<![CDATA[Horgan Harness Store: Latest News]]> https://www.horganharness.com Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:32:55 +0000 <![CDATA[Is it time to take your dog or cat to the vet? My pet is not acting themselves]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/my-pet-is-not-acting-themselves/ Tue, 07 Oct 2014 19:56:04 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/my-pet-is-not-acting-themselves/ Ever wonder when it is time to take your dog or cat to the veterinarian if they are not acting themselves? Do you worry that you will not recognize the signs of a possible emergency? Here is Dr. Horgan, a veterinarian board certified in Emergency and Critical Care, discussing veterinary emergencies and what signs will clue you in to one.

]]> Ever wonder when it is time to take your dog or cat to the veterinarian if they are not acting themselves? Do you worry that you will not recognize the signs of a possible emergency? Here is Dr. Horgan, a veterinarian board certified in Emergency and Critical Care, discussing veterinary emergencies and what signs will clue you in to one.

]]> <![CDATA[My Dog Has Fleas]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/my-dog-has-fleas/ Mon, 18 Aug 2014 13:01:51 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/my-dog-has-fleas/ Fleas are a big nuisance for both dogs and for their owners. Besides causing constant itching they can lead to severe flea bite allergies. The allergies can cause severe inflammation of the skin. Often time’s dogs will lose their hair and develop redness over their back and hind end area. To get rid of a flea infestation you need to treat the dog with a veterinary approved insecticide. There are certain products that are designed to kill fleas within 1/2 hr. Place the dog in an outside area during the first few hours after the treatment so the fleas can jump and die off. During the next few weeks it is best to vacuum the house at least twice daily and take the vacuum back immediately to the garbage outside. You should also wash all clothes and blankets in the house. You can also purchase flea treatment for your carpets that will kill the eggs and fleas themselves. This process should clear an infestation after a few weeks.

]]> Fleas are a big nuisance for both dogs and for their owners. Besides causing constant itching they can lead to severe flea bite allergies. The allergies can cause severe inflammation of the skin. Often time’s dogs will lose their hair and develop redness over their back and hind end area. To get rid of a flea infestation you need to treat the dog with a veterinary approved insecticide. There are certain products that are designed to kill fleas within 1/2 hr. Place the dog in an outside area during the first few hours after the treatment so the fleas can jump and die off. During the next few weeks it is best to vacuum the house at least twice daily and take the vacuum back immediately to the garbage outside. You should also wash all clothes and blankets in the house. You can also purchase flea treatment for your carpets that will kill the eggs and fleas themselves. This process should clear an infestation after a few weeks.

]]> <![CDATA[My Dog Has Ticks]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/my-dog-has-ticks/ Mon, 07 Jul 2014 10:50:42 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/my-dog-has-ticks/ Ticks are not just a nuisance because they are unsightly to look at but they also carry diseases. Dogs can catch many diseases from ticks that can be life threatening. Lyme disease is one of the better known tick diseases. Ticks can also cause whole body paralysis just from being attached to the dog. The best way to deal with a tick problem is to keep the yard trimmed. Ticks like tall grass. The yard should also be sprayed with pesticides that will prevent ticks. All dogs should be given tick preventative. Any ticks seen on a dog should be removed. Make sure to remove the tick by grabbing the head and pulling it from the skin. If you grab the tick by the body you may leave the head still in the skin. This could potentially lead to an infection. If your dog acts sick with lethargy, decreased appetite, pain etc. I would contact your veterinarian and tell them about the tick problem.

]]> Ticks are not just a nuisance because they are unsightly to look at but they also carry diseases. Dogs can catch many diseases from ticks that can be life threatening. Lyme disease is one of the better known tick diseases. Ticks can also cause whole body paralysis just from being attached to the dog. The best way to deal with a tick problem is to keep the yard trimmed. Ticks like tall grass. The yard should also be sprayed with pesticides that will prevent ticks. All dogs should be given tick preventative. Any ticks seen on a dog should be removed. Make sure to remove the tick by grabbing the head and pulling it from the skin. If you grab the tick by the body you may leave the head still in the skin. This could potentially lead to an infection. If your dog acts sick with lethargy, decreased appetite, pain etc. I would contact your veterinarian and tell them about the tick problem.

]]> <![CDATA[Is it safe to use over the counter flea and tick products?]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/over-the-counter-flea-and-tick-products/ Wed, 04 Jun 2014 08:27:26 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/over-the-counter-flea-and-tick-products/ First thing a consumer needs to know about over the counter flea and tick products is that many of them are toxic to cats and other types of animals. So if you have cats or other pets, it would be advisable to stay away from any products that warn about toxicities to other animals. These products are often topical so they can get on the other pets if they were to contact the dog that is being treated. Second, these products do not have the same active ingredient as the veterinary regulated ones. This means that they may not work as well. Some of them have compounds that just deter the pest and do not distribute evenly throughout the body. Lastly, some of the active ingredients are not as safe as the veterinary regulated products because there has not been as much testing on them. The package may say safe but that is not a guarantee with these products. Animal safety regulation is not as rigid as with human health. Your safest bet is to purchase the products that are veterinary regulated. They may cost a little more but you get what you pay for.

