By the time your dog starts showing signs of pregnancy, like an enlarged belly and mammary enlargement, the birth of the puppies is only weeks away. Credit: Firn | Getty Images
Dogs are pregnant for an average of 62 days, according to a scientific study that looked at 77 different breeds of dogs. The researchers determined that the exact gestation period depends upon the dog’s breed and the litter size.
It’s important to realize that pregnancy starts 62 days from the day she ovulates and that is not necessarily the day she is bred. Because semen can survive for several days inside the female reproductive tract, the length of time from breeding to birth varies from 57 to 67 days.
How to Tell She’s Pregnant
If you purposely bred your female dog, or observed an accidental mating, an ultrasound is the earliest and easiest way for your veterinarian to determine if your dog is pregnant. An ultrasound can show a pregnancy at 21 days or so, giving you the most time to prepare for the puppies.
If an ultrasound is unavailable or too expensive, at about 30 days after ovulation, your veterinarian may be able to palpate uterine enlargements that contain the fetuses. This does, however, require a slender, relaxed momma and an experienced veterinarian.
Otherwise, X-rays can be done around 45 days after ovulation, but she will be due in just a few weeks.
Note: There is a blood test your vet can run called a relaxin assay that can detect pregnancy at around 25 days, but it does not recognize whether there are viable pups or not. Also, relaxin concentrations stay high for several weeks even if the mom miscarries or fetuses die and are resorbed. Relaxin is a useful test for identifying false pregnancy, however, as the levels do not rise with false pregnancy.
Signs of Pregnancy
If your female dog mated with a male unbeknownst to you, there will likely be no outward signs of pregnancy for the first several weeks. At about five weeks, you may see outward signs, including:
Swollen nipples
Mammary enlargement
Weight gain
This means, if you see these changes, and your dog was in heat five to six weeks earlier and unsupervised at any point around that time, it’s time to make a veterinary appointment to find out if you’re about to become a puppy grandparent. (Note: There is a possibility of false pregnancy, called “pseudocyesis,” in dogs where the female shows these physical changes but is not pregnant.)
When a dog has a luxating patella, his patella (kneecap) shifts from its correct position in front of the knee to one side or another. Credit: TefiM | Getty Images
Usually, a luxating patella is first noticed when a young dog occasionally “skips” on a walk or when running, looking sort of three-legged. Often, after a stride or two, the dog stretches his leg, and all is good.
A luxating patella is a kneecap that moves in and out of place. In other words, the kneecap becomes misaligned and then shifts back into place in the femoral groove in the knee joint. The longer it goes on without correction, the worse things often get.
While this happens more often in small breeds than larger dogs, luxating patellas can occur in any dog. With larger dogs, additional problems like hip dysplasia may also be noticed, and the overall prognosis can be worse than for smaller dogs.
A luxating patella can be due to injury or genetics, and it is usually first noticed in younger dogs. An untreated luxating patella can become painful, leading to arthritis and other knee problems, like cranial cruciate ligament tears difficulties.
Surgical Treatment
Depending on the degree of the dog’s luxating patella and your plans for that dog, your veterinarian may recommend surgery with an orthopedic surgeon to restore normal movement and minimize the development of arthritis.
Costs for luxating patellar surgeries vary from $1,500 to $5,000 or more, depending upon the size of the dog, the exact procedure required, as well as anesthesia and pre/post operative requirements. Post-surgery rehabilitation is also normally required, at an additional cost, of course.
Do Braces Work?
Many commercial braces are available for dogs with patellar problems. Whether a brace will work or not depends heavily on exactly what your individual dog is battling and how bad the luxating patella is.
Always discuss the use of a brace with your veterinarian before spending money on one and set up an appointment for your veterinarian to fit the brace for your dog before you use it. Ideally, you will purchase a custom brace, but you should still ask your vet to help you ensure it fits correctly.
Be careful with braces. Very often, you get what you pay for. In general, most veterinarians find that surgery provides a better long-term solution and many do not recommend braces.
Exercise
Most dogs with mild luxating patellas should walk and exercise regularly. Exercise helps your dog maintain a healthy body weight and the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the knee joint.
If your dog is participating in a sport that requires flat-out running, like FastCAT, or jumping, like agility, discuss these sports with your veterinarian before continuing training.
Prevention
Most luxating patellas are due to genetic conformational defects. High-risk breeds include:
Bichon
Bulldog
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
French Bulldog
Jack Russell Terrier
Lhasa Apso
Pomeranian
Poodle
Pug
Shit-tzu
West Highland White Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
If you are considering one of these breeds, it helps to find a puppy whose parents have been certified free of luxating patellas via the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
Keeping your dog fit, exercising appropriately for his level of fitness, and ensuring he stays at a healthy weight will minimize risk.
