Health

As a dog owner, you already know that providing your furry friend with a healthy diet is key to their well-being. However, with so many different variants of dog food available, it might not be clear which nutrients, including vitamin D, are truly beneficial for your pet. The role of vitamin D can be overlooked, so it’s important to know what it is and how it can affect your pet’s health. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of vitamin D for dogs, the advantages of adding it to your pet’s diet and the consequences of a deficiency. Let’s dive right in!

With so many different dog food and supplement options available, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what exactly your dog needs. Along with other important nutrients, vitamin B complex can be really helpful in keeping your dog as fit as a fiddle. But what is the role of vitamin B for dogs and what are some of the benefits it can provide? Vitamin B comprises an important group of nutrients that can make a real difference in your furry friend’s life. Whether you’re looking to improve their energy levels, support their digestive system, or simply give them an extra immunity boost, adding vitamin B to their diet is a great way to do just that.

Dog miscarriage is a difficult experience for many pets and their owners. Even though we try our best to keep our furry friends healthy and happy, unforeseen complications can occur, and miscarriage is one of them. So if you’ve ever wondered: “can dogs have miscarriages?”, the answer is yes, they can and it’s important to know about them so that we can help. Understanding the possible causes, signs, and treatments of dog miscarriage is key for prompt and effective vet care. Whether your dog has experienced a miscarriage in the past, or you want to be prepared if it happens, this article is for you. Read on to learn how you can support your dog through this challenging situation.

From the age of around 6 months, a female dog will start experiencing heat cycles, or ‘coming into season’. You may notice changes in your four-legged friend that will signify that they are in heat. Learn all about your dog’s heat cycle, how long it lasts and what to look out for.

As pretty as plants can be, some plants are toxic to dogs. To keep your dog safe, It’s best not to keep these plants in your house, just in case curiosity gets the better of them and they decide to have a nibble. See our list of plants poisonous to dogs so you can note which ones to stay away from.

As a dog parent, it may not ever cross your mind to think about whether or not they lose their teeth. However, dogs can lose their teeth, and sometimes this can be a cause for concern. Carry on reading to find out everything you need to know about dog teeth, what to do when they fall out and more.

You should contact the vet as soon as you notice something is wrong with your dog. In some cases, however, urgent care is needed while waiting for professional help. This is when owners can step in. Knowing what to do in those moments and how to administer dog first aid can save your pet’s life. Our guide is designed to help you understand how to do dog first aid in different scenarios and when to do it. Take a read below. We recommend speaking to your vet for advice before performing any of the first aid below. With any first aid, there is a risk of injury or harm to your pet if it is performed incorrectly, so you should always seek veterinary guidance.

Pica in dogs can become quite a serious problem if not taken care of, so it’s best to know all the signs to help you identify the issue quickly and get your pet the help they need. Keep reading to find out some of the most surprising facts about this condition.

Have you noticed an unusual swelling on your dog’s body? Wondering if it could be an abscess? Dogs can develop them just like humans and cats. Although they may not be as immediately noticeable in dogs due to all their luscious fur, they can nevertheless cause pain and discomfort. Keep reading to find out more about dog abscesses, how to tell when your best friend is affected and what to expect when you take them to the vet to be treated.

Keeping your elderly dog at a healthy weight is super important. Just like us, senior dogs often get less energetic as they age and so are prone to weight gain. This may mean they don't need as much food or that they need a change of diet. Extra weight can make older dogs less active and mobile, and even worse; it is associated with health problems like osteoarthritis, diabetes, and some cancers – along with difficulties breathing, and a reluctance to exercise or play. Sudden weight loss can also be a sign of underlying health issues, so it's important to monitor your dog's weight closely. We'll discuss how to recognise the signs of weight changes in your senior dog and provide tips on how to maintain a healthy weight throughout their golden years.

Puppy vaccinations can be a bit confusing if you’re new to dog ownership, but they’re incredibly important to not only keep your beloved pup protected from life-threatening diseases, but to stop passing illnesses on to other dogs as well. Vaccinations are an important part of your puppy’s ongoing health. When you get your four-legged friend you should ask your puppy’s breeder for their up-to-date vaccination record and continue on with the plan they have in place. By ensuring the schedule is followed you’ll ensure that they’re covered against any potential life-threatening diseases and ultimately, aide them in growing into a happy and healthy adult dog. If you’ve just gotten your first pup, or are thinking about it, you may be wondering all about puppy vaccinations, including schedules and how much they cost. At Purina, we’ve done all the hard work for you and have created this puppy vaccination guide to tell you all you need to know. Puppy vaccination schedule When considering your puppy’s vaccination schedule, the initial vaccinations will usually begin when your pup is aged between six and twelve weeks of age. During this time your dog won’t be fully covered, so you won’t be able to take them for walks or have your puppy socialise with any dogs outside out of the household – but you should make sure that the dogs in your home are vaccinated too. Puppy vaccinations will take the form of two injections spaced out over two weeks. As mentioned previously, it’s important for you to ask your breeder, or if you’ve adopted your puppy – your rescue centre which vaccines have been given and when, so you can schedule an appointment with your vet in order to complete the course. As well as their initial puppy injections, your dog will require additional booster jabs. Some injections will make your pup immune for life, some will last for three years, whereas some will require an annual top up to keep them fully inoculated. Don’t worry though, your vet will be able to tell you exactly what they need and when, and you can also ask for them to give you a personalised puppy vaccination schedule so you can put all those important dates in your diary.

Whether you’ve got a sniffle or something more serious, you may be worried about the potential risks for your four-legged friend. We’ve put together this guide to tell you everything you need to know about dog colds and flu to help you better understand your pet. When the trees start to lose their leaves and we have to defrost the car each morning, we know one thing for certain – cold and flu season is on the way. This has just become a natural fact for humans and we’re no stranger to stock piling tissues and tablets, but what about our four-legged friends? Can dogs get colds? No, dogs don’t get colds in the same way that humans do and they cannot catch the cold virus that causes symptoms in humans. However, dogs can get infections that create symptoms like a cold, such as sneezing and congestion. In general, these ‘dog colds’ are specific to that species, so you won’t be able to catch the same cold as your dog either. Can dogs catch a cold from humans? If you have a sniffle or cough, you may be worried that you may pass the illness onto your companion, but you’ll be glad to know that this isn’t possible. Dogs are not affected by the common cold virus that infects humans. Can dogs get the flu? Dogs also can't get the same type of flu as humans. Outside of America, where a type of dog-specific flu virus sometimes appears, dogs who seem to have flu-like symptoms are not suffering from flu, but from one of a variety of other infections which could also be contagious and serious. A few are listed below. Other dog specific illnesses: Just like in humans, there’s a variety of conditions that might seem like dog colds and flu, a few of the most common are as follows: • Kennel cough: a respiratory infection characterised by a dry cough which will sound like a honking. If you think your dog has kennel cough, contact your vet right away. • Dog allergies: your four-legged friend can suffer from seasonal and environmental allergies, similar to how humans get hay-fever. • Canine distemper: Your dog should be vaccinated against this with their initial puppy vaccinations. Canine distemper can be life threatening, which is one of the many reasons it’s incredibly important for your dog to be vaccinated.