Canine Care Guides
How to Give Your Dog a Pill
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Medicines in pill or capsule form are prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, but many dogs dislike taking pills. Some medicines that are usually prescribed as pills or capsules can be changed (compounded) to a liquid or a powder for easier administration. Some medicines for dogs come in a chewable “treat” form. If you have trouble giving your dog pills, ask your veterinarian if compounding is possible or a treat form is available for specific medicines.
Read More How to Tell if Your Dog Is Sick
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Despite the adage about a dog’s nose being warm, cold, wet, or dry, any of those signs may, in fact, be normal. Many other signs can give you a better indication of illness in a dog. For example, any changes such as decreases in energy level (e.g., sleeping more), decreased appetite, or weight gain/loss may signal that your dog is not feeling well.
Read More Human Foods That Are Dangerous for Dogs and Cats
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A number of human foods are dangerous to pets. Many of these foods may seem tasty to our pets but can prove deadly if eaten. It can be very tempting to offer pets food from the table, but pets should not be given human food unless recommended by your veterinarian.
Read More Hypertension and Your Pet
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Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when blood moves through the body’s arteries with too much force. Blood pressure can be increased by several factors, including faster heart rate and increased cardiac output (the amount of blood that is sent out into the body with each heartbeat). In animals with hypertension, the increased force or “pressure” of the blood damages the arteries as the blood tries to move through. Imagine a firefighter trying to force a high-powered stream of water through a garden hose. The pressure would tear the hose apart. Similar damage to the body’s arteries is possible if high blood pressure is left untreated.
Read More Ibuprofen and Naproxen Toxicosis
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Ibuprofen is the active ingredient in medications like Advil and Nuprin. Naproxen is similar to ibuprofen but is longer-acting; it is the active ingredient in medications like Aleve and Naprosyn. Ibuprofen and naproxen are widely used to treat pain, fever, and inflammation in people. Unfortunately, these drugs can be extremely toxic (poisonous) to cats and dogs. Toxicosis occurs when a cat or dog eats enough of one of these drugs to cause damaging effects in the body.
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