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How Long Can A Dog Live With Untreated Diabetes

So, you are a bit worried about your pet. You feel that your dog is having diabetes. I understand your mental condition. You want to take the best care of your little companion. You want to provide the right treatment to minimize the impact of the disease.

Many pet owners even do not know that dogs can get diabetes. Yes, it is possible. In this article, we will try to answer all your queries related to diabetes in dogs. You will know how long your pet can leave without treatment and when you should talk to your vet.

How Long Can Your Pet Survive with Diabetes?

Once you know your dog has diabetes, the first thing that will bother you is the life expectancy. It is worth mentioning that the treatment is a bit expensive. If you are planning to visit your pet, then inquire about the expenses.

Many pet owners change their minds at the last moment since they find the treatment unaffordable. The treatment cost will include the veterinarian visit cost, medications with insulin cost, and the diabetic food cost. All these are going to cost you more.

Now the question comes how long your pet can live without treatment. The answer is unpredictable. We cannot give an exact timeframe. It could be only six months. But yes, some dogs can live many years even if left untreated.

Your dog might live more than your expectation. But the suffering will not be less. Your non-human friend is going to suffer a lot throughout if you leave it untreated. When it comes to suffering, it will affect the entire body.

The weight loss will be visible. The vision will be compromised. It can lead to blindness as well. Your pet will get frequent infections and the recovery time will be slower than before. You will have to take extra care to protect your dog from infections.

In addition to the above, your pet can suffer from weakness, muscle loss, renal failure, frequent urination, arthritis, and heart problems. These symptoms are common for most dogs with diabetes. However, you can improve the condition.

You can consider treatment to give a normal life to your pet. The life expectancy will be much more for treated dogs. They can live like a healthy dog with the right treatment. You can give the required medication and insulin to enable your pet to live long without any suffering.

How Does the Treatment Help?

We all know that the treatment is not going to cure your dog completely. You cannot expect a complete recovery. But it will minimize the impact significantly. With the right treatment, you can prevent most of the complications related to diabetes.

In brief, we can say that the condition is not curable but treatable. If you start the treatment at an early stage, your pet will not experience any severe complications such as vision loss and muscle loss. The dog can live a normal life like a healthy dog.

The cost will be ongoing. You cannot stop the treatment in the middle. If you do so, the dog will experience all those issues related to diabetes. You will have to give insulin daily to keep the blood glucose level under the control.

The same is about the food. A diabetic dog is going to follow a specific diet. The diet and insulin with other medications will dramatically improve the quality of your pet’s life. Also, you will not have to be worried about the lifespan of the dog.

When it comes to the treatment, you should consider it within the first six months. Once diabetes is diagnosed, you should plan for the treatment as soon as possible. The riskiest time is the first six months.

During the first six months, your vet will observe your dog decide the right insulin level to manage the blood sugar levels of your pet properly. Any delay might cause more harm to the dog.

What Causes Diabetes in Dogs?

Genetics will have the determining role. Some dog breeds are prone to diabetes. In addition to genetics, pancreatitis, infectious diseases, and viruses can cause diabetes. Another risk factor for diabetes in your pet is Cushing’s disease. However, it is less common.

These conditions will damage the insulin-producing cells of dogs’ pancreas. When the insulin-producing cells will be damaged, the sugar will not be converted into energy at the same rate. As a result, your pet will experience many health complications.

How Will You Know That Your Dog Has Diabetes?

You will have to look for a few symptoms to know your dog is having diabetes or not. The most common symptoms are increased thirst, increased hunger, and frequent urination. If you notice all these symptoms, you should talk to your vet.

In addition to the above, the dog might lose weight. If your pet is losing weight without any obvious cause, you should not ignore it. You should look for other symptoms to find out the cause.

Your pet loses weight because the lack of insulin will not allow the glucose to be transported to your pet’s muscle cell.

Therefore, their body will depend on the fat stores and muscle mass to get the energy to perform different functions.

Diabetes can cause increased fatigue and lethargy in your pet. These are a few symptoms that can enable you to understand your pet’s condition. If you have any doubt, consult with your vet to rule out any possibility.

What Are the Treatment Options?

As mentioned above, the treatment will include dietary changes, insulin, and some other medications. Also, the dog will have to do moderate exercises to manage diabetes. You will have to give insulin twice daily to control blood sugar levels.

You will have to observe the condition of your pet to prevent hypoglycemia. Your vet will help you in this regard. You will know when and how to adjust the insulin to maintain the blood sugar level.

Wrapping Up

Your dog can live from six months to many years with untreated diabetes. However, you can improve the quality of your pet’s life significantly with the right treatment. Your pet can live long like a healthy dog.

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How Long Can a Dog Live With an Enlarged Spleen

When petting a dog pet owners need to face many concerns and among the major causes of concern is the enlarged spleen of the dog. So what can be done if your pet gets diagnosed with an enlarged spleen? There are a lot of things that can bear trouble on your dog and cause it to have a larger than normal spleen such as canine hepatitis, abdominal injury, inflammatory bowel disease, infectious disorders, spleen cell tumors, bacterial infection along other disorders of the immune system.

Dogs and splenomegaly

The condition of enlargement of spleen in dogs is known as splenomegaly. The medical condition can possibly occur in almost all dog genders and breeds, but the larger breeds and middle-aged dogs are more prone. Also, the condition isn’t specific to the spleen, but can also be another conditions or disease symptom. The treatment options are also recommended depending on the splenomegaly cause.

What causes enlarged spleen in dogs?

