If you have been considering putting your dog on a vegetarian diet but were unsure of the possible health risks or if it can even be done then you have come to the right place as the good news is that dogs can in fact eat and thrive on a vegetarian diet. Even more surprising is that dogs can also technically live off of a vegan diet as long as the right balance of different plant bases of protein are met.

While dogs may technically belong to the order Carnivora, they are actually omnivores. The canine body has the ability to transform certain amino acids into others, meaning that dogs can get all of the amino acids they need without having to eat meat or other animal products.

How To Switch Your Dog To A Vegetarian Diet

One of the only real issues with switching your dog to a vegetarian diet is that sometimes your dog may be picky and not accept the food right away, but even this is somewhat rare as most dogs will eat just about anything you put down in front of them. In order to make the transition from a meat diet to vegetarian diet, try mixing increasing amounts of the new vegetarian food in with decreasing amounts of meat until your dog becomes more used to the idea, at which point you may then cut out meat altogether.

There are quite a few vegetarian and even vegan dry kibbles that can be found online and/or in specialty stores for your dog to eat. It is also a great idea to supplement these kibbles with fresh produce. Always make sure that you don’t feed your dog produce that is poisonous such as onions. Foods should also contain taurine. One other option may be to include things like flax seeds or vitamins with your dogs meals to make sure they are getting enough nutrients. Speak with your veterinarian for more information on how to do this safely and efficiently.

Autism is very rare in dogs and some scientists even doubt that the condition exists in canines. On the other hand, canine autism is thought to be caused by the lack of mirroring neurons in the dog’s brain.

Causes Of Autism In Dogs

Dog autism is not yet very well understood, but it has been suggested by some that it could very well be a genetic condition inherited from a parent or relative. Some researchers are working on a theory according to which dog autism may be caused by the lack of mirroring neurons in the brain. However, this type of condition is actually congenital, meaning that dogs cannot suddenly become autistic, they can however be born with autism. There have been other studies that have associated the occurrence of autism in dogs with parents that were exposed to different toxins and unnecessary vaccinations.

Symptoms Of Canine Autism

It can be hard to tell if your dog may be autistic. First of all because it is still debated on whether or not it even technically exists. Second of all because there is very little understood on the matter. Last but not least, because dogs with autism may not display any symptoms or their symptoms could be so subtle that they may not be recognized at all.

However, other dogs with autism may show some of the following symptoms:

• Repetitive actions. With this type of symptom dogs tend to have a routine that they like to stick to.
• Dysfunctional interaction with other dogs or owner
• Restricted behavior – limiting themselves to performing only a few actions and/or avoiding new actions, games etc.
• Apathy
• Inability to communicate joy, fear, and other feelings
• Lack of activity. This is especially noticeable in breeds that are a high-energy dog as the lack of activity can be quite surprising.
• Keen organization. While it may sound crazy, some owners have claimed that their autistic dogs organize toys according to size, shape, and/or color.

Typically, symptoms of autism are present from early puppyhood and the puppy may not be able to interact properly with the rest of his siblings or parents. A puppy suffering from autism may also show lack of interest in food and/or games.

Helping Dogs With Autism

If you suspect that your dog may be autistic you should pay special attention to him or her. In addition, you should also help him or her adapt to new situations and should try to be as accommodating as possible when it comes to not introducing lots of change to your dog’s routine etc. as it will only further upset him or her. It is crucial to maintain your dog’s schedule and to try not and alter it if possible. This can include even simple things like changing furniture around. Your pup will feel most comfortable in places that he or she is familiar with. It is for this reason that your dog shouldn’t change owners or homes frequently.

There is no known cure for canine autism. The best thing you can do for your pet, is make him feel comfortable and safe. He or she may also benefit from affection, routine, and lots of attention. Different types of pet therapy are also available. Setting up an appointment to talk to your veterinarian can be beneficial in learning more about how to cope with your dog’s autism.

While it is rare, dogs can carry lice. However it is not the same lice that humans get. Lice are species specific, meaning that people can only get head lice from coming in close contact with other people. Human head lice will live on the scalp area of humans but not dogs.

There are two types of lice that dogs can get from other dogs. Don’t panic though because again lice are species specific, those these will not try to live on a human. The first type of lice that a dog can get is called biting lice. They stick to a dog’s fur and feed off of his dead flakes of skin. The second type of lice that a dog can get is called sucking lice. These nasty little guys feed off of the blood and attach themselves to a dog’s skin.

Lice Prevention In Canines

As mentioned earlier, dog lice is quite rare. However the same prevention rules that apply for human lice also apply to dogs. Never share grooming products and always check your dog after he or she has been around other dogs, especially if your dog has been at a kennel, doggy daycare, etc.

