Notes

What Everyone Ought To Know About how To Remove Dark Spots Under Dogs Eyes
Everybody has their unique piece of advice when it comes to Pets.
Simple Tips And Tricks For Caring For Your Dog


Anyone can go out and get a dog and bring him home. However, if how to clean dogs eyes wish to properly care for your dog, you must know what you're doing. Pay attention to the following helpful advice so that you can make sure your dog has everything it needs in order to live and long and healthy life.

Never hit your dog. There are better ways to train a dog without having to resort to violence. The best way to train a dog is to reinforce positive behaviors with treats and attention. Negative behavior should be handled with a stern and disapproving voice as opposed to striking the animal.

Much like people in the United States, many dogs are overweight. Having a few extra pounds on their frame can lead to a number of health problems, like cancer or diabetes. Many owners simply overfeed their pets. Talk to your veterinarian about how many calories your dog needs each day so you can adjust their meals accordingly.

Be careful if you're searching for a new dog on Craigslist or other classified ads. Many people exaggerate the truth in order to unload problems or challenging training issues and you could end up with an impossible situation on your hands. Only talk to people who are verifiable through vet records and demonstrate positive handling experience.

Pet-proof your home before bringing a dog into it, just as you would for a crawling toddler. You need to move anything toxic to a higher shelf and consider the danger that plants may pose if nibbled by your dog. Remember that anti-freeze is deadly and that leaving things like pennies or crayons on floors can pose a choking hazard to curious pups.

If your dog is a digger, make sure to protect him and your garden. Some plants are poisonous to dogs, not to mention the damage those paws can do to your prized flowers and produce. Put up an appropriately sized fence to keep him out or consider using an electric one.

If your dog is a digger, make sure to protect him and your garden. Some plants are poisonous to dogs, not to mention the damage those paws can do to your prized flowers and produce. Put up an appropriately sized fence to keep him out or consider using an electric one.

Dog training requires you to be consistent. Once you decide you want to establish a rule for your dog, do not make any exceptions. Make sure everyone at home helps you enforce the rule and encourage your guests not to let your dog jump on them or to not acknowledge your dog when it barks.

If your dog does something that you do not like, try to avoid just saying no. To your dog, no doesn't really explain what you want your pup to do. Instead of saying no if your dog is jumping, try to get your dog to sit or lay down. By doing this, you provide your dog with an instruction of what to do.

You can find many types of dogs at the pound, even pure breeds. Many pet owners abandon their dogs at the pound when they no longer want to, or are able to, keep them. Call the shelter to find out which dogs they have available. You may even save a poor dog's life.

If you are not sure how your dog will react to other dogs, make sure you keep them on a leash during the first introduction. Rescue dogs especially can be unpredictable around other dogs. Keeping your dog on the leash will allow you to better control their behavior. Once you feel comfortable and your dog is adjusted, you can take them off the leash and let them play.

Make wise choices when it comes to your dog's diet. A number of dog foods are available, but you must choose one that suits your dog's age and size. you can read the article here can save some money by serving your dog leftovers, but it is difficult to achieve a balanced diet and include all of the right nutrients.

Attention exercises must be practiced daily. These exercises will help you gain your dog's attention when they are barking or being disruptive or destructive. Once you can gain your dog's attention, you will have less to worry about when you have him out of the house or when there is company over.

If you bathe your dog often, watch out for signs of painful earaches that can be problematic for canines. They can happen when too much water gets into the ears. Use cotton balls dabbed in baby oil while giving him a bath, and that should keep water from getting in, even if he splashes around.

Punish your dog carefully. You should never punish your dog for a mischief that happened more than fifteen minutes ago since your dog will probably not establish a connection between the punishment and the bad behavior. If you catch your dog misbehaving, say no in a firm voice and have your dog sit in a corner for a few minutes.

When you make the decision to get a dog, it is important that you have the proper type of fence in your yard. Of course, the size of the fence you need depends on the kind of dog you will be getting. The bigger the breed, the higher the fence should be.

