Dogs

Removing a tick from a pet requires grabbing the tick by the head, using fingers or tweezers, and pulling it out firmly, careful not to separate the body from the head. Treat a pet with flea and tick prevention, as ticks can spread to humans, with health information from a veterinarian in this free video on pet care.

Expert: Dr. Aimee Beger
Bio: Dr. Aimee Beger works for McClintock Animal Care Center in Tempe, Ariz.
Filmmaker: Ryan Quinn

Duration : 0:1:40

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Give your dog a gentle massage by applying firm but gentle pressure starting across the bridge of the nose and then working to the ears, neck, down the back and then across the legs. Relax your dog and relieve arthritis or joint pain with a massage using instruction from a veterinarian in this free video on dog massage.

Expert: Dr. James Talbott
Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Duration : 0:1:28

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Is the English Setter dog a health breed or not?
If not a health breed please tell me what the health issue are.
Thanks

The English Setter is a very gentle, placid, friendly dog. They are excellent with children and loves affection.Enthusiastic and lively outdoors, but relatively inactive indoors. They also get along well and enjoy playing with other dogs.

They need to have a authoritative and firm owner otherwise they will become dominant.
Rules, structure and training should start early to prevent development of bad habits.

With every breed there tends to be common problems.

Be careful not to overfeed this breed, for they tend to gain weight easily.

The are prone to hip dysplasia and false pregnancies.

If you are thinking of taking on any puppy, I recommend reading thoroughly about the breed and raising a puppy in general.

I found ‘The perfect puppy’ by Gwen Bailey to be a helpful resource.

Good Luck

My dog and two cats are like my children. I will do and spend whatever I can so they are in the best health and live a long time with us. However, vet bills are really expensive so I am thinking about getting pet insurance. Does anyone have any experience in this area and are able to shed light on which programs provide good coverage?

We have our policy with Pets Best and love it! Highest limits ($7000 per accident or illness) and none of this benefit schedule stuff where companies will only pay a particular amount for certain procedures. They sell themselves as a straight-forward 80% reimbursement after the deductible, and I’ve been hearing good things about them online from other people so feel very confident in the choice we made.

I chose the lower deductible ($75) so as to get the most back each time we go to the vet, and I took the advice of other pet owners online and made sure to sign our Aussie up before any problems start showing. (Just as with human health insurance, things that are considered pre-existing are either not covered, or only covered at a certain amount.)

We felt like we were getting the best bang for our buck with Pets Best and had heard very negative things about pet insurance in general based on some of the other companies. That was like throwing the baby out with the bath water for us. Not insuring our pets was like not insuring ourselves, as far as we’re concerned. We’ve been through too much with previous dogs to think that the insurance isn’t worth it.

and p.s. don’t listen to the nay-sayers who say that it’s silly to insure your pets. They obviously haven’t experienced high vet bills the way we have! Fiscally, it just makes sense to have the insurance. I’d have to save for more than 15 years to come up with the $7000 that is available to me with my insurance policy right now. Hopefully I’ll never have to use that, but it’s available to me if we need it (and I’ve only spent $70 on the insurance so far — very worth it!).

http://www.wagsocial.com Win $100! Create a unique pet profile,
connect with dog lovers, and join the dog forum fun!
Watch the best funny dog videos and gain access to useful
pet care information.

Duration : 0:3:1

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Any purebreds that have the most health issues? I just want to know because it got me curious when people asked if there are any dog breeds with LESS health issues. So I wonder which had the MOST.
Thank you in advance!
Great Danes, and English Bulldogs?
If to be mistaken, dont Golden Retrievers have some health issues too?

English Bulls win, followed by Dobermans, Irish Setters, and Dalmations, who experience a high number of genetic defects. (Obviously poorly bred dogs have much more problems than those from a quality breeding program!) Generally speaking, giant breeds like Great Dane, St Bernard, and Neopolitan Mastiffs would come next, as they have a much shorter life expectancy and are prone to joint, gastric, and heart diseases. And yes, Goldens are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, as well as allergies. Again, well bred dogs are healthier by far than puppy mill dogs, so where you get your dog is as important as what dog you get.

Most dogs with allergies, ear and skin problems, and stomach and bowel problems will improve when their food and snacks are composed of healthful ingredients. Allergenic ingredients in many commercial foods and snacks affect many dogs. My book Dog Dish Diet can help: http://dogdishdiet.com

Duration : 0:8:12

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Just out of curiousity, I was wondering about health insurance for a dog. I have heard about it and wondered what exactly it covered, such as basic vet visits, or if it was more for accidents that may occur with your pet. Do you think it is worth it?

Each company has different "plans" Some are basic, and cover specific, emergency type issues only and may cost around 10.00/month. You can get premium plans that may be around 50-60/month but include rebates for annual checkup/vaccines/spay/neuter, etc etc. I’ve worked at an emergency vet clnic for 10 years. In my opinion, is it worth it? Yes, definitely. Even if it’s just the basic plan. Unless you can ensure you will have funds available in the event of an emergency at all times or plan to set a bit of money aside each month in a separate account. Insurance allows you to get the best recommended treatment without having to compromise your pets’ health. You may feel better being able to afford doing all you can for your pet testing wise in an emergency situation. Now, that being said, most companies make you pay the veterinarian first, who in turn fills out a claim form, and then you are reimbursed. I’m not sure which area you are in, but call your local vet clinic and they can recommend a couple of good companies for you to research. Good luck!

I am thinking of getting a Cavachon (Bichon Frise and Cavalier Kings Charles Spaniel mix). It looks like a really cute dog but what are the health concerns? I would prefer is you owned one. But if you didnt and looked online i guess thats okay too. Also if you have any other additional imformation about them.

I am sure it is a great dog if you are adopting it from a shelter. It is a mutt and therefore there is no way to predict. Do not pay money for a mutt from a breeder when there are thousands that need homes in shelters

Shih Tzu puppies will always teethe, so it’s important to reinforce positive behavior when they are chewing on something that they are allowed to chew on. Discover ways to stop a Shih Tzu puppy from biting something that they shouldn’t bite with help from a veterinarian in this free video on dog training.

Expert: James Talbott
Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Duration : 0:2:7

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