Dog Info

1. dogs should have a litter before they are spayed.

This is not true. dogs that have a litter before they are spayed are not better for it in any way. In fact, spayed dogs are at lower risk for breast cancer and uterine infections.

2. dogs are sick when their noses are warm.

The temperature of a dogs nose does not indicate health or illness or if they have a fever. There is an “old wives tale” that cold wet noses indicate health. And Warm or dry noses indicate a fever or illness. The only accurate method to access a dog’s temperature is to take it with a thermometer. Normal dog temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees F.

3. Mutts are always healthier than purebred dogs.

This is not true. Both mutts and purebred dogs can be unhealthy. Both can have diseases, however, mutts generally do not have many of the genetic diseases common in purebred lines.

4. All dogs like to be petted on their heads.

Some dogs do like to be petted on their heads but many do NOT.

5. Happy dogs wag their tails.

This may be true but aggressive dogs often wag their tails too. There are several physical body motions and cues that help dogs to communicate their intent. A wagging tail can mean agitation or excitement. A dog that wags his tail slowly and moves his all rear end or crouches down in the classic “play bow” position is usually a friendly wag. Tails that are wagged when held higher, twitches or wagging while held over the back may be associated with aggression.

6. Only male dogs will ‘hump” or lift their leg to urinate.

This is not true. Female dogs, especially dominant female dogs, will lift their leg to urinate and “hump” other dogs or objects. This can be true even if they are spayed.

7. Table scraps are good for dogs.

Some table scraps such as bones and pieces of fat can be dangerous to some pets. They may not digest the bones and the fat may cause gastrointestinal problems such as pancreatitis.

8. Garlic prevents fleas.

Garlic has not been proven to be helpful for flea control. Large amounts of garlic can even be harmful.

9. Household “pet dogs” don’t need trained.

This is not true. Every dog should be trained.

10. Dogs eat grass when they are sick.

Dog descended from wild wolves and foxes that ate all parts of their “kill”. This included the stomach contents of many animals that ate berries and grass. Many scientists believe grass was once part of their normal diet and eating small amounts is normal.

11. Dogs like tasty food.

Dogs have very poor taste buds and eat primarily based on their sense of smell.

12. Licking is Healing.

It is natural for a dog to lick its wound but this not necessarily always “healing”. Too much licking can actually prohibit healing.

13. Dogs will let you know when they are sick.

This is not true. Dogs generally are very good at hiding that they are sick by survival instinct, thus not to appear vulnerable to “prey”. Often by the time they show you that they are sick, their disease or condition is quite advanced.

14. Dogs that are mostly indoors don’t need heartworm prevention.

This is not true. Indoor pets are also at risk for heartworm disease. Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes which can come inside.

15. Dogs eat rocks, lick concrete or eat their or another animals stools because of nutrient imbalances.

No one knows why dogs eat “stuff” that they shouldn’t eat. Some vets believe that some dogs that eat “things” may be trying to get attention or acting out of boredom. It is important for dogs to eat a well balanced diet that will fulfill their dietary and nutrient requirements.

16. Dogs don’t need housebroken – they naturally know where to go.

Oh, if only this were true. You need to train your dog on where to go. This preferably happens when you start young and give him positive encouragement for jobs well done.

1. One dog year is equal to seven human years. dogs reach relative maturity within the first year, then age according to their breed-specific genetics. A 5-year-old great Dane is significantly older than a 5-year-old toy poodle. Also, as medical care and disease prevention in our pets improve so does their life expectancy. A 15-year-old labrador retriever is not unusual, but 105-year-old people are.

2. A dog should go through a season before being spayed. There is no medical or behavioral benefit to a dog having a heat cycle. Every heat cycle a dog has increases her risk of breast cancer, unwanted pregnancy, or potentially fatal uterine infections.

3. A dog’s saliva is healing. Just the opposite: a dog’s mouth has a number of nasty bacteria swimming around just waiting to cause trouble. When a dog licks a wound or surgical incision serious infections and delayed healing often result.

4. Spaying or neutering your pet will make them fat. Consuming more calories than he burns will make your pet fat. As pets age, their metabolism will slow like ours and the battle of the bulge will strike them as well. It’s just easier to blame the surgery.

5. When a dog scoots it has worms. This has its origins from horses with pinworms. The main reasons dogs scoot are full anal glands or an itchy backside from allergies. dogs and cats have scent glands near the opening of their rectum that can become swollen and painful. They scoot to try and relieve the pressure.

6. Cats always land on their feet. This myth is one of the most dangerous. It is true that cats are very agile and can twist their bodies in mid-air, but if a cat is panicked or falls from too great a height, it can seriously injure itself. I have treated cats with serious ligament damage and broken bones that have fallen or been dropped from second-story windows.

7. Cats should not be around pregnant women or babies. There is a parasite that can be spread from cat feces to pregnant women called Toxoplasmosis. However, women are at greater risk of contracting the parasite from under-cooked meat than cat feces. We caution pregnant women to take precautions when cleaning litter boxes, but this does not mean they should not be around cats. The myth of a cat “stealing the baby’s breath” developed when the world was flat and the sun rotated around the earth. Cats are curious by nature and noisy infants do draw their attention, but there is no risk of breath-stealing. It is never a good idea to leave any pet alone with an infant. Infants react unpredictably and pets can be startled.