PETS Info Blog

About 40% of dogs suffer from allergies everyday. It could be a change in your dog’s environment, a new type of dog food or something a little more difficult to determine. Most allergies are very minor, however, you should always take your dog to the veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

There are five known types of dog allergies:

Inhalant allergiesFlea allergiesFood allergiesBacteria allergiesContact allergies

Dog allergies can be respiratory, as in humans, but are usually more common on the
skin. About 20% of dog’s itching and scratching comes from an allergy.
It is important to properly diagnose and treat your dog’s allergy, as he cannot do it
himself. Be sure to monitor your dog’s change in behavior or any symptoms of a
possible allergy.

Not sure what to look for when it comes to allergies? The most common symptom is
excessive itching and biting of the fur. Other symptoms may include:

Irritated, red rashes under the fur. If your dog is itching in one area in particular, check that area for a rash.Ear infections. These are very common in food allergies. 90% of ear infections occur on the outer ear of your dog. Some signs of an ear infection are itching, a yellow to brown coloured discharge or head shaking.Bumps or sores on the skin; also known as “hot spots”. A hot spot is a localized area of skin inflammation and infection. These can be caused by biting, licking or scratching of the skin. Common areas for hot spots are on the paws or right above the tail.Watery eyes and nose. Your dog’s nose and eyes are naturally moist and may water for no reason. It is important to note if your dog has excessive eye discharge or mucous along with any other allergy symptoms to properly diagnose.Shedding or flakey skin. This is very common with bacterial and contact allergies. These allergies deal primarily with the dog’s skin. Excessive biting or scratching of the skin may cause flakey, shedding rashes, much like dandruff.

Always watch for the many different symptoms to help identify your dog’s allergy and treat it immediately.

You want the very best for little Lucky, from his toys to his dog food. However, if Lucky isn’t getting all the nutrients he needs each day, he may not enjoy the best of health.

In this article, we’ll help you understand what’s in your dog’s bowl, along with 5 nutrients he might be missing out on. We will also explain how you can supplement these nutrients to keep Lucky as happy and healthy as can be.

Before we start, please remember to check with Lucky’s veterinarian before adding any supplements to his diet. Giving Lucky too many supplements or the wrong supplements can be dangerous.

Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid, a building block of protein. If little Belle doesn’t get enough taurine, she could develop dilated cardiomyopathy, a type of heart enlargement.

Not all dry dog foods have enough taurine, although most do. According to Dr. Ronald Hines, D.V.M, Ph.D, this is especially a problem in dry dog foods made mostly from rice and lamb.

According to the Natural Health Bible for Dogs and Cats, you can supplement Belle’s diet by giving her 500 mg of taurine 2 or 3 times daily. You can get taurine supplements without a prescription.

Calcium
Calcium is one of 12 minerals every dog has to have. Cooper needs it for his bones and teeth, plus to use to send signals from one nerve cell to the next.

If puppies are born to mothers who did not get the proper nutrients or are given a diet of mostly meat and bread, they may suffer from calcium deficiency. Dr. Hines writes that signs of calcium deficiency in puppies include pink, translucent teeth, knobby joints, and a bow-legged posture. They may also develop bone fractures.

This is why, in the wild, Cooper would be eating animal bones. It’s also why many pet food makers add powered bone or calcium carbonate into kibble. Most dog foods do contain enough calcium.

But, if you’re feeding Cooper an alternative diet, like an all-meat diet, you need to give him some extra calcium. Dr. Hines advises using 500 mg calcium carbonate tablets, often sold in stores as antacids. He adds 1.5 tablets for each 10 to 15 pounds of body weight daily.

Magnesium
Gracie needs magnesium for muscle activity, nerve cell functioning, healthy teeth, and healthy bones. If Gracie doesn’t get enough magnesium, she could become underweight and have trouble getting around on her own.

Again, most dog foods do have enough magnesium. However, if you’re feeding Gracie an alternative or homemade diet, you may have to give her magnesium supplements yourself. These pet supplements are easy to find over-the-counter.

Protein
As Midnight gets older, he could need up to 50% more protein in his diet to keep his protein reserves up. This will help him remain strong.

Puppies also need more protein to fuel their bodies as they grow bigger.

Dr. Hines recommends a diet with 20% to 45% protein for adult dogs, while homeopathic veterinarian Dr. Christina Chambreau says 25% to 60% is best for a dog’s diet.

You can find protein supplements online and at some pet stores. Dr. Hines and Dr. Chambreau say animal proteins are the best choice for canines.

Water
Yes, water can be considered a nutrient! If Lori doesn’t get enough water, she could suffer from dehydration, possibly leading to death.

As a pet parent, you need to give Lori access to fresh water 24/7. Wet dog food has more moisture, but it’s not a substitute for having access to water at all times.

Now that you know the 5 nutrients Spike might be missing out on, you can make sure you give him the food and access to water he needs to stay healthy.

Again, other than adding better access to fresh water, please do not start supplementing Spike’s diet without talking to his veterinarian first!

Dog collars is one of the most popular dog supplies available in the markert. You can use them for training dogs, for identifying them, for walking them or even as a fashion accessory for your dog. But each of these needs a different kind of collar. Given below are 7 types of dog collars with description of their use.

Choke Chains – These are training leashes that are used when you are training a dog to heel or to walk. When the dog makes a mistake, the trainer tugs the chain. The name comes from the way that the chain slightly closes on the dog’s neck when tugged. However, there are not many trainers who use Choke chains for training anymore.

Pinch Collars – These are also training leashes and are used to train stubborn dogs that pull the leash. When tugged, they pinch the dog’s neck and like the choke chains, these should also be used carefully and never left on the dog’s neck when it is alone.

Greyhound Collars – These collars are used on most dogs. They are used, when taking the dog for a walk, to prevent it from slipping out of the collar. The chain has a mechanism that prevents the collar from closing on the neck when tugged.

Head Collars – These are collars that are also known as halters. They look like a harness and are used while training dogs to heel or walk. The harness is meant to discourage it from tugging the leash. When the dog tugs the leash, its head turns and makes it uncomfortable thereby discouraging it.

Harnesses – Unlike other leashes, these are placed around the canine’s abdomen and chest. A leash is attached to the harness and it is used to discourage dogs from pulling. When the dog pulls at the leash, there is pressure on its neck and it stops.

Everyday Collars – These are for everyday use and come in a variety of colors and designs. There are collars with buckles, clasps for quick release and may others. Of these everyday collars with buckles are preferred as they are sturdier.

Break-Away-Collars – These collars are used everyday by dog owners while taking their dogs for walk. They have a safety mechanism that prevents choking when the dog tugs. The collar with breakaway when it is hooked only on a single loop. This is why it is recommended that the leash should be hooked on both the loops.

 

There are a few more dog collars like collars used for dog shows, slip collars and multipurpose collars. When you are using choke chains or pinch collars, you must be careful not to leave it around the dog’s neck, lest it pulls it and chokes.