Titan’s Pain in the Butt

Titan is a 3-year-old, lab mix. His caregiver adopted him two months ago. She noticed right away that he had trouble passing stool. He would cry and act as if in pain. Sometimes he held his stool in for a day or two to avoid the pain of pooping. Titan’s caregiver took him to her […]

6 Gross Things Hidden in Your Pet’s Food

Did you ever wonder what’s really in your pet’s processed kibble or canned food? Most pet caregivers really do not want to know – but I’m going to spill the beans anyway. Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, there is no way to know what’s in pet food by reading the […]

Surprizing Answers to 2 Important Vaccine Questions

Isn’t there a special rabies vaccine for cats that does not cause vaccine sarcoma cancer? Yes, and no. There is a line of vaccines (Purevax from Merial) that was developed with vaccine sarcoma cancer in mind. When vaccine sarcoma cancer was first recognized in the 1980s, it was thought that the adjuvants in the vaccine […]

You Dirty Rat?

I have long thought that there is a natural, in-borne compulsion for compassion in both people and animals. I talked about this in my second book, The Holistic Health Guide. It has always seemed to me that we tend to want to help when we see someone in need. Think of the news stories about […]

Blueberries Combat Stress/Anxiety Better than Drugs

A recent study found that blueberries worked better than Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) to calm the brains of rats that were put through a process to simulate Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This research is important for dog caregivers because SSRIs are sometimes used for separation anxiety, storm phobia and other behavior problems. When you […]

Vaccinations – Don’t Screw with the Immune System

I have a few more thoughts on vaccines that I gained from the recent I took to pass on. In my last post I mentioned a 2005 vaccine study. It showed that the smaller the dog, the more likely it is to have a vaccine reaction. One more nugget from this study was available from […]

Vaccines – One Size Fits All?

I recently attended a veterinary vaccine program and was able to have many of my questions answered. For example, I have always wondered why 1 cc of vaccine was considered suitable for every dog, no matter what the size – from a ½ pound Chihuahua puppy to a 150 pound Great Dane. How is it […]

Low Vitamin D May be a Deadly Problem for Cats

Vitamin D is just one more way your cat’s food may be killing her. Recently Rachael Ray Nourish wet cat food was recalled over elevated Vitamin D levels. This coincided with a conversation I just had with a veterinary nutritionist about study regarding Vitamin D in cats. A study published May 13, 2015 found that […]

Canine Flu – What Do We Do?? – 5 Tips

The canine influenza virus has been making a run lately. It started in the Chicago area and has now spread to more than a dozen states. With the mobility of our society and our desire to bring our dogs along, vacation season means the canine flu will most likely continue to spread. Here are a […]

The Four Horsemen of the Pet Food Apocalypse

Processed pet foods are touted as nutritious and healthful for dogs and cats. The truth is that commercial diets are made from unnatural ingredients of questionable origin. The high-temperature processing destroys vital nutrients and creates toxins. Then some synthetic vitamins are sprinkled in to make them “complete and balanced.” The sins of the pet food […]