]]> First thing a consumer needs to know about over the counter flea and tick products is that many of them are toxic to cats and other types of animals. So if you have cats or other pets, it would be advisable to stay away from any products that warn about toxicities to other animals. These products are often topical so they can get on the other pets if they were to contact the dog that is being treated. Second, these products do not have the same active ingredient as the veterinary regulated ones. This means that they may not work as well. Some of them have compounds that just deter the pest and do not distribute evenly throughout the body. Lastly, some of the active ingredients are not as safe as the veterinary regulated products because there has not been as much testing on them. The package may say safe but that is not a guarantee with these products. Animal safety regulation is not as rigid as with human health. Your safest bet is to purchase the products that are veterinary regulated. They may cost a little more but you get what you pay for.

]]> <![CDATA[Is your dog losing his/her bark and breathing heavy?]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/losing-bark/ Sat, 24 May 2014 08:12:40 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/losing-bark/ I mention these particular clinical signs because they are easy to notice for owners and could be caused by a life threatening condition. The loss of the ability to bark or the development of a raspy bark is often associated with laryngeal paralysis. Laryngeal paralysis is associated with the loss of function of a nerve that is responsible for opening your dog’s airway. A very common sign that this may be the problem with your dog is the loss of the bark sound. They often sound like people when they lose their voice. If you notice this with your dog you should contact your veterinarian to schedule an upper airway exam. If left untreated, laryngeal paralysis can lead to breathing trouble and eventually death. If you are concerned that this may be what your dog has keep them in a cool environment and avoid excessive activity. The treatment for laryngeal paralysis is surgery. There are many different procedures but the most common is referred to as a tieback procedure where the surgeon actually ties the larynx open with a suture.

]]> I mention these particular clinical signs because they are easy to notice for owners and could be caused by a life threatening condition. The loss of the ability to bark or the development of a raspy bark is often associated with laryngeal paralysis. Laryngeal paralysis is associated with the loss of function of a nerve that is responsible for opening your dog’s airway. A very common sign that this may be the problem with your dog is the loss of the bark sound. They often sound like people when they lose their voice. If you notice this with your dog you should contact your veterinarian to schedule an upper airway exam. If left untreated, laryngeal paralysis can lead to breathing trouble and eventually death. If you are concerned that this may be what your dog has keep them in a cool environment and avoid excessive activity. The treatment for laryngeal paralysis is surgery. There are many different procedures but the most common is referred to as a tieback procedure where the surgeon actually ties the larynx open with a suture.

]]> <![CDATA[Is it ever safe to leave my dog in the car unattended?]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/is-it-ever-safe-to-leave-my-dog-in-the-car-unattended/ Fri, 16 May 2014 15:37:33 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/is-it-ever-safe-to-leave-my-dog-in-the-car-unattended/ The simple answer is no. Even in the winter time in a northern area a dog can die in a car. Due to the green house effect a car can reach over a 100 degrees Fahrenheit in minutes. At these temperatures any living organism will surely die if not brought to a cooler place. It is also not safe to leave the car running because cars stall all the time. If a dog is left in a car and ends up suffering from heatstroke they will need to spend several days in a hospital with very expensive treatment that many times fail. If you have to leave your car and cannot bring your dog with you, the best thing is to tie them outside the car under the shade. Often times leaving the windows down does not provide enough air circulation. Also provide water for them and leave them for only a few minutes.

]]> The simple answer is no. Even in the winter time in a northern area a dog can die in a car. Due to the green house effect a car can reach over a 100 degrees Fahrenheit in minutes. At these temperatures any living organism will surely die if not brought to a cooler place. It is also not safe to leave the car running because cars stall all the time. If a dog is left in a car and ends up suffering from heatstroke they will need to spend several days in a hospital with very expensive treatment that many times fail. If you have to leave your car and cannot bring your dog with you, the best thing is to tie them outside the car under the shade. Often times leaving the windows down does not provide enough air circulation. Also provide water for them and leave them for only a few minutes.

]]> <![CDATA[Is your dog at risk for having a seizure?]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/is-your-dog-at-risk-for-having-a-seizure/ Mon, 05 May 2014 10:54:53 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/is-your-dog-at-risk-for-having-a-seizure/ It is always recommended to see a veterinarian for a seizure. This could be a life threatening problem that should be looked into. Many dogs develop idiopathic epilepsy which basically means we dont know why it happens. Dogs can live a normal life span with epilepsy but some do have to be on medications to limit seizures. It is best to have blood work and other diagnostics done to rule out a more serious problem other than epilepsy. If your dog does have epilepsy then it is best to place him/her on medications if they seizure more then once a month.

