This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

With the best intentions, I have TRIED to brush my dogs and cats teeth! And have you ever tried to brush a cat’s teeth??? NOT FUN! This was met with a LOT of resistance and very little success…I tried different flavors of toothpaste. I tried different approaches. The end result was that the cats never let me into their mouths to begin with…being cats of course…and the dogs? Well Grace tolerated it for a VERY short period of time. Benson, being a big scaredy cat as any of you who read that post know, was of course scared of the toothbrush and would high tail it to the door as soon as he saw it!

According to the AAHA, most dogs and cats will have some sort of dental issues by the age of THREE! I noticed with Grace that she started getting plaque buildup right when her adult teeth came in. So I knew I had to do something about it sooner rather than later!

Early Signs of Dental Disease

Signs of dental disease in dogs and cats tends to show up early in their lives, and can include tartar buildup, bad breath and red swollen gums. If it is not treated, it can lead to chronic pain and inflammation. Dental treatment at the vet is not fun for anyone (not to mention expensive!) so early treatment is the key here!

Signs to Watch For

Pets are EXPERTS at hiding pain so you may not realize that something is amiss! Also, dental disease may not be apparent by simply looking at your animal’s teeth as it can be hidden under the gums. Signs to watch for can include decreased appetite, lethargy or irritability.

With Gizmo, I noticed that he wasn’t coming to eat his food which he usually would yowl for! So off to the vet. And they found that his front teeth were broken off, had gotten impacted in his gums and caused infection requiring his front teeth to be removed!

Bubbles had an interesting situation as well…She had just come back to live with me so I did not know what her normal behaviour was and had no idea that anything was wrong. She was a bit of a cranky cat which I attributed to the adjustment from being an outdoor cat to an indoor cat. When I took her to the vet for her annual checkup they found that she had tooth resorption. This is a condition where the tooth starts to erode and be reabsorbed by the body!

This is actually quite a common condition in cats surprisingly, causing her a lot of pain. The vet removed that tooth and she was a different cat all of a sudden!! Much more friendly and loving. As this condition can reoccur in other teeth, I make sure that she gets to the vet for her annual checkup.

Health Conditions

Dental disease in your pet can end up leading to other health issues. Besides tooth loss, the blood stream can carry bacteria from the gums to your pet’s kidneys, liver and heart which is why proper oral care is so important for our pets!

Prevention

It is recommended that you try to brush your pet’s teeth daily to prevent dental disease. Your pet’s annual vet checkup is also an important step in early detection of dental problems. However, with my experience and the inability to actually brush their teeth I ended up looking to other solutions.

Pet food was the first thing I looked to! My cats and dogs both eat Hills Science Diet Oral Care food. It is a larger kibble designed to clean your pet’s teeth when they bite it. And the best part is that it seems to taste great to my pets! And all other pets as well…I don’t even need to buy any other treats for the dogs, as they will come running for a piece of kibble! And Grace and Benson will pick that kibble out of the bowl before eating their other food! All the dogs at the dog park really like it too and I am frequently asked by other owners what treats I am giving out…

My cats have great teeth when we go in for checkups now. But it still wasn’t quite enough to keep my dog’s teeth entirely clean. I give Grace and Benson frozen marrow bones once a week, which acts to brush and floss your dog’s teeth if there is enough meat and cartilage left on them. The marrow can cause some stomach sensitivities in some dogs however.

Grace and Benson were also getting a dog teeth brushing chew but I found that raw frozen chicken feet are nothing short of amazing! Their teeth at 3.5 years old look perfect! It’s a bit gross to watch them eat them, but hey it works! And it also comes with the added benefit of joint support since they have an abundance of protein, glucosamine and chondroitin.

Brushing their teeth daily is still the best way to clean your pet’s teeth, but I have found that my cats and dogs have good oral health with the steps I have taken above.

What to Avoid

If you are considering bones for your dog, it is important to find the right ones!! They should be raw as smoked and cooked bones can splinter and end up causing other health issues. Also, if they are too hard for your dog they can crack and break their teeth (I have heard of this issue with antler chews).

Size also matters! You want to make sure that you are getting bones that are too large for your pet to swallow. With my beasts this means finding the biggest bones I can!!

Treatment

Treatment of dental disease is done at the vet, and requires general anesthesia. The anesthesia in itself carries its own risks and I try to avoid it. It is also particularly risky to older pets. Nemo had really bizarre teeth and had to have dental cleaning twice and each time it was a nerve wracking process!

Prevention really is the best way to keep your pets happy and healthy! Dental care is an important part of caring for our pets and ensuring that you are taking care of it properly is vital to their overall health.

Be sure to read our other posts for more health tips!

The post How to Care for Your Pet’s Teeth first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

I have been thinking a lot about adding supplements to my dogs’ diet. They are big dogs (Bernese Mountain dogs to be exact!), and are prone to hip and joint issues as well as allergies! While both dogs do have allergies, my poor Gracie girl seems to suffer worse and has had nothing but troubles with her skin the past several months. Red and itchy rashes and some small hot spots! She was also starting to lose her hair around her armpits and belly. And both dogs were chewing their paws a LOT.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Meet Ultimate Oil For Pets

At Ultra Oil they love their pets and are dedicated to improving their wellbeing and overall quality of life with their product! They have made an all natural, human grade non GMO supplement oil for your pet! It is the perfect balance of all the oils that are essential to your pet.

Ingredients

The primary ingredient in Ultra Oil For Pets is cold-pressed hemp seed oil! This method of extraction avoids the use of harsh chemicals and maintains the integrity of the nutritious content and vitamins found in hemp seed oil. The Omega 3, 6, and 9 found in hemp seed oil is great for your dog’s fur, skin and nails!

The next ingredients are flaxseed oil and fish oil. The flaxseed oil is high in Omega-6 and fish oil is Omega-3 rich! Omega-3 is the type of good fat needed for your dog’s body and brain! Grapeseed oil is also added which helps to naturally preserve the oil and acts as an antioxidant! Overall, Ultra Oil For Pets contains all the healthy fats your dog needs!

Benefits

There are a multitude of benefits of using Ultra Oil For Pets! The first thing you will notice is how healthy and shiny your dog’s coat is! Ultra Oil For Pets addresses a multitude of skin and coat issues, including flaky skin, hot spots, allergic breakouts and other skin and coat irritations. It also alleviates itching and scratching!! I know I have experienced a drastic improvement in all these areas in Grace and Benson!

I didn’t realize it at the beginning but Ultra Oil For Pets also addresses joint issues and pain and can result in an increase in energy levels as a result of increased metabolism! This is primarily a result derived from the flaxseed oil and fish oil in addition to the hemp seed oil!

Heart health is another benefit!! Sardine oil has taurine in it, and it needs to be supplemented since cats and most dogs don’t produce it on their own (or produce very little). Taurine deficiency can cause dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), where the chambers of the heart get enlarged and there can be thinning of the heart muscle! This can ultimately lead to a pet’s death, so it is a vital part of their diet.

