Pet Care Articles
March 25th, 2024
Beth Stultz-Hairston | Pet Sitters International
While some apps and sites offer on-demand pet sits and dog walks, there are many advantages to taking the time to seek out—and book—the services of a local professional pet-sitting business:
1) You avoid the “middleman.” When you use your local professional pet-sitting business, you can contact the pet-sitting business owner directly and book your services through them. You also handle payment directly through the business (versus a third-party site), so this gives you more flexibility in payment options, depending upon the pet sitter’s policies. Many independently owned pet-sitting and dog-walking businesses use pet-sitting software and/or payment-processing systems that allow for the same online booking and payment options as the national apps.
2) Your pet-care provider will have insurance customized to their specific ... Read more...
While some apps and sites offer on-demand pet sits and dog walks, there are many advantages to taking the time to seek out—and book—the services of a local professional pet-sitting business:
1) You avoid the “middleman.” When you use your local professional pet-sitting business, you can contact the pet-sitting business owner directly and book your services through them. You also handle payment directly through the business (versus a third-party site), so this gives you more flexibility in payment options, depending upon the pet sitter’s policies. Many independently owned pet-sitting and dog-walking businesses use pet-sitting software and/or payment-processing systems that allow for the same online booking and payment options as the national apps.
2) Your pet-care provider will have insurance customized to their specific ... Read more...
December 12th, 2023
By Brittany Kleszynski, DVM
Whether you are a first-time cat parent or have years of experience, you want what’s best for your furry feline. To help keep your cat healthy and happy, avoid these five common mistakes.
1: Skipping Annual Vet Exams
Annual wellness exams are critical to promote your cat’s optimal health and well-being. During these exams, your veterinarian:
Does a full head-to-toe assessment of your cat
Discusses any concerns or questions you may have
Runs bloodwork to check for signs of infection, inflammation, and underlying disease
Ensures your cat is up to date on vaccines, intestinal parasite screening and deworming, and external parasite protection
Depending on your cat’s age, they may be more likely to experience certain health conditions. For example, ... Read more...
Whether you are a first-time cat parent or have years of experience, you want what’s best for your furry feline. To help keep your cat healthy and happy, avoid these five common mistakes.
1: Skipping Annual Vet Exams
Annual wellness exams are critical to promote your cat’s optimal health and well-being. During these exams, your veterinarian:
Does a full head-to-toe assessment of your cat
Discusses any concerns or questions you may have
Runs bloodwork to check for signs of infection, inflammation, and underlying disease
Ensures your cat is up to date on vaccines, intestinal parasite screening and deworming, and external parasite protection
Depending on your cat’s age, they may be more likely to experience certain health conditions. For example, ... Read more...
July 8th, 2023
By Jennifer Coates, DVM
Feeding a nutritious diet is one of the most important things you can do to keep pets healthy and happy. That said, high-quality dog and cat foods are expensive. Knowing how to store pet foods properly can help you reduce waste, prevent food-borne illness, and save you money.
Check Expiration Dates
Most types of unopened wet or dry pet food remain fresh for quite a long time. Check the label of your dog or cat food. You should be able to find a best-by or best-before date printed there. While pet foods certainly don’t go bad the day after this date, you also don’t want to buy so much food at one time that you’re still reaching into the same bag months after these dates have passed. Aim to buy a new bag of food at least every four to six weeks.
Never feed your dog or cat foods that appear spoiled or contaminated. Throw out bulging cans or any food that looks or smells “off.” The ... Read more...
Feeding a nutritious diet is one of the most important things you can do to keep pets healthy and happy. That said, high-quality dog and cat foods are expensive. Knowing how to store pet foods properly can help you reduce waste, prevent food-borne illness, and save you money.
Check Expiration Dates
Most types of unopened wet or dry pet food remain fresh for quite a long time. Check the label of your dog or cat food. You should be able to find a best-by or best-before date printed there. While pet foods certainly don’t go bad the day after this date, you also don’t want to buy so much food at one time that you’re still reaching into the same bag months after these dates have passed. Aim to buy a new bag of food at least every four to six weeks.
Never feed your dog or cat foods that appear spoiled or contaminated. Throw out bulging cans or any food that looks or smells “off.” The ... Read more...
May 30th, 2023
By Animal Wellness
While cancer is increasingly common in dogs and cats, it’s not all bad news. There are plenty of things you can do to minimize the chances of your four-legged friend developing the disease. Read on for Morris Animal Foundation’s top 12 ways to help prevent cancer in your dog or cat.
1. Avoid second-hand smoke
Does your dog or cat live in a household with smokers? Evidence suggests that cancer risk is increased in animals exposed to environmental tobacco. Keep your home a smoke-free zone.
