Pet Health

With many of our dogs living mostly indoors and only walking short distances, our dog’s nails are not naturally being worn away. Many dog owners are nervous at the idea of trimming their dog’s nails, but according to Veterinary surgeon, Dr Melissa Meehan, all it takes is a little preparation and patience. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Melissa shares her tops tips on the best way to trim your dog’s nails in between grooming. 

Do you suspect that your dog is suffering from allergies? According to animal behaviour expert, Laura V, "The modern dog is subject to more allergens than before, but without the adapted immunity, just like us. So, let’s scratch past the surface and find out what exactly you can do for your dog who has allergies." Click through to the article to learn more about allergies in dogs, including the causes, signs, and treatments available!

If your dog is unsociable towards other dogs, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they hate dogs, it often means something quite different; something that may surprise you! In her latest article for HIF, animal and behavioural expert, Laura V provides her top tips on how to embark on a journey that helps your dog manage their anxieties and fears and teaches you essential practical and emotional skills to help them succeed.

Did you know that gum disease is the number one cause of poor dental health in both humans, and our furry friends? But, periodontitis occurs fives times more often in dogs than in humans due to dogs saliva being more basic as well as the lack of daily brushing. In this short clips with our friends at Pooches at Play, Dr. Melissa explains how you can spot the symptoms and keep your dog's teeth free from gum disease.

Some puppies are born deaf and other dogs can go deaf from a variety of causes, from chronic ear infections or injuries to drug toxicity and, just like us, old age. Often people think that a deaf dog will have behavioural problems or will be too hard to train. But that’s simply not the case, you absolutely can train a deaf dog just as well as a hearing dog, the only difference is that you use hand signals instead of verbal commands. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Lara catches up with Judy Small who appears in this episode with her deaf dog, Chance, to hear her top tips for communicating with and training a deaf dog.

Cystitis and urinary tract infections, also known as UTI, not only affect us humans, but dogs can also suffer from these when their bladder becomes inflamed from infections, stones, or polyps and It's so important to get these checked out as soon as symptoms present themselves. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Dr. Melissa explains the symptoms to look out for and the the treatment options available.

Is your dog bored? According to animal behaviour expert, Laura V, "When a dog lacks purpose and focus in their day, they expend that mental and physical energy into behaviours that we often find irritating. There are usually very few reasons for the wide range of problem behaviours in dogs. Whether a dog digs up the back yard, barks at the neighbour’s cat, eats your couch, or has an accident on your prized rug, it is usually (not exclusively) caused by anxiety and/or frustration. So, I've come up with a list of 'boredom' busters for you and your dog. These are simple and inexpensive ideas that will help to give your dog purpose during their day that can be played either with or without you." Click through to the article to read Laura's top five boredom busters for your dog.  

Did you know with HIF Pet Insurance, you can choose the percentage you’d like to receive back on any of our three levels of cover? Plus, you’ll also receive continuous cover for your pet regardless of their age or claims history. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Lara and Gyton chat through the importance of insuring your pooch and how quick and easy it is to sign up for HIF Pet.

Do you know about the need for donated blood for our dogs? Vets often rely on staff pets or a willing client to donate blood which can put a lot of pressure on an animal to act as a donor, especially when they are not always the best candidate for blood donation (due to age, size, recently having donated blood etc). By increasing donor lists at pet blood banks and also at general practice clinics, the demand for blood can be shared around which is better for everyone." In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Lara catches up with veterinary nurse, Bella to hear all about the Blood Hound Donor Campaign.

Do you know about the need for donated blood for our dogs? According to our friends at Pooches at Play and veterinary nurse, Bella, "The need for a dog to have a blood transfusion can be caused from a surprisingly large number of medical conditions. This could be from severe anaemia to a traumatic injury, immune illnesses to poisoning and many other things in between! Vets often rely on staff pets or a willing client to donate blood which can put a lot of pressure on an animal to act as a donor, especially when they are not always the best candidate for blood donation (due to age, size, recently having donated blood etc). By increasing donor lists at pet blood banks and also at general practice clinics, the demand for blood can be shared around which is better for everyone." In this post, Bella talks us through the important process for canine blood donation.