Ultra Oil for Pets can also lower LDL cholesterol levels, help with organ function, boost immunity levels and reduce shedding!

My Experience

When the package came, I was really excited! It was packaged really well, with the oil tightly packed into a sturdy box. The container of oil itself was also wrapped in plastic. However, there was still a bit of spillage inside the container. But the company has a a return policy for these types of circumstances which you can find HERE.

The container itself has clear, easy to read instructions on how much to give your dog based on their weight. And the pump for the larger container is a nice feature to help you avoid spills!

The first thing I noticed about Ultra Oil is that there is virtually no smell! And even more importantly my dogs love it! Grace and Benson are grazers with their food and often won’t come to eat right when I feed them. But once I started using Ultra Oil and mixing it in with their supper they will both eat immediately!

Changes

As with any new supplement, the changes take place gradually. I can tell you though that even after the first week my dog’s coat is amazingly shiny and healthy looking! I get a LOT of compliments on the condition of their coat. And with Bernese, there is a lot of coat to keep healthy! You should start noticing changes in your dog’s coat within 4-5 days.

Grace’s skin condition took a while longer to see some changes. Before I started using Ultra Oil, Grace had red spots and small hot spots all over her belly and around her armpits. Lots of them. And they seemed to be incredibly itchy, she was constantly trying to get at it and was really uncomfortable.

I want to put in a word of caution here if your dog has a sensitive stomach. Mine do, so I should have gradually introduced them to the oil…I did not so my dogs had upset stomachs for the first couple days. But they were back to their normal selves in no time! The company actually makes recommendations for dogs with sensitive stomachs (which I should have paid closer attention to!). This includes starting with a half dose and gradually work up to a full dose, or alternatively start with a half dose twice a day to reduce sensitivities and allow your dog to get used to the oil.

Grace

I noticed that within a couple weeks the redness was dramatically improved! The worst spots still seemed a bit red, but Grace wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable! According to the company, it can take as many as 3-4 weeks to see improvements on these red areas and hot spots. But I was seeing it much quicker than that!

After waiting the full 5 weeks, I am pleased to report that Grace doesn’t seem to have a single red spot or hot spot left! She is a much happier dog!!! I expected some improvement but I was really pleasantly surprised that her skin cleared up entirely! She had some dandruff as well…GONE! She can also smell pretty bad at times with her allergies, but I noticed even this improved as her skin cleared up! You can see the full progression over time in the pictures below, including new hair growth!

And I’m not sure if it is directly related to the use of Ultra Oil or not, but she had a fatty lump on her back that seems to have completely disappeared as well! I have been keeping a close eye on it to make sure it was not increasing in size…and I can’t find it at all now!! I also noticed an improvement in her hips. She would struggle at times to get up, but since using Ultra Oil I haven’t noticed this at all recently!

Benson

Benson didn’t have the same skin issues as Grace did but was still chewing his paws almost incessantly. To the point where he was wearing the hair off them and I was worried he was going to get sores. But I haven’t seen him go after his paws now for several weeks!

And have I mentioned how shiny he is?? His coat is simply stunning since using Ultra Oil!

In Conclusion

Overall, I am very satisfied with Ultra Oil For Pets! Grace and Benson’s coats are healthy and shiny, their skin looks great and they love it! Benson in particular can be a bit of a fussy eater and gets turned off his food super fast. But that has not been the case since using Ultra Oil! If you are looking for a product to help with any of these issues, I would definitely give consideration to Ultra Oil For Pets. You can visit their webpage HERE, or purchase their product directly from their webpage HERE!

The post The Amazing Benefits Of Ultra Oil For Pets first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

And is it just me or do you feel some sort of guilt if you skip a walk and your dog is looking forlornly out the window or at their leash? I know when I’m in my office working and can’t get out with them, they will sit out in the hallway and just look miserable…Benson will occasionally start grunting and whining…

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Factors To Take Into Consideration

Breed and Size

First things first. The size and breed of your dog are going to determine their individual exercise needs. You can learn more about picking the right breed of dog for you HERE! Don’t get me wrong though, there are exceptions with every breed!! There is one super high energy Bernese in my neighborhood…He gets walked four times by lunch…Definitely NOT typical!

But don’t let the size of a dog fool you either! My bears are HUGE and, well, relatively low energy dogs. They have their moments, but after an hour walk they sleep for about six hours! And I have seen tiny dogs that just. dont. stop.

Age

Age is also a factor to take into consideration when determine how much exercise they need! Puppies play a lot, and sleep a lot! But really young puppies should not be walked for long distances or periods of time. And when dogs get into their senior years their exercise needs can change again. Be sure to be mindful of your dog’s stage in their life cycle when you look at exercise.

But in general, most dogs need at least 30-60 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy (and out of trouble!). Keep reading to find the signs your dog may need more exercise and ways to increase their physical activity level!

What To Look For

Body Condition

Your dog’s body condition is the first thing you need to look at to see if enough exercise is being had! I know that it can be tough since you are seeing your dog all the time and you might not necessarily see these changes immediately!

But it’s important to step back and really take a look at your dog. Can you see a clearly defined waist? Well, it can be tough with mine because there’s just SO MUCH HAIR!!! So I tend to go more by feel. You should be able to easily feel your dog’s ribs without putting too much pressure on them.

You can check out the American chart on assessing your dog’s body condition score HERE!

Destructive Behavior

Dogs that aren’t getting enough exercise may start acting out in other ways to try to deal with the excess energy they have! They may just decide that pillow over there looks ripe to be gutted…Or that baseboard over there looks like it simply must be chewed!

You may think that your dog is just misbehaving. But they really may need to be exercised more so they don’t start looking for other outlets for their energy! And I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather go for an extra spin around the block (which is good for me too!) rather than chase and yell at my dogs all day for causing trouble around the house…I’m noticing even with the colder days the walks are a little shorter and they are acting out a little more than usual…Guess I need to bust out the snowsuit.

Barking

Does your dog sit and look out the window and bark at EVERYTHING? Or at every little noise they hear? This can be another clue that they aren’t getting enough exercise to be too tired to bark at nonsense!

Benson was driving me a bit batty today before his walk, standing at the door and not stopping for anything I was doing! I finally went downstairs to investigate and discovered a squirrel taunting him on the front porch. Ok, I have to give him that one!

There’s a good chance that your dog will be tired and sleepy if they are exercised enough and not bother barking at trivialities. Another great reason to get that leash out!

Depression

Do you have a dog that just lies around all day? Either asleep or moping? Sometimes if my dogs haven’t been outside yet they will curl up in a ball and just stare at me…And I feel horribly guilty for whatever reason we haven’t been out! Grace is the master of this move.

Restlessness

This. This is classic Benson!!! I’d be rich if I had a quarter for every time he begs to be let in and out over the course of the day. Pretty much flat out refusing to believe his dog door exists because he’s figured out that if he makes enough noise at the back door I have no choice but to stop what I’m doing, give him some attention and open the door!

