Bobo's Pets – Page 2 – Everything You Need For Your Furry Friend

Common Reasons For Why Dogs Lick Their Paws

Paw licking can be a normal part of a dog’s grooming process, but what if the paw licking is excessive? There are a variety of reasons dogs might lick their paws, and each of those reasons may have their own medical or behavioral causes. If your dog’s paw-licking is noticeable or otherwise interfering with your daily life and theirs, it’s worth figuring out why they do it.

So, why do dogs lick their paws?

The reasons are many, and variable in severity. A lot of dogs lick their paws as part of a normal grooming routine, but the behavior can also be linked to stress/anxiety, boredom, uncomfortable skin, and pain.

Normal grooming is commonly observed when the dog’s feet are visibly dirty, or they’ve just stepped in something or come in from being outdoors. If your dog’s paw-licking is noticeable and excessive, though, it’s probably not just grooming.

Kate Howard, Vet Tech

The Ins and Outs of Ear Infections in Dogs

If you’re hearing the constant flapping of ears or the continuous jingling of their collar, your dog may be experiencing an ear infection. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Infections of the outer ear, otitis externa, happen to be one of the most common types of infections in our canine companions. They are often easily treated, but reoccurrence can be common, so it’s important to understand what causes ear infections in dogs and how you can best treat and prevent them.

Types of Ear Infections in Dogs

Believe it or not, there are actually three different types of ear infections in dogs. Otitis externa is the most common and involves inflammation in the external ear canal. Otitis media and otitis interna are infection of the middle and inner ear, respectively. Otitis media and interna can occur due to spread from an outer ear infection and are typically more serious. Inner and middle ear infections can lead to deafness, and facial paralysis.

Dr. Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Over 1500 Items Your Dog Can & Cannot Eat

As dog owners, sometimes it can be difficult to say no to giving a bite of human food to your pup. How do we know what foods are safe, what foods can be bad and which foods are definitely dangerous? You also might find yourself in a situation where your pup got into something they shouldn’t have. Even the most well-behaved dogs get into trouble every now and then. They might find something while on a walk or while playing in the backyard and, dogs being dogs, they decide it might make a great next meal.

Because we often find ourselves wondering whether or not a food (or non-food) item is OK for dogs to consume, we decided to reach out to someone who knows; a licensed veterinarian, Dr. Erica Irish, DVM. We sent her a list of the top items dogs might consume and asked her whether each item is safe.

We broke down each food (& non-food) item into four categories, 1-4 with 1 being the least dangerous and 4 being the most dangerous:

Dr. Erica Irish, DVM

What You Need To Know About Flat-Faced Dog Breeds

Over the past few years, flat-faced dog breeds have become increasingly popular across the United States as well as in other countries. Their short snouts and squishable faces hold a certain charm that many people find irresistible. While there is no denying these dogs have become popular due to their unusual looks, there is much controversy in the dog breeding world about the ethical implications of these breeds, as along with their cuteness, their unusual features cause flat-faced breeds to have serious medical issues.

Mark Perlman