Keep in mind that some behavioral problems in your dog could be connected to health issues, especially if your dog is displaying a new behavior. Your dog might become aggressive when you touch it because of a pain and it might have a hard time with house-training because of an infection.

Buy a good quality leash. Make sure that the leash is the proper size and strength for your dog. For example, a lightweight nylon leash would be suitable for a smaller dog but not strong enough for a larger breed such as a labrador. If your dog has a tendency to pull, a harness is a great way of correcting this instinct.

Now that you have some simple tips to use with your dog, you should feel more confident in being a pet owner. That will result in a happier life for both you and your puppy pal. Don't stop learning here, instead keep reading all you can to ensure you're always up on the latest when it comes to dog ownership.

Best Advice for Dogs with Skin Issues
I still need to publish a real post about Mr. Stix's full backstory, but this feels more pressing. For nearly 18 months, Mr. Stix's permanent nakey spot (from unknown injuries before he was rescued, including 15 fractures and this big patch of coat missing) has featured several inflamed, peeling areas. Initially I tried to fix it myself at home with things like aloe vera, vaseline, a veterinary ointment called animax that the shelter had give us while we fostered him most of 2019, etc. It's sort of a combination of steroids, antibacterial, and antifungal stuff. I took him to see our main veterinarian in spring 2020, when there was a 2-month wait to get into see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. It has been quite a journey since then, and it's nowhere near over. Here's my best advice for dogs with skin issues.

Before I tell the ongoing saga with Mr. Stix's skin. Here is my best advice for dogs with skin problems.
See a board-certified veterinary dermatologist as soon as you can. Yes, your main veterinarian can probably help, but it's honestly best to go right to the top experts.


Agree to whatever skin scrapings / cytology the veterinary dermatologist recommends. This provides information about what types of secondary infections currently grow on your dog's damaged skin.


Do NOT assume every skin issue is allergies. It often is some sort of allergic process, but NOT always and assuming so (and acting accordingly may only delay real solutions and subject your dog to all kinds of quack advice and home remedies).


Buy the best quality fish oil and Vitamin E supplements you can afford, if it's recommended for your particular case of a dog with skin issues.


When necessary, agree to the skin biopsies (yes, like minor surgery) and have them reviewed by a veterinary pathologist that specializes in dogs with skin issues. The one we used is at Texas A&M.


Follow your veterinary dermatologist's advice and plans, and keep the faith. These dogs with skin problems often don't improve quickly. (I need to take my own advise. See below.)

Mr. Stix's Story as a Dog with Skin Problems
This is what Mr. Stix's nakey spot looks like when it's normal. Photo from May 2019 soon after his hip surgery. The bald patch is permanent. That's not the issue.

This is how bad the red / peeling areas got in mid-2020 when we saw our main veterinarian, who added a low-dose of oral Vitamin E and some topical too and told me to keep using the animax.

This is how it looked when Mr. Stix first saw the board-certified veterinary dermatologist in early August 2020, but the specialist had me STOP the animax and instead use a prescription anti-bacterial ointment (mupirocin) ... as well as add a better quality oral fish oil and continue both topical and oral Vitamin E (but at a higher dose twice a day). We knew from the skin scrapings / cytology they did onsite that Mr. Stix had a bacterial infection.

But, without the daily topical steroids (which long term are a bad idea), Mr. Stix's skin got much, much worse -- even breaking open and scabbing over.

Our veterinary dermatologist had recommended doing the skin biopsies right away in August 2020, and I *almost agreed to it then, but I was VERY worried about the cuts resulting in skin that would NOT heal. And, I figured it was at least worth a try to use the prescription antibiotic ointment and other supplements and stuff.


But, by around Thanksgiving, it was clear we had to do the biopsy. That photo is kind of gruesome, so you can see it here, if you want. I wish I had done the biopsy sooner. I feel like I wasted time from August through November.

Post-Biopsy Diagnosis
As I expected, despite all the know-it-alls trying to tell me it was an allergic issue, it turns out that Mr. Stix instead has an autoimmune condition called erythema multiforme. They believe it was triggered by the trauma of his earlier injuries. They don't think it is life-threatening. They don't think it will spread to other areas of his skin. Just the already damaged, permanent nakey spot.