Your dog’s itchy skin, whether from fleas or illness, needs to be addressed. It is highly unlikely to just stop on its own. Credit: Olkas | Getty Images
A dog who constantly scratches himself can drive you crazy. And it certainly isn’t good for the dog either, as all that itchiness can result in secondary skin infections. Rather than dumping a bottle of flea powder on him and thinking you’re done, consider the many different things can cause itchiness in dogs:
Arthritis
Dry skin
Environmental allergies
Fleas
Food allergies
Mites or mange
Skin infections
Resolving this itchy-skin problem is not easy, but it can be done. If all else fails, involve your veterinarian. Waiting until the intensity of the itching worsens, makes treatment more expensive and your dog suffers longer.
Fleas Are No. 1
While we stand by our recommendation not to just reach for flea powder without a reason, the fact is that the first thing to rule out if your dog is constantly scratching and biting at himself is fleas. These tiny parasites cause itchy bites, especially around a dog’s rump and back. Use a flea comb to search for freeloaders in your dog’s coat.
And, although you pay a lot for flea-and-tick preventatives – and apply them according to package instructions – these products can fail. Application errors, wrong-sized doses, bad timing of treatments, and resistance to the product can all occur.
Yes, fleas are becoming resistant to some products. Fortunately, it tends to be a local resistance, so that why it’s a good idea to find out which product your veterinarian likes rather than just buying an off-brand product that’s on sale. The vets know what’s working and what isn’t. And try to choose a product that is effective against fleas, ticks, and mites (mites cause mange).
Once fleas have been found, you must treat all pets in the household for at least three months with a good flea preventive. Don’t forget to treat cats too, but with a cat-safe product.
This will ensure that you eradicate the infestation and cover any flea eggs and larvae that are hiding in your carpeting and furniture. Many people treat the carpets, too, wash bedding, and so on. This doesn’t hurt, and you must remember that flea eggs are very hardy, so a thorough cleaning can help.
If your dog is one of the unlucky ones with flea-allergy dermatitis, even one flea bite will cause her to break out in an itchy rash. She and any other pets in the house will need to be kept on a flea preventive year-round to protect your dog and prevent itching.
Other Causes of Dogs Scratching a Lot
Dry Skin: No fleas? Check the condition of the dog’s skin. Skin that is pale and healthy looking but has a lot of flakey white dandruff may simply be too dry, which can be itchy. Try adding a fish-oil supplement to support your dog’s skin and coat health and/or using a humidifier in the house may help.
New Topical Product: Be mindful of any new shampoo products, sprays, or other things you put on your dog’s coat. Some of them can dry the skin, and some can cause allergic reactions in some dogs. There are no true “hypoallergenic” products.
Infection: Skin that is red, inflamed, and oozy or crusty indicates an infection. Your dog will need to go to the veterinarian to determine the cause of the infection and the best treatment.
Arthritis: Chewing and licking around joints can be a sign of arthritis pain. These dogs often have reddish staining in the spot from their saliva. Your veterinarian can diagnose arthritis and start your dog on joint supplements and pain medication.
Allergies:Allergies are a diagnostic challenge. Your veterinarian will ask lots of questions about your dog’s environment, lifestyle, what time(s) of year the itchiness shows up, and what she eats both for her main diet and as treats. From there the veterinarian will recommend diagnostics and other strategies to try to rule out or identify antigens that are causing your dog’s troubles.
Finally, a few illnesses can make your dog itch, too, including thyroid disorders, diabetes, and liver disease. Don’t forget to tell your vet if the itchiness is new, especially if the dog is receiving a new medication.
Ideally, two people should take the dog’s temperature, but some dogs don’t mind as much as others. What’s really important is to get an accurate reading and know the individual dog’s normal temperature for comparison. Credit: O_Lypa | Getty Images
A “fever” is a rise above normal dog body temperature. Normal canine body temperatures are between 99.5°–102.5° F. Generally, 103° F is considered a low-grade fever in a dog.
Call your veterinarian about any temperature over 103°F. Your dog’s body temperature can elevate rapidly, especially if the dog is suffering heatstroke. Serious fevers of 105° to 107° F can damage internal organs, which is a veterinary emergency.
Fevers can have a variety of causes. An infection, whether bacterial or viral, that gets the immune system stirred up can cause a fever. Your dog’s temperature will rise if he is overheated or has had a seizure.
Some Microchips Take Body Temperatures
Some identification microchips like the HomeAgain TempScan or Thermochip can provide your dog’s temperature when his chip is scanned. That is probably a dog’s favorite way to have a temperature taken, but most families don’t have a scanner at home and not all dogs have these chips. Still, technology sure can be fun!
Know Your Dog’s Normal Temperature
Ideally, you should know what is normal for your individual dog as dogs can vary on what’s normal. Don’t count on his nose for diagnosing a fever. If the air is hot and dry, most likely, your dog’s nose will be hot and dry. Instead, get an accurate temperature reading.
