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Dog Health
Ask questions here about dog diseases, illnesses, dental issues and other conditions.
13,517 Questions
Why is your dogs neck swollen and his legs go stiff?
A swollen neck with tonic-clonic rigid paralysis of the legs is probably a medical emergency - this could be slipped vertebral disc in the neck or cancer around the spinal cord or brachial plexi.
well there are many causes that might take place, if your dog is a girl, it might be pregnant, and if its a male, it could be that he just doesn't have any other dogs to play with.
you should ask youre local veterinarian to get a check up.
use hypnotism to hypnotize it onto think mud is good for them then make them not be hypnotized when the mud is in their mouth then they will not like mud anymore and that is how you stop your dog from eating mud
How do dogs mourn when their owners die?
The prospective owner goes to the guide dog training school, usually for about three weeks, for training on handling a guide dog. Trainers and instructors evaluate different pairings of dogs and humans to determine which are good matches. Once a person is matched with their dog they complete training and return home with their new guide.
Most guide schools have scheduled visits where instructors visit the team in their home and work with them on any difficulties they've had in daily life activities together.
Some schools retain ownership of the dog throughout the dog's life while others turn ownership over to the blind handler.
Why does your puppies penis come out?
yank it out!
EDIT: Jesus, dont yank it out! this is perfectly normal, it happens to ensure reproduction and will come out on its own. this is called the tie and can last up to 30 mins, forcing the dogs apart can cause damage to both animals
Is it safe to give a dog pork and beef bones?
Beef bones Yes, though the bones should be thoroughly cooked to prevent the transmission of parasites that may be in the meat. Chicken and pork bones NEVER because they splinter and can cause damage if swallowed.
Both of these answers are incorrect! Bones should NEVER be cooked as it changes the molecular structure which causes splintering. Chicken bones are fine for dogs as long as they are RAW. For excellent information on this subject see Leerburgkennels.com for very comprehensive coverage of what you can feed your dog and a RAW food diet for health.
What helps relieve dogs of flea itch?
Well dogs get fleas mainly from sleeping in dirt of coming to close contact with another animal with fleas.
To get the rid of them, you can spray your yard with high scented chemical (which is illegal in populated areas), visit your veterinarian and get some pills for the dog, or buy a flea collar.
Dogs may not swallow pills and it's not a good idea to dissolve it in it's water. When my dog gets the pills, I get a tin of canned sausage links and cut a slit in one, insert the pill a give it to the dog. That's the easiest way, TRUST ME.
They have products out there that will keep the fleas & ticks off of your dog for a month. That would be Frontline, Advantage, BioSpot (doesn't seem to work as well). I personally like Frontline, will not wash off and you only put it on your dog's skin once a month and it does keep those fleas & ticks off.
How can you get the fleas off your dog quickly and easily?
I would recommend talking to your veterinarian - there are now several very effective medications that will take care of both adult fleas and the fleas still in the egg/larva stage. However, if your house is infested with fleas (which is likely if your dog has fleas), you will probably need to hire a professional pest exterminator to get rid of them.
The silver lining here is, once you get rid of the fleas, there are several monthly medications you can start using to make sure you don't get them again.
How can you train a 2 week old puppy to walk?
How long it takes depends on how much training you put into it. It can take anywhere from a month to six months. Heel is a very unnatural thing for dogs to do.
Should a pregnant dog be kept inside?
Of course, the dog should be inside even when it is not pregnant. Be sure to remember the millions of animals dying in animal shelters. Please spay and neauter your pets.
What human food can you feed a toad?
well,
normally they can eat diced carrots
give them a banana and sausages.
What is wrong with a dog that has tremors?
It depends on the breed. Certain small breeds like Chihuahuas naturally have tremors.
Can a dog get sick if they eat fish food?
No. My dog eats plaice. Some types can give it a nasty stomach upset. PLEASE de-bone it first. If a dog swallows a bone it may choke and die. Do give it fish, I promise you if you de-bone it, your dogs coat with shimmer and its health will improve. camarillo.
My dog only wants food I'm eating what do I do?
Renowned child psychologist, Dr. Spock [referring to children who won't eat]: "Try sarcasm, if that fails, one can always resort to outright derision or violence". I think that this would apply to puppies as well. If it doesn't eat for several months, odds are it will die. Hope this helps!
Does a female dog eat her dead puppies?
Yes, it is true. My dog had 2 litters one of the litters she had a dog that was gonna be black. When we picked it up half of it's head was gone.
WHAT KNOW SUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do pugs loose their teeth after being a puppy?
In human years, that is equal to about 20 years, so yes. Many dogs can lose their teeth when they are only a year old. My shih-tzu has already lost 4 teeth and they have grown back, and she is only 1 year old.
What is a good pet name for a female blue heeler?
