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• Proper Disposal of Medical Waste

  Medical waste includes needles, syringes, body parts, bodily fluids, feces and medications among other things. This handout addresses some of the ways such waste can be safely disposed.

• Proper Etiquette at the Dog Park

  Many dogs love to get out to socialize and exercise with their canine friends and dog parks are their go-to spots for getting together. Proper etiquette, from both you and your pup, will allow everyone to enjoy the park safely and courteously.

• Puppy Behavior and Training – Training Basics

  A successful life with a family dog starts with great training for your puppy. Planning to set puppies up for success, learning how to use management, positive reinforcement, luring, capturing, and shaping will help owners train their puppies successfully. Positive puppy training and socialization classes are also beneficial for healthy puppies over eight weeks of age.

• Puppy Behavior and Training: Handling Exercises

  Every puppy will become a dog who needs veterinary care, grooming, and handling. Starting in puppyhood, owners can use positive training techniques to teach their puppies how to accept and enjoy restraint, basic procedures, and home husbandry.

• Puppy Behavior and Training: Socialization and Fear Prevention

  Providing puppies with positive socialization experiences may prevent the development of future fears. Puppy socialization must be done gently to avoid accidentally causing fear. Puppies are most primed for socialization before the age of 14 weeks. By taking precautions, some careful socialization can and should be done even before puppies have completed their entire vaccination series.

• Puppy Nutrition: Feeding Large and Giant Breeds

  Though every puppy is an individual, large, and giant breed puppies in particular require an individualized approach to nutrition, since they have some different needs compared to small and medium breed dogs. When it comes to puppy food, one size does not necessarily fit all.

• Pyoderma in Dogs

  Pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection that can affect all areas of the skin, including skin folds, often seen as red, pus-filled pustules. Treatment may require oral or topical medications and it is always a good idea to practice good hygiene. Pyoderma carries a good prognosis for recovery but recurring or chronic cases may require longer treatment and additional testing to determine an underlying cause.

• Pyrethrin/Pyrethroid Poisoning in Dogs

  Pyrethrin insecticides are naturally derived from the Chrysanthemum (mum) species of flower, and pyrethroids are the synthetic versions. The use of pyrethrins/pyrethroids is generally safe in dogs; however, cats and fish are very sensitive to these products.

• Pythiosis in Dogs

  Pythiosis is a waterborne infection that can infect the GI tract or skin of dogs. It can cause extreme weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea or skin lesions such as ulcerating nodules and draining tracts. This disease is more common in southern regions. Treatment involves surgical removal of all affected material if possible, including limb amputation if indicated. Different antifungal therapies have shown some efficacy and need to be continued long-term. Prognosis for resolution of pythiosis is guarded to poor.

• Quality of Life at the End of Life for Your Dog

  Quality of life is a way to refer to and discuss the day-to-day life and lifestyle of a cat reaching the end of its life. A quality-of-life scale for cats can help owners and veterinarians work together to maintain a healthy human-animal bond. The scale looks at seven different categories including hurt, hunger, hydration, hygiene, happiness, mobility, more good days than bad. The scale can help clarify the decisions and anxiety related to your dog’s end of life care.