Dogs in the United States have an average lifespan of 12 years, with smaller breeds usually living longer than giant breeds. Although we can’t avoid the inevitable heartache of losing a pet, we can take steps to help our dogs live as long as possible.

1.       Use your common sense. Keep your dog on a leash when you’re walking, so he doesn’t run onto the road and get hit by a car. Wild animals such as coyotes may see your dog as prey, so if you live near the forestry, make sure your fencing is secure to protect him from attack.

2.       Feed your dog a good quality food. It’s a good idea to give him anti-oxidants if they’re not included in his kibble. Both Vitamin E and Vitamin C are well known anti-oxidants which may help reduce cell damage. Ask your veterinarian for a dose rate that’s suitable for your dog.

3.       Watch how much food you give your dog. Research has shown that dogs fed a restricted amount of food can live up to 2 years longer than a dog fed as much as he wants. Obesity is also a leading cause of heart disease and diabetes in dogs, which can also shorten his life. Physical exercise is also important in trimming his waistline, and keeping his heart healthy.

4.       Regular veterinary care is important. If your dog has an illness and it is diagnosed and treated early, the outcome will be much better. For example, dogs who suffered from kidney disease and were fed a prescription kidney diet lived longer than dogs fed regular kibble. Not only that, but the sooner the prescription diet was started, the better the outcome. By having your dog’s health checked frequently, you’ll be able to start any necessary treatment early, and your dog will be with you longer.

5.       Stress can affect your dog’s immune system and can make him more likely to fall ill. It’s important that you make sure his life is as stress free as possible. Your dog can’t possibly be stressed, can he? He’s well fed, has a warm bed and someone who loves him. Stress in dogs can be very subtle. For example, a herding breed may be stressed if he can’t expend his energy, or use his brain. Dogs are intelligent animals. Regular exercise and mental stimulation is so important in keeping their stress levels down. Consider obedience training, agility or herding classes to give them something to do with their mind.

Children walking past your front fence on their way home from school may also cause your dog some anxiety, particularly if they tease him. If you’re concerned about your dog’s stress levels, place a few drops of Sleepytime Tonic on his tongue. It contains Skullcap and Passionflower, both of which reduce anxiety. Its Bach Flower Remedies, particularly Wild Oat, help ease fear and irritability, and reduce boredom-related depression.

If your dog does live to a ripe old age, you may find that you have to deal with age related conditions which can affect his quality of life. One of the most common problems in senior dogs is arthritis. They find it harder to get up and down stairs, and are often stiff in the legs first thing in the morning. Joint Resolution is your solution to this problem. Collagen in Joint Resolution reduces discomfort in arthritic dogs and allows them to enjoy life to the fullest.

There are no guarantees that anything you do will increase the time you have to share with your four legged best friend. Keep him physically safe, watch what he eats, manage his stress levels and develop a close relationship with your veterinarian. This gives you the best chance of having your dog grow old with you.

Knee injuries are one of the most common reasons that your dog will limp on his back leg, and it may take several months for him to recover. That means you’ll not be able to enjoy his company when you go for your afternoon stroll, and he’ll have to miss out on chasing his favorite ball for a while.

Although knee injuries can occur in any breed, some breeds are more at risk than others. Rottweilers, Newfoundlands, St Bernards and Labrador Retrievers seem to be more prone to hurting their knees. Smaller breeds such as the Bichon Frise and Miniature Fox Terriers can be born with a loose kneecap, which can predispose to joint injury. Lastly, breeds such as Chows who have very straight hind legs may be more likely to injure their knees purely because of their conformation.

In many cases, knee injuries occur while you’re playing with your dog. You throw his ball and he twists to grab it as he runs past, and ouch! He limps back to you on three legs. If he leaps into the air to catch it, he can land awkwardly, and that too is a common cause of injuries to this joint. If your dog is like mine and has dug several short cuts to China in your backyard, he may trip in a hole as he runs, and twist the joint.

It’s obvious when your dog has hurt his knee, as he is suddenly lame, and won’t walk on the sore back leg. You might not be able to tell which part of his leg is hurting, but your veterinarian will be able to confirm that it is the knee that is sore. It’s important to get that diagnosis quickly, so you can plan the best treatment program for your dog.

There are several options for treating a knee injury in dogs.

1. Rest. We’re very familiar with the Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation regime when we sprain a joint. However, your dog may not sit back and let you do this to him. Often, the best we can hope for is rest. This means no walks, no chasing balls, and no romping with the other family pets. Ideally, keep your dog confined in a crate as much as possible, and only take him outside on a leash to go to the toilet. If you’re used to spending lots of time walking and playing with your dog, you’ll feel nearly as frustrated as he does.

