

Hepatic lipidosis is caused by any condition whatsoever that decreases appetite in cats. This means that almost any disease could technically cause lipidosis, since cats often experience a decrease in appetite when they are not feeling well. This condition is much more common in obese cats since they have higher stores of fat. Common causes of lipidosis include diabetes mellitus, obesity, pancreatitis, kidney disease, or severe stress. Diet is linked to many of these conditions, playing an important role in your cat’s overall health.

Liver cancer is less common in cats. The most common type of cancer affecting the liver is lymphoma (which can be found in many organs) or bile duct carcinoma (found specifically in the bile duct from the gallbladder). Some of these have chemotherapy options, but this depends on each cat’s specific condition.

Infectious diseases in cats can also cause liver disease. There are many pathogens that can affect the liver, including:

• Fungi like histoplasmosis
• Parasites like toxoplasmosis
• Protozoa like cytauxzoonosis
• Viruses like feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)

Diagnosing Cats With Liver Disease

Liver disease is usually diagnosed with blood work. After your veterinarian examines your cat and listens to your description of the symptoms you are seeing at home, they will strongly recommend blood work to evaluate your cat’s overall health. 

On blood work, there are several telltale signs that a cat’s liver is inflamed. However, routine blood work will not tell the cause of liver disease. There are specific tests for infectious causes, and your veterinarian may suggest these tests.

A biopsy is the most common recommended test to determine the cause of liver disease. Biopsy is when a surgeon retrieves a very small piece of an organ to send to a specialist (histopathologist) to review under a microscope. They can see individual liver cells this way. 

Biopsy requires surgery of some kind. Laparoscopy, or the use of a small camera to go inside the abdomen through a small incision, could be used. Most veterinarians do not have this equipment, so they will make an incision in the middle of your cat’s belly to take a very small piece of the liver. During surgery, culture of the liver or bile will determine what kind of bacteria could be causing cholangiohepatitis, which helps in choosing the correct antibiotic.

Ultrasound is a way of viewing the appearance of the liver without performing surgery. Ultrasound can help identify if there is a mass on the liver or what parts of your cat’s liver are affected. It is also used to examine other organs nearby that could be causing liver inflammation. However, ultrasound cannot necessarily give a specific cause of liver disease unless it is caused by secondary inflammation due to other organs nearby.

Cat Liver Disease Treatments

All cat liver disease, especially hepatic lipidosis, is treated with supportive care, meaning veterinarians treat the symptoms because we cannot treat the liver itself. By supporting our cat’s overall health, we give the liver time to recuperate on its own. 

Many times cats with liver disease are very dehydrated, so they may require hospitalization and IV fluids. Occasionally, if the liver disease is mild, cats can get fluids under the skin at one time instead of staying in the hospital. 

Another factor with liver disease is most cats do not wish to eat. Without food your kitty cannot recover, so some cats will require a feeding tube as well as medications to help appetite. This tube would either be placed in your cat’s nose or with a minor surgical procedure to sit on the side of your cat’s neck. Pet parents can provide nutrition through the tube instead of their cat needing to eat through the mouth.

The rest of the main causes of liver disease have more specific treatments. Liver disease may be treated with a variety of medications as well as supportive care.

Medications to Treat Liver Disease in Cats

Some classes of medications used in cats with liver disease include:

Antibiotics: Cholangiohepatitis requires treatment with antibiotics. Common ones include amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and enrofloxacin.

Antinausea medications: These decrease nausea and vomiting and should increase kitty’s appetite. Examples include maropitant or ondansetron.

Appetite stimulants: These directly increase appetite. Examples include mirtazapine or cyproheptadine.

Bile acid medications: This is generally recommended with cholangiohepatitis to decrease the chance of gallbladder stones. An example includes ursodeoxycholic acid.

Immunosuppressive medications: Steroids or other medications that decrease the immune system, thus decreasing inflammation in the liver. Examples include prednisolone and chlorambucil.

Pain medications: These may be necessary, particularly for cats with cholangiohepatitis or pancreatitis that can occur with liver disease. An example includes buprenorphine.

Promotility medications: These get the guts moving the right way to increase appetite. Examples include metoclopramide or cisapride.

Hepatoprotective medications: These decrease the toxic effects on the liver. Examples include S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) and silybin.

Supplements: Cats can benefit from vitamin B supplementation if their levels are low.

General Cost to Treat Liver Disease in Cats

Mild cases of feline liver disease can cost only between $300-$500. Most cases of liver disease are worse than mild, however. If your cat needs to be hospitalized, depending on how ill he is, the cost could be anywhere from $800-$3,000.

How to Prevent Cat Liver Disease

Some ways to prevent liver disease in cats include:

• Maintain your cat at a healthy weight.
• Visit the veterinarian yearly, and perform blood work when requested.
• Call your veterinarian as soon as you notice concerning symptoms, especially if your cat’s appetite has decreased or is absent.
• Administer parasite prevention as directed by your veterinarian.
• Keep your cat indoors so he cannot interact with cats unknown to you, cannot get parasites or ingest toxins.
• Keep all toxic substances locked up so your cat does not have access.

