Health

Symptoms of GERD in dogs include regurgitation, decreased appetite, difficulty swallowing, and acting uncomfortable. Some dogs with GERD may have a chronic cough. You may also notice that your dog’s bark sounds different than it used to. One of the classic symptoms experienced by dogs with GERD is that they are more likely to regurgitate than vomit (see sidebar). However, conditions that cause chronic vomiting may lead to the development of GERD.

With hyperthyroidism, the dog’s metabolism speeds up. You may notice your dog drinking more water (and increased urine), losing weight, constipation, and showing signs of increased activity. With the dog’s overall metabolism too high, many of the dog’s body systems are affected. Some dogs will vomit and have diarrhea along with an increased appetite.

While dogs can’t have Down Syndrome, they can possess chromosomal abnormalities that lead to conditions similar to that disorder. These include developmental disabilities, difficulty with coordination, as well as distinct physical features such as a flattened face, shorter limbs, and smaller stature.

Hydrocortisone can be used topically in dogs, but its use should be limited. It should be used only on intact skin, not open wounds, or infected skin.

Dogs can get ringworm from other dogs or from humans or any other animal that has an active infection.

As responsible pet owners, we often want to help our dogs feel better when they are in pain. Many of us have ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil), a common over-the-counter pain reliever, in our medicine cabinets and wonder if the same benefits extend to our pets. They do not. Ibuprofen is extremely toxic to dogs and should never be given to them under any circumstances. Even small amounts can cause severe health issues, including stomach ulcers, kidney failure, and neurological damage.

If you’ve had a dog with heart disease, you may know pimobendan by its brand name, Vetmedin. It’s used to treat dogs experiencing congestive heart failure due to a variety of different causative health problems.

If dogs live long enough—and sometimes even when they’re young—at some point they’re probably going to experience vision loss. The good news is that a blind dog can usually adjust well to their new condition, ramping up use of smell and hearing and sometimes even whiskers to navigate their environment. There are ways you can help them, too.

There are three general reasons why your dog might not be drinking water: she doesn’t feel good, the available water sources aren’t great, or she is getting water somewhere other than her water bowl. It is easy to monitor your dog’s water intake, and with a little extra consideration you can figure out if your dog is not drinking enough and a possible reason why.

Idiopathic epilepsy affects young dogs between the ages of six months and six years. As the name implies, the cause of idiopathic epilepsy is unknown. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other causes of seizures must be ruled out before making this diagnosis.

Along with size and temperament, health is one of the most important considerations when you are thinking about bringing a dog into the family.

A dog’s heat cycle is different from a human “period.” Both involve bleeding, but for a dog, it signals a start to a fertility period whereas in humans it is the opposite.