2. Pain relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as meloxicam will reduce swelling and take away a lot of your dog’s pain. These need to be prescribed by your veterinarian. Be careful: if your dog feels better, he may want to walk and play more than he should, which can make his injury worse. Make sure you follow your vet’s guidelines regarding restricted exercise, even if your dog wants to do more.

3. Weight loss. Any leg injury will take longer to heal if it has to carry excess weight. If your dog is a little generous around the waistline, it’s time for some tough love. It’s even harder to take weight off your dog when you can’t exercise him. Put him on a strict diet, and don’t give in to those big brown eyes. It really is for his own good.

4. Physical Therapy. Your vet can give you guidelines on how to slowly increase your dog’s exercise, and gently bend and stretch his knee, so that it maintains its flexibility and increases its strength. Alternatively, ask for a referral to a specialist physical therapist. How you exercise your dog after his knee injury is as important as anything your vet can do, so follow her directions to achieve the best outcome for your dog. Underwater treadmills and swimming are great for exercising his knee joint without putting any weight on it.

5. Joint Resolution. This product contains glucosamine and collagen, both of which are known to improve joint health and reduce lameness. It also contains herbs which reduce pain and inflammation. It’s a safe and natural way to support your dog’s knee joint as it heals, and you can relax knowing that there are no dangerous side effects.

6. Surgery. If your dog has in fact torn a ligament in his knee, it will leave the joint very unstable and may result in arthritis. The best way of treating a torn ligament is orthopedic surgery to restabilise the joint. Unless you have pet insurance, this will make a huge dent in the family budget. After surgery, all of the above treatment options are useful as your dog recovers from his operation.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

There are many reasons for trying to prevent your dog from injuring his knee. He won’t be in pain, he won’t miss out on the fun activities you share, he won’t be at risk of developing arthritis in his joint, and he won’t use up all your spare cash with his veterinary care.

Is it possible to prevent these injuries?  It is, to some extent. Don’t let your dog become overweight, or he will put more strain on his knee ligaments as he runs. Don’t throw balls that encourage your dog to jump, because he may land awkwardly and injure his knee.

At the end of the day, dogs will be dogs, and they do hurt themselves. We can only do our best. If your dog does injure his knee, treatment is available that will have him out enjoying his walk with you very soon.

Unlike conventional veterinary medicine, which is usually comprised of harsh pharmaceutical chemicals, acupuncture is a safer and more exact form of pain relief for dogs that are suffering from ailments, such as allergies, hip dysplasia, paralysis, arthritis and respiratory problems.

Most people think of acupuncture as a healing therapy designed only for humans, but dogs, cats and other animals can benefit greatly from the use of acupuncture. In fact, during the Jin dynasty period of China, about 4500 years ago, the very first case of using acupuncture on an animal was recorded.

This healing modality quickly spread and was first used by veterinarians in the USA in the 1970’s.  It then evolved into aquapuncture and electropuncture.

Acupuncture involves inserting a thin needle into specific points on a dog’s body in an attempt to relieve any pain. Acupuncture is believed to enhance and restore a dog’s natural flow of energy (qi) in their body. The qi energy runs along 12 meridians with each meridian linking up to an internal organ and its operating system. The thin needles are placed at certain points along these meridians to stimulate the flow of qi energy, which in turn benefits the dog’s muscular, skeletal, hormonal and cardiovascular systems.

Western acupuncture specialists explain that there are 365 main acupuncture points in an animal’s body which are all located at little clusters of nerves and blood vessels. Through stimulation of these cluster points with the needles, physiological effects are triggered within an animal’s body, and this actually helps to increase the animal’s own healing abilities within their body.

The acupuncture helps to rapidly release neurotransmitters inside the dog’s body such as endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killers, as well as small amounts of cortisal, which is an anti-inflammatory steroid.

Aquapuncture is another form of acupuncture that some dog owner’s prefer for their dogs. It uses a hypodermic syringe and needle to gently inject a solution into the acupuncture points. For quite a few days after this solution has been injected under the dog’s skin, it will continue to either stimulate or sedate the acupuncture points. The solution is usually comprised of lidocaine, saline, and vitamin B12, together with a homeopathic remedy. Aquapuncture is good for dogs that have severe back or hip pain which is caused from vertebral spondylosis, arthritis or hip dysplasia.

