I’m My Dog’s Seeing-Eye Person

Frankie’s eyesight is failing, though I’m not sure to what extent. Although they’re not completely obscured, his lenses look cloudy. I’ve also noticed that Frankie is hesitant to jump off things as low as the mattress on the floor where we sleep. (Yes, when he had back problems years ago, I opted to put my…

Vaccinating Your Dog, Part 2: Risk Assessment

Last week I gave a basic overview of vaccinations, including a discussion of why dogs need them. I made the distinction between core vaccines (those that every dog needs for public health reasons, including rabies, which is required by law) and noncore, which should be administered depending on a dog’s particular circumstances — exposure to…

Diseases of the Dog’s Anal Area

Let’s face it: Dog owners spend a lot of time discussing dog butts and what emerges from them. Puppy bums lend themselves to lots of joking. But this article, adapted from one I wrote for Your Dog, the Tufts University veterinary school newsletter, deals with some medical problems that are no laughing matter. That doesn’t…

Do Dogs Need Professional Teeth Cleanings? Yes!

Maybe you’ve seen a sign for “Teeth cleaning without anesthesia” in your groomer’s shop or on a pet store bulletin board. And you’ve wondered: Would your dog benefit from some quick tartar removal, free from the perceived dangers — and costs — of a professional cleaning under anesthesia at a veterinarian’s office? “Definitely not,” says…

Herbal Remedies for Pets: First, Do No Harm

My Drug Problem (No, Not That Kind) When it comes to medications, conventional and alternative, I’m profoundly conflicted.  I’m suspicious of the medical establishment, especially of its encouraging people to take drugs and then more drugs to counteract their side effects. But I have no problem taking over-the-counter pain meds, allergy pills and antacids, as…

A Close Call — and a Change of Medical Course

Thank heavens for sinus headaches. I never thought I’d have a reason to say that, but a nagging pain in my head combined with a friend’s fatigue may have saved Frankie’s life. Frankie’s insulin problems: Some background I’ve written about this many times before, so I’ll just recap. Frankie’s diabetes had been well regulated on…