You and your dog have more in common than you may think! Just as you went through different stages in your life, your dog also has specific age ranges where it has different needs and qualities. By being aware of …
What is A Puppy Mill?
According to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA), the term “puppy mill” describes a breeding operation in which dogs are repeatedly bred for financial gain and are kept in …
Purebred Dogs and Genetics – Are We Breeding Misfits?
Since their domestication about 12000 years ago, dogs have been selected and bred for a wide variety of traits and characteristics. We have bred them for size, appearance, temperament, skill, and …
A trip to the veterinarian with your sick cat or dog has led to the diagnosis that your beloved pet has a pyometra. What does this mean? The word pyometra can be broken down into pyo and metrum which are …
Questions to ask when choosing a breeder.
A personal recommendation from a satisfied owner is an excellent way to find a breeder. Ask any of your dog-owning friends or a veterinarian. They may have a client who breeds and would …
Just as eating habits and diets in people are continually being scrutinized and refined, it should come as no surprise that pet nutrition is subject to its own trends. Many pet owners have at the very least heard mention of …
Although most animals do not have day jobs or have the need to read road signs, their vision is an important part of their ability to sense their environment. Their ability to get around the house, catch a tennis ball, …
Most pet owners have seen it; your cat or dog hunches up, starts to make retching noises, and then brings up an amount of material. But is it vomit or regurgitation? This may seem like a trivial difference, but in fact it is not. Knowing whether the material is vomit or regurgitation tells your vet where the material is coming from, and also what may be the cause of the problem. Regurgitation is defined as the passive, retrograde movement of ingested material, usually before it reaches the stomach.
The regurgitated material is often expelled with minimal or no signs of nausea, distress or retching. In fact, the animal may show some surprise as it goes through the act, because it was not expecting it! Material originates from the oral cavity, pharynx or esophagus. Regurgitation often occurs immediately after eating food, but can also occur hours afterwards.
What is a dog or cat’s scruff? The scruff is the loose skin present behind the animal’s neck. It serves many purposes for both the animal and its owner. Although not generally advised for humans due to the potential for …
What is a seizure?
A condition where neurons in the cerebral cortex of the brain fire with an uncontrollable but synchronous fashion that never occurs during normal behavior. It’s kind of like a mini electrical shock occurring in a localized …
“It seems just like yesterday that you were a puppy”. Time flies when you are having a good time. But for our four-legged companions, time flies even faster. If you are a giant breed dog, you may be considered a …
White hairs are stuck firmly in your favourite black sweater. Balls of hair are on the floor and they remind you of those tumbleweeds seen rolling about in classic cowboy movies. The never-ending battle with your pet’s fur can sometimes …
Do you have a dog that is very shy around people or other dogs? Are you reluctant to bring your pet to new or strange environments because you know he/she will be upset? Believe it or not, you (and your …
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes; little, big, cute, homely, hairy, and even hairless. Sure, other animals have this discrepancy in size between breeds as well, but not to the same extent as dogs. Take the cat for example; …
Socialization
Until they reach 16 to 18 weeks of age, a puppy will be in a socialization period. This period is the most important and critical in its life. Every effort should be made to socialize your puppy; meaning to …
Common Diseases of Dogs
Disease
Nature of Disease
Causative Agent
Distemper
affects non vaccinated (non immunized) puppies in contact with infected animals; symptoms include loss of appetite, fever; inflammation of the brain is usual cause of death; some dogs may…
Early spays and neuters is the sterilization of puppies or kittens at 6 to 14 weeks of age, before they are sexually mature. The traditional age for spaying and neutering is 6 to 7 months of age. The concept of …
In North America, every household pet is likely to undergo at least one surgery throughout its lifetime. Surgery, in veterinary medicine, refers to more invasive procedures usually performed under general anesthesia. The most common surgery performed is the spaying or …
If your dog shows any of the following symptoms, it is important that you bring it the vet as soon as possible.…
Symptoms of dog illness include
Bleeding from the nose, mouth, rectum, genitalia.
Not eating or eating much less
You might treat your dog like part of the family, but sometimes you can’t bring it everywhere with you. For example, you don’t think twice about leaving it at home or in the car while you’re grocery shopping. But when …
Does your dog start salivating when you have steak for dinner? Does your cat come running from the other end of the house when it hears the bag of its favourite treat being opened? If you quantify the amount of …
One of the most important things for dogs to learn is to come to you when you call his or her name. Dogs regularly get themselves into trouble and/or engage in risky activities (like blindly chasing anything that moves). If …
When you look at your pet, lying there beside you on the floor, out playing in the yard, or in the car on the way to the veterinarian, what do you see? When you make decisions about the health and …
The human-animal bond is strong. Dogs were amongst the first animals to be domesticated, and as they proved their worth as hunters, guards and companions, the bond has continued to grow stronger. Many people will agree that animals can make …
Scenario 1: You’re out for a walk with your young large-breed dog. To use an example, we will say it’s a one year old Rottweiler. Your dog is very active, gets lots of exercise, and loves going for long runs …
These beautiful pewter leash hooks are perfectly designed for the hallway of a pet lover. You will never misplace your keys or leash again.
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Find Dog ParksPet podcast #59 features an interview with Cesar Millan who is a dog behaviourist and host of the TV show The Dog Whisperer. Cesar was in Montreal promoting his upcoming Canadian tour - Trust Your Instincts. In the interview Cesar …
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