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Camping is an increasingly popular activity for families and their pets. Many dogs and some cats enjoy traveling with their families. Here are a few tips to help make your pet’s adventure into the great outdoors a success. Research the campground or area that you are planning on visiting. Not all campgrounds accept pets and many wilderness areas have leash

Does your dog like to bark, dig and chew everything in his line of sight? Before you panic and head straight for doggy boot camp, the solution may be simpler than you think. Just as humans do, dogs get bored. Unlike humans, however, dogs have fewer means of passing the time. Instead, bored dogs can develop unhealthy behaviors and stress-related

Is a surgery in your pet’s future? If it is, you probably have a few questions about pre- and post-surgery care. Paying close attention to care recommendations will help you ensure that the surgery is just a minor disruption to your pet’s normal routine. Before Surgery Stop Food Your pet will need to stop eating prior to surgery. If your

Will a Pet Be Joining Your Family in 2021? Are you bringing home a new dog, cat, or other pet soon? Choosing the ideal time to introduce your pet to your family and reviewing care basics will make your pet’s first weeks in your new home more enjoyable. Select the Perfect Time The holiday season can be a hectic time

When examining a blood panel, a veterinarian may report to the owner that a pet has hypercalcemia, which is an elevated level of calcium in the blood. The owner often then wonders if there is too much calcium in the pet’s food or in the vitamins or supplements the pet is taking. Ingesting calcium in food or canine nutritional supplements

The Environmental Protection Agency indicates that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have a negative impact on your health and environment. These chemicals in your home environment may be causing harm to your pet without your knowledge. In the body, PBDEs are found in breast milk, blood and the blood of umbilical cords. These chemical compounds persist in the environment and accumulate

Pet owners keeping reptiles in captivity as household pets may sometimes find that their pets have a nutritional deficiency. Metabolic bone disease is “the most common nutritional deficiency affecting captive reptiles,” advises veterinarian Fredrick L. Frye in Reptile Care: An Atlas of Diseases and Treatments. Dr. Frye suggests that the disease is a result of dietary intake creating an excessive amount

A tumor (also known as neoplasm) is an abnormal growth of cells; this growth may be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors do not spread throughout the body and often have a limited impact on a pet’s overall health. Malignant tumors can develop in one location, such as a hormone-producing gland, and then spread to other body parts. Treatment and

Canine hip dysplasia is the abnormal formation of the hip joint and one of the leading causes of rear leg lameness in dogs. Hip dysplasia is most prevalent in larger breed dogs, especially German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Saint Bernards and Rottweilers. On the other hand, hip dysplasia is uncommon in the Doberman, Great Dane, and Greyhound. The condition can

Puppies are happy and full of energy, running, wrestling, and playing so much that we often wish we had that much energy! But when that puppy is not happy, when it is lethargic and limping, then a visit to the veterinarian is in order. There are several orthopedic diseases that affect young dogs. Osteochondrosis (OCD) is one of the more