Each breed of dog originated for a specific function.  Although many also make fine companion dogs, it is wise to do the research on any breeds you are considering adding to your family before you begin looking for a specific dog.  For example, you would likely not think about buying a Chihuahua and expecting him to be fabulous at helping you hunt wild boar.

Dog Breed Research Sources

There are many sources you can turn to for information on a wide variety of breeds.  Of course, you can get started by reading the breed guides on doggies.com!  If you prefer paging through a book, you might consider Roger Caras Dog Book:  A Complete Guide to Every AKC Breed from Dorset Press, or Paws to Consider:  Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family by Brian Kilcommons and Sara Wilson from Grand Central Publishing.

Dog Shows are a great place to learn about breeds

Dog Shows

Going to dog shows will help you to compare different dogs and allow you to talk to trainers.  Especially at smaller shows, most of the handlers are more than willing to tell you about their favorite breeds and answer your questions.  A caveat to this approach:  your dog will never look as well-coiffed as the dogs in the shows.  Show handlers are fanatic about maintaining their dogs’ looks.

Long-haired breeds will, obviously, require more grooming.  If you have time you can do this at home for free, or you can pay a groomer to keep up with the task.  You will also want to find out how much a particular dog is likely to shed, especially if anyone in your home is allergic to dogs (or vacuuming!)

Attending a show will give you a good idea of the size and overall appearance of each breed.  Think about how much room you have in your home.  Will you be able to handle sharing your living space with a 200-pound dog?  Do you have lots of knick-knacks at tail level, just waiting to be knocked over?

At a show, many of the dogs are excited, so they may all be barking, but some dogs are actually less prone to barking than others.  This can be an important consideration if you have close-by neighbors who may be less than thrilled with a four-legged alarm clock that goes off at all hours of the night.

Personality Types

Some dogs will be better suited to being either inside dogs or outside dogs.  Some require a lot of human companionship, while some are more aloof.  You must consider whether you want a snuggler or an independent thinker.  Some breeds need tons of exercise while others are content to go outside only to do their business a few times a day.  Compare these needs to the amount of time you have available to care for your dog.  Remember that your dog is likely to live anywhere from 8 to 15 years, so this is a long-term commitment that you are making.

The American Temperament Test Society in Texas has conducted testing on dogs at least 18 months of age in the areas of behavior towards stranger, reactions to touch, sights, and sounds, and self-protection / aggressive tendencies.  A dog is considered to have failed if he shows any sign of unprovoked aggression, panic without recovery, or strong avoidance of any of the challenges.  Of all dogs tested, about 81.5% passed the test.

The percentage of dogs who passed the test from some of the more common breeds are shown here, and the complete list is available at ATTS.org.

Dogs are Individuals

Just as there are differences between breeds, there are also differences between individual dogs within a breed.  Whether this comes from nature, nurture, or a combination of both, is a matter for debate, but it is certain that differences in personality exist.  Certainly, the environment at the breeders’ place of business helps to determine how the dog will turn out, as is the way in which you socialize and train your puppy. But, before you choose a specific puppy from a breeder, what can you do to raise the chances of a good fit between the new pup and your family?

Puppy Aptitude Test

One way to differentiate between the puppies in a litter or from different breeders is to use the Puppy Aptitude Test developed by Jack and Wendy Volhard.  This test rates a new puppy on ten attributes:  degree of social interaction, willingness to follow a person, degree of dominance or submission, acceptance of a person’s dominance, degree of submission when the dog is unable to control his surroundings, willingness to do something for you, sensitivity to touch, sound, and sight, and startle response.

The Volhards recommend that you test a puppy at the age of 49 days, after his nervous system has developed sufficiently, but before the dog begins to be socialized by the way he is treated.  There is no “good” or “bad” judgment with the test; it is simply used as an indication of which puppy best matches your expectations.

To conduct a puppy test, the dog should be taken to an area that is unfamiliar to him, accompanied only by the tester and the scorer.  Neither person should be familiar to the dog, and neither should be the person who is trying to sell the dog.  Each dog is taken to the testing area individually, before being fed, and when he is at his liveliest.  Puppies should not be tested on the day they are vaccinated or immediately afterward.

Social attraction is tested by seeing if the puppy comes to the tester when encouraged to do so.  Following is tested by seeing how willing the puppy is to follow the tester when he or she walks away from the dog.  Dominance and submission are judged by gently restraining the puppy on his back for 30 seconds.  Acceptance of a person’s dominance is checked by stroking the dog gently after releasing him from being held on his back.  If the dog has a forgiving nature, he will lick the tester’s face.  To see how the dog reacts when he is unable to control his surroundings, the tester cradles the dog and gently lifts his feet off of the ground, holding for 30 seconds.

The degree to which the dog is willing to “help” is tested by throwing a piece of crumpled paper for the dog to retrieve.  Touch sensitivity is measured by pinching the webbing between the dog’s front paws.  Sound sensitivity is tested by banging on a metal pan.  Sight sensitivity is judged by pulling a towel across the testing area to see if the dog attacks it or is scared of it.  Stability is checked by opening an umbrella near the puppy to see if he goes after the umbrella or runs from it.

Each test is scored on a scale of 1 – 6.  Dogs who have low scores are likely to be pack leaders and may be difficult for a first-time guardian to handle.  They are not likely to be good with children.  Dogs in the middle of the ratings will likely be good with children and not too hard to train.  They will need lots of exercise.  Dogs with high ratings will be more independent and may be less likely to bond with your family.

A complete guide to the Puppy Aptitude Test can be found at www.Volhard.com.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I have never personally lived with a Pit Bull, and that the few Pits I have met have been very nice dogs.

Are Pit Bulls really that vicious?

Limitations of statistics

Statistics which report dog bites by breed must be evaluated by severity.  Most studies admit that only about 50% of dog bites are reported, presumably those which are the most serious.  And of the reported dog bites, some were fatal while some required only a few stitches.

The nature of the attack is important to consider, as well.  For example, when five fatal attacks from the Centers for Disease Control’s statistics were reviewed, a wide variety of causative factors were found.  One was a case where a man received a relatively minor dog bite, but died from an infection soon after.  One was a newborn infant who had been abandoned by her teenage mother in a junk-strewn yard where the baby was killed by Pit Bulls.  Another was a German Shepherd who reached into a crib, pulled out a newborn, and killed the baby.  The fourth was a Pit Bull who attacked and killed a woman who was being held down by her boyfriend while the boyfriend ordered the dog to attack.  The last was a German Shepherd who was fighting through a fence and turned on his owner when the elderly man tried to stop the fight.  Clearly some of these deaths were not the dogs’ fault, but they are still recorded as fatal dog attacks.

Peer-Reviewed Studies

A study on dog bites was published in 2006 in The Veterinary Journal. The authors collected data on the characteristics of dog bites over a period of 8.5 months in six different hospital emergency departments.  In 67% of the documented incidents, the bites appeared to be triggered by an interaction with a child, and so-called “dangerous dogs” were not responsible for the majority of the incidents.[i]

Another study published in the journal Pediatrics in 1994 identified German Shepherds and Chow Chows as the dogs most likely to bite.[ii] In this study, cases were selected from dogs reported to Denver Animal Control in 1991 for biting.

