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They are making several great pointers on Dogs in general in this post following next.  
When You Need Dog Advice, Read This Article  
  
  
Dogs require much more than some food and a few pats on the head. Dogs need a lot to be as healthy and happy as possible. How can you be sure of what your dog needs? Whether you're a first-time dog owner or a veteran of many previous canine relationships, you just might pick up a new trick or two from the handy dog advice tips this article has to offer.  
  
Be wary of the flea treatment you're going to use on your dog. A lot of them can cause cancer in children. Talk to the vet about different forms of treatment that are safer for use around small kids.  
  
Your dog needs to be secured when in a car. Not only will it make the journey safer, as it will lead to fewer distractions for the person driving the car, but in the event of an accident, it could also save your dog's life. Look for a seat belt harness, often sold at pet stores, that you can put in your car for your pet.  
  
If you are interested in providing your dog with the healthiest of diets and making positive contributions to the earth's environment, make his food from scratch. You can buy locally grown organic ingredients and provide him all the proteins, carbs and fats he needs with no preservatives while reducing the waste from packaging as well.  
  
When you have a dog, make sure that you give him enough water. Water should be made available to your dog at all times of the day, particularly in the summertime. Put his water bowl somewhere where no one will trip over it, otherwise you'll be cleaning your floors all day!  
  
Brushing your dog's teeth is important, but it is not easy. If your dog is resisting, once a day simply lift their lips and use your finger to rub their teeth lightly. Do it quickly at first, and then begin to draw out the time you spend performing this action. This will help them get use to the process. After that, you can begin using an actual brush and toothpaste.  
  
Talk to your vet to learn which foods are appropriate for your particular dog. Sometimes, your puppy may not be developed enough to consume certain brands, as this can lead to an upset stomach or sicknesses. You should be careful when you are feeding your dog.  
  
Dog training requires you to be consistent. Once you decide you want to establish a rule for your dog, do not make any exceptions. Make sure everyone at home helps you enforce the rule and encourage your guests not to let your dog jump on them or to not acknowledge your dog when it barks.  
  
Lift your dog properly. If you have a little dog or puppy, place your one hand under their chest and use your other hand for supporting their rump and hind legs. If you're lifting a big dog, lift them from their underside supporting their chest using your one arm and using your other arm to support their rear end. Never lift a dog by their back legs, tail, or the nape of their neck.  
  
Check and double check your fenced in yard for spots your dog could escape through before letting him roam. The most secure method of keeping your dog outside is on a long run with a strong collar, but if you are comfortable that your fence can hold him, he'll enjoy that even more. Just make sure there's no room for error!  
  
Take some time to trim your dog's paw beds during every grooming session. This can help prevent mats. A comb should be used first to straighten it before you do any cutting. If you're too scared, take him to the groomer instead.  
  
You must learn how to introduce your dog to other dogs. Keep him on his leash during introductions so you have better control. Start with a walk by while keeping his attention on you. Then, on the next walk by, allow the dogs to sniff each other a bit. This will allow them to get to know each other without the dangers of attacks.  
  
Before adopting a dog, be sure to give the matter careful consideration. There are a lot of things you have to think about instead of just falling in love with the first dog you see. Always consider everything involved with becoming responsible for another life, and be sure you are able to handle it all.  
  
If you're going to be away from your dog for a short period of time, it might be a good idea to invest in a dog crate. A crate for your dog will provide it with a safe and secure area to go into when you aren't able to watch it for a period of time.  
  
If you pick up a dog from a shelter, make sure that he has been seen by a medical professional. You don't want to bring home a sick dog unless you are aware of it, particularly if you have other dogs at home. Make sure to ask if the dog you have chosen has been around sick dogs in the past few weeks as well.  
  
Before you decide to go get a dog you should think about the individual needs of different breeds of dogs. Some dogs can get enough exercise in the home, while others may need a few hours outside each day. These factors can mean a lot when it comes to meeting the needs of your new family member.  
  
