canine.

LOLren, Flickr Dog skin allergies are common afflictions for household dogs. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Stephen L. Lemarie, a specialist with Southeast Veterinary Specialists in Metairie, La., to get some insights on the condition. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medication or supplements to your pet. What are the signs that my dog has skin allergies? Some of the common signs of allergies in dogs include itching, paw licking, face rubbing, chronic ear infections, recurring skin rashes, skin biting and chewing, hair loss, red patches around the eyes and ears, hot spots, ...

craigallyn, Flickr From chihuahuas to bulldogs to giant Great Danes, dogs come in a dizzying assortment of shapes and sizes. That makes them all too perfect for scientists who study how genes work. In a recent essay in the scientific journal PLoS Biology, researchers from the National Human Genome Institute wrote about the major advances in understanding how dog genes translate to the rainbow of traits that make up the modern pooch. More than 300 dog breeds are known around the world, including the 170 official American Kennel Club breeds. For hundreds of years, dog breeders have accidentally been creating a perfect model for studying genetics. Now science is reaping the benefits. Not ...

jumping lab/Flickr Dog coughing is extremely common for dogs of all ages and sizes. Dog coughing can be caused by an irritation of your dog's throat, airways or the lungs, according to the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dog coughs can signify a number of problems, from allergies to heartworm disease and can be influenced by age, breed and environment. To help your veterinarian determine what is causing your pup to cough, take note of the way your dog coughs. A moist cough signifies fluid in the airways or throat, whereas a dry cough can be an indication of kennel cough, according to Vetinfo. Kennel cough is an infectious dog cough caused by bacteria and ...

"Can I get some chicken soup please?" Photo: rogue3w/Flickr After a kennel closed in Virginia due to a dog flu outbreak, panicked headlines screamed, "Protect Your Dogs from Deadly Canine Flu." Despite a smattering of recent cases, vets have assured us you can hold off from forcing your dog to clean their paws with hand sanitizer, wear a surgical mask, or even get the much talked about canine flu vaccine. The dog flu strain, dubbed H3N8, has floated around the horse population for decades but jumped to dogs in 2004. So far there have been relatively few cases around the country. Dr. Jean Dodds, a veterinary vaccine researcher and founder of pet blood bank and diagnostic lab ...