Pet Care and Health

Dog owners often fail to notice when their dogs are becoming overweight because the pounds can be put on them very gradually. Becoming exhausted after a short workout or a brisk walk may be the first signs that alert you to the weight problem of your dog.

You might feel guilty for having neglected this part of dog care responsibilities, but do not fret. There are simple, practical solutions to tackle this problem.

The most important thing is that you love the dog enough to do what it takes to bring the overweight dog back to normal weight. His health depends on it, since dogs can develop the same obesity-related problems that people suffer from.

However, treating a dog as we treat a person is a mistake we tend to commit. We may feel that an older dog should be given plenty of rest and should have a reprieve from exercise routines. In fact, when many older dogs show a reluctance to go for regular walks, their owners should not let them have their way.

Dogs need to remain active to stay healthy. Unless your dog has a specific health condition that makes it dangerous for him to exercise, you should insist on daily walks and exercise. Do not feel bad about it.

Find the Right Food for Your Dog

While every dog requires a nutritious diet, your dog’s diet should be adjusted to his size, age, and activity level. Adult dogs may not need high energy foods that fast-growing puppies require.

A pregnant or lactating dog requires more food than a male dog of the same age. You should discuss the nutritional needs of your dog with your veterinarian and select a dog food that is right for him.

Portion Control

Smaller dogs need only a small quantity of food. Even larger dogs should not be fed too much if they are leading a sedentary life. Some dogs look larger than they really are because of their thick furry coat, but their stomach may be small. When they are fed too much food, the excess gets stored as fat.

Do not go by the suggestions given on the dog food packaging. They only give a general idea and are meant for maintaining weight, not for affecting weight loss.  When you want to help the dog lose weight, you should get the veterinarian to prescribe the number of calories the dog needs and plan the meals accordingly. Exercise strict portion control, counting in the special treats you offer him from time to time. 

Interval Feeding

Some dog owners are under the impression that food should always be made available to the dogs so that they can eat at will. A dog in the wild does not have fixed mealtimes, but that does not mean that food is always available. Wild dogs must spend a lot of time hunting to keep themselves reasonably fed and often go hungry for long periods. So, it is not wrong to feed your dog at fixed intervals.

If the food is left out, many dogs eat just to occupy themselves just like people snacking mindlessly when they are bored. This should be avoided when you want to help the dog lose weight. If you are not around to feed the dog fixed portions at fixed times, you can invest in an automatic feeder.

Exercise

The importance of exercise cannot be stressed enough. If your dog is leading a sedentary life, introduce exercises and activities gradually, but if he is already active, increase their frequency or duration to help the dog lose weight. Do not be worried that you are being too hard on the dog; it is for his health and wellbeing.

Related Content

Three Important Tips When You Adopt a Dog
What You Should Do To Become a Responsible Dog Owner
How To Avoid Dog Heatstroke
How a Dog Microchip Works
How to Avoid Traumatizing Your Dog When You Move
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog
San Diego Dog Park Safety Tips, Training, and Dog Accessories

When you become a proud owner of a dog, a number of responsibilities come with it. A good dog owner is not a person that pampers the dog all the time, but who discharges the essential dog care duties responsibly. Let us see what you should do to be a responsible dog owner.

Keep His Medical Records Straight and Up to Date

Your dog’s health should be given the importance it deserves. Vaccinations and regular medical check-ups should be done at the right time, and their records should be saved for future reference. Establishing a rapport with a veterinarian is also part of the game.

Provide a Healthy Diet

Do not assume that what is good for you is good for the dog. Many things that we eat may be unhealthy for the dog, especially fast food. Do not feed your dog from the table.

Give him good quality dog food that provides him a balanced diet containing all the necessary nutrients in the right proportion. It is difficult to achieve this balance in home-cooked food, so commercial dog food is your best bet.

Give Your Dog Outdoor Time

Whether your dog seems to be content to stay inside the home or not, you should take him out for regular walks and for a game or two. The natural world is the real home of dogs although many breeds have become acclimatized to indoor life.

The fresh air and the sights and sounds of the great outdoors stimulate and invigorate the dog physically and mentally. High-energy dogs find a good outlet for their pent-up energy when they spend time outside. This helps them to be calmer inside the house.

