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Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that affects both humans, dogs and other domestic animals.  The tick carries the lyme-causing bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi and transmits it through the blood within 24 to 48 hours after attaching to the dog or other host. The deer tick is the most common vector for lyme disease . The disease cannot be transmitted directly from dog to human or dog to dog.  However, the dog may carry ticks into the home which may become attached to other pets and family members,

Lyme disease may present with a number of symptoms commonly associated with musculoskeletal or s...

Independence Day is a favorite summer holiday when we celebrate our freedom with family, food and fireworks.  As much as we enjoy the fireworks, they create a significant level of stress in most dogs. The lights and noise can send a trembling dog running under the bed or worse, frantically jumping through a window or out of their yard and away from home.  In fact, more pets go missing on the 4^th of July weekend than any other time of the year.

NOW is the time to make a plan to keep your dog safe on the 4^th of July holiday.

• Consult your vet for anti-anxiety meds if needed
• Make sure your do
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Who is Norman Pagenaud? 

Fans of the IndyCar series know Norman as the handsome brown and white rat terrier and fur son of  IndyCar driver and Frenchman Simon Pagenaud.

Whatever track Simon travels to on the circuit, you can be sure Norman is nearby providing moral support and technical guidance..  It’s not all work though for Norman.  When he is not working, Norman enjoys swimming, chasing tennis balls, riding a skateboard while sporting his personalized neon yellow Julius K9 harness. Although Norman can’t reach the car pedals, he often sits on Simon’s lap with his front paws on the wheel c...

What stresses you out? Is it not being prepared for a test? Trying to find your life partner? Driving in inclement weather? Taking care of loved ones?

Just like humans, our dogs can also become stressed. For example, dogs may suffer from separation anxiety when they are left home alone. Other dogs have storm phobias and demonstrate stress behaviors well before their humans are even aware a storm is on the way.  Puppies go through a fear period between 8 -11 weeks of life and during which negative experiences are more likely to be imprinted on their personalities.  Unsocialized dogs may be fea...

Brushing your dog’s teeth regularly is an important part of his overall health care. Poor oral care not only leads to problems with chewing, eating and bad breath but can also increase your dog’s susceptibility to periodontal disease, heart disease and bacterial infections affecting other vital organs.  Smaller dogs and toy breeds tend to have more issues with dental health because they have smaller mouths leading to overcrowding of their teeth.

A best practice is to desensitize your dog at an early age to having his teeth and gums touched. Start them young by rubbing their teeth and gums for...

We’ve all heard Lucy Van Pelt yell “ Uugghh, I’ve been kissed by a dog !! I have dog germs! Get the hot water! Get some disinfectant !! Get the iodine” as Snoopy give her a big smooch on the lips.   If your lovable pooch sneaks you a kiss , you may say “ Oh!!  You’ve got stinky breath!”

If your dog’s breath stinks or he has bleeding gums, he may very well have periodontal disease.  Over two out of three dogs over the age of three have some degree of periodontal disease .  Bacteria , or as Lucy calls them, “dog germs” , build up along the gum line forming plaque which hardens into tartar and r...

What exactly is Emotional Wellness ?   The National Center for Emotional Wellness defines emotional wellness as “an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of your emotions, and your ability to manage effectively through challenges and change”

As adults, we quickly come to realize that life is hard. Despite our best laid plans of what career we will pursue, what promotion we are going to get, where we are going to live, what person we are going to marry and how happy, healthy and carefree our life is going to be, inevitably, our plans will be derailed now and then

Either an inability to ada...

Whether you have a taste for rock-n-roll, country, rap, or jazz, you know that music plays a key role in our human culture.  Music is a means of expression, it stimulates our memory, ignites our imagination, and serves as a universal language. But did you know that your dog likes music too?? And more than likely, he prefers classical music over heavy metal !

A study by Kogan, Schoenfeld-Tacher, & Simon published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior in 2012, focused on the "Behavioral Effect of Auditory Stimulation on Kenneled Dogs."  Their results found that classical music increased the amo...