The post Liver Disease in Cats appeared first on Great Pet Care.

We want to know what exposure your pet has on a daily basis. Does your dog go to communal dog spaces? Does he socialize in dog runs or public parks? Does your dog have regular grooming appointments? Does he go to training classes or boarding facilities? 

If you’ve answered yes to any or all of these questions, your dog is at risk of contagious respiratory diseases caused by the Bordetella bacteria—the most common being kennel cough. 

This disease can cause a lingering cough and decrease in appetite in adult dogs and serious disease like pneumonia in puppies and dogs with compromised immune systems. But the Bordetella vaccine for dogs can help protect your pup from kennel cough and other respiratory diseases.

What is the Bordetella Vaccine?

The canine Bordetella vaccine helps to protect against infection from a bacterium called Bordetella bronchiseptica. This vaccine was created to be given to dogs that are considered socially active. This includes dogs that go to groomers, boarding facilities, dog parks, daycares, training classes, live in large apartment communities, and those that participate in pet therapy.

The Bordetella vaccine protects dogs against kennel cough. This leads to some confusion around the naming of the vaccine. But the kennel-cough nickname originated because many of the cases of this disease were dogs that were frequently boarded. However, this disease can impact any socially active dog, not just those in boarding facilities.

This vaccine can be given orally, intranasally (through the nose), or with an injection. It is administered in all small animal clinics, but also routinely given at shelters, humane societies, rescues, government-run animal groups, and even by some breeders. 

How Does it Work?

As veterinarians learned more about this bacterium, we found that Bordetella alone does not create the kennel cough disease. In fact, experts learned that affected dogs first had to become infected with a virus called parainfluenza. 

This is NOT to be confused with canine influenza, or the dog “flu.” Parainfluenza virus causes the little hairs (or cilia) inside a dog’s trachea (or windpipe) to become paralyzed. Why is this so important? Well, these hairs are responsible for flicking bacteria upward and outward away from the lungs to help prevent respiratory disease. But, when those hairs can’t work temporarily, Bordetella bacteria has an unobstructed path into the respiratory system of the dog, causing cough and other signs.

Because of this knowledge, most effective Bordetella vaccines also have coverage against the parainfluenza virus too. So, this vaccine actually has dual protection!

Bordetella Vaccination Schedule for Dogs

With any vaccination, it’s always very important to talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s individual and environmental risk factors. That being said, according to the American Animal Hospital Association, the leading voice on vaccine protocols for small animal veterinarians in the United States, the recommended Bordetella vaccine schedule for puppies and dogs is as follows:

Puppies can be vaccinated with the intranasal (administered through the nose) vaccine as early as 3 weeks of age (depending on the product label). A second dose should be given two to four weeks later. 

Alternatively, puppies can receive the injectable Bordetella vaccine starting at 6 to 8 weeks of age, followed by a booster between 10 and 12 weeks of age.

There is also an intraoral (administered into the cheek pouch) vaccine option for dogs 7 weeks of age or older.

For adult dogs or puppies older than 16 weeks, the intranasal vaccine can be given once, and the injectable vaccine should be given twice—2 to 4 weeks apart.

Adult dogs should then receive a booster every 6 to 12 months, depending on exposure risk.

Side Effects of the Bordetella Vaccine

Bordetella is considered a very safe vaccine for dogs in general, but just like with any vaccination given to any species, there are some general categories of side effects after vaccination. 

Some of these side effects include:

Pain at the injection site. If the vaccine is given under the skin (subcutaneous), your dog may experience some pain at the site of the injection. This is usually temporary and goes away on its own without any intervention. 

Sneezing or reverse sneezing. The Bordetella vaccine can be administered in the nostrils and some dogs may experience sneezing or reverse sneezing (a loud, repetitive, throat-clearing noise) for a few minutes after the vaccination. While noticeable, this side effect usually resolves quickly. 

Sluggishness and a slight appetite decrease. After any subcutaneous vaccination, some dogs may experience a small amount of sluggishness or inappetence for a short period of time. These signs should go away on their own. If they do not, contact your veterinarian.

In very rare instances, dogs—just like people—can have anaphylactic reactions to vaccination, which is a life-threatening allergic reaction to the vaccine. If your dog starts to vomit, develops hives (red, raised itchy bumps on the body), develops swelling around the face and eyes, has difficulty breathing, or collapses, seek out veterinary care immediately. Signs of allergic reactions typically happen within 10-30 minutes of receiving the vaccine.  

Manufacturers of the Bordetella Vaccine for Dogs

There are several manufacturers of Bordetella vaccines today. Some of these vaccines also protect against the canine parainfluenza virus and the canine adenovirus.

What is the major difference between the oral, intranasal and injectable versions? All of these vaccine types work, but the selection process is also determined by how fast we need protection, the stress level of the dog for administration and the underlying health of the pet. 

