Journey Through Grief

Following are the general steps of grieving, which have been abbreviated for easy reference. We recommend that you copy and paste or print this page out. You may find it helpful in realizing that grief is a perfectly normal human …

Pet Chinchillas

The chinchilla looks like a mix of three different animals. It has the rotund body of a guinea pig, short rabbit-like ears, and a squirrel tail. This is a unique critter that is kept as a pet less frequently than …

Early Spaying – Neutering in Cats and Dogs – Pet tip 158

Most pet owners are aware that they need to spay or neuter their cats and dogs. They are aware that there is no need for puppies or kittens to have even 1 litter because of the epidemic amounts of dogs …

Ask the Vet

The following questions have all been answered by veterinarians or specialists from our Pet forum .

To ask a question about your sick dog, cat or pet simply post it for free on our Pet forum . Most questions will …

History of the Dog and Human Relationship

Dogs and Humans – How the relationship began
(excerpt from The Intelligence of Dogs) Dr. Stanley Coren

“…We will probably never have conclusive evidence to tell us how dogs and humans first formed their personal and working relationship with each …

Getting a dog – Should I Get a Dog?

Dogs are truly a man’s best friend. Their unconditional love and non-judgmental nature makes them the greatest companion. They are always ready to play, but if the moment is not right, they are just as happy to sit quietly by …

Antibacterial Resistance

Antibacterial resistance is extremely topical. It seems as though over the last couple of years, we are hearing more and more about this in the news. But what does it mean and why do we care? Is this just some …

Catnip and cats

Catnip is a plant with pretty coloured flowers at the tip and heart shaped leaves on a thick stem and contains a chemical ingredient that often has a stimulating effect on cats. In this article, we will discuss the possible effects it can have on your cat, and common questions you may have regarding catnip.

How Does Catnip Work?

Catnip contains chemicals that trigger a behavioural response in cats when they breathe it in. What is this behavioural response? Well, let’s use an example that I’m sure we’ve all been exposed to. The smell of delicious freshly baked cookies comes wafting to your nostrils, this triggers you to salivate, so you to walk to the kitchen and cannot help eating the cookies.

RAO in Pet Horses

One of the more common problems affecting horses is a condition known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO); it can also be referred to as heaves or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). This is a respiratory disease that is characterized by coughing, increased rate and effort of breathing, and often, nasal discharge. Severely affected horses can also have what is known as a “heaves line” – this is a visible line on the horse’s side, between the lungs and the abdomen, caused by the increased effort of the abdominal muscles to help with breathing; the line is really the increased definition of those abdominal muscles. Other than the respiratory difficulties, horses are otherwise normal. There does not seem to be a breed or gender preference, although older horses are more commonly affected.

Dogs with Itchy Skin – Pet tip 133

You can’t stand it any more! It wakes you up in the middle of the night and distracts you during the day. Your dog has been itching non-stop for days or maybe weeks. Your dog is obviously uncomfortable and has …