Socialize The Dog

Socialization from a very early age is important in developing a wholesome personality. Socialize the dog by taking him out to parks, other people’s homes, and on public transport.

It teaches your dog how to behave in different situations and in the presence of strange dogs and people. If the dog is unsocialized, he may behave aggressively when he feels threatened in a new situation. Even small, homebound dogs need to have opportunities to socialize.

Respect Your Dog

Your dog is not a cuddly toy or your child. Dogs are pack animals. The position of the dog in your family is more akin to his place in the pack. You should ensure that every member of the family, including children, is above the dog in the hierarchy, but his position in the hierarchy should be respected as well.

Do not treat him like an evergreen baby; it spoils him and encourages him to misbehave. You do not want your children to misbehave, so how can you promote such behavior in the dog? As you can see very well, all the above things are quite practical, so, being a responsible dog owner is not such a difficult task. 

Related Content

How To Avoid Dog Heatstroke
How a Dog Microchip Works
How to Avoid Traumatizing Your Dog When You Move
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog
San Diego Dog Park Safety Tips, Training, and Dog Accessories

Avoiding dog heatstroke is important for every dog owner during hot summer days. Dogs are warm-blooded animals just like us humans, but their heat-regulating mechanism is not as efficient as ours. Conservation of body heat is more important to dogs when they are out in the wild, so they are poor at releasing heat from their body. Consequently, they are more prone to heatstroke in hot weather.  

It is important for a dog owner to know the situations that put the dog at risk of heatstroke to avoid them. Recognizing the symptoms of heatstroke is important as well because it can progress to a life-threatening condition if remedial steps are not taken. 

Check the Atmospheric Conditions

You should keep track of the outdoor temperature. Having a good idea about it will alert you to the possibility of heatstroke and help you decide whether allow your dog out of the house. Sometimes, the sun may he beating down on the yard even if the general temperature is not extremely high. This again can put the dog at risk if ample shade is not available. 

Check the Activity Level of The Dog

When external conditions are likely to put the dog at risk of getting overheated, you should watch him closely for early signs of heatstroke. Level of activity is a good indicator, although not a reliable one.

Your dog may be overactive to begin with, but the heat will zap his energy and he will start to become lethargic. Reporting these changes will help the veterinarian make the correct diagnosis in case of an emergency.

Check the Dog’s Temperature

When it is hot outside or when the dog seems to be exhausted, it is a good idea to check his temperature often. The normal rectal temperature reading for a dog is between 99.5⁰ F to 102.5⁰F. If it is above 103⁰F, you can take it that the dog is overheated and is at risk of heatstroke.

You should take immediate steps to bring down the temperature and watch out for worsening symptoms. If you find your dog to be running 105⁰F or more, he is suffering from a life-threatening heatstroke. Rush him to the veterinarian immediately.  

Relieving Heatstroke in Dogs

If you spot the early signs of heatstroke, you should take immediate steps to relieve the condition. Move the dog to a cooler location, preferably to the air-conditioned interiors of your home.

If you are in an outdoor setting, take him to a shaded area or create shade with an umbrella or whatever material is available. Fan him and give him cold water to drink. This will help cool his body.

But allow only small amounts of water at a time because a dehydrated dog may drink greedily, resulting in water intoxication. Restrict the movement of the dog, but do not cover him with anything or crowd around him.

Good airflow is important to help carry the heat away from the dog’s body. Watch out for dangerous symptoms of heatstroke such as breathing difficulty or unresponsiveness in the dog. They necessitate immediate medical intervention.

Related Content

How a Dog Microchip Works
How to Avoid Traumatizing Your Dog When You Move
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog
San Diego Dog Park Safety Tips, Training, and Dog Accessories

How avoid traumatizing your dog when moving to a new house is important because moving to a new house is stressful to every member of the family, and that includes your dog.

We assume children are the most affected because they are apprehensive about leaving their friends and worry whether they would be able to make new friends in the new place. Similar feelings of unsettlement and insecurity affect dogs too, but they cannot voice their concerns and we cannot explain things to them.

Dogs Take Time to Settle in a New Environment

We can only imagine how the dog views the world around him. He must be having certain places in the house and the yard he loves more than the others. There may be many people in the neighbourhood that he is friendly with.