Lice Symptoms

Symptoms of dog lice are also very similar to those of human lice. They are as follows:

• Excessive scratching
• The appearance of small white eggs
• The appearance of small black bugs
• Combing your pup’s fur with a fine toothed comb is the best way to look for lice.

Lice Treatment

In order to treat your dog for lice you might have to try a few different things before you are successful in getting rid of the lice completely. The first treatment option is to bathe your dog in pyrethrin-based dog shampoo. It is important that you only use this type of shampoo on dogs as it can be lethal to cats. Follow the directions on the bottle carefully, and do not bathe the dog with this shampoo if you are pregnant. It is also best to speak to your veterinarian for a definite diagnosis and treatment. He or she may suggest a preventative medication such as Frontline or Advantiks. The good news is that lice are much easier to treat for than other parasites such as fleas. There are lots of different medicated shampoos, spray or spot on treatments and preventive medications that your veterinarian can prescribe to treat canine lice and prevent it in the future.

Dogs are not ‘allergic’ to chocolate however chocolate does react differently to a dog’s body chemistry than it does to that of a human’s thus actually making chocolate poisonous to dogs. This is no reason to panic if Fido happens to sneak a few chocolate crumbs or an M&M off of the floor. The toxicity in chocolate to dogs varies by the type and amount of chocolate as well as the dog’s weight. You might be wondering what it is about chocolate that makes it toxic to dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, which acts as a stimulant. Unlike a human’s body, a dog’s body does not metabolize theobromine quickly thus prolonging the process and intensifying the stimulant and having a negative effect on the dog’s heart and nervous system. In sufficient amounts this has been known to cause seizures and cardiac arrest.

When consumed in smaller amounts, theobromine in chocolate makes dogs sick and can lead to potential kidney damage. Although a six pound Papillion eating a few ounces of chocolate may have experience different side effects than say a seventy five pound golden retriever that consumes thirty something ounces of chocolate, the best rule is to keep all kinds of chocolate away from all types of dogs.

If you suspect that your dog has eaten chocolate a few signs they may be exhibiting include acting hyper, excessive excitement, irritability, frequent urination, racing heart, and symptoms may eventually progress to vomiting, lethargy, muscle tremors, and/or diarrhea. The final stages of chocolate poisoning include seizures and sometimes even death. If you know or suspect that your dog has consumed a significant amount of chocolate contact an emergency hotline or veterinarian immediately. If it has been less than two hours since the chocolate has been consumed, inducing the dog to vomit may be suggested. However if it has been longer than two hours this means that the metabolic processing has already gone too far and vomiting will not be beneficial. It is at this point that you should seek emergency professional medical care for your canine friend before fatality strikes.

Other foods that are toxic to dogs include: garlic, large quantities of onions, raw salmon, mushrooms, grapes, raisins, sugarless candies, and caffeine.

Dogs evolved directly from the timber wolf somewhere around 15,000 years ago and have recently been reclassified as Canis lupus familaris placing it in the same species as the grey wolf, Canis lupus. This means that by all scientific and evolutionary history, a dog is simply a domesticated wolf. Wolves, are carnivores, and by their genetic pedigree dogs also have carnivorous traits such as their teeth and digestive system. However in spite of this natural carnivorous design dogs have managed to continue evolving over the years sometimes surviving on nothing but the scraps they find which can be meat or non-meat products thus overtime it has been proven that canines are fully capable of thriving on a variety of foods and still staying healthy. It is important for pet owners to understand that dogs have the ability to eat an extremely diverse diet and such should be practiced. They have significant omnivorous ability however their bodies are also optimized to eat and digest meat.

A dog’s teeth or fangs as many people like to call them are narrow and pointy and meant for grabbing and puncturing, incisors are for nibbling, premolars for tearing, molars for crushing bone, and their jaws can only move up and down in a chopping motion, which is a helpful combination for cutting meat into smaller chunks to digest it properly. Simply put dogs do not really chew or grind, they chop or shred. Whereas if you think of your typical herbivore such as a cow, they chew their cud from side to side and have broad, flat teeth in the back which are ideal for grinding grains and plant material into finer particles. True omnivores (humans) share this combination of boxy back teeth and the sideways grinding motion that herbivores have.

Something to keep in mind is that dogs do not digest carbohydrates very well. This is due to the fact that their enzymes unlike herbivores and omnivores are produced further down the digestive track in the small intestine. Without Amylase, (the enzyme plant eating animals produce in their saliva that is needed to initiate the breakdown of starchy carbohydrates) a carnivore’s digestion of carbohydrates is more difficult. Thus feeding a dog starchy carbohydrates can place a lot of unnecessary strain on the pancreas.

