Tetanus, sometimes referred to as "lockjaw," is when your dog's muscles are overreacting to any stimuli, making them tense up and become rigid with muscle spasms. It is caused by infection with the bacteria Clostridium tetani. When C. tetani gets into a wound in your dog's body (or yours, for that matter), it produces the neurotoxin tetanospasmin. This toxin targets the nerves in the area, and can spread to the spinal cord and brain. Any nerves that the toxin binds to overstimulate their associated muscles, causing them to contract over and over again. Dogs with tetanus are uncomfortable and will have trouble walking, and severe cases that impact the muscles of the throat and diaphragm can result in some pretty severe consequences. Can Dogs Get Tetanus? Yes, dogs can get tetanus, but thankfully they are fairly resistant to it. Horses and humans are much more susceptible to this infection. How does a dog get tetanus? The C. tetani bacteria are spread in feces and can survive in the environment for years. They are not harmful if swallowed or if they come in contact with intact, healthy skin. Where things get a little hairy is when C. tetani gets into a wound on your dog, even a small puncture from stepping on a nail or foxtail. Puncture wounds are moist, warm, and have low oxygen exposure—perfect conditions for a bacterial infection. Can Humans Get Tetanus from a Dog Bite? It is possible to get tetanus from a dog bite, but it is very rare. H. Cody Meissner, M.D., FAAP writes for the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Dog bites generally are…

It's important to first figure out what's causing your dog's rash in order to give your pup some much-needed relief. We aren't the only ones who get skin rashes. Though they can be more difficult to see under all that fur, our dogs can get rashes, too. A dog skin rash may be nothing more than a minor irritation. However, if left untreated, that rash can progress to serious skin problems. We're going to review common causes of dog rashes and help you learn how to treat them. Signs Your Dog Has a Rash Dog rashes on the belly are most common, where there's not much hair and the skin is sensitive. Though a dog rash can show up in other places as well, such as the groin, armpits, ears, neck, and back. Rashes can appear suddenly and sometimes disappear just as quickly. The typical signs of a rash in dogs include: Reddened skin Itchiness Red bumps Hair loss Scabs Sores Discharge Dry skin Scaly skin Crusts If you spot any of these signs of a rash, you'll need to partner up with your dog's veterinarian to figure out what's causing it in order to start treatment. 9 Most Common Causes of Dog Rashes Basically anything that irritates the skin can cause a rash, so sometimes it's tough to nail down the exact culprit, but these are some of the most common causes. 1. Heat Rash Dog heat rashes occur when a pup becomes overheated. As a result, the skin becomes itchy, red, and tender to the touch. Pimples and boils may…

Help your pup strut his stuff this summer and beyond by protecting his paw pads from hot pavement, beach sand, and potential burns. Like little pillows protecting your pup's feet, dog paw pads provide the support your pooch needs to get from Point A to Point B, even across tough terrain. Throw in a few beaming sun rays on a toasty day, though, and your dog's precious paw pads can burn on hot pavement. Burned paws prevent your good boy from living his best life, but thankfully, dog paw burns from pavement can be treated if owners are prepared for emergency situations and ready to consult with their dog's veterinarian if needed. Signs of Burned Dog Paw Pads Unfortunately, warm weather isn't the only thing to be wary of when it comes to your four-legged friend's feet. Cold temperatures present their own dangers, especially if ice is on the ground. Frostbite can occur, and cracked paw pads are possible during temperatures of either extreme. Chemicals not labeled for pet use, including those protecting you from a nasty spill on the ice, may also lead to burned paw pads. Fido may not come right out and say he's in pain, but veterinarians say that your dog's behavior is a major tell that something's wrong. "Often, a pet owner's first clue is that the dog begins licking at her feet or may limp after a walk outside," says Erin Katribe, DVM, MS, medical director at Best Friends Animal Society. "When the paw pad is examined, this may look like discoloration, or you may see lighter, pinker tissue exposed from underneath the…

