As pets have become more important to their owners, what the pets are fed has become more important as well. Most pet owners are concerned about the quality and nutrition level of the food they are feeding their furry family members. There are now hundreds of pet foods available to the consumer. How
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Nutrition Terms
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
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Reading Pet Food Labels
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
When you visit the grocery or pet store, you can find hundreds, if not thousands, of kinds of dog and cat foods. The advertisements and marketing materials for each claims their food is the best. How can you decide what food to feed to your pet? Dedicated pet owners will attempt to read labels to help
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When Your Pet's Food Is Recalled
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
According to government regulatory agencies, there are three types of pet food recalls that can be issued. Recalls can be conducted by a company or brand, by request from the regulatory agencies, or by order from the government agency. When your pet's food has been recalled, you'll want to contact your
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What is in Your Pets' Food?
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Every day we are besieged with pet food advertisements, in magazines, newspapers and on television. Tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars are spent per year trying to convince us that their pet food is the best. Who to believe? What is really in pet food? Is the pet food label helpful? A Chapman
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Why Your Guinea Pig Needs Vitamin C But Your Dog Doesn't
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
We all need to eat a complete and balanced diet. We feed our dogs and cats food developed by companies that study their nutritional needs, but if you study the list of ingredients, Vitamin C is not listed. When we prepare our own meals, we have to make sure we consume a source of Vitamin C such as orange
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Pet Food Allergies? The Rules for a Pet Food Trial Have Changed
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Food allergies are common in dogs and cats. It usually manifests as itchy skin, chronic vomiting, or diarrhea. If you suspect that your pet may have a food allergy, you will need to investigate by performing a food trial. There are no intradermal skin tests or blood tests that are valid for determining
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Obesity in Dogs
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Obesity is on the rise, and not just for humans. Dogs are increasingly overweight and even obese. In the United States, an estimated 43 million dogs are overweight or obese - that’s over half of all dogs! And it is not just dogs in the United States that need to lose a few pounds - canine obesity is
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Foods to Avoid for Pets on Low Sodium Diets
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Pets afflicted with heart failure or high blood pressure should not be fed salty foods, as they cause fluid to be retained in the body and make it harder for the heart to work. They also can lead to fluid developing in the lungs (pulmonary edema). Most commercial dog foods have a decent level of sodium,
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Food Allergies
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Food allergies occasionally occur in dogs and cats. They usually manifest themselves as itchy skin, ear infections, chronic vomiting, or diarrhea. If you suspect that your pet may have a food allergy, you can investigate by performing a food trial. There are three rules for a food trial: 1. Pick a new
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Fitting Fiber into Fido's Food Bowl
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Fiber is important because it helps dogs feel full, supports natural, healthy digestion and aids in moving material through their digestive tract. Is there fiber in your pet's food bowl with each meal? Does your pet need fiber, or more fiber? Grains like wheat, barley, corn and rice contribute small
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New Uses for Animal DNA
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Unbelievable Pets
Advances in science have enabled the decoding of several animals' DNA. Knowing the genome of a species has enabled medical professionals to detect some diseases that have a genetic basis. But it also has other uses, even in the criminal justice system. The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory Forensic Unit
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White House Pets
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Unbelievable Pets
A surprising issue that has arisen in the American political arena is not foreign policy, but rather which breed of dog the Obama's chose to join their family in the White House. Barack Obama has announced that his family narrowed their breed choices to a Labradoodle, a mix between a Labrador retriever
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The Incredible Sense of Smell in the Dog
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Unbelievable Pets
There are many ways in which people and dogs are similar, but an area in which dogs are much superior is in their olfactory ability, or their sense of smell. Dogs can smell 100,000 times better than humans. In tests, dogs have been able to detect a chemical in a solution diluted to 1 to 2 parts per trillion.
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Rescue Dogs
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Unbelievable Pets
Among the many heroes in the days and weeks following September 11 were search and rescue dogs. These dogs and their handlers were brought in from all over the country to help at the New York and Washington, D.C. disaster sites. Many people are not aware that the handlers of these dogs are not always
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Protect Your Pets with These Water Safety Tips
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
There's nothing better than cooling off in a pool, lake or the ocean on a hot day, particularly if you wear a fur coat year-round. Unfortunately, our pets aren't aware of the dangers that water can pose. A few precautions can help you ensure that your pet enjoys the water safely this summer. Can Your
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Cooking for Your Pets
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Read the back of a pet food bag and you will see a long lists of ingredients that features a variety of preservatives and fillers. While these ingredients may keep the food fresh, they are not always good for your pet. Luckily, you will find plenty of dog and cat food recipes on the Internet that will
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What is a Raw Diet?
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Raw diets offer an alternative to commercially prepared pet food and can be a good choice for some pets. Serving raw foods offer a variety of benefits, although the diet isn't appropriate for every cat or dog. Why Offer Raw Food? Commercially available pet food often contains preservatives or chemicals
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Is Your Pet Overweight?