A study published in 2008 in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science came to a totally different conclusion after studying 30 dog breeds using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire:

Breeds with the greatest percentage of dogs exhibiting serious aggression (bites or bite attempts) toward humans included Dachshunds, Chihuahuas and Jack Russell Terriers (toward strangers and owners); Australian Cattle Dogs (toward strangers); and American Cocker Spaniels and Beagles (toward owners). More than 20% of Akitas, Jack Russell Terriers and Pit Bull Terriers were reported as displaying serious aggression toward unfamiliar dogs. Golden Retrievers, Labradors Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Brittany Spaniels, Greyhounds and Whippets were the least aggressive toward both humans and dogs.[iii]

The Centers for Disease Control offers the following statistics for fatal dog bites in the United States:[iv]

As you can see, the number of fatal Pit Bull attacks declined over the years of the study, while the number of fatal Rottweiler attacks rose.  The change in Pit Bull fatal attack rates in this study is not likely attributable to breed-specific legislation, as this data was collected before breed-specific legislation was introduced in most locations.  (Yakima, Washington enacted their Pit Bull ban in 1987; South Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Florida’s Miami-Dade County enacted their Pit Bull ban in 1989, but breed-specific legislation didn’t really take off until the early 21^st century.)

Drawing Conclusions:  Dog Bite Law

The site DogBiteLaw.com has a broad variety of statistics related to dog bites and how breed-specific legislation has impacted the severity and incidence of bites.  The site is authored by Attorney Kenneth Phillips, who does not appear to have any bias or agenda against any particular breed. According to his review of the currently available research:

• There are 74.8 million dogs in the United States.
• Dogs bite nearly 2% of the United States population, more than 4.7 million people annually.
• One out of every six bites is bad enough to require medical attention.
• Dog bites send nearly 368,000 victims to emergency departments each year.
• Dog attacks resulted in 33 fatalities in 2007 and 23 in 2008.  In the 1980s and 1990s, the yearly average was 17.

Phillips points out the important difference between fatalities caused by dogs and non-fatal dog bites.

…the focus on death cases may leave the public with the false impression that pit bulls and Rottweilers are responsible for the dog bite epidemic. It is a much broader problem than that, involving all dogs and all dog owners. While pit bulls and Rottweilers inflict a disproportionate number of serious and even fatal injuries, the dog bite epidemic involves many different breeds, and results from many different causes. A clear distinction needs to be made between canine homicides (i.e., incidents in which dogs kill people) and the dog bite epidemic.

Drawing Conclusions:  Animal People

Another site that is widely considered very detailed and reliable is written by Merritt Clifton.  Clifton is the editor of Animal People, an independent online newspaper which investigates issues involving animals worldwide.  It does not appear to have any affiliation with any other entities.

It is Clifton’s belief that certain breeds must be regulated.  Clifton’s study (based on data collected from news reports between September, 1982 and November, 2006) showed that Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios, and their mixes were responsible for 74% of the total attacks studied, 68% of the attacks on children, 82% of the attacks on adults, 65% of the deaths, and 68% of the maimings.

His conclusion is that “Pit Bulls and Rottweilers are …dogs who not only must be handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special requirements appropriate to the risk they may pose to the public and other animals, if they are to be kept at all.”  He bases this on his belief that “if almost any other dog has a bad moment, someone may get bitten, but will not be maimed for life or killed, and the actuarial risk is accordingly reasonable.  If a pit bull terrier or a Rottweiler has a bad moment, often someone is maimed or killed – and that has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk, for which the dogs as well as their victims are paying the price.[v]

Drawing Conclusions:  The Dog Lady

After doing the research for this article, I ended up with the following conclusions:

1.  Any dog can bite, given the proper circumstances.  A review of anecdotal news reports shows that even a Pomeranian has been guilty of killing an infant.

2.  Certain breeds tend to do more harm than others when they do bite.

3.  Pit Bulls are one of a short list of breeds most often associated with fatal attacks.

4.  Other breeds, including German Shepherds and Chow Chows are far more likely to bite than Pit Bulls, but bites from these breeds tend to cause less damage than bites from Pit Bulls.

5.  People who live with any dog have a responsibility to train their dogs and properly socialize them to reduce the number of dog bites and fatalities.

6.  Breed-specific legislation doesn’t work.  Banning breeds tends to push them to the black market, which results in poor breeding practices and ultimately leads to an increase in the number of dogs that are abandoned when they don’t meet the guardian’s expectations.  In addition, legislation is expensive and difficult to enforce.

7.  The best strategies to prevent dog bites from any breed of dog are:

• Buy from a reputable breeder.
• Socialize your dog from an early age.
• Neuter your dog.
• Restrain your dog in a fence rather than on a chain.
• Teach your children how to behave around dogs.

[ii] Gershman, Kenneth A., Sacks, Jeffrey Jl, and Wright, John C.  Which Dogs Bite?  A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors.  Pediatrics 93(6): 913 – 917.  June, 1994.

[iii] Duffya, Deborah L., Hsub, Yuying, Serpell, James A.  Breed Differences in Canine Aggression.  Applied Animal Behaviour Science 114(3):  441 – 460.  December 1, 2008.

[iv] Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 46(21): 463-467 .  May 30, 1997.

[v] Clifton, Merritt.  Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada September 1982 to November 13, 2006.  Retrieved July 5, 2010 from www.dogbitelaw.com

Puberty

Yes, it’s true.  Dogs go through puberty just like people do, and prior to this milestone, your bitch cannot become pregnant.  Although large dogs tend to have a later puberty than small dogs, anywhere between six and 24 months is considered a normal age for the dog to go through puberty.  However, the signs of puberty in your dog will not be anywhere near as easy to spot as they are in your children.

During the dog’s first cycle, bleeding may be irregular or split into two separate and distinct periods.  The dog may be fertile during the entire time, so care must be taken during this entire time to prevent unwanted litters.  Although your dog may be fertile during her first few cycles, it is recommended that you wait until she is about 1-1/2 or 2 years old before breeding her so that her eggs and reproductive organs will be fully mature.  The general rule of thumb is to wait to breed until at least the dog’s third cycle.

Following the first cycle, your dog will come into heat about twice each year.  Some dogs are fertile for as long as 7 – 9 days before estrus and 7 – 9 days after it ends.  The dog must be isolated from male dogs for the entire 3 – 4 weeks if you want to be sure to prevent pregnancy.

Does a dog go through a cycle like a human female does?

A dog absolutely has a cycle, but it is much longer than a human female’s 28 days.  The good thing?  Dogs do not experience PMS!  The dog’s cycle is divided into four stages:  diestrus, anestrus, proestrus, and estrus. Diestrus lasts about 60 days, while anestrus lasts for a variable length of time after diestrus.  The two stages together are called interestrus.

