Dog Health Issues 

Taking your dog to the veterinarian on a routine basis for needed shots and checkups is a part of the pet parent lifestyle and responsibility. Any, of course, it’s a good feeling to have the peace of mind to know your dog is healthy and fine. In this article, we will discuss some common dog health issues and examine Embrace Pet Insurance, one of the leading pet insurance plans today. We hope you get some helpful tips with our Dog Health & Embrace Pet Insurance Review.

As pet parents, we are together with our furry friends the most, and we must stay aware of noticing the various symptoms that can become apparent with our pets.  For example, if you see your dog shaking his head repeatedly is often a sign of an ear infection or irritation. A foul odor from the ears or mouth can be a cause of concern. These are things to bring up with your veterinarian to assist the vet with as much vital information so they can use to diagnose potential health issues with your dog. 

Common Dental Problems For Dogs And What To Do

Dog dental care is VERY IMPORTANT. Think of any sore teeth you might have had in the past that your dentist kindly took care of for you. Dogs need that dental care also. Dental care for dogs doesn’t seem that much of a problem at first. Your puppy ends up eating just about anything, and he enjoys that food too. But as time goes by, things get a lot more challenging and harder to deal with.

That’s why you have to think about your dog’s dental care as much as possible, right from the start. It will prevent potential problems in the long term, and that’s precisely the type of thing that you have to focus on at this particular time. That being said, knowing how to protect your dog against dental problems is a bit tricky, and it can arrive with challenges, as you may imagine.

Brushing your dog’s teeth

This sounds silly at first, and it’s definitely not the best thing you would do. But the reality is that once your dog can clean his own teeth, you have to step in. Dogs don’t have hands, you do, so make the most out of that and use them to keep your dog healthy and with the right dental health. It will pay off a lot, and the results can be quite positive here.

You also want to make sure that you get toothpaste for dogs. Again, that sounds silly, but there is toothpaste created specifically for dogs. Those will help prevent any dental problems like caries for your dog. It’s something that actually appears very often, and the results can be quite ok if you use the right type of toothbrush and toothpaste. Yes, your dog needs this as much as you do. That’s why you have to pay a lot of attention to things like these, as they are essential and valuable.

Loose teeth

Loose teeth are a problem for pets, as you would imagine. They can be problematic to the point where a pet will find it really hard to eat due to that. And these things also lead to caries, which is yet another problem that your pet may have to deal with in the long term. That’s why you need to make sure that you go to the vet if this happens. Loose teeth for puppies are normal, as their dental structure isn’t stable, and it’s still undergoing changes. But adult dogs won’t really have this type of problem most of the time. That’s why it can take a while until you figure out the issue. If you have a dog, you do need to check his teeth just to be safe.

Misaligned teeth

If this happens, your dog will have issues eating. That’s when taking the dog to your veterinarian of choice will be a perfect option. The doctor will use various ways to realign the teeth. Sometimes the vet will even end up capping a problematic tooth or even extract it. But realigning the tooth will also be a good option, so you may want to think about this when you see that your dog has misaligned teeth. There are no dog braces, so dedicated procedures need to be used here to deliver the best possible results. It will take a little while until you can find the right methods, but the outcome can be really impressive.

Periodontal disease

This particular disease is known to be really problematic for dogs. If you leave it without any treatment, it can cause the gums to recede. In the long term, this can actually lead to major dental issues, so the best thing you can do is to take your dog to the vet. The signs, in this case, are brown tartar on the teeth, spots of blood, and inflammation on the gums as well.

All these things do add up to bring in problems, and you want to avoid all of that the best way that you can. It’s definitely essential to know how to tackle all these things, and that’s why you have to use that to your own advantage if your dog has this issue. Go to the vet, ask for a professional tooth cleaning, and your pet will be good to go. It’s the best solution you can have in this situation!

Tooth trauma

In case your dog chews on the wrong objects, this can lead to issues. One of them is dental trauma, which can be worse than you would ever imagine. The problem with tooth trauma is that it arrives when your pet has broken teeth, something that you just don’t want to see in the case of your pet. What you can do here is to make sure that you monitor the dental health of your pet as tightly as you can. You also want to make sure that you adapt everything in a meaningful way.

Chew toys can be excellent in this situation, and you do need to opt for something more flexible according to the dental health of your pet. You also want to see what the vet has to say here. Sometimes there’s a need for vital pulpotomy, which is suitable mostly for young dogs! Tooth trauma is really harsh, especially for dogs, and it can only get worse in the long term. That’s why you want to adapt to it and manage everything the best way that you can.