The intranasal and oral vaccines do work and protect faster, and they are a great choice if your dog needs to go to a boarding facility within a few days of vaccination. However, if you have more time and planning before a boarding event, the injectable vaccine is a good option and provides longer lasting immunity. And, as mentioned, some dogs are not comfortable with oral or intranasal administration of a vaccine, and that may make injectable versions more appropriate.

Cost of the Bordetella Vaccine for Dogs

In most locations around the country, this vaccine varies in cost from $20-$45 depending on the route of administration (injectable vs intranasal) and the average cost of veterinary care per region.

Does Your Dog Need This Vaccine?

Remember, the dogs most susceptible to kennel cough are the socially active dogs in the community and dogs that have a weaker immune system because of disease or current medications. If your dog frequently goes to a boarding facility, groomer, training classes, or does pet therapy, the recommendation is to have your veterinarian vaccinate your dog using the Bordetella vaccine.  

As always, please talk to your veterinarian. He or she knows your dog and your lifestyle best and will help you make the most informed decision about the health of your best friend.

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Cefpodoxime, known by the brand name Simplicef, is most commonly used to treat bacterial skin infections. However, this antibiotic can also be used to treat a number of other bacterial infections. It has a low risk of side effects, making it a good option for many dogs. 

What is Cefpodoxime?

Cefpodoxime was initially patented in 1980, although it was not commercially available for use in human medicine until approximately 10 years later. In 2002, the veterinary drug Simplicef was released, providing a formulation of cefpodoxime that was labeled for use in canine patients. A veterinary generic version of cefpodoxime was introduced in 2013, making this drug more affordable and increasing its availability to a larger number of clients and patients.  

Cefpodoxime belongs to a class of antibiotics called 3rd-generation cephalosporins. The first cephalosporins (now referred to as 1st-generation cephalosporins) were developed in the 1960s, in order to overcome antibiotic resistance that bacteria had developed in response to penicillin. These cephalosporins worked similarly to penicillin, but were more effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Although these early cephalosporins were a significant improvement over penicillin, bacteria continued to evolve and soon developed new methods of resistance. Therefore, 2nd-generation and 3rd-generation cephalosporins were introduced to offer a broader spectrum of activity against bacteria that may be resistant to other antibiotics.

Cefpodoxime is now widely used by small animal veterinarians. It is effective against a wide variety of bacterial infections and the convenience of once-daily dosing helps ensure that pets receive all recommended doses of their medication. 

Almost all veterinary clinics in the United States carry Simplicef or the generic formulation of cefpodoxime and prescribe it to their patients when appropriate.

What Does Cefpodoxime Look Like?

Cefpodoxime is most commonly administered as an oral tablet. Simplicef, the name brand formulation, comes as an orange, oval tablet that is scored down the center. Generic versions are also often oval shaped and may be orange or red in color, but appearance may vary depending upon the manufacturer.  

Cefpodoxime is also available in a suspension formulation, although this is less commonly used. Cefpodoxime suspension is supplied as a powder, which must be mixed with water.

How Does Cefpodoxime Work?

Cefpodoxime kills susceptible bacteria by damaging the cell wall. It is very resistant to breakdown by bacterial enzymes, which makes it effective in many cases where other antibiotics, such as penicillin or cephalexin, would not be effective.

What Does Cefpodoxime Treat in Dogs?

Cefpodoxime is used to treat a variety of infections in dogs and puppies over 18 days old. The most common use of cefpodoxime is the treatment of bacterial skin infections. However, cefpodoxime’s broad spectrum and ability to reach many areas of the body make it a good option to use for the treatment of a number of different infections.

Dog conditions that are commonly treated with cefpodoxime include: 

• Skin infection
• Urinary tract infection
• Upper respiratory infection (such as kennel cough)
• Ear infections

Cefpodoxime Side Effects in Dogs

Like any medication, cefpodoxime can cause side effects in dogs. Fortunately, these side effects are rare. A small percentage of dogs taking this medication will experience gastrointestinal upset. This effect can typically be minimized by giving cefpodoxime with a full meal. In very rare circumstances, dogs may experience an allergic reaction to cefpodoxime that may vary from mild to severe.

Cefpodoxime side effects for dogs may include: 

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Hives 
• Shortness of breath 
• Facial swelling

If your pet experiences significant side effects due to cefpodoxime, contact your veterinarian to determine the best course of action for your pet. 

Reactions With Other Drugs and Medications

Cefpodoxime should not be taken within two hours of giving your dog antacids, as the use of antacids may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb cefpodoxime. Additionally, cefpodoxime should not be given with a particular class of antibiotics known as aminoglycosides.

Cefpodoxime is safe to give with your dog’s monthly flea or heartworm prevention, as well as with most other medications. Talk to your veterinarian if you have any concerns.

Cefpodoxime Dosages for Dogs

Cefpodoxime is administered once a day. Your veterinarian will determine the appropriate dose for your dog, depending upon your dog’s weight and the condition that requires treatment. 

