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They may keep the doctor away for humans (or at least that’s what they say), but can dogs eat apples too? Yes! Dogs can eat sweet, juicy, and nutritious apples in moderation when served properly. However, due to apples’ natural sugar, some dogs, such as those with diabetes, rapidly growing puppies, or overweight canines, may have a sensitivity, so slow introduction is key. Here’s how to serve your dog apples and answers to your most frequently asked questions. Before introducing any new food into your dog’s diet, always check with your veterinarian.

Heartworm disease is a serious condition that can result in hundreds of worms in a dog’s body and be fatal if left untreated. Heartworms are parasitic roundworms that live and reproduce in the heart and blood vessels of dogs, says Amy Attas, VMD, founder of mobile veterinary practice City Pets: The House Call Vets in New York City. These worms are transmitted when certain mosquito species carry an immature form of the parasite Dirofilaria immitis from feeding on one dog’s blood and bite another dog. Once bitten, the dog becomes infected with the parasite larvae, which eventually enter their bloodstream, Dr. Attas says. When the larvae reach the heart and the surrounding blood vessels, they can mature into adult worms and reproduce, with the resulting microfilariae (microscopic worms) circulating in the bloodstream. These long, slender worms, which resemble cooked spaghetti, are usually a foot in length and live in the pulmonary arteries and the heart of infected animals, causing substantial damage to the lungs and heart. “The life cycle of this parasite requires the dog species, as dogs are the definitive hosts for this parasite,” Dr. Attas says. “Although heartworms can be found in other mammalian species, they cannot complete their life cycles without a dog.” Dogs, cats, ferrets, and non-domestic canids (e.g., coyotes, foxes, wolves) can get heartworm disease. Heartworm disease has been diagnosed in all 50 states and can occur all over the world. However, Dr. Attas says, its prevalence can vary depending on: Climate: The risk of heartworm transmission is higher in warmer climates with large mosquito populations, such as tropical and subtropical areas. Seasonality: Because seasonality will also affect mosquito populations, the potential for infection is greater in the warmer months of the year in certain places. It’s also hypothesized that dogs relocated from subtropical locations carrying microfilariae may be responsible for bringing the parasite to new climates, she notes. Because there are plenty of common myths about heartworm disease, Dr. Attas shares a few facts about heartworms to inform pet parents about this serious disease. Heartworms live in the blood vessels, not in the intestinal tract. Dogs cannot clear heartworm infections without treatment. Heartworm infections occur in all 50 U.S. states, not just southern states. Garlic and other herbal methods are insufficient mosquito repellents.,Jump to section What Is Heartworm Disease? Causes of Heartworms in Dogs Signs of Heartworms in Dogs How To Treat Heartworms in Dogs Heartworm Prevention for Dogs FAQs About Heartworms in Dogs

Is there anything more heart-warming than your dog’s excitement when you get home from a long day at the office? Your furry little friend going absolutely crazy at the sight of you—jumping on you, slobbering everywhere? It’s love in its purest form and deserves to be reciprocated. While you might be tempted to wrap your arms around your dog in a warm embrace, that in fact might be the last thing your dog wants from you. Dr. Stanley Coren is a professor emeritus of psychology at University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the author of “Gods, Ghosts, and Black Dogs.” Recently, he and a group of graduate students noted overwhelming visual evidence that supports a theory some other dog behaviorists and researchers have been speaking to for many years: Dogs don’t like to be hugged. Ultimately, it comes down to their nature. As Coren explains, dogs are “cursorial” animals, meaning their primary instinct when they’re threatened is to run away as fast as they can. “What we’re doing when we hug them is basically fencing them in with our arms. On some evolutionary level, their mind tells them ‘I can’t get out of Dodge very quickly here.’ That stresses them out,” Coren says. Coren’s study, which he wrote about in Psychology Today, involved finding pictures of dogs being hugged online and observing the dogs’ stress signals. “It’s very easy to read stress in a photograph of a dog,” Coren says. The signs include breaking off eye contact, slicked-down ears, and yawning. Of the 250 photographs analyzed by Coren and his team, dogs in 82 percent of them showed visible stress signs. Only 8 percent seemed to be happy while being hugged, and 10 percent were neutral or ambiguous. Andrea Arden, a dog behaviorist, co-signed the general idea that most dogs do not like being hugged. “If you take a look at photos and videos and ignore the cute captions to focus on the body language of the dogs,” she says, “you’re likely to get a better sense of how hugs are typically not on most dogs’ lists of their favorite things.” She also adds seeing the whites of the dog’s eyes and lip licking to the list of observable signs of stress that can come out when your dog is being hugged. Both Arden and Coren agree that it’s easy enough to forget—but also very important to remember—that dogs can’t interpret the social meanings behind our physical actions. “Intention and perception can be very different,” Arden says. “While we may intend to express love by hugging our dog, they may not perceive this as an enjoyable experience,” which means our love gets lost in translation. So what are some better ways to express affection to your dog? “Pet him, cuddle him a little,” Coren says. “Dogs liked being touched, just don’t pen them in.” He also suggests giving them dog treats or speaking to them in a sing-song voice like parents often do with their human children. “Motherese,” he calls it. Arden adds that not only does the ideal expression of love differ from dog to dog, it also can differ with one dog from situation to situation or moment to moment. “A dog’s preferences will vary based on the environment and context,” she says. “The best way to express affection to your dog is whatever way your observations tell you is making them feel good.”