Category: Pet Health Advice

Woman and dog hiking

Tips on Going Hiking with your Dog

Hiking with your dog is a great way to get yourself and your pup out of the house and out into the fresh air. It is also a fantastically rewarding experience to share the out of doors with your best companion. Here are some tips and tricks for making sure your next hike with your dog is fun and safe. Before the Hike Prior to setting out on the trail, be sure your dog’s vaccinations are up to date. Have you given them their heartworm medication? And don’t forget their flea and tick treatment. A physical exam by your pet’s

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Two dogs running

Dogs Need Exercise for Happy, Healthy Lives

Dogs Need Exercise for Happy, Healthy Lives Love your dog? One of the best things you can do is to exercise him every day. Exercise not only increasing the likelihood of a healthy dog but a happy one as well. In the wild, our domestic dog’s extended family leads a very active daily life. Chasing after food, defending territory, moving from one place to another, and playing are some of the activities that keep them fit and sharp. Survival for them requires strength of body and mind. The life of our domestic pets? Not quite so demanding. But our pet’s

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Food for dog kidney health

My Dog Has Elevated Renal Values, Protein in Her Urine, and Allergies. What Should I Feed Her?

From the Desk of Dr. Marc Smith… A Question for the Doctor: My dog, Blue, is a 10year old blue pit/rot mix. She was eating Hill’s Science Diet in 2007, and became sick during the recalls for melamine. Although her specific brand was not formally recalled, many other Hill’s/SD products were, and she became unexplainably ill but got better after switching her food. She also has allergies, and most recently suffered from pancreatitis–possibly from an over ingestion of my boyfriend’s dog’s Rimadyl. In the last two years, since pancreatitis, my current vet has noted elevated renal values and protein in

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A Picture of Two Dogs Playing After Ligament Surgery

How to Prevent Your Dog from Tearing the Good Knee Ligament After Surgery

Here’s How to Prevent Your Dog from Tearing the Good Knee Ligament After Surgery Nothing can be more frustrating and depressing than having surgery on your dog’s knee, paying a lot of money, going through the rehab and ending up exactly where you started. Unfortunately, this situation is fairly common. So how do you prevent your dog from tearing the “good” knee ligament after surgery? The following scenario is typical in my practice. Your dog has cruciate ligament disease with the recommended treatment being surgery. You are trying to decide what to do! You ask yourself: What surgical technique is

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Giving Pet Medications

Giving Pet Medications

Giving pet medications can be quite tricky! Below are some tips and suggestions to simplify the procedure and make giving pet medications much less stressful for both you and your pet. The easiest and least stressful method of giving pet medications is to mix the medication with your pet’s food or put it in a treat.  Sometimes, however, medications must be taken alone or a pet will refuse to eat the food or treat containing the medication.   If you are having trouble getting meds into your pet, the following tips should help. Giving Pet Medications: Helpful Hints Here are

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