Category Archives: Dog Health

DIY Dog Bath at Home: Blue Belle’s Senior‑Dog Spa Day Guide

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Senior Blue Heeler mix enjoys a DIY dog bath in a bubbly tub, surrounded by shampoo, grooming tools, towel, and treat.

🛁 A Senior Pup’s Spa Day: Blue Belle’s DIY Dog Bath Time Adventure

Hello friends, it’s me – Blue Belle, your resident senior lady with a soft coat, a wise soul, and a deep appreciation for snacks. Today I’m here to tell you all about my DIY dog bath routine. Yes … bath day. A whole event. A production. A journey.

Mom says it keeps me clean, comfortable, and healthy. I say it keeps me slightly inconvenienced but extremely well-treated, so I suppose we both win.

Step 1: The Tub Is Prepared (and So Am I)

First, before anything happens, Mom puts a big cushy bath mat in the tub. She says it helps my senior paws feel steady and safe. I appreciate this. My joints appreciate this. My dignity appreciate this.

Senior dog Blue Belle peeks into the bathtub during her DIY dog bath, eyeing treats on the bath mat with playful curiosity.

Then she does the most important part: She places a treat in the tub. A whole treat. Just sitting there. Waiting for me. I pretend to think about it — you know, for dramatic effect — but really, I’m already halfway in.

🛒 Amazon Picks: Non-Slip Bath Mat & Blue Belle’s Favorite Grain-free Dog Treats

Step 2: The Gentle Lift

Next, Mom helps me climb into the tub. I’m a senior girl, so she supports my hips and tells me I’m doing great. I like when she says that. I am doing great.

Once I’m settled, she uses her special spray nozzle — the one that feels like warm rain. Not too loud, not too splashy. Just right for a refined lady like me.

🛒 Amazon Pick: Dog‑Friendly Shower Sprayer

Step 3: DIY Dog Bath Shampoo, Conditioner, and Compliments

After that, Mom lathers me up with good dog shampoo — the kind that makes my coat soft and my skin happy. Then comes the conditioner. I don’t know what conditioner is, but it smells nice and makes Mom say things like:

“You’re such a good girl, Blue Belle.”

I hear that a lot during bath time. I never get tired of it.

Blue Belle enjoys her DIY dog bath, covered in gentle shampoo suds, looking sweet and slightly skeptical about smelling good.

🛒 Amazon Picks: Gentle DeShedding Dog Shampoo & Conditioner

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A Dog’s Perspective – Living With Cancer

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With the help of Gemini, Blue Belle shares her story.

Blue Belle Canine Contributor recovers from Cancer surgery.

My Little Bump: A Dog’s Take on My Mast Cell Tumor

Hey there, fellow humans and doggos! It’s me, Blue Belle, your favorite four-legged philosopher and Canine Contributor. Today, I wanted to chat about something that’s been a part of my life for a while now: my little bump.

It started a while ago, just a tiny little thing on my back leg. At first, I didn’t even notice it. I was too busy chasing squirrels (they never see it coming!), getting belly rubs, and napping in sunbeams. My humans, though, they noticed everything. Their fingers started exploring, and their faces got that crinkly, worried look they sometimes get.

Then came the vet visits. Oh, the vet! Not my favorite place, to be honest. All those strange smells, the cold examination table, and the poking and prodding. But my humans were there, holding my paw (or, you know, my head), telling me I was a good girl, so I tried to be brave.

They called it a “mast cell tumor.” Sounds like a fancy dog biscuit, right? But apparently, it’s not. It’s some kind of a “C-word” that makes my humans look extra sad sometimes. From what I can gather, it means there are some cancer cells in my body that are just a little too excited, causing this bump to grow. So, the vet made me go into a deep sleep, cut out the bump, and then I had to visit a specialist. My oncologist vet, Dr. Hume, is extra nice to me. I really like her. My humans say she saved my life because I got really sick and had to stay over night in their hospital for several days. Dr. Hume and my humans didn’t give up on me. I survived to tell this story.

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Our Dog Has Cancer – Now What?

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, some of the links in our family’s cancer journey will take you to products you may find of interest.

By: Julie Walton and Blue Belle the Canine Contributor

Our dog thinking about surviving cancer.

Can We Rescue The Rescue Dog Who Rescued Us?

