The Longevity of Pets

If you’re planning to live to be a hundred, you might want some company. Pets are living longer lives these days, too! The number of dogs and cats living into their twenties (and beyond — there are accounts of cats living into their thirties!) may be indicators that the life spans of our beloved companion animals are increasing. If you’re interested in a long-lived pet, here are some things to consider: Size matters. The largest dog breeds are often the ones with the shortest life spans. One heartbreaking example is the Irish wolfhound, with a life span around 6-8 years … Continue reading →

Probiotics for Pets?

Doggie digestion is a subject near and dear to my heart — thanks to my dog Moose and his very sensitive stomach. According to a recent article in Scientific American, GI issues are one of the top problems dog owners bring to the vet’s office (skin issues are tops on the list, according to a professor from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville). I can believe it! There’s a wide range of stuff that can cause gastrointestinal distress — everything from “garbage gut” (getting sick after eating stuff they shouldn’t) to parasites to infection and more. … Continue reading →

A New Study on Purring

Cats purr when they’re happy, right? A new study says that purring conveys more than one message. Researchers from England’s University of Sussex took a close look at the purring noises made by hungry cats. They recorded hunger purring and happy purring from ten different cats and played the sounds back to human volunteers (ranging from dedicated cat lovers to people who had never owned a cat). Even the total feline novices could tell the difference between the contented rumble and the hunger noises. The hunger purring tended to be higher in pitch than the happy purring most people are … Continue reading →

Debarking

I had never heard of debarking before it appeared on an intake form at the vet’s office: is your dog debarked? The lady checking me in said that if I didn’t know what it was, then my dog wasn’t debarked. But that wasn’t enough of an answer for me. Debarking is a surgical procedure that removes tissue from a dog’s vocal cords. The end result is that NOT that the dog cannot bark — the bark is simply quieter. A friend of mine who has encountered a debarked dog said it is a hoarser sounding bark. Other sources call it … Continue reading →

Ask a Pets Blogger: Why Flea and Tick Prevention Fails

I treat my cat regularly with Advantage, but she keeps turning up with fleas! Why won’t they go away? You’re not alone with this problem — flea and tick management can be a constant battle. Here are some things that might help turn the tide in your favor. Make sure you are applying the medication correctly. The liquid needs to go on the skin, not on the fur — hair won’t absorb the medication. Make sure you place the medication in a place your pet can’t reach to lick off. Be sure to apply ALL the medication! Make sure your … Continue reading →

The Old Brown Dog Ain’t as Brown as He Used to Be

I was over at a friend’s house yesterday. Hadn’t been over in a few weeks, and was surprised at how grey her dog’s muzzle had gotten. I commented on it, and she agreed that the change had come quickly. While I was outside with my own dogs, I noticed how much Moose’s coloring has changed over the last few years. His chin was the first to start going grey; the color has advanced down his muzzle. But that’s not the only change. His snout used to be nearly all black — now it’s a mix of brown and black. His … Continue reading →

Super Huskies!

A study from Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences has declared the Alaskan husky to world’s top animal athlete. For the last decade, a team from Oklahoma State University has been studying the racing teams that take part in the Iditarod. As the study progressed, the researchers were able to observe dogs in other races and even conduct simulated races in a controlled environment. These simulated races allowed researchers to monitor heart and lung function for participants. Cool, huh? The researchers figure that they’ve worked with more than five thousand dogs in various parts of the study over … Continue reading →

What is Flehming?

I was sitting in the playroom at the cats-only boarding facility with a pair of cats from the same family. You may remember them — the annoying younger cat who kept patting his brother’s rump for attention? I had my legs stretched straight out, and the two cats were walking back and forth sniffing me. After sniffing a particular spot on my leg, the younger brother looked up at me and made a weird face. His mouth was hanging open, his nose twitched, and his lip curled up. This reaction is known as flehming. Cats have a vomeronasal organ (also … Continue reading →

What a Hairball Looks Like

It looks a lot like poop, doesn’t it? For the first six years of living with Mr. Meow, every time I found one of these piles I thought he’d had an upset belly and hadn’t made it to the litter box in time. It wasn’t until 2005 that I learned what it really was: a hairball. “That’s a hairball?” In 2005, shortly after we moved to Nashville, the neighbor across the street befriended us. Her little boy loved Murphy and always begged her to stop by so he could say hi. Usually in the afternoons after they came back from … Continue reading →

Your Cat’s Tongue

What does your cat’s tongue feel like? Sandpaper? Little pins? Unlike a dog’s tongue, a cat’s tongue has some very special features. A cat’s tongue has a special area in the center. In the center of your cat’s tongue are papillae — little hooked, hair-like growths that face towards the back of the mouth. These strong hooks are made from keratin (the same stuff found in human fingernails). What are papillae used for? Self-grooming. The hooks help clean and separate the cat’s fur. This doesn’t mean your cat won’t appreciate some help with grooming sometimes! Brushing your cat can help … Continue reading →