Pets are just like humans — they need to go to regular check-ups. Taking your pet to the vet increases the likelihood your pet will have a long and healthy life.  The question is, “How often should a pet go to the vet?”  There are different protocols depending on the age of your pet.

Puppies or Kittens

When the pets are in the stages of infancy, they need to visit the vet more regularly.  Puppies and kittens need to be seen by a vet every three to four weeks until they are at least four to five months old. This is the age when most of the vaccinations are given. If you are considering followup operations, such as spaying or neutering your pet, you can do so after your pet is six months old.

Middle to Elder years

As your pet gets older, you should make sure to take your pet to the vet at least once per year for their annual checkup. This is the case for pets throughout their middle age years. Middle age is considered four to five years for large breeds and seven to eight years for smaller breeds. After their middle age years, pets need to be seen at least twice a year. At these later checkups, pets need to have a vaccination status check, blood work, heartworm testing, and metabolic function testing to detect diseases early. While check-ups are crucial at the beginning of life for implementing vaccinations, check-ups in the later years of your dog or cat’s life is important because old age can  cause additional health problems.

Additional Help

If you need to find a vet for your pet’s health check-up use TalkLocal. TalkLocal will connect you to a high-quality vet in your area in minutes. Best of all, TalkLocal will only match you to vets that can accommodate your location and availability.

One of the weirdest things a dog does (other than licking strange places) is scoot its bottom across the floor. There are few reasons why a dog may do this rather disgusting action. The causes range from full anal glands to worms to territorial purposes. So if you’re wondering, “why does my dog scoot his bottom across the floor,” we have a few answers.

Full Anal Glands

The dog’s anal glands are located above their rectum. Usually the glands express themselves when the dog does its business. However, sometimes the process does not occur due to an infection, irregular bowel movements, or the glands failing to fully extend to their anus. This results in full anal glands that becomes uncomfortable for the dog, which then attempts to alleviate the discomfort through dragging its bottom across the floor. A dog groomer or vet can express their anal glands to alleviate the discomfort or it can be done by the owner. To express the dog’s anal glands:

1. Prepare a bath to control the mess and odor.

2. Find anal glands. The anal glands are located at the 5 and 7 o’clock positions.

3. When you have found the anal gland, get a paper towel or wash cloth so the discharge does not create a mess.

4. Press in and squeeze firmly with the paper towel until there is no liquid expressed.

5. Wash the dog’s anus thoroughly to avoid any liquid from the anal glands dirtying your home. You can use this guide (complete with pictures) if you need additional help expressing your dog’s anal glands.

Worms

Worms can create discomfort in a dog’s anus. To check for worms, look for anything that looks like white rice or spaghetti noodles hanging from the dog’s anus. Their color can range from clear to reddish brown. If you find worms, take the dog to vet immediately.

Territorial Purposes

For new floors or carpet, the dog may scoot his bottom on the floor to mark its territory. A dog’s anal sac contains a specific scent that the dog may use to claim territory.

Professional Help

If there are other problems found with your dog’s scooting problem, use TalkLocal to find a veterinarian in minutes. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three veterinarians in your area who will be available to help you when you need them.

Food allergies in dogs occur when your dog’s intestinal tract becomes overly sensitive to certain proteins, causing a harmful antibody reaction. Food allergies can develop in any breed of dog at any age. Just like in humans, food allergies in dogs are different from food intolerance in dogs. Food allergies will cause problems such as skin itching and infections, hair loss, ear infections, and hot spots, while food intolerance will result in symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. So what foods are dogs allergic to?

Below is an ordered list of the most common foods that dogs are allergic to:
– Beef
– Dairy
– Chicken
– Lamb
– Fish
– Chicken Eggs
– Corn
– Wheat
– Soy

There is a very strong correlation between the above list of most common foods dogs are allergic to, and the most common ingredients in dogs foods. It is likely that overexposure to certain foods can be a cause of dogs developing an allergy to that food. In order to prevent your dog from developing food allergies, it is recommended that you vary their diet.

