Dog Care

Taking certain preventive measures, such as keeping your dog’s paw pads moisturized, can help prevent blisters on your dog’s pads. For the most part, though, you can prevent blisters on dog paws by keeping your dog from encountering the kinds of circumstances that cause animal blisters. Such circumstances include extremely hot asphalt or concrete and extreme exercise.

In the animal kingdom, it is instinct for many animals to lick their wounds. Dog wound licking is very common, and while it may be instinctive, it can cause problems for the dog. Though there are many myths surrounding the instinctive reasoning behind the licking of wounds, including that a dog’s saliva has antibacterial or healing properties, wound licking can interfere with the healing process and can even cause infection.

Treating a scab on a dog starts with figuring out what led to the injury, such as a scrape or fleas. From there, you typically should trim away extra hair from around the wound and wash the animal with a good pet shampoo. Put on a medicated spray or cream and follow up with cool compresses or cloths to reduce any inflammation.

Unlike humans, detecting pregnancy in a dog is not as practical as urinating on a stick or confirming a blood test. A veterinarian may be able to diagnose a pregnant dog within a month or so of conception by a physical examination or by x-ray or ultrasound around six weeks gestation, but since the gestation period of a dog is about nine weeks, this offers little to the anxious breeder.

According to some veterinarians and animal experts, tea tree oil may be toxic for dogs when its ingested or absorbed through the skin. It is also suspected that using tea tree oil for dogs may also cause liver damage. Accidental ingestion of tea tree oil may cause gastrointestinal symptoms in dogs as well. Additionally, there have been reports of dogs suffering from neurological damage from the use of this oil.

Dogs pant to regulate their body temperature. They have fewer sweat glands than humans, and most are located along the base of their feet; because of this, it is difficult for them to lose heat through sweating. By panting, a dog can cool its mouth and tongue, along with blood that is circulated through the head, keeping its body temperature at a safe and normal level.

Problems with water and diet are often causes of dog constipation. Generally dog constipation can be treated by switching to high-fiber dog food or wet dog food and making sure the animal has plenty of water. Sometimes home remedies such as mixing fiber supplements, olive oils or canned pumpkin into a dog's food can help. In some cases, dog owners must take their constipated pets to the vet for treatment.

Although it is normal for puppies to chase their tails and even for fully-grown animals to dash around in wild twists and turns, it is more unusual for a pet to walk in circles. Some dogs will do this prior to settling down to sleep, or before defecating, in which case it may be normal behavior, but if it occurs at other times, or in a dog that has not previously behaved this way, it may be a sign that something is wrong.

Basic treatment of a dog stye is usually uncomplicated and can be done at home, as it involves simply washing the area and applying warm compresses. Medication sometimes helps, depending on the cause of the problem, and these are available as drops, ointments and oral chews or pills. In some cases, a veterinarian has to remove the stye physically, or he provides a differential diagnosis. Both owners and vets should exercise safety precautions, such as wearing gloves, while providing treatment.

The average, normal temperature for dogs usually hangs around 101° Fahrenheit (38° Celsius), but it's normal for it to be one or two degrees higher or lower than this. These animals have ways to regulate body temperature on their own, especially panting, but they can become overheated or too cold due to the environment, infection or disease, age and size. Mild temperature elevations or dips are treatable at home in most cases, but high fevers and more extreme cases of hypothermia usually call for a trip to the vet.

There is a lot of debate about why dogs eat grass, and ultimately no single answer seems all inclusive. Some animals act like mini lawnmowers, eating grass at every opportunity, and it may be that they simply like the taste or eat it for nutritional reasons. Others dogs eat grass only occasionally, subsequently throwing it up, and this may be a form of self-treatment for upset stomach.

There are a number of possible reasons why a dog might refuse water, including illness, aging, an upsetting experience, or a change in surroundings or water source. There are also a number of tactics and tricks that can be employed to persuade a dog to drink again. If, however, the cause cannot be established, or the dog cannot be persuaded to drink, the animal should be taken to a veterinarian without delay, as dehydration is a serious condition.

If your dog is stung by a bee, there are several steps to help reduce the pain, swelling, and risk of complications. When treated promptly, pain and discomfort can often be managed at home without any drastic measures. In order to ensure your dog's safety, assess the symptoms, provide appropriate home care, and seek immediate veterinary care if the condition worsens.

Pink eye is a known and common ailment in humans, but this condition is also a very common problem for dogs. Pink eye in dogs, also known as canine pink eye or dog conjunctivitis, occurs when the conjunctiva, the part of the eye that lines the eyelids and connects to the eyeball, becomes irritated and inflamed. Some of the typical causes of pink eye in dogs include irritation by foreign material, such as pollen or grass, or infection from a virus, bacteria, or fungus.

Dry skin remedies for dogs are available at most pet stores and, for severe cases, through veterinarians. Home remedies often work just as well for pet owners who prefer natural products for their dog. Ingredients contained in the most common remedies for dry skin in dogs include lanolin, vitamin E, oils and other soothing ingredients that prevent itching and heal the skin.

Just as it is unwise for one person to share prescription medicine with another, it can also be dangerous to give pain medication intended for humans to animals. In general, giving a dog ibuprofen, or other analgesics, such as aspirin or acetaminophen, is very inadvisable. These substances may sometimes be prescribed by a veterinarian, but in this case, the dose will have been carefully considered, and will be appropriate to the pet.

If a skunk sprays your dog, it is important to wash your pet as soon as possible to remove the spray and prevent its transfer to your carpets, bedding, and furniture. Simple soap and water or standard dog shampoo won't neutralize skunk odor. Rinse or wipe as much spray off the dog as you can, then follow up with a commercial skunk odor shampoo or a blend of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap, followed by a standard pet shampoo.