With that information in hand, we updated the treatment plan to include a topical, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointment (tacrolimus -- often pricey, but we used a Good RX coupon at Costco to get the cost down). They use a version of this medication orally for people who have had various kinds of transplants. It's the smallest / safest option for treatment, and that's where we started.


I was so hopeful it would work at the once-daily application, but the skin still didn't heal completely.


So, in early 2021, we started applying it twice daily on the advice of our veterinary dermatologist.


But, it still hasn't healed completely. It often improves a lot and then comes roaring back, so we had another appointment to see the specialist last week. We had to try something new.


Enter the Big Immune-Suppressing Drug

Despite my concerns and form of veterinary PTSD about major immune suppression drugs (after our experiences with Lilly), I agreed last week to add oral cyclosporine, which is also a drug that people get after various transplants. Mr. Stix would need to take it daily for life.


It smells like it's made from skunk butts, so each gel-cap pill is individually packaged, and you keep them in the freezer because that can help with nausea it can cause (since it's recommended you give on an empty stomach).


I found some good info on this med, and our veterinary dermatologist assured me that it has been safely used in veterinary medicine for like 20+ years, etc.


The med only comes in doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, and at his size Mr. Stix's ideal dose is around 88 mg once a day. So we went with 75 mg (25+50) to err on the lower side.


It takes like 3-7 days for the med to build up in the blood to therapeutic levels, but it takes more like 4-6 weeks to know if it's going to help the skin (or not).


We made it to day 4, then the barfing started.

Anxiety
I wish I could say that this is all going to be fine, but I just don't know. I feel like I just have to accept that the skin will never fully heal, even though seeing his raw spots up close while applying the topical med twice a day and topical Vitamin E once a day causes me so much angst and anxiety.


I supposed to check in with our veterinary dermatology team next week to confirm that Mr. Stix's weirdness and apparent suffering has improved.


It took a lot of convincing to get Mr. Champion of My Heart to agree to try the cyclosporine, so even if the specialist comes back and recommends maybe a lower dose, I doubt we'll want to risk it ... because Mr. Stix sure seemed to be having some neurologist issues to me, and after the Lilly situation, I just cannot do that again.


He is only 3 years old. I don't want to make anything worse. It honestly felt like I'd poisoned him.


The good news is that most of the time his skin doesn't seem to hurt or itch or anything -- though I do have pain meds, if he needs them. It mostly just looks bad, and he has to wear a no-lick collar for about 20 minutes after I apply his meds so that he doesn't lick it off.


His nakey spot is prone to sunburn anyway, and the topical tacrolimus increases the risk of burning, so I used his earlier sun-reflecting coat (which started to look ragged) as a pattern and sewed him a new / light sun protection coat. He looks very cute in it.
https://championofmyheart.com/2021/08/05/dogs-with-skin-issues/

Good Morning from the Golden Retriever Channel. This pupper is taking-in rain. Who turned on the sprinkler in the sky? Another good day in his life, so far.

(Lifeofsterlingnewton IG)#dogs #puppies #cute pic.twitter.com/ooQqHn9XIf
— Golden Retriever Channel (@GoldretrieverUS) August 20, 2021
Have Questions About Dogs? Get Answers Here


In some ways, caring for a dog is almost like caring for a kid - a big, furry, slobbery kid. Dog care is a tremendous amount of work, and it can be hard to figure out what action you should take. Thankfully, you're in the right place. This article will help you with your dog.

When giving your dog a bath, make sure that you only put on shampoo that is intended for canines. Using lukewarm water, get the entire body wet and then begin applying the shampoo to their face, working your way down their body. Wait a few minutes and then take a washcloth and wipe off the suds from your pet's face. Wash off the rest of the shampoo as well.

Always give your dog plenty of attention and affection. When your dog behaves properly, make sure you let the dog know you are happy and give them some affection. This will help reinforce the good behavior and the dog will try to behave in this manner for the positive attention..

