Health & Care
No matter how old your new puppy is, we have all the answers to puppy health and care questions.
47 Articles
Summer Dog Safety Tips: Keep Your Pup Cool
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Summer Safety Tips: Keeping Your Dog Happy, Healthy, and Cool Summer is one of the best times of year for outdoor adventures with your dog. From beach trips to backyard barbecues, warmer weather means more opportunities for fun and exercise. But ...
Common Health Conditions of Standard Poodles
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Poodles are consistently one of the most popular dog breeds. They are also considered the number two smartest dog breed. While poodles are generally healthy, there are some health conditions to be aware of. Because poodles come in several sizes, from ...
Common Health Conditions of Goldendoodles
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Goldendoodles are one of the most popular designer dog breeds. Being a hybrid breed, they tend to be healthier in general than either of their parent breeds, Poodles and Golden Retrievers. However, they are predisposed to the same health conditions that ...
Common Health Conditions of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known as one of the sweetest and friendliest dog breeds. They are more athletic than many other small dog breeds. Though generally healthy, they do have some common health conditions owners should be aware of. Patellar ...
Common Health Conditions of Golden Retrievers
Golden Retrievers are consistently one of the three most popular dog breeds. They are a larger breed of dog known for their intelligence and devotion. They are generally healthy but they may have some common health conditions that owners should be aware of. Hip Dysplasia Hip dysplasia is a serious ...
Puppy Separation Anxiety: What to Do & How to Help
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Bringing home a puppy is a fun and exciting time, until you realize that your new addition starts to panic the moment you leave the room. Barking, whining, scratching doors, or destructive behavior are common signs of puppy separation anxiety. While ...
Common Health Conditions of French Bulldogs
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM French Bulldogs ranked as the most popular dog breed in 2022, 2023 and 2024 according to the American Kennel Club. They are small to medium-sized active, intelligent and very affectionate dogs. Frenchie owners should be aware of some common health conditions ...
Dachshund Health Concerns
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM While Dachshunds are a relatively healthy breed, they do have some health concerns that are common. Their short legs, long backs and floppy ears predispose them to some health issues. Fortunately, most of their health problems can be treated if recognized ...
Common Skin Conditions in Dogs
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Skin conditions are common in dogs. While many conditions are relatively straightforward and easy to diagnose, they can also be very complicated, especially when they arise as a result of a complication from systemic disease. Allergic skin conditions are very common ...
Common Heart Conditions in Dogs
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM While heart conditions are relatively uncommon in dogs, they can present serious health problems when they do occur. The cells of the body need oxygen and nutrients and require waste products to be removed, and the heart is the pump that ...
Common Health Conditions of Small Dogs
Certain health conditions occur more often in small breeds than in large breed dogs. Owners of small breed dogs should be aware of these conditions so they can recognize them early and work with their veterinarian to address them. Some of the more common small breed health conditions are discussed ...
Otitis (Ear Infection)
What is otitis? Otitis is a medical term for ear infection. Ear infections are relatively common in dogs, especially in dog breeds with larger, heavier ears that hang down along the head and keep the ear canal from drying out as readily. Other dog breeds may have more erect ears ...
Canine Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Canine Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome is a condition that affects short nosed dog breeds. The word syndrome infers that there are multiple components to the condition and it is not a single “disease”. This syndrome causes breathing issues in affected dogs. It ...
Pyotraumatic Dermatitis (Hotspots on Dogs)
Pyotraumatic dermatitis is the medical term for what is commonly referred to as a “hot spot”, a localized skin infection. Hot spots can be caused by a dog self-traumatizing an area due to itching caused by flea allergy. Though we don’t often think of the skin in this way, it ...
Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM What is the cranial cruciate ligament and what is its purpose? One of the more common causes of lameness in dogs is cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR). In humans this condition is referred to anterior cruciate ligament rupture. This ligament is ...
Canine Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, commonly referred to as just arthritis, is a common condition in both dogs and people. It is often associated with aging but can occur at earlier ages due to increased physical activity, injuries or being overweight. Some cases are due to poor conformation resulting in unequal forces across a ...
Canine Diabetes Mellitus
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM What is Diabetes Mellitus in dogs? Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disease of dogs. It tends to affect middle-aged dogs. Most diabetes cases in dogs are similar to Type 1 Diabetes in people where the pancreas, the organ that produces ...
Common Eye Conditions of Dogs
Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle , DVM Eye problems are relatively common in dogs. Some breeds of dogs such as Pugs, Bulldogs and Boston Terriers with more prominent eyes tend to have more issues with eye injury whereas breeds such as Siberian Huskies, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Collies ...
Canine Obesity
Most people have heard of the “obesity epidemic” in people. There is a parallel obesity epidemic in our canine companions. There are some metabolic conditions such as hypothyroidism and insulin resistance that can lead to obesity but, in general, it comes down to diet and exercise, or lack thereof. What ...
Canine Heart Worm Disease
Just the name heartworm disease sounds like a bad thing. Canine heartworm disease is caused by a parasite named Dirofilaria immitis that is spread from dog to dog by mosquitoes. Dogs that live in southern climates usually have a greater exposure to heartworms because mosquitoes may be present throughout the ...