Following interestrus, a dog enters the stage of proestrus, which lasts about 9 days and is when the male will begin to show interest in the female, even though the female wants nothing to do with him at this point.  Estrus, when the female is fertile and will allow a male to mount her, lasts about 9 days, as well.

The average duration of interestrus ranges from 6-1/2 months for large dogs like German Shepherds, to 12 months for smaller dogs like Basenjis.  Also, the interestrus period becomes longer as the dog becomes older, starting to lengthen at about eight years of age.

Interestrus

Diestrus is the stage that occurs right after estrus.  The uterus and ovaries are under the effects of hormones, but there are no outward signs of this stage.  If the dog was successfully fertilized during the preceding estrus cycle, she will be pregnant for 60 – 64 days.  If she remains unfertilized, she will stay in diestrus for 60 – 90 days.

During anestrus, the dog’s endometrium is repairing itself, either from the pregnancy or the build-up to an unrealized pregnancy.  If the dog does not remain in anestrous for at least 90 – 150 days, she is unlikely to be successful in producing a litter during the following heat cycle because the uterus will not have been repaired enough to support a pregnancy.

During these two periods, known together as interestrus, neither the male nor the female will show any interest in each other.  The female’s external sexual organs will appear normal.  As anestrus draws to a close, follicle stimulating hormone is elevated, which “ripens” the eggs to be let out of the ovaries and into the fallopian tubes.  The eggs will actually be released during proestrus.

Proestrus

Proestrus may last anywhere from 3 – 17 days, but is most likely to last about 9 days.  The male will become interested in the female, but the female will not be ready for him yet.  Ovarian follicles secrete estrogen, which causes swelling of the vulva around the bitch’s vaginal opening, which is a key sign telling you that your dog is entering her fertile period and should be isolated from male dogs to prevent pregnancy. Because of this swelling, your dog will likely begin to lick her privates excessively.

Another major sign is that the dog will begin to leak vaginal blood during proestrus.  Some dogs bleed a lot and require a diaper to protect your furnishings and carpets; some dogs will barely bleed at all.  If you don’t want to go to the expense of dog diapers, a useful substitute is men’s or boys’ underpants with a fly opening.  Place a thin sanitary napkin in the front of the underwear, then put the underwear on the dog with her tail sticking out through the fly.  To estimate the size your dog will need, use this rule of thumb:  a 30-pound dog will generally need children’s size 6 underwear.  Don’t forget to take off the underwear when you let your dog outside to relieve herself and to leave it off long enough for her to clean herself when she comes back in.  Change the pad regularly to prevent odor.

The color of the blood will be dark red in the beginning, but it will fade to a peach or salmon color by the end of proestrus.  Bleeding is your cue to isolate your dog from males for the next 3 – 4 weeks if you wish to avoid pregnancy.

Estrus

At the end of proestrus, the follicles begin to slow their estrogen secretions, causing the dog to begin to show the signs of true estrus.  Estrus may last from 3 – 21 days, but averages 9 days.  Male and female will both be interested in each other and the bitch will “flag” her tail, carrying it to the side and inviting the male to mate.

About 1 – 2 days into estrus, luteinizing hormone is released, causing the eggs to drop from the ovaries into a position when they can be fertilized.  The dog will be most fertile on days 3 and 4, i.e. two days after the LH peak.  When pregnancy is desired, LH levels can be tested by a simple blood test to determine when mating should occur.

If the eggs remain unfertilized, they will simply die in 5 – 6 days, marking the end of estrus.

The only 100% effective way to keep your dog from becoming pregnant is to spay her.  However, if for some reason you do want to breed her at a later time, you must be vigilant in keeping her away from males during her fertile period.

When should I spay my dog?

If you are not planning on breeding your dog, it is best to have her spayed prior to her first heat cycle.  Doing so is protective against many types of cancer later in life.  Many shelters insist on spaying all dogs before placement so spaying may be done as early as six to eight weeks of age.  At traditional veterinary clinics, it is much more common to spay at six months.

One common myth is that a dog will somehow mature better if she is allowed to go through one heat cycle prior to being spayed.  In fact, there is no such advantage, and waiting to spay your dog actually puts her at a disadvantage because she is at a much higher risk of developing mammary cancers later in life.

Another myth is that your dog should be allowed to have one litter before spaying so she will be a better pet or so your children can experience “the miracle of life.”  Again, not true.  There is no advantage to having your dog reproduce before spaying her, and your children might be much better served by spending time working at a shelter to experience the misery of abuse and neglect suffered by unwanted puppies.

Here is a sad fact from the Atlanta Humane Society, one which is mirrored at most other shelters in large cities: “20 tons of dead animal bodies produced in one year in the Atlanta Area alone.”  The moral of the story?  Don’t breed your dog unless you have good reason to, such as furthering the breed for show or competition purposes by conscientiously and responsibly pairing dogs who are prime examples of the breed standard.

What is diabetes?

Known formally as diabetes mellitus, this is a disease that prevents the dog’s body from properly using carbohydrates to fuel his body’s cells.  In a normal body, the pancreas secretes insulin to keep the blood level of sugar at an appropriate level.  Insulin stops the liver from producing glucose from the carbohydrates we eat.  Insulin also is responsible for helping the body to store extra glucose so that it can be used later if the food supply is suddenly cut off.

In a diabetic dog (or person) the pancreas becomes unable to produce enough glucose to manage these functions.  Alternatively, the body may become immune to the effects of insulin, rendering it useless no matter how much the pancreas kicks out.  In either scenario, the blood level of glucose builds up rapidly.  The blood cannot hold on to all of this glucose, so it spills over into the urine, taking with it extra water through a process known as osmosis.

What are the symptoms of canine diabetes?

There are two primary symptoms:  your dog will begin to urinate much more frequently than usual, and he will be exceedingly thirsty because so many of his body fluids are being lost through excessive urination.  How do you know if your dog is urinating “excessively”?  You’ll know.

It is not unheard of for a diabetic dog to urinate as many as 10 or more times in an hour.  The number of times the dog urinates is directly tied to how high his sugar level is.  Just observe him for a bit, and you’ll know immediately.  In many cases, the dog will be unable to hold his urine and will start having accidents in the house, even though he was fully housebroken before.  To replace the fluids he is losing, your dog will begin to drink excessively.  You’ll notice that you spend most of your day filling water dishes.

Secondary symptoms of diabetes include unexplained weight loss as the body breaks down fat and protein to use as an alternative fuel since the glucose in the blood is unable to enter the body’s cells.  The liver begins to make ketones out of fatty acids to fuel the body’s cells.  Overproduction of ketones can lead to a condition known as ketoacidosis, where the body’s pH level quickly falls.  The dog will excrete ketones through his lungs, giving his breath a fruity scent similar to nail polish remover.  A dog with ketoacidosis is having a veterinary emergency and should be seen as quickly as possible by a veterinarian to prevent sudden death.