If you have a dog, it is your responsibility to clean up behind him or her. Keeping some plastic bags by the front door will help remind you to bring them along on your walk. It can be embarrassing when you forget your little baggie, and in some places you can also be fined.  
  
If your dog makes messes in the house or chews when you are away, consider crate training. Crate training involves providing your pet with an appropriate sized crate to,stay in while you're out of the house. It can keep your pet and belongings safe. Just make sure to never leave him in the crate for a very lengthly period of time.  
  
If you do your best to care for your dog's health and happiness, you can enjoy your dog friend for years to come. Take the tips in this article, and use them in your life. You will discover that you can take care of your dog well and be happy in the process.  
  

Best Advice for Dogs with Skin Issues  
I still need to publish a real post about Mr. Stix's full backstory, but this feels more pressing. For nearly 18 months, Mr. Stix's permanent nakey spot (from unknown injuries before he was rescued, including 15 fractures and this big patch of coat missing) has featured several inflamed, peeling areas. Initially I tried to fix it myself at home with things like aloe vera, vaseline, a veterinary ointment called animax that the shelter had give us while we fostered him most of 2019, etc. It's sort of a combination of steroids, antibacterial, and antifungal stuff. I took him to see our main veterinarian in spring 2020, when there was a 2-month wait to get into see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. It has been quite a journey since then, and it's nowhere near over. Here's my best advice for dogs with skin issues.   
Before I tell the ongoing saga with Mr. Stix's skin. Here is my best advice for dogs with skin problems.  
See a board-certified veterinary dermatologist as soon as you can. Yes, your main veterinarian can probably help, but it's honestly best to go right to the top experts.   
  
Agree to whatever skin scrapings / cytology the veterinary dermatologist recommends. This provides information about what types of secondary infections currently grow on your dog's damaged skin.   
  
Do NOT assume every skin issue is allergies. It often is some sort of allergic process, but NOT always and assuming so (and acting accordingly may only delay real solutions and subject your dog to all kinds of quack advice and home remedies).  
  
Buy the best quality fish oil and Vitamin E supplements you can afford, if it's recommended for your particular case of a dog with skin issues.   
  
When necessary, agree to the skin biopsies (yes, like minor surgery) and have them reviewed by a veterinary pathologist that specializes in dogs with skin issues. The one we used is at Texas A&M.  
  
Follow your veterinary dermatologist's advice and plans, and keep the faith. These dogs with skin problems often don't improve quickly. (I need to take my own advise. See below.)  
Mr. Stix's Story as a Dog with Skin Problems  
This is what Mr. Stix's nakey spot looks like when it's normal. Photo from May 2019 soon after his hip surgery. The bald patch is permanent. That's not the issue.   
This is how bad the red / peeling areas got in mid-2020 when we saw our main veterinarian, who added a low-dose of oral Vitamin E and some topical too and told me to keep using the animax.   
This is how it looked when Mr. Stix first saw the board-certified veterinary dermatologist in early August 2020, but the specialist had me STOP the animax and instead use a prescription anti-bacterial ointment (mupirocin) ... as well as add a better quality oral fish oil and continue both topical and oral Vitamin E (but at a higher dose twice a day). We knew from the skin scrapings / cytology they did onsite that Mr. Stix had a bacterial infection.   
But, without the daily topical steroids (which long term are a bad idea), Mr. Stix's skin got much, much worse -- even breaking open and scabbing over.  
Our veterinary dermatologist had recommended doing the skin biopsies right away in August 2020, and I *almost agreed to it then, but I was VERY worried about the cuts resulting in skin that would NOT heal. And, I figured it was at least worth a try to use the prescription antibiotic ointment and other supplements and stuff.   
  
But, by around Thanksgiving, it was clear we had to do the biopsy. That photo is kind of gruesome, so you can see it here, if you want. I wish I had done the biopsy sooner. I feel like I wasted time from August through November.   
Post-Biopsy Diagnosis  
As I expected, despite all the know-it-alls trying to tell me it was an allergic issue, it turns out that Mr. Stix instead has an autoimmune condition called erythema multiforme. They believe it was triggered by the trauma of his earlier injuries. They don't think it is life-threatening. If you liked this article so you would like to acquire more info with regards to bunny Rabbit Difference nicely visit our own web-site. They don't think it will spread to other areas of his skin. Just the already damaged, permanent nakey spot.   
  
