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Answer: Absolutely! You can call it a form of separation anxiety (without the destructiveness) but dogs will get "depressed" if an owner leaves, whether it be away for vacation, or serving the country. You can try to play more with the dog and engage him/her in fun activities to distract him/her on a regular basis; you can sometimes use old clothing from the person so the dog can smell them. Most of the time, they will slowly be back to normal within a short period of time, just give them the added attention they need.

Answer: This is a tough one, and as an owner of a golden retriever I can sympathize! Two things can help - one, get a gentle leader. This is a head collar that wraps around the neck and muzzle and gives excellent control. You will be able to pull her away quickly and easily. The second involves some training. The two commands to teach are "leave it" and "drop it". Of course, this is easier said than done! Try getting some books such as "Dog Training for Dummies" by Sarah Hodgson to give you some ideas. As far as harm, between bacteria, parasites and chemicals, it can be harmful to eat random things outside, and if they get into something big, a blockage is always a worry. Try the gentle leader and the commands and good luck!

Answer: Always a tough question! Some people argue that it could be some diet deficiency, but a dog on the most balanced diet will do it. It is a really bad, not to mention disgusting, habit (unfortunately I have 3 dogs that do it - especially the frozen poop!). The only real medical danger is that if the dog is infected with parasites, they will continually reinfect themselves. It is very hard to break this habit - There is a product called "Deter" that works for some animals, but you must feed it to all the dogs in the house for it to have a chance of working - it supposedly makes the poop "taste bad"- ironic, isn't it? The only real surefire way to stop it is to poop scoop often before they get a chance to grab a meal.

Answer: It's not a good idea for dogs to eat raw meat for the same reasons it's not a good idea for us to eat raw meat - bacteria. The idea of dogs eating raw chicken comes from the "BARF" diet which believes, for one, uncooked chicken necks are a good staple for clean teeth and for digestive health. Bacteria and diseases like pancreatitis (where the pancreas can become inflamed from a fatty or "rich" diet and requires hospitalized care) are concerns, and the practice of feeding a raw diet is extremely time consuming and dangerous if not done correctly. Dogs, like us, require a balanced diet and it is important to their health they get the nutrients they need. If you choose to follow a raw diet, do lots of research first, and remember, dogs are omnivoires, not carnivoires, so they can't live on meat alone.

Answer: Pine sap can cause mild gastrointestinal irritation in some dogs, so if you see any vomiting or diarrhea - contact your vet. Most dogs don't have an issue. The only other thing to be careful of is the sticks themselves. Pieces of sticks can get stuck in the roof of the mouth or in the esophagus and create problems. Just watch your dogs carefully, and if you see any coughing, gagging, pawing at the mouth, or gastrointestinal signs - contact your vet.

Answer: Currently, I'm not sure it's safe for us to have peanut butter! (see the internet for current recalls) As far as dogs go, it honestly depends on the dog. Some dogs can actually have a allergy towards peanut butter, and for others it can be too rich. Many dogs have sensitive stomachs and peanut butter can cause an issue. In small amounts, the majority of dogs do just fine, and if you use it to give pills, or to put in a kong, just do it in moderation and if you see any vomiting or diarrhea, contact your vet.

Answer: Lime can actually burn the inside of a dog's mouth, and some dogs will lick it for no reason at all. Fertilizers can make them have vomiting and diarrhea, even if the package says they are safe. The best you can do is try to put in on the lawn before it rains and contact your vet if you see any gastrointestinal signs.

Answer: It would be rare for a squirrel to have rabies, but possible. Your dog should be protected, to be safe they should get a rabies booster if they haven't been vaccinated in 45-90 days. The concern usually is for the human. If the dog has bites all over and you touched the saliva from the squirrel you could be in trouble. If the squirrel is dead you should test it (animal control will do this). Or you should call your doctor for the next step. Never touch these animals and wash your dog using soap to break down the viral particles while wearing gloves. Usually in these cases it is not the offending dog that us at risk, but the owner!

Answer: When dogs are kenneled they tend to go outside less than they would if they were home so they have to hold it for longer. Some dogs are nervous at boarding so they will hold it as well. Either way, it's not unusual to see what you describe.

Answer: The best thing to do is give their guts a break and don't feed them for 24 hrs. Water is ok. Then try very small amounts of boiled chicken and rice. Over the counter anti diarrheals can be dangerous so please avoid those. If this doesn't work then the dog should be seen by a vet as they can get dehydrated fast.

Answer: Are you sure you don't mean bladder stones? If they are bladder stones sometimes when you know which type they are they can be dissolvable with diet. We typically don't do surgery on kidney stones in general practice. Usually bladder stone dogs do ok with glucosamine and we keep them on it, especially if they deteriorate without it. Ask your vet, it's hard for me to say without all the facts. You could also ask your vet about using an anti-inflammatory if your pup is uncomfortable.

Answer: It depends on where he is at with treatment. Typically they get two treatments of immiticide, then 3-4 months cage rest. The recheck blood test is done 6 months post treatment. He should be on heart worm preventative for life. I wouldn't be able to tell you if there is any damage without seeing the dog as every case is different He should have a yearly heart worm test. Typically, if no damage was done, they can lead a normal life. Heart worm is transmitted by mosquitoes. Your other dog can not be directly affected. Good luck. We see many heart worm positive dogs from the south; it's wonderful when they get a nice caring home.

Answer: The bottles we have have a 2 year expiration date, so it should be OK.

Answer: Unfortunately, you have to be really careful with diet. Even though the Royal Canin is expensive, its cheaper than bladder stone surgery or pancreatitis treatment! I can't attest to other foods without knowing the type of stones your dog has. I would stick with your vets advice.

Answer: Asus will be fine, but you need to do a few things. If she hasn't had a rabies shot in the last 30 days, she needs a booster and I would have your vet put her on antibiotics. For your protection, do you still have the squirrel? If so have animal control test it for rabies - if not call your doctor to let him or her know you had exposure to a wild animal. It is very important that you follow up with that for your safety.