Here is a list of names that are good for a female blue merle Chihuahua:
Note: Please do not remove suggestions of other contributors.
- Amigo
- Bitsy
- Bluey
- Chili
- Fiji
- Holly
- Inky
- Jazzie
- Kiki
- Lacey
- Molly
- Motley
- Patches
- Pebbles
- Pepper
- Peppy
- Tango
- Tasha
- Zoë
Is it common for a puppy to have a dry nose?
i don't think so, dogs' noses are supposed to be wet on the outside
Can your dog only get pregnant while she is in heat without bleeding?
Actually dogs bleed right before they are "in heat" and then can get bred for about 9 days after that. And no. they should not bleed if they are pregnant. If this is occurring go see your vet!
Are amercian red bud trees poisionous to dogs?
American Red-Bud trees are reported fine to plan in horse enclosures. Talk to your vet if you have any concern about a horse eating the buds.
What is a premium dry adult dog food for small dogs which is very healthy and nutritional?
Diamond Small Breed Adult is a great Premium dog food with small kibble bits, no corn/wheat/soy, no artificial colorings/flavors/preservatives, and wholesome, known sourced ingredients. Diamond Small Breed is one of the best basic, premium foods on the shelf. This brand would be a good choice for someone with a tighter budget.
Next up would be a couple different Holistic formulas including- Nature's Variety Prairie and/or Instinct, Wellness Small Breed, Halo Adult, and Natural Balance Small Breed/Bites. Holistic formulas not only contain meat protein sources, but fruits and veggies as well for a nice balanced diet.
Nature's Variety and Natural Balance Small Bites are both All-Life-Stage Diets, meaning it can be fed from puppies to seniors. Both have small kibbles, no unspecified byproducts, no corn/wheat/soy, single sourced proteins, and nothing artificial.
Nature's Variety has two separate lines known as Prairie and Instinct. Prairie is made with only wholesome grains and absolutely no corn/wheat/soy. Instinct is completely grain free for dogs with extra sensitive systems. Both of the kibbles are bio-coated with raw food for an added yummy taste and to create a unique option of switching from flavor-to-flavor with less concern/risk of an upset tummy. This is especially handy if you have a picky dog who doesn't like to settle with one flavor for very long.
Wellness Small Breed and Halo are both EXCELLENT small breed formulas withs super small kibble, Halo being the smallest kibble I have ever come across. Both of these formulas are corn/wheat/soy free, contain no artificial flavorings/colorings/preservatives, and contain only ingredients approved by company inspectors.
Finally come the raw and dehydrated diets. Raw diets are exactly what they sound like...raw meat processed and packaged with extreme care and precaution by amazing companies like Nature's Variety, Stella and Chewy's, and Primal. Some of the formulas, like Nature's variety, contain added fruits and vegetables to create a more holistic approach, while others contain just meat. This diet is a great option, especially for dental health, because this is how dogs would eat in the wild- this is their natural way of eating food. The active enzymes in the raw meat plus the breaking apart of "frozen" meat does wonders for keeping the dogs teeth clean.
Dehydrated diets are also great options, although they are on the higher priced end of dog foods- they are exceptional in their quality and only require measuring out and being mixed with water. Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy's, and Nature's Variety all offer dehydrated diets. Honest Kitchen is processed in USDA approved facilities and has nothing but nutrition in it.
In the end, there is not one dog food that is "the best." Different dogs require different needs and diets, and different dogs react different to different foods. Asking yourself the following question can help you narrow down your search and feel more confident in sharing/asking for information from someone at your local pet food store-
1) Does my pet have any health problems?
2) Does he/she have any allergies?
3) What food is he/she currently eating right now?
4) What breed/type of dog is he/she?
5) How old is my dog?
6) Do I have any other pets that I need to take into consideration while making a food choice?
Science Diet, Eukanuba, Iams, Beneful, Purina, Old Roy, and other grocery store brands usually contain excess amounts of corn, wheat, soy, artificial colorings/flavors/preservatives, and other unhealthy, non-nutritional fillers. Be sure to take the time to read the ingredient panels.
I'll give a brief snippet of an article I posted discussing dog foods and the different varieties. But I think clarification is need on your question. When you ask about "small dogs", do you mean small dogs in the literal sense or do you mean puppies?
Anyway, here's the snippet from my article about choosing a dog food and the label requirements:
The Nutritional Adequacy Statement will also include a statement about which lifestage(s) the dog food is suitable for. Two profiles are used. Below is a definition of each and additional information about other profiles:
- Growth/Lactation - A product intended for growing puppies, for pregnant dogs or lactating females.
- Maintenance - Suitable for any adult, non-reproducing dog of normal activity level, but may not be sufficient for a growing, reproducing, or hard working dog.
