Understanding the Mysterious Canine Respiratory Illness

Recent reports from the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostics Center and other veterinary institutions have highlighted a mysterious canine respiratory illness. This illness, showing symptoms similar to canine influenza and kennel cough, has been observed across various U.S. regions. However, its exact cause remains unknown.

What We Know So Far

Symptoms of this illness include:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Labored breathing
• Nose or eye discharge
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite

Precautions to Take

• Avoid high-risk areas like kennels, dog parks, and daycare facilities.
• Do not share bowls, toys, or chews between dogs.
• We recommend checking out Trusted Housesitters if you need to travel instead of boarding your dog if possible.

Because the infectious cause of this disease is not known, vaccines will not protect your pet against this, and we do not recommend them.  What we do recommend is protecting your pet's immune system and st...

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on tackling dog allergies, itchy skin, and yeast infections. Contrary to popular belief, these issues often stem from a complex interaction of factors affecting not just the skin but also the whole body. Read on to find out how to holistically address these problems.

The Complexity Behind Dog Allergies and Itchy Skin

Dog allergies and itchy skin are not as straightforward as they appear. In many cases, they involve a combination of local and systemic factors, including the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. Because of this, many pet parents miss the root cause of why their dog's allergies are not improving and they stay stuck going back and forth the vet.

The Usual Suspects: Allergens Affecting Dogs

Allergies leading to itchy skin and yeast infections can come from many different areas.  Here are a few common reasons for itchy dogs that you want to make sure you don't miss:

• Insect Bites & Parasites

  : Such as fleas, leading to intense

  ...

Dog leg sprain and strains are some of the most common dog injuries.

From soft tissue injuries, like dog leg sprains, to torn ligaments in your dog's knee, these types of injuries can be expensive, frustrating, and hard to watch your dog be in pain.

However, there are ways to avoid these common dog leg sprains, strains, and injuries using natural remedies to treat them if they happen to your dog.

How does a dog leg strain or sprain happen? 

Strains and sprains can happen commonly when your dog overworks itself.

Think about your own self getting out of winter without much activity and you try to run a marathon for the first time without working up to it.

These dog leg strains and sprains come from our dog’s not being ready and can affect the muscles or the ligaments or traumatic injuries.  For example, one of the most common injuries is a torn cruciate knee ligament which is like an ACL tear in people.

These types of injuries are painful and can lead to surgeries that are thou...

Cats with urinary tract infections are no fun and can even turn into an emergency.  However, there are many natural home remedies for cat UTIs (urinary tract infections) that you can use to prevent and even help treat your cat’s urine problems.

What is a cat urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection can affect any part of the cat’s urinary system.

This can include the bladder, the urethra (where urine comes out of the body), or even the kidneys.

An important fact to know about cat UTIs is that it’s not always a bacterial infection.  Your cat may have inflammation in their bladder without an infection which is called cat cystitis or sterile urinary tract inflammation.

How does a cat get a urinary tract infection (bladder infection)?

There are a variety of conditions that cats can get that affect the urinary tract that is labeled a feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).

A bacterial UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract, usually by ascending up the ure...

What if your dog is not doing well with a new diet and has sensitive dog gut health? 

Remember to go back to the principles and go slowly through the following steps.

If your dog is not feeling well, fast them with bone broth for 12-24 hours to allow their digestive tract to rest.  If you're not able to make your own bone broth, here are a few great sources that you can use:

• Honest Kitchen Bone Broth
• Open Farm Bone Broth
• Only Natural Pet Free-Range Bone Broth

When there is diarrhea or GI upset from a transition to a new food, make sure to slow down the transition and follow the below steps to help make the diet change a success.

Step 1 - Remove Inflammatory Foods

Make sure you've removed inflammatory foods and treats that may be triggering dog leaky gut. Here are other areas that could be causing leaky gut in your dog:

• Foods high in lectins
  • Wheat, rice, spelt, soy
• Foods with a high glycemic index (increase sugar levels quickly in the body and can feed yeast an
...

Natural Treatments of Giardia in Dogs & Cats

Giardia, a single-celled parasite that often wreaks havoc in our cat and dogs' digestive systems, is notorious for causing significant discomfort and diarrhea. While conventional treatments have been the go-to for many veterinarians, they can have limited results and a surge in natural treatments are changing the game.

What Is Giardia In Dogs & Cats

Giardiasis, the disease caused by Giardia duodenalis, is a common microscopic protozoal intestinal infection in dogs and cats. The protozoa thrives in feces-contaminated soil, food, and water. Giardia is a common cause of 'traveler's diarrhea' in people worldwide. Giardia in dogs and cats can cause severe signs of disease and can greatly impact cat and dog's gut health if they become infected.

How Is Giardia Transmitted To Dogs & Cats

A dog and cat becomes infected when it ingests the cystic form of giardia from the environment. Pets get infected by ingesting these contaminated materials ...