Tips for Keeping Your Pet Safe on Halloween

A lot of people worry about the dangers from Halloween tricksters, or other strangers, with more evil intentions, to their pets on Halloween night. Some shelters stop adopting out black cats, or all cats, for the month of October. From my research, I was not able to find any evidence that animal cruelty increases around Halloween. It seems that the people who intentionally hurt animals don't limit themselves to October to do so.

However, it seems that no one has ever really studied the issue in a serious way either, and lack of good evidence may be due more to a lack of any well done study. That's why many rescue organizations take a 'better safe than sorry' approach by setting limits on adopting out pets that may be at risk.

This Halloween danger to pets seem to get a lot of press, and a cause a lot of worry in the minds of many pet owners. However, there are many very real, and much more common Halloween hazards for cats and dogs that many owners never think about. I've written about many of the major Halloween hazards to cats and dogs in this article:

Pet Safety Tips on Halloween

Close the Door

Sometimes Complex behavior problems have simple solutions.
I don't know how many times I've heard someone, both clients and personal acquaintances say something like, “I can't keep Fido off my bed no matter what I do! I've tried everything.”

Everything? Really? I had a lot of problems with my cats urinating on my bed. The very first thing I 'tried' worked very well. I closed my bedroom door.

My cats are very smart. But they're short, and they don't have thumbs. Closed door = problem solved. I often wonder why more people don't come up with this on their own. I didn't like keeping my door closed in the beginning. It was annoying to remember to close it behind me all the time, but falling exhausted at night onto a wet, stinky pillow is a very effective reminder. Now I'm used to it.

Years ago, shortly after we'd adopted our cat Sheeba, she began urinating all over the house. I wasn't surprised because that's why we adopted her - to prevent her from being euthanasia by her previous owners for urinating all over their house. I was actually more surprised that we'd gotten about 4 good months out of where she faithfully used her litter box. Things changed when our other cat, Magic, began attacking her.

Out of frustration, I eventually closed her into our bedroom to keep the two cats apart. Her urination behavior came back under control away from Magic, but making her live in one little room filled me with enough guilt that I broke down and called an animal behavior specialist. The behaviorist was kind enough to talk with me a little on the phone, so I ended up never needing to actually go in and see her in person. I told her my dilemma – the cats don't get along, but I felt bad keeping Sheeba in a small space all the time.

She told me not to feel bad. Often, she said, what I had done is exactly what they would have recommended. Just getting the cats apart. The stress of the fighting, or from trying to hide and avoid the fighting, was very upsetting for Sheeba. While the separated living situation wasn't ideal, it probably made her feel much safer and more relaxed. The fact that she stopped urinating all over when she was away from Magic was probable proof that she was much happier in the bedroom than she'd been with the run of the house.

It was nice to hear that my solution was really a solution, and not just another problem, like I thought. Behavior problems are tricky because the emotions, and preconceived ideas of the pet owner can really get in the way, just like mine did. That's why it's good to talk with a veterinarian. If nothing else they have more experience in dealing with these problems and have an outside, objective point of view that really makes a big difference.

Puppy Classes for Socialization

Even if you've had dogs your whole life, and you know how to train a puppy well, there are still some benefits to enrolling in a puppy class. Dogs have a short period when they are young in which socialization happens. The more access they have to other dogs and other people in this sensitive window, the better. Well socialized dogs are calmer when meeting strangers, less anxious and less prone to problems like separation anxiety, and easier to deal with at the veterinarian and groomers office.

You may think that it would be easier and cheaper to simply take the puppy to the dog park every day. The problem with this approach is that the sensitive period for socialization occurs when the puppy is still at risk for many infectious diseases. Their immune systems aren't mature yet, and they have not completed their series of puppy vaccinations. It just isn't safe to take them out and expose them to unknown dogs at this point.

A good puppy class will require proof of vaccinations in order to enroll. Even if there are more vaccines yet to get, you know that the puppies in the class are current on their shots for their age right now. The puppy class provides a safer environment for your puppy to meet new dogs and people with a greatly reduced heath risk.

Good classes also occasionally invite owners to trade dogs during class so that the puppies learn to take instruction from people other than their owners. This is a very useful skill, and helps dogs feel more comfortable with their vet, groomer, or your house guests.

Why Canned Cat Food is the Best Choice for Diabetic Cats

On various pet health websites, and also in the veterinary hospital I work in, I've seen questions and debates about whether or not dry cat food causes diabetes in cats. To me this question is missing the point a bit.

