When You’re Allergic to Animals

Itchy, puffy, watery, red eyes. A stuffy or runny nose. Sneezing. A scratchy or sore throat. Itchy skin. Hives. Shortness of breath. Allergic reactions to family pets can develop in childhood or in adulthood, even after years of living with animals. Finding another home for pets is often not an acceptable option. In a 1997 […]

Thyroid Problems in Dogs and Cats

cat at the vet

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 […]

When Your Cat Won’t Use the Litter Box

cat litter box

It happens on your linoleum floor. Or worse, on your carpet. Your cat has done her litter-box business somewhere other than in the litter box.Why? And what can you do?

When Your Cat Scratches the Furniture

cat scratches furiture

Your prized furniture has become a collection of cat scratching posts. While Fluffy can’t stop herself from scratching, you can’t accept the destruction of your furniture. Can scratch-free furniture and cats co-exist? To prevent your cat from scratching furniture, you need to convince her that scratching furniture isn’t pleasurable, and that the alternatives you provide […]

5 Steps to Crate Training Your Dog

Dog In crate

Bringing a new pet home can be both exciting and scary. Whether your dog was bought as a puppy or adopted as an adult, crate training helps to establish important routines, provide discipline, aids in house-breaking, and prevents inappropriate urination and other problems that can lead to difficult and hard to remove pet odors.  Crate […]

Adopting an Adult Cat or Dog

Senior Dog

Why adopt an adult cat or dog?First, they’re kittens and puppies. They wiggle and totter and fall in love with us as we fall for them. Kittens and puppies remind us what it’s like to start on life’s great adventures, but they require a lot more work than adult cats and dogs do. They make […]