Zoopharmacognosy – wow, that’s a big word but what the heck does it mean? Well, in simple terms, Zoopharmacognosy is a behaviour in which non-human animals self-medicate by selecting, inhaling, eating or topically applying plants, soils, insects, and psychoactive drugs to treat or prevent disease. So what, if anything, does that mean for us? We have […]
Any dog can be susceptible to bloat (also known as torsion or GDV) but it is especially prevalent if you have a deeper chested breed such as a Ridgeback, Great Dane, Boxer etc – and if they like to wolf down their food then this problem is even more of a worry. In essence, it […]
Today is Axl’s 9th birthday. Still going strong and fit as a butcher’s dog (who, incidentally, I bet he wishes he was!) Still teaching hundreds of students each year throughout the UK in person. Father to our wonderful Chi (who’s fast getting ready to fill his shoes) Still competing (and winning) at agility. Still inspiring […]
Just to let you know, if you walk your dogs in/around Welton Waters near Brough, East Yorkshire, that there has been confirmation of a serious Blue Green Algae bloom in the lake by the Welton Waters Activity Centre. I have personally spoken to the Environment Agency who have sent a guy down to test the […]
A lot of dog’s really do like the odd piece of fruit. They enjoy a taste of something sweet from time to time, just as we do. When it’s hot, feeding your dog some frozen fruit can be a really good way of cooling them down while giving them a tasty, low calorie treat too. […]
We mentioned yesterday about clipping claws. I posted a super little article all about how to do it, why we need to, which tools to use etc etc. That said, there are lots of dogs who are not at all keen on having their feet/nails touched (mine included) and so for some its easier to teach […]
So you’re just starting to cook supper and as you take a glass bowl from the fridge, it slips through your fingers and shatters all over your kitchen floor. The glass is broken and splintered into a squillion pieces, each one coated with the juices of your marinated chicken. The smells waft through and quick […]
Health Testing is an important part of being a responsible breeder but it’s also a good thing to consider just so you know what could possibly lie ahead for your dog, even if you aren’t considering breeding from him/her. Eye testing is just one thing that you may be considering for your dog and if […]
A lot of “dog folk” are unaware of Xylitol, it’s affects on our furry friends or which products you may find it in – I mean, if you don’t know where it will show up, it’s very difficult to avoid it, right? Those of you who know me, will be aware that I have no […]
These days, most of us travel about by car quite a bit and as such, we need to know that our furry friends are safe too. Long gone are the days when we used to drive our cars without wearing seatbelts now that our awareness of health and safety has grown. The same should now be […]
** IMPORTANT NOTE ** . THIS BLOG HAS BEEN AMENDED TODAY 20/11/18. . EXTRA INFORMATION CAME TO LIGHT WHICH AFFECTED THE ADVICE WITHIN THE BLOG AND THIS HAS NOW BEEN ALTERED TO REFLECT THOSE CHANGES. . THANK YOU . Just as with humans, dehydration is very dangerous for your dog. It could be due to […]
Antifreeze is different from De-Icer which is different from screenwash. There are many DIY recipes for making Screenwash, but the following is the one my elderly uncle uses and recommends (I would suggest doing a bit of research and seeing which version suits you best): 1) 1 Tablespoon of dishwashing liquid (Fairy by preference which […]
Gritted and Salted roads When its icy and snowy the ground becomes very dangerous and to combat that our local councils tend to make the surfaces of roads and pavements either gritted or salted to help us with our footing. While this is very helpful to us as bipeds with poor balancing skills, it can pose a couple […]
“Winter is coming!” No, that’s not a nod just for the Game of Thrones fans (of which I count myself), it’s a serious fact. Hypothermia can be lethal … and prevention is definitely better than the cure. During the winter time, our pets that live outside grow a heavier coat to protect them through the […]
MDR1 (or Multi-Drug Resistant protein gene) The MDR1 gene protects the brain by ensuring that any harmful chemical are transported AWAY from the brain. In some dogs who are members of the herding varieties such as Collies and Australian Shepherds, a mutation in this gene causes extreme reactions to various drugs including Ivermectin (found in some heart worm […]
Have you ever had reflexology? Many people swear by it and its not just for us humans you know. There are various pressure points on a dog’s paw pads that are said to be tightly correlated to various points in their body and, if this is indeed the case, stimulating and massaging these points could well […]
Yeast Infection in Dogs can cause them to be very uncomfortable indeed. It can strike in various places including within the ear itself or anywhere on the skin of the dog. Wherever it appears, it will make your dog miserable. SKIN: If the infection is affecting the skin, it may appear reddened or have areas […]
You may have heard of something called a pilonidal sinus. This is a problem that humans can experience and some people also refer to dermoid sinus’ in dogs as a pilonidal sinus too. However, a true dermoid sinus is actually a neural defect. As a puppy grows in the mother’s womb, there is a connection between […]
OK, that sounds like a scary medical term, so what exactly are interdigital cysts? In actual fact, the correct term for this problem is Interdigital Furunculosis and you may hear it referred to that way but generally speaking the word cyst is used instead. If we break the term down into its component parts, we […]
I always encourage our Rhodes 2 Safety followers to get in touch if they have any questions or any past experiences they’d like to share with us all. Yesterday, I received this one in relation to Fly Strike:- “Years ago I had a dog suffer with fly strike. I never did find what caused it […]