The Dog Health Handbook Blog
Dog Health problems are sometimes a mystery since many symptoms are associated with the same illnesses. Our goal is to provide up to date information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of common dog health care issues. This way you as an owner can have an informed conversation with the dog health professional or veterinarian. The Dog Health Handbook is not a substitute for professional care, particularly since very dog has needs which are unique.
Oct 30, 2026
Dissolving Struvite Bladder Stones in an English Bulldog Without Surgery
Reader QuestionI have a 6-year-old female English Bulldog with struvite bladder stones. I would like to try to dissolve them with medication and diet,
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Oct 30, 2026
Can Store-Bought Food Prevent Struvite Stones in Dogs?
Reader QuestionAre there any over-the-counter dog foods that can help prevent struvite stones?Answer from Our TeamWe couldn't find any store-bought food
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Oct 30, 2026
Canine IBD: Expensive but a Happy Ending
Reader QuestionMy 5-year-old female Schnauzer, adopted from a rescue at age 3, was diagnosed with IBD soon after we got her. On a good-quality kibble she
Oct 30, 2026
Recurring Diarrhea, Eye Discharge and Skin Bumps in a 7-Month-Old Puppy
Reader QuestionMy 7-month-old Vizsla has had diarrhea on and off for the last month. She doesn't usually seem very sick, as long as I keep her hydrated.
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Oct 30, 2026
Very Small Bowel Movements in a 15-Year-Old Dog on Arthritis Medicine
Reader QuestionMy 15-year-old, 60-pound Chow and Lab mix takes an anti-inflammatory medicine for arthritis and a hip and joint supplement twice a day.
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Oct 30, 2026
Itchy Sores and Yeast in a Dog With Hypothyroidism
Reader QuestionMy 5-year-old Lab and pit bull mix was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. He was put on antibiotics, which did nothing. His skin has sores that
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Oct 30, 2026
Strong Body Odor in a Senior Dog With Hypothyroidism
Reader QuestionOur Beagle is 17 years old and smelled really bad. The vet found she had a thyroid problem, and she is on thyroid medicine. We've been washing
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Oct 30, 2026
Anemia and Fluid in the Belly in an Older Cocker Spaniel
Reader QuestionI have a 12-year-old Cocker Spaniel and I'm very worried. It started 2 to 3 weeks ago with diarrhea. The vet gave him antibiotics and he
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Oct 30, 2026
Could My Dog's IMHA Have Been a Misdiagnosis?
Reader QuestionLast May my then 6-year-old Shih Tzu got very sick. His stool had a red tinge and was softer, he walked very slowly, and one evening he
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Oct 29, 2026
Homeopathic Mistletoe for a Dog With Nasal Cancer
Reader QuestionOur Bichon Frise has been diagnosed with carcinoma in the nose, and cancer has also been found in one lymph node under the jaw. How many
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Oct 29, 2026
Sudden Loss of a Young Beagle to a Ruptured Intestinal Tumor
Reader QuestionI lost my 6-year-old Beagle to cancer, and it came as a complete shock. Two weeks earlier she'd had a normal checkup and vaccines, and her
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Oct 29, 2026
Weeks of Vomiting and Weight Loss From an Intestinal Tumor
Reader QuestionMy 12-year-old shepherd and golden retriever mix started vomiting and having diarrhea. I thought he'd eaten something bad at the park. His
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Oct 29, 2026
Young Lab With a Hidden Intestinal Tumor: Could It Have Been Found Sooner?
Reader QuestionWhen we came home from a camping and fishing trip, our 5 and a half year old Black Lab became very ill. She started vomiting once a day,
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Oct 28, 2026
Could My Dog's Leukemia Be a Misdiagnosis?
Reader QuestionMy 10-year-old Lab mix was diagnosed with leukemia last week. His red blood cell level was so low our vet said a blood transfusion was the
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Oct 28, 2026
Should My Dog Have Lung Surgery for a Lung Tumor?
