How to Help a Poisoned Pet
Curious pets have a way of getting into things they shouldn’t. Maybe your dog nosed through the garbage can. Or your cat gnawed on a new houseplant. Or a pet pried open the bottle of human medications in your backpack. Dogs and cats are often inadvertently poisoned by ingesting toxins, but like people, they can …
Can Your Kitten’s Food Impact Their Health as an Adult?
Those first few months of a kitten’s life are a critical developmental time. That’s when they sprout baby teeth, change eye color and develop the coordination to climb your drapes. During the primary socialization window, between 3 and 9 weeks of age, kittens learn to grow accustomed to new people, pets and places. Now, research …
Are Small Dogs More Prone to Dental Disease?
Periodontal disease is the most common health condition in dogs. By two years of age, about 80 percent of dogs are estimated to have some form of it, and the risk for periodontal disease continues to grow with age. But evidence also shows that small and toy breed dogs are more likely to experience dental …
Dogs at Work: Canine Blood Donors
You’ve heard of dogs saving lives thought heroic feats of in-the-moment action. But did you know pooches also pre-emptively save other dogs’ lives? It’s true. Canine blood donors often provide life-saving blood to dogs who are injured, seriously ill or in need of surgery. Never heard of pet blood donation? Most people haven’t. About 70 …
Pet Diabetes Month: Monitoring Blood Glucose at Home
When you live with a diabetic pet, controlling blood sugar, or glucose, can be a bit of a balancing act. If the glucose dips too low, your pet may show signs of weakness, confusion, seizures and even loss of consciousness, requiring emergency veterinary care. When it’s too high, pets often drink and urinate more than …
When the Leaves Change Color, Can Your Pets See It?
Autumn plays with all your senses, but none so much as your sense of sight, as deciduous trees burst into shades of brilliant red, vibrant orange and buttery yellow. This vivid array is enough to make you wonder: Does my dog or cat enjoy these colors like I do? For decades, many people believed that …
Pet Stung by a Bee? Here’s What to Do
Bees and wasps, it seems, are often more aggressive in the fall. And who can blame them? They’re busy preparing their hives for winter. Flowers and other food sources are harder to find. And hives are overcrowded. So they’re more likely to lose patience with a curious dog or cat, and slap prying noses with …
Exercise and the Overweight Pet: A Common-Sense Approach
Has your pet ever been fat shamed? Maybe it was a casual dig at the dog park. Or an insensitive remark on social media. It can be easy to underestimate how many extra pounds your pet may be carrying because, frankly, pet obesity has become the new normal. Which is why we’re sure to point …
Getting Ahead of Pet Health for National Animal Safety and Protection Month
You hope your pet never gets sick or needs a trip to the emergency clinic (knock on wood). But did you know you can actually reduce the chances of these things happening to your pet? Preventive pet health care includes simple steps you can take to minimize your pet’s risk of emergencies and disease. Typically, …
World Rabies Day: 10 Things You Need to Know
For dogs and cats, infection with the rabies virus is inevitably fatal. But the good news is, it’s entirely preventable with regular rabies vaccinations. Protecting your pet’s health is an important way to safeguard your family, since infected animals can spread the virus to people, too. As part of World Rabies Day on September 28, …