Additional Help

In order to treat food allergies in dogs, you only have to remove the food they are allergic to from their diet. However, the symptoms of food allergies in dogs are very similar to the symptoms of many other problems that your dog could have, so if you notice symptoms of food allergies in your dog, you should take them to a veterinarian in order to get a proper diagnosis. If you do not have a veterinarian, you can use TalkLocal to find one. You can receive up to three phones calls in minutes from high quality veterinarians in your area, that are available when you are. TalkLocal will save you time and money by matching you with local professionals that can accommodate your schedule and budget.

Heartworms are caused by mosquito bites; mosquitoes carry the heartworm larvae from an infected animal and bite your uninfected pet.  The heartworm cannot be transmitted from dog to dog or cat to cat; its larva must be carried by a mosquito for it to grow up into a heartworm. The larvae then take six months to grow into the adult worms and may live up to seven years in dogs and up to three years in cats, reproducing just seven months after infection. Repeated bites from infected mosquitoes increase the number of heartworms in an animal. Adult heartworms settle into the blood vessels near and inside the heart and lungs, clogging blood flow and potentially causing congestive heart failure.

Symptoms of Heartworms in Dogs

Dogs generally do not show external symptoms of heartworms in the early stages. In later stages, they will develop a soft, persistent cough and have decreased physical activity. Other symptoms include coughing up blood, breathing quickly, losing weight, fainting, bloating in abdomen due to fluids, and experiencing nosebleeds or labored breathing.

Symptoms of Heartworms in Cats

In the early stages, cats do no exhibit clinical symptoms of heartworms. However, in later stages, some symptoms are: breathing quickly, coughing, losing weight, vomiting, and having decreased physical activity. Outdoor cats are more likely to become infested than indoor cats, but they are still not completely protected. Cats produce an antigen that fights against the heartworm; however, the heartworm can still survive. Cats are only less susceptible to heartworms than dogs.

Additional Help

If you believe your pet has heartworms, or if you want to have them tested for heatrworms, go to your vet and get a proper diagnosis of the severity of the infection through blood tests, microfilarial concentration test, chest X-rays, or an ECG. TalkLocal can help you find a local quality veterinarian quickly!

1. Diagnosis: Call your vet for a proper diagnosis. If you are worried about the cost of taking your pet to a vet, many vets have emergency funds. Otherwise, the local humane shelter may have more affordable medical care for your pet.  If there is excessive vomiting, diarrhea, pain, or fever, make sure you get a proper diagnosis from a vet and figure out whether you should bring your pet home or not. If you can, bring your pet home to reduce stress and heal faster.

2. Location: Keep your sick pet in a quiet, warm, and cozy part of the house. Make sure your pet has easy access to sunlight, clean blankets, fresh air, and water. Change the blankets often to ensure that your pet is comfortable.

3. Food: Dogs tend to fast for up to two days. Not eating helps them rest their digestive system and pass toxins. However, they need to at least drink water. If your dog has no appetite for more than 48 hours, force it to eat by warming up some food and letting the aroma waft nearby. Strong smells, such as cooked chicken or turkey, usually work. You can also try sprinkling garlic powder over food or adding ginger or dill to stimulate your dog’s appetite. Discuss your dog’s diet with a vet and find out if any supplemental medication is needed.

Feed your cat food with high protein levels and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Try heating up the food if your cat doesn’t want to eat it. If your cat can’t keep the solids down, hand-feed it softer foods by placing the food directly onto the tongue. If your cat won’t drink, put the liquid into a plastic bottle and put the opening in the side of the mouth.

4. Monitoring: Record any changes in your pet’s pulse, temperature, effects of medication, food and water intake, bowel movements, and mental and physical conditions. Get pet thermometers shipped to you overnight from Amazon. If your pet has a fever, there may be an infection of some sort present. If your pet has an infectious disease, throw away any blankets it has used, as these can spread the infection and infect your pet’s toys. Pets can be allergic to disinfectants, so make sure to use a pet-friendly disinfectant.

5. Clean: Wipe away any discharges from your pet’s eyes, nose, mouth using soft wet cloths, and sponge away any discharge from your pet’s bottom (wiping may cause irritation if they have diarrhea). A full body wash is not advised while your pet has yet to fully recover, but making sure the openings are clean will ensure that your pet is comfortable and less smelly!