He must have established an unspoken hierarchy among the dogs and other animals in the neighbourhood. When he is taken to a new place, an entirely new set of sights and smells greet him. Many familiar faces like that of the mailman and the milkman would be replaced by new ones.

His routines may have become disrupted if you have been lax in dog care responsibilities due to unpacking, and cleaning chores. 

Stress Symptoms in Dogs

It is not rare to find dogs developing physical problems such as loss of appetite, diarrhoea or vomiting when their family is moving. It may not be due to any stomach bug, but just stress symptoms in the dog.

If he makes a mess, it will be extra work for you, but try to understand that the dog cannot help it. Talk kindly to him as you clean up the mess and cuddle him reassuringly. 

Your dog may show his anxiety by behavioural changes too, but you should not be impatient with him. He may start doing potty on the carpet or try to tear apart your furniture.

He is not doing it out of spite. He is simply confused and unsettled because his schedule has gone haywire. You cannot assure him verbally that everything will be fine, but you can try to make his schedule as regular as possible.

Unpack his things and some of his favorite items like the couch or the rug first. Arrange these essentials after removing all clutter from some part of the house.

Take Care When Walking Your Dog

You can give a miss to bathing and grooming rituals for a while but continue with other dog care responsibilities as usual. Get a member of the family to give extra attention to the dog while others are busy unpacking things.

Take the dog out for walks frequently, but always have a tight grip on the leash. If something unfamiliar scares him and causes him to take off, he may not be able to find his way back to your new home.

Your Local Vet Can Help Your Dog Calm Down With Medication

If the stress symptoms in the dog do not get resolved within a few days, you can take him to the vet to rule out any physical problem. He may prescribe some calming tablets that would help your dog feel better.

But, more than anything, what your dog wants is your reassuring presence and show of affection. Your dog will eventually settle down as the household returns to normalcy.

Related Content

How a Dog Microchip Works
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog
San Diego Dog Park Safety Tips, Training, and Dog Accessories

Pets are precious companions for their owners. The same applies to pet breeders. We all take great care of our beloved pets. Though it’s a dog, cat, or any other animal.

Taking care of them every day, grooming them, washing them, playing with them, and spending money on them is a great refreshment and fun aspect of our lives.

However, after all this care there comes the security concern. How are we going to protect them? What precautionary measures should we take to keep them away from getting harmed or getting lost?

I think that the “Getting Lost” part is scarier. In older times, it was almost impossible to recover a lost dog. The owners were worried sick about the thoughts of their dear pet getting lost. Worst case scenario is they might be injured somewhere or may have died.

Due to the boost in technology, the modern era has made it extremely easy for dog owners like you and I to track our dogs. Because pet breeders and researchers have built pet or dog microchips to track your dog’s ownership details.

And in today’s pet session, we are going to discuss “how does a dog microchip work?”

Dog Microchip Work: –

The Interesting Truth

The amazing truth is that these chips are grain-sized and directly injected into the dog’s body. Now, this tiny chip can identify your dog’s whether it is in your local community or in some other city.

Before we proceed, let me tell you that overall, the chip installation and scanning procedure is quite simple and efficient for tracing your lost friend. So, let’s begin…

Pet microchipping is an anesthetic-free procedure that takes only a few seconds to complete. A microchip contains a few electronics components that are integrated within a tiny capsule of bio-glass. They are injected beneath your animal’s skin between the shoulder blades.

When the microchip scanner is passed by the pet’s shoulder blades, it emits a radio frequency signal that activates the chip. In return, the chip sends back a unique identification number or pet identification code to the scanner. That code or number is compared against the pet recovery database to retrieve the animal’s owner information.

Microchip, scanner, and database, all these elements make up a triangle for the effective microchip system. Each element has its own job to do to make the system work.

The chip should be inserted in the right place for proper detection and scanning. While the database that is associated with the chip code needs to be accurate and up-to-date as well.

Chips can be undetected because of improper scanning, matted hairs, excessive fat in the body, or due to the metallic collar closer to the microchip. One should be careful of these minor level precautions to avoid any malfunction of the chip.