The dogs also knows when walk time is getting close because they will start pacing back and forth through the house! So if your dog is constantly on the prowl it may be a sign that they need to get out and stretch their legs a bit!

Rough Play

Another Benson move! At walk time when I grab the harnesses, he will jump right on top of Grace and get super rough with her, which usually results in some sort of a yelp. Followed by Grace turning around and defending herself and a full out wrestling match at the front door! With me in the middle in a tangle of leashes…

Dogs that haven’t been exercised enough may end up playing rougher than they otherwise might. Which can result in injuries which no one wants to deal with.

What You Can Do

More Walks!

You had to know this was coming! If you have the time and your dog is able to, get out for a longer walk than typical. Explore a new area or head over to a park that is a little further away! If your dog is unable to walk longer distance or there are time constraints, what about more frequent walks of shorter duration?

If Grace and Benson are needing more, I try to get them out for an extra walk before bed. I think they really are just trying to drag me out now that the weather is cooler and they are enjoying it that much more!

Maybe try getting a buddy system, and get out walking regularly with a friend and their dog! If walking your dog more frequently yourself isn’t an option, there are many great dog walking options out there such as a dog walker for either a solo or group walk.

Fetch and Tug

Walking isn’t the only way to increase your dog’s exercise level! Taking a ball over to a park (off-leash permitted of course) and throwing it will be a good amount of exercise for your dog! Or even just in your backyard if your dog is an avid catch fan. Mine, sadly, are not. They will maybe go after the ball all of once and stop.

Tug is another great option that doesn’t require a lot of space! Although it can be quite tiring for you as well, particularly if you have bigger and stronger dogs!

Grace and Benson both like to get in the action at the same time, which leaves me out of breath and exhausted after some good tugging! I really think they take it easy on me though because they are enjoying the game. Or I’d probably find myself getting dragged all over the house…

Enrichment

Enrichment is another great way to tire out your dog if weight loss isn’t a goal. Snuffle mats, puzzle balls and puzzle toys are all great way to keep your dog mentally stimulated, which is often just as tiring for your dog!

Or maybe look at doing some new training. Both my dogs are absolutely exhausted after learning or practicing something new! If you have the time and think your dog might enjoy it, you can also check out some agility classes which exercise both their mind and body!

Go To The Dog Park

While you stand around, your dog will likely be running back and forth and playing with other dogs! The dog park can be a great way for your dog to get more exercise. They also get to mingle with other puppy pals! There are definitely things that you need to know to make it a safe experience. You can learn more on how to make a trip to the dog park safe and successful HERE!

Doggy Day Camp

A doggy day camp can be a great way to increase your dog’s activity levels! There are so many options available, so be sure to find the one that suits your dog best. I have found a great outdoor day camp that picks your dog up at your house in the morning, drives them out to a fully fenced property in the country and they spend the day out hiking the trails and running through the forest! They get home filthy, happy and extremely tired!

I try to do this with them at least once a week, but since it is a full day I don’t do it more than 2x a week and overdo it with them. They usually sleep a good portion of the next day as well…

Dog Agility Equipment

If you have the space for it why not consider looking into getting some dog agility equipment? You can set it up different ways to challenge your dog, and it uses their brain as well as getting in some more exercise! I mentioned above taking some agility training courses, but if that is not an option for you why not get some equipment and do it yourself!

Word of Caution

Like any new fitness routine for us people, don’t just throw your dog into a much more aggressive exercise routine since it can result in injuries. Particularly if your dog hasn’t been getting enough regular exercise and is overweight. Gradually increase the level of activity and keep an eye on your dog for signs that they’ve had enough for the day. Also be sure to consult with your vet.

In Conclusion

With so many options available to help your dog get more exercise, there is sure to be something that’s suitable for you and your pet! You will notice changes such as weight loss as well as a happier and calmer dog!

If you want to track exactly how much activity your dog is getting there now many dog activity trackers on the market as well! I would love to get one of these to see how much exercise my dogs are getting when they go out of town on their little day trips! But they can help you learn where you need to adjust and to what level to keep your dog at their healthiest and happiest!

Do you have a favorite type of exercise activity that I haven’t included on the list? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

The post Is Your Dog Getting Enough Exercise? first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

What Is A Wellness Check?

A wellness check for your cat and dog is an assessment of their overall health. It should be done at least annually. It may also be done more frequently for pets with ongoing health issues. Pets that are starting to get on in their years may need more frequent visits as well. You will notice it can include a complete physical checkup as well as bloodwork, stool samples and urinalysis. It was at one of these visits that my vet found an issue with Bubbles and her teeth. I hadn’t noticed and it would have been extremely painful!

Your vet should also have records on what vaccinations are needed. This is a great time to also bring up any health issues or questions you might have about your cat or dog!

Physical Examination

A nose-to-tail physical examination is performed by your vet at a wellness check. The first thing my vet does is get a weight for my pets. They will compare it to previous years to determine if they are at a healthy weight! My cats were on the heavy side while we lived in the condo. But since moving to the house they have a lot more room to romp and are now maintaining a healthy weight!

Your vet will also check your pet’s ears, eyes, and teeth. Getting their temperature taken is never a comfortable experience but it must be done! Then my vet will feel their bellies to make sure all is in order. My cats HATE this part almost as much as getting their temperature taken! Your vet will also use a stethoscope to listen to their heart and lungs to make sure all is in order.

Blood Samples

I have found that my vet doesn’t typically ask for a blood sample at a wellness check when they are in their younger years. However, this year Bubbles is hitting 9 years old and Miesha 7 years old. So my vet suggested a blood test to start ruling out illnesses that come with age. It came with the realization that my cats are starting to get on in their years and need extra care and attention at this age! Made me a bit sad to be honest too…

Besides finding things like anemia or other issues, your vet can use a blood test for heartworm. My vet will ask to do a heartworm test before prescribing annual heartworm prevention medication.

Stool Samples

Generally I have found that my vet has only asked me for a stool sample at the very first vet visit after my dogs and cats have come home. Stool samples are used to rule out any parasites that they might unknowingly bring into your home! The cats are easy because I can just pop down to the kitty litter box and grab one. With the dogs…they are BIG and their poops match the size so I hate digging into a fresh pile with that little spoon and getting it into the container…

If your vet doesn’t ask for this at your wellness check, they will ask you how their poops are. If they are on the runny side or there have been issues be sure to point it out. This may be where they ask to obtain a sample to rule out giardia or other parasites.

Urinalysis

While some vets may ask for this, I haven’t been asked to provide urine at a regular wellness check. With cats, it may be asked if your cat is having trouble urinating or you notice blood in their urine. Your vet will want to rule out crystals or a urinary tract infection. Often you won’t be able to tell though if your cat is having issues in this area. They are masters of hiding pain. The biggest sign could be peeing outside their litter box – you can read more on what to look for if they are peeing around the house HERE.