Tooth abscess

The tooth abscess is something that dogs tend to have rather often, and the problem here is that your dog can have either a whole issue with this or just a localized problem. But it’s very painful, which is why you have to go to the vet. One option will be a root canal procedure, but then again, you can also opt for other treatments too.

As you can see, a dog’s dental care is critical. Just like humans, dogs can also deal with significant health problems, so handling those properly can be crucial. Plus, if you take care of everything the right way, the outcome can indeed be excellent!

Are Dog Bones Safe For Dogs?

Dog Bones seem to be very juicy and a delicious treat. But the reality is that dog bones are not actually good for your pet. If anything, they are terrible, and you may have to figure out a way to avoid them in your dog’s diet or restrict them to the safest types.

According to the U.S. FDA, Food & Drug Agency, some dog treats offered in stores are actually animal bones. Those are not good for your pet in any way, if anything, they are bad, and your dog will have to suffer from that. You need to find a way to help your dog stay healthy, and not offering dog bones and treats can be an excellent idea.

Yearly you will find reports which state that dozens of dogs are either falling ill or dying due to bone treats. Dog bones are sounding really nice at first, but in the end, it can be one major challenge most of the time. That doesn’t mean it will be easy to keep your dog away from such treats. But you have to understand that they are not suitable for your pet if anything they will be wrong and they will bring in significant problems. That’s why you have to adapt everything as you see fit.

These treats, in general, sound delicious, and everyone likes sharing them with their dog. But even if they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the reality is that such bones are unhealthy, and they are not bringing in any type of benefit to your dog.

If anything, they will cause dental damage. The dog teeth, even if they are powerful, they are not as powerful as bones. And if your dog is old, then it will be even harder for your dog to eat those. And since many of them include animal bones, you can imagine that those are not good at all. They will cause dental damage rather quickly.

And unlike people, dogs will not have dental repairs or anything like that. This means that the dental problems will persist for a very long time, and they will only get worse if anything. That’s why you have to understand why things like these are not good at all for you. While it sounds great, it’s actually a problem.

You can easily add a variety of other treats to your dog’s diet. There are so many options nowadays that it’s easy to step away from dog bones. Decades ago, things were not as simple, but nowadays, you will find so many options that it’s effortless to find the right choices as you see fit. Sure, there are still some potential challenges along the way, but the overall experience can be a tremendous one, and that’s the thing that really matters the most if you think about it.

Dog bones and the type of risks can you expect?

As we mentioned earlier, dental damage is one of the primary problems that you will have to deal with in the case of your dog. But these bones also cause other issues too. For example, they lead to digestive irritation. No matter how hard your dog tries, he will not be able to destroy all these bones completely. There will always be some more significant portions of dog bones in your pet’s stomach, and this is unhealthy as well as very problematic. It’s an excellent idea to avoid sharing any bones with your dog, as it will just lead to problems, and you want to avoid that.

But these are only 2 of the many problems. These dog bones can also lead to contamination, to the point where your dog can quickly deal with infections as these bones weren’t stored in a safe environment. When you keep these bones outside, you add another level of complexity to the entire thing, and you want to avoid stuff like that. Also, your dog will find it harder to eat other stuff, because these bones led to irritation and other things like that. It’s something very problematic for sure, and it’s set to bring in front a whole lot of setbacks in the end.

Are dog bones good or bad for a dog?

While some bones are small and not that problematic, most of them are large, and they can bring in hazards like the ones listed above. Ideally, you want to make sure that you avoid all these problems the best way that you can. It’s an ideal thing to focus on, and it can definitely do wonders if you think about it correctly.

As long as you make sure that you avoid large dog bones, your pet will be ok. It’s the more significant bone that can cause blockages and other problems to your pet. But even so, your pet can still deal with a variety of issues. It’s essential to avoid them if possible.

Replacing with other treats is actually the best option, yet then again, this may end up being quite expensive. That’s why you have to adapt everything the best way that you can, and doing such a thing is not that simple as you would imagine. Yes, there are always some challenges like this for your pet, but dog bones are involved and not that hard to break or digest, either.

Sure, we know the stories and how dog bones are actually good for your pet. But the reality is that most of these are not suitable for your pet at all. If anything, you will end up with quite a lot of problems if you add them to your pet’s diet. That’s why you need to be patient, and you have to avoid rushing in. As long as you have the right approach towards something like this, nothing is impossible. Yet you have to think about your pet’s wellbeing before including dog bones to his diet!