Other secondary symptoms include cataracts and frequent infections.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

Your vet may be hesitant to diagnose diabetes if your dog is very young, as this is primarily a disease of older-aged dogs.  However, if you notice that your dog is urinating and drinking uncontrollably for no apparent reason over the course of several days, it is worth asking your vet to test for diabetes.  There are other diseases such as bladder infections that cause frequent urination, and these should be ruled out before diagnosing diabetes.

Preliminary testing is done by checking for sugar in the urine.  If you follow your dog around the back yard for a few minutes, you may be able to move fast enough to place a spoon under him as he urinates.  Dump the urine into a paper cup and take it to your vet for analysis.  Get used to the technique required for this maneuver, as you will be doing it a lot if your dog does turn out to be diabetic.

Even if the urinalysis turns up negative, your dog may still be diabetic.  The definitive test is done by drawing a small amount of blood to test the level of glucose circulating in the dog’s bloodstream.  A diabetic dog will have an elevated level of blood glucose even before the disease progresses to the point where there is sugar in the urine.

Insulin injection is the usual treatment for canine diabetes

How is diabetes treated?

The most common treatment is insulin injections, which are given under the skin of the dog’s neck.  Different types of insulin last for different amounts of time, and some experimentation is often needed to find the right combination of quick-release and longer-duration types to control the dog’s blood sugar throughout the day.

The easiest way to give the injections is to set the dog’s food in front of him, and while he is eating, simply pick up some of the skin at the back of the neck, slide the needle in, and dispense the medication.  In most cases, the dog will be so busy eating, he will not even notice he is getting a shot.

What do I need to know about insulin?

Your vet will prescribe a specific type of insulin for your dog, and you will probably purchase it at a regular drugstore.  You will also need to purchase needles and testing supplies.  The needles are single-use only, and you must carefully dispose of them in a way that prevents addicts from raiding your garbage for them.  It is a good idea to hide the needles in a coffee can and surround them with dirty kitty litter, dog doo, or coffee grounds to make them less appealing.

Insulin must be stored in the refrigerator and mixed, but not forcefully shaken, before each injection.  Always keep an extra vial on hand so that if one breaks while the drug store is closed you won’t have to miss a dose.  Keep the vial in the box it came in to protect it from being broken down by light.  If the insulin gets too warm or if it becomes frozen, it should be discarded.  It should also be thrown out 30 days after the first dose is used, as each puncture of the vial’s lid can introduce bacteria into the bottle.

What else do I need to do to help my diabetic dog?

It is vital that the dog’s food intake be carefully monitored and kept consistent from day to day.  Food given at odd times makes it very difficult to keep the blood sugar at a normal level, as the shots must be carefully timed to coincide with when the blood sugar is expected to peak after eating.  Giving your dog cookies can throw the whole system out of whack, as they too will cause his blood sugar to rise.  Some people substitute raw carrots for cookies, but even they have quite a bit of sugar in them.  Too much food, and the blood sugar skyrockets; too little food and it plummets, which can cause the dog to pass out.

A dog with low blood sugar should be considered an emergency.  If your dog seems overly sleepy or begins stumbling around or staggering, you may assume his blood sugar is low.  Giving your dog a spoonful of honey or Karo syrup can help to bring his blood sugar up in a hurry.  It is far better to treat for low blood sugar and be wrong than not to treat when you should have.

Regular exercise is also important to maintaining your dog’s health.  The amount of exercise should be kept as consistent as possible from day to day in order to have as little impact on blood sugar levels as possible.

All of this is well and good as long as your animal is in a “normal” state.  However, if he gets a stomach bug and stops eating for a day or two, his medication levels must be adjusted.  You should never entirely skip a dose of insulin, but you may have to cut back on the size of the dose to account for changes in diet and activity level.

How do I measure my dog’s glucose level at home?

Because there are so many variables which can affect your dog’s blood sugar level, your vet may give you a range of doses for the dog’s daily insulin shot.  In this case, you will take a urine sample and use a dipstick to estimate the sugar level in the urine before deciding how much insulin to give.  If the glucose level is high, you will give a dose at the high end of the range, if it’s low, you will give a dose at the low end of the range.

A more expensive, but more precise option is to purchase a blood glucose meter.  You will draw a small amount of blood from your pet, dip a test strip in the blood, and insert the test strip into a meter to get an exact reading of your dog’s blood glucose level.  Unless you are having a hard time controlling your dog’s levels with urine testing, buying a blood testing meter is an unnecessary expense.

What are the dangers of having high blood sugar?

Left untreated, or even treated but poorly controlled, diabetes can cause cataracts, blindness, kidney problems, liver malfunction, and yes, it can even be fatal.  It is vital that you provide daily insulin shots and control your dog’s food and exercise levels to allow him to live in comfort.  When properly controlled, diabetes does not have to shorten your dog’s lifespan.  In fact, many dogs have lived full, wonderful lives in spite of having a chronic illness.

Elements of the reproductive tract

Hanging between the dog’s hind legs is a sac known as the scrotum which holds and protects the testicles.  The scrotal pouch is divided into two separate areas by a thin wall running down the middle.  Inside each area are one testicle, one epididymis, and the head of one spermatic cord.  The scrotal sac, which does not contain any insulating fat, keeps the testicles several degrees cooler than the abdomen, which is important for sperm motility.

The testicles are oval shaped, with the left testicle usually hanging slightly behind the right.  Inside the testicles are seminiferous tubules, responsible for the production of sperm.  Sertoli cells fill the area around the tubules, supporting the tubules and providing nutrition to the sperm cells.  The Leydig cells of the testicles are responsible for the production of the male hormone testosterone.

The epididymis (plural:  epididymides) begins at the front of the testicle and runs along the edge to the back.  It is responsible for storing and carrying sperm to the ductus deferens prior to ejaculation.  The sperm stays in the epididymides for a relatively long period of time, allowing the cells to mature.

Spermatic cords are composed of vessels and nerves which nourish the testicles.  The ductus deferens are also contained inside the spermatic cords.  The ductus runs into the abdominal cavity through the inguinal canal, then leaves the abdomen, running through the prostate and ending at the urethra.

Although the exact function of the prostate gland is unknown, it is thought that it secretes substances necessary to protect and activate the sperm.  This accessory sex gland contributes as much as 90% of the fluid that is released when the dog ejaculates.

Once they have matured in the epididymis, the sperm cells enter the ductus deferens, which has strong muscular walls.  The muscular walls of the ductus contract to push the sperm into the urethra, which runs the length of the penis.  The urethra then releases sperm into the female when the dog ejaculates.

The penis has three portions:  the root, the body, and the glans.  The root and body are made of spongy tissue surrounding a bone known as the os penis.  The glans is soft but swells with blood during sexual stimulation.  This swelling is important because it keeps the penis locked into the female dog’s vagina, allowing the dogs to “tie” to each other to promote successful passage of sperm from the male to the female.

Covering the penis is the prepuce, a tubular piece of skin which protects the penis.  The prepuce secrets a lubricating liquid known as smegma which keeps the penis moist.