It is important to give this medication as directed. Give all of the medication that is prescribed for your dog, even if his condition appears to have resolved. Stopping your pet’s antibiotic treatment early can lead to antibiotic-resistant infections.  

Cefpodoxime can be given with food or on an empty stomach. 

What if My Dog Misses a Dose of Cefpodoxime?

Like any antibiotic, cefpodoxime should be given on a regular schedule with no missed doses. Missing doses will decrease the efficacy of the medication.

If you do miss a scheduled dose of medication, you should give that dose as soon as possible and resume dosing your pet every 24 hours. 

For example, imagine that you forget your dog’s morning dose of cefpodoxime and do not realize your mistake until that evening. What should you do? Give the medication at that time, as soon as you realize that you missed a dose. In order to maintain an every-24-hour dosing schedule, you will need to give your dog his cefpodoxime in the evening until you have completed the entire course of medication.

If your pet misses more than one dose of medication, contact your veterinarian. Depending on the details of your situation, you may be instructed to resume the medication or your veterinarian may elect to change your pet to a different medication.  

Cost of Cefpodoxime for Dogs

The price of cefpodoxime can vary significantly, depending on your dog’s size and the duration of therapy that is required. A one-week course of cefpodoxime for a small dog may cost as little as $20-$30, while a prolonged course of cefpodoxime for a large-breed dog may cost $150 or more. 

In general, the generic version of cefpodoxime is less expensive than the name brand Simplicef. 

Cefpodoxime Storage Instructions

Cefpodoxime is typically dispensed as a tablet. This tablet can be stored at room temperature, in a cabinet or on your counter.

Cefpodoxime suspension is less commonly used in veterinary medicine. If your pet is prescribed cefpodoxime suspension, however, this medication must be stored in the refrigerator. Any unused pre-mixed cefpodoxime must be thrown away after two weeks, because the suspension form of this medication is only stable for 14 days after mixing. 

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Diatomaceous earth for dogs and cats is often recommended as a natural option for keeping fleas at bay. But what exactly is it? And more importantly, is it safe and effective?

While this guide is designed to help you understand more about this alternative method of flea control, your veterinarian will be able to best determine if diatomaceous earth is right for your lifestyle.

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a whitish sand-like powder composed of a type of fossilized single-celled algae called diatoms. Though estimates vary widely, scientists believe there may be as many as two million species of diatoms inhabiting lakes, oceans, ponds, and most other aquatic environments. In nature, diatoms are an essential food source—both directly and indirectly—for other marine animals, and they help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The outer skeletons of diatoms are made of silicon dioxide, a chemical compound most commonly known as silica.

“These skeletons are largely non-crystalline (amorphous), although diatomaceous earth can contain varying amountsof crystalline quartz. Therein lies the problem,” says Dr. Michael Dryden, university distinguished professor, veterinary parasitology at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. “While DE that contains lower amounts of crystalline silica (less than one percent) are likely fairly safe, some DE contains higher amounts of crystalline silica and are potentially hazardous.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inhaling crystalline silica can cause a host of health issues like breathing difficulties, irreversible lung damage, and autoimmune disease.

Types of Diatomaceous Earth

There are two main types of diatomaceous earth, categorized by their levels of crystalline silica:

• Food-grade diatomaceous earth
• Filter-grade diatomaceous earth

The food grade variety, labeled “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for human consumption, contains between 0.5 and two percent crystalline silica.

Non-food or filter-grade diatomaceous earth is toxic to mammals. This type can contain more than 60 percent crystalline silica.

Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Fleas?

Food grade diatomaceous earth may indeed kill fleas in certain instances, but it’s not the most effective or efficient method of control or prevention, experts say.

“There is some evidence that environmental application of diatomaceous earth to the indoor environment—including carpets and cat scratchers—can kill fleas in the environment,” says Dr. Elizabeth Falk, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. “Application to the external environment is of variable efficacy, because it is deactivated by humidity and moisture.”

Theoretically, diatomaceous earth works by drying out the flea, which leads to its death. “The insect’s outermost layer is composed of lipids, which acts to keep water inside the body,” says Falk. “The DE particles stick to the lipids on the epicuticle (protective layer), which disrupt the lipid barrier, allowing water to exit the insect.”

But most pet experts are not optimistic about the use of diatomaceous earth for flea control. “There is virtually no reliable data—lab or field studies—showing it is useful at all for flea control in a home—either powdered in the premises or ingested,” says Dryden. “Our personal observations in field studies in Florida would indicate it is practically worthless. We have enrolled numerous homes in our flea control studies, where the homes were massively flea infested, even though the owners had been using DE. In some homes the powder was so thick it puffed up when walking on carpets.”

Another issue is the rate at which diatomaceous earth kills fleas, which Hanna says is inadequate for her allergic patients. “Although diatomaceous earth may reduce the number of fleas in an environment over a period of time, it just doesn’t have what it takes as an effective flea control for our flea allergic patients,” she says.

