Dogs' Health Problems

08/01/2023

Did you know?

The toxic component in grapes has remained unknown for decades, but recently a study has finally solved the mystery. Turns out, the culprit is likely tartaric acid.

Because the amount of tartaric in grapes varies based on how they are grown and how ripe they are, this supposedly is why two dogs of similar sizes may ingest grapes and one may become gravely ill while the other remains totally unaffected.

The whole mechanisms of action remains unclear, but more research is underway.

Discover more about raisin poisoning in dogs:

If your dog ate raisins, you are right to be concerned: raisins can be toxic to dogs and you certainly don't want a simple dietary indiscretion to turn into something potentially dangerous.

28/03/2022

Whether pothos are toxic to dogs is something many plant lovers who own dogs may be wondering about. Veterinarian Dr. Ivana shares whether pothos are toxic to dogs and all the information dog owners need to know about this pretty plant.

03/02/2022

21/10/2021

Did you know? Yellow jackets, a type of wasp, can become particularly angry and feisty in the fall, a time when many dogs and people get stung.

This is because, as the weather turns colder, their food sources disappear and they begin to starve which makes them angry and aggressive as they work hard to seek food and must protect the queen, explains Scott Famous, a beekeeper in an article for the Washington Post.

Discover more first-aid tips on wasp stings by veterinarian Dr. Ivana: https://dogdiscoveries.com/health/my-dog-got-stung-by-a-wasp

11/10/2021

Did you know?

The artificial sweetener, xylitol, is extremely toxic to dogs. In dogs, xylitol can exert its toxic effects in as little as 10 minutes.

Xylitol works by affecting the pancreas and stimulating a sudden insulin release. As a response, the blood sugar levels drop to a dangerous level triggering issues like lack of coordination, tremors, seizures, and collapse, explains veterinarian Dr. Ivana Crnec.

So always keep cakes, cupcakes, cookies or other sweets containing the artificial sweetener xylitol out of Rover’s reach. Xylitol is also often found in sugarless gum.

11/10/2021

Did you know?

Not only is your dog's skin the largest organ of his body, it's also a source of information responsible for providing your dog's brain important details about the world around him.

It is thanks to several receptors that are located throughout your dog's skin that your dog can gain a full picture of what is touching him and how he should react.

This all happens courtesy of a large network of nerve endings and touch receptors. Together they form what's known as the somatosensory system, the system responsible for all the tactile sensations your dog feels.

29/05/2021

Did you know?

A dog's spinal column is composed by a series of small, overlapping bones that are medically known as "vertebrae," which are meant to make the dog's neck and back flexible and protect the spinal cord, a cable of nerves that transmits important information between the brain and the rest of the body.

From head to tail, the spinal column is composed by 7 cervical vertebrae, 13 thoracic vertebrae, 7 lumbar vertebrae, 3 sacral vertebrae and a variable number of caudal vertebrae located in the dog's tail.

Photo credits: A dog's vertebrae. Based on Original graphic: Przemek Maksim, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

05/05/2021

Did you know?

Also known as "winter nose," snow nose is a temporary change of pigment that is commonly seen in Siberian huskies, golden retrievers, Bernese mountain dogs, Labrador retrievers and several other breeds.

The dog's nose color fades in the winter and then darkens again in the spring and summer.

Typically, snow nose consists of an absence of black pigmentation over a portion of the dog's nose or all of the nose, resulting in a stripe, patch, or block of pink skin on the nose.

Snow nose is believed to occur due to the nose getting less sunlight as the days grow shorter, it is therefore mostly a seasonal issue, hence why it's called "snow nose."

18/04/2021

Did you know?

Despite what you may have heard, a dog's neck is not as tough as you may have thought.

Chronically pulling on your dog's collar may lead not only to stress on the neck, but in the long run, potential for a lifetime of painful disc disease and shoulder ailments, explains veterinarian Dr. Patty Khuly. Not to mention tracheal problems which are common in small dogs.

The neck and cervical spine contain the spinal cord, from which the nerves of the front legs originate. The thyroid gland, which is responsible for regulating the whole metabolism of a dog's body, is also located in the neck, points out veterinarian Dr. Dobias.

Choke, prong and shock collars can cause irreversible damage to your dog, Dr. Dobias warns.

Discover more fascinating facts about a dog's neck: https://dogdiscoveries.com/facts-about-dogs-neck/

02/04/2021

Did you know?
Every late spring and early summer, vacant lots, hiking trails and fields fill up with herbaceous plants that produce foxtails. Also known as spear grass, a foxtail is produced by many types of plants, the most common species being Alopecuru, Hordeum, Stipa (black oat grass) and *Setaria.

The original purpose of foxtails are not to be harmful; their spikelets are simply meant to attach to the fur of animals passing by so their seeds can be dispersed and implanted into the soil.

In wild animals sharing the same habitat with the foxtail, the fur is generally short enough so that eventually the foxtail dislodges and successfully disperses its seeds.

Problems start though when the foxtail burrows itself in places it shouldn't. Once burrowed, the foxtail's barbs cause it to migrate in one direction (always forward, never backwards) where it creates a multitude of problems.

In dogs, the foxtail may lodge in the most inconspicuous places. They may lodge into the dog's nose, into the mouth, inside the ear canals, under the eye lid, and even under the skin such as the skin between the toes or the armpit and rear ends areas.

