Pet Wellness Advocate
Simple strategies to boost water intake and prevent dehydration One of the most important things you can do for your cat’s health is also one of the simplest: make sure she’s drinking enough water. Easier said than done! Cats are not exactly famous for lapping up their daily quota. Because they evolved in the desert,... Read more »
Bringing a new dog into a home with a senior can be healing and even magical. But don’t kid yourself—it’s not always, or even entirely, about the older dog. It’s also about you. Before you make that leap, ask the hard question: “Am I doing this for my senior dog—or for me?” If You Decide... Read more »
What is the Brain’s “Vomiting Center?” Vomiting is defined as the forceful emptying of the stomach’s contents, which is caused by a signal from the brain to the stomach. The signal originates in a part of the brain (unsurprisingly!) called the vomiting center. Originally, vomiting developed as a way to save wild animals from poisoning... Read more »
My brother Tim’s little “step dog,” Shelby, is definitely in the top ten of “wicked cute” little canines. She is a delightful mix of who-knows-what-breeds. But boy oh boy, was that little dog from a rescue the world’s pickiest eater! She had her Mom Sarena (my brother’s partner) turned into a pretzel, trying to find... Read more »
I’m proud and excited to announce the launch of my new podcast EXOTIC PETS, alongside my co-host Dr. Doug Mader. I figured a word of explanation was in order about why I am sitting myself across a microphone from a world-renowned and beloved exotic animal veterinarian to create this show - about creatures I know... Read more »
Why Your Cat is a Fussy Eater Cats are commonly thought to be fussy eaters, which should not be true if you're feeding your cat a nice wet meal twice a day. Which is how you should be feeding an obligate carnivore. (Please do not even get me started on the topic of feeding dry... Read more »
What is Your Senior Cat Eating? As cats age, their dietary needs can change in a number of ways. It's time to reconsider what they are eating, especially if you have not been following my urgent recommendation to feed only wet food throughout any cat's life for well-being and longevity. Here are a few things... Read more »
Yes, You Can Kick Kitty Krack! Let this be the year you stop feeding dry food to your cat! I've been begging devoted cat parents to do this for over a decade. You all know by now that I coined the phrase "kitty krack" to make it crystal clear that dry food is unhealthy ---... Read more »
The black gunk in a dog's ear article was originally posted on July 28, 2015, but has been updated with new information. The Surprise of Finding Black Stuff Lurking Inside Your Dog’s Ear If you have a dog with ears that flap over, you’ll recognize that “OMG!” moment when you casually lift up the ear... Read more »
What Does Crude Protein Really Mean in a Dry Dog Food? The most popular blog I've ever written was about what "crude protein" really means -- and whether the amount of crude protein in kibble is a reliable way to judge the best dog food for your own pooch. So I want to tell people... Read more »