Dog Tails – Why Dogs Wag their Tails

“….In some ways, tail-wagging serves the same functions as our human smile, polite greeting, or nod of recognition. Smiles are social signals, and human beings seem to reserve most of their smiles for social situations, where somebody is around to see them. Sometimes, vicarious social situations, as when watching television or occasionally when thinking about somebody special, can trigger a smile. For dogs, the tail wag seems to have the same properties. A dog will wag its tail for a person or another dog. It may wag its tail for a cat, horse, mouse, or perhaps even a butterfly. But when the dog is by itself, it will not wag its tail to any lifeless thing. If you put a bowl of food down, the dog will wag its tail to express its gratitude to you. In contrast, when the dog walks into a room and finds its bowl full, it will approach and eat the food just as happily, but with no tail-wagging other than perhaps a slight excitement tremor. This is one indication that tail-wagging is meant as communication or language. In the same way that we don’t talk to walls, dogs don’t wag their tails to things that are not apparently alive and socially responsive.

A dog’s tail speaks volumes about his mental state, his social position, and his intentions. How the tail came to be a communication device is an interesting story.

Breathing Problems in Mice & Rats

Respiratory illness among rats and mice is very common, but can become quite serious. What might start out as a little sniffling, sneezing, or wheezing (also called snuffles), can often lead to a chronic condition with secondary infections such as …

Joint Care Diets for Dogs – Pet tip 237

Joint care diets are designed to help manage a variety of conditions, and can be a great adjunct to treatment plans that target joint-related injuries and diseases in dogs. These diets are commonly used to manage pre-existing diseases such as …

First Aid for Cats and Dogs – Vital Signs

First aid for pets
By Chantale Robinson
Biologist Veterinary Technician

Vital Signs of Cats and Dogs

Recognizing the normal and abnormal vital signs of dogs and cats is the first step in evaluating if an animal is sick and requires …

Cataract Surgery in Dogs

Have you ever wondered how cataract surgery is actually performed? If so, read on as it really is a very interesting procedure! Cataract surgery is formally known as phacoemulsification. “Phaco” stands for lens, and to ‘emulsify’ means to break down. This is a great name for this procedure, because this is exactly what it is!

Normally the lens in the eye is a clear soft structure that allows light to easily pass through it. If there is any opacity on the lens, it is known as a cataract. A cataract occurs when proteins in the eye leak into the lens, and start to harden. A general rule of thumb is that if you cannot see into an animal’s eyes clearly, then it can’t see out at you clearly! Thus in a cataract, if the entire lens is opaque due to the protein that has leaked out, then the animal’s vision is reduced.

Cataract surgery involves two main tools; one to break up the cataract into smaller pieces, and the other to vacuum the pieces out of the eye. To begin, the animal is placed under general anesthesia so that it is completely unconscious during the procedure.

Dog food is for dogs – cat food is for cats – Pet tip 97

A common problem in homes that have both cats and dogs centers around the food issue and which species should eat which food. Unlike many cats that are finicky, in general, dogs truly love their mealtimes and puppies will eat …

Bad Breath in Dogs and Cats

Bad breath in cats and dogs – Ron Hines DVM

Tooth and gum problems are the most common medical condition I see in pets. Because bad breath in dogs and cats go hand in hand with other health problems it …

Toxic Foods and Household Items

Common toxic foods and other household products for pets

We all know what’s poisonous for adults and children, and most of those same things are also toxic for our pets. Dogs, cats and other domestic animals however are also susceptible …

Pet Food – Choosing Dog and Cat Food

Shopping for your pet’s meal can sometimes be as confusing as shopping for an electronic device such as a cell phone. Which one is the best? Am I getting a good deal? Is there any fine print? How reliable is …

Tip – 26 – Dog training basics – Teaching your dog its name

Ignoring commands
One of the reasons why dogs seem to ignore their owner’s commands is simply due to the fact that the dog has not learned to pay attention when their master speaks to them. For example, many dogs do …