When it comes to regular veterinary checkups, cats are left holding the short end of the wand toy. While 78.8 percent of dog owners said they made at least one veterinary trip per year for preventive care, only 47.2 percent of cat owners did the same, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s latest edition …
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Welcome to “Can My Dog Eat That?,” our new series that answers some obvious (and not-so-obvious) questions about what your dog can and can’t safely eat. Read on! A grape or two might seem like a harmless snack for your dog. After all, it’s just fruit, and mostly water at that. But grapes can be …
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Some people with osteoarthritis (OA) claim they can predict the onset of cold weather through their joints. “Blizzard’s coming, I can feel it in my knee,” your grandfather may quip. If cold weather makes human joints feel stiff and achy, there’s a pretty good chance it can have the same effect on your dog. While …
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A pet in pain can be more emotionally painful for pet owners than we ever truly realize. Cats and dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, and that’s even if they want to tell us at all. Due to natural instincts, many pets actually work to hide the fact that they might be in pain. …
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Stomach issues are the top reason cats are brought to the veterinarian, according to a Healthy Paws analysis of more than 870,000 pet insurance claims from June 1, 2020, to June 1, 2021. For dogs, stomach issues came in third, behind skin problems and pain. While we know a vomiting pet generally prefers to expel …
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With winter comes crisper temperatures, waning daylight hours and more time padding around your house in wool socks. It’s a time when we crave comfort foods bubbling with cheese, as if a primordial instinct compels us to add another layer of insulation before we hibernate for the season. But what about your pet — do …
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Your dog or cat can feel pain in all the ways you do. Maybe it’s the throbbing of a sore tooth. The dull ache from an old knee injury. Or the sharp stab of a cut on a paw pad. The difference with pets’ pain is that they don’t always tell you when it hurts. …
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The term “pet wellness plan” can be confusing. After all, why would your pet need a wellness plan if it’s already feeling well? Perhaps a better phrase is “preventive care plan.” The whole point is to be proactive and to prevent health problems from happening to your pet in the first place. This approach protects …
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Many cats have a pendulous pouch that swings back and forth from the abdominal area when they trot across the room. Is it the saggy remnants of a previous pregnancy? The droopy remains of a fat paunch? The feline equivalent of a muffin top? And is it normal for a cat to have a belly …
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Most snakes are happy to go about their business, keeping the local population of pesky rodents and insects under control, but some dogs and cats just can’t leave well enough alone. If a venomous snake gets their fangs into your pet, it can be a life-threatening medical emergency. About 150,000 dogs and cats are bitten …
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