Are Topical Flea Treatments Safe?
Fleas are a problem for every pet owner. They can live on pets, carpets, and even furniture. Topical flea treatments work well, but are they safe?
Kitten Care
Is it necessary to purchase pet insurance for cats and kittens? What types of policies are available? What should you look for when purchasing a pet insurance policy for your cat or kitten?
Protecting Your Pet from Summer Heat
It might be if you don’t know what to watch out for. Many things found commonly around our homes are deadly to animals. Did you know that grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs? That garlic and onions are toxic to cats? It’s true. Items as simple as chocolate, coffee grounds, and even apple seeds can be fatal if ingested by your pet. In this article, we discuss how to prevent pet poisoning, and what to do if you suspect you pet had been poisoned.
Heartworm Disease in Dogs and Cats
Fido or Fluffy may be lethargic. Or hyperactive. Eating less and gaining weight, or eating more and losing weight. Feeling cold. Feeling hot. The thyroid gland, which sits against the windpipe, could be responsible. Dogs aged two and up are at risk for developing hypothyroidism, a condition resulting from not enough thyroid hormone. Middle-aged and older cats may develop hyperthyroidism, which happens when too much thyroid hormone is produced.
When You’re Allergic to Animals
Fluffy and Fido are scratching, shaking, and rubbing their heads and ears. It looks like ear mites…or ear infections. Both are common with cats and dogs, but how can you tell the difference, and what can you do about the problem?
How to Choose a Veterinarian
Anyone who has had a pet die from a preventable disease can tell you about the benefits of vaccinating your dog or cat. Unfortunately, vaccinating your pet can sometimes be harmful. Vaccines can cause side effects, such as a lump at the injection site, reduced appetite, fever, vomiting, or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Some cats develop cancerous tumors at the sites of rabies or feline leukemia vaccinations. Do you vaccinate your dog or cat for rabies. Distemper. Feline leukemia. If you do, how often? If you don’t, why not? The answers to these questions are less clear-cut than they were a decade ago.
Should You Have Your Dog Neutered?
Dog neutering is a routine veterinary operation, but the decision is not always routine. Some people are concerned that having their dog neutered reduces his quality of life. In reality,...
Dealing With Your Aging Cat or Dog
As cats and dogs get older, they're prone to many of the same ailments that people may experience with aging. Unfortunately, instead of helping their companions grow old gracefully, some...
Homeopathy for Animals
Anyone who has had a pet die from a preventable disease can tell you about the benefits of vaccinating your dog or cat. Unfortunately, vaccinating your pet can sometimes be harmful. Vaccines can cause side effects, such as a lump at the injection site, reduced appetite, fever, vomiting, or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Some cats develop cancerous tumors at the sites of rabies or feline leukemia vaccinations. Do you vaccinate your dog or cat for rabies. Distemper. Feline leukemia. If you do, how often? If you don’t, why not? The answers to these questions are less clear-cut than they were a decade ago.
To Declaw or Not Declaw Your Cat
Does declawing harm cats? Is it really worse than spaying or neutering? Are there other successful methods to prevent cats from clawing furniture? Yes, yes, and yes. (more…)