Hormonal control of the male canine reproductive system

The cells of the testicles are under the control of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland of the brain.  The hypothalamus releases gonadal releasing factor, which stimulates the pituitary to secrete follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone.  Both hormones travel to the testicles, where FSH stimulates the seminiferous tubules to produce sperm and LH stimulates the Leydig cells to produce testosterone.

Sperm, of course, is used to impregnate female dogs.  Testosterone is responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics during puberty.  This includes higher muscle mass, thicker bones, more red blood cells, and a higher metabolic rate.

Diseases of the male reproductive tract in dogs

Before a puppy is born, his testicles reside in his abdominal cavity.  At birth, they begin to move slowly through the groin area and into the scrotum.  The trip should be complete by 6 – 8 weeks of age.  In some puppies, one or both of the testicles may fail to descend at all, or may get stuck part of the way through the trip.  This condition, known as cryptorchidism or undescended testicle, keeps the testicle trapped in the relatively high temperature of the pelvic cavity, making the affected testicle incapable of producing sperm.  Undescended testicles have a higher incidence of tumor development as the dog ages.  This condition has a genetic component, so dogs with an undescended testicle should not be bred.

Other problems which may occur in the testicles are inflammation known as orchitis or torsion, which occurs when the testicle becomes twisted on itself.  Both of these conditions cause your dog considerable pain as well as infertility.  You may notice your dog walking strangely or wanting to lay on cold surfaces to relieve the pain.

The epididymis may become inflamed due to bacterial or viral infections, trauma, or diseases of the immune system.

The most common problem which occurs in the prostate is benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).  In un-neutered dogs, the continual influence of testosterone causes the prostate to gradually enlarge.  The enlargement may block both the urinary tract and the rectum causing the dog to strain when he relieves himself.  Other problems of the prostate include infection, cysts, and tumors, which are usually malignant.

The prepuce can also be the site of several disorders.  If the opening of the prepuce is abnormally small, the dog may not be able to protrude his penis through the opening, making sexual intercourse impossible.  This condition is known as phimosis.

At the other end of the spectrum, if the dog cannot withdraw his penis into the prepuce, the condition is known as paraphimosis.  This condition can be treated by applying ice to the dog’s penis to encourage it to become less erect, allowing the dog to retract it.

Priapism is a condition where the dog’s penis remains erect in the absence of sexual activity.  This is typically the result of an infection or a spinal cord injury.

The prepuce may become inflamed due to infections, which may include sexually-transmitted diseases.

How will the vet check my dog for reproductive problems?

Your vet will first interview you to find out about the dog’s medical history so he can choose which tests will be most beneficial.  It is important that you spend enough time observing your dog’s normal behavior in order to know when something has changed.  You are your dog’s best advocate, so make sure you can give your vet an accurate description of any problems you are seeing.

Next, your vet may want to run an analysis of the dog’s blood and urine.  This will help her rule out any systemic infections which may be causing the problems.  Serologic testing of the blood can indicate the presence or absence of Brucellosis, a bacterial infection that is often the cause of reproductive tract disorders in male dogs.

X-rays of the abdomen can point out problems with internal structures, as can ultrasound inspection of the prostate and testicles.

If a tumor is suspected, your vet may take a biopsy of solid tissues or may aspirate the liquid from a fluid-filled tumor for microscopic analysis.

If you are concerned about your dog’s fertility, your vet may want to examine a sperm sample under the microscope to check for the quantity and quality / motility of the cells.  Sperm may be collected by using what is known as a “teaser bitch”, which is just what it sounds like, or by the vet stimulating the dog by hand.

The importance of neutering

Neutering a dog involves the removal of both testicles, making the dog unable to produce sperm.  Within a week or two after the surgery, your dog’s scrotal sacs will simply shrink and become unnoticeable.  If you value the look of an intact dog, there are prosthetic testicles which can be inserted to maintain the scrotal sac size.  The penis is not removed during neutering  because it houses the urethra and has a function other than carrying sperm.  It also carries urine from the bladder, directing it outside of the body.

Aside from reducing overpopulation problems, there are health reasons for neutering your dog as soon as possible after he joins your family.  For example, a neutered dog cannot develop testicular cancer or benign prostatic hypertrophy.  There is also some evidence that a neutered dog will be less aggressive than an intact dog.

Normal Canine Eye Structure

Each eye sits in a bony structure of the skull known as an orbit and is made up of three layers.  The outermost layer is fibrous, the middle layer is vascular (made up of blood vessels), while the inner layer is made up of nerves.  The fibrous layer is made up of the sclera or the white of the eye, and the cornea, a transparent cover on the front of the eye.

The middle layer is also called the uveal tract.  It contains the choroid, the ciliary body, and the iris or colored portion of the eye.  In the center of the iris is the pupil which dilates and shrinks to control the amount of light which enters the eyeball.  The lens is right behind the pupil, where it serves to focus light onto the retina.  The inner layer, located at the back of the eyeball is the retina, which sends electrical images through optic nerves to the visual cortex of the brain.

Inside the eyeball, there are three chambers, two containing aqueous humor, a watery substance, and one containing the more gelatinous vitreous humor which helps the eye to keep its shape.  The front or anterior chamber lies between the iris and the cornea, while the middle chamber sits between the iris and the lens.  The posterior chamber is located behind the lens, but in front of the retina.  It is the chamber where the vitreous resides.

Just as in humans, canine eyelids are flaps of skin that extend over the eye to protect it.  The inside portion of the eyelid is covered with the conjunctival membrane, and the eyelashes are attached to the edges of the lid.  As an extra protective measure, dogs have a third eyelid known as the nictitans, which comes up from the inside corner of the eye.  The nictitans contains an auxiliary tear gland which helps the lacrimal gland produce tears and drain them away from the eye.

How does the eye work?

When light is reflected off of an object such as a chew toy, the light goes into the dog’s eyeball through the cornea to the pupil, where they are focused by the lens and sent through the vitreous to the retina.  On the surface of the retina are receptor cells known as rods and cones.  Rods work best in dim light, while cones see bright lights and colors.

Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not color blind.  However, they have very few cones, which means they don’t have a sharply developed sense of color.  In addition, they can only see the primary colors of blue and yellow, not the red, blue, and yellow that humans see.  So, for example, a dog can see green (a combination of blue and yellow), but not orange (a combination of red and yellow).  Dogs do have a much higher concentration of rod cells than humans do, making them much better at seeing in dim light.  That’s why a dog never tries to move the entire coffee table with his pinkie toe like you do in the middle of the night.

What eye diseases are common in dogs?

The most common eye diseases in dogs result from the minor traumas that occur every day when your eyes are so close to the ground.  The conjunctiva may become inflamed, causing conjunctivitis or “pink eye”, the cornea may be scratched which in turn may cause a corneal ulcer or corneal inflammation known as keratitis.  Although you may need veterinary treatment to resolve these problems, they are not generally considered serious health issues.

However, other diseases are quite serious because they may cause your dog to lose his sight.  The most common cause of blindness in dogs is cataracts.  With age, the lens becomes clouded over, preventing light from passing through to the retina.  Injuries and diabetes may cause cataracts, as can genetics.  The only treatment for cataracts is to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one.