Just like in people, there isn't necessarily any one or few things that cause diabetes. There are risk factors. Having a lot of risk factors increases your risk of developing diabetes, but doesn't mean that you will. Cats are the same. Dry food may be a risk factor, but plenty of cats live happily their whole life eating dry cat kibble. If they don't have any other risk factors to developing diabetes, then dry cat food alone probably isn't enough to push them over the edge.

The important question, in my mind, is how to best help cats who are diabetic right now. If we could predict these kinds of things beforehand, that would be wonderful, but we can't. Even with every risk factor to diabetes development present, many cats will remain healthy. Living bodies are still mysterious that way.

So without further delay, here's all the information I tracked down in my research about why diabetic cats should eat canned cat food:
Why Diabetic Cats Should Only Be Fed Canned Cat Food

Ask Your Pet Questions Here!

So far in this blog I've mainly been linking to pet health articles I've already written, or occasionally writing a new piece specifically for this blog. Since my main goal with creating a pet health blog in the first place was to answer some common questions many people have about their pet's health, I want to know if there's a subject you'd like more information on, or a question you're having difficulty finding the answer to.

I've found in my 10 plus years of working in the veterinary field that some veterinarians are better at explaining things than others. Also, some pet owners are hesitant to ask more questions when they don't understand something. Or maybe they don't even realize that they don't understand until they've had a little bit of time to think about what they heard from the veterinarian.

I am not a veterinarian. I'm a veterinary nurse with lots of experience. Before going into the veterinary field I was a wild animal trainer, so animal behavior is one of my very favorite areas of special interest. If I don't know the answer to your question, I'll do my very best to find out. Research is another favorite hobby of mine.

Office Chairs: Selecting a Pet Proof Chair, Or Pet-Proofing the Chair You Have

This is my cat on one of our destroyed office chairs. Through a lot of trial and error, I've learned what makes a great pet-proof office chair. When Associated Content asked for an article on the subject of selecting a pet-proof office chair, I knew I had some useful tips to offer. I've been down this road more than once with my own *cough* sweet and loving *cough* cats.
Click here to read the full article.
If you have your own tip, I'd love to hear it. I know there's more than one (or tow) ways to pet-proof a chair! Please share your pet-proofing tip here, or in the AC article comment section.

Dealing with a Broken Bird Blood Feather

A normal feather, fully grown in with no blood in the shaft.
For an illistration of a blood feather, see here.

Blood feathers, also know as pin feathers, are new feathers that still have a blood supply to their shaft to support growth. When one becomes broken, the resulting bloody mess can panic bird owners. Blood feathers can be broken from flapping or banging against the inside of a cage, from a fall, or a wing trim gone bad. Dealing with the broken blood feather is really straightforward, and no cause for drama.

Identifying a Blood Feather

If you've never seen a blood feather on your pet bird, take some time to look at the lower portions on the shafts of the large primary flight feathers on your bird. All feathers start out as pin feathers when they first grow in, but the bigger flight feathers are just the easiest to see.

Most of the shafts will be white, and sort of see through, clear, with full feathering already in place. A blood feather, however, will have a thicker shaft that is dark purple. The color is from the blood filling the inside of that shaft to feed that growing feather. The blood feather won't be fully grown in yet, and may only have a little bit of feathering at the tip that has come in so far. If you don't see any feathers that fit this description, just keep checking back ever few days or so. One will show up eventually.
Read more here.

Safe Summer Outings With Your Dog

Have fun in the summer sun while keeping your dog safe from heat stroke.

Heat stroke can strike when you may not suspect it. Those 100-plus-degree-days at the end of July are sometimes less dangerous than the first few warm days of summer when your pet is less acclimated to the heat. Making judgments based on your own comfort and exertion levels is a good start but there as significant differences in how a person's body copes with heat, versus how a dog's body can. Unlike people, dogs can't sweat. Their only real means to lower their body temperature is through panting. If they get into a situation where their temperature is rising faster then they can pant, they'll be in serious trouble in a matter of minutes.

You would never risk the safety of your beloved pet. You know not to leave him in a car on a warm summer day, you make sure he has plenty of fresh water, and you make sure he has a cool, shady place to rest in the yard. Yet many dog owners, just like you, end up racing to the emergency room every summer anyway, with their dog suffering from heat stroke anyway.