There can be many reasons for enlarged spleen such as infections, cirrhosis and other diseases of the liver, blood diseases that are characterized through abnormal blood cells, lymph system issues, or other problematic conditions. Various other reasons for an enlarged spleen can be inflammatory diseases like sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.

Types and symptoms

The general symptoms observed with the enlarged spleen condition are:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Less activity and lethargy
• Abdominal pain
• Feeling weakness and collapsing
• Similarly, there are many spleen cancer symptoms in the dogs such as:
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Lameness
• Muscle incoordination (ataxia)
• Seizures
• Dementia
• Partial movement loss (paresis)
• Intermittent collapse

Many pet owners are not aware of the life of their dog with life-threatening conditions like spleen cancer. So, what is the average survival dog time with splenic HSA that got chemotherapy and surgery is approx. 4-6 months (compared with 1-2 months alone with surgery).

How serious an enlarged spleen in a dog can be?

The prospective complications that your dog can get through an enlarged spleen are: Catching infection. With a larger than normal spleen the dog gets reduced total amount of healthy red blood cells, white cells, and platelets in the bloodstream, which results in more infections frequently. It is also possible to get anemia with increased bleeding.

Enlarged Spleen through hemangiosarcoma (HSA)

Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) of spleen remains to be a devastating cancer form affecting a lot of dogs. This is vascular epithelial cells (lining blood vessels) compromising roughly 7% of all canine cancer. The tumor can occur through site of the body which is vascular but frequent dog locations (40-50%), right atrium/heart (10-25%), and skin (15%). Hemangiosarcoma of spleen is among the common spleen cancer causes in dogs.

Is it possible for your dog’s enlarged spleen to become normal again?

This depends a lot on the cause of the problem. An enlarged spleen can turn to normal function and size when the underlying disease gets timely treatment or resolution. Most commonly, in the infectious condition of mononucleosis, the size of spleen returns to normal in the recovery phase of the infection.

Management and living with an enlarged spleen

Various underlying medical issues can easily get treated through prescription medication. In case when the enlarged spleen gets removal, your dog will require some time and rehabilitation for proper healing, and make sure to restrict its activity.

Currently, there are no known preventable measures that you can get for an enlarged spleen. You should consider the best pet insurance services. That will also help you in the process of taking care of your pet

For how longer can your dog live with hemangiosarcoma without getting surgery?

Based on the findings, the average duration of survival for dogs having hypodermal HSA is around six months. Without getting the right treatment, a lot of dogs diagnosed with internal organs HSA will die within one to two weeks of getting diagnosed. Although, a few would be able to survive for a lot of months while others only for a few days.

For how long a dog lives with the hemangiosarcoma condition without getting treated?

Without having treatment, the dogs diagnosed with the hemangiosarcoma of internal organs die within one or two weeks, although a few would be able to survive for various months.

Does the absence of a spleen in dogs shorten their lifespan?

People or animals without the availability of spleen can have a hard time in getting recovered from an injury or an illness. For getting reduced risk of infection, your doctor would recommend getting vaccinated against influenza, pneumonia, meningococci, and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib).

How long does it take for a dog for recovering from spleen removal?

The recovery period would last for around four to six weeks

What is advisable to feed your dog with enlarged spleen?

• Anti-cancer dog diet
• All the ingredients must be highly bioavailable, fresh, easily digested, and palatable with good smell and taste.
• Organic foods
• Fish-oil based supplements
• Vitamin C
• Garlic
• Digestive enzymes
• Fresh and organic meats, cooked or raw.

Diagnosis

While getting examined a protruding abdomen or a protruding spleen might get noticed. Then fine needle aspiration is used for diagnosing spleen disorder. Also, x-rays and ultrasounds are used for viewing spleen with surrounding areas for checking out any present abnormalities. Additionally to imaging, the blood work also provides comprehensive review of underlying medical troubles.

Foods that irritate the spleen

Make sure to avoid icy cool drinks, frozen foods, winter or bitter melon, cucumber, grapefruit or lettuce deplete “fire” of the spleen. The “damp” foods like refined sweets and sugars, dairy products – can also hinder digestion processes.

Around what percentage of splenic dog tumors are benign?

Splenic Masses overview: nodular hyperplasia and splenic hematoma are among the different non-cancerous lesions present in the spleen and these accounts for around 20-41% of all the splenic lesions. These are benign masses/nodules of the clotted blood.

What should you do when your dog x-ray shows an enlarged spleen?

If your vet has discovered enlarged spleen then more investigation would be required. With ultrasound, you can detect any signs of spreading to abdominal and neighboring organs. With a CT scan, it can be revealed if any other distant organs have become affected which might be suggestive of any metastatic cancer.

Proper blood work would be helpful in revealing if any anemia is present which might suggest any bleeding through spleen. After getting all the findings, the vet might also suggest biopsy and removal of spleen and/or consultation of an oncologist.

Treatment

Recommended options for treatment depend largely on the underlying enlarged spleen causes. As the enlarged spleen is normally sign of any underlying medical condition, it would be vital for understanding causes before you establish proper animal treatment. For severe cases, spleen removal (splenectomy) is recommendable.

Unfortunately, to date, hemangiosarcoma remains to be among the most mysterious and challenging conditions that have been present in modern-day veterinary practice. Also, it is unfortunate that within previous 20 to 30 years no advances were there for the treatment of such condition. This is most likely because humans normally don’t get information about hemangiosarcoma because of limited research or funding.

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Bladder Cancer In Dogs – What To Expect

Introduction

Bladder cancer is rare in dogs and usually takes the form of a tumor on the lining of the bladder. These tumors are known as transitional cell carcinomas (TCC). This form of cancer can be aggressive and can spread to other areas of the dog’s body.

