Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Have you ever felt you are about to die? I mean that literally, like you’ve been held up at gunpoint or held out a window by your suspenders 30 stories up? I’ve suggested for years that too many of our pets at the veterinary clinic feel like they are being held up at gunpoint or are […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes When your dog meets you at the door, head low with ears slicked back and eyes averted, is that a canine apology? Does your dog look guilty? The behaviors certainly mimic what humans associate with feeling shame or apology. Whether or not this accurately reflects the dog’s true feelings is open to debate. Not all […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Is your sofa arm shredded? Is the toilet paper off the roll and sprinkled like confetti on the bathroom floor? Are the items on your coffee table splattered across your living room floor? Ahem, your indoor cat is desperately trying to get your attention…and desperately trying to battle boredom. While studies show that indoor cats […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes How cats play varies between kitties, but there are some techniques nearly all share. My cat Seren-Kitty played “gravity experiments,” knocking things off tables, until the past few years. At age 21, she’s finally slowed down, but before that Seren never had an off-switch and was a cat-play maniac from the moment she entered my […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ve had a long day and all you want to do is slide in between the sheets. As you do so, however, you feel a cold wet spot. Ugh! Your dog has urinated on your bed. Why Does This Happen? Many theories have been offered as to why some dogs urinate on their owners’ beds. […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dogs seem to be lousy spellers until you spell the word t-r-e-a-t. Before we can finish the final “t,” most of our canine pals are making hairpin turns around the kitchen island and plopping into a sit in front of us as we hold a tasty homemade delight. In our five-dog household, it is tradition […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Puppies experience several medical evaluations in their young lives to make sure they are off to a happy, healthy start. One of the things you can expect your veterinarian to do is examine your puppy’s eyes. Why an eye exam? Sight is a vital part of any dog’s life, so it is important for a […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Does your geriatric cat prowl the house late at night, yowling mournfully or “get lost” behind the toilet tank? Instead of giving a happy mrrrp when you return home from work, does she look confused, as if she doesn’t recognize you? Although your cat may still be in good physical condition, she may have developed […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes For cat lovers, one of the most common feline postures can be puzzling. We know that cats communicate not only with meows and purrs, but also with scent and body position. A comical posture of happy, healthy cats, something I call “elevator butt,” actually communicates different information depending on the cat. The pose looks similar […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cats these days can make the most of their nine lives, thanks to advances in veterinary care, nutrition and just love from their people. The day comes, though, when nothing more can be done to save their lives, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that euthanasia is an immediate next step. Pet hospice programs can help […]