Additional Help

TalkLocal can help you find a quality veterinarian quickly! Just fill out a service request to be connected to up to three local professionals in just minutes.

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Preventing fleas on your dogs is actually a two-step process of killing the adult fleas on the body of your pets (using adulticides) and stopping their eggs from hatching in the environment. Flea eggs are not sticky and therefore drop off the body and fall onto the floor, the carpet, and any area that your dog occupies. Read below to learn how to prevent dogs from getting fleas with the help of a few products you can use to control infestation!

Insect Growth Regulators (IRGs)

Insect Growth Regulators are orally ingestible, flavored tablets or pills that have an active ingredient which kills the eggs and flea larvae. Some of these products are Comfortis/AcuGuard, Trifexis, Capstar, Sentinel (see a veterinarian for prescription), or Program. Check with your veterinarian to figure out which product would work best for your dog, and the appropriate schedules in which to administer them (e.g. monthly, seasonally). Most of these products have an immediate effect and achieve their maximum effect within four hours; certain products will completely kill the flea larvae and eggs. However, these tablets do not kill adult fleas and must be used in combination with spot treatments.

Spot Treatments

Spot Treatments are usually in the form of sprays and should be applied between the shoulder blades of your dogs back. Some of the popular brands you may have heard of are Frontline, Advantage, and Revolution. These sprays will kill the adult fleas and protect your dog for up to 12 hours after application. It might be wise to spray your dog and then proceed to vacuum the area for flea eggs and larvae that dropped off onto the floor and carpet. Using both IRGs and Spot Treatments will ensure that your dog is flea-free.

Tips for Keeping the Environment Flea-Free

When cleaning the area that your dog inhabits the most, throw a flea collar into the vacuum bag and vacuum up the eggs and larvae – this would ensure that they die and it will not infect the vacuum.

Additional Help

TalkLocal is a local service search engine can help you find a quality veterinarian quickly! We will connect you with up to three professionals in your area who will be able to help you when you need them.

If you notice that your dog keeps throwing up, it is important that you figure out the cause as soon as possible. There are several possible reasons why your dog keeps throwing up.

Why Your Dog Keeps Throwing Up

If your dog throws up just once and seems okay after, it is probably just the result of it eating something it wasn’t supposed to, such as chocolate, grapes, or even washing detergent. It could also be the result of allergies, excessive eating, heat, or dehydration. Usually, with the right care, you can get your dog back to good health quickly. Just monitor what it is eating, make sure it is getting enough water, and make sure to keep it away from table food and other dangerous items. If you think your dog isn’t digesting its current food well, you could try changing up its diet to a formula for sensitive stomachs or one with less grain to avoid any further complications. If you think the vomiting may be caused by overeating or eating too quickly, make its meals a little smaller and try to feed it in small handfuls at a time.

Other Possible Causes

If your dog continues throwing up and doesn’t seem to want to eat or drink anything after, your dog may be sick and may need additional care. If your dog is throwing up multiple times for an extended number of days, or if it is showing signs of illness, fever, or is even throwing up blood, this can indicate a serious problem. You will be best off visiting a vet as soon as possible.

Additional Help

Use TalkLocal to locate a veterinarian near you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable professionals in your neighborhood, within minutes. Simply enter in your dog’s symptoms, your location, and your schedule availability and TalkLocal will contact multiple veterinarians who will then call YOU directly, ready to help.

Some pet owners are staunch advocates of no human food for dogs in any circumstance, while others believe that there is nothing wrong with feeding dogs human food once in a while. Not all human food is dangerous, but if you’re ever even slightly unsure, do not feed it to your dog. To help you remember what is unacceptable, here is a list of human food that is definitely dangerous for dogs to ingest:

– Alcohol

– Apple seeds

– Avocados: Haas avocados are fine and can be good for dogs. Other South American varieties of avocados, however, are poisonous to dogs.

– Cooked bones: They are more brittle than raw bones and can crack and rupture your dog’s stomach.

– Bread dough

– Caffeine

– Chocolate

– Coffee (grounds, beans, brewed)

– Corn cobs

– Eggs (raw)

– Fat trimmings

– Fish: Specifically, raw salmon can contain a parasite carrying a virus that only affects dogs.