This article is devoted to helping you as a dog owner spot the symptoms of bladder cancer. We will also explain the causes and outline the treatments that can be used.

What are the causes of bladder cancer?

There is no clear, concise answer to what causes bladder cancer. Experts suggest that there are several possible causes. These include:

Hereditary factors. Some breeds of dog are more susceptible to bladder cancer than others. These include Scottish Terriers, Beagles, Airedales, West Highland Terriers, Wire Hair Fox Terriers, and Shetland Sheepdogs. This suggests that there may be a genetic factor involved.

Gender. It is not known why, but female dogs stand a higher risk of developing bladder cancer than male dogs.

Obesity. Some breeds of dogs – terriers particularly – that are overweight are more prone to bladder cancer.

Neutering. There is a much higher risk of bladder cancer developing in neutered male dogs than in those that are not.

Pesticides and Herbicides. Both of these products contain ingredients that raise the risk of bladder cancer in dogs exposed to them. It is known, for example, that herbicides used to treat lawns can lead to a higher risk of cancer.

Cyclophosphamide. This is a drug used in chemotherapy. In cases where a dog has previously had cancer and has been treated with this drug, then the risk of bladder cancer in the future is raised.

Symptoms of dog bladder cancer

One problem with almost all cancers is that they are very hard to detect in the early stages. Often no symptoms will show or the few that do show are similar to the symptoms of other illnesses. Bladder cancer is just the same, and the cancer may be well advanced before any symptoms can be detected.

The symptoms to look out for are:

Traces of blood in the dog’s urine. We don’t usually check our dog’s urine when it has a pee. It is likely you will only notice it by chance. When any of the other symptoms show, be sure to check the urine for blood at that stage.

Straining to pee. You may notice that your dog is making an effort to urinate.

Frequent small amounts of urine. Should your dog pee often and then only in tiny amounts, this may be a sign of a problem. Male dogs particularly mark territory in this way, so watch for other signs of a problem.

Incontinence. When your dog doesn’t finish urinating properly and urine continues to dribble, then something is wrong.

Bladder infections. Repeated bladder infections can be a sign that your dog has cancer. Ask your vet to check for cancer if your dog is getting these infections frequently.

Loss of appetite. When cancer becomes established your dog will begin to show signs that are common to all cancers. Loss of appetite is an important symptom to note.

Lethargy. Your dog will also become much less active and show no interest in playing or walking.

Pain. A large tumor in the bladder will cause pressure in your dog’s abdomen. This in turn will lead to pain and discomfort. A dog in pain is a distressing sight to see.

Constipation. Depending on where in the bladder the tumor has grown, one symptom might be constipation. Watch your dog to see if it is having trouble when trying to defecate.

Coughing. If your dog begins to cough often, then there is a possibility that the cancer has spread to its lungs.

Failure to urinate at all. At a very advanced stage the tumor may be so large that it blocks the bladder and prevents any urine from being expelled. Your dog will be in pain and may simple collapse.

Diagnosis of Dog Bladder Cancer

As the signs of bladder cancer are the same as the signs of other bladder problems in the early stages your vet will want to test carefully. Your vet will run a blood count, create a biochemistry profile, and analyse your dog’s urine. Bladder infections can then be ruled out.

The next step is for your vet to carry out a biopsy. This will involve the removal of a small piece of bladder tissue for analysis. A biopsy will give a completely accurate diagnosis.

Following the biopsy the next task is to establish the stage that the cancer has reached. There are four stages:

Stage 0 and Stage 1. These are the earliest stages and it is unusual to get a diagnosis this early. The few symptoms your dog will show – if any – will be slight and probably not raise any suspicions.

Stage 2 and Stage 3. By this stage there will be blood in your dog’s urine, it will find peeing difficult and the cancer will have spread across most of the bladder.

Stage 4. By the time Stage 4 is reached, the cancer will have spread into other areas of your dog’s body.

Treatment of Dog Bladder Cancer

There are three possible approaches to treatment. The most common treatment is chemotherapy using the drugs piroxicam and mitoxantrone . Alternatively only one drug – most often piroxicam – is used. Both treatments can extend your dog’s life.

Surgery for bladder cancer is difficult and fraught with danger. The position of the tumor can mean accessing it requires complex surgery and then all the cancer may not be removed. If early detection has been possible, then removing the tumor completely gives your dog the best chance of survival.

Radiation is the third possible treatment but again this carries dangers with it. Your dog’s bladder might be damaged by the radiation, and other organs nearby in the body may also be affected.

How to care for a dog with Bladder Cancer

Being diagnosed with bladder cancer will mean your dog’s life has been shortened. While chemotherapy will add a few months or maybe a year it can only delay the inevitable. It is important therefore to give your pet the best care you can at the end of its life. Here are some tips on care:

Make sure your dog has a plentiful supply of clean water available at all times.

Give your dog moist food rather than dry.

Don’t over-exercise your dog. Easy walks and quiet play is best. Keep an eye on your dog’s toilet habits for any changes.

Avoid accidents in the home by using special dog diapers.

Your dog will have good and bad days. Keep track of food and drink consumed each day to help your vet monitor your dog’s progress.

Most of all give your dog all the love and attention he or she deserves after the lifetime of loyalty they have shown you. Don’t let your dog pick up on your distress – dogs are surprisingly aware of their owner’s moods.

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Proven Ways To Alleviate Your Dog’s Stress Symptoms

Even though dogs can give off the impression that they live the good life, they can get overstimulated and stressed just like humans.

