Canine Health Recommendations: There are certain things that all dog owners should consider doing to ensure that their dog remains healthy. The article below summarizes our current recommendations for dogs.

Our pets bring us countless hours of pleasure, companionship and entertainment, but pet owners are quite often unaware of the need to protect both their pets and themselves from diseases that can be harmful to pet and master alike. Many of the parasitic infections which commonly afflict pets can have adverse effects on people as well. Most of these diseases are clinically silent or produce symptoms that are non-specific, such as diarrhea, weight loss, or poor coat quality. A brief review of the common parasites we find in pets should help educate most pet owners as to the need for monthly parasite preventative.

Caudal Cervical Spondylomyelopathy: A condition diagnosed in dogs caused by pressure exerted on the spinal cord in the lower part of the neck. It is most commonly seen in the larger breeds such as Great Danes and Dobermans.

A major problem in the large breeds of dogs. It is the result of birth defects and growing deformities of the pelvis and hip joints. It is inherited. The "ball and socket" of the hip joint fit poorly causing abnormal movement of the involved legs and pain.

Adult Heartworms live in the right side of the heart. They are 6-14 inches long and several hundred may be present in the dog!.

It's summertime, and the living isn't always easy for our animal friends. Dogs & cats suffer from the same problems humans do, such as overheating, dehydration, and even sunburn. By taking some simple precautions, you can celebrate the season and keep your pets healthy and happy.

Canine Distemper is a very prevalent, highly contagious disease of dogs caused by a virus. The virus may be spread by contact with mucous and watery secretions discharged from the eyes and noses of infected dogs. Infection may also occur from exposure to urine, fecal material, and through the air.

Démodé tic Mange, also called "Red Mange," is a non-contagious skin disease that has been around as long as there have been dogs and veterinarians. It still is one of the most difficult medical conditions to manage successfully in some cases.

An airline shipping crate or wire crate provides guaranteed confinement of your puppy for reasons of security, safety, travel, and housetraining. Dogs love crates! It is their "own private place"--a "security blanket." The crate helps to satisfy the "den instinct" inherited from their ancestors.

Chronic vomiting and diarrhea in the dog can be a frustrating problem to treat. Successful treatment depends on an attempt to rule out all possible causes.

Puppies are CHEWING machines! The inherited tendency to investigate the surroundings is very strong in the young dog. Your success preventing chewing problems depends on how effectively you can channel your pup's tendency toward acceptable chews, rather than unacceptable items.

CANINE BLOAT (Gastric Dilation-Volvulus) is a digestive problem caused by the excessive swallowing of air while eating, gastrointestinal secretions, and gas from fermentation of food in the stomach. This is a LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY primarily found in large or giant, deep-chested dog breeds, but it also has been reported in smaller breeds such as the Dachshund and Basset Hound.

We recommend early preventative gastropexy in high risk breeds. This procedure, which we perform laparoscopically, involves creating a permanent attachment between the stomach and the right body wall which will prevent thee stomach from twisting in the future. This minimally  invasive procedure is a life saver.

The aggressive dog is a difficult problem. If you are the owner of an aggressive dog, you should weigh the risks of keeping an aggressive pet against the benefits. It is important that you consider the following: