There is a general tendency among many pet owners to buy oversized food bowls for their dog or cat. Since the correct amount of food looks like too little food when it's placed in a gargantuan bowl, many pet owners add more food to improve the "optics" of the meal.

The decision to use antibiotics should never be taken lightly. They should not be prescribed unless absolutely necessary. Aside from the ability of bacteria to mutate and develop resistance to antibiotics, these drugs also have side effects.

There's a big and important difference between canine behavior that is abnormal and behavior that is actually normal given the dog's circumstances, but undesirable.

Natural therapies like stretching, chiropractic, and regular physical activity are very important to maintaining your dog's comfort, mobility and quality of life. Providing daily walks followed by a short session of gentle stretching can do wonders for your pet both physically and mentally.

A study of obese dogs with osteoarthritis and lameness proved how little effort it can take to vastly improve the quality of life of overfed, disabled pets.

Cats require specialized care, which is a fact even many cat lovers don't realize. Here are 10 of the most common mistakes I see cat owners make.

If your pet ingests rodent bait containing warfarin, there will be no symptoms to alert you right away. Your dog or cat won't throw up or seem sick, and in fact, a lot of pet owners don't even know their animal has ingested bait.

Your pet should appear normal to you by the time you pick her up after a procedure. You might notice she's a bit sleepy and less active for 12 to 24 hours after you get her home. But if she seems really sluggish, groggy, or out of it, call your vet or an emergency animal clinic right away.

The behavior of the companion animals we share our lives with is at times fascinating, frequently entertaining, and sometimes downright puzzling. Here are a few examples of how the furry love of your life shows affection.

It's helpful to provide your cat with something to climb on, like a multi-level cat tree or tower. At least you'll know he's been stretching, clawing and working his climbing muscles whenever you see him gazing down at you from atop his tree.

When deciding on veterinary care for your precious pet, in addition to finding out about fees, I recommend you also look at the DVM's practice philosophy. Ideally, your vet's approach to keeping your pet healthy will mirror your own.

Mast cell tumors occur in both dogs and cats. Although some are benign, most of these tumors are malignant.

With time, patience, and the right tools and resources, every dog will eventually settle in. And there are few things as gratifying as knowing you are providing a bright future to a dog with a dark past.

When you have your scratching surfaces ready to go, they need to be placed where they'll be used. Remember, clawing is in part a marking behavior for your cat, so it's likely she's returning to the same place to scratch.

"Brachy" is a Greek word meaning short, and "cephalic" means head. These animals are short-headed, short-muzzled breeds. Due to this altered facial construction, all these pets have what is called brachycephalic respiratory syndrome to varying degrees.

There are two concerns for a dog that has eaten bread dough. One, there's a large mass of dough in the stomach that is continuing to rise. Two, the warm environment of the stomach promotes ongoing fermentation of the alcohol in the dough, which can result in ethanol toxicosis.

It may be hard to swallow the fact that the fuzzy creature in your lap or at your feet has similar wiring to his wild cousins, but it's a fact I wish more pet owners would embrace.

I met Zena in November 2007. Her owner was desperate to find holistic options to help regulate her pet's blood sugar levels.

According to a recent study, dogs in pain are on edge and can react aggressively if they are touched. Otherwise loving dogs can become violent from pain, and dogs that already have aggressive tendencies get even more aggressive.