Take his temperature at a time when you know your dog is feeling well, so you can compare that if you suspect he is ill. If it’s too late for that, put it on your “to do” list for when he is well again.
How to Take a Dog’s Temperature
The most common way to get your dog’s temperature is by using a rectal thermometer. Your family will appreciate it if you keep one thermometer just for your pets. Digital rectal thermometers tend to be faster, are just as accurate as the older style mercury ones and can be easier to read. Either way, a thermometer should be part of your home pet first-aid kit.
To take your dog’s temperature:
Lubricate the thermometer with some petroleum jelly, KY jelly or baby oil. If you don’t have any of those, water is better than nothing.
Gently lift your dog’s tail and insert the thermometer into the anus. This is usually a two-person job – one to hold your dog’s head, talk to him, and steady him while the other person mans the thermometer.
Wait until the beep of a digital thermometer or one minute for a regular one.
Remove the thermometer and read and record the temperature.
Be sure the canned pumpkin you choose says it’s “100% pumpkin.” An open can of pumpkin will last five to seven days in the refrigerator. Credit: Cindy Foley photo
Pumpkin is good for dogs, and it often helps dogs with diarrhea or, ironically, constipation. Despite the lack of scientific studies explaining how pumpkin works in dogs and what the dose of pumpkin to give a dog, a multitude of anecdotal reports support the benefits of pumpkin in dogs.
Note: Pumpkin purée, packed pumpkin, and canned pumpkin are the same. They consist of 100% pumpkin that has been cooked and is ready to eat. The thing you want to avoid is pumpkin pie filling, which is loaded with sugar and calories. Check the labels carefully! You just want 100% pumpkin.
Pumpkin Fiber
Although nutritionists agree that dogs don’t need fiber in their diets, fiber is often recommended for dogs with colitis (large-bowel diarrhea), constipation, and anal glands problems. Because pumpkin has fiber, with negligible calories, pumpkin may help with these conditions. The soluble fiber in pumpkin feeds the natural healthy gut bacteria in your dog, according to Dr. Lisa Freeman, in an article in Tufts Your Dog, a sister publication to The Whole Dog Journal.
Pumpkin is a dilute fiber supplement with a high water content. As such, dogs who require a lot of fiber to correct their issue might do better with psyllium powder, a more concentrated fiber supplement, but it must be unflavored with no added sweeteners. One cup of pumpkin has about 7 grams of dietary fiber. One cup of psyllium contains closer to 50 grams of dietary fiber. The use of psyllium powder should be discussed with your own veterinarian.
Pumpkin for Weight Loss
Pumpkin also can help dogs on weight-loss programs. Adding pumpkin bulks up the meals up a bit, helping the calorie-restricted dog feel fuller. It also may help the pet owner stick to the diet plan better too, as meals look a little bigger, making you feel a little less bad about your “hungry” dog on a diet. Pumpkin has approximately 5 calories per tablespoon.
How Much to Feed
With no scientifically based studies on how much pumpkin to feed your dog, a starting place is a half to a full teaspoon for a small dog (20 lbs and under), a tablespoon for a medium dog (between 21 and 35 lbs), and 2 tablespoons for a large dog over 35 lbs. However, finding exactly the right amount of pumpkin that works for your dog requires time, patience, and trial and error. Too much pumpkin for a dog with diarrhea might act like a laxative and make matters worse. Too little pumpkin for a dog who struggles with constipation or anal gland issues won’t help.
Many dogs make a total mess when they drink water, and that’s normal. But if that enthusiastic water consumption causes coughing, you may want to investigate further. Credit: P-K Photos | Getty Images
Drinking water too fast is a common cause of dogs coughing up water. If your dog is gulping water as fast as he can, he may accidentally get some down his trachea (“windpipe”). Water isn’t supposed to go down the windpipe, obviously, so the dog’s body responds by triggering a cough to get it back out.
Stop the Coughing
You can prevent this by only offering your dog small amounts of water right after exercise or by putting water in a slow-feeder bowl. You should still allow your dog to drink as much as he wants, especially in the heat of the summer, just slow him down a bit.
Dogs may also cough or splutter a little after swimming. They can ingest water as they swim (especially inexperienced swimmers) or when grabbing toys in the water. If your dog is coughing up even small amounts of water, encourage him to take a break by taking away the toy or putting him back on a leash.
Throat Problems
Coughing after drinking can also indicate a problem with your dog’s throat:
Collapsing tracheas. A collapsing trachea is most common in small breed dogs but can happen to any dog. In affected dogs, the cartilage rings of the trachea will collapse on themselves when the dog gets excited, pulls on a collar, or sometimes when drinking. These dogs often have a distinctive honking cough as they reinflate the trachea. Your veterinarian can diagnose a collapsing trachea by feeling your dog’s throat and taking X-rays.