The foxtail's tendency to migrate once under the skin, wrecks havoc in the dog's body triggering inflammation, infection and pain.

09/03/2021

Did you know?

The long bones of developing puppies have so-called growth plates. Growth plates are relatively soft areas located at the ends of all long bones. The growth plates are made of fast multiplying cells which enable the bones to grow in length and strengthen in density. Only puppies and young dogs have growth plates.

When the young dog fully matures (usually around 12 to 18 months of age), its growth plates close. At that point, the fast multiplying cells have already filled the entire soft area and that area has become a stable bone part. In simple words, the term “growth plate closing” means ossifying or transforming into bone tissue.

Before this time of closure though, special caution is needed. “Excessive or incorrect exercise can cause damage to the growth plates of long bones which may interrupt the ossification process, and negatively affect bone development when forming the growth plates. This could result in unevenness of bone length and growth, which could then create major lameness issues,” explain Julia Robertson, Elisabeth Pope in the book: “Exercising Your Puppy, A Gentle & Natural Approach.”

More info on puppy growth plates; https://petmaven.io/whydodogs/health/ask-the-vet-when-do-puppy-growth-plates-close-UFxKMRgwoUiaUdCVWwVXoQ

26/02/2021

Did you know?

Dogs with ELS (Excessive Licking of Surfaces) are prone to excessive licking of unusual surfaces such as floors, furniture, walls, grass, concrete, wood, etc. Even dogs licking carpet can a part of it. Basically, these dogs would lick anything their tongues can access.

A recent study showed that the majority of dogs with ELS had an underlying gastrointestinal problem. Indeed, GI abnormalities were founds in 14 of the 19 dogs included within the licking group. Sadly, the significance of this correlation is yet to be investigated.

What GI problems were found? The GI abnormalities included delayed gastric emptying, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pancreatitis, giardiasis, presence of a gastric foreign body and eosinophilic and/or lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the GI tract, explains veterinarian Dr. Ivana.

More info about dogs licking floors and other potential causes: https://petmaven.io/whydodogs/health/ask-the-vet-why-do-dogs-lick-the-floor-mxinEu5U40ag0PHzbFBEGg

26/11/2020

Did you know? Turkey skin is quite fatty. A 3 ounce serving contains 33 grams of fat. This amount is sufficient to cause acute pancreatitis in dogs which is a potentially life-threatening condition, warns veterinarian Dr. Ivana.
Problematic may also be oils, butters and gravies that many foods are cooked in for Thanksgiving.
Each year countless dogs see the vet after major holidays for being fed fatty meals, don’t let this happen to your best friend!
https://dogshealthproblems.com/ask-the-vet-can-dogs-eat-turkey/

Can dogs eat turkey? Is it OK to feed dogs turkey? It is the way we like to prepare the turkey and cook it that makes it unsafe for dogs. Read more.

30/10/2020

Did you know? Xylitol is very toxic to dogs and it is often found in sugar-free chewing gum and several sweets such as sugar-free candy, some brands of sugar-free peanut butter and several sugar-free baked goods. Ingestion of xylitol in dogs can lead to low blood sugar, seizures, and/or liver failure and death.

On top of the risks of xylitol-containing sweets, chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can potentially cause harm to dogs when ingested in toxic amounts and so can raisins.

While Halloween 2020 will be different from previous years (the Centers for Disease Control suggests organizing scavenger hunts at home) the same rules apply for keeping Rover away from dangerous candies.

So make sure to keep any Halloween candy or treats in a safe place that is not accessible by your canine companion. And don’t forget that dogs can be sneaky when it comes to finding not-so-well-hidden goodies.

03/07/2020

It's that time of the year! These tips were created with dogs fearful of fireworks in mind and several come from the experts in the field.

Looking for ways to calm your dog during fireworks? You've come to the right place. These tips were created with dogs fearful of fireworks in mind and several come from the experts in the field.

15/03/2020

Video produced by veterinarian Dr. Eric Weiner.

Can dogs get coronavirus? Yes and no. Veterinarian Dr. Eric Weiner discusses coronavirus in dogs and whether you should be worried.

12/03/2020

Can dogs get coronavirus? Yes and no. Veterinarian Dr. Eric Weiner discusses coronavirus in dogs and whether you should be worried.

Can dogs get the coronavirus or spread this strain of virus or get different strains of coronavirus? There are two groups of coronaviruses that affect dogs.

11/01/2020

Did you know? Incisions heal side-to-side rather than lengthwise, so this means that a 12-inch incision will heal at the same rate as a 1-inch incision.

So your dog underwent surgery and you are now wondering about how to take care of your dog's stitches? Dr. Eric shares several tips on how to prevent annoyin...

18/12/2019

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26/10/2019

Did you know? The effects of chocolate are the same for both humans and dogs. However, what makes the big difference is the fact that humans are capable of breaking down the theobromine quickly, while dogs instead metabolize theobromine slowly, thus increasing its chances of acting toxic. With Halloween around the corner, please keep your dogs safe by keeping chocolate (and raisins and sugar-less candy containing xylitol) out of reach!

If your dog ate Hershey kisses, you are right to be concerned. Chocolate can be toxic to dogs in certain amounts and the level of toxicity is dependent on various factors such as your dog's weight, whether your dog ate Hershey kisses of a certain type and the quantity your dog ingested. Read more.