8 Simple, Cost-Efficient Ways to Keep Your Dog Mentally Stimulated

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Article by Samantha Drake | Found on PetMD

Is Your Dog Bored?

Whether the kids have gone back to school, the adults are away all day at work, or the daily routine of walks and play-time have just lost their appeal, finding new ways to occupy your dog is essential. Dogs need both physical and mental stimulation to help keep them healthy and happy. And it’s no secret that bored dogs tend to get themselves into trouble.

“My philosophy is a tired dog is a good dog,” says Caren Malgesini, a vet assistant at PAWS, an animal rescue organization in Lynnwood, Wash., and the owner of Caren’s Canine Counseling dog training business in Everett, Wash. Read more

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Helping Your Dog through Grief and Depression

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Article by Dr Ernie Ward, DVM | Found on PetHealthNetwork

I recently received a letter from a reader about her grief-stricken dog. Her senior pooch had lived an entire life with a recently departed mother and wasn’t handling the loss well. She shared that her dog was becoming increasingly depressed and despondent. The writer didn’t know what to do and wanted to know if there was anything that might ease her pet’s pain.

This is a sadly familiar scenario for most seasoned veterinarians. I’ve had to hospitalize dogs that refused to eat or drink following the loss of a human pet parent. I’ve treated many pets for depression and witnessed many more that die shortly after their human, the result of a quite-literally broken heart. Grief is real for dogs and cats and I personally suspect it exists in horses and other species, as well. Unfortunately, there is no treatment to instantly take away a grieving pet’s ache, but there are a few steps a pet parent can take to comfort a crying soul. Read more

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5 Things That Stress Out Your Cat

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laurelwood, vet hospital, beaverton, oregonArticle Found on PetMD | Written by Paula Fitzsimmons

Sounds and smells we may enjoy or don’t think twice about can make our feline family members miserable. Cats have a heightened sense of smell and hearing that serves their wild counterparts well. But our homes are not the wild.

Nobody can say precisely why your cat reacts to a certain stimulus, mostly because there’s not a lot of scientific research available on this subject. Still, experts agree it’s beneficial to identify sounds and smells that stress out your cat, and make necessary adjustments to your environment. The following are some of the most common irritants for cats. Read more

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Understanding Pet Food Labels

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Understanding Pet Food Labels

Article by Victoria Vogt | Found on Animal Planet

You may think you’re feeding Fido top-of-the-line dog food, but without an understanding of pet food labels, you may be putting your pooch at risk. It takes more than just reading the catchy brand name and nutritional claims that pop out at you to really comprehend what your pets are eating. Read more

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The 4 Things Every Pet Owner Needs to Do to Keep Their Home Germ-Free

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Article by Anthea Levi | Found on Health.com

No one expects pets to be pristine, but good hygiene is essential, not only for your dog’s or cat’s health but for yours, too. That includes everything from frequent litter changes to wiping down a pup’s paws, not to mention regular baths. Want your furry pals as clean as can be? Follow these routines to keep allergens and germs off your animal—and out of your home. Read more

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New Study Shows Cats are as Smart as Their Owners Already Knew

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Article by Haine Elfenbine | Found on Pet MD

No one with a cat would ever doubt that their cat remembers who feeds them, when they get fed and where the food is served. They know exactly who to wake when the clock strikes one minute past breakfast time and will escort said half-awake human to the pantry where the kibble is kept. As it turns out, this behavior makes them pretty smart, according to scientists. Read more

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Is Getting A Dog The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Health?

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Article by Gretchen Lidicker | Found on MindBodyGreen

Ever feel like health news is too overwhelming, fast-paced, or hard to decipher? Us too. Here, we filter through the latest in integrative health, wellness trends, and nutrition advice, reporting on the most exciting and meaningful breakthroughs. We’ll tell you exactly what you need to know—and how it might help you become a healthier and happier human.

If you’re a dog owner—or even just a dog person—you know firsthand how much joy a furry friend can bring into your life. I mean, who doesn’t love endless affection, companionship, loyalty, and sloppy kisses? Read more

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My Cat is Perfectly Healthy: Why Should I See a Vet?

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Post by Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM | Found on PetHealthNetwork

Whether healthy or not, all cats should see their veterinarian at least once a year. Why, you might ask? Why not! We go to our doctor for our regular checkups. We take our kids to their pediatrician for their well-child visits. We don’t like it, but we even go to the dentist twice a year to have our teeth looked at. We even bring our car to the mechanic every 5000 miles to change the oil. So why should it be any different with our feline friends? Regular examinations are the best way to ensure that your cat is protected against preventable illnesses and to detect medical problems early. Read more

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Dog Owners Walk 22 Minutes More Per Day. And Yes, It Counts As Exercise

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Article by Alison Aubrey | Found on NPR.org

Dog owners often say the best thing about dogs is their unconditional love.

But new research suggests there’s another benefit, too. Dog owners walk more.

In a study published Monday in the journal BMC Public Health, dog owners on average walked 22 minutes more per day compared to people who didn’t own a dog.

And they weren’t just dawdling.

“Not only did we see an increase in exercise, but also the exercise was at a moderate pace,” explains study author Daniel Mills of the University of Lincoln, in the United Kingdom. Read more

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Dog Daycare: What’s Your Plan If You Have an Emergency?

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Article Found on DogHealthNews.com

Dog daycare may not be on your top priority list until your 85 year old uncle falls down the stairs, spends 4 days in the hospital, requires 3 weeks of physical therapy and needs to install a stairlift before he can go home and care for his dog who’s now your responsibility or even worse, you’re franticly in need of someone to foster your uncle’s 10 year old dog for several weeks and have no idea how your uncle and his dog will deal with  separation.

This news brief gives you an example of one dog owner’s emergency situation so you’ll have a strategy to create a care team for an injured dog owner and their beloved dog.
Read more

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