Common reasons for stress include the dog not getting its needs met and is then under-stimulated. It may also suffer from an illness, or it can be too energized which can lead to stress in the long run.

Unfortunately, environmental stress and anxiety are common in many dogs and occur in both young and old pooches.

The difficulty for vulnerable and stressed dogs lies in the fact that they, unlike us, cannot solve the problems on their own.

Your dog cannot turn off loud noises or do some yoga to relax its mind and body. The dog depends on you as its owner to monitor its behavior and make sure that it is not exposed to any stress.

In the article below, we’ll explain some ways that can help you control and alleviate your dog’s stress symptoms.

Make Sure Your Dog is Covered

Before we dive into the ways you can help your dog relieve its stress, we must emphasize that as a dog owner, you must always think ahead and make sure that your dog’s condition is not caused by an underlying issue. If not addressed in due time, it can develop into chronic stress and a more severe illness.

Dogs that are exposed to stress for a long time can develop problematic behaviors. Not only does it cause mental strain, but they can also get elevated cortisol levels over time and eventually a weakened immune system.

As a result, the visits to the veterinarian might become more frequent, and the costs for these check-ups might become overwhelming. When owning a pet, the smart thing to do is to cover your furry friend with the right insurance plan. If confused and don’t understand which plan would work for you, there are highly credible pet insurance marketplaces such as Pawlicy Advisor, that work as a comparison tool for different types of insurance plans. They will assist you in recognizing your needs and help you make the right decision for you and your pet.

Less intense play activities

Throwing sticks or kicking a ball with the dog are activities that most dogs enjoy doing. It is important to know that these trigger the dog’s hunting instinct and cause the dog to increase its stress levels, and it can be difficult for the dog to unwind afterward. Often the owner intends to get the dog to run as much as possible, but for a dog that gets easily stressed, it is an activity that should be reduced or avoided completely.

If you want to activate your dog before it is left alone for a while, it is better to choose an exercise that does not pull the dog into severe stress, for example, go for a long leisurely walk or play fetch together.

Go for Walks

Calm physical activity has a good effect on stress, and long walks can be very good for lowering the dog’s stress levels.

However, long walks are far from suitable for all dogs. If the walk is full of things that trigger stress, it can do more harm than good.  In that case, it is better not to go.

If you have the opportunity, feel free to go out to an empty dog park, or somewhere else where it is calm with not so many people and dogs around to stress out your dog. You can also take the walks at times when it is quiet, generally early in the morning and late in the evening, or when it is pouring rain and no one else wants to be outside.

If it is difficult to get stress-free walks, there are many ways to exercise the dog at home as an alternative.

Massage the Stress Away

One of the favorite ways when it comes to reducing stress and helping a nervous dog relax is massage. Massage works wonders for reducing stress in several different ways, both instantly and for a longer period. The hormone oxytocin is released, which both gives a relaxed, pleasant feeling and at the same time counteracts the unpleasant stress hormones.

As you have probably experienced yourself, stress tends to lead to muscle tension. And tense muscles lead to discomfort and pain, which in turn leads to more stress, which leads to more muscle tension, which leads to more stress… A vicious circle, to put it mildly.

A massage helps the dog relax, increases the release of oxytocin, reduces the number of stress hormones, and alleviates muscle tension. Remember that the massage should not be uncomfortable. Massage in a way your dog feels is nice. Long strokes with the whole hand and small, light circular movements with the fingertips are usually appreciated. Never force the dog to get massaged. If your dog has an injury or seems sore somewhere – contact a veterinarian or a physiotherapist for advice.

Let It Sniff for Food

Another way to help the dog reduce the stress is to let it sniff for food. The dog gets something to concentrate on in a calm manner. Sniffing out food is a very natural behavior for dogs, that’s what they are made to do.

In addition to being a calming activity, it is also a very good way to give the dog mental stimulation, something that is important for them to feel good and keep their minds fit. 

The Chew and Lick Tactic

Giving the dog some good bone to chew on, or something to lick is often very soothing and calming, and it is a great way to help the dog unwind.

Chewing is also a good way to release tension in the jaw muscles, where stressed dogs, just like stressed people, often build up tension.

Final Thoughts

Counteracting and reducing stress in dogs can be divided into two parts. One part is to avoid or reduce things that add to the stress, the other is to add or increase things that help reduce stress.

The main advice for a pet owner is to know your dog and create a balance of the things we mentioned in the article above. Most dogs would surely benefit from these tips, even those that do not seem stressed. In the end, the most important thing is to create routine and security as well as build up a language and communication with your dog that will allow the both of you to live a long, healthy, and stress-free life.

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How To Maintain Medium-Sized Dogs Healthy at Every Life Stage – Nutritional Needs

If you are a dog owner, then you probably only want the best for your pup so that it can live a long and healthy life. However, keeping your four-legged friend healthy at every life stage can be difficult if you don’t do any research.

Depending on the size, your dog might have different nutritional needs – for instance, large breeds need a higher calorie intake than small and medium-sized dogs. In this article, we will focus on medium-sized dogs. We will go through every life stage and explain what is needed to keep the pup healthy.

It is worth mentioning that, if you have enough time, you should consider using one of the homemade dog food crockpot recipes to make your pup’s meal, especially since feeding your furry friend with food made at home has several benefits, including healthier coat and skin, increased energy, decreased number of vet visits and longer life, as well as a firmer stool and less to clean up.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Medium-Sized Dogs

Medium-sized dogs usually weigh between 20 and 60 pounds. Although there are plenty of breeds that are considered to be medium-sized, here are some of the most widely known:

• American Pit Bull Terrier
• Beagle
• Bulldog
• Dalmatian
• Siberian Husky
• Standard Poodle

Medium-Sized Puppy: 0-12 Months

When you have a puppy, you need to make sure that your house is puppy-proof, meaning that all the small objects that could be swallowed by it are hidden, and the access to steps or pools is restricted with a dog gate.

