When our dogs are experiencing problems like itchy skin or an upset stomach, many owners will begin to suspect that their pet has a food allergy. Veterinary experts say that food allergies in dogs are not as common as people think, and that a food...
Many San Diegans are familiar with our famous “Original Dog Beach” (one of the first dog-friendly beaches in the U.S.), popular with locals and tourists alike. But did you know that not far from Dog Beach is a Mission Bay jetty that is home to...
Is the solo veterinary practice becoming a thing of the past? Like health care for humans, veterinary care for pets is dramatically changing with the growth of large corporate pet hospitals like Banfield and VCA. Many Americans are choosing to bypass the corner pet store...
[caption id="attachment_2635" align="alignnone" width="197"] Roxie[/caption] It’s hard to believe the year 2016 is almost history! As we look forward to 2017, and working with our awesome veterinary partners to save the lives of beloved family pets in need of emergency medical care, we thought we’d take...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a report detailing the many dangers of second- and thirdhand smoke to our dogs, cats, and other pets. You may know that secondhand smoke is when someone other than the smoker inhales tobacco smoke. But did you...
We all know that a dog’s sense of smell is many times more powerful than a human’s. Not only do they have more scent receptors in their noses, but the part of the brain that analyzes scent is much larger in dogs as well. We’ve...
You’d think choosing food and water bowls for your dog would be a no-brainer, right? Just pick a style and material that you like in roughly the right size for your particular dog. It’s actually more complicated than that. Experts note that there are certain...
With Halloween coming soon, October is a great time to remind potential cat adopters to consider adding a beautiful black rescue cat to your family! While some shelters and rescue groups do not feel comfortable adopting out black cats around Halloween, others use the holiday...
Maddie’s Fund and the Humane Society of the United States have joined forces to create the “Don’t Buy Into Puppy Mills” public awareness campaign. Visit their informative website to learn how you can help stop the cruel puppy mill industry. There are lots of things...
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease that is the number one cause of death in cats under 2 years of age. What is FIP? The disease is caused by the feline coronavirus (FCoV). Under normal circumstances, when a cat is infected with the...
It’s getting easier to incorporate good sustainability practices into our lives as consumers. More and more of us are recycling waste, buying products in eco-friendly packaging, and bringing our own reusable bags to the grocery store. Pets can be eco-conscious too, thanks to innovative practices...
It’s rare for a pet owner to go through life without experiencing at least one serious veterinary emergency. Recognize this scenario? It’s midnight on Saturday and your dog or cat seems sick or hurt. Your vet’s office will be closed until Monday morning. Do you...
Most people have heard about puppy mills, but the large-scale breeding of pets for profit isn’t just restricted to dogs. Purebred cats are also victims of the mill trade, especially popular, high-demand breeds like Persians. (One notorious mill in North Carolina even kept wild cats...
What could be cuter than watching your kids play with the family dog during the long, lazy days of summer? Kids of all ages are going back to school right now, an annual event that impacts not just kids and parents, but your four-legged family...
Many animal lovers who live in small spaces or have busy work and social lives get cats because they assume that having a cat is less of a work/time commitment than caring for a dog. While this can be true in terms of time and...
Many of us first learned about Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs model of human motivation back in Psychology 101 class. Maslow proposed that human behavior is motivated by an ascending hierarchy of needs, from basic ones like food and shelter to more complex emotional and...
You can probably think of more fun things to do this summer than put your cat in a carrier and listen to her meow from the backseat on the car ride to the veterinarian’s office. That’s why the annual Take Your Cat to the Vet...
Feline behavior can be a puzzling thing, even for long-time cat owners. If you’ve ever used the word “neurotic” to describe your cat, you’re not alone. What’s behind some of the quirky behaviors of our pet cats, and do they share these qualities with cats...
We all know it’s a good idea to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to our diet. Just don’t forget to share some of those yummy fruits and veggies with your dog, too! According to an informative article on the website One Green Planet, adding...