Electropuncture is also another alternative to regular acupuncture. With electropuncture, an electrical device is used to stimulate the acupuncture points in the dog’s body. This is done through the use of wires attached to the acupuncture needles. A mild electrical charge is then sent at variable frequencies through the needle and into the acupuncture point on the dog’s body. Electropuncture is an excellent choice if your dog has severe paralysis.

Most acupuncture, aquapuncture and electropuncture treatments last between 10 seconds and 30 minutes, although it does depend on the ailment for which the dog is being treated. Moreover, some dogs will have to have 4 to 6 treatment sessions before there will be any real improvement, although some dog owners are able to see immediate improvements in their dog’s overall health after just one or two sessions.

Even though the above treatments will not cause your dog any pain, they are time consuming and do require your dog to lie still for long periods of time.

If you don’t think that your dog will be able to withstand an acupuncture session, it is too costly or if you want to make sure that you are doing everything possible to enhance your dog’s acupuncture, aquapuncture or electropuncture treatments, there is an herbal tonic that you can try called Joint Resolution.

Perfect for dogs feeling the discomfort of arthritis or hip dysplasia, Joint Resolution’s herbal blend of boswellia, devils claw and licorice work together to reduce inflammation and pain as dandelion eliminates toxins from your dog’s body.

It also contains New Bio Cell Collagen Type II, which aids in building new cartilage, rejuvenating worn tissues and promotes improved joint mobility and flexibility. Joint Resolution is easy to administer via a few drops on your dog’s favorite treat.

There are definitely many all natural and holistic remedies and treatments for your suffering dog to try before going with more harsh methods like drugs and surgeries.

What To Do If Your Dog Has A Luxating Patella

It is a beautiful day outside and you and your dog are playing fetch in the backyard. You throw the ball and your dog takes off running after it. But somewhere in midstride, you hear him yelp as you see him lift one of his hind legs off the ground. Not stopping, he continues to chase after the ball running on only three legs. Once he’s got the ball in his mouth and is bringing it back to you, you notice that he is running on all four legs now.

With a dawning realization, you remember that your dog did almost the exact same thing the last time you were out playing fetch with him. Even though it doesn’t seem to bother him too much, it starts to bother you because you don’t want to see your dog in any kind of pain or discomfort.

Does Your Dog Have a Luxating Patella?

You can bet that your dog has a luxating patella , especially if he is a toy or small dog breed. Usually occurring in dogs that have relatively weak muscles, tendons and ligaments, a luxating patella can also occur in medium and large sized dogs whose kneecap groove is too constricted or shallow. When this happens, your dog’s knee will slip inward and then lock up, preventing your dog from bending his leg.

Luxating patella is just a fancy way of saying that your dog has a dislocating knee. Otherwise referred to as a ‘trick knee’, it describes a situation in which your dog’s knee, the visible joint on the front part of the hind leg, slips out of its socket.

It affects each dog in a different way. Sometimes a dog will simply lift his leg off the ground for a few seconds and then continue walking or running on it. Other times, he may keep his leg off the ground for a few days. If a dog has a luxating patella on both of his hind legs, it may cause him to seemingly hop like a bunny. For some dogs the pain and discomfort of a luxating patella can force them to not walk at all, or at the very least attempt to walk solely on their front legs as they keep their hind legs in the air. A luxating patella can lead to arthritis in a dog’s later years.

Treating a luxating patella

You should always have your dog’s knees checked at least every two years by your veterinarian.

*If you suspect your dog has a luxating patella, the first thing you should do is try to keep your dog as still as possible. No running around and playing fetch - at least until you are able to see a veterinarian.

*Your vet may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory or even a steroidal anti-inflammatory. Keep in mind that these medications contain chemicals that have horrible side effects and will usually only deal with the inflammation and not the actual problem.

*Your vet may suggest surgery. However, make sure that your vet is a qualified orthopedic surgeon. Also consider that, besides the surgery costing thousands of dollars, there will always be a 50% chance that the luxation will reappear in the future. Before considering a potentially dangerous surgery, try less evasive measures like as all natural remedies.

*Give your dog a natural supplement that has collagen, like Joint Resolution . Collagen is a protein that is found in joint cartilage and Joint Resolution contains New Bio Cell Collagen Type II that is proven to help in building new cartilage and reducing damage to your dog’s joints. Licorice, Devils Claw and Boswellia are also included to help reduce your dog’s pain and inflammation, while Dandelion works to remove toxins from your dog’s body. Joint Resolution is a wonderful healing remedy for dogs suffering from both luxating patellas and arthritis.

