Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 6 minutes A diagnosis of FIP used to be a death sentence, but that’s changing. Like the disease itself, the story is complicated. Here’s what we know now. First, and most exciting, attending researchers agreed that FIP should now be called “treatable,” at least potentially, and perhaps “curable.” A conference about FIP took place last November, drawing […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes My 10-year-old daughter Reagan has experienced a lot of pet loss in the past year. Our 12-year-old black Pug, Willy, died suddenly and unexpectedly while my husband and I were out of the country, leaving Reagan and my mother Teresa to face his loss together. Then my parents’ 16-year-old canine cocktail Quixote passed away. At […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Kittens are born with an amazing ability to seek and pounce—but not right out of the womb. That aptitude develops in partnership with physiological changes as they grow. At first, they are helpless, fully dependent on their mother. Their only focus is staying warm, finding their mother’s teats, and sleeping. Their mother’s licking not only […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Traditionally, little thought was given to enrichment for reptiles, and a pet tortoise can often play a role more like a decorative object than a pet. But times are changing, for good reason. “In pretty much every species it’s been shown that the ability to have choices and make decisions and perform a full range […]
Reading Time: 5 minutes When you have a killer resume, elite skills, a lifetime of experience that requires no on-the-job training, yet you’re not people-oriented, where do you look for work? If you’re of the feline persuasion, look no further than “working cat” or “barn cat” programs. They help save lives of unadoptable cats by finding them alternative placements […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes My dog Rio, a friendly Lab mix and former therapy dog, has been attacked numerous times over the years by other dogs – both leashed and unleashed. Once, we even had a dog jump out a car window to try to bite Rio. Panicked, I screamed while Rio defended himself before the owner came running […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Is getting—and staying—in shape one of your New Year’s resolutions? Include your dogs, too; it’s good for their physical and mental health. But before you haul them out on a five-mile run, talk to your veterinarian about their current condition and the best ways to make sure they don’t suffer from weekend warrior syndrome—the aches […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes When Karma-Kat showed up on our back patio, the 8-month-old kitten had been on his own for some time. Starved for attention, and for food, he ate anything and everything. Karma chewed through the dog food bag to munch kibble and practiced snatch-and-grab attacks to gobble food from our dinner plates. Our last dog, Magic […]