Dog Articles

Hardworking sporting dogs benefit from higher proportions of fat in their diet. Why? Because, a dog’s metabolism relies primarily on fat for energy during rest and light to moderate intensity exercise.

Muscle power depends on protein. Not surprisingly, canine athletes that do not receive adequate dietary protein may suffer from fatigue and have a lackluster attitude and performance.

Active dogs, especially those that take part in endurance exercise, experience oxidative stress due to their prolonged increase in oxygen consumption.

Canine brucellosis can wipe out a kennel. The highly contagious reproductive disease can cause infertility, abortions and stillbirths in dogs.

Exceptionally long-lived Rottweilers — those that live to be 13 years of age and older — are providing important clues about successful aging. These "oldest-old" Rottweilers have lived at least 30 percent longer than the average for their breed.

Hydrocephalus literally means “water on the brain.” Chihuahuas and some other toy breeds are predisposed to this serious condition in which “water,” or actually cerebro­spinal fluid, builds up pressure in the brain causing brain damage and often early death

“This is a special dog,” says Fred Kampo of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, referring to the black Labrador Retriever he calls “Stinger.”

For the past three decades, there has been a trend toward early spaying and neutering of dogs for reasons such as avoiding unwanted breeding and reducing some diseases such as mammary and prostate cancers.

A 1-year-old Rottweiler puppy, "Kaiser," was playing rambunctiously in the backyard with another dog. Owner Janice Deojay vividly recalls Kaiser's painful cry.

An avid participant and judge of hunting tests, Noel Cacchio knows a great deal about training Cocker Spaniels to find, flush and retrieve game. She does not know a lot about lumps on dogs, especially if the dog appears healthy.

Angie Johnson, D.V.M., of Kodiak, Alaska, knew immediately when she felt a bulge on her 8-year-old fawn Great Dane's lower right foreleg last May that it could be bone cancer.

Long before fall arrives, serious sporting dog enthusiasts have been working to get their dogs ready. In reality, they never let up from conditioning/training mode, though the intensity of their day-to-day routine may relent a bit in the off-season.