- Terms like "Senior" or "Formulated for Large Breed Adults" means the dog food meets the requirements for the Maintenance profile, but nothing more.
- A product that doesn't fit within the two profiles above must state that "This product is intended for internittent or supplemental feeding," except if it is conspicuously identified as a snack or treat.
Low residue Eukenuba is quite good. You can purchase only from the vet office. It has been explained by a vet that most of the nutrients are absorbed into the body, hence less waste is eliminated, by your dog.
The age and activity level of your dog, as well as your pocketbook should guide you in choosing a food. In general look for a dry food that has a fresh meat ingredient as the first listing, or at least a dried meat, rather than a grain. Rice is easier to digest than corn, but corn has a higher carbohydrate and oil content. Dried beet pulp (has no sugar in it) is an excellent source of fiber that "smooths out" digestion by helping to prevent loose or too firm stools. Mixed tocopheral preservatives (vitamins) are preferred rather than BHA, an artifcial chemical preservative. Acidophilus bacteria (found in yogurt) helps maintain a healthy balance of good digestive bacteria in the gut. Please do some homework of your own in advance of buying a brand by asking breeders and groomers for recommendations. I have found professional groomers to be extremely educated about pet foods - nutrients go last to the coat of an animal and one with a great coat is generally fed a top food. I used to be a pet food sales rep and have found that many brands recommended in a store are either the "house brand" for which the store manger gets a bonus based on sales, or a national brand that is recommended because the sales rep recently threw a great pizza party for the sales staff and handed out free dog/cat food ;-)
Eukenuba tests on animals and kills many of them to study the effects of their foods. Science Diet is chemical based and recommended by vets because of the kicker they get from the reps. Natural Choice seems like a good food it is all natural ingredients and I have seen dogs who couldn't eat anything else have no problems with the duck and potato style. My dog has skin problems, I fed her ole roy when she was a pup and her hair fell out. When i switched to Purina Pro Plan (NOT purina one!!) her hair grew back rather quickly and thicker and healthier than ever.
Eukanuba, Blue Buffalo amd Solid Gold are all good quality pet foods. Make sure you buy for the correct size/age of the dog...The bags clearly label if the food is for adult, puppy or senior and will even have "small bites" available for the smaller breed.
Getting back to the "Eukenuba tests on live animals and kills some" answer.....That seems like an awful bold statement to be making. Can you back up that statement with actual proof? I would be very interested in knowing. I have been feeding my dogs Eukenuba for over 14 yrs. and would not want to support such a company if this were true about them. So please elaborate.
Eukenuba caused my husbands Shephard's intestines to get tangled, causing the bloat...he was treated with medications, but nothing could solve what the food had distroyed. I highly recommend if you want a quality food, to go to a natural dog food store....we use Innova on our dog. Also, Solid Gold and Blue Buffalo are good brands.
About Iams, Since Diet, & EukanubaAll three of these companies partake in unneccessary animal testing... going so far as to kill and maim their test subjects. Here are a variety of websites regarding this problem. I don't support any companies owned by Proctor and Gamble as they are one of the largest supporters of animal testing in all of North America.http://www.uncaged.co.UK/iams.htm http://www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/facts.HTML http://www.iamscruelty.com
- Good Foods -
California Natural Innova Health Wise Wysong Flint River Ranch Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul
There are a lot of them out there.
Read my article on what to watch for when reading pet food labels at my website; http://www.noselicks.com
I would have to say Wellness because its a high quality holistic food and it does have a formula just for small breeds. Also you could try Canidae, Evo, Natural Balance, Fromm, or Solid Gold (they also have a small breed formula) All of those would be healthy holistic good foods with not by-products, wheat, corn, soy, or any of those bad grains.
I would say that Blue Buffalo is definitely the best dog food out there. It is amazing how wholesome and nutricious it is. i used to feed my dogs Science Diet and it had multiple problems with its insides. i heard about Blue Buff and when i tried it my dog seemed to be feeling better. i am so happy and grateful for Blue Buffalo =)
Wellness has a small breed adult food that is really good for small breeds! Wellness is a top of the line holistic food! There are other foods that are good! I would stay away from foods like Eukanuba, Iams, Science diet; those foods tend to have fillers, dyes, and animal by-products.
I work at a pet supply store and the first question I always ask is "how much are you willing to spend?" While many of these answers are accurate, there are affordable foods that are good. Science Diet is much too expensive for the amount of corn in it. Wellness, Solid Gold, and California Natural are all fantastic foods if you are willing to spend $40 or $50 a bag. In my opinion, Diamond Naturals make an affordable small bites formula with minimal filler. It all depends on your budget and your dog. Also, if you already have a small dog that is doing fine on it's current food - regardless of what it may be - if it's not broken, don't fix it. Changing your dogs food for the heck of it is stressful to the dog and detrimental to their health.
