It's not always easy to tell if your dog is suffering from a health issue that could be classed as a vet emergency. Here are two situations which call for an immediate trip to your local veterinary clinic.
They have consumed chocolate
Chocolate contains two ingredients which are known to be toxic to dogs; namely, theobromine and caffeine. The amount of chocolate that could harm your dog will depend on their size, age and the speed of their metabolism.
- Australia can experience extreme summer heat, which can be dangerous to your pet dog if you do not take the proper precautions. Heat is dangerous to dogs because they do not sweat in the same way as humans. Humans will sweat from the entire surface of their body, but a dog can only sweat from the pads on their paws. This means that dogs face a much higher risk of heat stroke when temperatures are high.
- Aggressive behaviour in dogs often starts in puppyhood when a young dog fails to understand the hierarchy or pack order within their home and decides they are taking over as the boss of the household. Aggression toward other dogs or people can also develop when a significant life change occurs that causes a dog to feel stressed or threatened, such as going to live with a new family or spending time in a dog shelter.
- For some breeds of dog, semi-regular grooming helps keep their coats in great condition and make sure their nails are short and healthy. Of course, there are also particular breeds that have more serious grooming needs, with coats getting out of control, matted and dirty quite easily if they're not looked after. Normally, if a dog is groomed from an early age, they'll get used to it and behave well so that that dog grooming sessions can go ahead without any problems.
- Taking your puppy out for their first walk can be absolutely delightful, but it isn't without its potential perils and pitfalls. You can avoid them by taking the following four steps before your pup's first outside walk. 1. Get the Shots This one isn't optional: You really need to make sure your puppy has had their full round of vaccinations before you take them outside to explore. Puppies are supplied with a natural immunity through their mother's milk; unfortunately, they will begin to lose that immunity when the milk is no longer available.