These pets are allergic to flea saliva, which Hanna says causes extreme itchiness and secondary infections. “So a flea control product that kills fleas quickly, reducing the number of flea bites and therefore reducing exposure to flea saliva, is paramount to their health and well-being,” she adds.

Other Diatomaceous Earth Uses

In addition to being by some people to control flea populations, diatomaceous earth has a number of other uses. Here are some of the most common.

Pest Control

Food grade DE is sprinkled on vegetable and flower gardens, as well as within the home to prevent insect infestations.

Filtering Agent

Filter grade DE is added to pool filter systems, where it captures small particles—like dirt and bacteria—that other filters might miss.

Anti-Caking Agent

Food grade DE is mixed with animal feed (where it coats particles) to prevent binding and clumping.

Health Supplements

Food grade DE is an ingredient in some nutritional supplements, touted for heart health, digestive issues, bone health, lowered cholesterol, and other health concerns. Studies on the benefits of DE for health have been minimal, so benefits are difficult to confirm. In one older study published in the European Journal of Medical Research, DE was shown to reduce blood cholesterol, but since the study didn’t include a placebo-controlled group, these findings can’t be absolutely determined.

Skin Care Products

Food grade DE is used in products like facial masks and scrubs because of its gentle abrasiveness.

Diatomaceous Earth Benefits

While research about the effectiveness of diatomaceous earth for flea control is unsubstantiated, there are some advantages to using food grade diatomaceous earth.

“It is thought to be quite safe for environmental treatment of fleas, whereas other products can be more toxic to pets, children, wildlife, and even adults,” says Falk. DE is also virtually non-toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates, scientists say.

Depending on the humidity and moisture level (it works better in lower humidity), diatomaceous earth can last in the environment for an extended period of time, says Falk.

It’s also relatively affordable. A four-pound bag, for example, generally costs under $15 dollars, and depending how often it’s used (experts say only a small amount should be used in the home), it can last a long time.

Is Diatomaceous Earth Safe for Pets?

Even food-grade diatomaceous earth can be a health hazard if used inappropriately. “Clearly, small amounts of less crystalline forms are safe, but when you walk into a home where it has been spread everywhere by the homeowner trying to kill fleas in carpet, I have major concerns,” says Dryden.

Inhalation is not the only safety risk. Direct contact with diatomaceous earth can cause irritation, dryness, and in rare cases, skin abrasions, says Chantelle Hanna, a dermatology technician at Southeast Veterinary Dermatology and Ear Clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, because diatomaceous earth is abrasive, it can also be extremely irritating to the eyes, she adds.

“I think it’s important to remember that pets are no less vulnerable to these side effects,” says Hanna. “In fact, their relatively smaller size and proximity to the application surface may put them at a higher risk for experiencing side effects than the pet parent.”

Downsides of Using Diatomaceous Earth

Before using diatomaceous earth to control fleas, understand the caveats.

Its effectiveness varies depending on the environment it’s used in. It may not be as effective, for example, in areas with higher humidity.

Although food-grade DE is safer for home use than filter grade, there are still potential safety hazards for pets and humans, especially if it’s inhaled. Contact with DE can cause skin abrasions, dryness, and eye irritation.

It kills fleas more slowly than traditional products. Many pets, like those who are allergic to fleas, need alternatives that will kill fleas quickly.

Diatomaceous earth is also messy. Powder can get everywhere.

How to Use Diatomaceous Earth for Fleas

Veterinarians recommend against applying diatomaceous earth directly onto pets. “This is due to fears of irritating the respiratory tract and irritating the gastrointestinal tract, particularly in cats, who groom themselves,” Falk says.

Diatomaceous earth is likely best for environmental treatment when used in conjunction with products that get applied directly to the pet, like flea preventatives, says Falk.

One of the most common uses for food-grade diatomaceous earth is in the yard or garden. If you do use it this way, Falk recommends reapplying if after it rains or every few days in areas of high humidity. “It can be mixed with water in order to be sprayed into the environment. It will not be effective when wet, but when it dries out, it should have some efficacy.”

It can also be added to areas inside the home, like carpets, cat scratchers, and pet kennels, Falk says. Experts say a small amount can go a long way.

Because of its potential risks to pets, talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade diatomaceous earth for flea control in your home.

Where to Buy Diatomaceous Earth

Food-grade diatomaceous earth for fleas and other pests is sold primarily at hardware stores and pet supply stores, including online. Diatomaceous earth powder is the most common form and it usually comes in bags, but is also available in jars and bottles.

It’s important to purchase the food-grade variety of diatomaceous earth if you plan to use it at home. Additionally, “Pet parents should make sure they are purchasing a product that is approved by the EPA and that is coming from a reputable distributor,” says Falk. “They should beware of any product that says that it should be applied directly to the pet.”

Finding a safe and effective flea preventative is essential for your pet’s health and comfort. Talk to your veterinarian about the best options for your situation.

