Being a dog in the 21st century isn’t such a bad thing anymore. As recently as a decade ago, flea and tick prevention bordered on archaic. Horrible flea collars that made Fido’s hair fall out, sprays that made both you and him cough and sneeze, God-awful shampoos that sent him running under your bed, leaving a sudsy trail of bubbles all over your home.Well, welcome to the future – those days are long gone. Today’s options offer your pet flea, tick and internal parasite control. That is a serious improvement for man’s best friend. However, it’s very important you educate yourself before choosing a method of prevention and defense.

During the summer months when we are experiencing the hottest days of the year, not only do we need to take appropriate precautions for ourselves, but for our dogs as well. How do we keep our pets safe? It seems like common sense, but it’s striking how many people still don’t understand that extreme heat and over-exposure to the sun can cause skin irritation, brain damage and even death for our pets.

Dogs do absolutely need reasonable sunlight to help balance their calcium levels, but just like with humans, too much sun is never a  good thing. It’s best if we stay cool, calm and collected when it comes to our furry best friends, so here are 7 easy tips to help your pup beat the heat!

Many people don't realize that their dogs, just like human beings, can suffer from allergies. In fact, about twenty percent of the dogs in the United States alone suffer from one allergy or another, with flea allergy dermatitis being the most common form of allergies in dogs. Other types include atopic dermatitis, food allergies, and inhalant allergies.

Signs and symptoms of dog allergies may vary but are often marked by persistent itching and discoloration of the skin (most common in skin allergies), coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and mucus discharge (most common in inhalant allergies), and nausea, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea (common to food allergies and other ailments.)

Dogs Need Good Food

A dogs' nutritional needs differs from humans. What we believe as healthy for us often is not sufficient or appropriate for dogs. To ensure your dog receives the best nutrition you need to understand a dog's specific needs and how to address these needs. Taking care of man's best friend does take a little preparation and know-how.

There are essential nutrients needed to grow, go and glow. If your dog does not receive correct nutrients it will possibly result in poor health, stunted growth in puppies, lethargy and a shortened life span.

The one thing about dogs they are your very best friend. Every time you walk through the door your dog is so happy to see you that he wags his tail and virtually smiles at you. How can you show you're pet how much they mean to you? Well, one way is to think about that smile for your pet. Did you know that your dog's diet can influence their oral health and teeth?

Humans need to brush and floss their teeth regularly to keep their teeth, tongue, and gums in good condition. Research has recently shown a link between good oral health in humans and a lower risk of heart disease. If good oral health can have such a profound affect on people, then it only makes sense to consider the impact it can have on man's best friend.

Dogs react to allergies differently than humans. Dog allergy symptoms are itchy skin and other skin related problems. Mast cells are where the allergy reactions occur. In humans they are concentrated in the respiratory tract, but in dogs (and cats) the majority are located in the skin areas. So itchy, red, and inflamed areas can develop on your dog.

The same type of irritants that affect humans can affect dogs. Airborne or inhalant particles like household dust, plant pollen, and molds can cause the same discomfort. Usually the skin problems develop in the front areas around the face, head, and front legs.

Dogs are also susceptible to food allergies. Some food items that are often used in commercial dog foods like dyes, by products, and artificial chemical additives can cause allergy symptoms too. These food irritants are worse since they are ingested.

A trip to the vet’s clinic is always an adventure for both you and your pet. Just imagine all the sights, sounds, and smells that greet your pet the moment you step into the vet’s waiting room. And just wait until the 10 other pets in the room get excited or in some cases agitated.

Without proper training and control, the vet’s waiting room might fall into utter chaos as the pets compete for space and attention. Good thing you can always make the visit less stressful, for you, the vet, and for your pet.

           Inbreeding can be defined as the mating of two relatives, such as a mother and son or father and daughter from the same litter. We know that acquiring that perfect trait in a breed is hard. Breeders may mate the same relatives together because they see a specific trait in an adult dog and they try to carry that exact same trait onto the newborn puppies. Another reason owners mate relatives is to save money because the process is less expensive. If a male and female of a certain breed had a litter and the owner wanted to continue the reproduction cycle and sale more dogs, the owner would inbreed to turn a profit,  rather than having to buy more dogs. Inbreeding for this purpose is highly illegal in many countries. This is a well-known practice that many dog owners are mastering these days. The problem is that it can be life threatening to the litter itself.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to investigate potential Salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at the Blakely, Georgia facility of Peanut Corporation of American (PCA), and is informing pet owners that the recall also includes some pet food products.

Many companies that received peanut butter or peanut paste from PCA have in turn issued recalls. A searchable list of all products being recalled can be found at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm
which includes a separate category of pet food product recalls .  As the investigation continues and new information becomes available, FDA will update its list of recalled products.