Zoopharmacognosy is a word that is not easy to pronounce at first. But the question behind it is simple, and fascinating to me: can animals sometimes choose plants or other natural substances that help them deal with health problems? I have watched my dogs for years and often wondered how little...
Carrots are among the cheapest locally grown vegetables, and I like the idea of adding a little variety to a dog's bowl with something so ordinary. They are crunchy, colourful and tasty to many dogs. Still, I would not award carrots superfood status simply because they contain beta-carotene. What a...
I once spoke with a customer whose dog had undergone anesthesia-free dental cleaning about six months earlier. Later, several of that dog’s teeth had to be extracted. This does not prove that the anesthesia-free cleaning caused the problems, but it made me ask even more clearly what such a procedure...
Until spring 2024, none of my dogs had ever had an ear infection. Not one. Then Oscar’s ears suddenly became red and he started shaking his head. We visited the veterinarian, and ear drops brought the problem under control in about a week. I did not consider an oral antibiotic...
Dog bowl hygiene: bacterial studies, biofilms, material choices and FDA/CDC guidance on washing food and water bowls.
An itchy dog quickly raises the question: is it an allergy? Sometimes it is. But sometimes the cause is fleas, yeast, bacterial inflammation, dry or irritated skin, a painful paw, or several smaller problems at once. In this article I want to go beyond asking 'how can I stop the...
Milk thistle for dogs: what Dr Dobias recommends, what canine studies show, seed preparation, silymarin dosage and how to assess results.
For decades, spaying and neutering dogs was often treated as a fairly simple choice: if a dog was not going to be used for breeding, the ovaries or testicles were removed. This prevents unwanted litters and reduces the risk of several diseases of the reproductive system. For me, the question has...
Parasite control is often discussed in very simple terms: drops, a tablet, a collar, a dewormer or a ‘natural’ product. In reality, parasite control is a very broad concept: some products are intended for parasites that live on the dog, such as ticks and fleas, while others target worms or...
Fenton was diagnosed with pannus two weeks before his 9th birthday. My first thought, honestly, was: why now? Pannus is often described as an eye disease that develops in middle age in German Shepherds and other predisposed breeds, but the actual age range is broader. For example, in a retrospective...