The post Diatomaceous Earth for Fleas: Does it Really Work? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

After all, cats average between 15-20 hours of sleep a day. Some of them spend part of that time sleeping in closets, on windowsills, and behind laundry baskets.

However, some cats enjoy sleeping on your chest, between your legs, or even on (or near) your head. While some people don’t mind this closeness, others would appreciate a bit more space. And some cat parents are simply perplexed and amused by these seemingly odd sleeping choices.

“There’s a lot we don’t know about cats,” says Dr. Laura M. Holland of Circle of Life Veterinary Clinic in New Britain, Pennsylvania. “It’s a complicated question of why they want to sleep with or on us.”

If you’re wondering why your kitty chooses your chest, head, or legs as prime sleeping zones, read on. Additionally, if their sleeping habits are interrupting your sleep, then you’ll find ideas for retraining below.

Why Do Cats Lay on You?

If you imagine kittens sleeping together, then it may make sense that cats like cuddling. “When cats are born, they pile together. Think of a basket of kittens,” says cat behaviorist, Dr. Marci Koski of Feline Behavior Solutions in Vancouver, Washington. “They’re warm and secure and the scent is there. It’s natural they’d seek out their family members to sleep with.”

Laying on you also provides cats with a sense of security. As predators, there’s a natural sense of safety to sleep near others in their family for protection. “When they’re asleep, they’re vulnerable. They want to sleep in a safe area. So, what could be safer than sleeping between their human person’s legs?” says Koski. “Plus, the bed smells like you. Smells are important to cats. It helps them feel secure.”

Koski also explains that cats sleep on humans because they want to get warm. She says that it comes down to a cat’s thermoneutral zone, which is a temperature range where the body doesn’t need to expend energy to heat or cool itself. In humans, the thermoneutral zone ranges between 64-72 degrees but for cats it’s 86-100 degrees.

“Cats really like heat,” she says. “At night, they seek out the warmest spots, so they’ll often seek their human companions.”

Is This a Sign of Affection?

Holland looks at cats sleeping with you as a bonding signal. “If you let your cat sleep with you it’s a bond. We’re part of their colony,” she says.

Since it’s not uncommon for cats to sleep on one another, they’re simply treating you as one of their own. “If you have a loving relationship with your cat, they’re going to come to you for pets and to snuggle,” says Koski. “It’s a rewarding behavior.”

But what about snuggling up on top of your head, against your face, or on your chest? Is your cat trying to tell you something when sleeping in these positions?

Favorite Cat Sleeping Positions

“Cats always sleep in the same position,” says Holland. “Some sleep on their backs with their feet in the air. Some curl up. Some cover their faces.”

Cats tend to curl up in the following spots:

• Between your legs
• On your chest
• On your head
• Right next to you in bed

While experts don’t know exactly why these cat sleeping positions and spots are popular, Holland thinks it ties back to cats wanting warmth. When you think about it, cats tend to gravitate towards warm spots. Napping in the summer sun, curling up next to the fireplace in winter, or lounging on a pile of clean laundry are all warm spots where cat parents often find their pets snoozing.

While your cat may find warmth and comfort from sleeping on or next to you, this behavior could interrupt your own sleep patterns. If that’s the case, read on for some tips on how to fix the problem.

How to Get Your Space Back

It is possible to reclaim your bed and even your bedroom if you don’t want your cats interrupting your sleep. It just takes some retraining.

Koski says to set up a nice, warm spot and reward your cat for using it. She suggests a heated cat bed with a blanket that smells like you or that has your cat’s own scent on it. “Praise and pet them when they snuggle down into it,” she says. “That way, you’re reinforcing the behavior.”

You can also help your cat calm down for bedtime by recognizing that cats are naturally active at dawn and dusk. Koski explains that if you give your cat a good workout for 15-20 minutes prior to bed followed by a small snack, they’ll be more inclined to wind down for the night.

If you’re having difficulty with your kitty sleeping on your head, chest, or otherwise disturbing your rest, try talking with your veterinarian or a cat behaviorist for guidance. Every cat is different, but with the right training techniques you can both get back to a restful night’s sleep in no time.

The post Why Does My Cat Sleep on Me? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

In the United States alone, experts estimate that pet parents spend a whopping $2.8 billion on flea-related veterinarian bills and another $5.6 billion on flea treatments [1].

Not only can fleas make your pet unbearably itchy, but in worst-case scenarios, they may also cause life-threatening cases of anemia in kittens and puppies, pass on a harmful parasite known as tapeworm, and even spread disease to pet parents, says Dr. Michael Dryden, a.k.a. “Dr. Flea,” who recently retired from a career of teaching and research at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

As these little blood-suckers hop onto your dog or cat, rapidly reproduce, and proceed to invade the rest of your home from your carpets to your couch, you might find yourself wondering: Wait, can fleas fly? And if not, how far can a flea jump? 

