Sometimes after a marathon house cleaning, I flop down on the couch and holler, “Nobody move.” Try as I might, the floors and furniture only stay clean-clean for about five minutes. That’s life with dogs—especially rough-and-tumble mountain dogs who track all manner of gunk into the house. I may never completely achieve long lasting clean, […]

Main Reasons Your Dog May Be Itchy Finding the source of your dog’s skin irritation can be a daunting, long process, but the good news is that with a combination of careful diagnostics, management, and medication, dog owners can do much more than scratch the surface of those annoying canine itches. Veterinary dermatologist John C. […]

The first step in screening a bitch is to perform a vaginal examination, inserting a gloved finger or using a scope to assess the vaginal lining. The most common vaginal abnormality is a persistent hymen-- a membrane found part-way in the vagina. The hymen normally ruptures as a bitch matures, but sometimes it doesn’t. If […]

When a bitch goes through a false pregnancy (also called pseudopregnancy or pseudocyesis), she thinks she has puppies. In one study, more than 60 percent of bitches had signs of false pregnancy after coming out of heat, whether they were bred or not. Mammary enlargement, with or without milk production, is a common sign of false […]

When we think about the activities of our dogs, usually we picture their play, their “jobs” or their quiet repose on our laps or couch. However, in all animals the ability to stand quietly at rest is critically important for health and soundness. Many dog owners don’t realize that the reason their dogs flop down […]

Of the many devastating diseases that create infertility in dogs, the most well known is brucellosis -- infection by the bacterium Brucella canis. Most people regard brucellosis as a sexually transmitted disease, but it is actually spread more often through oronasal (mouth and nose) contact with infected fluids. When a bitch has brucellosis, puppies are normally […]

Your Dog’s Weight Gain and Excessive Shedding Might Indicate Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is a clinical condition resulting in inadequate production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is characterized overall by a general decrease in cellular metabolic activity. Dogs afflicted with hypothyroidism most commonly show weight gain, are lethargic and inactive, have a dull hair […]

ASK AKC  Dear AKC: This summer's heat has been hard on my three Alaskan Malamutes. I give them avid brushing, a puppy pool along with ample water and shade. But their skin suffers from "hot spots" and I've been told shaving the dogs down is not good for them. Can you suggest something to keep them […]

Dog Ear Infections and Other Issues Canine ear infections are very common and certain breeds (dogs with long hanging ears) are predisposed to them. Overall, the problem is more common during the warm months, when ear infections are reported to be 10 to 15 percent of all patients brought to veterinary hospitals. Ear infections can […]

ASK AKC  Dear AKC: When I take my floppy-eared dog to be groomed, he sometimes comes back shaking his head like his ear is bothering him. It appears to be a little irritated. He does occasionally get ear infections. Is there any connection between his grooming and ear infections? - Shaking My Head Dear Shaking: […]