I confess that until recently, Id only ever heard rumours about Water Intoxication but of late, and especially due to the hot weather, this is something that has come to my attention a couple of times (once in a really good, straight forward blog by JoAnna Lou of TheBark.com) so I thought it worth chatting about, […]
In my local area I have recently been made aware of at least 3 instances where dogs have ingested rat poison – sadly, one of those dogs didn’t make it. Since then, another of my friends has found rat poison dumped in the garden after their neighbours took exception to the dogs barking. So, firstly, would you […]
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 […]
When you have a fast moving, athletic dog who loves to chase or race or turn on a sixpence, friction burns to the pads are an occupational hazard. People tend to think of burns merely in the capacity of being caused by something hot, like a flame or boiling water, but there are several different […]
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 […]
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 […]
Head shaking and ear mites can affect any dog or cat. You may notice that your dog is shaking his head or perhaps scratching a lot more than usual. This could indicate several things including:- ear mites, foreign body in the ear, an allergy, an infection. Ear mites: Ear mites are common in puppies and […]
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 […]
Today’s tip tackles the steps to take if your dog has been involved in a drowning/water based emergency. Begin by using your DR.ABC assessment method:- D = Danger (Is it safe?) R = Response (Is he responding to you?) A = Airway (Open his Airway, pull his tongue forward & clear his mouth of […]
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 […]
Foreign Bodies – Eye: If a dog has runny/watery eyes, is pawing at the eye or rubbing his head on the ground, it might be that there is something in the eye – be that dust, debris, a grass seed or some other type of foreign body. I have even seen a tick attached to the […]
As spring takes hold and moves towards the summer, the plants start to grow again and belting through long grasses and shrubbery can pose an occupational hazard for a dog where foreign bodies (FBs) are concerned. FB’s such as grass seeds can often be found having entered the ears, nose, eyes, vulva or skin and especially the […]