Ray Spragley, DVM

How to Recognize Mange in Dogs: Symptoms, Treatments, & More

A vet-approved guide on handling sarcoptic and demodectic mangeMange is a type of inflammatory skin disease caused by tiny parasitic mites on dogs. There are two basic types of mange, sarcoptic and demodectic, which hav...

How to Identify and Remove Your Dog's Skin Tags Yourself

Taking care of benign skin growths on your petWhile a skin tag on your furry friend is more or less harmless, it can be a bit of an eyesore. What’s more, it may get caught on something and cause injury, leading to ble...

How to

Remove Warts on Dogs

The majority of dog warts are benign and don't necessarily require removal. If you do decide to remove your dog’s warts, however, there are a few home remedies you can try on your own before going to the veterinarian a...

When & How to Safely Induce Vomiting in Dogs: Expert-Backed Tips

If you think your dog has ingested something harmful, like a toxin or foreign object, making it vomit can prevent serious illness and even death. This may sound like your go-to solution, but there are situations when it ...

How to

Care for a Dog After It Has Just Vomited

It's not unusual for dogs to vomit occasionally for any number of minor to significant reasons. For example, your dog may love to scavenge and vomit as a way of getting rid of spoilt food from his stomach. However, if yo...

The Best Ways to Treat Your Dog’s Itchy Ears

Learn how to stop your dog from scratching their ears with our complete guideIt’s normal for your dog to scratch their ears from time to time, but when it’s constant? That could be the sign that there’s a bigger ...

What to Give a Dog with Parvo (And How to Entice Them to Eat)

Your guide to reintroducing food after canine parvovirus to help your pup heal fastWhen your puppy is recovering from canine parvovirus (parvo), not only will they need their prescribed medicine, but they’ll need to e...

How to

Express a Dog's Anal Gland

Your dog's anal glands are two grape-shaped glands located just below the anus to either side. The pheromones they secrete give canines vital information about one another, including health, age, and sex. This explains w...

How to Recognize and Treat a Ruptured Cyst on a Dog

Cysts, or small, fluid-filled pockets along the skin, are pretty commonplace on dogs. It can be really concerning when one ruptures, especially if you aren’t sure what caused the cyst in the first place. Don’t worry...

Powerful Prayers & Spiritual Words to Send Your Love to Your Sick Dog

Words to speak over your pup to send them healing and comfort Dogs are humanity’s closest companions, and it can be hard to handle when something happens to them. Praying can calm your mind and bring you the peace an...

How to

Take Care of a Weak Newborn Puppy

The first few weeks of a puppy’s life can be a dangerous time. Once outside of the womb they need to be able to find their way to their mother to nurse, they need to be kept warm, they need to have their bodily functio...

How to

Care for a Dog's Torn Ear

Dogs can damage their ear flaps, which are called pinnas, in all sorts of ways, from pushing their way through thorn bushes, to getting into fights. A dog's ear has a vein running around the edge of the ear flap. A cut o...

How to

Heal a Torn Dog ACL Without Surgery

The tough fibrous bands that connect the thigh bone (femur) to shin bone (tibia) are called the cruciate ligaments, referred to as the CCL or ACL. Sometimes, high weight bearing activities or continual use of the ligamen...

How to

Revive a Puppy

Some puppies are unable to start breathing on their own immediately after birth. In other cases, a puppy beyond newborn stage may become unresponsive due to illness or injury. In either situation, a quick response on you...

How to

Care for a Dog with a Torn ACL

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a common injury in dogs, which may cause hind-leg lameness. This injury occurs when the ACL in the dog's knee joint stretches or tears, causing either acute or chronic pain. Alt...

How to

Soften Dog Tartar

Want to clean your dog’s teeth and remove tartar to give your pet a sparkly white smile again? Reducing tartar will improve the appearance of your dog’s teeth and maintain your pet’s oral health by preventing disea...

How to Tell if Your Dog Has Rabies: Warning Signs & More

Recognizing rabies symptoms in dogs (and best treatment options)Your dog has been acting strange lately, and you notice a bite mark on their leg. They were running in the woods the other night…Should you be worried the...

How to

Treat Scratches on Your Dog's Eye

A scratch to the eye can be very uncomfortable and annoying to a dog. Unlike human eye problems, dog eye problems are not usually diagnosed due to signs of vision impairment but instead with behavior indicating irritatio...

How to

Get Rid of a Botfly in a Dog

You’ve noticed your dog scratching at a bump on their skin and discovered a botfly larva—what should you do next? Although there are several home remedies for these pests floating around, the best course of action is...

How to

Treat Mastitis in Dogs

It's expected that your dog will go through many physical changes after whelping puppies. However, if your dog seems to be in pain, refuses to nurse her puppies, or has red and hot mammary glands, she may have mastitis. ...