Nutritional Needs

When it comes to the nutritional needs of a medium-sized puppy, they begin with the mother’s milk or a puppy milk replacer fed to the puppy with a bottle.

When they are around four weeks of age, they are gradually weaned and transitioned to a well-balanced puppy diet. In the beginning, the puppies should receive three servings per day. Once they reach ten weeks old, you can reduce it to two servings per day.

Pro tip: Keep in mind that the transition process is an individual one, which means that one puppy may take a lot longer than the other. The important thing is to be patient.

Some Other Tips

• Take your pup to the vet once you adopt it, or soon after it is born, as they will be able to determine the puppy’s health condition.
• Your puppy should take a series of vaccinations from when it is 6-8 weeks old until 16 weeks of age.
• The teething happens during the first six months of your puppy’s life.

Adult Medium-Sized Dogs – 12 months – 8 years

Keeping your dog healthy once it reaches adulthood is actually relatively easy once you establish a routine.

Nutritional Needs

Once your pup reaches one year of age, it is no longer growing, meaning that it is now considered an adult. What does it mean for their nutritional needs? Well, to put it simply, they don’t need puppy food anymore and can eat regular dog food.

However, just like milk and puppy food, the transition from puppy food to adult dog food should happen gradually. Mix a little bit of the puppy food with the adult dog food daily, and increase the amount every day until the puppy food is completely replaced (should take around a week).

You should feed your four-legged friend the adult dog food until it is 7-8 years old. Once it reaches this age, you’ll need to transition it to a senior diet.

Some Other Tips

• Take your dog to the vet annually to perform any necessary tests and exams.
• Tell the vet about any change you notice in your four-legged friend.
• Keep in mind that dogs who have not been spayed or neutered will experience some hormonal effects – males will become more territorial and want to wander around to find a female to breed with; females will come into heat every six months unless bred or fixed.

Senior Medium-Sized Dogs – 8 – 16 years

Recognizing that your adult dog has undergone the transition to a senior dog might be hard, as the process may go unnoticed. However, here are some things that indicate that you no longer have an adult dog, but a senior dog instead:

• its eyes might be clouded
• the color of its coat on its face or muzzle might have turned white or grey
• it might not hear you as well as it used to
• its teeth may fall out or become more sensitive, meaning that eating will be more difficult
• it may have a lack of concentration

Nutritional Needs

When it comes to the nutritional requirements, your senior dog’s diet should include fewer calories than the adult dog diet had, more fiber, as well as a moderate amount of protein.

Again – remember that the transition should be done gradually.

Some Other Tips

• You should take your senior dog to the vet at least once a year – however, some vets recommend visiting the clinic every six months. If you want to take care of your senior dog at home without a vet  at their end of life cycle, then you need to know How? 
• Regular walks will help keep the muscles toned, while swimming is a great activity that doesn’t put a strain on the dog’s joints, which might be painful at its age.
• Treat-dispensing toys will keep your senior dog mentally sharp while providing entertainment at the same time.

The Bottom Line

If you own a dog, you probably want to give it the world. That includes proper care so that your four-legged friend can live a long and healthy life by your side. However, providing it without proper research can be quite hard – especially since small, medium, and large breeds have different needs.

Although in this article, we mostly covered the nutritional needs of medium-sized dogs, there’s a lot more that goes into their care. Vaccinations, mental, and physical stimulation -all this plays a vital role in the right development of your pup.

If you are not sure how to achieve that, you can always ask your veterinarian – remember they care for your pup as much as you do and will do everything in their power to make sure it is healthy.

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Alternatives To Help You Manage Stress While Attending College

One of the most exciting things teenagers cannot wait to do is to attend college. Going to college means being free from many things, such as moving out of your home, meeting new people from all walks of life, and having fun at night without asking for permission, specifically your parents. It’s very liberating, but it’s also something students need to tread carefully.

Managing College Stress

While college life offers many new things to discover, one of these things might be something you will never want to get associated with: stress. College isn’t a walk in the park. Being resilient is essential that you need to find ways to cope with how you feel to survive. 

But how can you do that when you’re miles away from home? Here’s how.

1. Be Nice To Your Roommate

While attending college, you’ll most likely be living with a total stranger as a roommate. Once you get settled in, get to know your roommate and be cordial in introducing yourself. You’ll be spending time with your roommate for a long time, so you need to know how to live with them.

Be sensitive in the things you do in your shared space. Remember to make things easier for you both. Maintaining a cordial relationship with your roommate will be a huge contributing factor to your growth and mental health. 

2. Find Friends That Value Education

When you enrolled, your main goal was to graduate with a degree, and staying too long to complete it isn’t a good option unless you’re struggling academically. One way to ease up the stress is to make friends with people who value their time and education. By being friends with these people, you can help each other adjust to the new environment and focus on your goals.

3. Take Your Dog With You

If you’re in a university or college where pets are allowed on campus, this is a good way to have a connection with your home while being away. Certain institutions allow students to have their furry friends come along, as they understand how such pets could act as emotional support animals for young people adjusting to a new life. Having your favorite pet while in school would indeed be a welcome relief and a stress-buster for haggard school days.

4. Yoga

Yoga allows your body to connect with your spirit. You can practice mindfulness and meditation, making you more aware of your feelings and thought processes, leading to a peaceful countenance. When you find peace, you’ll know how you need to go about in life. Your anxiety will be lessened, and you could listen and interact in class better and complete requirements faster.

