Health + Wellness

Gassy Lassie

maxine — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Dog farts. For some, they’re no joke, but like a bad comedian they can clear a room. A common problem for breeds such as Boxers and French Bulldogs, flatulence stems from a variety of problems.

The Doctor’s In - Spinal Disk Disease

Betsy Brevitz — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Q: “I have a somewhat arthritic 12-year-old Beagle, and when he started dragging a hind leg, I didn’t think too much of it. But the vet was very concerned about a spinal disk problem, and wanted him to have a myelogram right away. Are disk problems common in dogs? How serious are they?”

Sad Statistic: Canadians spend more time surfing the web than playing with their pets

OliviaF — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

A new research study conducted by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association in partnership with Hill’s Pet Nutrition offers a troubling snapshot of the state of our pet’s health and wellness. Among the rather depressing findings were these startling statistics:

Pregnancy, Babies, and the Family Dog

Jennifer Messer — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

“So what are your plans for re-homing Charlotte before Jake is born? Just wondering. Love Mom.” Charlotte is my 11-year-old Pit Bull, whom I adopted as a young pup. She’s a delightful dog provided you are not of the canine species, and has been a wonderful companion. But in the presence of any unknown dog she is true to her breed: a major hassle for even the skilled handler and a frightening canine psychopath to the lay observer.

Protect Your Dog's Mind from the effects of aging

Stanley Coren — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Wizard, my 12-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was showing behaviour changes. Sometimes he seemed to forget what he was supposed to do when given familiar commands.

Best Breeds for Allergy Sufferers

maxine — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

While no dog is 100 percent hypoallergenic, there are many breeds with consistent and predictable coats that the AKC suggests for allergy sufferers. These breeds have non-shedding coats, which produce less dander. It’s actually the skin dander attached to pet hair that causes most pet allergies in humans.

D.I.Y. Eat

Gwen Burgart — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Grains are a hardy source of energy for your dog, but fillers such as refined wheat, corn, cereal, and rice grains can lead to obesity, diabetes, and allergic reactions. Oats are an excellent easily-digested alternative that provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Dogs are rarely allergic to oats.

Probiotics

Elizabeth Pask — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Beneficial bacteria can out-compete some of the bad bacteria.

D.I.Y. Eat

BethRitchie — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Keep your pups cool with these frozen treats!

The Cancer Diet for Dogs

Elizabeth Pask and Laura Scott — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Cancer. It’s about the scariest word a pet owner can hear. There are many different types of cancers. Some cancers will have tumours and others are cancers of the blood that do not have visible growths. Not all tumours are malignant; some are benign and are simply a tumour that can be surgically removed and your dog will recover fully. Other types of cancer are more insidious and cannot easily be treated. Fortunately, there are now treatment options for most canine cancers and those treatments are improving all the time. Thirty years ago, we never would have considered that a dog could survive a cancer diagnosis. Now, we are faced with the challenges of supporting a dog both during and after treatment.