Reader QuestionAn X-ray shows my Sheltie has a tumor the size of a small orange in his right lung. His first sign was coughing up blood. Since starting
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Oct 28, 2026
Non-Healing Sore Near Mammary Tumors: Is It Inflammatory Carcinoma?
Reader QuestionMy little terrier mix (9 lb) was diagnosed with breast cancer involving several mammary glands and has had surgery on two of them. She was
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Oct 28, 2026
A Sudden Decline With Coughing, Black Stool and Breathing Trouble
Reader QuestionI'd like to share my story so other owners know some of the signs. My dog was an 11 and a half year old Border Terrier and cattle dog cross.
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Oct 28, 2026
Spleen Cancer in an Older German Shepherd: Signs That Are Easy to Miss
Reader QuestionEarly this morning I had to have my 10-year-old female German Shepherd put to sleep. She had spleen cancer that had spread to other organs.
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Oct 28, 2026
Older Dog Doing Well Long After a Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Reader QuestionWe have a 14-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer who was diagnosed by X-ray with primary lung cancer: two golf-ball-size tumors in one lobe.
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Oct 28, 2026
Living With Leukemia Without Chemotherapy: Preventives and What to Expect
Reader QuestionMy 12-year-old female Golden Retriever has been diagnosed with non-lymphoma leukemia. Two years ago, a few months after a vaccine, she developed
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Oct 28, 2026
Could an Injury Have Caused My Dog's Hemangiosarcoma?
Reader QuestionOur Labrador died after having his spleen removed. We chose not to do chemotherapy, and he lived 32 days after surgery. It was hemangiosarcoma.
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Oct 28, 2026
Older Male Dog With a Fast-Growing, Hot Mammary Lump
Reader QuestionMy dog is a 15-year-old neutered male Staffordshire-type terrier. For about 5 years he's had a small swelling in one of his mammary glands
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Oct 28, 2026
Can Fiber Help a Senior Lab With Bowel Accidents From Nerve Damage?
Reader QuestionMy Lab is almost 13, and for the past 6 months he's been having bowel accidents in the house. He's had a full neurological workup, including
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Oct 28, 2026
Older German Shepherd Who Doesn't Know He's Pooping
Reader QuestionMy older German Shepherd doesn't seem to know when he's pooping.Answer from Our TeamWhen a dog passes stool without seeming to notice, the
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Oct 28, 2026
Old Dog's Red Eye That's Slow to Heal
Reader QuestionMy 14-year-old dog has a red eye. I'm not sure if she injured it, but it's very possible. It's been 5 days, and the vet expected it to be
Oct 28, 2026
Is Daily Under-the-Skin Treatment Worth It for an 11-Year-Old Dog?
Reader QuestionMy 11-year-old dog was diagnosed with polyuria. The vet wants to start a treatment given under the skin, which I'd have to do every day.
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Oct 28, 2026
Panting at Night and Bright Red Blood in an Older Dog's Stool
Reader QuestionMy female Australian Shepherd mix is about 10 years old. Sometimes she pants a lot, even in the middle of a cool night. Her stools have
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Oct 28, 2026
Sudden Hearing Loss and Brown Wax in an Older Dog
Reader QuestionMy 14-year-old Golden Retriever has become hard of hearing, or doesn't hear at all, in just the last 4 days. When I was scratching her ears,
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Oct 28, 2026
Summer Itching That Comes Back Every Year
Reader QuestionMy standard dachshund is about 5 and a half. We adopted him 3 years ago, and he was in very poor health when we got him. Every summer he
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Oct 28, 2026
Can Red Light Therapy Help an Allergic Dog's Skin?
Reader QuestionMy 2-year-old Dandie Dinmont has allergies. Pollen affects him the worst, but most chemicals bother him too. A routine of anti-inflammatory
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Oct 28, 2026
Allergy Bumps on a Young Boxer
Reader QuestionMy 1-year-old Boxer has bumps all over, like an allergic reaction, and dry, flaky skin. This happened once before, and she got a steroid
Oct 28, 2026
Growing Brown Spot in a Puppy's Iris
Reader QuestionI have an 11-week-old German Shorthaired Pointer. When I got him at 8 weeks, I didn't notice anything in his left eye. By 10 weeks I saw
Oct 28, 2026
Could Eye Melanoma That's Been There for Years Be Malignant?