It is much more likely that you notice issues with your dog while out on walks with them. If you notice your dog seems to be having painful pees or you see blood in it, call your vet for an appointment asap!

Vaccinations

Your cat and dog’s annual wellness check will likely be done when your pet is due for their vaccinations. After the initial series of shots for puppies and kittens, your pet will need vaccinations on a regular schedule. Core shots include rabies, parvovirus and distemper. Some, like rabies, may be three year shots while others may be done annually. You can find out what vaccinations are due when on Pets WebMDs post HERE.

It is also likely that your vet will discuss non-core vaccines. These include Lyme, Bordetella (kennel cough), leptospirosis and influenza. They will go over the benefits and risks associated with each. Then it is up to you whether or not to get your pet vaccinated for these.

Discussion

Your vet will discuss their findings with you at your pet’s annual wellness visit. If they notice any concerns they address them with you and go over the appropriate course of action. I always dread when it’s time to take the cats in. Especially with Whiskers and his sixth sense that it’s happening…You can read more on why I hate taking Whiskers to the vet HERE! The dogs are a breeze though since for some reason the LOVE a vet visit!

But I know that it is important part of being a responsible pet owner and that it is part of improving their overall level of wellbeing! So when that reminder card comes in the mail, I make sure to book all my appointments!

If you have any stories to share about visits to your vet let us know in the comments below!

The post Why Regular Vet Visits Are Important For Your Cat and Dog first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

Grace loves the water and to swim. But Lake Ontario has an exceptional quality of green algae a good part of the summer and can be less than optimal to swim in. I can’t keep that dog out of it. So the smell actually intensifies for a good several hours while she is drying out.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Getting To The Bottom of It

With Grace, her seasonal allergies ensure that we can’t do much about the smell coming off her most of the summer. She gets an allergy shot and it does seem to help. For a short bit anyways. But the inevitable day comes when someone at the dog parks comments “Your dog STINKS!” and I know it’s time to go back for another one.

Besides allergies, there can be many reasons why your dog might smell more than is typical. It is worth trying to find out exactly what the cause is behind it so that you can work to reduce it. The last thing you want is someone walking in a room with your dog and not being able to stand the smell of it.

Allergies

I touched on it a bit above, but allergies can be one of the culprits behind the foul smell emanating from your dog…and the dog bed…and the couch…and the carpets…anything they touch or sleep on.

Allergies, whether seasonal or food related, can cause excessive oil secretion on the skin. Voila, stink due to buildup of bacteria and yeast on the skin. Your vet can help you determine if allergies are an issue with your dog. Grace gets a shot, Benson a Reactine when he needs one. I have also switched their food to a different protein with healthy grains in case food was contributing to their allergies.

You can read more on our experiences with allergies, including symptoms and causes, by reading our post on it HERE.

Ear Infections

Did you know that ear infections can actually lead to your dog smelling less than fresh? This can go hand-in-hand with allergies as well. We have had no shortage of experiences with ear infections in our house as well. However, I attribute much of this back to the allergies we discovered.

If your dog has an ear infection, they will typically exhibit symptoms such as excessive ear scratching and head shaking. They may also appear to be in pain and could be tilting their head to the side. You may notice excessive dark discharge in their ears and redness/swelling.

If you think that your dog may have an ear infection call your vet as soon as possible. Leaving ear infections untreated can lead to serious implications for your dog.

Anal Glands

Ok, who was waiting for this one??? I had a dog growing up, Mack, who ALWAYS seemed to have problems expressing his anal glands and they would get impacted. And guess who was the one who had to express them for him and follow him around with paper towels soaked in Epsom salts to hold on his bottom…

These are glands used for marking and are usually expressed naturally when your dog has a bowel movement. However, if they aren’t being expressed naturally and become impacted it can become painful and STINKY. You may notice your dog dragging their bums across your new rug or clean floor…

Many groomers will express the anal glands as part of their service. But if you notice a problem in this area, it is important to make that phone call to your vet.

Dental Issues

Dental disease can lead to odors as well. Keeping your dog’s teeth clean is a very important part of their overall care. I know I can’t get a toothbrush near Grace and Benson’s mouth though. So I learned other ways to care for their teeth. For more on tips to keep your dog’s teeth pearly white and plaque free read HERE.

You should pay attention to what is going on in your dog’s mouth since dental issues don’t tend to have any early warning signs. By the time you notice the smell it can be because the dental disease has moved to an advanced stage. You can read more on halitosis and dental disease in dogs on the VCA’s webpage HERE.

Gas

I have been fairly lucky with my dogs so far in this regard. When Grace first came home she could clear a room though with one of those silent but deadly stinkers coming out her bottom. As she adjusted to her new environment this eventually just went away. Benson on the other hand can still let the occasional killer fart loose…My little pug Nemo would fart loudly then spin around trying to see where it came from!

Check your dog’s diet if they have excessive flatulence. Make sure they are getting high quality proteins and grains, and avoid fillers and excessive carbs. If you are going to attempt to switch food, do it slowly to avoid further problems and diarrhea. We also use probiotics regularly in our house and yogurt for a treat for better gut health.

Next Steps

So you have figured out what is behind that rotten smell that may or may not make you vacate the premises. From that point you should have a pretty good idea what the next steps are to make your dog smell better. But there are also some things that you can look to do regularly to improve your dog’s overall level of hygiene.

Regular Baths

This one should be a no brainer, but a regular bath can help your dog smell better! There are some GREAT smelling shampoos out there, and you will go from avoiding your dog to snuggling nonstop in that clean smelling fur!

Avoid bathing your dog excessively, however. If you have addressed the underlying cause of the stench you shouldn’t need to bathe your dog more than once every three months. Bathing your dog more than this can cause their skin to actually dry out and you have created yourself a whole new problem to deal with.

Doggy Deodorant

I have a spray bottle that I use to concoct my own little doggy deodorant in for days that my dogs may smell a bit more pungent. You can mix a few drops of essential oil with warm water, such as lavender oil. Be careful with what oils you use though as many can be toxic to your dog. Find out what is safe for your dog and what isn’t by reading 24PetWatch’s post here.

Rubbing DRY baking soda or corn starch into your dog’s fur can also act as a natural deodorant. Don’t do it wet…just don’t…or it will cake into their fur like glue and you’ll need to bust out your trusty clippers to deal with it.

Drying Thoroughly

Drying your dog thoroughly after a bath, swim or rainy walk will help to reduce the odor they are giving off. This will also reduce the risk of skin infections and yeast buildup as well as hot spots.

We do the best we can with our pups, but given how THICK their fur is it can take hours to dry them out completely. And since I don’t have an industrial sized blow dryer we use mine until the dogs simply lose patience with sitting there. A bath usually results in every towel in the house needing to be washed!

