Pets

A healthy diet is important for everyone, even your pets! When picking out the right food for your pet, there are important things to consider. While the CDC does not recommend feeding raw diets to pets because of germs like Salmonella and Listeria bacteria, we do have some suggestions on safely handling, preparing and storing raw foods.

Cats were domesticated sometime between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago in Africa and the Middle East. Small wild cats started hanging out where humans stored their grain. When humans saw cats up close and personal, they admired felines for their beauty and grace. Here we cover basic care for cats.

Fleas are the most common external parasite of pets in North America. Fleas are small wingless insects that use their specialized mouth to pierce the skin and siphon blood from their host. In this article we discuss some popular flea control products that are available from your vet or over the counter.

Man's best friend is living longer than ever. This is due to our beloved canines' increased status as family member and families becoming conscientious about providing their dogs' appropriate veterinary care. As a result, we are faced with a variety of health care issues as they age. No matter which health issue you and your elderly dog may be dealing with, there are several components of good pet care you may wish keep in mind.

Here are some guidelines for selecting a veterinarian for your pet. It's by no means an exhaustive list, but we hope it will help you to pinpoint the right person for you and for your animal. Our pets give us so much that the least we can do for them is to find the best doctor around.

In the United States, more than 90% of reported cases of rabies in animals occur in wildlife. Rabies affects only mammals. Mammals are warm-blooded animals with fur. People are also mammals. Birds, snakes, and fish are not mammals, so they can't get rabies and they can't give it to you. But any mammal can get rabies, including people.

Cat-scratch disease is caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae. The disease is spread through contact with an infected cat (a bite or scratch) or exposure to cat fleas. It also can be spread through contact with cat saliva on broken skin or mucosal surfaces like those in the nose, mouth, and eyes.

The white, trumpet-shaped Easter lily symbolizes Easter and spring for many people, and is a popular decoration in homes at this time of year. If you have cats, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to remind you that these particular flowers are a safety threat to your feline friends.

Although no one wants to hear their dog growl, it's important to keep in mind what a crucial communication tool it is for dogs. This audible warning signal is a very effective way for dogs to keep the peace and a way for a dog to communicate when he is feeling uncomfortable. A dog who is punished for growling may stop – but may resort to snarling, snapping or biting to communicate.

We are still learning about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but we know it can spread from people to animals in some situations, especially during close contact with a person with COVID-19. A small number of pets worldwide, including cats and dogs, have been infected SARS-CoV-2, mostly after close contact with people with COVID-19. Based on the information available to date, the risk of pets spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.