Heat stroke, burned feet, and infections from seeds. Summer is a great time to work with our puppies and dogs. But it also can be very dangerous. Playing, exercising, or working with our puppies in the heat can cause very serious and potentially fatal complications. Heat stroke (heat prostration, hyperthermia) occurs when normal body mechanisms
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Beware of Sugarless Gum and Candy
Candy and gum manufactures have been using Xylitol as a sugar substitute since the mid 60’s. It is made from corn, plums, raspberries and birch. The sweetener has 40% less calories than sugar and has demonstrated a dramatic reduction in tooth decay in people. Unfortunately, it is very dangerous for dogs. Initial studies suggested only
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Panosteitis: Leg pain and treatment
PANO (for short) – leg pain and treatment Panosteitis, sometimes known as Pano, occurs in rapidly growing large or giant breed puppies. It occurs in the shaft of the bone not the joint. The fatty marrow inside the shaft of the long bones degenerates and is replaced with bone cells. When this occurs, the marrow
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Parasites and Puppies: Part 1 – Vomiting Pups and Coccidia Infection
Treating vomiting Pups and Coccidia Infection As I’m sure you have already noticed our puppies are little “hoovers.” Anything and everything they see goes in their mouths. With this in mind, the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea is “garbage gut.” I divide puppies with diarrhea and vomiting into 2 groups: sick and not
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Parasites and Puppies: Part 2 – Roundworms
Roundworms Most puppies are born with roundworms. There are 4 ways the infection occurs: across the placenta (embryonic development, this is the most common), mother’s milk while nursing, eating worm eggs (usually during grooming) and eating rodents who are carrying developing worms. The life cycle of the roundworm is very complicated. The eggs contain infective
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Eye Exams and Service Dogs
As we raise our puppies, they are in need of specific skills to work; we must also be concerned they are healthy. One of the areas we evaluate is their eyes. The CERF, Canine Eye Registration Foundation, was founded by a group of breeders/owners of purebred dogs being affected by heritable eye diseases. In an effort
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Puppy Point: Under
What does it mean? The puppy is to lay under a table, bench, desk or other appropriate piece of furniture. You should position the puppy so his tail and body are not sticking out in the aisle. Restaurants can be dark and we do not want to create a safety hazard by having a dog
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Puppy Point: Wait
What does it mean? The dog stops his forward movement in such places as a doorway, in a car with the door open, at a curb, etc. What it does not mean? The dog must freeze in place. We are simply requiring the dog to stay within a boundary that we have set by the use
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Puppy Point: The Dog’s Name
The Dog’s Name Many of you may think I have “lost my mind” to even mention this command … however, this is singularly the most important thing you, as a puppy raiser, will teach your dog. What does it mean? The dog is to look up at your face no matter where he is. Whether he is at your
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Obesity in Dogs
Unfortunately, obesity has become the accepted standard for our society, whether we are talking about people or dogs. When a dog is overweight, they are more likely to develop arthritis, which in a working dog means its career will be shortened. Therefore, it is important to prevent our Paw Pals puppies from becoming fat. Once
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