Reader QuestionMy 4-year-old German Shepherd and Rottweiler mix was diagnosed with melanoma of the eye this week. The eye specialist said it's most likely
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Oct 28, 2026
Black Spot Like a Second Pupil in My Dog's Eye
Reader QuestionA few weeks ago my family and I noticed a black spot in one of my dog's eyes. He's a German Shepherd and Rottweiler mix. My mom thinks it's
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Oct 28, 2026
Round Spots That Move in a Beagle's Eyes
Reader QuestionMy 8-year-old Beagle has several perfectly round spots on the iris of one eye. Our vet checked them a year ago, noticed they moved when
Oct 27, 2026
Why Did One of My Dog's Eyes Turn a Lighter Brown?
Reader QuestionMy dog has always had deep chocolate brown eyes. Today I noticed that her left eye is a noticeably lighter brown than the right eye, which
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Oct 27, 2026
Shih Tzu With Frequent Eye Infections
Reader QuestionMy 2-year-old female Shih Tzu keeps getting eye infections. Is there a home remedy I can try, or over-the-counter drops I can buy for her
Oct 27, 2026
Senior Lab With an Eye Infection That Won't Clear
Reader QuestionMy 13-year-old black Lab has an eye infection. We've had two vet visits, and the vet prescribed an expensive ointment that I had trouble
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Oct 27, 2026
Behavior Change After Entropion Surgery
Reader QuestionOur newly adopted dog, who's 2 to 3 years old, recently had surgery for entropion. Since he recovered and finally lost the cone, his behavior
Oct 27, 2026
Maltese Mix Who Squints in Bright Light
Reader QuestionA vet I met socially told me my Maltese mix can't filter light. She said the part of the eye that opens and closes doesn't seem to be working
Oct 27, 2026
Red, Swollen Eyelids and Human Antibiotic Drops
Reader QuestionMy dog has swollen, red eyelids. One eye got better overnight, but now the other one is swollen and red. I put some human antibiotic drops
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Oct 27, 2026
Watching a Freckle in a Dog's Eye
Reader QuestionMy vet noticed a freckle, or freckles, in my 8-year-old spayed Shih Tzu's left eye today. She said it's a freckle like people get, but it
Oct 27, 2026
Why One Eye Glows Red and the Other Green
Reader QuestionMy female Husky has brown eyes. When we take pictures, one of her eyes glows red and the other glows green. I'm just curious why!Answer
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Oct 27, 2026
Blood-Filled Lumps on an Old Coonhound's Eyelids
Reader QuestionThis dog is a Walker Coonhound, about 12 or 13 years old, in good shape, with cataracts. Over the last several months he's developed blood-filled
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Oct 27, 2026
Limbal Melanoma: How Well Does Treatment Work?
Reader QuestionMy dog has what looks like a limbal melanoma on his right eye. An eye specialist told me he won't know for sure until he removes the mass.
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Oct 27, 2026
Keeping Gnats Away From a Dog's Eyes
Reader QuestionWarmer weather has brought little gnats that swarm around my sheepdog's eyes. Is there a safe way to keep them from bothering him or landing
Oct 27, 2026
Natural Remedies After Eye Prolapse Surgery?
Reader QuestionMy dog had surgery after his eye popped out. He's had tablets and ointment, and his eye is still in place, but it's still tender and a bit
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Oct 27, 2026
Swollen Inner Corner of the Lower Eyelid in a Boston Terrier
Reader QuestionMy Boston Terrier has a swollen lower eyelid at the inner corner of his eye. Can dogs get a blocked tear duct? This is my first dog in many
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Oct 27, 2026
Will the Blood in My Chihuahua's Eye Go Away?
Reader QuestionYesterday my Chihuahua was almost bitten by a bigger dog. He avoided the bite, but his eye started to turn red and swell, with the eyelid
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