Types of Microchips

Yes, different types mean the microchip companies use a wide range of frequencies to communicate with the scanner. Recently, there has been developed a universal scanner to read a range of frequencies.

You might face the situation when your pet had a microchip, but a scanner may malfunction and not detect the microchip. The universal scanner sorts out such issues and helps you to locate your pet’s microchip easily.

The microchip manufacturers usually provide universal scanners to the animal shelters and animal control agencies to track the lost pets.

Different Communication Frequencies

The pet microchips come up with a variety of frequencies. In general, the frequencies of 125 kHz, 128 kHz, and 134.2 kHz are used.

125 kHz chip was the most operational frequency in the U.S. A huge number of scanners in the U.S can read this frequency used by the microchips. However, from 2004 onwards, it is replaced by the 134 kHz chip that meets global standards developed by the International Standard Organization (ISO).

Initially, this frequency was adopted by Europe but now manufacturers in the U.S also started developing chips of the same frequency complying with the ISO standard.

Lifespan of Microchips

A question might arise in your mind that how long will the chip remain functional after its placement in the pet.

According to Wikipedia, the average aging of different breeds of dogs ranges from 6 to 16 years. Keeping this in mind, the microchips are engineered to work for over 20 years. So, there is nothing to worry about, the duration of expiry of the chip is far more than the life expectancy of most dogs.

Is Microchipping Safe and Secure?

Anyone can access your information if your pet gets lost. In case of a missing pet that is found and taken by someone to the animal shelter or vet clinic, it will be scanned for a unique identification number associated with it.

And you will be contacted at the registered telephone number by the pet recovery service. It is therefore recommended to keep your information up to date.

How to Adopt Pets Who Are Already Microchipped?

If you adopt a pet that has an implanted microchip, you must look for the corresponding registration to update it. A trip to your local vet to have the dog scanned to locate the registration details is required.  You can then arrange for the registration details to be updated.

What If I Move From One Location To Another?

Whenever you want to move from your registered location, you need to consult the chip registration company to update your profile. The microchip registration company will have your wrong contact details otherwise.

And of course, there are normally minor fee charges for processing and updating your contact information.

How Are Microchips Placed? Will It Hurt?

The microchip insertion is a quick and safe process with an intravenous needle at any veterinarian’s office. This will not hurt your pet. The procedure is as simple as administrating a vaccine.

What About Microchip Placement?

Microchips, as the name micro, depicts that they are tiny electronic devices, not much bigger than a grain of rice. They are implanted beneath the pet’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades.

Is There Any Chance of Misplacing a Chip Inside a Pet?

There is very little chance that a chip could get lost or misplaced. The chip is strongly bonded to the pet’s subcutaneous tissue that heals quickly. This powerful natural adhesion from correct placement normally prevents the chip from migrating to another part of the pet’s body.

Author’s Bio: Hassan Kurd is a cool-headed, optimistic guy and the Founder of Tool Miner

On his online journey for half a decade, he has racked up skills in helping others finding solutions to solve their E-commerce, marketing, blog, and content writing problems.

This is a guest post by Hassan Kurd

Dogs are adorable creatures that bring a lot of joy to families with small children, and not only them. They are great friends and come in all kinds of sizes, which means they can thrive perfectly in apartments just as much as in houses with gardens.

However, having a furry friend in the house also has many shortcomings, in particular when you go out for a walk and collide with nature.

Especially with smaller breeds, being close to the ground makes them an easy target to all kinds of pests, like fleas and ticks, as well as different weeds that can get caught up in their fur, making it a nightmare to remove.

And even though ticks and grass stuck to the coat are easy to notice, fleas are microscopic and undetectable by the naked eye. This is why you need to pay extra attention to your pet. Here are a few simple steps to follow:

How to Remove Fleas on Your Dog

If you notice that your pooch scratches way too often than it should, chances are it has fleas building an empire inside the fur. It’s important to proceed with the removal as fast as possible, to avoid dermatitis and all kinds of other nasty diseases the creepy crawlies bring.

