Category Archives: Health care

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?

Heartworm Disease in Dogs and Cats

Heartworms

Fido is eating less, he’s tired all the time, and he doesn’t have enough energy for exercise. He’s been having difficulty breathing. You hear abnormal sounds from his lungs, and he has a deep, soft cough. He may be losing weight and vomiting. Fluffy may also be having these problems — or you may see […]

Protecting Your Pet from Summer Heat

person touching golden retriever

He’s panting excessively. He’s restless and agitated, or maybe lethargic. He salivates, vomits, staggers, and loses coordination. If you’re there to see it, you may observe that his eyes are glazed, and his gums and tongue are reddish or purple. In just a short time, he may lose consciousness.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are preventable when you know how to take care of animals in hot weather. If you see these symptoms, you need to act fast to save the animal’s life.

Dogs and Skunks

Skunk

You and your dog are out on your daily walk, or perhaps your dog is in your back yard. Suddenly, he dashes toward the bushes or the garbage cans, and just as suddenly, he yelps. You almost yelp too when you realize that your dog has been sprayed by a skulking skunk.

Now what?

Hip Dysplasia in Dogs: Prevention and Treatment

dog getting reha

Fido has been having difficulty standing up after lying down, and he hesitates to climb stairs. He limps or walks with a swaying motion, and he has developed an awkward, hopping gait when running. After your veterinarian examines your dog and does X-rays, you get the diagnosis: canine hip dysplasia.

Cat and Dog Ear problems: Ear Mites and Infections

Cat with ear mites

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?

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 […]

Kitten Care

Kitten Nursing

She runs. She chases. She leaps. She pounces. When her little body has had enough, she suddenly sleeps. After all, this new member of your household is just a baby. Taking care of a new kitten is a small challenge and a great joy. Kittens have rapidly changing bodies and inquisitive minds, and they’re learning […]

How to care for senior cats

Their gait slows down. Their weight goes down, or up. They can’t take care of themselves as well, and chances are that they’ll develop at least one health condition that senior cats are prone to. Senior cats require more care from us than they did when they were younger. We can do a lot to […]