Laryngeal paralysis. This is when the dog’s laryngeal folds, or vocal cords, aren’t functioning properly. Depending on whether the folds are stuck open or closed, the dog’s airway will either be partially blocked, or it might be wide open, allowing water to go down into the trachea and lungs.
Laryngeal paralysis is most common in senior, large dogs, but it can happen to any dog. Other signs you are likely to notice are frequent panting and heavy breathing, odd swallowing, and raspy breathing and barking.
Your veterinarian can diagnose laryngeal paralysis based on exam, a detailed history of your dog’s symptoms, and potentially watching the back of your dog’s throat as the dog breaths while under sedation.
Bottom Line
If your dog frequently coughs after drinking water, it may be worth a check with your veterinarian to rule out a physical problem. Otherwise, either limiting how much water the dog can quickly gulp at once—as in only a little water at a time in the bowl, which will require more frequent filling of the water bowl—or using a slow-feed bowl may help slow down how fast the dog gulps and ease the coughing.
Aggression is a natural response in dogs, especially in situations where they may want what another dog has. It’s up to the human to handle these happenings by understanding the dog’s point of view. Credit: Jodi Jacobson | Getty Images
Aggression in dogs is defined as hostile dog behavior with the threat or intent of causing harm. This can be directed toward humans, other dogs, or other species, and can result in a bite. Excessive aggression can become a problem. A study in Australia found that undesired behaviors like aggression were the reason 30% of dogs under the age of 3 were euthanized. Aggression is a natural behavior, but it is unacceptable by many human standards.
Responding to a Threat
Dogs can become aggressive when they perceive a threat to themselves or to something or someone who is of high value to them. Types of aggression include:
Maternal
Pain
Fear
Social conflict-related
Territorial
Possessive
Sexual
Disease-associated
For some dogs, just being on a leash, called “leash aggression,” can bring out unusual aggressive behaviors, possibly due to frustration.
Warning signs of aggression in dogs may include:
Stiff body posture, rigidity
Hard stare
Growl, a low-pitched rumble in the throat
Bark, a sharp, short vocalization that can be emitted singly or in bursts
Lip lifting, baring of teeth
Snarl, a combination of the growl and lip lift
Piloerection, a raising of the hairs, usually seen on the dorsum, or top line of back
Lunge
Snap
Tail Wagging
Please note that a wagging tail does not mean “I’m friendly!” The waving tail indicates a willingness to interact, and that could be in either a friendly or aggressive manner
Growling Is a Warning
Growling is a warning that the dog is uncomfortable with the current situation. Do not punish your dog for growling. Instead, remove the dog from the situation that is upsetting him before he snaps or bites.
Never correct or punish growling. If the growl is punished, the dog may learn to inhibit his growl to avoid punishment. That can backfire and turn him into the dog who bites without warning because he is unable to express how uncomfortable he is before he gets to the point where he needs to act out.
Research Into Causes of Aggression
A 2022 study published in Animals looked at possibilities for aggression, interestingly including the lack of a properly balanced diet. More research needs to be done, but it’s a call to all dog owners to buy quality dog food that is complete and balanced nutritionally.
These researchers considered breeding/genetics as causes of aggression to explain variances among breeds, but they also found that improvements in owner education could help alleviate some aggression in dogs.
If you’re dealing with an aggressive dog, talk with your veterinarian about your options and ask for a recommendation for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or fear-free professional trainer to help you with it. And read our article on ways to properly respond to aggression.
It’s important that your dog views you as his safe refuge – and just as important that you put him in the position to need that refuge as little as possible! If he's displaying body language that shows he's uncomfortable, find a way to give him more distance from whatever’s worrying him. Photo by wdj, Getty Images
The most critical thing you can do for your fearful dog is to have respect for that fear. When our dogs are scared of something that seems absurd to us – a guy in a hat, the vacuum, a flag blowing in the wind – we humans tend to respond by either laughing it off or getting frustrated, saying, “Oh, come on, that’s not going to hurt you.” We carry on normally (brushing right by the man in the hat) thinking one of these days the “silly” dog will figure out nothing bad is going to happen.
The thing is, from your dog’s perspective, the bad thing did happen. She was terrified, and her “trusted” human put her through that heart-pounding feeling again. So now she’s scared of The Thing and she learned she can’t rely on you.
That’s not the road to confidence-building. In fact, it’s the opposite. Here are five tips for growing and nurturing your fearful dog’s ability to move through the world feeling happy and secure.
Step 1: Eliminate the Scary Triggers
If you want to help your fearful dog gain confidence, you first have to be her trusted guide. She needs to know you’d never force her into situations where she’s uncomfortable. A habit of pulling your dog – rather than slowing down and finding a way to give her the choice to opt in – only gives her more reason to feel scared. Photo by Goldfinch4ever, Getty Images
Nobody can learn when they’re scared, and dogs are no different. That’s why we have to start this process where – from your dog’s point of view – there is nothing to be afraid of. That means making sure there are no events that leave your dog trembling, hiding, pulling away, barking, growling, or drooling in fear.
