How to Determine Your Dog's Age and What to Do to Keep Him Young

 Is your “puppy” still a puppy? Use this table to accurately find out how old your dog is, so you can be sure that you’re giving them the right care for their age.

Did you know that dogs age much faster in the first two years of their lives than at any other time? When your dog is one year old they will be about the equivalent of age 14 to 15 in human years. By the time they reach the actual age of two years old they will be about equivalent to 23 to 24 years old in human years. From then on, they will gain about four human years for every actual year they age until they reach five years old. Once they reach the age of five, heavier dogs will begin to age faster than light dogs. Generally, smaller dogs tend to live longer and age slower than large dogs, though there are plenty of exceptions to the rule.

The age breakdown looks like this:

• Real age 1 year–Human age 14-15 years
• Real age 2 years–Human age 23 to 24 years
• Real age 3 years–Human age 27 to 28 years
• Real age 4 years–Human age 31 to 32 years

I know this news is especially shocking for those with larger dogs but if you keep them on a strict, healthy diet with plenty of exercise they will not only look better but they will feel better too! While we can't stop the numbers from going up we can stop our dogs from aging in an unhealthy way!  

Cutting Your Dog's Nails: How Important Is It?

I think we all know that nail trimming is important for the prevention of scratches on our furniture, carpet, and floors but did you know that proper nail length is an important factor in our dog's health and safety? 

The 3 reasons to keep nails at the proper length are as follows: 

1) Helps in our dog's ability to comfortably jump and make sharp turns on agility courses or while playing in the backyard. 

2) Prevents painful feet: When nails are long, the hard surface pushes the nail back up into the nail bed which puts pressure on all the toe joints or forces the toe to twist to the side.

3) To help geriatric dogs long term health to improve and/or be stabilized by their ability to distribute their weight correctly and not have a slumped back. In other words, if a dog's back nails are too long he will compensate by putting all of their weight in their front paws where their nails are at the correct length. 

Dr Leslie Woodcock, a Team Canada veterinarian and owner of Woodcock Veterinary Services, a clinic that specializes in rehabilitation for dogs post surgery or post injury posted an excellent 14 minute informational lecture explaining why healthy nail length is  important. 

Dr. Leslie suggests that our goal should be to cut our dog’s nails short enough that you CANNOT hear them on your tile floor. In order to get the nails this short without hurting the dog (or making their nails bleed) your goal should be to get the “quick” (or soft bit that supplies blood to the nail) to recede.

Most people when cutting nails try to cut directly across the dog’s nail (as in the diagram below):



However, Dr. Leslie recommends the best way to cut your dog’s nails without hurting them AND get that quick to recede is to cut the sides of the nails on angling back.

By cutting nails this way it becomes easier to get your dog’s nails shorter without hurting them. 

Take a look at these before and after pictures of nearly 17 year old Buzz above. On the left is Buzz before a nail trim and on the right is him after his trim. To the right he is distributing his weight correctly and comfortably. You can tell this because his posture in his front and back legs are uniform (all four legs are straight and erect).

Dr. Leslie’s information is a real eye-opener and I hope it will be used as a point of reference when your dog needs a trim in the future! 

5 Places to Look For Ticks On Your Dog

Now that spring is finally here it is very important to check your dog carefully for ticks  because these parasites can make your furry friend seriously ill. Anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tick paralysis are just a few of the potential diseases caused by tick bites.

With all of the media coverage and one-on-one advice from veterinarians for the treatment and prevention of ticks that are available I haven't seen much coverage (See what I did there?) on WHERE dog owners should look for ticks so I'm sharing the 5 places to look for them here:

In the Groin Area
Ticks can get attached in and around your dog’s bottom (including his or her tail) because they love warm, wet spots!

Between the Toes
Though it takes extra effort to latch on a tick can become attached between the toes!
 
In and Around the Ears
Dogs with floppy ears are especially prone to ticks so please check thoroughly! 

Under Clothes and Collars
Ticks can hide under your pet’s collar, harness or any article of clothing (such as a t-shirt or sun-protection shirt) he or she is wearing!

The Eyelids
Dogs can develop skin tags anywhere on their bodies but they frequently appear near the eyelids. You don’t want to rip off a skin tag so please make sure that black mass on the eyelid is actually not a tick!

I hope this advice helps to keep your dog(s) happy and healthy and gives you peace of mind in knowing that you are doing your best to fight against the dangers of tick season!

Smile! February is Pet Dental Health Month!

While every pet owner knows that a regular grooming and exercise routine is vital for their pet's overall health many forget that proper dental care is just as important. With February being National Pet Dental Health Month there is no better time to develop a maintenance plan for your pet’s oral hygiene.

Dental disease affects a significant number of pets at any age during their lifetime, and just like with people, there can be serious consequences as a result of poor dental health. 

Although pets aren’t typically known to have minty-fresh breath, an extremely foul odor can be the first sign of a severe dental problem. Some other indicators of oral disease may include excessive drooling, inflamed gums, and loose teeth.

More mouth problems that could arise from poor dental hygiene include periodontal disease, gingivitis, halitosis, gum disease, mouth tumors, and facial pain. It is always best to check in with your veterinarian if your pet begins to show any sign of mouth discomfort or exceptionally foul breath.

Dental care for your pet should begin as soon as possible, so it is vital that your veterinarian teach you how to properly care for their teeth and gums right from the start. They can provide demonstrations of the most effective and hassle-free way to brush your pet’s teeth, as well as which diets and toys are the safest and most effective.

Another important step in caring for your pet’s dental health is to have your vet perform a complete cleaning and examination on an annual basis. They should be performed more frequently if home care can’t be done or if the animal has any other oral problems.

Remember, dental health should be a daily ritual for pet owners to follow all year and not just during the month of February. Please keep in mind that the oral health of your furry-friend has a direct effect on their overall health!