Preparing Your Dog for The Worst

With much of the country underwater due to heavy flooding following lots of snow and rain, it seems appropriate to talk about being prepared to care for your dog in the event of a disaster. Sheltering in Place In some disaster situations, such as when the power is out for an extended period of time […]

Your Dog’s Anal Glands

(Editor’s note:  Do NOT read this article over the breakfast table.) If you’ve ever noticed a putrid odor coming from your dog’s hind end, you may have been smelling impacted anal glands.  These small sacs, located on either side of the dog’s rectum, normally empty themselves whenever the dog empties his or her bowels, but […]

What to Expect When Your Dog Is Expecting

There are few things as exciting as the pitter-patter of little feet, even if they are of the  canine variety.  Are you ready to take the plunge with your dog? How do I know when my dog is fertile? Each female dog is only fertile twice a year, with each fertile period lasting from 3 […]

Canine Epilepsy

My 10-year old Golden Retriever was just diagnosed with epilepsy, so it seemed like a good time to do a little research on the topic for Straight Poop. What exactly is epilepsy? Epilepsy is most easily defined as the presence of repetitive seizures over time.  Seizures may be the result of a specific brain injury […]

Canine Mammary Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and we’ve all seen everyone going pink to support the cause.  Even the NFL has its players wearing pink shoes, sweatbands, and mouth guards.  But how much do you know about canine mammary tumors?  Did you know, for instance, that mammary tumors are the most common tumors in female […]

Surrendering a Dog at a Shelter

I can’t have a dog at my new apartment. He’s sick. She’s too old. My kids are allergic to him. She’s too rambunctious. He’s too big. She bit my new boyfriend. The people who work in shelters have heard all of these reasons and more.  Every day, someone shows up on their doorstep and surrenders […]

How Do I Say Goodbye to My Dog?

OK, so that sounds like a country song title, but it’s actually a serious topic of interest to every dog family, because all of us will go through it at some point, hopefully later rather than sooner.  When it is time for your dog to go to that big park in the sky, what can […]

Doggie Dentistry

Most people have, by now, seen the commercial for the bone that is made to clean your dog’s teeth.  The commercial suggests that if dogs want beautiful teeth, we ought to buy them dentures.  The pictures are really funny, but the topic itself is serious.  Just as in humans, good oral health can be a […]

Keeping Your Dog’s Joints Healthy

Although we normally think of aching joints associated with older dogs, you should begin to think about your dog’s joint health before the dog is even born and continue with strategies to maintain healthy joints throughout the dog’s whole life.  Preventing joint disease before it starts is a much better strategy than trying to deal […]

Hot Weather Hazards

Summer is in full swing, and it’s only going to get hotter from now on.  Are you aware of the dangers that can beset your dog due to the heat? The very first thing you must remember is that dogs cannot sweat.  The human body produces sweat to cool the body.  Just as you are […]

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