Blue Belle, the rescue dog that rescued us, now needs to be rescued again. Blue Belle has been a special member of our family for over 12 years. We adopted her when she was one year old.  We traveled from Idaho, across the state to Wyoming where we were told a no-kill shelter had the perfect dog for us. She had been found in a dog pound where some uncaring family threw her away where she was to be euthanized. The loving people of Lucky’s Place saved her and put her up for adoption. We were so happy when we found our new furever dog.

Please adopt me.
Bella wants to be our furever dog.
See Blue Belle’s Adoption Story HERE.

Blue Belle has had some health issues, but she has been a loyal companion so the vet visits and expense of caring for our fur baby is definitely worth the cost. 

We Hate Cancer!

We are talking about canine cancer. Can we rescue our precious dog from this awful disease?

In 2024 we discovered a lump on Blue Belle’s back leg. The vet said to keep an eye on it and when it grew quite a bit in a few months we knew to make another appointment with our vet. He performed surgery the next day and we returned to the vet clinic several times for wound care. A sample was sent in to the lab and sadly we learned she had cancer.

Dog lump - MCT cancer.
Blue Belle had a large lump on her back leg. After surgery the vet sent in samples to the lab.

We learned a new term. MCT, Mast Cell Tumor. We had no idea what that was. But knew it was serious. Our vet gave us several options. One option was to make an immediate appointment with an oncologist and he gave us the name of a local oncologist he recommended. I called her office right away and was pleased to get an appointment within a few days. 

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Dog Poop and Your Septic System – What You Should Know

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Mark Lewyn got in touch with us to share an article of interest to our readers. Read the article – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOG POOP AND YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM

The article features the following points:

  • Dog Fur and your Septic Tank: A Furry Problem
  • Dog Food and Your Septic System: A Surprising Culprit
  • Dog Play and the Drainfield: Fun But Risky
  • Dog Safety Around the Septic System: Keep Them Out of Trouble

He goes on to say that you might think that since human waste breaks down in the septic tank, dog waste would do the same. But here’s the catch – it doesn’t always work that way, and explains how dog waste can throw off the balance of your septic system. Looks like valuable information.

This is something I have never considered. But our family doesn’t have a septic system, we are connected to the city sewer system. Nevertheless, I started to think maybe I should make sure no waste from our dog would end up in the toilet.

Hope all is well with you and your fur babies. Let’s keep everyone safe.

How much should I feed my puppy?

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Well, actually I don’t have a puppy. Our family includes a 12 year old canine contributor and the smartest dog we know. But I imagine our readers would like to know the answer to this question. I received an email the other day from Rob at BetterPet.com. He offered to share a Guide to Puppy Feeding. It says you can keep your furbaby healthy, happy, and nourished with these puppy feeding tips, techniques, and advice.

The article on betterpet.com discusses the essentials for feeding your puppy. The size and age of your dog will be an important factor in determining how to feed your little friend. To calculate their daily food intake take note of your dog’s age, physical condition, and weight. Puppies need two to three times more calories per day than older dogs. So it will be good to feed them more often than adult dogs. Be aware that every puppy is unique so talk to your vet about your dog’s nutritional needs.

So, what am I supposed to feed my little puppy, you ask. Keep in mind your dog’s breed, medical conditions, and activity level. Dr. Jennifer Schott gives this advice:

The most important thing to look for is that the food is labeled for growing puppies. It’s also important that your puppy will consistently eat the food! I typically recommend foods from Purina, Hill’s, or Royal Canin as they consistently make good quality products and have multiple puppy formulations based on size and breed.

For more information about how much to feed your puppy, check out the article How Much to Feed a Puppy, Backed by Vets at betterpet.com.

3 Ways To Make Your New Pet Comfortable When You’re Starting a Business

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Guest Blog Post By: Brandon Butler

Dog in home office.
Photo by UpSplash

When you’re an entrepreneur, life can be a nonstop whirlwind of meetings, calculations, website updates, and social media management. You may plan to be a “solopreneur” with no outside help, or perhaps your aim is to run a small startup that’s mostly internet-based with a few freelancers. If you’re considering welcoming a new pet into this mixture of excitement and chaos, ensure that your new animal friend will feel safe, secure, and loved by implementing the following tips.

Keep Your New Pet Close

New mothers often “wear” their babies, and while you don’t have to strap your new dog or cat to your chest to attain a sense of closeness and security, you may want to take a page from the attachment parenting handbook and keep your new animal as close to you as possible during the day when he first comes home. Make sure to speak softly, offer as much physical affection as your new pet wants, and give him plenty of verbal reassurance and treats throughout your workday.

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