It might be time to put some dog sunscreen in the bag with yours—just make sure you don’t get them mixed up. You'll certainly be packing sunscreen as summer arrives, whether that's in your beach bag, tote bag, or hiking pack. The thing is: You might need some for your dog, too. Just like us humans, pretty much all dogs can get sunburns. Thankfully, it's pretty easy to prevent and treat doggie sunburns. In some cases, you'll do the same things you do for your kiddos or yourself. But you probably shouldn't grab that human SPF 45 off the shelf and start rubbing it onto your dog. "There are treatments or remedies for sunburn that we use in people that aren't always safe or recommended for dogs," Randy Wheeler, DVM and executive director of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, tells Daily Paws. Do Dogs Get Sunburns Like Humans Do? Yup, pretty much any breed can get sunburned but some dogs are more at risk than others. Namely: dogs with shorter, lighter hair (or none at all) and pups with fairer skin, Wheeler says. It can take as little as 30-60 minutes on a sunny day for you to end up with a sunburned dog-and nobody wants that! Wheeler would often see sunburned dogs with irritation near the ears-and inside the ears for pointy-eared dogs-around the eyes, and around lighter-colored noses. Surprisingly, your poor dog can even end up with a belly sunburn. Wheeler says the sunlight will reflect up from pavement sometimes, victimizing dogs on a walk-particularly if their legs are short. (Looking at you corgis and dachshunds.)…

Unfortunately, pink eye in dogs is super common. If your dog’s eyes are runny and red … what do you do next? Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, presents similarly in dogs as it does in people. Characterized by red or pink irritated eyes and often accompanied by discharge, this common eye infection is not a pleasant experience for dogs or owners but is luckily treatable in most circumstances. Conjunctivitis in dogs can have many different causes, many of which require specific treatments, so it's a good idea to see your veterinarian if you begin to notice symptoms of pink eye in your pooch. Because of this, it is helpful to know the basics of the disease so you can keep an eye out (literally) for anything concerning. How Do Dogs Get Pink Eye? Nikki Graham, DVM from Nottingham Animal Hospital in Hamilton, N.J., explains that pink eye is usually either allergic or bacterial in dogs. She says, "They can get it from inhalant allergies, such as pollen or grass, or from a secondary bacterial infection from a topical irritant, like smoke, sand, or wind from hanging their heads out the car window." Graham goes on to explain that other causes of conjunctivitis in dogs can include factors such as entropion, or rolled in eyelids, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as dry eye, in which dogs don't produce enough tears. Pink eye can be a condition on its own, or it can be a symptom of a different eye disease. In addition to physical irritants in the eye, abnormal eyelids or eyelashes, dry eye, and allergies, other possible causes of…

Ear infections are pretty common in dogs. Make sure you know how to identify when your pooch has one so you can get them feeling better fast. If a pup lives in your home, it's a good idea to get familiar with the signs of canine ear infections. It's a common condition that affects up to one in five dogs, according to the American Kennel Club, and left untreated can lead to scarring that narrows the ear canal. In severe cases, a dog ear infection can even cause deafness. But the good news is that these infections are easily treatable and, in many cases, preventable. What Causes Ear Infections in Dogs? "Ear infections in dogs develop when the skin surface becomes unhealthy," says Emily Pashaian-Grant, DVM, medical director of VCA Sylvania Vet Animal Hospital. "So the best way to prevent ear infections is to find the root cause of the condition. That way you can avoid or treat whatever is triggering the problem." Yeast & Bacteria Like people, it's normal for dogs to have a collection of microorganisms that live on the surface of their skin (called a microbiome). Most of the time, these germs are harmless. But, Grant says, if the normal skin barrier is disrupted in some way and becomes irritated and inflamed, it gives germs the chance to grow unchecked. "Ear infections are the result of an overgrowth of yeast, bacteria, or a combination of both," she explains. Ear Mites Ear mites are microscopic bugs that can infest your dog's ears. They spread from animal-to-animal or your pup can pick…

Is your dog not getting enough water? Here’s how you can tell and what you can do about it. You know it when you see it, or maybe, in fact, you hear it first: Your panting, tongue-out, dehydrated dog needs a drink after some fun playtime outside. Getting your puppy rehydrated might be just as simple as refilling his water bowl, but if that doesn't work, it might be time to break out the ice cubes or chicken broth. (Seriously.) Here's what else you need to know about dehydration in dogs, including, causes, symptoms, and how to get your dog feeling better again, courtesy of Michelle Moyal, DVM and lecturer in primary care surgery at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. What Causes Dehydration in Dogs? You'll find some of the same causes of dog dehydration as you will in cats. Moyal says: Vomiting Diarrhea Excessive panting from heat, exercise, or both Loss of appetite Kidney disease Conditions that make the dog urinate more, like a condition of the adrenal gland such as Addisons disease In short, anything that causes fluids to leave your dog—whether through sweat, urine, vomit, or diarrhea—puts your dog at risk of being dehydrated. "These are the things that your vet knows about because hopefully they see your pet routinely, and they can help … give you things to look for at home," Moyal says. Signs of Dehydration in Dogs and Puppies There are three pretty obvious ones: vomiting, diarrhea, and panting. Dogs will pant when they're trying to cool off after exercise or wandering around outside when it's hot. "Dogs…

