27
Jul 2014
Senior Dogs: Common Behavior Changes Puppies have their behavior problems and older dogs have theirs. For older dogs, in many cases it is not that they do not understand the ‘rules,’ but that they may, for many reasons, be unable to follow them. SEPARATION ANXIETY Separation anxiety is one of the most common behavior problems seen in older dogs. A dog who has separation anxiety will become very anxious when he senses his owner is about to leave. When the owner does leave, the dog often becomes destructive, barks or howls,......
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14
Jul 2014
Cats will chew on plants. And, because they love to climb and explore, it is difficult to keep plants out of their reach. Therefore, if you are going to have plants in your house, or if you let your cat out in your yard, you need to be able to accurately identify the plants to which your cat will be exposed. When in doubt, however, it is best to remove the plant from your home. If a plant is poisonous, assume all parts of the plant are poisonous — though some parts......
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16
Jun 2014
LA-based company Pet Center, Inc. is voluntarily recalling their Lamb Crunchy’s dog treats due to Salmonella contamination. The treats were sold in California, Colorado, Washington, and Wisconsin. Colorado health authorities found the contamination during routine sampling of the all-natural treats. No illnesses have been reported. Symptoms of poisoning include lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, (bloody) diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. If you have handled and your pet has ingested these treats, please monitor yourself and your pets’ health closely. The company is encouraging consumers to return the treats to the store of......
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05
Apr 2014
Research comparing the brain function of dogs and humans found that dogs have “voice areas” in their brains located in the same region as humans. And in both species, this part of the brain is adept at understanding the subtleties between our voice tones that express our different emotions. “Dogs and humans share a similar social environment,” Attila Andics of MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Hungary said in a press release. “Our findings suggest that they also use similar brain mechanisms to process social information. This may support the successfulness of vocal......
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01
Feb 2014
Most of us overindulge a little over the festive period and start January with a diet and detox – but what about our pets? A recent survey from Melton’s Town & Country Petfoods, owners of the HiLife brand of high quality pet food, revealed that 60 per cent of respondents plied their animals with special treats. But while it’s tempting to give your pet scraps from the table, you may be doing them more harm than good. Recent findings from the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report show that a massive 18.5 million......
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05
Jan 2014
Hey you, new pooch parent—yeah, you with the cute puppy who can’t stop pulling! Want some tricks to keep Trixie on task? Or perhaps you’re already an old pro but want to make your outdoor excursions more fun for both you and your dog. Follow our insider tips and your pooch will be eager to get going as soon as you pick up the leash! It’s the Leash You Can Do What’s the best type of leash? “Use whatever you feel most comfortable holding,” recommends the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center’s Kristen Collins,......
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16
Dec 2013
By Dr. Becker I’m wearing my Scrooge hat again, I’m afraid. As a general rule, I’m not a fan of giving pets as holiday gifts. This is because in most cases (not all, but most) the act is driven not by thoughtful planning but by impulse. Gifting a family member or friend with a 10- to 20-year commitment to a live animal is not something one should do on impulse. It’s rare for people to plan well in advance to acquire a pet during the holidays. It’s much more common for people......
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05
Dec 2013
Your cat’s best friend may not be another cat. Cats are very territorial creatures and often vehemently defend their turf. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for the addition of a new cat to your household to create some inter-cat strife. Adding a second cat Types of aggressive behaviors Consult with a veterinarian Prevent future fights What to avoid Cat friendship is a feline mystery Adding a second cat Many people adopt a second cat thinking that the resident cat will be happy. This is a risky move. Just because your cat......
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20
Nov 2013
Rupee, a formerly homeless dog rescued from a dump by his current owner Joanne Lefson, is thought to be the first dog in the world to climb Mount Everest. A former stray dog has pulled himself up by the bootstraps and created a better life for himself. A life that includes becoming the first dog ever to climb Mount Everest. Say hello to Rupee, the formerly homeless pup who was found starving in a dump in India. His owner, Joanne Lefson, rescued him and helped nurse him back to health, feeding him......