5. Make A Schedule

In college, time is of the essence. Every day is packed with various activities. Aside from attending your classes, you’ll encounter organizational meetings, celebrations, and other extracurricular activities. With all that, you need to make a schedule for yourself.

With a clear schedule, you won’t have to forget any school-related task or deadline. This will help you clear your mind and make you do things faster with minimal stress. Likewise, it will teach you to manage your time better.

6. Develop A Good Study Habit

In developing a good study habit, you need to be able to manage all your class requirements. Advance studying is key to easing up your stress, so you won’t cram to get all the information in one sitting. Also, make it a habit to do your assignments and projects regularly. Don’t wait until the deadline to do them since that’s a huge stressor.

7. Learn To Love Your Teachers

When your teachers dump a lot of work on you, oftentimes, you’ll develop a hatred for them. But they are there to guide and teach you to prepare for the future. Your teachers only want what’s best for you. Teachers have a common goal: to see you succeed. Thus, you should learn to appreciate what your teacher is doing and understand that you have to go through all this to get to where you want to be in life.

8. Talk To Your Parents

Just because you moved out doesn’t mean your parents will abandon you for the rest of your life. You were able to do so because they wanted better opportunities for you. That’s why they sent you to a good school. 

Thus, when you think you’re having a tough time coping, you can give them a call, ask them how they’ve been, and share what you’ve been up to lately. It’s essential to maintain a good relationship with your parents because they’re the ones who genuinely care about you.

9. Seek Professional Help

For some people, coping may not be easy. While they try hard enough, sometimes they just can’t adjust to their new environment. If you’ve been feeling really sad and close to depression, don’t hesitate to find professional help.

A school counselor can help you adjust to your new surroundings and make things a bit easier. However, if the struggle is immense, you can be referred to a psychologist. It’s not shameful to seek help. Taking care of your mental health is also part of taking care of your body. 

Takeaway

Stress is an inevitable part of life, and it’s hard to outrun it sometimes. But you always have to find ways, especially if you’re in college. Making the right friends, keeping your pet nearby, developing good habits, and talking to people who care for your well being would help you deal with whatever stressors you would encounter in your campus life.

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5 Ways to Exercise with Your Pet

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What Causes Joint Pain In Your Dog And How To Help Relieve It

Especially in older dogs, joint pain is a common ailment that, unfortunately, many dogs will experience at some point in their lives. While larger dogs have been historically more prone to these joint issues tan smaller breeds, that doesn’t mean small dogs can’t also be affected. 

As a dog owner, it’s important to know what can cause joint pain in dogs, how to spot it, and, finally, how to help relieve it. 

Causes Of Joint Pain

While joint pain is often caused by simple factors, like wear and tear or old age, there are times when there might be something much bigger going on.

Here are a few different causes of joint pain in dogs:

1. Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common diseases a dog can develop as they get older. As they age, their cartilage thins out, and, therefore, their bones begin to rub against each other, without any kind of lubrication to protect them. This leads not only to damaged cartilage, but also inflamed joints that become difficult or painful to move. 

2. Hip Dysplasia

When hip dysplasia isn’t treated correctly, it can actually lead to arthritis. Hip dysplasia is seen more often in larger dogs and happens when a dog’s femur bone and pelvis socket don’t grow at equal rates, creating stress and wear and tear on the hip from an early age. 

Dysplasia can occur in knees or elbows as well. Smaller dogs, for example, are more prone to knee dysplasia, while elbow dysplasia is common in larger dogs, like golden retrievers and rottweilers. 

3. Being Overweight

If a dog becomes overweight, the added weight and strain on their joints can lead to increased joint pain. Beyond that, fat tissue can produce chemicals that actually increase inflammation and cause more discomfort to your dog’s joints. 

When a dog is overweight, their risk of developing arthritis doubles or triples, and they also run the risk of rupturing their cruciate ligaments. For these reasons, it’s important to keep your dog’s weight in check and ensure they’re getting enough exercise.

4. Overuse

Overuse of a dog’s joints is an example of a degenerative problem, or one that develops over time. It’s tougher to keep a dog from experiencing joint pain due to overuse, especially when they’re full of energy and life as younger dogs. For this reason, many older dogs do face joint pain due to overuse in their younger years. 

5. Injury

Like humans, dogs can suffer from joint pain due to injury from running, jumping, or playing too rough.

Symptoms Of Joint Pain

Some symptoms of joint pain to look out for in your dog include:

• Difficulty lying down, sitting, or standing
• Slow or stiff in movements
• Inability to climb stairs
• Not jumping or running as much as usual
• Lessened activity or interest
• Limping or keeping any limb off the ground
• Swelling or stiffness in joints

All of these signs are a hint that you should take your dog to the vet and check treatment options for joint pain.

Treating Joint Pain

There are many different options for treating joint pain in dogs, all of which will change on a case-by-case basis. Here are some common treatments:

• Joint Supplements

There are many types of dog joint supplement available in the market today. Whether your dog suffers from arthritis, hip dysplasia, or joint pain in general, there’s a supplement that can help them. Some examples of the best supplements for 2020 include:

• Anxious Pet Organic Hemp Oils
• PetNC Natural Care Hip and Joint Soft Chews
• Solimo Dog Hip and Joint Chewable Tablets
• StrellaLab Hemp Treats and Glucosamine
• Zesty Paws Senior Advanced Glucosamine for Dogs

Each supplement is aimed to treat joint pain differently, so before choosing one, you must figure out what the cause of your dog’s joint pain is and ask a vet for the best option for pain relief. 