Sweat is a hot topic this time of year, and the answer might surprise you. Bright blue skies. Fluffy white clouds. Warm yellow sunshine. And … damp, drooling dog tongues? That's right. For dog owners, it's difficult to imagine a picturesque summer day without the peeping pink tongues of their canine companions lolling onto the scene. Most dog owners are accustomed to their pup's panting on a hot day, but is that really all it takes to keep cool, even underneath all that fluff and fur? What about perspiration—do dogs sweat? You may be surprised to learn that, yes, dogs do in fact sweat—just not in the same way humans do. So How Do Dogs Sweat? Like humans, dogs have sweat glands, but the similarities stop there. For starters, dogs have much fewer sweat glands than humans, and the sweat glands they do have function differently. Dogs sweat through their paws. "Their merocrine sweat glands, which are located mostly on the bottom of their paw pads, are similar to human eccrine sweat glands," says Kim Haddad, DVM, medical director at the VCA San Carlos Animal Hospital. "Humans have millions of eccrine glands which release liquid composed of mostly water and sodium chloride that, upon evaporation, help cool our body on a hot day or when exercising. This does not occur in dogs." Turns out, stinky armpits and sweaty brows are uniquely human maladies. You likely will not even realize your dog is sweating, though it's possible she will leave a trail of wet paw prints on hot walks. Dogs can also sweat…

Some of your dog’s broken nail issues you can take care of, while others need professional treatment. Either way, don't delay. A dog's broken nail isn't necessarily life-threatening, but it's something to treat as soon as possible within a day or two. Minor issues you might be able to handle on your own, but there are other stages of damage best handled at a veterinary clinic. Dog nails, also referred to as claws, are similar to human nails in that they're part living tissue, part protective coating. VCA Hospitals notes the nail quick consists of nerves and blood and attaches to the bone. Protecting the quick is a tough cellular protein exterior called keratin. "That is why trimming the tip of the nail is not painful for your pet but exposing the quick is uncomfortable," VCA states. Jo Myers, DVM, of Salida, Colo. is a telehealth practitioner on Vetster. She says healthy dog nails of an appropriate length don't break, at least not without some serious trauma. Occasionally, she adds, some dogs have broken nails due to the condition onychodystrophy, which might produce weak or misshapen nails, but this is rare. So why do dogs' nails break? "Claws require regular trimming, and if this isn't done in a timely manner, they become overgrown and can easily catch on things like carpet or a crack in the floor, and tear," Myers says. If your dog has a broken nail, here's what you should know. Spotting a Dog’s Broken Nail More often than not, your pooch has a paw problem when you see him licking it or limping a bit,…

Lucky for your pup, mild cases of dry skin can often be resolved at home. Just like us humans, dogs can sometimes suffer from the seasonal perils of dry skin. This usually happens in the winter or when exposed to a lot of wind or dry air. Dry skin that is just accompanied by mild itchiness and flaking is nothing to worry about, but additional symptoms or signs of discomfort could indicate something more serious. While there are a wide variety of potential reasons why your dog has dry skin, some are easy to fix while others are more challenging. Reasons Why Your Dog Has Dry Skin Dry Air The most common reason for run-of-the-mill dry skin is low humidity in the air. Your dog's skin needs some moisture to maintain its elasticity and resilience, and really dry air can cause it to lose that moisture. If you notice that your dog is mildly itchy with some skin flaking during the winter, or if you live in an arid climate, try using a humidifier in your home. Forced-air heat in particular can really dry out your dog's skin. Using a humidifier can help to keep everyone more comfortable, including you and your human family members! Nutritional Needs Nutritional deficiencies can also cause dry skin in dogs. Your dog's diet may not be providing enough of the fatty acids that help to keep the skin healthy. Check your dog's food to make sure that it has an AAFCO Statement indicating that proper work has been done to make sure it contains all the nutrients your dog needs.…