Remove Dog Tick’s in 5 Easy Steps

1st Step

While holding your dog still, separate or part the fur and observe carefully. You have to be sure that it is a tick. There are cases of dog owners removing cysts, nipples, and warts, believing that they are ticks that the dog doesn’t appreciate. The color of ticks is usually tan-brown or gray. Have a close look at the sides to see if there are legs to which the ticks attach themselves to the body of your dog.

2nd Step

Immediately, you are sure it’s a tick, grasp the tick very close to the skin of your dog by using tweezers. Ensure you get the tweezers in a position between the skin of your dog and the tick’s head. Apply a stable and firm pressure to remove the tick from the body of your dog by pulling it straight up. Try not to twist the tick or squeeze it in the process of removing it.

3rd Step

Observe the tick carefully to be sure that you have pulled all the tick out. If you notice the tick moving its legs, know that it is living, but you have pulled all of it out. If you can’t see its legs moving, do not panic as the parts of the mouth and the head left in your dog would not harm your dog. The leftover bits will be removed naturally by your dog.

4th Step

Keep the tick inside a Ziploc bag or in a jar and transport it to your vet doctor to test it for Borrelia or what we call Lyme disease. Resist the temptation to throw off flying away in anger as it could attach itself to you or your dog again.

5th Step

Use soap and enough water to clean the area thoroughly. Add a little Polysporin. Don’t be surprised to see the area where the tick was attached colored red or pink. You may also notice a slight loss of hair and scab.

Your Dog and Fleas

A situation where your dog scratches and bites her rump around her tail’s base may indicate that your dog has fleas. What do you do? Use a flea comb with a fine-tooth to brush around the bottom of the tail. This particular area is a typical ‘hideout’ for fleas.

Observe what the comb gathers in its teeth any; if you see little black dots moving around, they are fleas. If you notice that the black dots are not moving, they are likely flea dirt, which may indicate that your dog has fleas.

To investigate, use a paper towel that has been dampened to press the gathered hair or debris. If you observe a change in the color of the black dots to rusty red, it’s evident that a speck of flea dirt is present. You may choose to turn your dog around to see her tummy, which is a place to observe moving insects easily. What you are searching for is little, quick-moving dark dots.

Nexgard Chewables is a great flea & tick treatment available for about $19 from a veterinarian. Read our Nexgard review.

A dog that has fleas urgently requires treatment for the condition. Your vet doctor should give you a topical treatment or go for FleaHex, which is entirely natural and is useful for controlling flea. Make sure you carefully wash the bedding and vacuum carpeting of your pet. To avoid flea contact in the future, ensure you wash the linens of your dog at least once a week. Also, entirely cover or seal the vacuum bags before transferring them to the trash and altogether remove debris which hides fleas away from your compound or yard.

A Dog’s Skin Allergies

Our first suggestion is to visit your dog’s veterinarian about your dog’s scratching. It could be skin allergies or something else causing the itching. For those wondering about home remedies, here are some common ones. Of course, these home remedies are not a substitute for a trained doctor who can diagnose the root cause of scratching episodes.

We all hate it when our four-legged friends have ugly, bumpy allergies all over themselves and have to spend all their time scratching their bodies instead of playing with us. The constant itching can lead to skin infections and also massive hair loss. Some dog breeds (like Labradors, for example) are more prone to skin allergies than other breeds.

The first thing I would ask, is it the dog food? Many dog foods contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Try some hypoallergenic dog food first because, like humans, dogs can be allergic to dairy, fish, and additives.

Home Remedies For Skin Allergies

Skin allergies generally increase during the rainy season or when there’s extreme heat. It can also be caused by parasites like ticks, fleas, etc. Here are some remedies that you can use to treat your dog’s skin allergies.

First, try changing your dog’s food. This is what I did, and after trying a few different brands, I found 2 good ones that she liked and stopped 90% of the scratching.

Nexgard Chewables are the BEST thing for getting rid of fleas fast. They are only available from a vet, but they work! One pill a month does it. If Rover continues to itch, consider these remedies.

• Vitamin E

It works on a dog’s skin, just like it works on the human skin. Just open up a tablet and massage the oil on to your dog’s itchy areas. The vitamin soothes the dog’s dry skin, and the massaging action helps the oil penetrate faster.

• Yogurt

Feeding your dog low-fat yogurt not only works as a healthy treat but is also very useful for the skin. It keeps yeast infections at bay and helps prevent diarrhea. A tablespoon full of yogurt every day prevents the yeast from settling down in the skin and ears, which are the most yeast-prone areas.

