Cats demonstrate their devotion to their humans in a number of important and obvious ways, if you know what to look for. There is even some reason to think that we misunderstand cats when they are asking for attention and mistake this for a desire to be fed. Here are… read more →
Pudgy Pups and Fat Cats may elicit chuckles for their waddling ways, but a new study released by a national pet insurer reveals that obesity in four-legged family members is no laughing matter. Injuries that have been linked to obesity, such as cruciate ligament tears, remain near the top of… read more →
In veterinary practice, as in life, there are certain subjects that tend to make people squirm. Telling clients that their pet is overweight is one of these. When it comes time to talk tough about obesity and pets, the biggest hurdle is usually pet owner denial. It is important for… read more →
When we hear about forest fires in the western US, hurricanes inundating our coasts, earthquakes leveling cities around the world, I realize how lucky we are to live in western Pennsylvania. But even here, we occasionally have to deal with fires, floods, tornados, derailed train tank cars, and many other… read more →
Cute Cat of the Week PET DIETS: WHAT DOES SCIENCE TELL US? Last week I discussed the many facets of feeding the increasingly popular grain-free pet foods. Two other trends that also deserve scrutiny are feeding pets an all meat diet and feeding raw diets. In the wild, wolves and… read more →
Focus On Maintaining Healthy Body Weight. The current trend of feeding pets grain-free diets is inspired by the meals eaten by wild relatives of our fidos and felixes and is driven by intense marketing and television advertising campaigns. But are these diets really better for our pets? Veterinarians and pet… read more →
The Internet can be a confusing and even dangerous place for owners of pets with major diseases. The sheer amount of virtual information available immediately at one’s fingertips is astonishing; bordering on overwhelming! As an example, a quick search of the phrase “canine cancer” in a popular search engine returns… read more →
Sight is a very important sense to your pet dog, cat, or rabbit. I want to provide a broad overview of what is normal appearance and anatomy, then discuss the most common ocular diseases, and to finally make you aware of some ocular emergencies. Like humans, our pet’s eyes have… read more →
The past two weeks have dealt with approaching dogs and recognizing when they are fearful. We also need to learn to read cat’s expressions, posture, and as much as possible, their minds to be able to safely approach indoor cats you don’t know. We recommend using caution approaching feral cats,… read more →
In Last week’s newsletter we discussed how to greet a dog, but only if he doesn’t appear anxious or fearful. Here are some commonly seen signs that a dog may be fearful to alert you to change your approach for your safety. Some of them are unexpected and surprising!! To… read more →