The more precise you can be in identifying what scares your dog, the better. For example, is she worried about:
All men, or just the ones in hats?
All other dogs, or only the ones who bark?
Guests at all times, or only when they stand up and walk around?
Once you have those answers, you have a job: In this initial phase, keep encounters with those things from happening. That might be easy; maybe you just have to tell your guests to take off their hats before coming inside. Or it might be incredibly difficult; maybe you have to quit your regular city walks entirely for now to avoid other dogs, and rely on indoor mental stimulation instead.
Either way, take heart: This stage doesn’t last forever. You will eventually move into re-introducing these triggers at an intensity your dog can handle, ideally turning them into a “Ho-hum, nothing to see here” part of life.
Step 2: Make Everyday Life Predictable
Many dogs who have a few big obvious triggers also have a general level of skittishness even when nothing much (from the human’s point of view) is happening. Some dogs live in a perpetual state of vague concern, which makes them more likely to fly off the handle when they do encounter one of their triggers. You can reduce this chronic concern by building more overall predictability into your dog’s life. Anxiousness is rooted in not knowing what’s going to happen next. To keep the overall, 24/7 arousal level as low as possible, create as much routine as you can. Do the same things, the same way, at the same time, every day.
Give your dog all the distance she needs so she can gather information while staying under threshold. Photo by Johner Images, Getty Images
Note that talking to your dog in a purposeful way can play a dramatic role in building predictability and increasing confidence. Narrate life so your dog can more quickly put various things in a “not to worry about” category. “Oh, yes, I do see that neighbor! It’s okay, that’s just our neighbor.” A piece of cheese after that conversation never hurts. (See “How to Talk to Your Dog,” June 2022.)
Step 3: Build Your Dog’s Trust in You
When we get to the stage of re-introducing triggers, you’re going to be your dog’s guide, helping him feel it’s okay to explore just a bit more closely. For this, your dog needs to trust you, absolutely. Before you think “Oh, he loves me, we’re already there,” just take this little quiz:
Do you ever “make” your dog do stuff because you’re in a hurry? (Like drag him away by his leash from something he won’t leave alone, or just pick him up and carry him when he’s hesitant to come with you?)
Do you ever yell at (or even around) your dog when you’ve had a bad day?
Do you ever keep hugging your dog when he’s turning his head and pulling away?
These kinds of things may seem small to you, but day after day, interaction after interaction, they block the establishment of full trust. If you want to help your dog gain confidence, he must feel utterly secure with you. To get there, slow down. Respect your dog’s body language, and give him more say in his own life.
Step 4: Do Simple Training at Home
It may seem contradictory that I’m telling you to give your dog more agency and telling you to do more training. But that’s because the good kind of training isn’t about top-down commands and blind obedience (talk about a confidence-buster!). Instead, it’s about teaching your dog that good things are in her grasp, and the key is choosing to follow your direction: “Phew! I know exactly what’s going to happen in this situation! When my person says touch, all I have to do is put my nose to her hand and I get a treat.”
Sprinkling a few easy, short training sessions through your day at home is a key step as we move toward getting over individual fears. Is that because I’m going to tell you to command your dog to hold a down-stay as the children she’s terrified of run by? Oh my goodness no. (Goodbye progress, goodbye trust!)
Instead, use some simple “asks” as a barometer of how your dog is feeling. Let’s say you’ve made some progress having her around strange dogs in the park, and at a 30-foot distance she’s looking “fine.” To check, you ask for a simple touch, and she offers it – but if she grabs that treat roughly and turns immediately back to staring at the other dog, it means that she’s not quite as “fine” as she may have appeared you.
Or maybe when you cue a sit she offers a tiny little butt touch and an immediate return to a stand, rather than her usual relaxed sit as she waits for her treat. That’s great information! You may want to back up, let her observe for a while, and then try again. This time, does she decide that she feels secure enough, and she’d actually love to do a little training for treats? That’s important information about exactly where her threshold is.
Step 5: Set Up Careful Exposures
At this stage, whether it’s a few days, weeks, or months into your quest to build confidence, your dog should be feeling better in general. Her daily life is more predictable, she hasn’t had a heart-pounding experience in a while, and her people feel like folks she can hang her hat on.
Now it’s time to take this stronger foundation into the next phase, which is when we slowly reintroduce her triggers at a level she can handle. We want to give her the chance to learn about things she finds worrisome, but give her the control over the intensity dial. That allows her to build her database of information, so that she can come to more accurate conclusions about what should feel scary and what she can dismiss as inconsequential. That means you need to think carefully through setting up situations where you have control over all of the important variables and the levels of exposure. For example:
If your dog is nervous around other dogs, select a big park where other dogs are far away and on lead – not a narrow path where you’ll be forced into a close encounter. (To help your dog feel more comfortable around other dogs, see “How to Socialize a Dog-Reactive Dog,” March 2023.)