Read on for the answers, plus how to best protect your pet from fleas, with expert insight from veterinary parasitologists.

Can Fleas Fly?

First things first: Do fleas fly or jump? “Luckily, fleas cannot fly,” says Dr. Heather Stockdale Walden, an assistant professor of parasitology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Rather, fleas fling themselves onto moving targets by leaping off of the ground.

It would be easy to assume fleas might be able to fly considering just how high and far they can jump, though. These tiny bugs are considered some of the best jumpers of all known animals in the world. In fact, their jumping skills are so impressive that some engineers have attempted to imitate them in the form of miniature leaping robots, per an article in the Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering.

So, what gives fleas such an amazing talent for jumping? It’s all thanks to a catapult-like mechanism built into their tiny bodies.

Understanding Flea Anatomy

A quick lesson in flea anatomy: Because fleas aren’t flyers, it should come as no surprise that they have no wings.

So, how many legs do fleas have? Six, and their hindlegs do most of the jumping, says Walden. However, these tiny bugs don’t jump by simply contracting their muscles.

“The length of a flea’s jump is not possible with muscle action,” says Dryden. “Rather, they compress their hindlegs into a natural rubber-like pad made of a protein called resilin and, like a tensed spring, release the pad to catapult themselves into the air.”

In this sense, fleas’ tiny feet act like triggers to release the energy that powers a flea’s high-flying jump. Fun fact: After a flea’s catapult mechanism goes off, the tiny bug tumbles rapidly through the air, as if it’s falling head over heels, says Dryden.

How High Can Fleas Jump?

Although some species of fleas can leap even higher, cat fleas (or the type of flea that typically affects dogs and cats worldwide) can jump about 19 inches or 48 centimeters in length, according to a study in Veterinary Parasitology.

Experts estimate fleas can jump about 150 to 200 times their own body length. To put this into perspective, a 7’3” person endowed with the same jumping capabilities would be able to jump over the tip of the Empire State Building [2].

Naturally, fleas’ ability to jump so high is a concern for pet parents, whether you’ve seen jumpers in the grass in your backyard or other pups scratching themselves at your local dog park. Chances are, though, your pet will pick up fleas from their environment rather than another pup.

How Do Fleas Get on Pets?

“Jumping is the fastest and easiest way for fleas to get onto your pet,” says Walden. While it’s possible for your pet to pick up fleas from rubbing against another animal, most often newly-hatched fleas leap from the ground onto moving targets [3].

While fleas feed on a dog or cat, they produce lots of eggs—up to 40 to 50 per day. As your pet scratches at them and shakes them off, they distribute the eggs throughout your home and yard. “Think of a flea-infested pet as a living salt-shaker,” says Dryden.

Wherever flea eggs land, they develop into larvae which over time grow into adult fleas encased within a cocoon. When the flea detects a potential host from cues like vibrations on the ground, air currents, and heat nearby, it emerges to look for a host [4].

Once hatched, fleas are attracted to the light and turn towards it in order to wait for something to pass by. Whether the shadow is cast by a cat, dog, human, or something else, that’s an indicator to a flea that it’s time to jump in the hopes of landing on a new host.

After they’ve latched onto your pet, it only takes fleas about 24 hours to begin laying eggs again. They do this by consuming 140 percent of their body weight in blood. “Fleas are not just a nuisance—they are voracious blood-suckers,” says Dr. Dryden.

As frustrating and invasive as fleas can be, there are a few simple ways you can keep your pet safe.

Protecting Your Pet Against Fleas

Because fleas reproduce and spread so rapidly, the best way to keep your pet flea-free is to never allow these tiny parasites to get that far, says Dryden. The fix is simple: Ask your veterinarian for a prescription for an effective flea preventative product and give it to your pet regularly, he says.

If you already have a flea problem, again, you’ll want to visit your veterinarian first to determine the right course of treatment for your pet. After that, take additional measures to clear your home of flea eggs as well, says Walden.

Here’s what to do:

• Thoroughly vacuum your home with a focus on your pets’ favorite spots
• Wash pet bedding and blankets
• Limit visitors like other cats and dogs to your home

Finally, if you’re considering giving your pet a flea bath, skip it—most over-the-counter products don’t work fast enough to successfully combat flea infestations these days, as they’ve built up a resistance to them, says Dryden.

Keeping your pet on flea prevention and thoroughly cleaning your home and yard is the best method for protecting your pet from these jumping parasites.

The post Do Fleas Fly? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

In recent years, cases of canine leptospirosis have been on the rise. The bacteria is more common in warmer and wetter climates. In the U.S., the Midwest, East, and Southwest are considered hotspots leptospirosis infections in dogs, but positive cases are reported nationwide.

USDA-approved leptospirosis vaccines are effective in the prevention of this disease in dogs. 

What is the Leptospirosis Vaccine? 

In the 1960s the first leptospirosis vaccines began to be administered to dogs in the United States and Europe. Since then, vaccination in dogs has become routine at many veterinary clinics across the U.S. However, not all clinics routinely perform or offer this vaccine. This is likely due to the vaccine’s non-core status as deemed by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and the American Animal Hospital Association. 