Good Diet

I have already touched on it a few times above, but a good diet can go a long way. A poor diet can lead to skin, ear and digestive issues. Check the ingredient list carefully and speak with your vet to address any concerns that you may have with your dog’s diet.

After much consideration, I am feeding my dogs Acana. They have a wide variety of proteins available, as well as healthy grain and grain free options. Currently I have them on the Red Meat Healthy Grain recipe and they have been doing really well since making the switch!

Regular Brushing

Besides leaving your dog looking runway ready, a good brushing helps to distribute the oils in their coat and can avoid oil buildups in certain areas. It also helps with your housework since a lot of that loose fur will come off on the brush instead of building into some monster sized hairballs lurking around the corner.

So you should now be armed with what you need to know to get out there and show off your pup without having all the other people around you cringe and move away due to the smell! I do have to work rather diligently with Grace at this time of the year but it’s important that we know the underlying causes behind your dog’s smell.

Have any other tips or feedback on keeping your dog smelling like a bed of roses? Leave us a comment below!

The post Why Does My Dog Smell So Bad? first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

What Is CBD Oil For Dogs?

CBD oil is an oil extracted from hemp or cannabis. The CBD is extracted from the plant and diluted with a carrier oil. Generally the carrier oil used is coconut or hemp seed oil. There is little or no THC in CBD oil so you don’t have to worry about your puppy having any mind altering experiences with it!

There is no real difference between CBD oil for people and dogs, except the potency and dosage used for dogs is different. Other ingredients such as supplements or flavors my also be added, such as cod or liver oil (which also provide health benefits!). The labelling may also be different.

What Does CBD Oil Treat?

It is surprising how many conditions can be treated with CBD oil! There are also more studies now being done to assess the effectiveness of treatment with CBD oil.

Forbes did a write up on a study done by Baylor College of Medicine that did research on osteoarthritis in dogs. You can read more on the study done here. But the research showed that a dramatic improvement in quality of life occurred in the dogs who had taken larger doses of CBD oil in only one month! And the results continued to improve even beyond the initial first month.

CBD oil has also been shown to decrease seizures in dogs. Another study found that dogs taking CBD oil had a significant reduction in the frequency of seizures. You can read more on the study in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association here.

And although there have not yet been a lot of studies to back the use of CBD oil for treating dogs, many more are being done so watch for updates in this evolving space!

Other conditions CBD oil is thought to help with include:

• Improvement in overall health
• Appetite stimulant and suppression of nausea
• Reduction in anxiety and depression
• Cancer and tumor treatment
• Lowering of blood sugar levels
• Increase in cognitive function
• Pain relief
• Heart health
• Muscle repair improvement
• Improvement in circulation

Is CBD Oil Legal?

The legality of CBD oil really depends on where you live. In Canada, CBD oil derived from hemp is approved for specific animals, but is not approved if derived from cannabis. For more information on what veterinarians are allowed to prescribe and discuss please refer to The College of Veterinarians of Ontario’s article here.

In the United States it becomes much more complicated. CBD oil derived from cannabis is not legal at the federal level but may be legal at the local level. And oil derived from hemp may not be legal in some states but is legal at the federal level! And with the environment surrounding the legality changing rapidly, it is best to check locally and check often.

Is CBD Oil Safe For Your Pet?

When used properly, CBD oil can be a safe and holistic approach to treat your pet. It is important to find one free of THC or with very low levels of it as THC is toxic for your pet. Also, please have a conversation with your vet before deciding to use CBD oil to treat your dog. Depending on where you live and the legal state of CBD oil there may be limitations as to what your vet can discuss.

Very few side effects have been noted so far but more research still needs to be done. In the Forbes article above they noted that in some cases it can cause an elevation in alkaline phosphatase, a liver value, but not enough to affect the overall health of the dog. Vomiting, diarrhea and nasal discharge has also been noted but it has not been definitively linked back to the use of CBD oil. In general, it is thought to be a safe treatment option.

What To Look For When Choosing CBD Oil

There are certain things to look for when choosing the right CBD oil for your dog (or cat!). Since THC is toxic to pets, make sure that you find one with very low THC. Or better yet, none at all!

You will also want to make sure you find one that has been verified by an independent third party. Otherwise there may be inconsistencies in the dose and efficacy since it is not regulated.

There are many extraction methods as well, including CO2, liquid extraction using ethanol or butane, oil extraction, winterization and distillation. For the safest product for Fifi look for ones that are extracted with CO2. The other methods could leave impurities in the oil which may not be safe for your pet.

Check to ensure that the CBD oil is derived from hemp, and from the whole product not just the seeds. Hemp seed oil does not contain any CBD! And an organic option if available.

Overall, although much more research is still being done it appears that CBD oil is a safe option for your pet! However, please ensure that you check with your vet to discuss this and proper dosage for your pet before beginning any new treatment. With my bears, they are prone to joint and hip problems due to their size. If we run into problems down the road this is an option I definitely have interest in considering!

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The post CBD Oil For Dogs: What You Need To Know first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

Even with regular cleaning and attention, my dogs just seem prone to ear infections! This makes it even more important to stay on top of their ear health, as ear infections are an extremely unpleasant and painful experience for our pets. Both Grace and Benson are on medication for infection right now, and it just about breaks my heart to see them so uncomfortable.

My dogs are also quite large, and I have learned some tips when it comes time to clean their ears! Most dogs don’t like it, and mine are no exception…early days had me running after them and trying to corner and pin them with the big bottle of ear cleaner in hand! But I have learned some tips since then!

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Step 1 – A Calm Dog

I try to clean my dog’s ears 1-2x a week. Your vet can help you determine an appropriate schedule for your dog. As I mentioned above, it used to be a cacophony of dogs running frantic with me on the chase! It really stressed them out though, and I thought there MUST be a better way to do this! What I do now is take them for a big walk to tire them out and then when we get home and they fall asleep I get ready for it…

Step 2 – Prepare

When they are slumbering I get out the bottle so they don’t see it and go into flight mode! I have two smaller ear droppers and I measure out the dosage of cleaner ahead of time and set it in a spot where I can easily grab it when the opportunity arises! My dogs have learned to recognize the ear cleaning bottle and it stresses them out pretty much immediately, so by having everything ready to go and set aside it becomes more of a sneak attack…And the droppers are small enough that I can hide them in my palm so they don’t see them…And be sure to have cotton balls or tissues on hand as well.

Step 3 – Wait

Typically I now wait until they are very sleepy! And when they are slumbering I will grab the droppers and get down on the floor with them and give them a big head and ear rub so that I am already handling their ears and they don’t freak out.

Step 4 – Lift Ears and Administer Drops

Waiting until they are fully relaxed and letting you handle their ears is when I strike! I rub their head and ears so that they are used to me being around that area already. I palm the droppers and administer their drops with little fuss at this point. They seem to realize that it isn’t that big of a deal and will generally let me do the other side relatively easily.

