We do know that dogs experience a type of sleep phase known as ‘rapid eye movement’ sleep (REM), and that REM is also a stage of humans sleep, which is associated with dreaming. Human and dog brains are also not dissimilar in structure, and extrapolating from what we know of humans REM sleep, this may […]
What is Hip Dysplasia (HD)? HD is an abnormal (dysplastic) hip joint. Normally, the femur (leg bone) articulates nicely within the pelvis, in dogs with HD the bones are abnormally formed and there is a lot of laxity and movement in their hip joint leading to abnormal stresses on the surrounding cartilage and bone and […]
We’ve talked about why dogs lick themselves but what about when they are licking you?! Whilst licking is a completely normal behaviour and an important form of communication, it can be a sign of an issue when it’s done excessively. Firstly, licking you (or the floor or the couch etc!) can indicate a gastrointestinal problem […]
Dogs that are licking their paws are itchy. An itchy paw is most commonly due to allergies, most notably atopy, and less commonly food allergies. Atopy is an allergic reaction to one or more allergens in the environment such as pollen, grass, mould, dust mites and more which results in inflamed, itchy skin. Food allergies […]
From the boisterous puppy that doesn’t realise their play can be painful, to the dog that saves this behaviour only for your guests, here’s some tips to protect your guest’s and their ankles! AVOID WHAT YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO DO! In the short term, the behaviour needs to be avoided, so that it is […]
Jumping up to say hello is a normal behaviour for many dogs. By teaching them an alternate way of saying hello and staying on all fours, you are not only protecting the less robust family members and guests (and their clothing!), you are also ensuring your pooch is less isolated from the family and getting […]
With the long weekend and Easter approaching, you want to make sure that your dog is getting plenty of the Easter joy, and none of the Easter sads! How to help your dog enjoy easter? We have some tips below: Avoid chocolate Prevent a rushed visit to the emergency centre by ensuring your dog has […]
It can be very hard to stop a natural and normal behaviour such as a dog digging, especially in a young active dog. As it’s most undesirable to have pot holes and booby traps scattered around your backyard, it’s no surprise that this is a behaviour many a pet parent wants to stop! So here […]
Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) is a parasite that can affect dogs. This worm has it’s normal lifecycle in rats and snails (or slugs). When a dog eats the infected snail they too can become infected. There is actually a possibility that by just eating the snail or slugs mucous, that they can be infected. An […]