• Orthopedic Dog Beds

Another great way to relieve joint pain, specifically arthritis pain, is to purchase an orthopedic dog bed. Similar to humans, dogs require a good night sleep not only for energy, but also for relief from the joint pain they may be experiencing. 

Some great orthopedic dog bed choices include:

• BarksBar Orthopedic Dog Bed – can be found on Amazon for around USD$72 and offers both a cotton pad, as well as an orthotic foam support
• Big Barker 7in Pillow Top Orthopedic Dog Bed – can also be found on Amazon, but, as a higher end bed, is around USD$240. 
• Friends Forever Othropedic Dog Bed – runs around USD$44 on Amazon and is great for smaller dogs. 

Orthopedic dog beds are great for joints because the memory-foam-like material serves to not only support aching joints, but also relieve pressure and pain from areas that are often sore. 

• Weight Management

Since overweight dogs often face joint issues due to the added weight and pressure on their joints, simply lowering their weight through diet restrictions and exercise can make a huge difference in how your dog’s joints feel.

• Rehabilitation

Surprisingly, dogs can benefit from rehabilitation and sports medicine, just as humans do. Rehabilitation in dogs can include different kinds of exercises that aim to build muscle, as well as increase flexibility. This can be done through:

• Hydrotherapy (or underwater treadmills)
• Laser therapy
• Acupuncture
• Balance balls
• Massages

All of these techniques serve to strengthen muscles and increase flexibility in order to lessen the strain and pain on your dog’s joints. 

• Surgery

While surgical treatment is often a last resort as it’s not only expensive, but also evasive, there are times when certain kinds of surgeries are necessary, including:

• Arthroscopic joint cleaning 
• Replacement of tissue
• Entire joint replacement

Conclusion

While your dog may have been diagnosed with joint pain, that doesn’t mean they can’t find their way back to a fun and active lifestyle with small changes, like diet, supplements, or a simple investment in a dog bed. 

Different situations, causes, and even breeds will result in different options for joint pain relief. For that reason, if your dog is displaying symptoms of joint issues, consult your vet as soon as possible so you can go over the different options available to your pet.

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Can CBD Help Dogs Fight Cancer?

Cancer, regardless if it’s experienced by your pet or humans, is always a difficult condition to manage. If your dog is fighting this chronic disease, for instance, the pain and complications can take a toll on you. Depending on the kind of cancer that your dog is fighting and its progression, a veterinary oncologist can recommend several treatment options. The common treatment that’s given to ailing dogs are chemotherapy to shrink tumors, surgery to remove them, and auxiliary medicines to reduce treatment effects. 

Unlike normal cells that die once they age or get damaged, cancer cells don’t die on their own. Instead, they grow, mutate, and divide to form tumors. For decades, cannabidiol (CBD) has allegedly helped with pain relief and boosting heart, skin, and eye health. It has also been associated with the prevention and treatment of cancer in dogs. 

In human beings, CBD has been linked with reduced brain tumors. It may kill cancer cells and slow down, or even stop, the growth of tumors. The supposed ability of CBD to kill cancer cells makes it an ideal treatment for controlling the spread of cancer. If this is scientifically established, CBD can be one of the natural supplements that vets will recommend to pet owners whose dogs are fighting cancer. 

Studies show that when included in an approved veterinarian treatment plan, CBD oil products may help dogs that have cancer in different ways, including the following:

1. Reducing Inflammation And Pain 

As your dog undergoes treatment and the cancer progresses, it’ll most certainly experience pain and inflammation. Managing the pain is a huge part of cancer treatment for dogs. However, most pain management medications have negative side effects on dogs. Opioid medicines, for instance, pose a high-tolerance risk and potential overdose. 

On the other hand, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been subjects of scrutiny due to the severe side effects they have in some dogs. The side effects include kidney and liver failure, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, and, in extreme cases, death. Severe side effects pose more threat to senior dogs whose immunity is highly compromised. 

Giving your dog CBD may help reduce inflammation and pain. CBD may also enhance the efficacy of other pain medications. This means that your vet can prescribe lesser amounts of such medications without affecting the comfort of your dog. Even more importantly, compared to other pain management medications that veterinarians prescribe, CBD has a stronger safety profile for dogs as reflected by fewer side effects. 

2. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Anti-Tumor Drugs

CBD may have the ability to support the reduction of tumor size in dogs. In humans, CBD may have anti-tumor effects on different cancers, including leukemia, lung, breast, colon, brain, and spine cancers. Studies show that besides having tumor-shrinking properties, CBD may also enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy to shrink tumors and possibly reduce its dosing, without decreasing its efficacy. This reduces the severe side effects of radiation therapy that can be harmful to dogs. 

As more study findings on cancers emerge, it’s becoming evident that the endocannabinoid system in dogs is related to cancer. This means that parts of their complicated signaling process, which is controlled by the peripheral and central nervous system, are capable of responding to cannabinoids, like CBD.

3. Enhances Appetite And Reduces Nausea

As their furry friend goes through cancer treatment, two major side effects that dog owners have to deal with are persistent nausea and a reduced appetite. Combined, these side effects can result in anorexia. Other than this, the dog may develop a metabolic disorder known as cachexia as a result of cancer. The disorder is capable of causing severe appetite losses and is associated with at least 20% of deaths among dogs that are fighting cancer. 

The gut is filled with endocannabinoid enzymes, receptors, and transmitters. These systems play a key role in maintaining the right environment for good gut and brain-gut performance. These two elements are responsible for regulating various autonomic systems in the body. 