Glaucoma

Under normal conditions, the aqueous humor inside the eyeball circulates freely.  As new intraocular fluid is made, the older fluid drains out of the eye.  However, sometimes the “drain” becomes blocked from inflammation, tumors, or a misplaced lens, causing the pressure inside the eyeball to increase.  The drain may also be blocked by a genetic malformation of the eye structures.  The increased pressure destroys the retina and optic nerve, resulting in blindness.

If your dog begins to squint and rub his eyes, it is vital to get him checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible.  Irreversible damage can be done to the dog’s eyes in a matter of hours.  Medication can be given to reduce the production of aqueous humor, but if that is not effective, surgery to open the drain may be required.

Prolapsed Third Eyelid Gland

When the tear gland of the third eyelid becomes detached from its normal position, it may bulge out, forming a bright red ball in the inner corner of the eye.  The bulging gland is so red it resembles a cherry, giving rise to the more common name of this condition:   Cherry Eye.  It is not particularly painful, but the exposed gland may become irritated or infected.  To prevent the condition from becoming more serious, your vet may perform surgery to put the gland back into place and tack it down.

Cherry eye usually occurs in puppies, and is most common in Cocker Spaniels, Lhasa Apsos, Shih-Tzus, Poodles, Beagles, and Bulldogs.

Diseases involving a dog’s eyelashes and eyelids

The main function of eyelashes is protective.  They are designed to keep foreign bodies out of the eye, protecting the cornea from scratches.  However, there are times when the lashes themselves become foreign bodies.

Distichiasis occurs when eyelashes grow from the ducts of glands inside the eyelids.  These lashes rub the eye’s surface, causing irritation, redness, squinting, and sometimes discharge from the eyes.  The condition is most common in retrievers, spaniels, Poodles, Shih Tzus, and Weimaraners.  Mild cases are treated by placing ointment on the eyes to prevent irritation of the cornea, but more severe cases may require surgery to remove the lashes and destroy the hair follicles so they don’t grow back.

Entropion is very similar in symptoms to distichiasis because the eyelid rolls inward, pushing the eyelashes against the cornea.  It is a genetic condition, common in Shar Peis, Chow Chows, Bulldogs, retrievers, and Rottweilers.  The treatment is surgery for your puppy at 4 to 6 months of age to remove a portion of the skin and muscle around the eyelids, making them align more normally.

Blepharitis is the medical name for an inflammation of the eyelids, most often caused by infection.  The edges of the eyelid become sore and red, while a thick discharge seeps from the eyes.  The disease may be the result of entropion, allergies, flea bites, infections, or disorders of the endocrine or immune systems.  Treatment involves getting rid of the underlying problem or antibiotics if the problem is a bacterial infection.

Common genetic eye diseases

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) refers to a condition where the rods and cones of the retina degenerate.  Although there are different types of PRA, nearly all forms of the disease lead to complete blindness.  Irish Setters and Norwegian Elkhounds who have the genetic make-up required for PRA generally show signs of the disease very early as the rods and cones never even begin to develop correctly.

The more common type of PRA for most breeds has a later onset, with dogs starting to show symptoms between four and seven years of age.  Breeds susceptible to progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD) are Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Labs.  The rods and cones develop normally, but then begin to degenerate as the dog ages.

Rods typically begin to degenerate before cones, meaning that the dog will ose his night vision first.  He may begin to bump into things when he wanders the house at night.  As the disease progresses, he will begin to lose daytime vision as well, eventually going completely blind.

Your vet will do an electroretinogram (ERG) to detect electrical signals given off by the retinal cells when light hits them.  The retina of a dog with PRA will give off weaker electrical signals than a dog with normal eyes.

The gene for PRA is recessive, meaning that two copies of the gene must be present in order for the dog to be affected.  This makes it very difficult to remove the disease from the breeding pool.

How do I find a puppy without inherited eye diseases?

A board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist can perform an examination of prospective breeding dogs to detect many genetic eye diseases before the dogs are bred.  The special examination follows a protocol set forth by the Canine Eye Registration Foundation, and a dog who passes the examination is said to be CERF certified.  Once the dog has been certified free of these diseases, he may be safely bred.

However, because many dogs reach breeding age before some of the genetic eye diseases begin to manifest symptoms, passing a CERF examination is not an absolute guarantee that puppies from CERF-certified parents will be free of all eye diseases.  Nevertheless, it is wise to ask your breeder to show you the CERF certificates from both parents before placing a deposit on a puppy.

Dog business is big business

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Americans spent $45.5 billion on their pets in 2009, up 5% from 2008 in spite of the recession.  And they’re projected to spend $47.7 billion in 2010. It seems most people are unwilling to give up spoiling their pets, even if they have to give up some of their own luxuries to do so.  A previous poll on doggies.com showed that people were willing to give up eating out and trips to the beauty salon in order to support their dogs if money got tight.

What types of dog businesses are there?

You can probably easily name half a dozen or so products you have to have for your dog – food, grooming equipment, a crate, dishes, etc.  Most of these are out of reach for those of us in the middle class because the market has already been cornered by massive manufacturers who can make things at a much lower cost than any individual can.

So, that leaves the niche markets for the rest of us.  These are things that a large company won’t touch because the overheads are too high for them.  They need to cover their costs for executives, large facilities, employee benefits and the like.  The key advantage you have as an individual entering business is that you may only have to support yourself with what you make or with the service you provide.

The trick then becomes finding a business that you can start with very low up-front expense, but a big upside as you gain customers.  For example, to be a dog-walker, you need very little other than a good pair of shoes.  Your total marketing budget would likely consist of printing flyers and posting them at local grocery stores, Laundromats, health clubs, and any other places that people gather in large numbers.  The same is true of nearly any service-related business.

Service-providers

There are service providers who will walk your dog, babysit while you are away, groom your dog, and even pick up the waste from your back yard.  Of these options, only grooming involves any up-front expense at all.

Are you handy with a camera?  Animal portraiture is a big field.  You can provide cute backgrounds and props, position the dogs in appropriate poses, and snap away.  With the digital technology currently available, you don’t need a terribly expensive camera to take high-quality pictures.  Developing your shots no longer requires a dark room or expensive trips to Fotomat.  Many printers now come with a slot where you can simply insert the disk from your camera, preview your pictures on the screen, and print out the ones you and your customer like.

Manufacturing

If your skills run more to working with your hands, there are several niche markets available for small manufacturers.  For example, you might want to make hand-made outfits.  Many people dress their dogs for special occasions or even for every-day outings.  Although large manufacturers are definitely in the dog clothes business, they cannot obtain the profit margins they need by turning out consistent high quality and large variety.  They make their money by mass-producing large quantities of the same thing at very high speed.

Other textile items you might want to consider custom-making are accessories such as bows, leashes, collars, and costumes.

