No one wants to hear those words from your veterinarian, whether the words include “disease” or “disorder” or “parasite” they all give pet-parents a nasty turn of the stomach. Some doggie problems are completely out of your hands as an owner:

• Those that are inherited
• Those present at birth
• Those that just happen no matter how careful you are with your dog.

But others can be avoided with responsible breeding practices, or informed ownership. No one intentionally harms their beloved pet, so knowledge is power. Be sure you know how you can keep your doggie safe and how to spot health problems early on so that they can be managed or treated with as much success as possible.

I highly recommend http://healthypets.mercola.com for wonderful articles by a highly respected veterinarian.

Here’s to being informed and keeping yourself and all your family members (furry ones included) happy and healthy!

Health Articles

• Coccidia and the Healthy Dog
• Coprophagia – when dogs eat their own poop!
• Low blood sugar is very dangerous for dogs and puppies. This can occur for many reasons, but small breed puppies are the most susceptible. Pups taken from their mother too soon and dogs with other (possibly unknown) diseases as well as lactating bitches can all succumb frighteningly fast to the effects of this insidious little emergency. Learn how to recognize the symptoms and how to treat low blood sugar at home to help stabilize the animal on your way to seek veterinary care.

• If your puppy refuses to eat you may have a seriously sick animal on your hands in a short amount of time. How do you know what is causing it and what should you do?