With that information in hand, we updated the treatment plan to include a topical, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointment (tacrolimus -- often pricey, but we used a Good RX coupon at Costco to get the cost down). They use a version of this medication orally for people who have had various kinds of transplants. It's the smallest / safest option for treatment, and that's where we started.   
  
I was so hopeful it would work at the once-daily application, but the skin still didn't heal completely.   
  
So, in early 2021, we started applying it twice daily on the advice of our veterinary dermatologist.  
  
But, it still hasn't healed completely. It often improves a lot and then comes roaring back, so we had another appointment to see the specialist last week. We had to try something new.   
Enter the Big Immune-Suppressing Drug  
Despite my concerns and form of veterinary PTSD about major immune suppression drugs (after our experiences with Lilly), I agreed last week to add oral cyclosporine, which is also a drug that people get after various transplants. Mr. Stix would need to take it daily for life.   
  
It smells like it's made from skunk butts, so each gel-cap pill is individually packaged, and you keep them in the freezer because that can help with nausea it can cause (since it's recommended you give on an empty stomach).   
  
I found some good info on this med, and our veterinary dermatologist assured me that it has been safely used in veterinary medicine for like 20+ years, etc.  
  
The med only comes in doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, and at his size Mr. Stix's ideal dose is around 88 mg once a day. So we went with 75 mg (25+50) to err on the lower side.   
  
It takes like 3-7 days for the med to build up in the blood to therapeutic levels, but it takes more like 4-6 weeks to know if it's going to help the skin (or not).   
  
We made it to day 4, then the barfing started.   
Anxiety  
I wish I could say that this is all going to be fine, but I just don't know. I feel like I just have to accept that the skin will never fully heal, even though seeing his raw spots up close while applying the topical med twice a day and topical Vitamin E once a day causes me so much angst and anxiety.   
  
I supposed to check in with our veterinary dermatology team next week to confirm that Mr. Stix's weirdness and apparent suffering has improved.   
  
It took a lot of convincing to get Mr. Champion of My Heart to agree to try the cyclosporine, so even if the specialist comes back and recommends maybe a lower dose, I doubt we'll want to risk it ... because Mr. Stix sure seemed to be having some neurologist issues to me, and after the Lilly situation, I just cannot do that again.   
  
He is only 3 years old. I don't want to make anything worse. It honestly felt like I'd poisoned him.  
  
The good news is that most of the time his skin doesn't seem to hurt or itch or anything -- though I do have pain meds, if he needs them. It mostly just looks bad, and he has to wear a no-lick collar for about 20 minutes after I apply his meds so that he doesn't lick it off.   
  
His nakey spot is prone to sunburn anyway, and the topical tacrolimus increases the risk of burning, so I used his earlier sun-reflecting coat (which started to look ragged) as a pattern and sewed him a new / light sun protection coat. He looks very cute in it. https://championofmyheart.com/2021/08/05/dogs-with-skin-issues/

  
  
Dog-related Questions? Let Us Answer Them For You  
  
  
Owning a dog is no simple task. They require a ton of care, from being bathed to fed to checked over by the vet. With so much to do, how can you keep track? This article will give you some simple tips to help you get the job done right.  
  
Groom your dog regularly. A dog requires constant grooming to keep his coat in tip top condition. Make sure that your dog is completely relaxed before you start the grooming session; this is especially important if he is excitable. Keep the session quite short (5 to 10 minutes at most) until he is comfortable with the idea of being groomed. Most importantly - be sure to praise him and offer a treat after a successful grooming session!  
  
If you have medications at home, ensure that it is safely hidden away and out of the reach of your dog. Your dog could have a heart attack or a seizure if it swallows some pills. If the dog does consume some medication, contact your veterinarian immediately.  
  
