Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

Avoid dog ear infections by practicing preventive care. That means regularly examine and clean your dog's ears. Cleaning your dog's ears is important for good grooming and overall health. This is especially true for canines with pendulous ears, lots of hair in their ears, allergies or other medical problems that render them susceptible to ear infections.

Keeping the dog's ears clean is important because a damp environment creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungus, often leading to painful sensitivity, redness, swelling and infection.

Some guardians never check their dog's ears unless the dog is shaking or scratching its ear(s).

That's unfortunate because, by that time, there is usually an ear health problem requiring veterinary intervention to determine if the dog is infected, infested or needs treatment.

Before cleaning the dog's ears, inspect for potential problems. Take note of any matter in and around the ear canal, particularly excess wax. A dark wax may be a sign of ear mites.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dogs are prone to be parasite central at times. They are the primary host for heartworms, a parasite that infects cats and even humans. Fleas and ticks adore them and they are a breeding ground for hookworms it seems. Dogs can easily get hookworms and they aren't as immediately detrimental to your pet's health as other types of parasites, but it is important to spot and eradicate hookworms as soon as possible or your dog could end up suffering and costing you a great deal of money in vet bills in the long run.

What are Hookworms?

Hookworms are small, worm-like parasites that live inside dogs and feed off of them – similar to a heartworm. The fact that hookworms and heartworms are parasites that live inside dogs is essentially where the similarity ends, because they do not look the same and they live in entirely different parts of the dog's body. Hookworms get their name from the small hook-like feature on their head that they use to dig into the wall of a dog's intestinal tract – it helps to keep them there. They draw blood from the walls of the intestines and have been known to cause severe anemic problems in young dogs. In most cases hookworms are a puppy problem, but they can develop in adult dogs as well. Read the rest of this entry »

If you have a dog, one thing you need to be conscious of are roundworms. Of course you may be wondering what roundworms are and why they can be such a negative thing for your dog. Basically, roundworms are tiny worms that have a body that is rounded. Normally, they are measure between 3-5 inches in length and they reside in the intestines of a dog, consuming food that has been partially processed. While they don't stick to the intestine, they do swim around in the food and the eggs are passed into the stool of the dog.

Causes of Roundworms

There are a couple of different factors that can lead to a dog getting roundworms. First of all, puppies who have mothers with roundworms can get roundworms from their mother. Even if the mother didn't even test positive for the worms, if they have ever had them they can still pass them on to their puppies. They can also be passed to puppies through the milk of their mother too.

Any dog can get infected with roundworms if they happen to ingested any roundworm eggs. Once they eat the eggs, the worms hatch in their bodies and ultimately make their way to the intestines of the dog. There are other animals that can have these roundworms and pass them on to dogs, including cockroaches, rodents, chickens and earthworms. Read the rest of this entry »

Battling with pet odors is a common problem for pet owners. Whether it is the lingering smell of a litter box or a canine in need of a bath, our pets definitely add to the complex menagerie of household odors. Getting rid of pet odors is an ongoing challenge but before you move Fluffy or Fido outside here is another solution to the problem: a catalytic fragrance lamp.

Catalytic fragrance lamps are decorative home accents that are effective at getting rid of various odors, including pet odor. The term fragrance lamp is actually a bit misleading. The catalytic technology behind the lamps was developed as a means of purifying the air in hospitals and mortuaries. The fragrance component is a relatively recent addition. Today’s catalytic lamps can be used with or without fragrance but still provide the same air-purifying result. Read the rest of this entry »

You've finally made the decision. After lengthy discussions as to the pros and cons of owning a pet, you've decided that the time is right. Your children are no longer infants; they have spent plenty of quality time with Aunt Trudy's Labrador Retriever, "Sunny" and her Siamese cat, "Simone". They have played with a neighbor's German Shepherd. Uncle Fred has brought his Border Collie," Billy" over to the house many times. The kids have also learned about animal companions and how to care for them in school where they have turtles, bunnies, gerbils and hamsters in the classroom. Although the kids love every kind of animal, it seems they are most enamored of the canine variety and want a dog of their own.

While the kids have been begging for a dog for a long time (it seems like forever!) you want to make certain that they (as well as you and your husband) are really ready to assume responsibility for the life of another living being that will reside in your home. Your little boy is 8 – his sister is 5. You want your kids to learn responsibility. Still, ultimately you will be the primary caregiver and supervisor of your children. Are you all ready to share this responsibility?

Read the rest of this entry »