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Brenda J. Ernest, DVM, Dipl. ABVP - Veterinarian

 

 

 

 

  11816 N. 56th Street Temple Terrace, Fl. 33617

813-985-2889    

   

 

 

 

 

 

 close to I-75,  University of South Florida, and New Tampa

   we speak pet 

                                            

board-certified specialist in dog and cat practice

 special interest in ferrets, rabbits, small mammals, and birds

                                                                    

 

                                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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NUTRITION

Fifty years ago, most dogs ate table scraps. Today pet owners drive to super-stores that cater to pets and face a puzzling array of colorful bags of dry premium foods, convenient semi-moist packets, and gourmet diets for puppies, adult dogs, hunting dogs, show dogs, lactating dogs, old dogs, and fat dogs. Compounding the confusion is the barrage of advertising touting the benefits of this or that food: It’s all natural, it’s real meat, it’s non-allergenic, it’s high protein, it’s low protein, it’s low-fat, it doesn’t have by-products, your dog will love it . . . Add to these claims the crying of the nay-sayers: It’s cooked, it contains chemicals, it causes allergies, they use road-kill and animals not fit for human consumption, soybeans cause bloat . . . and it’s a wonder that anyone can choose. Yet, today, the commercially prepared dog foods made from a fixed formula of ingredients and preparation methods provides dogs with a balanced diet that rivals that available for humans. Pet owners can help themselves by doing a little research, by choosing a food that meets their needs as well as their dog's, and by demanding proof when told that so-and-so company uses roadkill, harmful chemicals, or rendered pets in its food or that a home-prepared raw meat and vegetable diet is healthy and commercial foods are making dogs sick. 

Dogs need a combination of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water in a balanced diet that provides sufficient calories to meet their daily needs for growth, activity, and repair.   They must also contain vitamin and mineral supplements in balanced concentrations. Too much of one mineral may interfere with absorption of another; too little of a mineral may interfere with vitamin use or other mineral use. Major dog food companies make every effort to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum benefit to the dog.

The average house dog will do well on any of several  dog foods, depending on level of activity, metabolism, and individual body chemistry. If your pet is doing well on the food you are feeding and it falls within your budget and is easily obtainable, don’t switch.    

If you would like to make your own homemde diet, click here   

                        

 Listed below are some common problems that dogs may encounter.  If you do not find what you're looking for, please check one of these websites.    Canis Major   Canine Encyclopedia      A Kids  Guide to Dog Care  

     Looking to adopt a dog - check out breeds         Behavior and Training

 


Common Dog Problems


 New Arthritis Help

Acupuncture

Behavior

obsessive licking

Cruciate Ligament Tear  (ACL)

False Pregnancy

Influenza

Orphaned Puppies 

Trimming toenails  

Addison's

(Hypo-

adrenocorticism)

Behavior

teenager

Cushing's

(Hyper-

adrenocorticism) 

Fibrocartilagenous Emboli  (FCE)

Intervertebral Disc Disease 

Osteosarcoma

Ununited Anconeal Process 

Allergic reaction

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy  

 (BPH)

Cryptorchidism

Gastrointestinal Disease

 Kennel cough

Ovario-

hysterectomy

(Spay)

Uric acid stones

Allergy Flea

Birthing

Degenerative Myelopathy 

(DGM )

Giardia

Kidney Disease

Oxalate Stones

Urinary Incontinence

Allergy Food

Bloat  

(Gastric Dilatation Volvulus)

Demodex

(red mange,

inherited mange)    

Gingivitis

Kidney Failure

Pancreatitis

Uurinary Tract Infection

Allergy Skin  (Atopy)

Bladder Stones  

Dental Calculus

Granulomatous Meningo-

encephalitis (GME)

Laryngeal Paralysis

Parvovirus  

Valvular Heart Disease 

Anal Gland Disease  

Bronchitis

Diabetes  

Heartworms

Leptospirosis

Pregnant Dog Care

Vestibular Disease

Anemia

Cancer

Overview

Diabetic

Ketoacidosis

Hemangiosarcoma

Lick Granuloma

Pyoderma  

Vomiting

Anesthesia

Cancer Skin

Diarrhea

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE)  

Legg-Perthes (femoral head necrosis)

Pyometra  

von Willebrand's Disease

Antifreeze

Cardiomyopathy 

Dilated

Cardiomyopathy

High Blood Pressure

Luxating Patella

Radiation Therapy  

Whipworms

Arthritis and Degenerative

Joint Disease

Care of Paralyzed

or Arthritic Dogs

Distemper

Hip Dysplasia

Lyme disease
Lyme

Rat Poison 

 

Aspirin toxicity

Cataracts  

Dry Eye  (KCS)

Hookworms

Lymphosarcoma

Ringworm

 

Behavior

abused dog

Cherry Eye

Dystocia (birthing problems)

Horner's Syndrome

Myasthenia Gravis

Roundworms 

 

Behavior

barking

Chocolate

Toxicity  

Ear Hematoma

Hot Spot 

Mast cell tumor

Sarcoptic mange

 

Behavior

chasing

Coccidia

Ear Mites

How to give

eye and ear meds

Masticatory Myositis

Seizure   

 

Behavior

chewing

Colitis   

Ear Infections    

How to give

liquids and pills 

Megaesophagus

Separation Anxiety

 

Behavior

dogproofing

Collapsing

Trachea

Ehrlichiosis

Hypoglycemia of Toy Breeds 

Nasal Aspergillosis 

Shar pei Problems

 

Behavior

eating cat poo

Congestive

Heart Failure   

Epilepsy  

Hypothyroidism 

Nose Bleed  

Sub-Aortic Stenosis 

 

Behavior

eating dog poo  

Corneal Ulcers    

Excessive Tear Production

Immune-mediated Hemolytic Anemia

Obesity 

Tapeworms

 

Behavior

How to Help Your Dog Settle Down

Coronavirus

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency  (EPI) 

Inflammatory

Bowel Disease   

Orchidectomy 

(Castration)

Transitional Cell Carcinoma

 


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