Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 5 minutes My first dog was thrilled to go anywhere and meet anyone. Crowds, children, traffic: she was calm in the face of it all. So I could not understand what was wrong with other dogs or, more to the point, their owners. You know the ones I mean: their dogs jumped and barked and were out […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the lesser known and hidden dangers of hurricanes and tropical storms is a waterborne bacterial infection called leptospirosis, which can be deadly to humans, dogs, and other animals. It’s likely that following Hurricane Dorian, the incidence of leptospirosis will increase in the Bahamas. It’s not the only place at risk. Rising ocean temperatures […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes My husband and I adopted our Lab mix, Rio, from an underfunded shelter in New Mexico in 2010. It was our first time visiting the facility, and the housing conditions depressed us: a few litters of puppies were crammed into chain-link cages, and adult dogs were kept alone in each small enclosure. It didn’t seem […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you have a dog or cat who is fearful, anxious, or stressed during veterinary visits, the veterinary team may have recommended that you give your pet a PVP, or pre-visit pharmaceutical. These are medications that may be used in addition to training or behavior or environmental modifications to treat fear, anxiety, or stress associated […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes I grew up on a farm in Iowa, so preparing for spring severe weather and tornadoes was normal. We had dogs, barn cats, horses, and other livestock to keep safe, so we had to have a plan. Everyone in the family knew what to do even before the weather radio siren went off. Our animals […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes When you got your dog, you had visions of the two of you walking together, in perfect harmony. You may have picked out a sporty collar and matching leash as the perfect ensemble to make your dream a reality. It can be a bitter disappointment when your dog has other ideas. Dogs aren’t born knowing […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Itch can erode the bond between you and your dog. Itchy dogs are often up at night scratching and preventing others in the house from sleeping, or are banished to separate rooms of the house because their skin smells bad. This can make you desperate to try anything for relief from the itch and skin […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes My childhood cat, Pretzel Popcorn Reeder, once disappeared after a massive earthquake shook Southern California. Happily, a few days later, she reappeared in our backyard. Because of that experience with Pretzel, I always microchip my pets for “just in case” scenarios. As you probably know, a microchip is a tiny device – about the size […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes The outward sign of a dog’s senior status is often the gray muzzle. But aging is also occurring within your dog’s body, including the brain. Fortunately, experts confirm what we have always hoped: You can teach an old dog new tricks and the payoff may result in a healthy brain up for new challenges. “Yes, […]
Reading Time: 5 minutes You are not alone if your dog is itchy with skin or ear problems. Itch is the number one reason pet owners seek help from a veterinarian.1 In fact, 7.5 million dogs were treated by veterinarians last year for skin and ear problems.2 We know skin disease can decrease quality of life for a pet […]