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If you have a dog and a new one will be entering or visiting your home, there are things you can do to ensure that the meeting goes off without a hitch. A new dog can mean you are bringing home a foster or a new family member, someone who has a dog is moving into your house, or someone is visiting with a dog.

People with weakened immune systems are more likely than other people to get certain diseases, including those that animals can carry. A weakened immune system can be caused by a genetic condition, an illness such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, or kidney disease; or a treatment such as an organ transplant or radiation therapy. In addition, some medicines can weaken the immune system, including steroids, cancer chemotherapy, and drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis.

Vaccines help prevent many illnesses that affect pets. Vaccinating your pet has long been considered one of the easiest ways to help him live a long, healthy life. Not only are there different vaccines for different diseases, there are different types and combinations of vaccines. Vaccination is a procedure that has risks and benefits that must be weighed for every pet relative to his lifestyle and health. Your veterinarian can determine a vaccination regime that will provide the safest and best protection for your individual animal.

Since neutering requires surgery, it is emotionally traumatic. Handled properly, your cat will recover quickly. Let us first dispel the myths surrounding the neutering of cats. Cats do not get fat and lazy after being neutered. They get that way because of overeating and lack of exercise. Cats do not become more satisfactory pets after they have had sexual intercourse, had their first heat, or given birth to a litter of kittens.

It's not fully understood why some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and others don't. But remember, your dog's behaviors are part of a panic response. Your dog isn't trying to punish you! Here's what you can do to help reduce your dog's separation anxiety.

Before taking your new adoptee home and risking exposing her to any infectious disease, take her to a veterinarian for a thorough health check-up, including a test for feline leukemia, de-worming, inoculations and, if appropriate, neutering. Plan on staying home with your new kitty for several days, helping her get over the stress of the visit to the veterinarian and the move from her previous home.