A dog's normal body temperature should be between 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. According to veterinarians Roger W. Gfeller and Michael W. Thomas, temperatures over 106 degrees is a life-threatening emergency. At high body temperatures in dogs, organ and brain damage start to occur. The longer the temperature remains elevated determines the severity of the damage. Certain factors can put a dog at greater risk of falling victim to heat stroke, such as age (older dogs are more susceptible,) size (a larger body mass increases risk,) and breed (short nosed breeds such as pugs and boxers cannot pant as efficiently).

Preventing heat stroke is always better than treating it after the fact. Dogs with heavy coats can be kept trimmed short during summer months. When you're on an outing with your dog, make sure to provide them with plenty of rest, shade, and cool drinking water, even if you feel fine yourself. Don't count on your dog to limit himself. Many will literally play until they drop, so it is up to you to set restrictions. Signs of heat stroke to watch for include: increased breathing, heavy panting, excessive salivation that may progress to a dry mouth, grayish or red gums, disorientation, lethargy, and at the most severe, collapse and death.

At the first sign of overheating, you need to start helping your dog to cool off, and seek veterinary care immediately. If your dog can still drink, offer cool water. You can also use water to cool his body. Use water that is cool, but not cold. Don't use ice as it will cause the blood vessels in the skin to constrict, and actually slow the heat exchange needed. Good areas to focus on are in the groin, tummy, and armpit areas because there is usually less hair to get in the way. If you have any available, use rubbing alcohol on the pads of the feet or even the skin. It evaporates even faster than water does so it will speed up the cooling.

After doing what you can to lower your dog's temperature, get him to a doctor without delay. Minutes count. If you have a phone available, it's best to call ahead and let the veterinary hospital know you're on your way. They can then make any preparations necessary to treat your dog as soon as possible. Even if your first aid produces positive results it is still important to seek medical attention to determine how much damage, if any, has been done. Blood tests may be necessary, as well as hospitalization and fluid therapy depending on if any organ damage has occurred.

Summer outings are all the more enjoyable when your dog buddy comes along. Being aware of these danger signs, and knowing what to do should your dog get more heat than he can handle will make sure you have many, many more enjoyable summer days together.

Ear Infections Inside and Out

Common ear infections in children and dogs are different problems

Even though veterinarians and pediatricians both use the term “ear infection”, they aren’t referring to the exact same condition. Not all doctors are great at explaining exactly what is happening inside your dog, or child's ear.

There are ear infections, and then there are ear infections. My baby had an ear infection recently. I was shocked! There was no black debris in her ears. She didn’t shake her head, or have smelly ears like my dog did with his ear infection. Why would they say she had an infection without any of these symptoms?

I didn’t really think that, but it did get me wondering. The pediatrician made her diagnosis by looking in my baby's ears, just like veterinarians do for dogs and cats. Yet I know that unlike dogs, who most commonly get external ear infections, or otitis externa, children usually get middle ear infections (otitis media). If the infection wasn’t in the actual ear canal, what was the doctor seeing in my child's ear to diagnose the infection?

Dog ear infections can be caused by a number of factors: water getting trapped in the dog's ears from bathing or swimming, allergies, or foreign objects (like foxtails) to name a few. Some dog breeds may be more prone to developing infections due to differences in ear anatomy. Deep ear canals and large floppy earflaps can trap moisture and provide a perfect little breeding ground for bacteria or yeasts.

When the veterinarian looks into a dog or cat ear, they aren’t just looking at the debris. They are looking at the skin inside the canal, at the eardrum, and to see if there are any foreign objects present. Then they may take a swab sample from the dog's ear canal and examine it under the microscope. Treatment will depend on what type infections they find, but will usually involve an ear wash and a topical ear ointment. Oral antibiotics and steroids may be used for severe infections.

For babies and children the ear infection isn’t usually in the ear canal, it’s in the middle ear behind the eardrum. When human children get an external ear infection, it's called ‘swimmer’s ear’. When the pediatrician looks into a child’s ear they may see a bulging or inflamed eardrum. Puss may be visible through the eardrum as well. The child may pull or rub their ears, but mine did not. Frequently babies will run a fever.

Anatomy comes into play for the babies too. Their ears are not yet fully developed, and the Eustachian tubes (sometimes called auditory tubes) are short and lay more horizontal than those of an adult. Any bacteria or fluid that makes it into the Eustachian tubes of an adult normally drain right back out again when they yawn or swallow. In a baby, it’s easy for the fluid to get trapped, especially if the child has recently had a cold or other infection that caused the tubes to swell a little.

