Author: Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ

One of the main benefits of spaying a dog is preventing pet overpopulation. A spayed female dog cannot reproduce because her uterus and ovaries have been removed. Unspayed female dogs usually have a period twice a year, which can be a bloody mess. Spaying a dog eliminates her period and the mess. Spaying a dog also has several behavioral benefits, including a reduction in unwanted conduct such as humping, roaming and inter-dog aggression. The dog spay surgery offers multiple health benefits as well, including greatly reducing the risk of breast cancer and erasing the risk of uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and pyometra, a deadly uterine infection.,Jump to section What are the Benefits of Spaying a Dog? What Is the Process of Spay Surgery? Is Spaying a Dog Painful? What Risks Are Associated with Spay Surgery? What Do I Need to Monitor After Spay Surgery? When Can My Spayed Dog Resume Normal Activity?

Parvo in dogs is spread through direct contact with infected dogs and infected vomit and feces, and is easily carried on hands, food dishes, bedding and shoes. Parvo rapidly kills its host by attacking the gastrointestinal tract of puppies and dogs. Canine parvovirus infection causes severe dehydration, and bloody vomiting and diarrhea. Parvo in dogs also attacks the immune system, weakening the dog’s ability to fend off bacterial infections. Dogs infected with parvo often die from secondary pneumonia or other bacterial infections. Parvovirus is a very successful virus in that it’s highly contagious and tough to kill, making it difficult to eradicate from the environment.,Jump to section How Do Dogs Get Parvo? Symptoms of Parvo in Puppies and Dogs Diagnosis and Treatment of Parvovirus Parvovirus Vaccine: Preventing Parvo in Puppies and Dogs Can Humans Get Parvo?

A hematoma occurs when blood collects outside a blood vessel anywhere in the body. It is usually due to blunt trauma. A dog ear hematoma, otherwise known as an aural hematoma, is what occurs when blood vessels burst inside a dog’s ear flap, or the part veterinarians call the pinna. When blood vessels burst, blood pools within the skin of the ear flap, filling the space under the skin. The blood accumulates under the skin, creating that blood-filled bubble you’re seeing on your dog’s ear.,Jump to section What Is a Hematoma? What Does an Ear Hematoma Look Like? What Causes Dog Ear Hematomas? Treating an Aural Hematoma What Do I Do If My Dog’s Hematoma Pops? How Can I Prevent Future Hematomas?

While you are absent-mindedly petting your dog during the latest “Bachelor” episode, your hand feels something abnormal: a lump on or under the skin that wasn’t there before. Slightly alarmed, you part the hair and take a closer look. Your hands did not deceive you—there is a lump on your dog’s back! It’s squishy, and a little red. Is it cancer? Many dog skin tumors found on dogs today are completely treatable with modern medicine, and many growths on dogs are benign and may require no treatment or minimal treatment.

Is your best friend walking funny or holding up a paw? If so, you’re probably wondering, “why is my dog limping?” Lameness in dogs is not necessarily a medical emergency, but it could be. Anything from a thorn to a torn ligament to a bone tumor can cause dog limping, and the treatment for each is very different.

One of the best ways to give your dog a long life is to make sure their food matches their life stage.      For puppies, that means food that supports their growing bones and gives them energy for all those games of fetch and tug-of-war.      But how long do puppies eat puppy food?     Always consult your veterinarian before making any changes in your dog’s diet.   

What’s more rewarding than being a pet parent to a sweet senior dog?   Not much! But it can also be tough to see the changes that come with age. Here’s what to expect as your pup gets older, how to stay ahead of any issues, and how to help them age gracefully.