If your dog is scared of humans, get help from friends who will follow your instructions to stay seated, avoid eye contact, and resist the urge to reach out – and don’t go near strangers who insist on petting!
Have Faith!
Helping fearful dogs is one of those things in life where you simply must go slow to go fast. The initial phase – where you eliminate scary moments while also building your dog’s trust in you – can feel like you’re making no progress. But don’t give up, because that’s where the magic lies.
Your vet may be able to suggest anti-anxiety drugs that could speed your dog’s progress, but please don’t rely on drugs without also supporting your dog with the other things outlined here.
The exact process of successful “desensitization” will vary enormously from dog to dog and fear to fear. But if you lean into the first four steps, and then approach Step 5 with care, you are well on your way to a happier, waggier dog who’s able to experience a bigger life.
Not all injured dog pads need veterinary treatment. Minor raw pads and paw wounds can be treated at home. Credit: FatCamera | Getty Images
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The pads on the bottom of your dog’s paws are thick and strong, but they can be injured. The first signs are usually limping and/or licking at a foot. Three common ways dogs injure their pads are:
Lacerations
Sores
Wearing off the thick outer protective layer
Lacerations are when your dog’s pad is cut, such as by broken glass or sharp rocks. If the cut goes all the way through the tough pad and into the softer tissue beneath, it will be painful and likely bleed.
Sores can be caused by minor abrasions, a fungal or bacterial infection, or allergies. Often the first sign is your dog licking at the paw. If an infection is present, there may be an odor or drainage.
Wearing away the pad layer is when your dog “runs off” a pad. This is painful, and your dog may not want to let you touch the paw.
Raw Paw Pads
Prolonged running on a hard surface can separate the pad from the foot. Sometimes the dog’s paw pads are ripped off, leaving just raw tissue beneath, and other times they will only be partially torn with a flap.
Your dog’s paw pad will regrow, but this takes time. Most of these injuries can be managed at home, but if your dog has a deep cut in the pad that is bleeding, she should be seen by a veterinarian. The wound may need to be flushed, and she may need antibiotics to prevent infection. A study of military and pet dogs with paw lacerations found that short-term complications were found in 27% of the dogs.
If the wound isn’t severe, pull out your first-aid pack and begin treatment:
Clean the Wound
Gently flush the wound with water or an antiseptic, such as chlorhexidine. Gently remove debris, such as rocks, dirt, or glass. Don’t force out anything lodged deep into the foot.
Control Bleeding
Apply pressure with a clean towel to stop bleeding. Use an ice pack to encourage blood-vessel constriction. Deep wounds and punctures can bleed heavily. Uncontrolled bleeding is a veterinary emergency.
Protect the Wound
Many pad injuries benefit from a bandage and/or booties as protection while they heal. A bootie, like the Ruffwear Grip Tex or Canada Pooches Hot Pavement Boots, can help keep the paw protected and clean. (Whole Dog Journal rated both summer and winter boot choices.)
You can use a disposable paw bandage, like the PawFlex MediMitt, or make your own using a nonstick gauze or a Telfa pad secured with paper tape or Vetrap. (Don’t make the bandage too tight, which can restrict circulation! You should be able to slide two fingers under the bandage. If the bandage slips, wrap more tape around the top of the bandage.)
If your dog has burned off a small section of her paw pad, a liquid bandage like Nutri-Vet Liquid Bandage Spray can offer a layer of protection. Apply this with care, though, as it can sting.
Keep the wound and bandage dry to prevent infection. Most paw bandages need to be changed daily. If you’re using a commercial boot, clean and dry it before reapplying.
Allow It to Heal
An injured dog needs rest. Only walk the dog on leash, and limit running and jumping inside as well. Prevent chewing at the bandage, which may require the use of an Elizabethan collar).
Be patient while your dog heals. Even once the pad has sealed over, it can take months for the keratin (outer) layer to return to its normal strength. Use a bootie or other paw protection when going for long walks or running and call it a day if your dog appears sore. You can also apply our homemade salve (see sidebar) to help protect his pads from environmental hazards.
Soothing Dog Paw-Butter
By C.J. Puotinen
Dog-paw butter protects feet in hot and cold weather, soothes cracked or sore paw pads, and blocks winter salt burn. It can also be applied to cracked noses. Save some for yourself and your friends as this is an effective lip balm and a great moisturizing salve for cuticles, hands, and feet.
In a wide-mouth pint-sized glass canning jar combine:
Ingredients:
1⁄3 cup olive, sunflower, sweet almond, or jojoba oil
1⁄3 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons shea butter or mango butter
2 tablespoons beeswax (chopped or beads)
Instructions:
Place the jar in a saucepan containing a cup of water to create a double boiler. Over low heat, gently stir the ingredients with a wooden chopstick until they are fully combined.