Since carnivores consume fewer but larger meals they have bigger and highly elastic stomachs designed to hold large quantities of meat, bone, organs and hide. Having this kind of stomach also means that they exhibit a higher concentration of stomach acid than herbivores or omnivores do. This allows for faster digestion of animal protein. The stronger acid kills the disease causing bacteria in decaying meat and also allows for digesting large chunks of meat and even pieces of raw bone.

Today’s dog food marketplace only does more to prove the dog’s adaptive ability when it comes to their diet. Some foods feature meat while others feature only vegetables, while some foods feature both. A variety of dog foods are even made entirely of cereal grains and beans. The large variety of options available can often make it difficult for pet owners to decide on a product however taking a few things into consideration can be helpful. First of all meat-based products are closer to a dog’s natural ancestral diet.

Some pet owners prefer not to feed their dog kibble or raw food scraps and instead like to “spoil” their dog by cooking them special meals. Some may even be under the impression that this is the healthier choice in feeding their beloved Fido. However what many don’t realize and something that is extremely important to know is that when cooking these meals the heat breaks down vitamins and amino acids in the food and also can produce undesirable cross-linkages in proteins especially meat proteins. In fact at one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit two of the eight essential amino acids, tryptophan, and lysine are destroyed. Raw food is better for dogs as it does not lack the proper vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Bones are also a good raw food for dogs to have as they help clean the teeth and scrape away bacteria remaining that can cause disease.

Many people believe that if a dog’s nose is wet and cold it means that it is healthy and that a dry, warm nose means it is sick. However this isn’t necessarily true. A dog’s nose will be wet and dry at different times, depending on when you touch it, the environment he or she is in, what he or she has been doing (maybe he or she has licked their nose to moisten it or maybe it got wet when they were getting a drink, etc.) Most of the time however a dog’s nose is often colder than other parts of its body since their nose is an extremity.

Of course like most things, there are a few exceptions. If a dog’s nose is warm for a few days in a row it is most likely a sign that they are indeed ill. He or she may be running a temperature. In this case they should be taken to the veterinarian to get checked out. Other symptoms that should be taken seriously include runny nose and/or nasal discharge. Dogs do not get colds, they do however get respiratory infections. Coughing and lethargy are other symptoms in an ill dog. When a dog isn’t feeling well they tend to lick their noses less causing it to be more dry. This is not to say however that a dry nose always means a sick dog.

Milk can be given to dogs from time to time as a treat, but it is not a necessity in their diet. Something to keep in mind though is the fact that some pets cannot tolerate milk because they do not produce the enzyme known as lactase which helps with the digestion of lactose (a sugar found in milk.) For pets that can tolerate milk, it is a good source of protein and calcium. However after weaning, the level of lactase activity falls to about ten percent of its peak activity. If more lactose is consumed than what the animal can digest, diarrhea will often occur, this is whats known as lactose intolerance. If a person suspects that their dog is lactose intolerant, limiting or eliminating dairy products from their diet is the smartest thing to do.

There are a few ways to tell if your dog is lactose intolerant. A few symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Sometimes a dog suffering from lactose intolerance will drink excess amounts of water since the diarrhea and vomiting are associated with dehydration.

Under certain circumstances, pets that are lactose intolerant can still consume dairy products. For instance, cheese and unpasteurized yogurt usually have the lactose removed or partially broken down through bacterial action. As a result, it is usually safe for both dogs and cats to eat this dairy product.

It is pretty typical for dog owners to ask this question, however answering it is a bit more complex than just saying yes or no. Technically, yes dogs are colorblind, however contrary to many beliefs they are not color blind in the sense that they do not see in color at all or only see shades of grey. They are color blind meaning that they can’t see the same color range as somebody with normal vision. Dogs have what is called dichromatic color vision. What this means is that dogs have two color-receptors in their eyes, one which peaks at the blue-violet range and one that peaks at the yellow-green range. In conclusion, this means that dogs are not necessarily “color blind” as they are “green blind” which is one form of red-green color blindness called deuteranopia.

The color spectrum is made up of wavelengths of light that is the same to all of us humans, only the perceptions of these colors can be different depending on the individual. Dogs for instance have problems distinguishing certain colors such as red, orange, green, greenish-blue, gray and different shades of purple. Furthermore, “human” red’s, greens and oranges to a dog since they are not distinguishable appear somewhere on their yellow to blue spectrum.

The human eye consists of more cones whereas a canine’s eyes is different and consists of more rods and fovea which are responsible for sharp visual detail in humans. Due to this fact, canines have superior night vision and it is also easier for them to track movement than it is for us humans. Not to mention they can track movement better than humans can, however while doing so they will see things in fewer colors, and the shapes and objects appear much less detailed.