I had a Cold Last Week & Now my Dog is Coughing. Is it Possible I Gave it to Her?
We used to say viruses were species specific - meaning they only attack one species, like humans, or dogs. But, in the last few years, we've learned more. A few years ago, when avian flu was a big concern, we found the flu in birds, humans, pigs, dogs, and cats. So,...
All Dogs are Athletes – Athletes Need Special Treatment for Best Performance
That statement seems obvious. But really? Does the toy poodle who is carried on his mother’s arm perform the same athletic feats as the Australian Cattle Dog who herds sheep? Certainly the poodle isn’t chasing from side to side nipping at the rear legs of his prey,...
All Cats are Gymnasts
Anyone who has truly watched their cat move can relate to this statement. Cats leap, they pounce, they fly through the air and grab curtains like a gymnastic ring. Most cats are very smart and stretch before they begin their gymnastic work out. (The canine athlete is...
I Just Adopted a Puppy from the Local Shelter & it has Kennel Cough even though it was Vaccinated. Can you Explain how this Happened?
First of all, good for you for adopting from a shelter! You are helping the pet overpopulation issue in this country. What exactly is Kennel Cough? To understand what’s going on with how the vaccine works, let’s look at what the kennel cough illness is. In the kennel...
I Heard Something Crazy that a Tick Bite Could Lead to an Allergy to Beef. Is this True?
Indeed it is true! Recently, researchers have found that a protein in the saliva of the Lone Star tick can cause an allergic reaction in its victims. The protein in the tick's saliva is so similar to a protein in beef, that the tick bite victim develops an allergy to...
Can you Really Train a Cat?????
This is a great question because the counter question is whether or not the cats actually train us. As kittens, you can train cats how to use a litter box by priming the box and helping them to dig in it after they use the bathroom. You can train cats about what time...
Just in Time: How Kosh Got His Appetite Back
Kosh is a beautiful, sweet, two-year-old orange tabby. His mom brought him because he had stopped eating over the weekend. Nothing else seemed to be wrong except he wasn't eating and maybe he wasn't quite as active as normal. Because cats who don't eat can contract...
How Long Should I Feed Puppy Food?
The idea with puppy food is that it provides the added nutrition a growing dog needs. Therefore, your puppy should eat puppy food until she is no longer growing, which is going to depend on the breed. Little dogs, like the Maltese, do not grow anywhere near as long as...
Why Does it Seem Like my Whole House is Itchy in August?
Dogs, cats, and even humans can all suffer from hay fever allergies. The end of July and most of the month of August seem to be prime times for this sort of allergy for many, regardless of where you live. If you live in the country, you see all the farmland which is...
I’ve Been Hearing a Lot of Stories & Seeing Things on the Internet About Trifexis. Is Trifexis Safe for my Dog?
Anybody can have a reaction to any medication. The way I look at it, if your dog never has a problem with Trifexis, then it may be fine. However, if your dog has the least change in behavior, anything out of the ordinary, anything at all, then I would discontinue...