Dog Health

A healthy dog is a happy dog. Mostly. Like any dog, I've had my share of health concerns. And I credit the people in my house with my continued good health. While cleanliness isn't necessarily a priority in my life, living so close to the ground means that I am subjected to the indignity of a bath every couple of weeks

- whether I need it or not.

Good dog hygiene goes a long way in promoting good dog health. We can pick up all sorts of nasty bacteria

running about as we do. It makes us smelly, but no one wants to cuddle a smelly dog. Except for maybe another dog. Cuddles and pets make us secure, being clean makes us more likely to get those cuddles and pets. So clean us up, hose us down, and you can hug us forever!

And don't forget our teeth and nails! Two areas you don't think you'll worry about...that is, until you get a whiff of our breath or have to listen to us tap-dancing across the tile like Gene Kelly.

I may joke about dog mouth hygiene, but it's really no laughing matter. Just like you, I need my teeth to

eat, and an abscessed tooth or gum is going to cause me pain, discomfort and could lead to infection. If

your dog is pawing at his mouth, not eating, or drooling excessively, it's time for a trip to the vet.

When I was a puppy, I started getting my teeth brushed right away, so I'm quite used to it now. I even get

beef and chicken flavored toothpaste - yum! And it's full of enzymes which attack that nasty plaque build-up,

which can lead to problems down the road. I get to chew on my beefy toothbrush at the very least, once a week, and sometimes more! I am a lucky dog. Although I'm not so crazy about the breath spray that gets squirted on my tongue, those green chlorophyll treats rock my dog world.

Bad breath can also be the cause of more serious problems, intestinal distress or kidney problems. If your dog

has bad breath that just won't go away, even after your diligent attention to it's dental needs, talk to your

veterinarian. And if your hound absolutely despises the idea of you sticking your hands anywhere near his or her mouth, it's best to set up some dental maintenance with your dogs health care provider.

And don't forget those dog nails! You really won't be able to though, you'll hear us coming three rooms away! Not only will these be detrimental to our cleanliness, but we don't walk so well when we're slipping and sliding. It's like wearing a pair of three-inch heels on an ice covered sidewalk. Same as my dental care, my nail clipping started when I was but a puppy, so I'm used to it, although I do have to close my eyes! Or rather, have them covered while my friend tells me what a good dog I am. Rarely, accidents happen, and because my nails are kind of dark, it's hard to see the vein in them, and one might get clipped a little bit too short. Then I get cornstarch packed it so I'm not bleeding, and because it stings a little, I get a treat too. So it's all good. And it really is important. I used to have a beagle pal who absolutely flat out refused a good dog manicure. And it was tough on him, he told me once how hard it was to walk cause his toes were all messed up and crooked from his nails being so long. He was just so scared of the clippers, and being held down. Even a dremel tool scared him (but it was really too much for his little beagle nails anyway.) Finally, his health care provider was able to recommend a nice lady who knew just how to make him comfortable with the clipping.

If your dog just won't have any of your nail clipping attempts, there are plenty of professionals who know just what to do.

Of course, there's more, lots more, to my health and that of my canine pals than just being well-groomed. We can get itchy skin, hot spots, bumps and bruises. Our ears will require regular maintenance and some of us have lots of furry folds that can hide problems. It can be quite a challenge to live on four legs without thumbs. I once had this anal gland thing and my behind started to swell up. But the people I live with know me pretty well, and moved into action immediately. It wasn't pretty, and it's hard to believe that there are selfless dog healthcare and hygiene providers who are willing to do such a thing, and I don't think I want to go into too much detail, but I'm all better now. And have been since just that once.

So, common sense rules. Make sure to keep our vaccinations up to date, and do your best to get us regular check-ups, when we're young take some time to puppy proof our new homes so we get the chance to grow up and learn what's ok to chew on and what isn't. Get to know our bodies (we really don't care if you look closely at our parts, we're not easily offended, usually naked anyway, and if something is wrong, we want you to be the first to know) and moods (sometimes if we're coming down with something, it looks like we're sad. Not always. You'll know.) Learn some basics, like checking our temperature, and looking for fleas and ticks and stuff. A little knowledge of dog first aid is helpful, and I've included some resource links here.

It might seem like a lot of work and sometimes kind of expensive, but we promise to love you no matter what. Cause we just can't help ourselves.

It's who we are.

Hit Counter

Dog

Resources

"I'm not stupid, I'm just big-boned."

- Wild Eye James, Basset Hound