Surprisingly, pet death is becoming a very lucrative field, as well.  Custom-made caskets, cremation urns, memorial stones, paintings, and other remembrance items are selling like hotcakes.   If you have a large empty field and can get the proper zoning from your municipality, a pet cemetery might be just the thing.  You can sell pre-planning for funerals, headstones, and land use rights.  Your labor would consist primarily of digging and filling holes, and keeping the grass mowed.

Marketing Plan

The advantage you would have in making custom-designed clothing or any other item is that you can be innovative in creating a different design for every customer.  The disadvantage you will have is in reaching a large number of potential customers.  At first, this may work to your advantage, as you will not have the capability to make thousands of outfits every day.  However, the very best marketing tool is word of mouth, so if you can reach even one or two customers and have them tell two friends, who tell two friends, who tell two friends, your business can build very quickly.

As far as pricing, people are always willing to pay for top quality.  Remember when you are marketing that you want to target people with money.  Although the Internet provides a very cheap way to get your message out, it is tougher to target those who can afford your goods vs. those who are only dreaming.  You never want to ignore those dreamers because you don’t know if they will eventually have enough money to buy from you, but you definitely want to concentrate on people who can pay you now.

One way to do so is to target your advertisements in places where higher-income people gather – country clubs, wine tastings, top–notch hotels, and luxury suites at sporting events.  If you do advertise on the Internet (and you should) target your ads to appear on sites where people who have money will go.  Luxury vacation sites, pool and spa sites, and high-end retail sites would be good targets.  Of course, you will also want to advertise on animal-related sites, as well.

What else do I need to know about starting a dog business?

Tax considerations:  As long as you plan on keeping your business relatively small, you will likely set it up as a sole proprietorship.  This means that you and the business are one and the same for tax purposes.  If you are in a business where you might cause harm to someone’s animal, you may want to consider incorporating to provide yourself some protection from lawsuits.  Consulting a tax advisor would be a good way to find out what your options are.

Insurance:  There are several kinds of business insurance which you might want to consider as soon as you can afford it.  The most important is general business insurance, which will pay if you suffer a loss due to a natural catastrophe or theft.  If you run your business from your home, you can check with your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance carrier to see if they will cover your business as well.  Next, if you are providing a service where you have physical control of your clients’ dogs, you will want to have some sort of liability insurance that will pay if a dog gets loose, becomes ill, or dies in your care.  Finally, some businesses carry key man insurance, which pays in the event of the death of the principal players in the business, to keep the company from going under due to the loss of an executive.

Borrowing money:  It’s always best if you can start your business without borrowing money from anyone.  However, if you can’t swing your start-up expenses, you have several options.  Using your own credit cards is probably the most expensive way to go, but it allows you to keep total control of your business rather than bowing to the desires of any investors.  Selling stock in your company invites others to become part owners with you, giving them some decision-making authority, which you may or may not want to give up.

Many areas have a Small Business Administration, a branch of the federal government, which can help you obtain a business loan at very favorable terms.  In addition, check to see if you have a chapter of SCORE nearby.  This organization is composed of business executives who help young entrepreneurs get started.  There is no cost to you in working with SCORE, and it can be of great help in locating start-up capital.

Learning how to run a business: There are many sources you can turn to for instruction on running a business.  Again, SCORE can provide a lot of valuable advice for free.  Your local library has books on every aspect of entrepreneurship.  The Internet is filled with helpful articles, which can be accessed for free.  Many organizations provide training and classes for a small fee to entrepreneurs.

Is starting a business for me?

It’s never a good idea to quit your day job before you are well-established in a business, but if you are able to do both at the same time, it provides you with an opportunity to supplement your income to pay for those extra things you want to do.  Once your business begins to expand, you may even be able to give up your company job and rely exclusively on your small business for your support.  And, if you are currently unemployed, starting your own business may be just the way out of welfare you have been looking for.

If you dog scratches his ears a lot, it could be a sign of an ear infection

Canine Ear Structure

The ear is divided into three sections.  The innermost portion, known as the inner ear, is involved in both hearing and balance, while the middle ear and external ear are strictly for hearing.  The external ear is made of cartilage that collects vibrations from the air and directs them down the ear canal to the eardrum.  It is important to note that a dog’s ear canal is long and takes a sharp turn just before the eardrum.  For this reason, the ear canal can be easily cleaned without danger of puncturing the drum.

Behind the eardrum is the middle ear, made up of the tympanic cavity.  This cavity contains the tympanic nerve, the vestibular window, and the cochlea, as well as three small bones known as the malleus, the incus, and the stapes.

The inner ear is a series of fluid-filled ducts and sacs within a bony shell-shaped labyrinth known as the cochlea.  Vibrations conducted to the inner ear by the three bones of the middle ear are converted to nerve impulses which allow the brain to interpret sounds.  The cochlea contains 10,000 hair cells which are important in the vibration-to-nerve impulse conversion.  The cochlea winds around the cochlear nerve, which carries these impulses to the brain.

A membranous labyrinth inside the bony labyrinth controls equilibrium and balance.  Infections of the inner ear may cause problems with either balance or hearing, while infections of the middle or external ear will only cause problems with hearing.  When ear infections become chronic, the problems may become permanent.

Types of ear infections

Bacteria and yeast are the most common causes of ear infection in dogs.  Dogs with heavy, floppy ears are the most susceptible to infection due to moisture being trapped inside the ear canal.  Hair growing inside the ear canals can make the moisture problem worse; therefore, these hairs are often plucked when the dog is groomed.

Ear mites are common, especially in young dogs.  When mites are present, you will typically see what looks like dirt inside the dog’s ear canal.

Allergies to food or environmental factors can cause fluid to build up in the ears, and when the fluid stagnates, bacteria can invade.  Tumors of the dog’s wax glands and swollen lymph nodes can also provide a breeding ground for infectious agents.  Foreign objects stuck in a dog’s ear can trap wax in the ear canal, causing fluid to build up and become infected.  Sometimes this can happen when the dog plays outside, but it can also be the result of a mischievous toddler wanting the dog to play with baby toys.  Children should always be supervised when they are with your dog.

Canine ear infection symptoms

If your dog has an ear infection, he or she won’t usually be shy about letting you know about the problem.  One of the biggest symptoms of an ear infection results from the accompanying build-up of wax and fluid.  This build-up causes discomfort for your dog, and he or she will take action to be rid of the pain.  He may shake his head often or cock his head to the side.  He may scratch one ear or the other disproportionately.  If the infection is severe, he may have trouble keeping his balance.

Other symptoms include redness, inflammation, and tenderness.  When the dog is scratching or shaking his head, he may whine or growl because of the tender areas.

Finally, foul-smelling wax being discharged from the ear is a sure sign an infection is present.

Treating canine ear infections

For an active infection, your vet is likely to prescribe antibiotics for your dog.  These may be in the form of ear drops or oral medication.  It is important to follow the label directions and use any antibiotic until it is gone.

While you are waiting for the antibiotics to take effect, you may be able to relieve some of your dog’s pain at home by using warm compresses on the ear.  Using cod liver oil or the oil inside of a vitamin E capsule as ear drops may also be helpful.  Adding apple cider vinegar diluted in water to your dog’s food may keep an infection from getting worse if your dog starts having symptoms overnight or over a weekend when you can’t get to the vet.  Add two Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water to get the proper strength.