If your puppy or dog is constantly chewing up your furniture, invest in some chew-toys. Scatter them around the floor, especially around the legs of the sofa and end-tables. Be enthusiastic about your offers to play with the chewies with your dog to encourage frequent use. This should eventually deter him from chomping your furniture.  
  
Don't be upset if your dog does not want to get dressed up. It's becoming more popular to dress your dog in dog clothes, but some dogs just don't like the feeling of having clothes on. If your dog does not relax after the clothing is on, you should remove the clothing to avoid your dog trying to remove it by itself.  
  
Teach your dog to be trained, even if you don't plan on devoting a lot of time to special tricks. A dog needs to understand the basic hierarchy of the home and should be prepared to listen and learn throughout his life. Practice the basics like "sit" and "down" in the beginning and introduce something new every once in a while.  
  
Determine your dog's specific exercise regimen. Dogs have different fitness needs based their sex, overall health, age, breed mix, or breed. Every dog should have a couple 10-minute walks a day around the block. Dogs between 6 and 18 months, active breed or mixed breeds, terriers, hounds, and herding dogs will most likely require more fitness than others types of dogs.  
  
Keep your dog warm during winter with the latest in canine fashion and accessories. You may think it's just for show, but dogs need protection from the elements too! Keeping your dog's paw-pads dry is essential to their health in sub-freezing weather, so invest in suede or leather footwear and pick him up a coat while you're at it. Make them instead if you are creative!  
  
For pure bred dogs, don't discount local pounds to find one. A pure bred dog is just as likely to be abandoned at the pound as any other if its owners can no longer take care of it. Speak to the nearest pound to see if an option suits you. You can save the life of an abandoned dog this way.  
  
If you are planning on getting a new puppy, plan on investing in some training classes. These classes offer a great opportunity for your puppy to socialize with other dogs and learn basic commands. These classes will provide your new puppy with a great foundation for future training and will help them get a great start in life.  
  
Get your dog's hair trimmed around its paws so that hair doesn't get matted up. Use a comb and a small pair of scissors for this task. Another option is to take your dog to the groomers and ask for this task to be performed.  
  
Never approach a dog you are unfamiliar with. Teach your children the same thing. An unfamiliar dog may look friendly, but he could have a vicious bite. Even if he is not a biter, he might jump on you, potentially causing harm. Always ask his owner for permission before approaching him.  
  
If you have a dog that seems unhappy or lonely, think about getting another dog. Dogs are known to be pack animals and enjoy the company of other dogs. Choose another dog whose energy level and temperament matches your dog's, and you should have a good match.  
  
Just like people, dogs need plenty of exercise for optimum health. Dogs are naturally hunters and love to run by instinct. Take your dog to the park, play Frisbee with him and give him a daily walk. This will help keep him physically healthy but will also make him mentally healthier.  
  
When you are walking your dog in the wintertime, there may be rock salt or chemical ice melters that come in contact with his feet. Once you get back in the house, wash his paws and dry them gently. This will prevent these items from causing any type of infections.  
  
Shop carefully for a dog before you get a new one. Make sure that you have taken the time to research the breed and know how much exercise and grooming a new dog will need. If you take the time to choose carefully, you'll find that you are naturally a better match to the dog and both of you are happier.  
  
You need to invest in a quality collar and ID tag with your address on it. Choose a robust collar that is adapted to the size of your dog. You should be able to easily fit two fingers inside the collar. Do not forget to update the ID tag if you get a new phone number.  
  
Your puppy looks cute nibbling your slippers, but when he's full grown, it will not be cute to have him shred them into millions of pieces. The sooner you stop bad habits, the better. If your puppy engages in a behavior that you don't like, make sure it ceases right away. Doing this can prevent you from having big troubles down the line.  
  
After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of how to take care of your dog. By using this advice on a daily basis, you can enjoy many years of companionship with your furry friend. Keep your dog happy and healthy throughout its life by using these tips.  
  
We were made aware of that report on Pets from a pal on a different web page. For those who appreciated our article kindly don't forget to pass it around. Thank-you for taking the time to read it.