Step 5 – Massage

This is important when cleaning your dog’s ears or administering medication! A dog’s ear canal is long and narrow, L-shaped. You need to make sure that the drops are getting into the horizontal part of the ear canal, which is where the massage comes in. I massage my dog’s ears for 20-30 seconds, rubbing in front and behind the ears at the base to make sure it really gets in there. This also helps to soften and remove any wax and debris that might be in their ears. It also helps to ensure that any medication has a chance to coat all parts of the ear. Grace in particular LOVES this part! What dog wouldn’t love a good head and ear massage and rub?!? Well, maybe Benson at times…

Step 6 – Shake!!

Now that the medication and cleaner has been able to get into the deeper part of the ear and do it’s work, let your dog give their head a good vigorous shake! This helps to clear the wax and debris from the ears. You may want to get out of the way for this step…

Step 7 – Dry

Using a cotton ball or tissue, gently dry any excess liquid or material that may still be on the dog’s ears. Wipe away from the ear canal to keep any materials from going back inside.

What Not To Do

Cleaning my dog’s ears used to be a bit of a nightmare in our house! And with two dogs, once one got a whiff of what was going on with the other one, they would make themselves scarce! Waiting until your dog is calm helps the whole process go smoother and your dog will soon realize that it doesn’t need to be a stressful experience! Of course, lots of treats during and after help as well…Mine know they are in for the good stuff after their ears are done!

DO NOT use cotton swabs! This can damage or rupture their eardrums and can also push a foreign object or wax buildup further into the ear canal, causing further problems. Instead, use a cotton swab or wipe.

Also, if you suspect that your dog has an ear infection do not clean their ears before their vet appointment! Allow your vet to diagnose, clean (or flush if necessary) and treat your dog’s ears and they will provide you with further instructions on their care for when they return home.

If your dog has hairy ears, consult with your vet on whether hair removal is an option for you BEFORE removing any! It can be a very uncomfortable experience for your pet and may need to be done under sedation so it is important to find out if it should be considered for your pet first.

Most importantly, if you notice anything out of the ordinary when cleaning and checking your dog’s ears (odor, discharge, redness, etc. Find out more on ear infections here) do not wait before consulting with your vet! The last thing you want is for any infection or object moving further into the ear canal as it can result in deafness or facial paralysis.

Materials To Have On Hand

Some of the essentials to have on hand for ear care can be found at Chewy and include:

• Medicated ear cleaner
• Ear Droppers
• Wipes
• Cotton balls
• Tissues

Canadian Options:

Don’t forget to give your dog plenty of treats and praise during ear cleaning! A stressful experience makes it that much more difficult the next time around…

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The post How To Clean Your Dog’s Ears first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

When they did the tests, Benson came back with a yeast infection! More drops! We had quite the schedule of drops, since they were on different medications at different intervals! According to the AKC, up to 20% of dogs develop some form of ear disease which is why it is important for dog owners to be aware of the symptoms and treatment of ear infection.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Types of Ear Infection

The most common type of ear infection is outer ear infection, otitis externa. This is when there is inflammation in the layers of cells in the external part of the ear canal and can infect either one or both of the ears. With Grace it was one ear, and in my poor boy Benny it was in both ears. Of course, Benson fights with his full body weight after I manage to corner him…great experience for us all around and I am grateful if I only end up with a few bruises…

If you have had any experience with ear infections, you know that they can come on FAST! It seems like one minute they are fine, and the next minute they are scratching and in a great deal of pain and discomfort. And it can get progressively worse leading to the infection leading further into the ear canal. The middle ear is just behind the eardrum (otitis media) and the inner ear are where the ear brain meet (otitis interna). If an ear infection is left untreated and moves deeper into the ear canal it understandably becomes much more serious and difficult to treat.

Keeping this in mind, it is very important to get your pet to a vet for testing and a proper diagnosis as soon as you see signs of an ear infection!

Symptoms

As soon as I notice one of my dogs shaking their head, I am on high alert! After the experience when they were puppies they are a lot more sensitive when I start lifting their ears to take a look around so I try to work it into a nice head rub so they don’t freak out and run away! They weigh considerably more now than they did last year (each one individually weighs more than I do!) and corralling them is no easy feat! If I am too obvious in my attempts to get into their ears, Benson will IMMEDIATELY run as far away from me as he can, head down, wounded look in his eyes.

Symptoms to watch for include:

• Head shaking
• Scratching/itchy ears
• Redness and/or swelling in ears
• Discharge (black or yellow)
• Unpleasant odor
• Sensitivity to being touched or petted around ears
• Head tilt
• Scaly skin/scabs
• Ears feel warmer than usual
• Irritability or tiredness

Also, if your pet has chronic or recurring infections you may notice their ears are scaly or their ear canals can appear thickened.

If it is a severe infection and the ear drum has ruptured you may notice that your dog is having difficulty standing or walking in a straight line as the ears affect balance, and they may lose their appetite. This can cause very serious side effects including permanent hearing loss and facial paralysis.

Causes

With Grace, the likely suspect for her bacterial ear infection was dirty lake water. The vet even said to me “I see we have been swimming in the lake recently”. I had not even thought to check the water quality before they went in the lake but now I know to check, and if there is a low quality day we find other places to go for our walks! I check her ears when we get home and dry them out if they have water in them. Besides ear and skin infection, if your dog drinks the lake water (like mine do) it can cause digestive upset and either dirty floors or constant trips to the yard…Ok, back to ears!

Dog’s ear canals are much deeper than ours are, which enables them to hear much better than us! But unfortunately their long, narrow ear canal can put them at higher risk for ear problems, particularly in floppy eared dogs (mine…) as it encourages a moisture buildup. And unlike our ears, dog’s ear canals are L-shaped, which means that moisture and bacteria can get trapped in the horizontal canal easier than it can in humans making it a common infection in dogs.

Causes for ear infection are as follows:

• Moisture buildup leading to yeast
• Bacteria
• Allergies
• Mites
• Foreign object
• Tumor
• Polyps
• Wax buildup/plug
• Dead skin buildup
• Injury
• Excessive cleaning
• Auto-immune disorders

Allergies have been shown to be the underlying cause for up to 75% of all cases of ear infection (Paterson, 2002)! This is why I cringed when Benson was diagnosed with seasonal allergies…He has been shaking his head but not excessively and I have been making sure to keep on top of them! When I get his ear cleaner out he will give me a wary side eye and watch my every move!

I have started putting a few drops in two ear droppers and then walk away from it for a while until he is calm and lying down. Even then if I start scratching around his ears and flipping them up he looks to make sure I have nothing in my hands and that both are in sight! But I manage to catch him and get the drops in there…without too much drama anyways! I have him on allergy medication as well and I noticed that the head shaking is at a minimum for now but I am keeping a close eye on him.

Prevention

Prevention is KEY in keeping your dog from getting an ear infection! You should make sure that your dog’s ears are clean and set a schedule to clean them 1-2x a week. I use a medicated ear cleaner that does a relatively good job at clearing out the wax and debris without having to go into the ear canal. Massaging their ears for 20 to 30 seconds after the drops are applied softens and removes debris which they can then clear when they shake their ears after their massage is done.