Some doctors will give oral antibiotics to a child for an ear infection, some will not. Topical medication wouldn’t be effective since the infection is on the inside of the baby's eardrum where the medication wouldn't reach it.

Babies and dogs can also get inner ear infection which affects balance and hearing. This can be more serious condition, but fortunately, is also much more rare both in dogs and children.

Regardless if it's your child or your dog (or both) that has the infection, you should make sure to follow the instructions from their doctor in order to clear it up. Understanding what is happening inside that infected ear will help you understand and follow through with any treatment prescribed.

Warning About Online Pet Pharmacies

Buying pet medications online can be convenient and save you some money. There are a few problems that unwary pet prescription shoppers need to be aware of to avoid serious problems, however.
Most of the well known pet pharmacies are fairly reliable, but read more here to learn the tricks that can keep you and your pet safe.

Comparing Veterinary Pet Insurance Companies

Pet health insurance companies are becoming more an more popular to cover the rising costs for quality veterinary care. Deciding on a policy that fits you and your pet can be easier said than done.

As a veterinary nurse I'm lucky to get a nice discount on veterinary services for my own pets, so I don't have pet insurance myself. However, our clients work with many of the most popular pet insurance companies, and the sales reps love to visit us to toot their horns.

Here is my best advice on how to choose a veterinary insurance company.

Training a Cat Not to Scratch or Bite

Most people recognize the importance of training when they bring home a new puppy, but few give the same consideration to a kitten. Somewhere along the way, cats managed to start the rumor that they are untrainable, so we would leave them alone. Yet I challenge you to watch a lion tamer at work for a few minutes, and then tell me that your little tabby is more difficult to train.
Read More

Kitty Cat Dance

One of my guilty pleasures is this Youtube video, the Kitty Cat Dance.
A friend showed it to me because her preschooler liked it. It makes my baby squeal and kick with happiness.
Warning: the song can get stuck in your head (especially if your children make you watch it eight times in a row!)



Cat. I'm a kitty cat, and I dance, dance, dance. . .

Should Your Child Be Present for a Pet Euthanasia?

To euthanize a pet (or 'put it to sleep' as some still say) is the most painful decision you'll have to make for your pet. Once the decision is made, you then need to decide if you want to be there when the injection is given, and if you want your children to experience the euthanasia.

I wrote this article to give you some understanding about what will happen in a normal pet euthanasia procedure so you can make this difficult decision in with your family's best interests in mind.

Euthanising a Pet: Should Children Be Present?

White Coloring and Deafness in Cats and Dogs

White coat coloring can increase a cat or dog's chances of being born deaf. The genetics of color can be complicated in pets, but this article will explain how the whiteness of the coat relates to hearing loss. Keep in mind, there are many things that can cause congenital deafness (that only means present at birth it may be hereditary or environmental) and white coloring isn't the only cause. This article isn't going to explore all the possible causes, but only look at the interesting relationship between white pets and hearing loss or deafness.

The gene for white coloring in dogs was identified on gene number 20. So far, 85 breeds of dogs have reported cases of congenital deafness. All breeds have the potential for congenital deafness, but breeds with white pigmentation are at greater risk. Deafness is often associated with the merle gene or the piebald gene in dogs, yet not all breeds with these genes are reported to be affected.

Read More

How to Find an Avian Veterinarian for Your Bird

Finding a veterinarian for a cat or dog isn't too much work. Finding a competent veterinarian with experience seeing birds can be a real challenge. I've worked for Board Certified Avian Veterinarians, and I've worked for veterinarians who were just 'willing to see birds'. I can tell you there is a world of difference in the quality of care. Birds have very special health needs, and finding a good avian veterinarian is important for your bird's health.

For detailed tips to find a board certified, or experienced bird vet, Click Here

Adopting a Stray

While few things sound simpler than the "He followed me home" method of acquiring a pet, sometimes it isn't so simple to take in a stray.

For tips on adopting a stray pet, and pitfalls to avoid, click here to read more

Feline Hyperthyroidism - the most common hormonal disorder in cats

One of my own cats was diagnosed with feline hyperthyroidism at the young age of 7 years old. We tried the oral Tapazole medication (he didn't tolerate it well) and decided to have him treated with radioactive iodine.

This subject is one that is near and dear to my heart. I've spoken with many veterinarians, and specialists about it as we treated our cat. I wanted to share all I learned with others who have similar difficult decisions to make.

