BigYellowDog.com's 97 Lab Tips


Following are approximately 97 questions readers of BigYellowDog.com submitted in recent years. They were answered by a licensed veterinarian on the site as a service to all Lab owners. This information is for general reference only. Always consult your veterinarian for any questions about your Lab's health. We hope this information is somewhat helpful to you.
	*Breeding* I have heard about mix breedings between a Lab and a chiwawa called a miniature Lab. Is there such a thing? What is involved with certification of a Lab's hips and eyes? Does an irregularly shaped pelvis indicate that a Lab should not be bred? What are some indications of a false pregnancy in a Lab? Are a few imperfections a sign that a Lab is not a pure bred? How can I calm down my male Lab around my female Lab if I don't want to have puppies for a while? What is the earliest age a Lab can leave its mother? What do you know about the shot that is available if you want to abort a litter? Our dog is expecting soon. What should we as owners expect to happen? *Neutering and Heat Cycles* How often will my Lab have her heat cycle? When during my Lab's heat cycle can she get pregnant? My Lab just started its first cycle and has been vomiting a lot lately at the same time. Is this normal? Should I get my Lab neutered for health or personality reasons? At what age should I have my male Lab neutered? *Feeding* What is the difference between rawhide and beefhide, if any? My yellow Lab loves rawhide, but it makes her sick. Therefore, she is not given pig ears, cow ears or any bones made from those products. Still, she needs to have something to chew on for her teeth. What is the proper diet for a Labrador that is almost an adult but not yet? Why is my yellow Lab overweight when he eats the same things as my other Labs? My puppy seems to have a huge appetite for Puppy Chow. How much should I be feeding him? Is it OK for my Lab to eat Milk Bones it has buried a few days earlier? *Grooming* How much grooming does a Yellow Lab need? My Lab is a shedding machine. How can I get the hair to stop coming out so much? My Lab's shedding has got so bad, I can see his skin. Is this normal? How can I keep grayish stains off my Lab's neck and feet from chrome-plated collars and crates? Our Lab has crusty sores and bare spots that have been diagnosed as a yeast infection. With winter so close, what can we do to help his coat? Why and how are dewclaws removed? *Potty Training* Should I be worried that my Yellow Lab is suddenly having accidents at night? How can I get my puppy to use the bathroom in the right areas? Will the use of DES to control urinary incontinence harm my BYD over time? My male Lab has never learned to hike his leg when he urinates. What should I do? We crate-train our puppy, but he still goes to the bathroom in the house. What should we do? I'm at my wits end with this. Why can't my Lab be potty trained? *Behavior* Does a Lab's coat color determine its behavior? How can I keep my Lab from jumping on me? Why does my BYD constantly lick its paws? How can we make it stop? What is the best way to make our new Lab learn its name? My Lab keeps coming home with smelly stuff on her. How can I prevent this? How can I keep my BYD from digging in my garden and other places he shouldn't? Our 5-month old Lab puppy has never barked. Is this something we should worry about? At what age should I enroll my BYD in an obedience class? Is it ever too late for that? How can I train my dog to return to me when called without resorting to a shock collar? Why does my dog howl when sirens sound? We are considering getting another dog. Any tips for introducing the new dog to my existing BYD's routine? How can I keep my Lab puppy from biting me as it tries to get relief from teething? Why would my Lab eat its own stool and how can I get this to stop? How can I make my Lab less shy around people? Are Labs good dogs around children? Is it better to have more than one Lab so that they can keep each other company when I am not around? How can I keep my Lab from passing really foul, smelly gas? How can I keep my Lab from being destructive when left alone in the house? When does play biting cross from playing to being a problem? *Environment* I live in a one-bedroom apartment in New York City. Should I get a Lab? How cold is too cold for a Lab to be outside? How can I get my Lab to use his outdoor dog house? How can I keep flies from biting my Lab's ears? I live in the desert. Do I need to be using heartworm medication on my Lab? *Strokes and Seizures* Why would my Lab suddenly start stumbling around after playing in the heat? Is it small strokes? Will seizure medication shorten my Lab's life? How long do I need to keep my Lab on seizure medication? He seems to be cured of them. Should I be concerned if my Lab has a quivering lip and can't seem to shut his mouth? Is this a sign of a stroke? My dog has been having frequent seizures. What can I do short of medication to help? *Hips and Legs* Why would my Lab start limping for no apparent reason? I rescued a BYD from an awful living condition. I am worried he has hip problems. Can diet and/or medication help? My dog has no hair on her elbows from laying on hard surfaces. She licks off any kind of helpful creams. Any suggestions? Can you advise how to treat Labs that have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia? Our Lab has had a plate inserted in a leg that was shattered in an accident. Should it be removed? What can I do to help my Lab's swollen elbows? I am worried my Lab is on the path to hip dysplasia. What can I do? *Miscellaneous Health Questions* How long should it take for my Lab puppy to recover from lyme disease? How long should it take for my Lab to cool off after exercise? What is causing irritation on my Lab's skin? Why does my dog sometimes gag when she is playing outside? My Lab has a bump that looks like poison ivy or an insect bite. What is it? Should I be concerned about my Lab puppy's erratic breath when it sleeps? My Lab has a high creatin level in her blood. Should I be concerned about her kidneys? What should I feed my Lab if he was recently diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Why would my Lab puppy's stool be gritty? Our puppy has a night-time cough in its kennel. What is going on? My Lab's skin gets irritated after swimming and she ends up losing a lot of hair. Is this normal? My Lab's eye infection is not getting any better after several days with treatment. What is wrong? My Lab's nose changes colors from time to time. Is this normal? How should a Lab with recurring urinary tract infections be treated? What is a good immunization program for a BYD from puppy to full-grown Lab? Why does my Lab bite at the base of her tail? I can't find any fleas. My Lab gets smelly "goo" in one of her ears. How can I prevent it? My Lab recently had to have part of his jaw removed because of a tumor. Do you know of anything that can be done cosmetically and is there anything long-term we need to be worried about? Is a urine test enough to diagnose diabetes insipidus in a dog? My older Lab has recently started developing tumors. Why? Are there any conditions inherent to Labs that would cause a sudden death in an otherwise, young healthy Lab? Should I be concerned if my Lab shakes in his sleep? What is a reasonable cost to aspirate a tumor on my BYD? My Lab suddenly can't wag his tail and it appears to hurt him when I touch it. What could this be about? Is there an over-the-counter medication if my puppy was nipped under the eye by one of its playmates? Can teeth help determine the age of a Lab I adopted? How can I tell if my Lab has a flea allergy? How can I treat it if he does? My vet seems unconcerned with recurring lypomas (fatty tumors) on my Lab. Should I get another opinion? What would cause elevated liver enzymes in a Lab? Should I be concerned if the eyes on the 4-week-old Lab puppy I picked out don't look straight forward? Is salt water harmful to a Lab? What should I do if my Lab gets swimmer's tail after being in the water? My Lab puppy accidentally ingested a lot of sugar. What should I do? My Lab gags every time he gets excited. Why? My Lab has really droopy eyes. Should I be concerned?
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