With Grace, she will sit there in ecstasy during the massage part as I imagine she thinks it feels pretty good! I have a harder time with Benson though because as soon as the drops go in he tries to take off! But I think he ends up realizing that the hard part is already over because he generally lets me do it!

Bathing and swimming can introduce water into your dog’s ears which can lead to infection. Try to keep your dog’s ears dry during a bath, and dry their ears after swimming! You should also clean your dog’s ears after a dip in the lake. There are drying agents that you can also buy to aid with this.

Dogs with hairy ears are more prone to ear infections, but check with your vet to see if hair removal is appropriate before removing it.

Treatment

Treatment types differ depending on what is causing the ear infection, and your vet will prescribe the appropriate treatment. For many cases it will be some sort of an ear drop (topical application) containing antimicrobials or antibiotics. They may also contain corticosteroids which can speed up the time to clear up the symptoms. If the cause was mites they may also send you home with antiparasitic drugs. For chronic and long lasting cases, your pet may need oral medication or an injection.

Your pet’s ears should be clean and dry before giving them drops, as wax and foreign bodies can inactivate the medication! Your vet will already have given them a good clean at the time of diagnosis but something to keep in mind when you are giving your dog their medication at home. After treatment be sure to use a cotton ball or wipe to dry any excess from your dog’s ears.

Topical medication works by providing your dog’s ear with a thin coating. Time for treatment varies and depends on the severity of the infection but typically clears up within 2-4 weeks. A chronic infection could take several months or never end up fully clearing up. Your vet will likely want to schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure that the infection has cleared.

Foreign objects will need to be removed from a dog’s ear, and your vet will also want to check to see if a tumor or polyp is blocking the ear canal leading to moisture and bacteria buildup. Do not try to remove the foreign object yourself or clean your dog’s ears before your appointment as it can end up pushing the object further into the ear canal!

Allergies were determined to be behind the cause of Benson’s recent ear sensitivities (you can read more on pet allergies here). Your vet can prescribe the proper medication to prevent future ear infections, and with Benny boy the head shaking has almost completely stopped since he started taking his! If your vet suspects that an underlying cause is the reason behind your dog’s ear infection, the underlying cause will need to be addressed to limit the likelihood of future ear infections.

If some sort of a wax or dead skin buildup is the cause, your vet will clean and flush your pet’s ears to remove it. This may need to be done under sedation if your dog will not allow your vet to do this easily.

While keeping your pet’s ears clean is important, it is just as important not to overdo it! If you are excessively or roughly cleaning your dog’s ears it can also be the trigger behind an ear infection, so if this ends up being the case speak with your vet about an appropriate schedule you can stick to!

Dog Breeds

Certain dog breeds are more prone to ear infection than others! This includes breeds of dog with large and floppy ears, hairy ears and breeds prone to allergies.

Some of the dog breeds on this list include:

• Retrievers
• Cocker Spaniels
• German Shepherds
• Boxers
• West Highland Terriers
• Pit Bulls
• Poodles
• Shar-peis
• Old English Bulldogs

Any dog can get an ear infection if the conditions are right (or wrong…). Keeping your dog’s ears clean is a good start, but you should make sure to keep an eye on your dog’s ears and notice if there are any unusual changes. It is very important to get your pup to the vet as soon as you can so that you can start treatment as quickly as possible and prevent the infection from getting worse.

I actually just hung up the phone with our vet. Grace has been shaking her head with increasing frequency throughout the day…She’s also irritable with her little brother (much more than her usual self anyways!) so I thought it was best to get her in to get checked out…I guess swims are off the table for the next couple of weeks, sorry girl!

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The post What You Need To Know About Ear Infections In Dogs first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

Incessant Itching and Chewing

The weather has really warmed up over the last month, and Benson started to blow out his undercoat. There were clumps of it just flying off him and coming off on my hands when I would pet him! I have an undercoat rake and put it to good use, getting enough hair off with each brushing to fill a garbage bag! Seriously, where does it all come from???

I noticed that around the same time Benson started blowing his coat that he was scratching his sides and his chest CONSTANTLY. He was also chewing his legs quite a bit. And then he started scratching his muzzle with his front paws. He was in a lot of discomfort. I wondered if it could be due to the dead undercoat, and if I wasn’t getting enough out and it was making him itchy. I started brushing him several times a day and it seemed a bit better, but he was still scratching and chewing himself!

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Vet Visit

Since Benson was due for his annual shots, I made a vet appointment and mentioned his recent behaviour so they could check it out while he was in there. My neighbour had suggested fleas as a possibility but Grace and Benson are on a really good flea and tick medication. But the idea stuck and I found myself constantly flipping them over to look at their bellies for signs they had fleas.

At the vet, when they called me to give me the update while he was inside she said there were no signs of fleas (whew!). She said sometimes even a hitch hiker can cause them a lot of distress! A hitch hiker is a single flea that gets on them and the sensation if they aren’t used to it can cause a lot of discomfort before the medication takes care of them. But no hitch hikers on Benson…

Diagnosis

The vet’s diagnosis was allergies. I can say that I wasn’t overly surprised, since Bernese Mountain dogs are KNOWN for their allergies so I was just waiting for the inevitable to happen. Without an allergy panel, she suggested that I start to treat for seasonal allergies and see if there is any improvement before having to move into the food allergy rabbit hole.

Surprisingly, you can treat seasonal allergies with regular old Reactin! Just the plain Reactin though, nothing that has the extra ingredients. Benadryl is also given to dogs frequently but the vet told me that this should be used for swelling and not for seasonal allergies. If you suspect your dog has seasonal allergies be sure to contact your vet for the best information and amount to get the proper amount to treat your dog with.

Signs of Seasonal Allergies

As I thought Benson had simply been blowing his undercoat, I didn’t give much consideration to the other symptoms of seasonal allergies. Some of the more common symptoms of seasonal allergies are:

• Scratching/itchy skin
• Rubbing their face
• Licking and chewing their paws and legs
• Hair Loss
• Red Skin
• Ear infections
• Skin infections
• Coughing or sneezing
• Runny eyes and nose

Without realizing it, Benson had quite a few of these symptoms! He has not developed an ear infection but has been shaking his head more than usual. He has been prone to ear infections in the past though, so I have medicated ear cleaner for him. But combined with the scratching, chewing and face rubbing it now all makes sense! He has improved with the Reactin which is great since I didn’t want to have to start changing their food.