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13
Nov 2013
For our family, choosing a name was neither simple nor swift. After all, it had taken my daughters a decade of whining and deliberating over breeds that wouldn’t aggravate the allergy-stricken (me), just to get to the point of agreeing to get a Havanese. And because I am the family research queen, I found a way to make the process even more complicated. A little research elicited a lot of information. I found lists of the most common dog names. A Web site with thousands of names, sorted into categories like “cool,”......
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04
Nov 2013
It’s that time of year–the leaves are almost done falling, the time has fallen back an hour, and some parts of the country are looking forward to ice, snow, and freezing cold temperatures. Now’s the time to snuggle up in front of a fireplace with a warm kitty on your lap or a puppy at your feet. But before you settle down to your long winter’s nap, take some time to learn how to keep those animals as warm and comfortable as you are. Cold weather can be hard on pets, just......
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22
Oct 2013
You’ve probably heard of the hormone/neurotransmitter oxytocin. Its role in childbirth (where it often goes by the medicine’s trade name Pitocin) is well known, but researchers continue to uncover new details about how it effects social interactions, particularly with regards to the formation of interpersonal bonds. Most of these studies involve members of the same species. That more or less immediate bond that many mothers feel for their newborn babies is due in large part to oxytocin. The molecule has been shown to improve social memory between mice and face recognition......
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15
Oct 2013
Dog owners know how how much joy our beloved canine companions bring to our lives. They enrich us in small and undramatic ways every day—by making us laugh, keeping us company, and offering us unconditional love. My new National Geographic book, Devoted, focuses on 38 stories about the bond between extraordinary dogs and their humans—five of which are described below. (Related: Can Dogs Feel Our Emotions? Yawn Study Suggests Yes.”) We also want to hear the story of you and your dog. Please share your photos with the National Geographic Your Shot......
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03
Oct 2013
Sarah’s Pet Care is delighted to welcome Vivien as our newest Pet Care Provider! A recent UW graduate in Environmental Science & Resource Management/Wildlife Conservation, Vivien has oodles of professional, volunteer and personal experience with all kinds of critters. And as a former employee at All The Best Pet Care, she brings an impressive knowledge of pet health and nutrition, to boot! Vivien tells us that her career in animal care started at the ripe young age of 12, when she and a friend started “Paws for the Rainforest,” a neighborhood dog......
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29
Sep 2013
The 75th National Dog Week barks off this week running Sept. 19 through Sept. 25. This year’s theme is “Man’s Best Friend”, which is a great description of our relationship with dogs. It is a chance to get back on track and show how much you truly appreciate your dog this week. National Dog Week was founded in 1928 by Captain Will Judy, a former publisher of Dog World Magazine and a dog judge. He created National Dog Week to educate all dog owners in their responsibilities to their pets and to......
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21
Sep 2013
A dog’s bark may be worse than his bite, but most of us would rather not find out one way or the other. Growling, baring teeth, snarling, snapping, and biting are all aggressive behaviors. Although these messages are among the handful of communication tools available to dogs, they’re generally unacceptable to humans. Because aggression is so complex, and because the potential consequences are so serious, we recommend that you get professional in-home help from an animal behavior specialist if your dog is displaying aggressive behavior. Types of aggression Fear-motivated aggression is a......
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13
Sep 2013
A recent online survey conducted by Petplan pet insurance found that more than 78% of respondents vacation with their pets in tow. That’s a lot of traveling Fluffy’s and Fidos! Of course cats can be — to put it lightly — notoriously picky. It’s important if you’ll be traveling with yours to ensure that he’s healthy, safe and happy when coming along on any trips. We spoke with Dr. Rebecca Jackson, a staff veterinarian at Petplan, for some advice on how to have a safe trip with cats in tow. She suggested......
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18
Jul 2013
Every year, dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in a parked car—even for “just a minute”—while they run an errand. Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Beating the heat is......
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