Since endocannabinoid plays a major role in regulating metabolism and enhancing general gut health, adding CBD to your dog’s diet goes a long way in improving its nausea and appetite. In fact, it’s one of the key reasons that oncologists may integrate it into treatment plans for dogs that are fighting cancer. 

4. Improving Immunity

The immune system and the endocannabinoid system are closely related. The relationship between the two systems is extremely strong that it has been dubbed the immune cannabinoid system. 

Due to its ability to decrease oxidative stress, which refers to a process that’s associated with the ability of the body to fight the pathogens that invade it without attacking or destroying healthy tissue, CBD improves the immunity of dogs that are fighting cancer. Further, may help in regulating gut functionality, which is an aspect that has been associated with a strong immune system. 

5. Improving The Ability To Sleep

While the endocannabinoid system is known to play an important role in moderating sleep, it’s still not clear how exactly cannabinoid plays this role. Even so, the two prevalent cannabinoids in cannabis–THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD–tend to have a positive effect when it comes to the quality of sleep.

The CBD compound serves as the waking agent, while THC serves as the sleep agent. These aspects may seem like they wouldn’t keep your dog from suffering and allow them to sleep better at night. However, by making their waking time better during the day, CBD enables your dog to experience better sleep at night. 

Final Thoughts

Cancer is a chronic ailment that takes a toll on dogs due to the inflammation associated with it. As your dog struggles with cancer, you can use CBD to manage its negative effects, such as pain, nausea, loss of appetite, reduced immunity, and the discomfort that comes with ailment and the treatment that’s administered to the dog.

Other than managing these effects, CBD may have the ability to kill cancer cells, slows down the rate that the disease spreads, and may even stop the growth of cancerous tumors.

Reference: https://highlandpharms.com/benefits-of-cbd-oil-for-dogs/

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Is a Dog Harness Better Than a Collar?

Zigzagging, jumping, pulling, and struggling out of his collar are things your dog will never do on a leash—that is, until he does.

In case you can’t trust your dog to fully behave just yet, it would be better to use a harness instead of a collar. This accessory makes it easier for you to control and manage dogs with even the poorest leash manners.

On the other hand, once your dog has proven to be trustworthy, no accessory can better mark that achievement than a collar. Let’s talk about the collar and harness in detail, so you can decide which one is more suited to your loyal companion. 

The Collar

Collars are the go-to for dog walking. They come in a wide range of styles, some undoubtedly better than others. There are styles that are meant to train dogs by purposely causing discomfort or constricting them when they pull. Of course, these aren’t the types of collars we recommend since there are other training options that make use of positive reinforcement.

Traditional collars that are non-constricting are ideal for dogs with respiratory issues. These pooches aren’t likely to pull on their leashes, given their condition, so a choke and prong collar is hardly necessary. Non-constricting collars are generally more comfortable for dogs, too, so you shouldn’t worry about leaving them on all the time.

If we’re talking about all-day use, a harness usually isn’t the most comfortable. Furthermore, if your dog has long, coarse fur, then it’ll likely get caught up in a harness. These are usually non-issues where collars are concerned.

You also have collars designed for tiny breeds or pups, whose necks are prone to slipping out of the usual collars. They’re called slip collars, and they close around the dog’s neck without choking when the pooch backs up or pulls. Still, hard-pulling dogs run a higher risk of getting neck injuries when using a collar. In situations like this, it would be better to opt for a harness. 

The Harness

Harnesses are steadily gaining traction in the industry as dog parents become more aware of the benefits they bring to the table. Not only are they great training tools for puppies learning to behave, but they also allow walkers to have a higher degree of control.

Harnesses are designed to discourage pulling from even the most excitable pooches. They prevent your dogs from leaping up on unsuspecting strangers without choking them. Unlike collars, harnesses are also less likely to get tangled up in leashes.

The harness scores yet another point over the collar in terms of being the accessory that’s more unlikely to cause injury. This makes it an even more important consideration for toy breeds with delicate necks. They’re also less restrictive for breeds prone to developing respiratory conditions, like French bulldogs and pugs.

The slightest sign of breathing problems means the harness is your best choice. Some collars can result in the bulging of certain breeds’ eyeballs if too much pressure is applied.

You can either attach a harness from the front or from the back. Harnesses that attach from the front are more ideal for larger canines, as they typically lead from the front. On the other hand, back-attaching harnesses are ideal for more disciplined dogs since they don’t provide the guidance necessary for training.

Harnesses that attach from the back are also perfect for smaller breeds since they are more pressure-sensitive. Front-attaching harnesses are usually too painful for them.

Should You Use Either or Neither?

According to SmartlyPet.com, whether you use a harness or a collar, it’s crucial that your pooch always wears an identification tag.

There’s no telling when something can distract and frighten your dog, causing him to suddenly pull on his leash and escape your grip. You might not be able to catch up with your speeding canine. Since accidents happen, you’ll want to consider microchips as part of your solution. Still, they aren’t the be-all and end-all solution to your training problems, either.

Do your research on the more effective dog-walking training methods. If your dog is both a jumper and a puller, then both the collar and harness won’t do him any good. Switching between these two accessories won’t prevent your dog from doing any of these things.

In case your dog doesn’t do well with a harness or a collar, explore other options. One example is the head halter, which wraps and around the head and muzzle. Despite its structure, it’s not meant to prevent barking or restrict mouth movement in any way. This is simply another effective way to manage a distractible dog better.

Conclusion

Whatever accessory you decide on, make sure to study how it’s effectively used for training your particular breed of dog before making a purchase. Also, let your dog have a say on the decision, too. Perhaps your pooch has a preference? You never know!