Imagine this. Your friend introduces you to her 3-year-old boy whom you immediately adore. You hold his shoulders with your arms outstretched as you talk to him and he responds by looking at you while he leans against his mom. As you tell your friend how lovely her child is,...

If you've ever seen video of humans infected with rabies you've most likely placed it at the top of your "avoid this" list. When a rabid animal bites, it injects virus into the wound. The virus lies hidden and insidiously travels from the periphery to the spinal cord...

This is a story of sex, deceit and the desperate struggle for survival. And it plays out every year like a Greek tragedy, starting with romance and ending in... yes, death. It is the saga of what you probably once thought of as just another fish. The saga of the...

Pet deer attacks man! Pet wolf mauls child! Hand-raised tiger savages owner! Whenever one of these headlines flashes by my radar, I can't help thinking, "Why would anyone want a wild animal as a pet?"

Drawn by the animals' beauty and the novelty and status of having something exotic,...

Every year 3-4 million cats and dogs are euthanized in animal shelters and of those pets that end up in the shelter, only 2-5% of cats find their way back to their original home. It's hard to imagine that 3-4 million humans could...

With 78 million pet dogs in the United States and a nearly 50 billion dollar pet care industry, it's clear that Americans love their pets. It's National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which brings to light one solemn fact: In spite of the adoration...

While winter may be mild in some areas of the United States, in other areas, it's virtually a wet and windy freezer. We humans have heaters, special hats and winter clothes, but what about our pets? What winter dangers do they face, and how can we keep them safe?

The town I live in is looking to revise their leash law to allow dog owners to...

Last week the media headlines warned us that we shouldn't sleep with our pets. Doing so could make us sick. Well, this week, the review article that inspired these headlines, "Zoonoses in the Bedroom," is finally out on the Center for Disease Control's website and available for everyone...

1. Toon-a-Fish, a five-year-old spayed female Persian, lives a pampered life.
2. Doctor Pepper, an eight-year-old neutered male tabby, is a lifelong high-rise kitty.
3. Mister B, a two-year-old intact male domestic shorthair cat, comes and goes as he pleases.

These three animals may come from different walks of life, but...

Newsflash: National pet food marketing firm reports, "Next to week old fish, decaying road kill, and napkins from a woman's monthly you know what, dogs vote cat poop favorite flavor."

Yuck is right, because immediately after sampling this savory snack, dogs tend to engage in their other canine-specialty: the big...

Is your New Year's resolution to loose weight and get fit? Well, if it is, remember that routines are easier if they involve a friend or partner. What better exercise partner than your dog? Take this from a veterinarian and animal behaviorist who exercises...

Every Christmas it seems like some child-safety watch group finds at least one or two toys that are dangerous for kids. This Christmas there is one gift that's actually dangerous for both kids and pets. It's an adorable book called Smooch Your Pooch, and...

New study says that dogs have bigger brains relative to their body compared to cats. But does that mean that dogs are actually smarter? Or that cats are dumb?

The study published by researchers at Oxford University charted the evolution of mammal brains over...

This is how a stranger might appear to a dog who is being greeted inappropriately.

Have you ever known a dog who is great with people most of the time but who sometimes backs off and growls when strangers rush up to him...

You've owned dogs for ages, you have pets galore.
You know all the stories, they're now just a bore.
But have you heard the one about Dennis? Dennis, the Dog Park Menace?
Rumor has it he's at every park. He comes in many disguises...

It's one of the most disgusting predilections a dog can develop: poop-eating. You might think that such a foul habit points to a nutritional deficiency or that it means Fido's not getting enough to eat, but actually poop-eating (a.k.a. coprophagia) is a common pastime among dogs. It's quite normal, but...

Local news reports, "A Mountain Ranch man was mauled to death by two pit bulls late Sunday afternoon."

The dogs belonged to a friend of the victim who was staying on his property. According to one newscast, the dogs were known to be territorial. They barked, growled...

A reader of one of my pet columns recently asked me about the stray cat she had taken in. "She's very affectionate," she stated, "however occasionally while petting her she bites and scratches. How do I stop this behavior?"...

The problem with speaking English instead of using made-up words is that we assume our pets know what we mean. We say, "Sit" and expect Fido to drop his derrier, but the command Fido's learned is "sit, sit, sit, SIT!"

Then once he's...