*Help your dog remain lean or lose weight by cooking fresh foods with lots of vitamin C, and allowing him to have moderate exercise. If your dog is overweight he will experience more discomfort because of the extra weight bearing down on his knee. Take your dog for a walk up a slight incline as this helps strengthen the muscles surrounding the patella.Also check out the dog food from www.thehonestkitchen.com.

It’s an unfortunate fact that over 40% of our pet dogs are overweight or obese. The excess weight they are carrying not only reduces their quality of life, but also the length of that life.

Many of the problems that an overweight human has to deal with also occur in our dogs.

One of the most significant effects obesity has on a dog’s body is the increased stress on the joints . The more weight the joints have to carry, the more wear and tear on those joints. The end result is pain and difficulty in moving around.

There is a connection between obesity and the health of your dog’s heart. If your dog is a bit on the heavy side, the heart has to work a lot harder to push the blood through his body. Hypertension, or increased blood pressure, is also directly linked to obesity in dogs. The end result is heart disease, and an increased risk of heart attack.

Overweight dogs are also more prone to sleep apnea. This is a condition in which your dog has difficulty breathing while he’s asleep. Diabetes is more common in obese animals, and an increase in weight can play havoc with regulating a diabetic dog’s blood glucose levels. You can try an all natural supplement like Sleepytime Tonic if your dog is having trouble sleeping (or if you are having trouble sleeping!)

There is another condition we may not always associate with obesity in dogs, and it too can make them quite uncomfortable. Overweight animals often have more skin folds than a lean dog. These folds can trap dirt and debris, and this may lead to skin irritation and scratching. If moisture accumulates in these folds, bacteria and fungi may grow and cause skin infections which can be painful. Click here to read more about caring for wrinkly dogs.

Why Is It So?

There are several causes of obesity in dogs, and you may need help from your vet to determine which is the cause of your dog’s weight problem.

One of the most common causes is simply over eating. All dogs need to eat a certain number of calories per day. This number varies depending on factors such as their breed, size, age, and level of activity. For instance, the more active your dog is, the more calories he will need to eat to provide energy and maintain his body condition. Some dogs just eat too many calories, and don’t use them up by exercising, so the excess is deposited on their waistline.

If a dog has a fast metabolism, it uses up calories very quickly, so it can cope with an increase in food without putting on weight. Dogs with slower metabolisms aren’t so fortunate, and you need to watch closely how much you feed them. Neutering does slow a dog’s metabolism, so a neutered dog won’t need as many calories after their little operation.

There are some medical conditions that can cause your dog to gain weight. Hyperthyroidism and Cushings Disease are two such conditions, and can be diagnosed with a blood test.

Let’s Move That Weight!

There are a few logical steps to getting your dog back to a healthy weight.

Firstly, take him along to your veterinarian for a full checkup. If there is a medical reason for his obesity, you’ll have to deal with that before you try any other strategies.

If all is okay, then look at what he’s eating. You need to feed him a good quality balanced diet with a low fat content. Many dog foods have a feeding guide on the packet, however it’s better to "feed to condition". If you’re feeding the recommended amount, and your dog is too heavy, then that’s obviously too much for your individual dog. Feed the amount of food that keeps him in good lean condition, even if it is less than the pet food manufacturers recommend. While he’s losing the weight, skip any table scraps or between-meal snacks - they all add to the calorie count.

The other important part of weight loss is exercise. This can be difficult, because a heavy dog often has sore legs, and doesn’t want to walk very far. Swimming is an excellent exercise for an overweight dog, because he can burn calories without putting any weight on his legs. You may also be able to find a dog physical therapist who has an underwater treadmill, so your dog can walk while his body is supported by water. Read more about caring for a dog that likes to swim.

While you’re working hard to help your dog lose that excess weight, don’t forget to treat any obesity related conditions, so he feels more comfortable. Joint Resolution contains natural ingredients to help restore damaged cartilage and reduce wear and tear on his joints.

If you do find any moist itchy skin folds, the colloidal oatmeal in Comfy Dog Shampoo will soothe inflamed skin and make your dog feel so much better. It doesn’t lather excessively, which makes it easy to work into those skin folds, and easy to rinse off. Click here to read more about colloidal oatmeal.

Your dog didn’t gain his excess weight overnight, and he won’t lose it quickly either. Be strong and stick to your plan, and you’ll both enjoy a longer, healthier life together.