The World Health Organization has announced that it plans to examine the transmission of the novel coronavirus between humans and pets. This has been prompted by a scientific study which found that among domestic animals, cats and ferrets can become infected with the virus that causes...
Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, and is transmitted by the bite of infected deer ticks. Dogs are at increased risk for contracting Lyme disease in the spring and summer months. Lyme disease has been found in all 50 U.S. states,...
This fashionable little pup is 10 month old Moosh! Moosh’s “mom” had been working in the hospitality industry, but when events started being canceled due to the COVID-19 health crisis, she was laid off from her job. It’s never a good time for a pet to...
Doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel are on the front lines of the Coronavirus pandemic. A one-year old yellow Lab named Wynn is providing much-needed emotional comfort for staff at Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. According to a story on CNN, Wynn’s trainer (who is...
Ask any cat person…how many cat-themed items do they have in their house? Chances are that the answer will be “a lot!” One cat-loving couple in Krakow, Poland had so many cat knick-knacks that they decided to open a museum. According to an article on the...
As more and more businesses are temporarily closing due to the Coronavirus outbreak, many concerned pet owners are wondering if their local veterinary practices will be open. According to an article on the Veterinary Information Network website, some—but not all—states are declaring veterinary clinics as...
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has created a fact sheet on Coronavirus for pet owners. They address common concerns, including whether or not cats and dogs can become infected with the virus or pass it on. As of this time, there is no evidence that...
This year’s Global Pet Expo, a convention hosted by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association, highlighted some new product trends that are driving the pet food market this year. A Switch from Grain-Free to Grain-Friendly Diets The grain-free pet food trend, which...
An important animal awareness holiday happens in March: Pet Poison Prevention Month. The ASPCA urges pet owners to be mindful of the following common pet poison hazards: Household cleaning products Pesticides (insect and rodent) Certain people foods Automotive products (like antifreeze) Medicines (human and pet, Rx...
The photography book The Silence of Dogs in Cars by Martin Usborne captures the feelings of many animal lovers when they see dogs sitting in cars waiting for their humans to return. Martin’s empathy for the dogs comes out of personal experience. As he explains on...
The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) recently released its 14th annual U.S. State Animal Protection Laws Ranking Report for the year 2019. The ALDF assesses each state’s animal protection legislation and ranks them from strongest to weakest. For 2019, Illinois ranked first, followed by Oregon, Colorado,...
This heartwarming video from the ASPCA is sure to make you smile! Martin Agee is a professional violinist who also happens to volunteer with the ASPCA, rehabilitating abused shelter dogs. He knew that reading to dogs soothes them, so he decided to try playing them classical...
The new strain of coronavirus from Wuhan, China (2019-nCoV) is believed to be a virus that jumped from animals (possibly bats via another species) to humans. While its contagiousness among people is a worldwide health concern, what about our pets? Veterinarians at Texas A&M University report...
Accidental opioid poisoning is a danger for our companion animals, especially dogs, as well as for humans. A new study analyzed data from the Animal Poison Control Center for the years 2006-2014 to identify risk factors for opioid poisoning in U.S. pet dogs. Not surprisingly, there...
Do you leave music or the TV on for your pets when you leave the house? The popular music provider Spotify has created playlists for different kinds of pets. They report that 71% of pet owners have played music for their pets. Research has shown that certain...
Dog parks are common features of most US cities and towns these days, but it wasn’t always like this. The Smithsonian Magazine recently took a closer look at how dog parks evolved in the US. The first known municipal dog park was created in Berkeley, California...
The New York Times recently shared some good animal welfare news: companion animal euthanasia rates have fallen an impressive 75% since 2009. The Times collected animal shelter data from 20 US municipalities. They found that shelters in many cities are reporting significant drops in dog and...
There are many reasons to spay and neuter your pets. Spay/neuter is the best way to reduce homeless pet overpopulation and to prevent certain kinds of diseases—including cancer—of the reproductive system in both males and females. New research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical...
An interesting article in The Atlantic takes a lighthearted look at a common pet owner behavior—why we enjoy talking as our dogs, cats, and other pets! Many people admit to talking as if they were their pets (we also give voices to human babies). Why exactly...
Does one dog year really equal seven human years? This long-held belief is undergoing some high-tech revision. Scientists say a more accurate way to measure an animal’s age is to use something called an epigenetic clock—the accumulation of chemical modifications in an animal’s DNA over its...
The US Department of Veterans Affairs currently does not offer reimbursement for the cost of service dogs for military veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That could change with proposed legislation known as the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act, which is making its way...