Optional: add the contents of a vitamin E oil capsule
Optional: add 10 drops tea tree, lavender, chamomile, or other essential oil
Leave a metal spoon in the freezer while you make the salve. To test its consistency, dip the frozen spoon into the melted blend and apply to your hand. If it’s too stiff, add a little oil; if it’s too liquid, add more beeswax. When it’s just right, pour it into small jars or tins and apply to your dog’s paw pads as needed. (Click here for recipes for homemade shampoo and a rinse.)
Who goes looking for an aggressive, unfriendly dog to adopt? Few people want to purposely take home a project – which leads to this sort of long-term confinement. Photo by Anita Kot, Getty Images
When you have a career that involves dogs, everyone you know sends you memes and articles about dogs. Unfortunately, those little gems, meant to amuse or enlighten me, often aggravate me instead.
Take, for example, this article from People Magazine: a profile of a dog who has been waiting for almost six years to be adopted from a rescue facility. You see, the rescue is a no-kill shelter, and the dog has some behavioral issues that are described as “severe.” An employee of the rescue is quoted as saying, “I think that the ideal adopter would be an adult-only home with definitely some dog experience. She (the dog) wouldn’t do well with dogs, cats, or kids in the home because of her touch sensitivity. And she can resource guard as well.”
I think the intended effect of this article was supposed to elicit sympathy for and interest in the dog, but it made me see red. Personally, I can’t understand how it makes sense to spend years trying to find a home for a dog who doesn’t want to be touched and can’t live with other dogs, cats, or kids.
Most of us want dogs for some positive trait: an ability to be a great companion, to give and receive affection, to go with us when we explore or exercise, and/or to participate in the sports or hobbies that we enjoy. Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts to buy or adopt a dog with the traits we want, we end up with a dog who needs a lot of help in order to resemble the dog we had in mind . . . and I’m obviously aware that many problematic behaviors can be improved if not eliminated through caring training, management, and (sometimes) medication. But who actually goes looking for a dog who can’t be around anyone else or go anywhere safely? Very few people want a project – a dog who is going to require very careful handling and management in order to keep from biting them or someone in their home.
And while the concept of a no-kill shelter sounds like a good thing, the reality is, this often means a life sentence in prison for dogs like the one in the People article.
I have always struggled with the concept of spending a ton of money, space, and time on unfriendly, unsocial dogs when there are so many friendly, social dogs looking for homes. But maybe I’m just crabby. What do you think? Who can convince me that housing unadoptable dogs for life is a worthwhile endeavor?
Dogs lick other dogs and people as a form of submission or affection and to gather information about the world around them. A dog who obsessively licks his own body, however, may be telling you he is dealing with pain. Credit: Lay-lin Joe | Getty Images
Why does my dog excessively lick everything, including the floor and the air? How can I stop this excessive licking? It’s constant.
The answer depends upon why your dog may be licking, which means you need to pay attention to when he licks, where he licks, and how he reacts. If the licking is not truly obsessive, it might just be his way of exploring the world, and that’s OK.
Licking Due to Pain
If it’s truly constant licking, the dog is probably dealing with pain or an injury. Painful areas that get licked tend to be joints, which means hips, stifles, and carpus (wrist). A trip to the veterinarian is wise to determine if there’s an injury, arthritis, or other cause and what the best treatment may be.
If he is licking his feet or groin or nails, your veterinarian will check for possible yeast infections. And, if his licking is more like chewing, then parasites such as fleas are most likely the cause.
No matter how you turn this, the dog is licking because he doesn’t feel well, and the way to stop it is proper veterinary treatment.
While we associate licking haircoats with cats, some dogs, especially those with short, tight coats, lick as part of their self-grooming habits, relieving uncomfortable mats or spots. If this is constant, an appointment with a dog groomer may be in order.
Licking Other Dogs
Dogs will often lick other dogs, especially ears, which may indicate an infection that needs treatment in the dog being licked.
Puppies and young dogs will often lick the mouths of other dogs. There are two strong possibilities for this:
In the wild, this would stimulate the adult to regurgitate food for the puppies.
Licking other dogs can also be a submissive behavior or be an expression of anxiety.
Since dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell to learn about the world around them, licking seemingly weird things makes sense. Licking moves scent molecules into the body. The vomeronasal organ, which handles the dog’s sense of smell, is located on the hard palate (roof of the mouth), so licking brings that scent right to the perfect spot.
A dog licking the floor is most likely picking up faint odors of food, cells from where a person or another animal has walked, and any number of fascinating smells that have drifted onto your floor or carpet.
