With simple observation and proactive management, dog owners can prevent the three conditions that most frequently compromise dogs' quality of life, writes Nancy Kerns. She says many dogs will suffer from one of these common disorders: Obesity Dental disease Over-long nails Source: Whole Dog Journal, August 9, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Note the cutlines under the … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – August 8, 2022
Pet-related franchising is thriving, Dr. Poop’s health analysis for owners, leveraging small business press releases, the whys of zoomies, Mars seeking to make pet travel easier and more. . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, August 8, 2022. Link. Also see: Help! Why does my dog eat poop? Whole Dog Journal, May 23, 2022. Link. Stopping poop eating it is more a matter of managing … [Read more...]
WDJ criteria to identify good-quality dry dog foods
Foods for pets may contain wildly varying levels of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients, and yet all can be called complete and balanced, writes Nancy Kerns. She shares the Whole Dog Journal’s criteria used to identify good-quality dry dog foods. AAFCO establishes the nutrient levels that legally constitute “complete and balanced” diets for our pets. But, unlike the human … [Read more...]
Dog trainer says fearful dogs are increasingly more common
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, and fellow trainers agree they are seeing more dogs with fear-related behaviors. Whatever the reason, she says it’s important to understand the difference among the closely related behaviors of fear, phobia and anxiety. Miller discusses fear prevention, pharmaceuticals, ways to modify fear-related behaviors and more. Source: Whole Dog … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 23, 2022
Last week’s most read posts IRS increases mileage rate for remainder of 2022. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, June 16, 2022. Link. =================================== New grant will help veterinary students learn how to practice using a ‘spectrum of care’ model Source: Veterinary Advantage, June 2022. Link. The … [Read more...]
It is not clear if apple cider vinegar is good for dogs
Sharing published consumer information with animal health pros who may not know it exists remains one of the primary objectives of AHD’s curation efforts.” – Kirk Augustine Owners often attempt to treat dogs’ potential problems with home remedies, ideas from social media groups, websites or consumer publication articles before going to the veterinary clinic. Knowing what … [Read more...]
GROSS! Dealing with dogs eating poop
Coprophagia is common in dogs. It is a natural, normal behavior, writes Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA. Dogs may eat all kinds of poop. Deer, horse, bunny, even human poop, but cat feces seem especially delectable. She says stopping poop eating is more a matter of managing your dog than training him out of this disgusting habit. Managing access to feces is important to keep … [Read more...]
Washing pet toys and accessories reduces risks
Developing a cleaning schedule for dog’s toys and bedding can help keep pets and people healthy by reducing the number of bacteria and allergens in the environment. It’s good practice to wash dog’s toys every couple of weeks. How often?? Between the bacteria that live or pass through your dog's mouth and those that live and reproduce in the biofilm left on his toys, there are … [Read more...]
Dog daycare: What you should look for
Not all dog daycare facilities are created equal, writes Stephanie Colman. She shares ways for dog owners to determine if a dog daycare business is right for their dog. The guidance about group play, arousal, stress, collar use and downtime are notable. The information is also applicable for owners using sitting services like Rover.com. Anyone can open a daycare. Just because … [Read more...]
Therapeutic play helps shy and fearful dogs and owners gain confidence
Complimentary Commercial Content Play is a widespread feature of social animals. Humans play. Dogs play. Amy Cook, PhD, specializes in working with shy and fearful dogs. Drawing from play therapy used with traumatized children, Cook developed Play Way to help dogs overcome their issues and to live happier, less-stressed lives. In my system, the dog leads most of the play. I … [Read more...]
Do prescription dog foods really help?
Opinion One of the main objectives for Animal Health Digest remains to provide animal health pros with information animal owners may read, take to heart or better understand. In this article, Nancy Kerns focuses on prescription diets and admits to some peeves and challenges of educating pet owners. She says change is coming and the newly crowded veterinary diet market … [Read more...]
Dealing with dog training sabotage
Behavior issues remain a top cause of dogs being relinquished. While sabotage might sound harsh, dogs need consistency to establish and keep behavior patterns. Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, discusses why a family needs to get on the same page to avoid confusing their pet. The pet’s confusion issues are often compounded when a being boarded or going to a daycare provider. No matter … [Read more...]
Safe encounters of the K-9 kind
A large percentage of dogs are not socially adept at meeting new dogs. Pat Miller offers tips on managing intentional get-togethers between dogs that haven’t met before. Few dog owners handle the frequent and often-tense encounter with another dog in a way that protects their dog, preserves his good behavior and supports positive feelings about other dogs.” - Pat Miller, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 14, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Traditional recruiting is broken. 6 ways to reimagine it. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, March 31, 2022. Link. =================================== How long is too long to leave a dog alone? Source: Whole Dog Journal, January 10, 2020. Link. 10 to 12 hours is too long for a dog to be … [Read more...]
The 7 habits of highly effective dog owners
Complimentary Commercial Content Those who appreciate Stephen Covey’s seven habits will enjoy this special edition. Tiffany Lovell, CPDT-KA, CSAT, AAI, shares how the seven habits apply toward more successful relationships with dogs. Source: Whole Dog Journal. Link. … [Read more...]
Kinesiology tape on dogs? You decide.
