Lyme Disease.

Jen and a Camera, Flickr Ticks are a common affliction for dogs. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Lawrence Gerson, graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Veterinary School and founder of the Point Breeze Veterinary Clinic in Pittsburgh, Pa., to get some insights about the condition. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medication or supplements to your pet. What are the signs that my dog has ticks? When a dog has ticks, you can see them. ...

Anna Westhoff Each week, Ben Westhoff shares the ups and downs of owning Pippi, the dalmatian mix he and his wife, Anna, adopted as a puppy in late 2009. We wrote last year about the trouble we had with Pippi's first vet. She seemed to make quick, unfounded diagnoses, and attempt to prescribe everything under the sun. Our new veterinarian is much improved, but we still had an upsetting experience recently when we boarded her there. Anna and I were vacationing in Florida for six days. In fact, we were sitting on a beach about to go kayaking when I got the call -- Pippi had become extremely anxious, someone from the vet's office said, and was vomiting and had bloody diarrhea. Her ...

Anna Westhoff Each week, Ben Westhoff shares the ups and downs of owning Pippi, the dalmatian mix he and his wife Anna adopted as a puppy in late 2009. Anna wrote this week's column. A few days back, we received a helpful e-mail reminder from Pippi's new, terrific vet to update our pup's vaccinations. One of the recommended vaccinations protects against Lyme disease, a bacterial inflammatory disease transmitted by deer ticks that is endemic in our part of the country. But after doing some online research, I question whether Pippi really needs a shot against Lyme disease. It turns out there is a fair bit of controversy among dog experts over whether the Lyme disease vaccination is ...

This is Pippi. Photo by Anna. My wife Anna wrote this week's column. I'm one of those people who doesn't like doctors or pills. I am skeptical of MDs who reach for the prescription pad first and ask questions later. So far, it's worked out for me; I've found that most ailments clear up on their own. I take the same approach with Pippi, our 10-month-old dalmatian mix. When Ben and I returned from our recent honeymoon, a vet visit was in order, as Pippi had somehow punctured her right front paw near one of her nails. We wanted our new vet -- whom we'd never visited, but who came recommended -- to check it out, and we also needed a fresh stash of heartworm pills and flea-and-tick ...