Here are the 4 simple steps you need to follow:

What do you need:

• Flea comb
• Flea shampoo
• Vacuum cleaner

And here’s how to proceed to remove the fleas from your dog and surroundings:

1. Give your pet a bath using lukewarm water and the flea shampoo. First, wash the body and allow the fleas to gather on the head. Then shampoo the head as well, killing the remaining survivors.
2. Use the flea comb to inspect your dog’s fur and remove any remaining eggs and flea poop (also known as “flea dirt”). Flea combs have very closely located teeth, so they let hair pass through, but everything else will get caught.
3. Wash all your pet’s beddings and toys. This way you will eliminate any fleas and eggs that your dog left behind.

Clean the entire house thoroughly. Your dog walks all around the house, so there’s a chance of fleas hiding in the couch, bed, carpet, or any other furnished or cluttered area. Vacuum clean everything, mop and wipe all common surfaces and get rid of any unnecessary clutter.

How to Prevent Fleas From Choosing Your Dog

Fleas love dogs just like kids love ice cream. This is why you need to be vigilant at all times when you have dogs at home. By following these simple guidelines, you’ll be able to prevent fleas on your dogs on time and without risking a huge flea infestation in your house:

1. Inspect the Dog’s Fur Daily

It’s important to check your dog for fleas at least once a day, preferably after a walk. Observe closely for jumping fleas or small black dots, which are flea faeces or eggs. Red itchy spots are also a telltale sign that the little nasties may have settled in. Place the dog on your lap and gently start moving the fur aside, so you can examine the skin underneath it. Focus on the most common places fleas like to attack, like the head, the back and the stomach.

2. Regular Baths Are Also Important

Bathing your dog weekly is a must if you want to prevent a flea infestation. A quick washing of the paws may be enough after a walk, but your pooch also needs to refresh its fur regularly. Give your dog weekly baths using a shampoo formula specialized for killing fleas and ticks.

There are many chemical and organic options out there, ask your veterinarian which is the best one for your furry friend. Some gentle brands of dishwashing detergents can also work, but you need to read the labels carefully.

Saturate the fur with water, then scrub the shampoo in starting from the head, then work your way through the back and legs, and finish at the stomach and tail.

Don’t miss any spots, because flea eggs are extremely resilient and they need to be treated with the product directly. Leave the shampoo to work for the recommended amount of time, then rinse your pooch with water and dry it as usual.

3. Brush Your Dog Regularly

Regular brushing is mandatory when you have a longhaired pet, and advisably all dogs . Veterinarians recommend using a flea comb on your dog at least three times a week. It will not only help you detect the fleas but also remove them on time if you find any.

Just like with the bathing, start combing at the head and work your way to the back and the legs. Leave the belly for last, as this is the place fleas usually run off to when they feel endangered.

Stroke the fur a few times, then place the comb into a bowl of soapy water and push on the prongs to release any caught fleas. They will quickly drown and won’t cause any more discomfort to your pet.

4. Provide a Clean Surrounding

Except for regular bathing, your dog will also need a clean environment to prevent any future flea infestations. This means the bedding it sleeps in needs to be laundered regularly – a few times a week is more than enough to kill any fleas and eggs that haven’t hatched yet. Regular washing of all the toys and dog clothes is also pivotal to avoid a re-infestation.

Regular vacuuming and keeping the entire house clean also helps prevent any pests from nesting in there, including fleas. Once they arrive on your dog they can also easily hide in carpeted surfaces and upholstered furniture, so you need to take regular care of these too.

After each vacuuming, remember to get rid of the filter bag or disinfect the container with hot soapy water to kill any potential eggs.

5. Keep Your Dog Healthy

Keep your dog healthy with a proper diet, adequate water intake and plenty of exercises. Most pests like to attack and feed on sickly pets. Active and fit dogs discourage fleas from infesting it. So, by making sure your pooch is healthy and happy, you are providing it with its best chance against the invaders.

6. Invest in a Pest-repellent Collar

Veterinarians sell all kinds of products that repel fleas and ticks and will keep your dog safe during walks. They usually come in two forms – a collar infused with a pest-repellent chemical, or drops that you have to place on the back of your dog. Both products have their pros and cons, and they usually provide between 3-6 months of protection.

Author bio: My name is Alexander Crawley and I’m an entomology consultant for Fantastic Pest Control. As a psychology graduate, I got bored after years of studying humans and found my true fascination – bugs. In my spare time, I like to read and write about insects, help people solve their pest problems.