rabies - search results

August 21

Most dog owners are responsible and understand the importance of protecting their companions from preventable disease. That’s surely what motivated the dozens of people I observed standing in a long line with their dogs and puppies at a low-cost vaccination clinic offered in a local pet supply store.

If there were something simple you could do that would make your dog much happier, you’d do it in a flash, right? Every day I...

There are few things as frightening as watching your dog have a seizure. Yet dog seizure disorders are surprisingly common. A seizure is defined as uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. Seizures can run the gamut from very minor, focal seizures (a twitching of the face or a leg) to major convulsions in which a dog loses consciousness, may vocalize loudly, has uncontrolled muscle movements, and loses bowel and/or bladder control.

Before you embark on a trip with your dog, think of her individual preferences in addition to yours. It's wonderful when your dog is easygoing and gets along with everyone. Our dog is one of those - she greets all humans and other dogs (and even cats and rabbits!) with a happy tail wag and sniff. But your dog may not be as social, so determine realistically the sort of places and times where your dog will be most comfortable. Is there a particular path or trail that is less populated at certain times? If your dog is reactive, maybe it's time to work on some counter-conditioning and desensitization before embarking.

For 20 years, Whole Dog Journal has upheld its reputation as a leader in dog companionship and care information. We take our mission statement seriously, and we've gained a lot of respect for that over the years, bringing us more and more new readers every month! However, now we'd like to share with our readers both new and old three aspects of the dog guardianship world you will NOT find in Whole Dog Journal.

In any given month, we have a number of new subscribers – people who are opening the pages of Whole Dog Journal for the first time. They may have heard about us from a friend, trainer, or breeder. They may have been told that we review commercial foods and discuss home-prepared diets. Or they may have heard that we're a great source of information about dog-friendly training, and offer honest product reviews. They may have learned about Whole Dog Journal when doing a web search for holistic treatments for a vexing health problem afflicting their dog. Within an issue or two or three, they should see that, indeed, we offer all that. But new readers may not realize right away what they won't find in WDJ.

The ability to carry a little dog onto an airplane with you is one of the greatest advantages of owning a small dog that can't be shared by owners of medium or large dogs. Most (though not all) of the risks of flying a dog on a commercial flight are posed by the dog's handling by airport employees behind the scenes and by the dog's unattended experience in the cargo hold of the plane; in contrast, the risks to a dog who is with you at every moment of your flight are very slight – and under your control. That said, there are a lot of things you need to know and contingencies for which to prepare if you are going to subject your dog to air travel. Here's how to make the carried-on dog's flight as enjoyable and stress free (for both of you) as possible.

I recently read about an owner whose middle-aged dog had never been vaccinated, given antibiotics or heartworm preventatives, received a flea or tick treatment, neutered, or microchipped. He eats a species-appropriate diet (based on raw meat and bones, prey-model). He’s pure! So pure, in fact, that he allegedly has never received chlorinated or fluoridated water. His owner is apparently under the impression these things will help the dog live forever.

Types of Dog Adoption Organizations – and How Each Can Go All Wrong

Why are vaccinations so over-promoted by veterinarians? I’m begging for someone to explain this. Because, from my perspective, there are so many more serious threats to dogs’ health and well-being than whether they receive the fourth or fifth or tenth DHLPP vaccine in their adult lives. Let me be clear: I sincerely wish for all dogs to be vaccinated when it’s necessary. Spend enough time in an animal shelter in a poor district and you will see precisely how deadly it is to be an unvaccinated dog.

People have learned of the benefits of a natural diet and limited vaccinations, and have seen the health improvements in their dogs from these changes. Now, many want to know if they can discontinue administering heartworm preventatives to their dogs, or whether those can be replaced by natural options.