Not necessarily. I have plenty of dogs that need to be on a balanced over-the-counter diet. On the other hand, if your dog's a candidate that one of our prescription diets would help make it have a happier and better life, then prescription diets are another great choice. Neither one is better than the other. It's more just based on the individual dog and their dietary needs. If you have any questions on over-the-counter diets versus prescription diets and/or what recommendations we might have, give us a call. We'd always like to help answer those because we know your pet through exams, and by answering your questions, we can better fine-tune your nutrition recommendations.

Not necessarily. If you are choosing a food that is AAFCO certified and assured as a balanced diet, it doesn't matter if you feed wet or dry food. They're going to have the same nutritional value. The difference lies in preference and/or medical conditions that might contribute to choosing one or the other.

The obvious symptoms you'll look for are drooling, foaming, stumbling, lethargy, usually hanging their head down low, tucked tail, vomiting, and diarrhea. These are all signs that something good is not happening, so if you suspect in the slightest that your dog might have gotten into something poisonous, whether it be food, a chemical, or a substance, call your local emergency clinic, the poison helpline, or any of these options right away. It's important to seek medical treatment sooner rather than later to make sure we get your pet back on track to a healthy state.

An elimination diet is generally a prescription diet that is a strict diet focused on taking out all of the high allergic triggers. These diets need to be followed to the T of veterinarian recommendations, making sure they're not getting any other outside food sources into their system. This will allow us to monitor to see if any of the previously ill symptoms we were looking to get rid of start going away once they are on the elimination diet. From there, your veterinarian may decide to gradually introduce other foods to see which triggers those allergic responses again so we can take that out of the equation, or we have some pets that just right off the bat do so well that they stay on that allergenic specific diet.

It could. I have plenty of dogs that handle transition just fine. However, I have an equal amount of dogs where, if you make the slightest change to their diet, you are going to upset their GI system terribly. You're basically looking to maintain their gut biome as happily and peacefully as possible. For some pets, that means finding a diet and balance that works and sticking with it. I know as humans, we want to add that variety and share what we're eating with them, but if it's not good for your dog and/or it's not healthy or a good option for any dog, it is best just to take the higher ground and not do it.

The obvious signs right off the bat are if you're noticing vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and/or just generally not acting themselves. Those would be the easily identifiable symptoms that you would notice if your pet isn't handling the food that you're feeding them correctly. Of course, there is quite a long list, but that's something we'll discuss during your exam if this is your primary concern.

The short answer to that is no, but the honest answer is we're probably going to anyway. Some foods that are okay to give dogs are carrots, apples, bananas, and broccoli if they'll eat them. There's quite a list of human foods that are safe to give, but I would say focus on moderation. It should not be taking up anywhere near the bulk of their regular diet intake of certified food. Whether you're just giving a couple of bites of it or an occasional treat, that is okay. The foods that you want to avoid at all costs would be things that are toxic to them, like raisins, onions, and garlic. However, there are other things to consider. Things like fried foods, high-fatty foods, sugary foods, and the dreaded chocolate. We have plenty of blog material and resources on our website if you want to dive deeper into what things to avoid feeding or what things are safe to feed. As always, you can always call our clinic if you have any specific questions because, I'm going to be honest, you'll get those cute puppy dog eyes looking at you, and you'll want to cave in. Not all of us can be perfect and not feed because, I mean, come on. You can't have that guy look up at you; you'll give him a snack. So make sure it's moderation, the right option of food, and that you're not doing it all the time.

They can. If fleas or ticks are on your pet, they certainly can cause disease in humans. Fleas can easily jump from your pet, and if ticks are attached to your pet, they most likely cannot. But if they're crawling, they haven't yet taken a blood meal, and if they don't take it from your pet, they will find the next nearest warm body. If that is someone in your household, they do not distinguish. They will just try to get their next meal. Tickborne disease is a really important thing to prevent in dogs and in humans.

Oftentimes, it's when your dog goes outside. It can be just to go outside to the bathroom in your backyard, especially if you have deer coming through the backyard. It can be out on a hike if you're an outdoorsy adventurer, but not always. It can also be in the backyard or walking along the street where other dogs are around, which can cause exposure too. Oftentimes, we have rabbits, rodents, and other things that are coming into our urban areas, and those can also carry ticks.