Is there a trick to giving my dog ear drops?

Your dog’s ear canal is shaped like an “L”, and the medication needs to get into the base or horizontal portion of the “L” in order to do any good.  This does take a certain amount of skill and practice.  First, pull the ear flap straight up and hold it with one hand.  With the other hand, squeeze the drops into the ear canal.  Hold the dog still for a few minutes while the medication runs down the vertical portion of the canal to the horizontal portion.  Massage the dog’s ear until you hear a squishy sound indicating that the medication has reached the right spot.  When you let go, the dog will shake his head and may even shake out some wax and debris that has been bothering him.

Do ear infections go away on their own?

While some ear infections may clear up without medical treatment, many will not.  Because the consequences of chronic ear infections are so serious, it is worth your while to get treatment at the earliest possible moment.  Untreated, an infection will advance down the ear canal, moving ever closer to the inner ear.  Once the inner ear is infected, the dog may have permanent hearing loss and balance problems.  In extreme cases, the ear canal may swell closed, requiring surgery to open them back up.

Prevention of ear infections

To keep your dog from developing ear infections over and over again, the best thing you can do is to keep your dog’s ears clean and dry.  This is doubly important for dogs with long, floppy ears such as Basset Hounds.  It may be more comfortable for your dog if you use warm products to clean his ears, but this is not required.  If you choose to warm the cleaner, do so in a bowl of hot water, rather than in the microwave to prevent over-heating.

Although there are cleaning solutions specifically made to clean’ your dog’s ears, rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide may be just as effective.  Position your dog in the corner of a couch or armchair and sit close to him or her so he can’t squirm away from you.  Soak a large cotton ball in whatever cleaning solution you will be using.  Lift the ear flap and wipe the dog’s ear flap and the visible portions of the ear canal with the cotton.  When the cotton becomes soiled, soak another piece of cotton and repeat until the cotton comes away clean.

Cotton-tipped swabs may be used in the same manner to get between the folds of the dog’s ear canals, but should not be inserted into the ear farther than you can see.

If your dog has a lot of ear hair, it should be plucked to prevent moisture from building up in the ear canals.  Dip your fingers in corn starch, firmly grasp a few strands of hair between your finger and thumb, then pull firmly to dislodge the hair.  Continue plucking a few hairs at a time until all of the hair is removed.  This will not cause your dog any pain as long as you pull only a few hairs at a time.

When you are finished, reward your dog with treats, affection, and play time so he comes to look forward to this important task.

Bringing home a new puppy can be joyful but also challenging. There are so many things to consider. Where will the puppy sleep, where will they spend most of their time, what toys do they need? The list of questions is endless. The challenge is magnified if your puppy has diarrhea.

Different causes

Puppies can have diarrhea for a variety of reasons. Sometimes just being taken from the litter and put into a new home can be stressful enough to trigger puppy diarrhea. In this case the symptoms may disappear after only a day or two without any intervention on your part.

Don’t wait too long

However, if the puppy diarrhea persists, action needs to be taken to keep the puppy from becoming dangerously ill. Diarrhea can dehydrate a puppy and can become a big problem if not dealt with quickly. Be particularly aggressive if the puppy isn’t eating or drinking normal amounts of food and water.

Food changes

Sometimes a puppy will develop diarrhea due to a food change. Perhaps the breeder used a food that’s different than what you feed the dog. This change can adversely affect a puppies’ young digestive system. Usually the diarrhea will disappear after a day or two, once the puppy gets used to the new food.

Many breeders will give the puppy a shot of anti-diarrhea medicine when they send them to their new home, just in case. But if your puppy has diarrhea there are some things you can do to help them get through it naturally.

Natural ways to help your puppy

Give the pup a small bowl of plain yogurt once a day. The live cultures in the yogurt help the puppies’ digestive system and can clear up the diarrhea. Puppies seem to love yogurt but if they don’t eat it, add some flavor, like a ground up puppy treat.

Another thing to check is whether or not your puppy food has any soybean products in it. Some puppies’ digestive systems don’t deal well with soy. Switch foods and the diarrhea may disappear. This simple cure has helped me on more than one occasion.

When a trip to the vet is called for

If the puppy diarrhea doesn’t go away after 2 or 3 days, it’s time to take the pup to the Veterinarian. Usually the Veterinarian will want a sample of the diarrhea. They will analyze it, looking for any kind of virus or bug that may need to be dealt with.

If nothing adverse is found the Veterinarian will probably give the puppy some anti-diarrhea medicine, which should clear things up. If there is a virus involved, a course of anti-biotic may be indicated. It is rare that any surgeries are required.

Having a new puppy or dog is challenging enough without complicating things with uncontrollable diarrhea. Dealing with this problem head on, will make your early days with your new companion much more pleasant, and may even save you from having to replace your carpet.

Herbs can benefit every member of your family – even your pets. Make a few herbal treats and keep them happy and healthy too!

Breath Fresh Dog Biscuits

Parsley and mint do wonders for doggy breath and general mouth health. Don’t overdo the mint in this recipe unless your dog really loves the taste.

Take one cup each of whole wheat flour, ground oatmeal and cornmeal and mix well together. Finely chop four-five sprigs of fresh parsley and a sprig of mint. Mix the herbs into the meal mixture. Add ¼ cup dried milk, and ¼ cup vegetable oil into which you have beaten one raw egg and one tablespoon of molasses. Add sufficient water to make a thick clumpy dough, and form into bone shaped biscuits. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes. Give to your dog as chewy treats.

Herbal Pet Shampoo

This shampoo helps keeps fleas at bay. Use it to wash your dog’ bedding and clothing as well.

To one bottle of unscented liquid shampoo (baby shampoo is ideal) add a few drops each of concentrated tea tree oil, lavender oil and citronella oil. You can coat the inside of an ordinary dog collar with a mixture of these oils to help ward off further infestations. Use apple cider vinegar diluted in water (about ¼ cup vinegar to one cup water) as a conditioning rinse to put a gloss on your dogs coat and help protect against fleas as well.

Herbal Supplements

Adding herbs to your dog’s general diet will improve health in many ways. As mentioned above, parsley helps freshen breath – but while adding finely chopped garlic to your dog’s food may seem to be a direct contradiction, in fact you won’t notice much effect, but the fleas will!

Flea Repellant

Fill an 80z pint spray bottle with distilled water, and add a few drops each eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil and lemon oil. Spray in room corners and over doorsteps.

Herbal Mattress

To make a mattress for your dog that will discourage feals, fold an old blanket into a square the right size for your dog’s kennel or sleeping quarters. Fold it so there are layers between the blanket material, and stitch two sides firmly with strong cotton or wool, leaving an opening along one side.

Strew dried herbs between the layers – lavender, pennyroyal, mint, rosemary and feverfew are good choices. Strong smelling herbs repel fleas. Sew the blanket tightly so that no herbs escape.

Gail Kavanagh 2008