• Herbal tea soaks and chamomile tea

Chill tea bags in the refrigerator and apply it directly on to the dog’s problem areas. The tea kills bacteria and yeast on the skin and also gives relief from inflammation. You can also spray the cold tea directly on the skin or immerse the dog’s paw in a tub of cold tea if its paws are infected. You can also try calendula and green tea.

• Epsom salts

A bath of warm water and Epsom salts can reduce swelling and also minimize sores. It also speeds up the time taken for small, open wounds to heal. Epsom salts have an antiseptic effect and can be of great relief to your dog, especially when coupled with antibiotics.

• Eucalyptus conditioner

Immerse one teaspoon of eucalyptus in boiling water for ten minutes. Allow the eucalyptus water to cool and then pour it on your pooch after a shampoo. Dry with a towel and let the conditioner stay. The eucalyptus repels fleas and also adds gloss to the coat.

• Primrose oil

Primrose oil has anti-itch and anti-inflammatory properties. You can apply it directly on to the skin to treat dry or itchy skin. You can also give it to your dog, orally. Just mix a few drops in your dog’s water or food, and it should do the trick.

 

What Is Pet Insurance?

If you own a pet, then you know how important it can be to keep your beloved animal safe and healthy at all times. With help from the right pet insurance, you will have no problem doing that. Once you get pet insurance, you know that whatever costs are related to your dog’s health, they will be covered without having to get any money out of your pocket.

Gone are the days when you had to worry about expensive vet bills or anything like that. With help from pet insurance, you really get to focus on keeping your pet healthy and just having fun with him. And in case something terrible happens, you never have to worry about any issue. It really is a great opportunity and a pleasant experience, no matter the situation.

Is Pet Insurance Necessary?

One of the primary reasons why you want pet insurance is because it allows you to save money when the pet is ill or injured. And knowing your dog or cat, they are always trying to do something dangerous that can get them hurt. It’s not their fault though, that’s what they love, to go and just explore new things, try out stuff and so on. Unfortunately, this is also the type of something that can bring in health problems, so you really have to do whatever it takes to avoid that sort of issue. And with pet insurance, you can do that.

Insurance will also help you avoid those situations when you have to choose between your financial stability and your pet’s life. It may not seem that much at first, but stuff like this can be super challenging to deal with when you are put face to face with it. Thankfully, when you use the right pet insurance service, you won’t have to do that, since the insurance company will handle everything for you.

Also, thanks to pet insurance, you can focus on the wellbeing of your pet rather than the insurance costs. And that on its own is super important, a thing that many pet owners don’t even tend to consider every time. It’s mandatory to think about your pet rather than the costs. But whether you like it or not, those costs get in the way. And it’s a huge shame because owning a pet should never be about the prices in the first place.

Even if your pet is stolen or lost, pet insurance will help you get funds for any potential reward. You can also cover the cost of catteries or boarding kennels if you need to.

Of course, pet insurance will also cover the treatment costs for surgeries, cataract removal, tick paralysis, and so on. It’s always tough to find the right pet insurance features to focus on, and you do need to focus on the essentials as much as you can if you are on a budget. This type of insurance will remove those issues so you can really focus on exactly what matters the most. And it’s stuff like this that will offer you all the focus and benefits you need.

Thanks to the pet insurance, you can also save on any of the additional treatment costs, too, such as chemotherapy or anything similar. These things may not seem or feel necessary, but they are, and your pet will be a whole lot better if you opt for pet insurance, so try to consider that when you are looking for additional pet protection.

Is Pet Insurance Expensive?

Not at all. Some affordable pet insurance options will help you protect your pet without breaking the bank. This will offer you an excellent experience and some impressive results in that perspective, all without having to worry about any significant costs.

Plus, you have to think about it. Pet surgery or treatment costs can quickly add up, sometimes to the point where they will make you question the lack of any insurance. That’s why you need to prepare beforehand, as it’s a lot better to use pet insurance and focus on continuing your life the way you want without any issues.

Embrace insurance

Embrace is one of the companies that deliver high standard pet insurance. And they are not messing around. They have some of the very best pet insurance options. And the best part is that they are fully customizing everything if you want to. You can opt for dog or cat insurance, but you can also do puppy or kitten insurance too. As you can imagine, these come with different coverage levels and stuff, which in the end is still an excellent thing to keep into account.

Plus, you can do a nose to tail coverage. They have personalized policies, a stellar embrace plan, as well as discounts and savings that you can access at times, which makes this super special and nothing short of unique in its own right.

You also know what is not deductible. That means they don’t hide anything, every piece of information is right there for you, and you can easily access and adjust that based on your own needs if you want to. It’s the little things like this that will do wonders, and it will surely bring in front some distinct results no matter the situation.

