Hi George, A stripe ALONG the length of the nail is normal, especially in white/cream/apricot dogs (black dogs usually have black nails) it's just the pigment varies a lot in paler dogs and can come through in a stripe on nails. Very normal. Not related with nail cutting. Please try to upload some pictures along with the question. It will be very helpful in diagnosis. hope this helps. - your next door vet

Top recommend food with grains: 1. Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry. There are lots of choices with this 100% all-natural, wholesome kibble. For toy Poodles, the Wellness Complete for Small Breeds is ideal. For larger miniatures and standards, you'll want to opt for their regular Complete Health. Recipes include chicken & oatmeal, whitefish & sweet potato, and lamb & barley. All of these have no wheat, corn or other fillers, artificial coloring or flavoring, soy, meat by-products, or chemical preservatives, so you can feel very confident that your filling your Poodle's bowl with truly wholesome, healthy food. These recipes also have excellent levels of omega-3 fatty acids. And, this is made in the USA. 2. Halo Natural Holisitc Dog Food. This top brand has found its niche by offering a purely holistic, organic recipe with non-GMO veggies and fruits and meats with no antibiotics, no hormones, and no factory farming. The protein base is chicken and liver, the two grains in this are oats and barley, and vegetables and fruits include peas, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, and sweet potato. All other ingredients are to naturally preserve the kibble or are vitamins and minerals. This particular recipe is for small breeds, however there is also an original for larger dogs. Halo is made in the USA. Top recommended food without grains: 1. Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free Recipe. Merrick is a great brand which offers this recipe for small breeds, like toy Poodles and another option for larger dogs which would include miniatures and standards. Protein bases include Texas beef, lamb, chicken, and salmon. There is no corn or other fillers, wheat, gluten, artificial additives, or chemical preservatives. And, there are excellent levels of omega-3 and both pre and probiotics. Merrick is also made in the USA. 2. Wellness CORE Grain Free Natural. The CORE formula from Wellness is, by far, one of the very best grain-free foods on the market today. It hits very single checkbox of what you are ideally looking for in a food for your Poodle and it has some superior extras. There are excellent levels of glucosamine and chondroitin, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants. There is both a small breed formula and an original formula (for minis and standards) as well as puppy recipes and a reduced fat option. Wellness is made in the USA. What to Feed Your Poodle if Home Cooking You will want to have a mix of protein, healthy grains, vegetables and fruits. Proteins can include beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, veal, and fish (cod, flounder, salmon, whitefish). Vegetables can include sugar snap peas, green beans, lima beans, spinach, peas, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, and regular potato. Fruits can include blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apple, and pear. Extras can include eggs, salmon oil, extra virgin olive oil, certain cheese with low levels of lactose (Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, and cottage cheese) and plain whole white yogurt. Note that if you home cook, you will want to include a daily vitamin and mineral since it is near impossible for any combination of foods to offer a dog every nutrient that they need. Snacks Snacks and treats are also an important part of a dog's diet. They can account for up to 20% of what a dog consumes. Dry treats (often labeled as baked or crunchy) are best to tide over the appetite in between meals. Moist or chewy treats are best when used as training rewards and to reinforce good behavior. hope this helps. --your next door vet

HI, Yes you should quit topping his food with chicken breasts and shift to more specialized dog food. the trick to feeding is that if your dog doesn't eat the food just remove the food in front of him and don't just leave it there. again repeat this hence your dog will understand and eat it next time out of hunger. I would also suggest you to give him supplements for kidney...you could also try herbal supplements if available. hope this helps. --your next door vet.

Bad breath or halitosis may indicate conditions from periodontal, kidney, respiratory or liver disease to diabetes, skin disease (involving tissue around the lips) or oral trauma. However, by far, the most common problem associated with bad breath is periodontal disease. Without good dental care, this preventable disease is likely to cause pain, tooth loss, and infection that, in some cases, can spread to other organs. Without tooth brushing, a film called plaque adheres to the teeth. Over time, this film thickens and hardens, attracting even more plaque. The gums will swell with gingivitis, eventually leading to tissue and bone loss. Early stages of periodontal disease can be remedied with professional teeth cleaning, which would give your cat a fresh start, but plaque will build up again within days without regular tooth brushing. To prevent most cases of bad breath, brush your cat's teeth - ideally, every day - using tooth gel for felines. Link the brushing to a treat, such as drinking water from a dripping faucet or a favorite canned food. Just before the treat, you can apply a tiny amount of the gel onto a finger and gently apply it to the cat's teeth. Repeat this procedure every day for the first week to establish the new routine. Then, apply the gel a little further back in the mouth, but still without stressing the cat. Because cats hate having their mouths forcefully opened, simply stretch back the lips without opening the mouth. Don't bother the tongue side of the teeth or focus too much on the motion. You simply want to disrupt the plaque buildup at the margin between the tooth and the gum line. OTHER REMEDIES --- 1. ORAL MOUTH SPRAYS 2. DENTAL CHEW STICKS 3. TRY TO CHANGE THE DIET about the medication your vet suggested, could you please specify the medicine otherwise its hard to tell whether his treatment is in the right direction or not. thank you. hope this helps. -- your next door vet

Hi, Yes you can give your pet semi-therapeutic food on daily basis but after a month it is better advised to shift to a more balanced diet according to the growing age of your pet. You cannot totally depend on it. Also, try to feed some amount of roughage and greenies which contain essential nutrients and vitamins and are good for your pets gut micro flora. Along with specialized packed or canned food try to add meat or fish or egg in the diet. Now, about the amount of food. Don't try to force feed. The companies which make these food give the indications on a generalized basis and of course they are not veterinarians who can give a more specialized diet for your pet. so try to avoid force feeding or over feeding. And keep exercising not for increasing the amount of food but for its health. Hope this helps. - your next door vet.

Bad breath is not normal, even in an older cat. Contact your vet if your cat has bad breath. Your vet will be able to fully, and safely examine your cat’s mouth, which may not be easy for you to do at home.

Link the brushing to a treat, such as drinking water from a dripping faucet or a favorite canned food," "Just before the treat, you can apply a tiny amount of the gel onto a finger and gently apply it to the cat's teeth. Most cats will forgive your foolish human behavior to savor their desired food or beverage. Repeat this procedure every day for the first week to establish the new routine. Then, apply the gel a little further back in the mouth, but still without stressing the cat." If you grip your cat and jam a toothbrush down her throat, the battle is lost. Once the cat is tolerant of the gel on the finger prior to receiving the cherished item, try the same routine with the gel on the brush rather than the finger. Because cats hate having their mouths forcefully opened, simply stretch back the lips without opening the mouth. Don't bother the tongue side of the teeth or focus too much on the motion. You simply want to disrupt the plaque buildup at the margin between the tooth and the gum line. The younger your cat, the easier it will be to brush her teeth. Never use toothpaste for humans because some of its components can upset a cat's stomach. And never force the issue; it's not worth putting yourself at risk. Some veterinarians believe that dry food is also better than canned food to prevent plaque buildup. Don't expect the cat to cooperate at the very first time it will take time, practice and patience to put it in routine.