Food Allergy Symptoms

If seasonal allergies are ruled out, food allergies are the next suspect! Many dogs have food allergies (estimated to be about 10% of dogs) and need specific diets. While some of the symptoms are the same as for seasonal allergies, there can be some other symptoms:

• Itchy skin
• Hives
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Lack of energy or hyperactivity
• Aggression

How Food Allergies Develop

Food allergies take time to develop as the body’s immune system overreacts to certain ingredients in the food and produces antibodies to them. This is why your dog may seem to be fine with a certain type of food for a period of time before you start noticing symptoms of a food allergy. According to Patt Veterinary Hospital, most dogs develop allergies in their second year of life, so Benson definitely falls into that age category!

How To Diagnose A Food Allergy

When my vet was discussing Benson’s allergies with me, she said if we had to go the food route that a trial and error with different food types and proteins would need to be done. In this way we would eliminate all ingredients that Benson has eaten up until now and he would need to eat completely new food. He wouldn’t be allowed to have any treats or supplements during this elimination diet period! Poor Benson, he LIVES for treats and this is usually how I have to convince my beasts to do things! Like when they lie down on the sidewalk on walks and won’t budge for anything else…Or dragging Grace away from sitting on someone’s foot…

Bloodwork can also be done as an option to determine if your dog is allergic to certain foods. It is estimated to be up to 75% accurate in determining your dog’s allergies, and besides food can also be used to test for a variety of seasonal allergies and contact allergies.

Treatment of a Food Allergy

After doing an elimination diet and figuring out what your dog is allergic to, you will likely need to change your dog’s diet. You can find many hypoallergenic foods as well as limited ingredient foods to fit your pet’s needs. I know many people also make their own raw diet so they know exactly what is going into their dog’s meals! This can be a bit of a challenge though as you have to make sure they are still getting all the proper nutrients in their diet and can be quite time consuming.

I am happy to report that Benson has been improving since his vet appointment last week! His scratching and chewing has almost completely stopped! I will be keeping a close eye on him though just in case he starts reacting to his food. He is still shaking his ears a bit so I am going to have to pin my big boy down at some point today to give them a good cleaning…This is NOT a fun chore as Benson weighs more than me and fights the entire time and usually I need to back him into a corner before I can get in there! He also knows what the bottle is for…so I have started using a dropper that I can hide in the palm of my hand and get in there pretty quickly…

If you suspect that your dog may have an allergy, consult with your vet to narrow down what kind of allergy it might be and the best treatment for your pet. It really is no fun to watch your dog deal with allergies, and there are very effective treatments that can dramatically improve their symptoms and alleviate their discomfort. To give them some immediate relief for skin issues, you can check out these allergy relief products.

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The post How To Tell If Your Dog Has Allergies first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

It was a LONG winter. With Toronto in and out of lockdown more times than I can count it was a very welcome change when the days started getting longer and the weather warmer. Dog walks are much more enjoyable rather than dutiful. I still managed to get them down to the beach most days, and had the sand burn on my face to prove it!

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Flea and Tick Prevention

However, spring can bring a whole host of new situations to deal with. The first sign that spring has arrived is the push to get your pets on flea and tick medication. With temperatures warming up much quicker than usual my vet suggested starting in March rather than April this year as they get active once daytime temperatures get above 10 degrees Celsius. My cat Bubbles got a tick on her last year…NOT an experience I want to repeat.

Dog Flea and Tick Prevention

My dogs are over a year old now, which means they switched over to Bravecto, which is given orally, and lasts for up to three months for each dose. This was a HUGE relief to me, as last year they were on Credelio which inevitably caused diarrhea for several days after giving it to them. And as it was given monthly…well you get the picture.

Cat Flea and Tick Prevention

I now use Frontline for my cats, which is a topical treatment applied monthly. It is relatively easy to apply, you pop the cap and give it a good squeeze directly onto their skin on the back of their neck. MUCH better than trying to give your cat a pill…I don’t know about you, but I like my fingers…

There have been some negative news stories on collars recently, I will not use these on my pets. Finding out Advantage offers no protection against ticks when Whiskers showed up with one, we switched to Frontline.

Dealing With Spring Showers (And Mud)

If you have read the grass story, you know that my backyard is currently a giant mud pit. And with spring comes the rain. And more rain. Which leads to mud. EVERYWHERE.

After mopping my floor several times a day, I decided to try out one of those absorbent door mats. The day it came, I rolled it out at the back door and observed the results. It actually does a relatively good job getting a lot of the mud off their paws before coming in the house! The floors were cleaner! Keep in mind that it does not get all the mud and water, but a good amount of it. I was so impressed that I ordered a second one for the front door too!

For the extremely muddy days though, the mats were still not enough. My dogs are also not patient enough to sit and let me towel off all four paws. And good luck to you with two young Bernese Mountain dogs!!

Researching again, I found the Mudbuster, which is essentially a long tube with silicon bristles lining the inside of it. You put a little bit of water into it, the paw goes in for a quick swish and voila! It does an amazing job at getting the mud off their paws, is easy and fast and even works to remove sand from the beach. It also saves my towels from being turned into rags!

Rain Gear

Rain gear could also be something to consider for those rainy day walks. Canada Pooch has some super cute rain jackets and ponchos to help keep your dogs dry and reduce the amount of towel off time when you get back home. They even have a reflective jacket which is perfect for night walks!

Plant Safety

Plants are also something to keep an eye on come spring. Not all of them are friendly to our pets. I have a few things growing in my front yard that are poisonous, including Lily of the Valley and Rhododendron. Lily of the Valley is near impossible to remove as it has tuberous roots. I know. Once I tried. I did manage to kill it off, but I had to dig it all up, remove as many roots as I could and THEN placed a tarp over it for an ENTIRE summer! I have leads out front, and I keep them short enough so they cannot get to those plants.

Gardening is also a passion of mine. As soon as I think it is time, I load up on annuals and perennials. I would love to have Lilies and Foxglove out in the yard, but these are highly toxic to animals. I would strongly recommend that any pet owners make themselves familiar with what plants are toxic and which are not to keep your animals safe out in the yard.

Many home owners will also treat their lawns in the spring. There is typically some sort of signage when this is done, but there may not be…The chemicals used in these treatments can make your pets sick. Insecticides can be deadly. There can be immediate reactions such as respiratory issues, rashes, eye irritation, nausea and diarrhea. However, there can also be longer lasting effects which are more serious. As such, it is prudent to make sure that you keep your dogs off lawns when out and about.

Allergies

Like people, our pets can develop seasonal allergies. Bernese mountain dogs are KNOWN for their allergies but I have been relatively lucky with my two bears so far. If you notice that your pet develops skin issues at certain time of the year, allergies may be the culprit. Over grooming areas, thinning fur and hot spots could also be a sign of allergies. They may also rub their snouts excessively or develop ear infections.

If you notice this with your pet in the spring, you can wash their feet to prevent allergens from coming into your home. Be diligent with ear cleaning. And try to reduce the amount of allergens coming into your home. You can also consult with your vet for options.

There we have it! The rain is falling, the flowers are blooming. Time to get out there and enjoy it!! If you have any other spring tips and tricks for pets please let me know!

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The post Spring Tips You Need to Know for Your Pets first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.