Then you also have to think about the options they have. Everything from a focus on surgery to stuff like adapting the insurance according to your pet’s behavior if you want to. It’s those little things that you will enjoy the most, and the best part is that you can adjust and adapt this whenever and however you want without worrying about any issues like that.

Is it a good idea to use such insurance? Yes, because it works exactly the way you want, and you can adjust it based on your needs, just to be safe. There are no significant waiting periods here, and you will be kept up to date with any delays if you have to go through any. As you can imagine, there are always some twists and turns, but the thing that matters is that you can get precisely the ultimate insurance you signed up for, and you can get that at the best price on the market too, which is precisely what you need in this regard.

Their coverage also spans over diagnostic testing and imaging, chronic and congenital conditions, cancer treatments, breed-specific conditions, ER and specialist care, behavioral therapy, prescription drugs, nursing care, and so on. The fact that you have such a great and comprehensive plan is what makes this stand out in meaningful ways.

Of course, the prices reflect this great coverage. But don’t think that the prices are way too high, because that is not the case at all. In fact, their prices are very affordable, considering the value that you do get from all of this. That goes to show the tremendous amount and distinct features added to this package.

It’s always a great experience to obtain excellent insurance services, and with stuff like this, you really get to push things to the next level. Embrace is one of the companies that you should consider if you want high-quality pet insurance!

PetPremium

If you want to get proper pet insurance, why should you use PetPremium? This is one of the oldest pet insurance companies on the market, and they also have a stellar online presence, which is really nice. Plus, they also offer you a free quote in just 5 minutes. So you don’t have to wait a very long time until you can get the right insight into the total costs as a whole.

Aside from that, they created a comprehensive resource library where you can find all there is to know about their insurance services and the features they have. The coverage plans are decent, and you will get to choose the annual limit you want too. As a result, the entire experience will be super rewarding and inspiring every time. There are also other things included in the PetPremium packages, such as accident insurance, alternative therapies, behavioral treatments, and so on. In the end, you will have no problem finding the best package that suits the needs of your pet. That’s the thing that really matters the most in the end!

If you want, they even allow you to add optional preventive care, just to be safe. All these things add up to bring in excellent results, so the return on investment can be more than ok. It really is the type of thing that will help you quite a bit. Plus, you will not have a problem finding the right package based on your particular needs. That alone goes to show that it’s super easy to get some proper insurance from PetPremium, and you can still stay within the desired budget if you want to, which is always a good thing!

Healthy Paws

Healthy Paws is a foundation, but it also has some excellent pet insurance services. They are mostly focused on cat and dog insurance. However, it does make it easy to customize the desired pet insurance without that much of a hassle. The experience is super important no matter what happens, and the value is actually a tremendous one when you check it out, you can rest assured of it.

One of the good things about Healthy Paws is that it has lifetime discounts. So if you want to pay a bit more for lifetime coverage and not worry about any insurance limitations, this is a possibility. And it’s not going to cost you that much either, which is always an excellent thing to consider.

When it comes to what’s included in the Healthy Paws insurance, you will have emergency and specialty hospital care, chronic conditions, cancer coverage, hereditary and congenital conditions, accidents and illnesses, as well as many other similar situations. These are not that problematic at first, but they can indeed become problematic, and you really have to tackle that the best way that you can. It’s still a good thing to always focus on results, and with stuff like this, you can really obtain a tremendous value no matter the situation.

They also let you see the rates online, too, which is actually a good thing. You have to choose the type of pet you have, the birth date, and your zip code also. Based on that, you will receive the quote right off the bat. Things like this actually work really well, and the fact that you get the necessary information right away is outstanding. This way, you are always in control, you know the price, and there are no hidden costs to deal with either. That on its own is very special, and it can totally do wonders in the end.

Quality is always essential, and Healthy Paws does not disappoint here. You will receive the necessary insurance coverage very fast if you need it. And they do have a support line, in case you need to file a claim or if you have any issues with their insurance. It’s a great thing to have, even if you don’t need it right now.

Moreover, the total costs are known to be quite useful. And they do add up to bring in front some really excellent results no matter the situation. A lot of people find it really hard to figure out which are the best options on the market, but the reality is that with these pet insurance options, you really get all the coverage you want without overpaying. You are free to choose the best option, but in the end, all of them are super good and very comprehensive. So you are the one that’s free to determine which is a good option in the end. One thing is sure, these are excellent pet insurance companies trusted by millions of people, so you will not have to worry about any issues!