Teach your dog to be trained, even if you don't plan on devoting a lot of time to special tricks. A dog needs to understand the basic hierarchy of the home and should be prepared to listen and learn throughout his life. Practice the basics like "sit" and "down" in the beginning and introduce something new every once in a while.

If you notice your dog gets dry skin in the winter, you probably need to brush him or her more often. Doing so will get rid of old fur and help get their oil glands working properly. Try brushing once in the morning and once in the evening to see if it makes a difference for your pet.

Make sure that your dog receives plenty of exercise. Playing and exercising are two crucial components of any healthy dog's life. No matter what, whether throwing their ball or taking a long walk, you'll both benefit from it. You will thus offer necessary exercise, but will also build strong bonds with the animal.

Ease your dog into knowing a new baby that comes into your home. Dogs can be very jealous and you need to continue to show him plenty of love an affection, even though you've got a brand new bundle of joy in your life. Talk to the dog as you handle the baby and keep him in the loop.

Be careful around Christmas time with a dog in your home; it's the busiest time of year at 24/7 animal clinics! Things like hanging and tree lights pose a danger to your dog, as they could become tangled or gnaw their way down to raw wires. The loveliest of Christmas plants are also hazardous to a dog's health, so take extra care during holidays.

Respect your pet. When out on a walk, do not force your dog to interact with other people or animals if he does not want to. There is a reason why your dog may not want to get too close, and it is important that you listen to him. If you try and make him interact, your dog may begin to act out over time.

Positive reinforcement is the best way to train your dog. You should congratulate your dog when it displays a good behavior, for instance by giving it a treat or petting it. Talk to your dog in a soft voice and make sure you praise it every time the good behavior is displayed.

If you're trying to break one of your dog's unwanted habits, make sure that you understand that it will not happen overnight. Breaking a habit takes time and patience. Don't get discouraged and give up if it seems like your pup isn't making progress. Keep at it and maybe try changing your approach to the training. Sometimes this can be the boost that your dog needs.

Some breeds have inherent health issues you need to watch for. You might be able to prevent some conditions from developing by taking a little extra care of him from the beginning. Ask your veterinarian what steps can be taken to prevent issues that are common with your dog's breed.

If your dog makes messes in the house or chews when you are away, consider crate training. Crate training involves providing your pet with an appropriate sized crate to,stay in while you're out of the house. It can keep your pet and belongings safe. Just make sure to never leave him in the crate for a very lengthly period of time.

Always be sure that your dog understands that you are the master if you want to have a well behaved pet. This is important because if your dog believes that he is dominant over you, then you have a much smaller chance of getting it to obey your commands and behave according to your wishes.

When crate training a dog, be sure to allow it to stop making noise (barking, whining, crying) for at least 30 seconds before opening the crate up. This is important because otherwise the dog will believe that as long as it keeps making noise, you will come and open the crate. It can be hard to do this, but is necessary. Of course, always be sure that the dog is safe and not making noise for some other reason.

No matter what kind or length of fur your dog has, it is important that they are brushed regularly. Without regular brushing, your dog's fur may become matted. Matted fur can cause inflammation on your dog's skin and is very difficult to remove. Also, brushing their fur regularly gets rid of dead hair and helps distribute oils.

If you are in the market for purchasing a dog that has been breed you need to make sure that you have every stipulation in writting. For example, if the breeder promises to spay or nueter the pet, you must get that in your contract. Doing this will protect you from any conflict later on.

Make sure that you spend adequate time on each thing that you try to teach your dog. Even though your dog might catch on to something, for example the "sit" command, it may not be mastered. You'll want to make sure that the command is done every time that you ask no matter what situation you are in before you move onto a new command.

Not only do you have a friend when you have a dog, you also have a responsibility. It's important that you do your best to make sure that your dog is well-fed, healthy and happy. You need to make sure that you use the tips here to help you so that you and your dog both enjoy a good life.

I have been very fascinated by Pets and I am hoping you enjoyed my blog post. I beg you take a moment to promote this article if you enjoyed it. I cherish your readership.


Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet