What to Do If Your Pet Has an Emergency but No Vet Is Available
If you do not have access to an emergency clinic for your dog, there are things you can do right now, at home. If it is not something you can take care of on your own or you are not prepared to deal with an emergency, I will list some alternative things you can do. Be Prepared to Help Your Dog The first thing you need to do if something...
The importance of massage for older dogs
The longer we are on the planet the more we use and overuse our muscles. As we mature, repetition of certain movements such as walking, moving from sit to stand and bending can affect our muscles and joints and cause a reduction in mobility. This is the same for dogs too and why massage for older dogs is an important part of the quality of their older years. Massage therapy...
What Gives a Dog a Pain in the Neck?
Here, you see my cute Yorkie patient, Amort, looking good, but the past week has been anything but a good one for him. He lost his appetite and at first, we thought it was his chronic pancreatitis, but his family figured out he would eat if his food was held up off the floor, making us wonder if his neck was painful. Neck Problems in Dogs The neck is a...
Carpal Hyperextension
Carpal hyperextension injuries are most commonly seen in large active dogs. However, small breeds can also be affected. Warning signs of this condition include lameness, swelling of the carpus and sinking of the paw to the ground during exercise caused by excessive motion (hyperextension) of the carpus. How can I tell if my dog has carpal hyperextension? There are three common forms of injury to the carpus causing hyperextension: 1. The...
Know-How for Dog Fitness: Understanding Weight Distribution Is the Key
If you are already doing fitness exercises, or are interested in starting them with your dog, you need to understand the dog’s neutral position, weight distribution, and what is happening during specific actions, activities or sports performances - how and why something as simple as the direction your dog is looking in can affect your dog’s body, AND how to use this to your advantage when doing fitness! I find people...
Progressing your Conditioning Exercises like a Pro!
Do you know how to progress your dog's exercises? As muscles become accustomed to the demand of a work out, you’ll need to introduce new challenges to make the muscles work harder - this is known as progressive overload. By increasing the challenge to your dog's exercises you not only introduce variety to the workout but you also proof the behavior and challenge your dog physically and mentally! When talking...
A Senior Dog Checkup: What to Expect
Is my dog a senior? If you’re reading this article, this might be your first question. Most of us have an idea of when people are considered to be “seniors,” but what about dogs? A straight linear multiplier was once used to convert people years into dog years, but that was never really accurate. In fact, it is even harder to determine an age equivalent for dogs than it is...
Stroke Fact Sheet
Until recently, it was thought that strokes in dogs and cats were very rare. In the last few years, with both the advances in veterinary neurology and the increased availability of more specialist tests, strokes are being recognized more often in pets. The thought of your pet suffering a stroke may be frightening – but you should not be alarmed – strokes in dogs and cats are often not as...