Key Takeaways: Dogs cannot digest plastic, but it can damage your dog’s system. Any time your dog eats plastic, you should contact your vet and let them know what happened. Fragments of plastic can cause your dog to choke, create an obstruction, or perforate the bowel. Your dog has been quiet…too quiet. So, you walk … Read more
Key Takeaways: Some gums contain xylitol which is highly toxic to dogs. It may only take 1 piece of gum to poison a small dog. If your dog ate any gum, remove any remaining pieces from his reach and contact your veterinarian immediately. Your daughter has some friends over, and they’re outside playing with the … Read more
Key Takeaways Advil (Ibuprofen) is one of the most common human medications causing toxicity in dogs Call your veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog has eaten some Advil (ibuprofen) Just one small dose can cause toxic signs such as gastrointestinal disturbance Advil, a commonly used over-the-counter human medication, contains the active ingredient ibuprofen. … Read more
Key Takeaways: Rat poison tends to be seen as a tasty treat by our canine companions, so make sure to keep it well out of reach. 4 broad types of rat poison commercially available in the USA in 2022. Immediately call your veterinarian and the dog Poison Helpline to determine how much your dog has … Read more
Key Takeaways: Corn cobs are dangerous for dogs because they can cause choking or obstructions. If your dog eats any corn cob, you should contact your vet even if you don’t see any concerning signs. There are three reasons that corn cobs are dangerous: they’re not digestible, they’re highly absorbent, and they’re extremely abrasive. You … Read more
Key Takeaways: Raisins are extremely poisonous for some dogs, and one or two can be enough to cause acute renal failure. If you know or suspect that your dog has eaten any raisins, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. Early treatment is key to a favorable prognosis and recovery from raisin poisoning. They’re a delicious … Read more
Key Takeaways: Chicken bones can be dangerous for dogs if they eat them. Cooked chicken bones can splinter into sharp shards. The treatment and recovery depend on how much damage the chicken bones inflict on your dog. You just pulled a tray of chicken legs out of the oven and got a phone call. While … Read more
Key Takeaways: Xylitol is extremely toxic for dogs, even in small doses. If your pup eats anything containing xylitol, you should call your veterinarian and get immediate emergency care whether or not you see signs of poisoning. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to reverse the effects of xylitol on the body. You accidentally dropped … Read more
Key Takeaways: Grapes are toxic to some but not all dogs. If a dog is sensitive to grapes, the poison can cause acute kidney failure and death. If you know or suspect that your dog ate grapes, you should contact your veterinarian or the pet poison hotline as soon as possible. Grapes are a sweet, … Read more
Key Takeaways: Ibuprofen is extremely dangerous for dogs and toxic in small doses. Signs of poisoning may take a few days to appear. Any time you see or suspect that your dog ingested ibuprofen, call your veterinarian. Treatment and recovery vary depending on the brand, the dose ingested, and the timing of veterinary care. If … Read more
You get up in the morning and notice a smelly, brown, oily stain where your pup slept last night. What is this, and what caused it? Sometimes, I would get a call from a dog parent asking why they had a brown discharge at night. Based on the description and a follow-up exam, I could … Read more
People tend to go crazy for pumpkin, especially during harvest time. They’ll add pumpkin flavoring to lattes and use pumpkin in pancakes, ice cream, and other foods. But can you feed pumpkin to your dog? Yes, and as a matter of fact, pumpkin is an excellent supplemental food for your pooch. It’s packed with fiber … Read more
You’re enjoying a relaxing evening when your dog comes in, plops his butt on the floor, and starts dragging it across the carpet. Gross! Why is he scooting, and what can you do about it? In my clinic, we’d get occasional calls from owners because their pup started scooting. For first-time pet parents, this behavior … Read more
Your pooch has just developed an intense itch. You’ve searched every strand of their fur and can’t find a single flea, so why is your pup scratching too intently? Itching, also called Pruritis, is a common sign of skin disorders in our canine companions. The most common cause of Pruritis is allergic skin diseases through … Read more
One of the most common complaints canine patients present to me with are skin problems, usually pruritus (itching). Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an itchy skin disease caused by an allergic reaction to either an environmental or dietary allergen. This reaction presents as intense itching, rubbing, licking, and chewing at a patch or patches on a … Read more
Why is My Dog Itchy and Scratching After a Bath? We pamper our furbabies and strive to take the best possible care of them. That includes regular bathing. So what happens if you give your furbaby a bath and he starts scratching? What’s making him itchy? Sometimes in practice, we’d get a call from a … Read more
It’s a special treat to let the groomer deal with bathing and clipping your pooch. But when your pup comes home smelling fresh and clean, he also starts to itch and scratch. Is this normal? When I got calls from frantic pet parents because their dog started scratching after a trip to the groomer, I … Read more
You’ve just found some fleas on your pooch (and they’re scratching like crazy) but alas you don’t have any flea treatment left and you’re wondering what you can use to dispatch these pesky creatures. Flea shampoos don’t need a prescription to purchase but that doesn’t mean they don’t work – the instructions need to be … Read more
It’s morning, and when you get out of bed, your dog stretches, yawns, and starts to scratch himself crazily. Should you be concerned? When my pup parents called with questions about morning itching in their dogs, I would reassure them that it’s usually normal but there’s probably a reason. We’d go over possible explanations and … Read more
Having an itchy pooch can be incredibly distressing for both them and you, their pawrent. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to see your veterinarian immediately, but you want to provide some relief for your best furiend. This is where your own medicine cabinet comes in – hydrocortisone cream, to be specific. If you’ve read other … Read more