Health

Puppies are born very helpless. When they first come into the world, they’re deaf and blind. They have their eyes closed and their vision develops later on. However, the good news is that puppies don’t really have any need for vision or hearing at first because they are able to compensate with other senses such as smell, touch and pheromone detection. If you want to learn about how old puppies are when they open their eyes and what their first glimpse of the world looks like, keep reading and find out all you need to know.

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular companion dogs in the world. Their happy go lucky personalities coupled with their soft, coat, adorable smiling faces and ever-wagging tails make them a firm favourite with adults and families alike. Not to mention they’re also smart and easy to train, so they’re also often seen performing important jobs such as guiding, detection and even search and rescue as well as their original job as retrieving gundogs. If you’re thinking about adding this breed to your household, you’ll probably be wondering about the possible Golden Retriever health problems. Keep reading to find out which issues this breed can be predisposed to and how to avoid them if you can.

Flat-faced dogs may be lovely and come with amazing personalities and give cute snuffles but unfortunately, often struggle to breathe because of the anatomy of their heads. The breathing difficulties in these breeds have a name: brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome or BOAS for short. Keep reading to find out what BOAS is and how you can help your dog.

Discovering that your dog is leaving behind wet patches in their bedding or on the couch can be upsetting for pet owners. While in some cases, this might be an isolated incident, it is also possible that your dog is suffering from a medical condition causing urinary incontinence, where they are unable to control their bladder and might not even be aware of the leakage. Incontinence in dogs can affect all breeds, genders, and ages but is most common in older dogs. So, if your dog has started having accidents around the house, and is usually well toilet trained, make an appointment with your vet for a diagnosis and to discuss possible treatment options. Meanwhile, here are a few things to know about incontinence and what to do if your dog is leaking urine.

Your dog’s eyes can be as sensitive as they are precious. There are a range of causes that can make a dog’s eyes red which we will explore below. Some of these causes the skin or conjunctiva around the eye to appear inflamed and red, while others seem to affect the eyeball itself. As always, the best way to figure out the answer to the question ‘why are my dog’s eyes red’ is to talk to your vet as eye irritation can lead to more permanent damage if left untreated. But here are a few possible explanations you might hear mentioned during your appointment.

As the summer rolls around it’s easy to get swept up in planning for holidays, trips to the beach and lounging in the heat, but if you have a four-legged friend, you’ll need to think about how to keep them cool as the temperatures soar. Dogs can’t cool themselves down as well as people, because their ability to sweat is much more limited and is mainly through their paws. It means they need to rely on other methods such as dog panting to keep cool. Their inability to sweat coupled with the fact that they literally wear fur coats makes them at a high risk of overheating and heatstroke. This is further exacerbated if they are one of the flat -faced (brachycephalic) breeds. At Purina, we’ve put together this guide with our top tips on how to cool down a dog. Keep reading to find out all you need to know.

As dog owners, some of us are a little obsessed with inspecting our dog’s poop. This might sound a bit gross, but having a quick glance is actually a very good habit to get into as your dog’s poop can tell you a lot about their general health. Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after picking up after your dog, because there are some germs and small parasites that can pass to people. If you notice your dog is pooping blood, it can be incredibly alarming to see. There are a huge range of reasons why this may be happening and we’ve outlined some common ones below, but it’s important to seek help from your vet so that they can make a proper diagnosis and recommend the best treatment plan if needed.

Just like in us humans, occasional coughing in dogs is completely normal - if it’s just the odd cough here and there. It’s a simple way for your pet to get rid of dust, germs and other things they’ve breathed in from their environment. However, if they seem to be coughing a lot, it could be a sign of something more serious.

Pugs are so easy to love. They’re intelligent, have a sweet nature and bring plenty of humour to households. They also have huge personalities that somehow manage to fit into their small statures.

French Bulldogs have become an incredibly popular breed in recent years, which is likely due to their adorable bat-like ears paired with their wrinkly face, alongside their quirky and playful personalities – and their high social media profile. Sadly, this popularity has also had a downside and there’s now a long list of French Bulldog health problems that have arisen due to both their physicality and irresponsible breeding practices.

Anyone who’s ever owned a Dachshund can vouch for their lovely personality, playful spirit, and soulful eyes that you can’t help but get lost in. They might show their owners their stubborn side from time to time but all in all, they’re a lovely companion you’ll adore straight away. If you have a Dachshund in your life already, it’s only natural to wonder what to expect. Luckily, we’ve prepared a handy list of possible health issues and easily identifiable signs affecting Dachshunds. New owners can use this to help them navigate life with these dogs.

Every owner wishes they could have superpowers when they see their best friend struggling. Imagine being able to open the kitchen cupboard or go into your garden and find a cure-all that instantly relieves your dog’s discomfort, whether it’s itchy skin, fleas or an upset stomach. It turns out there are a few tricks that might make this scenario possible. We’ve put together a handy list of home remedies for dogs to help whenever your pup feels a bit under the weather. But before we dive in, we have a word of caution regarding the use of DIY solutions to fix dog health problems.