Last fall, I saw several pets at my animal hospital that had been poisoned. As the cooler weather rolls in each year, vermin (mice and other rodents) seek shelter and warmth indoors.

Home owners put out bait to control the mice and rats, assuming their pet won't or...

There are two kinds of anesthesia: local and general. Local anesthetics are used to numb a specific area of the body.

General anesthesia is the kind that renders the patient unconscious and is of course the more worrisome and potentially dangerous of the two. However, human and veterinary...

I get a lot of questions from clients at my natural pet animal clinic along the lines of, "Why does my dog (or cat) do... ?"

The behavior of the companion animals we share our lives with is at times fascinating, frequently entertaining, and sometimes downright puzzling.

Our pets are born athletes, and it's up to us to provide them with opportunities to exercise and be physically active. Healthy animals in the wild are incredibly muscular and fit because they live the lifestyle they were designed for.

Regular aerobic activity provides huge benefits for our furry...

I'm thrilled pet owners are paying more attention these days to the quality of food they feed their non-human family members.

Proper nourishment is the cornerstone of vibrant health for all animals.

Your dog or cat has a need for wholesome, living foods just as you...

It's interesting to note the vast majority of pet owners who responded to a Consumer Reports survey -- more than 80 percent -- said they have not cut back on the amount of money spent on their companion animals. And this was the case even during the height...

Mast cells are found in all tissues of the body, but they are in especially high numbers in the skin, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Mast cells contain histamine and heparin. They play a role in allergic responses, non-allergic skin disease, wound healing and tissue remodeling. They can also increase...

Not all that long ago, shelter animals with significant health or behavioral problems were routinely euthanized. The vast majority of these pets were considered lost causes, not candidates for new foster or adoptive homes.

Fortunately, thinking is changing. Many more people are now willing and even eager to take on...

Please note this article addresses involuntary passage of urine only, and isn't intended to cover other urination-related problems like too-frequent urination or behavioral-related problems like submissive urination.

Involuntary Passage of Urine

Involuntary passage of urine normally occurs while your pet is asleep or resting. When she stands up,...

As declawing of kitties becomes less and less popular, people owned by cats and pet product manufacturers are dreaming up ever more creative ways to help your cat do his thing, without destroying your home.

The mesmerizing array of cat scratchers available on the market is a good...

A brachycephalic breed is a dog or cat with a pushed-in face. They include popular breeds like the pug, Boston terrier, boxer, bulldog, Pekingese and Shi Tzu. Himalayans and Persians are examples of brachycephalic cat breeds.

"Brachy" is a Greek word meaning short, and "cephalic" means head. These...

Did you know that innocent looking loaf of bread dough rising on your kitchen counter can make your dog very sick, even to the point of death?

Many dogs will gobble up raw dough if they have access to it, and the results can be disastrous.

How Bread...

When you imagine a wolf or a big cat in its natural habitat, what do you see in your mind's eye?

Chances are you picture a wild creature in motion -- walking, stalking, hunting -- or perhaps standing stock-still, prepared to pounce or flee.

The reason most of...

Zena, one of my patients, is a remarkable 10.5-year-old American mastiff who was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism in March 2007. She began receiving twice-daily insulin injections. Her mom learned to check Zena's blood sugar at home and kept a careful log of...

If your normally laid-back, affectionate dog shows sudden, random signs of aggression, it could be that he's feeling pain somewhere in his body. According to a recent study, dogs in pain are on edge and can react aggressively if they are touched.

Otherwise loving dogs can...

A 2011 study published in The American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy reveals the amount of dog allergens found in households with dogs does not vary depending on the breed. In other words, families with so called "hypoallergenic" dogs are living with the same level of allergens in their homes...

Tracheal collapse is a chronic, progressive disease involving the windpipe, or trachea.

The trachea is somewhat like a vacuum cleaner hose that contains small rings, in this case cartilage, that keep the airways open. The rings are C-shaped, with the open part of the "C" facing upward.

According to a recent study conducted at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, our human ability to understand dogs probably peaks at around 10 years of age.

By age 10, children seem to develop a natural talent for decoding dog barks.

The study, published in the journal Applied Animal...

When many people think of massage, they think of guilty pleasure -- something they might be willing to splurge on only occasionally, perhaps on vacation. And for themselves, not the family pet!

Even those who appreciate the ability of massage to improve musculoskeletal pain and range of motion...

At the Bideawee animal shelter on E. 38th St. in New York, in the kitty playroom, there are three really neat remote-controlled cat toys that can be maneuvered by anyone with a computer and Internet access, anywhere in the world, any time, day or night.

A webcam captures...