Search-and-rescue dogs as well as tracking dogs will often mouth or lick the “scent object” provided to them as they start work. These dogs also often sniff or lick the air to detect subtle odors. You have probably noticed your dog “air sniffing.” For a working dog, that could lead them to a lost child, for your pet, however, he’s probably heading for the neighbor’s cookout and a free hot dog.
How to Stop Licking
Stopping excessive body licking can be difficult, but it needs to be done. Dogs who have licked enough can cause a nasty wound, called a lick granuloma, that may require antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, a physical barrier such as an Elizabethan collar, anti-anxiety medications, or even surgery in drastic cases.
Let Your Dog Be a Dog
Allow your dog to naturally lick to smell things, learn about the world around him, and simply enjoy the varied scents in the world. That type of lick-associated exploration shouldn’t be obsessive enough to bother you, but if it is, then the help of a certified fear-free trainer or veterinary behaviorist may help you rule out some type of anxiety causing the dog to obsessively lick.
A service dog is one that is trained to do specific tasks for a person with a disability, such as a seeing-eye dog for a person who is blind. Credit: Fotograffix | Getty Images
While service dogs are loved as much as pets, these canines are not pets. They are working animals trained to do a job, and that training is specialized. The dogs are trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
Common Service Dog Tasks
Service dogs fall into three categories, depending on their size, temperament, and training:
Psychiatric service dogs
Post-traumatic stress (PTSD) service dogs
Mobility service dogs
The tasks within each category vary but are specific to the job the dog is trained to do.
Owning a service dog can greatly improve the lives of people with disabilities, according to research.
Psychiatric Service Dog Tasks
Psychiatric service dogs “help their owners cope with stressful situations, survive crises and panic attacks, and also become a physical mainstay if a person is dizzy or faint,” according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. These are not “emotional support dogs.”
Psychiatric Service Dogs are used as a connection to reality for people who suffer from paranoia, schizophrenia, or hallucinations. And their companionship can also be used as a therapy for antisocial or bipolar behavior.
PTSD Dog Tasks
PTSD dogs undergo specific training to recognize the symptoms of this condition, such as nightmares or seizures.
They’re trained in:
Deep pressure therapy (DPT), which means lying on his owner to hold him down during a nightmare or flashback
Interruption therapy, which means interfering with a potentially harmful behavior by licking or nuzzling or waking up their owner during a nightmare
Movement tasks, which means circling their handler to prevent that person from moving into a dangerous situation or to control a dangerous situation
Guide tasks, which means guiding their handler to a specific location or around objects
Call tasks, which means pressing a specific button on a phone to call a person or 911 in an emergency.
Research shows these dogs do improve the lives of people battling PTSD.
Mobility Service Dogs
Mobility service dogs are trained to guide a blind or deaf person, pull a wheelchair using a special harness, or help a person move in a variety of other ways.
Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs can help a person deal with a variety of other mental or physical challenges, but they are not considered a service dog because they do not perform an specific tasks for the person.
Certified Service Dogs
All government offices, businesses, and non-profit organizations must allow certified service dogs in public places, according to federal law. Hospitals are not required to allow – but may allow – service dogs to enter, except for operating rooms or burn units, where sterilized conditions are imperative.
Dogs whose only purpose is to provide comfort or emotional support are not service dogs, according to the ADA, because “providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability.” But these dogs may fit under a wider definition of service dogs under the Fair Housing Act or Air Carrier Access Act.
The ADA requires service dogs “to be under control of the handler” at all times, so he “must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless the individuals’ disability prevents using these devices because they prevent the safe and effective performance of his tasks.” If that’s the case, he must be under control via voice or signals.
Many dogs are specifically raised to be service dogs, if you are looking for a dog. Do your research if you need one of these dogs and work with a professional trainer or organization for help training the dog. Be aware there are scams out there, which can only lead to heartache or worse.
Are All Service Dogs Certified?
Many people with disabilities think their dog can be a service dog just because they say it is. But that’s not correct.
A true service dog has had special training either by the handler or a professional trainer to provide his handler with a specific type of assistance, such as post-traumatic stress syndrome care or pulling a wheelchair. And the dog has been certified to do so by being registered under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Registration isn’t mandatory, but it can be helpful if you’re questioned about what your dog is trained to do for you.
Many dogs can be trained to provide other types of aid and not be certified. But they may not be allowed to enter certain public and non-public areas without certification or live in non-pet housing, often depending on local laws.
The U.S. Department of Justice has administered the Americans with Disabilities Act since it was enacted in 2011. It offers a registration program and identification. (IIt offers online registration and an ID card for $49 and just registration for $29).
Service dogs usually wear a harness or vest identifying them as such, but that is not necessarily enough to allow the dog access to all areas, and it is not required.
A couple of days ago, I received a text from a dog-training client, wondering about a video she had just watched—and which she linked in the text. “Is meat meal bad for dogs?” she asked. She followed that message with, “I get that she’s selling her own pet food, but is it (meat meal) that bad?”