Read more here

Why Calico Cats are Female - It's Not Just Genetics

Photo by Andras Ostrom

Calico and Tortoiseshell cats are generally always female. Why? It actually isn't so much an issue of genes as much as development. Cats, just like humans get one set of chromosomes from their mother and one set from their father. Of the chromosomes that determine sex, females have two X chromosomes, one from each parent, and males have one X (from mom) and one Y (from dad) chromosome. In females, only one of the X chromosomes is actually used, and the other is deactivated at some early stage of development. However, some cell division had already occurred when this deactivation happens, which X chromosome will be deactivated is random. Some cells may shut off one X and other cells may shut off the other, and any cells that are descended from those cells would share the same active X.

Coat color is linked to the sex chromosome, and so if each X has a different color gene on it, the result is patches of different colors. Since males have only one X chromosome, there is no deactivation, and no calico or tortoiseshell patterns develop. Now there is always an exception, right? A genetic abnormality in males can result in a calico pattern. If a male were born with an extra X chromosome, so instead of having only an X and Y, they have XXY, there is the potential for the same coat patterning to occur. An extra chromosome can result in other problems, however, and these rare cats are usually sterile as well. A similar condition occurs in humans, sometimes referred to as Klinefelter syndrome.

Apparently the presence of the 'white' coat gene increases the chance of larger patches of color, explaining why calicos (with white) tend to have large patches, and tortoiseshell's (no white) tend to have small patches. However, how this occurs is not well understood at this time. The exact timing of when the extra X chromosome is deactivated varies somewhat, and since which X gets deactivated is random, trying to breed specifically for a calico is difficult. Breeding an orange cat to a black one can increase the odds, but there are still many uncontrollable variables that come into play.



The very first cat to be successfully cloned was a calico cat, named Rainbow. A surrogate cat, a tabby, carried the cloned kitten. The cloning actually provides a great example. The kitten, named CC for 'carbon copy' does not share her mother's coat patterns. She does have all the same colors, but his patterning is very different. This makes sense because we know that the patterning is developmental, not just genetic. As a side note, the later reports I found about CC as she became an adult say that her personality and behavior is also different than Rainbow's. Behavior is also strongly influenced by environment and development. So if you fantasize about cloning a beloved pet when they pass, keep in mind, you'd still end up with a different animal.

Cat Scratch Fever

I've worked in veterinary medicine for 10 years. I've been scratched more times than I care to count, and I'd never seen a case of cat scratch fever (or cat scratch disease as it's now called) before. Then two of our nurses came down with this very painful condition at the same time.

Read More. . .

Rats as Pets

I have had many, many, many pet rats over the years. I've also had my share of hamsters and guineapigs, even a rabbit. While the stigma that rats carry in some people's minds make them seem an unsavory pet choice, rats are really wonderful pets.

Read more about having rats as pets

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

I've seen so many people confused about what FIV is. Even worse, I think people don't really understand what a positive FIV test means.
So I wrote this article to help explain things.

FIV isn't necessarily a death sentence. A positive FIV test in a cat can possibly mean a few different things (although the most likely thing is that the cat is infected with FIV, there are other possibilities) If your cat has tested positive for FIV, please consider what the test can actually tell you. Your cat may still be able to live a full life.

Should You Get a Pet for Your Child?

Kids love animals. My daughter (4 yeas old) is asking me for a pet rat, but she's asked her father for a dog.

There seem to be two main camps on the subject of letting kids have their own pet. One says that kids don't have the maturity to be in charge of another life, and the other says having a pet teaches responsibility.

Which one of these is true can have a lot to do with the parents involved. Click here to read how to get your child to take charge.

Letting Cat's Outside Safely

We recently made the very difficult decision to start letting out cats go outdoors. As a veterinary nurse, I've seen first hand what can happen to cats out in the big world, so I began to research, looking for a way to make the transition as safe as possible for them.

I found the Cat Fence-In system.

Review of the Cat Fence-In System

Are Puppy Classes Worth It?

With our already busy schedules, it may feel like puppy training classes aren't worth the time or expense. Your puppy's behavior isn't too awful anyway, right?

But puppy classes do more for your dog than just teach them to sit. Read more.

Signs and treatments of hyperthyroidism in cats

Feline hyperthyroidism is very common in cats. While most people consider hyperthyroidism to be a disease of older cats, my own cat was diagnosed at the age of 7, and a cat can develop this endocrine disorder even earlier. Not all veterinarians are great at explaining this condition to pet owners.

Read more