– Garlic: It is beneficial in very small doses (such as garlic powder) for dogs over 20 pounds, but has the same dangerous effect as onions if fed in large quantities.

– Grapes

– Liver

– Milk/ice cream/dairy products

– Moldy foods

– Mushrooms/mushroom plants

– Nutmeg

– Nuts (macadamia nuts, walnuts, chestnuts, and more)

– Onions and onion powder

– Pits from peaches, plums, cherries & apricots

– Potato leaves/stems/green skins

– Raisins

– Rhubarb leaves

– Salt

– Tobacco & nicotine products

-Tomato plants/leaves/stems: However, the fruit is fine.

– Xylitol (found in sugar-free products)

Additional Help

If you think that your dog has consumed one of the above human foods, or if you’re wondering if you should feed your dog that piece of bologna or not, call your vet! If your dog is acting strange after eating something new, this might be an emergency, in which case you should use TalkLocal to get access to a qualified vet within minutes. We will connect you with up to three professionals in your area who will be able to help you when you need it.

If your dog still smells after a bath, it is probably due to the infamous wet dog smell. Why is it we smell better after taking a shower while dogs smell worse? Dogs produce a great deal of oil on their skin, which becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. When their skin is wet, the bacterial particles evaporate off their skin and into your nose, making the smell much stronger. Some dogs produce more oil than others, specifically breeds that swim often. Other dogs are just more active than most and enjoy jumping into smelly places. Here is a list of tips and things to watch out for in order to solve your smelly dog problem.

Preventing the Wet Dog Smell

First, make sure the shampoo is actually reaching the dog’s skin. If your pet has long fur, the shampoo and water may have a hard time penetrating through tangles of thick fur. Make sure to always blow dry your dog after a bath, otherwise bacteria will grow in the dog’s wet fur and make it smell worse later. Choose a shampoo that has antimicrobial properties to kill the bacteria hiding in the dog’s fur. However, you should not have to wash your dog more than once a month, otherwise you will disrupt the natural oils on your dog’s skin, which may be counterproductive and actually increase the amount of oil.

Exceptions (Atopy) and Solutions

The above tricks will only work if your dog isn’t suffering from atopy. Atopy is a skin condition in which the skin of your dog becomes incredibly itchy and inflamed due to either a food or seasonal allergic reaction. This causes your dog’s skin to produce more and more oil, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and bad odors. In this case, washing your dog may actually irritate it further. Contact a veterinarian immediately to obtain the correct medication to counteract the skin reaction. If you’re having trouble finding a veterinarian who fits into your schedule, use TalkLocal to immediately find a veterinarian to fix your smelly dog problem for good. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three veterinarians in your area who will be able to help you.

If your cat runs when she sees the clippers, you may need some tips to help get you through cat nail manicures. Just remember- it does not have to be painful for you or your pet! If you follow these guidelines, it won’t be.

Cat Nail Manicures

Help your cat adjust to manicures. You should try and “set the mood” for your pet.  Hopefully you’ve introduced your cat to nail clipping when he or she was a kitten. It’s OK if you haven’t, it just might be a little harder.

Keep your cat calm. Choose a chair in a quiet room where your cat can sit on your lap. Make sure your cat is in a relaxed state, like when they’re sleepy. Make sure the cat can’t spy any distractions such as other pets, birds or children.

Massage your cat’s paw. When you have your pet in place, you should take the paw between your fingers and massage it for no longer than three minutes. If your cat tries to pull away, don’t resist, but keep your fingers on the paw. Try to do this often so the cat will not feel nervous when you grab the paw with a clipper in hand.

When you are clipping the nails, make sure you never cut to the quick. The quick is where all the nerves and blood vessels are. If you cut too much of the nail off, it will hurt your cat really badly. Snip only the white part of the claw. Be prudent when cutting, it’s better to cut less than to cut too much.

Additional Help

Hopefully this helped, but if not you can always contact a veterinarian for help! If you need to find a veterinarian or pet groomer TalkLocal will contact local professionals in your area at whatever time is most convenient for you!