Is it safe to give my dog raw bones to chew? This is one of those subjects where opinions differ. Some dogs will chew bones their whole lives and never experience a problem. Others will require emergency surgery after being given only one bone. The complications of giving a dog…
Health
What should you do about lameness in a dog and what causes it?
Lame dog Q: My working lurcher is on/off lame on her right foreleg and there appears to be swelling around the wrist. Any suggestions? A: Lots. Most importantly, I would immediately confine her to barracks until the problem has been diagnosed. Continuing to exercise your lame dog now may jeopardise…
Puppies and umbelical hernias – what you need to know
Umbilical hernia on puppy Q: My puppy bitch has an umbilical hernia that the vet intended to repair when she was spayed after her first season. However, we are having second thoughts about neutering her and wanted to know if this means she still needs an operation to repair her…
What should I do about my dog’s dewclaws?
Dogs and dewclaws Q: My dog still has his dewclaws, but I’ve been told that these are usually removed soon after birth. Is it too late to have them removed now? What would you advise? A: It is legal to remove dewclaws from puppies whose eyes have not yet opened.…
Why the Labrador is an endangered breed
Spot the odd one out: grey wolf, Labrador, golden jackal, coyote. All four are members of the genus Caninae, and have scientific names prefixed with the word Canis. However, a big clue is that the Labrador is the only one that can be trained to retrieve pheasants, sniff out drugs…
All about puppies and their teeth
Q: Why are puppy teeth so sharp? A: Puppies are born without teeth but then develop two sets. A temporary, deciduous set of puppy teeth erupt around three to four weeks of age, which are replaced by a second set of permanent teeth that gradually replace the former, starting at…
How do I keep my dogs warm in kennels in winter?
I have two labradors kenneled outside and want to sort out the best type of bedding for them for the coming winter.
How to help an older dog suffering from deafness
Q: Our old gundog is starting to become deaf, probably due to his age. Is there anything to help hearing loss in older dogs? A: Certainly the most common form of deafness in dogs is age-related hearing loss (ARHL). Most dogs experience some degree of ARHL as they get older. Unfortunately,…
Why gundogs shouldn’t eat pork pies
Pancreatitis in dogs can be serious. I received a salutary tale from reader and regular correspondent Arthur Moore, who had just returned from walking Hadrian’s Wall with his wife Ann and daughter Jocasta, plus two English springers, Ella, aged 10, and Nina, aged two. “We walked the wall, day on…
How to help a dog with arthritis
“My eight year old Labrador is a bit slow to get going now and is usually lame by lunchtime, when I rug her up and put her in the vehicle. She seems a bit young to call it a day. How can you help a dog with arthritis?” Many working…
Health checks you must carry out before breeding Labradors
Q: “I am considering breeding from my young Labrador bitch but have to confess to being overwhelmed by all the advice I am getting. Any thoughts?” Thoughts on breeding Labradors A: First I would say that breeding from your only dog can be fraught and is not entirely without risk.…
Should I stick to a dog vaccination schedule? What’s recommended?
Q: I have heard about herd immunity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and relating to dog vaccination. How does herd immunity protect unvaccinated animals, and can you explain why it is apparently important for me stick to a dog vaccinations schedule if a sufficient level of herd immunity…
How to make a dog vomit in an emergency
Most wild mushrooms aren't poisonous to dogs, but there are some symptoms of poisoning that you should watch out for
In the heat, is it kind to give your dogs chilled water? Or could it be dangerous?
The temperature is soaring and your faithful gundogs are lying in the shade, panting heavily. It’s tempting to think there would be nothing kinder than to put some ice cubes in your gundog’s water bowl – but should dogs drink ice cold water? Is it safe or can it cause…
My spaniel has horrible waxy ears. What can I do about it?
Q: My spaniel has horrible waxy ears. No amount of cleaning seems to make a difference. Any suggestions? I’m worried they may lead to more spaniel ear problems. A: Neil says: Yes, stop what you are doing. You are probably making the situation worse. We need to go back to…
How to keep gundogs cool in hot weather
Q: With a young dog in training this summer, have you some advice on the best ways to keep dogs cool in hot weather? A: The advice on how to keep dogs cool in hot weather is so important. Here’s what to do. Keep dogs cool by providing a cool…
How can I protect my dog’s ears from grass seeds?
Grass seeds can easily become lodged in a dog’s ears or paws. Grass seeds are a particular problem for spaniels As the hay fever season fades away, so the grass-seed season takes over. The first affects me (though not as much as it used to), while the second is a…
The risks of over-exercising a puppy
Q: We have recently acquired a new puppy. Both parents were hip and elbow tested and found to be clear and I’ve been told by the breeder to be careful about over-exercising a puppy while he is young because it could damage his joints. I want to start training this…
How to get ticks off your dog and keep them off
A welcome consequence of the recent drought has been an absence of ticks. I have yet to find any ticks on dogs of mine this year. Ticks like nothing better than to lurk in wet, rank grass and they avoid dry areas because of the risk of dehydration. So from…
How can I treat my gundog’s diarrhoea? What causes it?
Q: “Can you explain to me why my gundog gets a stomach upset? What causes diarrhoea in dogs and how can I stop my gundog getting it? Diarrhoea in dogs – the symptoms and the causes Diarrhoea is defined as increased water content of faeces, leading to changes in frequency…