Q: A dog's paws can be easily injured by walking on sharp or rough objects. Either keep your dog totally out of areas with sharp objects on the ground, or clean up the ground thoroughly before bringing your dog into one of these areas.  For example, keep your dog out of work areas where metal shavings or glass fragments could be on the ground. As a rule of thumb, don't have your dog walk anywhere where you wouldn't walk barefoot. If your dog walks through a toxic substance, it could injure the dog's paw. The dog could also ingest the substance when it licks its paw. For example, floor cleaners can contain chemicals that are hazardous for your dog.  When cleaning your floor with a strong chemical, keep your dog out of the area. Also look at the labels on your floor cleaners to make sure they are non-toxic to dogs. In order to protect your dog's paws from serious injury, it's important to keep an eye on their condition. Inspecting them on a regular basis for cuts, cracks, or punctures can help you catch problems before they become serious.  Inspect your dog's paws on at least a weekly basis, if not daily. Look at them more often if your dog is spending a lot of time outdoors or in areas where its paws could be injured. If you take your dog running or hiking, make sure you're checking its paws throughout your trip. If they look worn down, let your dog rest. When inspecting your dog's paws for damage, you also need to look for problems between the toes, most often due to thorns or burrs getting embedded there. Removing these items quickly is important because they can easily cause infection and pain.  If you spot a burr or thorn, use tweezers to remove it. Be gentle so that your dog is not resistant to your efforts, but also make sure you get a secure hold on the whole thing. A small piece that's broken off and left behind can be even harder to remove. If you cannot remove a burr or thorn completely, seek veterinary help. Leaving them embedded can create a severe infection and can impact your dog's ability to walk, so proper veterinary care is vital.
A: Keep your dog away from sharp objects on the ground. Don't allow your dog near chemicals or toxins on the ground. Check your dog's paws regularly for damage. Be sure to look between your dog's toes.

Q: A healthy bitch can continue to eat a normal diet during the first part of her pregnancy. As her body weight increases, her food intake can be increased gradually. Keep her food intake the same for the 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. After the sixth week, slowly increase her food intake. By the time she's ready to birth, she should be eating 35-50% more food that usual.  Feed her at least twice daily -- morning and night. It's better to feed her 3 times a day -- morning, noon, and evening.  Some breeders recommend adding an additional protein source to your pregnant dog’s diet, such as evaporated milk, eggs, meat, or liver. Providing small, frequent meals can help your pregnant dog feel more comfortable. Choose a place that is warm, dry, quiet, and separate from other dogs. Create a roomy box that has low sides. Bring her into the box every day so that she gets used to the area. Pet her and make sure time spent in the box is a positive experience for her.  Create a whelping box well in advance, so that your dog has time to get used to it. You can purchase a whelping box, build one from wood, or repurpose a large plastic container. Husky gestation lasts about 63 days. When the arrival of the puppies is getting close, gather some supplies. Some things you may need include:  Newspaper for bedding Bath mats or towels for bedding Towels for cleaning the puppies Paper towels for cleaning the whelping box Thermometer to check the bitch’s temperature Heating pad to keep puppies warm Dental floss (unwaxed) for tying the puppies umbilical cords Sharp scissors to cut the umbilical cord Iodine to clean the umbilical cord. At the time of the birth, you may want to line the box with newspapers so that it can be changed several times a day. After a few days, you can switch to towels or other soft materials. These will still need to be changed about once a day. A few days before she is ready to give birth, your bitch may stop eating and start creating a "nest." About 1 day prior to giving birth, your bitch’s body temperature should drop to around 99 °F (37 °C). During the first stage of labor, her cervix will dilate. Contractions will begin and she may whine and appear distressed or confused. You might notice her panting, straining, or moving around restlessly.  This stage usually lasts 6 to 18 hours. Ideally, your dog will build her birthing nest in the whelping box you provided. When her water breaks, this signals the second and final stage of her labor. The water looks like straw-colored liquid. Her contractions will get more intense after this and she'll go into labor very soon after her water breaks. Puppies will appear sporadically every thirty minutes or so once full labor begins.  Labor typically lasts about 4 hours. Most dogs will give birth easily without the need of human help. In most cases, mother dogs will give birth all on their own without much assistance. However, make sure you have your veterinarian's phone number and the number for local emergency animal clinic ready in case of emergency. Contact your vet if:  The mother appears to be in extreme pain. The mother has powerful contractions for more than 45 minutes without the birth of a pup. More than two hours pass between the delivery of puppies. The mother dog is trembling or shivering. The mother dog collapses. A dark green or bloody fluid comes out before the birth of the first puppy. (After the first puppy, this is OK.) The mother shows no signs of labor 64 or more days after mating.
A:
Feed your pregnant dog nutritious food at least twice daily. Prepare a whelping box. Prepare for the arrival of the puppies after 63 days of pregnancy. Line the box with newspaper right before she gives birth. Watch for the first signs of labor. Watch for her water to break and full labor to begin. Know when to contact a vet.