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 […]
What pointers might you see to indicate a bladder or urinary tract infection? Well, there are several questions you might ask yourself when considering bladder problems – the same ones your vet is likely to ask of you if you do decide you need a professional opinion. The sort of questions to consider are:- – Is […]
Licking the paws …….. Why? . This is one of the most common questions I get asked and in all honesty, there is no simple straight-forward answer. First we need to establish whether the dog is licking his paws because there is a medical condition causing his discomfort or whether it is simply a behaviour he’s […]
Diarrhoea After Eating: Usually, when your dog gets an upset stomach or a “runny bum” it’s down to them eating something undesirable that they’ve managed to find on a walk, picking up a bug of some sort or it may be that they’ve eaten something new that doesn’t quite agree with them. Often, when we try to change our […]
Bleeding tongue: A dog’s tongue is important for many things including eating, cleaning themselves, lapping up water, bonding with the pack and showing submission. Luckily, there aren’t many issues or illnesses that affect dogs’ tongues, however they are susceptible to injury perhaps during general investigation with their mouths by biting, chewing or picking up something which may be sharp […]
Limp or Limber Tail: If your dog suddenly appears to have a hanging, droopy tail, all types of causes for the way he is holding his tail should be considered such as has he injured his back or his spine in any way? Could he have injured his tail with rough and tumble when playing? Did […]
After an accident where there has been significant trauma, say like a road traffic collision or fall from a height, or perhaps when our dog has a serious disease or infection, internal bleeding can develop. When we see blood from a wound, we know instinctively that we need to stop the bleeding as quickly as […]
Life turns on a sixpence. One minute all is happy and sunny … the next things can become as black as you could ever imagine. Road Traffic Accidents have to be one of a dog owner’s worst nightmares. A lovely walk can quickly spiral into a traumatic experience and if it does, the owner’s ability […]
Ears – Basic 1st Aid for …… Constant shaking/scratching * Examine the ear opening by lifting the ear flap and looking inside. * Provided it is near the very top of the ear canal, if you are able to see an obvious foreign body, you can remove this yourself gently with your fingers. If you must […]
Ears – Whats Normal and How to Clean Them A healthy canine ear should not require any special treatment or care other than a regular check just to make sure all is well and that there is no irritation, wax, discharge, foul/sour smell, or excessive build up of hair (which can affect certain breeds eg Poodles). […]
Feet: With dogs, problems affecting the feet and nails are pretty common and can range from something as simple as a torn nail or be a symptom of a more general skin disease. Common causes of foot problems are:- 1. Parsitic Problems: Harvest Mite, Demodectic Mange, Hookworms 2. Allergic or Irritant Dermatitis: Dogs who suffer […]
Before you treat any type of bleed/wound, you should always go through the SEEP checklist, to ensure you take all the right steps in the correct order. Treating a bleed relies heavily on things like the application of pressure, and the positioning of the animal’s injured limb as bleeding will slow down it if has […]
Mastitis = inflammation in the mammary gland. Mastitis is usually caused by an infection which has entered via the teat, through a skin wound caused by a puppy, or via the bloodstream. The teat and breast tissue will be warm and may be swollen and tender. If the mastitis is more severe, there may be […]
Puppy Vaccinations: When you get your beautiful new puppy he has some immunity already, passed on through the milk from his mother. However, it is vitally important to protect him before he goes out into the big wide world. The normal sequence of events is:- @ 8 weeks, he will receive his first vaccination @ […]
Sometimes, helping the vet with diagnosing skin problems can be quite a challenge. Because there are lots of possible causes of skin infection, from trauma, to topical allergies, to food allergies, to bites, to autoimmune problems etc etc, it is a good idea to go through some questions yourself before your vet appointment so that if your vet […]
Inner Ear Infections: To a dog, his sense of hearing is the second most important of his 5 senses (second only to his sense of smell). Your dog’s ears are incredibly delicate and very important to him. Deafness, although something he can live with, will really affect the way he lives his life so if […]
Constipation and straining can have many different causes but some of the more usual reasons for it are:- * Change of diet or normal toileting routine * Obesity or general lack of exercise * Spinal, joint or mobility problems making a squatting position painful * Impacted dry faeces * Impacted bony material * High percentage […]
When people think about canine first aid, they tend to think about things like how to do CPR and artificial respiration – the “big ones”, if you will. In actual fact, probably the most serious and potentially life threatening situation you need to be able to spot and treat is shock. In a nutshell, […]
Parvovirus is a word that strikes fear into the heart of every dog owner, but many people don’t actually know how to recognise the signs, how it is spread or what to do if you think your dog may have contracted it. So, here’s a brief overview to help make sense of what is […]
Lungworms – I was just sitting having my breakfast and saw an advert on the TV about treatment for lungworm and I wondered just how many “ordinary” pet owners actually know anything about it. So, here goes … Lungworm infestation can be acquired from slugs or snails as intermediate hosts, through sniffing or licking them, […]