This article is in the red flag category. Review the information with your team before an 80-pound Staffordshire terrier mix comes into the clinic taped up like an injured professional wrestler or Olympic gymnast. Proponents say that kinesiology tape can help a dog recover from chronic and acute sports injuries. At the same time, kinesiology taping is not a magic cure-all, … [Read more...]
The case against retractable leashes
Retractable leashes have no place in dog training, says Nancy Kerns. The biggest problem with countless situations is when a dog is more than a couple of feet from the owner. There is nothing that can be done to get him back to your side. Retractable products can retract only when there is no tension on the line.” – Nancy Kerns Source: Whole Dog Journal, March 21, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
Whole Dog Journal’s 2021 dog gear of the year
Nancy Kerns and Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, review the most exciting and useful dog products they’ve seen and enjoyed this year. The doggy bathroom and LickiMat Wobbler caught our attention. Source: Whole Dog Journal, December 17, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
We’re overfeeding like crazy
Studies show that keeping dogs lean contributes significantly to their health and well-being, writes Denise Flaim. A 14-year Purina Life Span Study found dogs with restricted diets lived 15 percent longer than those with less-restricted diets. That’s almost two years. Despite the compelling evidence for the upside of slimming down, the reality is that thin isn’t In . . . when … [Read more...]
Defining how long is too long for a dog to be alone
Maybe we’ve been asking the wrong question all along, writes Nancy Tucker, CPDT-KA. Rather than trying to figure out how to best stretch the amount of time we can leave our dogs alone, we should be trying to help our dogs get more out of every day. 10 to 12 hours is too long for a dog to be alone in a single stretch.” - Nancy Tucker, CPDT-KA Source: Whole Dog Journal, January … [Read more...]
Reminder: Foxtail threatens dogs’ health
Foxtail grass isn’t present only in California, but the state is definitely ground zero for this injurious plant. Its seeds can penetrate dogs anywhere on their bodies. The seeds are very hard and tipped with a sharp point that is capable of puncturing a dog’s skin and entering his body. Attached to the seed are long, fibrous awns, which are covered with microscopic bristles … [Read more...]
For dog owners
As much as animal health pros prefer to share knowledge and education from their own perspective, time limits the ability to create new content to share. To help keep communication going, we assembled articles for dog owners worthy of sharing. Source: Steve Dale; Ban retractable leashes, PetVet Magazine, April/May 2020. Link. Source: Chiggers on dogs: What you need to … [Read more...]
Articles to help dog owners
Meeting the needs and curiosities of dog owners is part of what B-to-C publications seek to provide. Not all the material gets read thoroughly, so we assembled recent articles that can help dog owners better understand their canine pals. Source: How to satisfy your working dog’s instincts, Animal Wellness, July 6, 2020. Link. Satisfying a working dog’s instincts begins with … [Read more...]
Poop contains great information
Stool samples are telling of a dog’s health, writes Kyle Grusling, DVM. He reminds dog owners that parasites are not the only thing that can be seen on a fecal check. In addition to gastrointestinal parasites, stool samples may reveal diarrhea, mites and protozoa. Source: Whole Dog Journal, March 2019. Link. A great diagnostic or screening tool for any dog, routine poop … [Read more...]
Male or female, humping is a normal dog behavior
Humping behavior is mostly associated with male dogs, but it is not uncommon in female dogs, writes Sassafras Lowrey. The behavior is usually a sign of heightened arousal, but not necessarily sexual. Lowrey sought information from Nik Hof, Chair of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, to address common concerns and methods to manage the behavior. Sorce: Whole Dog … [Read more...]
Signs of cancer in dogs vary greatly
Veterinary oncologist Dr. Stacy Binstock’s estimate of 25%-33% of dogs developing cancer at some point in their lives is sobering. Cancer is the number one cause of death in older dogs. Catherine Ashe, DVM, reminds us that annual or semi-annual exams are more than vaccine appointments. The physical exam is the most important function and helps identify any symptoms that might … [Read more...]
Opinion – Chewing on topics for AHD
We often rely upon categories that represent frequent visits to veterinarians <link> to choose articles for you. We also review material about animals’ behavorial challenges. Here we share a selection of articles that come from media that target dog owners. These initially may not seem important to animal health pros. However, they are consistent with the top reasons for … [Read more...]
It’s too cold to go potty!
What do you do when the mercury drops, or the snow is deeper than a dog’s belly? Dog owners need to strongly encourage their dog(s) to potty – actually, insist on it! Nancy Kern shares some ideas for dog owners. Consider sharing these on social media and in e-newsletters. . . . the number of cases of urinary tract infections spikes in winter, when dogs tend to “hold it” for … [Read more...]
Reduce dogs’ cancer risks
Veterinary oncologists say that cancers in humans and in dogs are incredibly similar, in terms of growth and prognosis writes Cynthia Foley. She suggests four ways to lessen the odds of cancer in dogs: Reduce exposure to carcinogensTime spay/neuter surgery appropriately when possibleProvide dogs a healthy lifestyleExamine dogs’ bodies to enable early detection Source: … [Read more...]
The 10 most important things to teach a puppy
Far too many people don’t have a clue about how to properly raise a puppy, says Pat Miller. She offers a refresher course on important things for puppies to learn. Behavior problems are the number-one reason pets are relinquished. Use this information to help a new puppy owner develop their role with the pup. Source: Whole Dog Journal, December 5, 2017. Link. Also see: … [Read more...]