Skip to main content

Educational Articles

Dogs + Preventive Care & Wellness

  • Hospitals providing curbside care have restructured their practice to avoid the need for clients to enter the lobby and exam rooms. This is designed to promote physical (social) distancing and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Curbside care offers a number of benefits for you and your pet. By eliminating the need for you to enter the hospital, potential COVID-19 outbreaks are reduced. The veterinary team is protected under a curbside care model, and in turn, so is your pet. Even in curbside care, you will have an opportunity to speak with your veterinarian in order to discuss findings and recommendations. To help the curbside appointment go smoothly, bring a written list of concerns or fill in any forms your practice has sent to you prior to the appointment. Curbside care truly is in the best interests of you and your pet.

  • Your veterinarian wants to keep your pet healthy and the fact is that people who are better informed take better care of their pets. Do not be overwhelmed by “medicalese”. Try your best to understand this foreign language and if you cannot quite decipher it, ask your veterinarian to speak more plainly.

  • Dental disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a condition in which the tissues supporting the teeth become inflamed. When a pet develops dental disease, significant quantities of bacteria reside within the mouth and the oral tissues. These bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to other areas such as the liver and kidneys, causing distant or systemic effects.

  • Dental pain may take on a variety of appearances, but often, a dog will not show any outward signs of pain. The only effective treatment for dental pain is to address the dog's underlying dental disease. The best way to prevent dental pain is to ensure that your dog receives regular dental care through a home dental care plan and regular veterinary dental care.

  • Dogs are not completely color blind, as they can see yellow and blue, as well as shades of gray. Their eye structure allows them to see better in dim light compared to people. Near-sightedness is common among dogs.

  • On your marks, get set, go! Dogs running, jumping, catching balls, making razor sharp turns, and racing to a finish line; that's the canine sport of flyball.

  • Dogs love to run. Dogs love to jump. Dogs love to swim. If your dog likes to do all three, why not investigate the relatively-new canine sport of Dock Diving?

  • Field trials focus on team-hunting and allow humans and their pet dogs to rekindle their hunting instincts in a fun, competitive format.

  • Walking is great exercise for both you and your dog. This article outlines some tips, requirements, and best practices to ensure you both have a safe, enjoyable walk. Make sure your veterinarian clears your dog for any new physical activity.

  • This handout discusses the causes and potential treatments for excess gas (flatus or flatulence) in dogs. Factors such as diet, speed of eating, exercise and foods to avoid are highlighted.