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586 results for “old dog nutrition”
Can a Human Cold Spread to a Dog?
Human colds rarely pass to dogs — their immune systems differ — but a dog still needs three things to catch any cold: a pathogen, a route, and low immunity. Hand hygiene, fresh air, warmth, sun, good diet, and play keep your dog's defenses up.
What to Do When Your Dog Has Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease that hits unvaccinated puppies hardest, causing fever, respiratory signs, and in severe cases lasting neurological damage. Early veterinary care, supportive nutrition, and thorough disinfection are the keys to survival, while vaccination remains the only reliable prevention.
Your Dog’s First Vaccination
A vaccine is a tamed virus (rabies is killed) that teaches the body to make antibodies without causing disease. Puppies usually get their first combination shot at 45 days; toy breeds can wait to about 8 weeks. Full protection takes 2–3 weeks, so avoid baths, new food, and stress right after.
Homemade Dog Vegetable Energy Bars
These baked vegetable energy bars — chicken breast, carrot, egg yolk, and flour twisted into ropes — are an easy way to sneak greens into a dog that refuses vegetables. Bake at 175°C for about 35 minutes, let them cool, and they keep as a handy homemade treat.
Why Do Dogs Catch Mice?
Far from 'meddling,' many dogs — especially terriers like the West Highland White, Miniature Schnauzer, and even the French Bulldog's rat-catching past — are natural mousers, their nose and trainability rivaling any cat. The real caution is health: eating a mouse can pass on toxoplasmosis or worms, and a rat already poisoned by bait can poison the dog in turn, which is the riskiest of all.
A Complete Guide to Internal and External Deworming for Dogs
Deworming covers internal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, toxoplasma) and external ones (lice, fleas, ticks, mites), several of which can pass to people. Treat internally with oral medication and externally with spot-on or spray, dose by weight, and keep puppies on a monthly schedule until adult.
How to Prevent Recurring Gastroenteritis in Dogs
Recurring dog gastroenteritis comes from primary causes (bad food, drug reactions, irregular feeding) or secondary ones (internal parasites and viruses like distemper, coronavirus, and parvovirus). Prevention centers on keeping trash away, noting food allergies, small frequent meals with a gradual 7-day food switch, timely vaccination, and regular deworming (monthly for raw-meat diets).
How to Choose Dog Food for a Beagle
The Beagle — a popular hunting-breed companion — needs food chosen for tolerance, not brand fame. Rotate proteins early to surface any allergies, judge a food by its main meat ingredient rather than the label, and switch diets gradually over about a week (25%→50%→75%→100%) to avoid tummy upset.
Dog Sneezing and Runny Nose
Sneezing and a runny nose in dogs usually mean a chill or a common cold, but in puppies or unvaccinated dogs they can be the first signs of distemper or parainfluenza. At home, keep your dog warm, offer easily digestible food and plenty of water, and check its temperature regularly. If a fever develops, see a vet promptly rather than waiting it out.
Acute Pancreatitis in Cats and Dogs
Acute pancreatitis is self-digestion of the pancreas by its own enzymes, striking dogs far more often than cats and showing as sudden belly pain, shock, and peritonitis. Triggers range from bile-duct blockage and fatty meals to infections and certain drugs; treatment focuses on shutting down pancreatic secretion, controlling infection and pain, and correcting fluids — and the hemorrhagic form carries a guarded prognosis.