Archive for the ‘dog articles’ Category

Canine dementia, or senility, is a common problem seen in many elderly dogs.  Dementia is the name given to a group related conditions which destroy brain cells and lead to a progressive decline in mental function.  There are many similarities in the changes affecting the brain seen in dogs and Alzheimer’s disease in people, not [...]

It’s a common problem many dog owners face out on a walk - trying to deal with clearing up their dogs’ “sloppy poohs”!    His motions were perfectly alright this morning, and now they’re loose again.  No matter what diet change you try, they’re alright for a while and then it all starts to go [...]

With the start of the really cold weather of winter, most of us can empathise with the prospect of ageing joints becoming more troublesome to get working on cold mornings.  So too for our pets.  For dogs though, the importance of getting out regularly isn’t just a matter of exercise.  For them these “patrols” are [...]

Firework stress affects almost 50% of dogs and many cats too.  Fireworks are no longer a 5th November only event and are heard throughout the Autumn and often used for many other celebrations such as birthdays, wedding etc,.
Stress from such noises can manifest itself in many ways - many dogs will run around and vocalise, [...]

It’s a great time of year to be owning a dog.  Long walks during lazy summer evenings are a wonderful way for us (and our pets) to get exercise.  For dogs, meeting up with their canine friends at this time of year is also much more pleasant now that the misery of wet and windy [...]

Sadly, for up to half of dog owners, the summer isn’t the easiest time for their pets to cope with.  That’s because many dogs have a mild to severe reaction to many of the microscopic grass and tree pollens that are part of the normal cycle of nature at this time of year.  For dogs [...]

Hypothyroidism is a condition which typically affects middle-aged, medium-large breed dogs although smaller breeds can also be affected.  It is caused by a decreased production of thyroid hormone (thyroxine) from the thyroid gland located in the neck,  Thyroid hormone plays an important role in the body - it regulates your dog’s metabolism.  Metabolism can be [...]

Most of us would rather not think about the prospect of our pets contracting any “worms” during their lives.  Sadly, it’s almost inevitable.  As there are more parasitic species in the world than there are free-living ones, then it’s not going to be our cats and dogs that are free of any attack, nor us!  [...]

Without doubt, this is the most traumatic phone call that we, as Vets, receive from a dog owner.  ‘Fits’, when they occur, arise often without warning, and as an owner we feel totally at a loss as to what to do.  It is probably the most frightening condition for anyone to witness in their dog.  [...]

As with ourselves, sometimes dogs are dealt a rotten deal by their genetics and develop heart problems early on in life.  For the most part though this isn’t the norm and dogs with heart murmurs carry on for years with little to indicate that there are any developing problems.  And for the most, there aren’t.  [...]