Given leptospirosis’ widespread prevalence and potential to cause death in dogs, many veterinarians disagree with the vaccine’s status as non-core. In fact, it may be considered a core vaccine depending on the area in which you live. For example, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s hospital considers the lepto vaccine a core vaccine for dogs residing in the state of California. 

The lepto vaccine is available from most general practice veterinary clinics throughout the United States. The law does not mandate vaccination anywhere in the U.S. 

How Does the Lepto Vaccine for Dogs Work? 

There are more than 250 strains of the leptospirosis-inducing bacteria. The bacteria are classified into different subspecies, called serovars, based on different proteins present on the surface of their cells. In the United States the bacteria from the four serovars—Cannicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, and Pomona—account for most, but not all, leptospirosis infections in dogs. For this reason, commercially available vaccines will not prevent against all possible causes of canine leptospirosis. 

The first vaccines available only provided protection for two of the common serovars. The newer 4-way leptospirosis vaccines protect against infections from Leptospira bacteria in all four serovars. The veterinarian community now generally accepts that only the 4-way leptospirosis vaccine be given to dogs since it will provide the most protection against the disease. 

The 4-way lepto vaccine contains inactivated pieces of the bacteria from the four different important serovars. Since the vaccine contains killed Leptospira bacteria, it will not cause leptospirosis in dogs who receive the vaccine. Once injected, the vaccine will prompt your dog’s immune system to produce antibodies which helps fight the Leptospira bacteria. 

In order to produce a sufficient immune response, dogs must receive a booster vaccine 2 to 4 weeks following their first leptospirosis vaccine. 

Leptospirosis Vaccine Schedule for Dogs 

Puppies who are at risk of contracting leptospirosis can receive their first lepto shot as early as 8-9 weeks of age, but many experts recommend waiting until 12 weeks of age. Then, puppies should receive a booster vaccine 2 to 4 weeks later and then annually thereafter. 

Adult dogs at risk of contracting leptospirosis should receive the vaccine annually. If an adult dog did not receive the shot as a puppy or she is significantly overdue for the vaccine, she will need a booster vaccine 2 to 4 weeks after the initial vaccine and then annually thereafter.

Side Effects of the Leptospirosis Vaccine 

Earlier versions of the leptospirosis vaccine reported higher risks for side effects than other common vaccines for dogs. However, newer production methods have significantly reduced the risk for adverse effects with two studies reporting between a 0.4 and 0.6 percent risk of reactions to the vaccine. 

All injectable vaccines, including the lepto vaccine, will commonly produce mild side effects which typically resolve in one to two days. These include: 

• Tiredness
• Soreness and mild swelling at the site of injection 

If these symptoms persist beyond a few days or are causing your dog significant discomfort, you should contact your veterinarian.  

Rarely, a leptospirosis vaccine may cause more serious side effects due to an allergic reaction, also known as a vaccine reaction. Symptoms of a leptospirosis vaccine reaction include:  

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea
• Facial swelling 
• Hives
• Difficulty breathing 
• Collapse 
• Injection site swelling 

Most vaccine reactions in dogs will occur within a few hours of the vaccination. If your dog displays symptoms of a vaccine reaction, it is important to contact a veterinarian immediately. Most dogs experiencing a vaccine reaction will recover quickly with prompt veterinary care. 

Prior to vaccinating your pet, it is important to notify your veterinarian if she has had a reaction to previous vaccines. For dogs with a history of mild vaccine reactions, a veterinarian may recommend administering medications prior to giving the lepto vaccine. For those with a history of serious reactions to prior vaccines, veterinarians generally do not recommend the leptospirosis vaccine.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, separating the leptospirosis vaccine from the administration of other injectable vaccines, particularly in dogs weighing less than 22 lbs, may reduce the risk of an allergic reaction. 

Manufacturers of the Lepto Vaccine for Dogs

The following leptospirosis vaccines are licensed for use in dogs in the United States:

Each of the above manufacturers also offers the lepto vaccine combined together with the DAPP core vaccine. 

No one leptospirosis vaccine is currently regarded as safer or more effective than another. 

All featured products were chosen at the discretion of the Great Pet Care editorial team and not directly recommended or endorsed by the author of this article. Great Pet Care may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Cost

The cost of a lepto vaccine for your dog can vary greatly depending on your location and whether you visit a low-cost vaccine clinic or a full service veterinary practice. The cost typically ranges from $15 to $35 for the lepto vaccine alone and may be up to $50-$60 for the combination DAPP with lepto vaccine. 

If you have pet health insurance such as MetLife Pet Insurance, your plan may help cover some of the costs of vaccinations. Some plans offer preventative care or wellnes package add-ons that may cover expenses associated with keeping your pet healthy, such as certain vaccines, among many other healthcare perks.

Does Your Dog Need the Lepto Vaccine?