Category: Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Packing on the pounds is just as dangerous for your pet as it is for you. Being overweight or obese can lead to many of the same health problems whether you are a human, dog or cat. Luckily, with your help, your furry friend can easily lose that excess weight and enjoy a healthier, happier life with your help.
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What is Mange?
Category: Newsletter Library, Recognizing Illness
Has your pet suddenly started losing hair? Mange may be to blame. The common skin condition affects dogs, cats and rabbits, causing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms. Tiny Mites Cause Big Problems Mange is caused by a mite infestation. The microscopic parasites either burrow under your pet's skin
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Tortoises
Category: Choosing Your Pet, Exotics, Reptiles, Turtles
Tortoises can make an interesting pet, although they can present a challenge, due to their size and dietary habits. Their diets vary based on species, but all need quite a variety of foods, with careful attention paid to the amount of roughage as well as calcium/phosphorus balance. Some species have
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Animal Shelter
Category: Choosing Your Pet, Finding Your Pet
Animal shelters, or what used to be known as pounds, are either governmental or private organizations that provide temporary homes for stray, surrendered, or abandoned pet animals. They most often house dogs and cats. The animal is kept at the shelter until it is reclaimed by the owner, adopted to a
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Breeder
Category: Choosing Your Pet, Finding Your Pet
Buying from a reputable breeder gives you the opportunity to interact with the pets family, siblings, dam, also possibly the sire. You can, therefore, form a general impression of what the future holds for the pet you take home. A responsible breeder is a good source for a well-bred, healthy pet. The
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Pet Therapy
Category: Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Are you dealing with extreme levels of emotional stress, exhaustion or depression? If so, pet therapy might be right for you. Companionship is only one of the many benefits pet therapy provides. Keep reading to find out what pet therapy involves, which conditions it can help treat and why you might benefit
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Get Down With Your Dog
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
Each year fifteen million Americans engage in the practice of yoga. Many of the same Americans own some of the over seventy-three million dogs owned in the United States. If you put yoga and dogs together, you get doga (pronounced DOH-gah). Doga is sweeping the nation including large American cities
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Having a Positive Experience at the Dog Park
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
Dog parks: they are great for socialization, exercise, and mental stimulation for many dogs. But certain dogs may feel threatened or anxious. Whether you and your dog have a good dog park experience or a bad one depends largely on your understanding of your dog, advanced preparation, proper training,
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The Pet Economy
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
If there's still any doubt whether the pampering of pets is getting out of hand, the debate should be settled once and for all by Neuticles, a patented testicular implant that sells for up to $919 a pair. The idea, says inventor Gregg A. Miller, is to "let people restore their pets to anatomical preciseness"
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Traveling with Your Pet
Category: Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
Traveling with your pet can be rewarding but challenging if not enough preparation has been made. Planning will help your trip go smoother and should include acquiring any paperwork that is needed, consideration of the temperatures to be experienced and how to deal with them, and obtaining equipment
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Flea Preventative Medications: Oral vs. Topical
Category: Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
Fleas are not only a source of irritation and frustration, but they also pose a serious health threat to animals. These tiny external parasites can carry a variety of diseases, including bubonic plague, and severe infestations may cause deadly levels of blood loss in very small or young pets, according
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Fleas, the Frustrating Pest
Category: Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
Consider the following scenario: You arrive home from a long flight from a wonderful, two-week vacation. As you drive home, you remind yourself the boarding kennel is already closed and you have to wait until tomorrow to pick up your dog, Max. You finally walk in the front door, happy to be home. As
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Giardia: A Parasite of Many Species
Category: Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
If you have a friend who camps or fishes, you may have heard that they had been infected with Giardia. Or your veterinarian may have told you that your cat or dog had Giardia. In either case, you probably wondered, can I catch it as well? Giardia is a protozoan parasite (one-celled organism) that can
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Vetopedia
Category: Today's Veterinarian
Vetopedia is a glossary of terms used by vets in treating animals. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z AAFCO Association of American Feed Control Officials; an organization which sets standards for pet food ingredients and minimum daily requirements. Abdomen A region of the body between
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Hip Dysplasia
Category: Pet Health, Orthopedics
Hip dysplasia is a congenital disease that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It can be found in many animals and, rarely, humans, but is common in many dog breeds, particularly
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Diabetes Mellitus
Category: Pet Health, Chronic Conditions
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a life long disorder of dogs and cats that results when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin to meet the animal's needs. Insulin is a hormone needed to transport glucose (blood sugar) into the body's cells. When there is a lack of insulin in the body, blood glucose rises
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Veterinary Acupuncture
Category: Video Newsroom, Technology and Science
The use of acupuncture is growing in popularity among veterinarians and the practitioners say they are impressed with the results. Only a few decades ago, the use of acupuncture in veterinary medicine was virtually unheard of. In recent years, the use of acupuncture in veterinary medicine has been steadily
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The Cutting Edge... Laser Surgery for Pets!
Category: Video Newsroom, Technology and Science
It's doubtful that anyone would picture their family veterinarian swinging a light saber on the bridge of some galactic cruiser, but he or she may just have a similar technology available to help keep your pets comfortable during surgery. For more than 30 years, human doctors have used various
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