10,460 answers about dogs
From a puppy’s first feeding schedule to a senior dog’s comfort care, dog owners ask it all — this page gathers the dog library of KinsLe Answers in one place. Browse by topic below, from feeding and training to health, grooming, safety and travel. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
927 answers in Health & Vet Care — page 14 of 39
Check a Saint Bernard in short, cool sessions, working from the drooly head to the huge paws: lift the jowls to see gums and teeth, clean and inspect under the heavy ear flaps, and part the dense coat to reach skin that stays damp and hidden. Feel over the broad ribs, watch the slow giant-breed gait for new stiffness,…
Work nose to tail while your Rottweiler stands on a non-slip floor: look in the eyes and ears, lift the lip to check gums and teeth, run flat palms over the short coat feeling for lumps, and watch him walk away and back for stiffness. Because this is a heavy, muscular breed, rely on touch as much as sight — fat and…
For a Lagotto Romagnolo, let your fingers do what eyes cannot in that dense, woolly curl: work down to the skin in sections over the whole body, feeling for mats packed against the skin, ticks, and sore spots the coat completely hides. Check inside the hairy ear canals for wax, debris, and odour, and look at the skin…
Make weight the headline of a Labrador check, because this breed gains quietly under a dense coat: feel the ribs with firm pressure, look for a waist from above, and write down what you find rather than trusting the eye. Lift the hanging ears after every swimming or bathing spell to check for trapped moisture,…
Brush your hands against the grain of your Golden Retriever's thick, water-resistant coat as you check, because lumps, ticks, and sore patches hide deep in that feathering, especially on the chest, neck, and tail. Lift each floppy ear and look and smell inside, since Goldens that swim carry moisture under those ears,…
For a German Shepherd, begin with the back end: watch the trot from behind for an even, reaching stride, then feel down the hips and hind legs for muscle loss, heat, or stiffness, because this breed's rear does heavy work. Push your hands deep into the thick double coat along the neck, back, and tail base, hunting…
For a Dachshund, the back shapes the whole check: watch the walk on a flat, non-slip floor for a steady, level stride, then run a flat hand gently along the long spine feeling for tension or flinching, without pressing down on it. Note how willingly your dog climbs, jumps down, and turns, because new reluctance is…
Settle your Cavalier somewhere comfortable and unhurried, then look first into those long, heavily feathered ears for redness, wax, or odour, since the covered ear canal traps moisture easily. Check the large, round eyes for cloudiness or discharge, run your fingers through the silky coat and feathering for mats and…
Check your Border Collie after a run, when that intense energy has settled enough for handling: watch the trot back to the house, then work nose to tail through the dense double coat, feeling for burrs, ticks, mats behind the ears, and any new lump the coat could hide. Lift each paw for cracked pads and torn nails,…
A Bichon Frise home check centres on the breed's known tender spots: look at the eyes and the tear staining beneath them, part the white double coat to check the skin for pinkness, hot spots or flaking, and lift the lips — small dogs crowd their teeth and Bichons build tartar fast, so gums and back teeth need a real…
A Bernese Mountain Dog home check relies on your hands, because the thick tricolour coat hides the body completely: work nose to tail feeling for lumps under the skin, check eyes and ears, lift the lips for teeth and gums, then assess the waist by feel — you should find the ribs without digging, even under that coat.…
A Belgian Malinois home check should run like an athlete's once-over: teeth and gums first, then eyes and ears, then hands over the muscles and ribs feeling for asymmetry, strains and lumps, finishing with paws and nails, which take a beating in a dog who trains, runs and turns at speed. Watch recovery as part of the…
Checking a Bearded Collie at home is mostly about getting under the coat: part the long hair in lines as you would for brushing and look at the skin itself, because a Beardie's dense double coat hides lumps, irritation and parasites completely. Work through eyes — partly hidden by the fringe — ears under the hair,…
A home check for a Beagle takes a few minutes and follows the dog: start with the eyes, ears and teeth, run your hands over the coat and ribs, then check paws, nails, tail and rear. Beagle priorities are the long drop ears — lift each flap and look for redness, dark wax or a sour smell — and the waistline, since this…
A Golden Retriever is one of the hardest dogs to read, because the breed stays sunny and eager to please long after something hurts. Look instead for subtraction: walks that shorten, lagging behind on routes he used to lead, hesitating at stairs or the car, and retrieving games that end early; a Golden who stops…
A German Shepherd in pain typically shows it in the hind end and in behaviour before anywhere else: stiffness or slowness rising after rest, bunny-hopping or swaying in the rear, reluctance to climb stairs or jump into the car, and scuffed rear nails from dragging toes. Behaviour shifts — a usually devoted dog…
With a French Bulldog, pain often shows first as breathing and posture changes rather than obvious limping: louder or harder breathing at rest, restlessness at night, reluctance to climb stairs or jump, a tucked-up belly, yelping when picked up under the chest, or suddenly snapping when the neck or back is touched.…
A Yorkshire Terrier not eating today needs quicker attention than a large breed would, because a Yorkie's tiny body has very small energy reserves and repeated missed meals can leave a small or young dog weak and shaky. Common causes include sore crowded teeth, nausea, stress, or a finicky streak sharpened by hand-fed…
A West Highland White Terrier not eating today is commonly dealing with a sensitive stomach, an itchy skin flare making him too uncomfortable to care about food, a sore mouth, or plain terrier fussiness after too many treats. Check whether he is scratching more than usual, whether his tummy is gurgling, and whether he…
A Standard Poodle not eating today may be showing this breed's sensitive stomach and discerning palate — many Standards are light, selective eaters — but refusal with retching, a tight belly, restlessness, or real lethargy in this deep-chested breed needs prompt attention. Check whether she drinks, settles…
A Staffordshire Bull Terrier who leaves food untouched today deserves attention, because Staffies are famously enthusiastic eaters and a sudden refusal more often signals nausea, mouth or tooth pain, a stomach upset from scavenging, or feeling generally unwell than simple fussiness. Check his drinking, energy on a…
A Siberian Husky not eating today is frequently normal for the breed — Huskies were developed to run far on surprisingly little food, and many naturally eat lightly, skip meals in warm weather, or eat less on days when they have not exercised hard. The picture changes if he also refuses water, seems flat instead of…
A Shih Tzu not eating today often has a small, specific reason — sore teeth in a crowded little mouth, a stuffy nose from this breed's short face blunting the smell of food, nausea, or simply holding out after too many hand-fed extras. Check whether she drinks, breathes comfortably, and crunches a treat, and look for…
A Shiba Inu not eating today may simply be exercising this breed's famous independence — many Shibas self-regulate, skip a meal when they are not hungry, or reject food that smells different — but refusal paired with low energy, vomiting, or hiding is different. Check whether he drinks, moves normally, and still shows…
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