]]> It is always recommended to see a veterinarian for a seizure. This could be a life threatening problem that should be looked into. Many dogs develop idiopathic epilepsy which basically means we dont know why it happens. Dogs can live a normal life span with epilepsy but some do have to be on medications to limit seizures. It is best to have blood work and other diagnostics done to rule out a more serious problem other than epilepsy. If your dog does have epilepsy then it is best to place him/her on medications if they seizure more then once a month.

]]> <![CDATA[It is more than a leisure walk - it is about safety: The Beginnings of the Horgan Harness]]> https://www.horganharness.com/blog/the-beginnings-of-the-horgan-harness/ Mon, 24 Mar 2014 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.horganharness.com/blog/the-beginnings-of-the-horgan-harness/ hh-home.png

When I was younger, I remember loving to walk my six-year-old Labrador, Honey – until one day. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was nine years old and quite frankly, I didn’t weigh much compared to Honey. When we were walking one day, she literally started to pull me across the street. I tried to let her go but her leash was stuck on my watch and she actually dragged me. Luckily, there were no cars coming down the road at the time and I was okay, but having such a personal connection to pulling, fueled me later in life to fix this issue.

How often do you see dogs pulling your neighbors down the street during their walk? I was starting to see it literally everyday and noticed that pulling was not only an issue in my neighborhood, but a major problem among dog owners throughout the world.

One of the most common reasons people give up walking their dog is because they pull too much. Instead of having a leisure walk, it becomes a chore and not to mention a serious, unintentional full body exercise.

With the fear of a young boy or girl being pulled into a sea of traffic and the thought of annoyed owners while walking their dog, I started trying to figure out ways to fix this issue of pulling.

Hence, the Horgan Harness was born.

As a veterinarian, I not only gained the scientific knowhow, but also a true passion for dogs. I knew that since nearly 70% of a dog’s power is generated in their hind legs, I needed to design a harness for the back legs.

All of the products on the market today, designed to control pulling, attach to the front part of the body. This is like applying the brakes to a moving car. However, a harness that could prevent the power from being generated from the back legs would be like shutting off the engine.

After patenting the Horgan Harness, I started to share it with the world and so far many customers are satisfied. Take a look at this video a customer uploaded to YouTube.

Thanks for joining this journey with me. Let’s talk about what you want to hear. Remember, I am a licensed veterinarian that is boarded in small animal surgery and critical care. Please feel free to bring up any stories, issues or questions you may have here, on Facebook or Twitter.

If you would like to purchase the Horgan Harness, buy it here. 

Not convinced yet, please feel free to read comments from Horgan Harness owners. 

Until next time!

]]> hh-home.png

When I was younger, I remember loving to walk my six-year-old Labrador, Honey – until one day. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was nine years old and quite frankly, I didn’t weigh much compared to Honey. When we were walking one day, she literally started to pull me across the street. I tried to let her go but her leash was stuck on my watch and she actually dragged me. Luckily, there were no cars coming down the road at the time and I was okay, but having such a personal connection to pulling, fueled me later in life to fix this issue.

How often do you see dogs pulling your neighbors down the street during their walk? I was starting to see it literally everyday and noticed that pulling was not only an issue in my neighborhood, but a major problem among dog owners throughout the world.

One of the most common reasons people give up walking their dog is because they pull too much. Instead of having a leisure walk, it becomes a chore and not to mention a serious, unintentional full body exercise.

With the fear of a young boy or girl being pulled into a sea of traffic and the thought of annoyed owners while walking their dog, I started trying to figure out ways to fix this issue of pulling.

Hence, the Horgan Harness was born.

As a veterinarian, I not only gained the scientific knowhow, but also a true passion for dogs. I knew that since nearly 70% of a dog’s power is generated in their hind legs, I needed to design a harness for the back legs.

All of the products on the market today, designed to control pulling, attach to the front part of the body. This is like applying the brakes to a moving car. However, a harness that could prevent the power from being generated from the back legs would be like shutting off the engine.

After patenting the Horgan Harness, I started to share it with the world and so far many customers are satisfied. Take a look at this video a customer uploaded to YouTube.

Thanks for joining this journey with me. Let’s talk about what you want to hear. Remember, I am a licensed veterinarian that is boarded in small animal surgery and critical care. Please feel free to bring up any stories, issues or questions you may have here, on Facebook or Twitter.

If you would like to purchase the Horgan Harness, buy it here. 

Not convinced yet, please feel free to read comments from Horgan Harness owners. 

Until next time!

]]>