2. Monitor his weight
Research suggests that obesity is a risk factor for cancer. Feeding a poor quality or imbalanced diet may also be linked to an increased cancer risk.
3. Become an expert on your animal’s breed(s)
Did you know that certain breeds of dogs and cats are prone to different diseases, ... Read more...
While cancer is increasingly common in dogs and cats, it’s not all bad news. There are plenty of things you can do to minimize the chances of your four-legged friend developing the disease. Read on for Morris Animal Foundation’s top 12 ways to help prevent cancer in your dog or cat.
1. Avoid second-hand smoke
Does your dog or cat live in a household with smokers? Evidence suggests that cancer risk is increased in animals exposed to environmental tobacco. Keep your home a smoke-free zone.
2. Monitor his weight
Research suggests that obesity is a risk factor for cancer. Feeding a poor quality or imbalanced diet may also be linked to an increased cancer risk.
3. Become an expert on your animal’s breed(s)
Did you know that certain breeds of dogs and cats are prone to different diseases, ... Read more...
April 6th, 2023
By Jennifer Grota, DVM
Cats can be excellent hunters and predators, but not everyone realizes cats can also be considered prey by some larger animals. To protect themselves, cats have developed the ability to hide injury or illness exceedingly well. They do it so well that you may never know anything is wrong until they are in a lot of pain.
If you know what sign to look for, however, you might be able to know earlier when something is wrong.
Symptoms of a Sick Cat
Pet parents will usually notice that their cat is “acting weird,” which could refer to a lot of different type of changes in behavior or habits. Here are some of the ways your cat might be telling you they’re not feeling so well.
Suddenly Eating More, Eating Less, or Not Eating
One of the first signs you might see in a sick cat is a change in appetite.
An increase in appetite can be caused by ... Read more...
Cats can be excellent hunters and predators, but not everyone realizes cats can also be considered prey by some larger animals. To protect themselves, cats have developed the ability to hide injury or illness exceedingly well. They do it so well that you may never know anything is wrong until they are in a lot of pain.
If you know what sign to look for, however, you might be able to know earlier when something is wrong.
Symptoms of a Sick Cat
Pet parents will usually notice that their cat is “acting weird,” which could refer to a lot of different type of changes in behavior or habits. Here are some of the ways your cat might be telling you they’re not feeling so well.
Suddenly Eating More, Eating Less, or Not Eating
One of the first signs you might see in a sick cat is a change in appetite.
An increase in appetite can be caused by ... Read more...
January 15th, 2023
It’s an immense privilege to have loved my Lab mix, Rio, for over 12 years. My husband and I adopted him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old, and we’ve enjoyed each life stage – curious puppy, athletic adult, and now, sweet senior.
But it’s concerning to watch the dog who once bounded up hiking trails with the surefootedness of a mountain goat sometimes strain to rise from his bed – or lie down on a walk due to arthritis in his hips. We want to do all we can to help Rio enjoy his golden years.
Fortunately, there are many ways to help senior dogs with mobility issues – both at veterinary practices and at home, according to Andrea Y. Tu, DVM, a Fear Free certified veterinarian who is medical director of Behavior Vets of New York and a resident of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
“The approach really involves multimodal pain management,” she says.
The ... Read more...
November 12th, 2022
From PetMD...
Perhaps at some point, your veterinarian has recommended Benadryl for one of your pets. Or maybe you have heard of someone using it for their cat, and you’re wondering if you can safely give it to your kitty to make her a little sleepy before her next vet trip.
Benadryl is a name-brand medication whose primary active ingredient is diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. Although it is not specifically labeled for use in pets, it is commonly recommended and used by veterinarians “off label.”
Here’s what you need to know about giving cats Benadryl.
Can You Give a Cat Benadryl?
For a healthy young cat, diphenhydramine is considered safe to use but should only be given under the direction of your veterinarian. It should not be administered without specific diagnostic and dosing advice.
Cats that should not be given diphenhydramine include:
Kittens less ... Read more...
Perhaps at some point, your veterinarian has recommended Benadryl for one of your pets. Or maybe you have heard of someone using it for their cat, and you’re wondering if you can safely give it to your kitty to make her a little sleepy before her next vet trip.
Benadryl is a name-brand medication whose primary active ingredient is diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. Although it is not specifically labeled for use in pets, it is commonly recommended and used by veterinarians “off label.”
Here’s what you need to know about giving cats Benadryl.
Can You Give a Cat Benadryl?
For a healthy young cat, diphenhydramine is considered safe to use but should only be given under the direction of your veterinarian. It should not be administered without specific diagnostic and dosing advice.
Cats that should not be given diphenhydramine include:
Kittens less ... Read more...