Pet Care Articles
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...
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...
by Chris Melore
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Pet owners probably wonder what’s going on inside their dog’s mind all the time. Well, a new study is helping to answer that question, revealing how man’s best friend perceives and imagines their favorite toys.
A team with the Family Dog Project at Eötvös Loránd University has discovered that dogs have a “multi-modal mental image” of the objects they’re most familiar with at home. It means dogs can imagine their favorite balls, bones, and squeak toys’ different sensory features. Basically, a dog’s brain can remember the way that toy looks and even smells before their owner brings it into the room.
Researchers assume that the senses dogs use in multi-modal mental image also reflect the way a canine’s mind represents these objects in their brain.
“If we can understand which ... Read more...
Watch the video here ---> https://tucson.com/lifestyles/pets/survey-60-judge-people-based-on-what-they-name-their-pets/video_a098afe8-1d4a-5a08-8e97-5bc922d2e307.html
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By Professor Kerryn Phelps
For many people, the decision to get a pet is a natural one, because they grew up with pets and a home feels incomplete without one. Some people are looking for company as an antidote to sadness or loneliness, or because they seek unconditional loyalty or motivation to get up in the morning. Some parents want their children to learn the responsibility of caring for a pet.When I was growing up we always had a dog in our home. Interestingly, I never felt like any of them was “my” dog, and didn’t feel a particularly strong connection.
Pets lower the levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone”, and provide relief of depression, anxiety and social isolation.
Pets lower the levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone”, and provide relief of depression, anxiety and social isolation. Credit:iStock
Then one ... Read more...
Oh, one more thing. We still have some availability for the New Year holiday for those of you planning last minute trips this month. Just give us a call... 702-558-6115.
Michael Nazarek
Paw Minders Plus Pet Sitters
Henderson, NV
You know your cats' cute habits, their distinct personalities and their likes and dislikes for food, play and affection.
But could you say whether your cats are right-pawed or left-pawed? That is, have you noticed which paw they use first to step over a raised object or to step down the stairs?
According to a new study published in the January issue of Animal Behaviour, cats show a version of handedness, the lateral bias that means 90 percent of us humans prefer using our right hand for tasks.
In the case of cats, or at least of the 44 cats in the study — which was conducted by Louise J. McDowell, Deborah L. Wells and Peter G. Hepper of the Animal Behaviour Centre in the psychology department at Queen's University in Belfast — there's individual preference for using one paw over the other. Unlike in humans, though, there's no overall population preference akin to our species' strong ... Read more...