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According to statistics collected by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 62% of U.S. households own a pet. That’s 72.9 millions homes that have a pet of one type or another.
Of those pet-owning homes, 38.9 million of them own cats and many of them own more than one cat. According to the APPA statistics, there are 86.4 million cats owned in the United States. That compares to 78.2 million dogs. That means that, currently the number of cats kept as pets outnumber dogs by almost 10 million!
Yet despite these statistics, cats continue to be misunderstood. Too many cat owners don’t understand that cats require regular veterinary care in the same fashion that dogs do. It’s somewhat disturbing that, regardless of the fact that the number of cats kept as pets is higher than the number of dogs, the number of veterinary visits involving cats is much lower.
Cats are surrounded by their own mystique. There are lots of myths about cats; some of them true, many of them not. Cats also get blamed, somewhat unfairly in many cases, for spreading various diseases.
In this week’s interview, Dr. Marty Becker, aka “America’s Veterinarian”, joins me to talk about cats. Dr. Becker has just released a new book, Your Cat: The Owner’s Manual. In the interview, Dr. Becker shares with us some of his best tips for caring your cat, including how to control loose hair in a home with cats, what to feed your cat, what type of cat litter to use for your cat and much more. Listen in.
This entry was posted in Lorie Huston, Pet Health and tagged cat care, cat health, cats, Marty Becker, Your Cat the Owner's Manual on July 2, 2012 by Lorie Huston, DVM.
Heartworms in Dogs and Cats – The Latest Recommendations
Search for heartworms on the internet and you’ll find tons of information. Unfortunately, as with many other things on the internet, not all of the information you’ll find there is accurate. And, in this case, what you don’t know can hurt your pet.
These are adult heartworms removed from the heart of an infected dog.
Dogs with heartworms must be confined for months during treatment.
Heartworms are parasites, worms that actually live inside of your pet’s heart and blood vessels. Currently, heartworm infections have been diagnosed in every state, in every county, and in every parish in the southern states, according to Dr. Sheldon Rubin, the immediate past president of the American Heartworm Society. See these heartworm incidence maps for more information about the prevalence of heartworms in your area of the country.
Unfortunately, even though preventing heartworms is easy, cheap and effective, there are a huge number of pets (both dogs and cats) that are currently unprotected and at risk for heartworm disease.
Dr. Shelly Rubin examines Larry at Blum Animal Hospital
Listen to Dr. Sheldon speak about heartworms, how your pet can get them, how you can protect your pet and what can happen if your pet does get heartworms in this podcast interview with our own Dr. Lorie Huston.
Preventing heartworms for your pet can cost less than a couple of cups of Starbuck’s coffee every month. Why take the risk and leave your pet unprotected?
This entry was posted in Lorie Huston, Pet Health and tagged cats, dogs, heartworms, pets on May 7, 2012 by Lorie Huston, DVM.
Pet Food Quandry: What’s Best for Dogs and Cats?
When it comes to pet food and pet nutrition, there are as many opinions floating around as there are people who offer those opinions. The end result is a confusing mass of information for pet owners, much of which is contradictory.
How Do I Provide Good Nutrition in My Pet’s Food?
One thing is certain. All of us want the very best for our dogs and cats. We all want to be feeding the highest quality pet food. But what exactly does that mean? Some of the questions that seem most confusing include:
Should there be grain in my pet’s food or does a grain-free food provide the best nutrition?
What about corn? Is corn an acceptable ingredient in pet foods?
What about by-products? What are they? Do by-products provide good nutrition for my pet? Should they be part of a good pet food?
And what about quality control? How do we know whether a pet food is safe to feed to our dogs or cats? Could we have a repeat of the melamine incident that killed so many pets?
Expert Opinion on Pet Food and Pet Nutrition
This week, Dr. Marcie Campion joins us to discuss pet foods and pet nutrition. She answers all of these questions and more in her interview, which you’ll find below.
Dr. Campion, PhD., is a nutritionist and is currently the Scientific Relations Managers for Iams/P&G Pet Care. She joins us this week in an extremely informational interview and graciously offers her expert opinion on many different pet food questions.
Will everyone agree with Dr. Campion’s answers to these important pet nutrition questions? No, probably not. However, she answers them based on her experience and training as a pet nutritionist and an expert in her field.
During the course of the interview, Dr. Campion also shares with us a bit of information about a new line of pet foods being offered by Iams. One of the things that is really nice about this line is that it provides an alternative for those people who prefer a pet food that has no corn, meat by-products, fillers, preservatives, artificial coloring or artificial flavors. After all, regardless of anything else, it’s nice to have options and alternatives.
Sit back, relax and listen to the interview. And don’t forget to join us next Monday here at Animal Cafe for another great interview.
Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue/Flickr.com
This entry was posted in Lorie Huston, Pet Foods, Pet Health and tagged cats, dogs, pet food, pet nutrition, pets on August 29, 2011 by Lorie Huston, DVM.
Pet First Aid and CPR: Would You Know How to Save Your Dog or Cat in an Emergency?
Would you know how to perform CPR or provide basic first aid for your pet in case of an accident or emergency?
An emergency can happen in the blink of an eye. Tragedy can strike without warning. Being prepared for these types of events can make the difference between living and dying for your pet. That’s why every responsible pet owner should know the basics of pet first aid and CPR.
Pet First Aid and CPR
Knowing how to perform basic pet first aid and CPR can certainly help save your pet in the event of an emergency. However, it goes further than that also.
Knowing how to perform a health assessment of your dog or cat from nose to tail can help alert you to the presence of issues that may not be an actual emergency but still require medical attention for your pet.
Meet Jillian Myers, a Certified Pet First Aid Instructor
Jillian Myers is a PetSaver certified instructor. At Healthy Paws LA, she teaches pet first aid and CPR courses that are open to any pet owner or pet professional.
Jillian joined Animal Cafe’s resident veterinarian, Lorie Huston, for this week’s interview. The podcast is available below.
Jillian shared with us, in her interview, the tragic story of how she took her dog, Diego, to her veterinarian for what was supposed to be a routine “teeth cleaning”. Unfortunately, there were unexpected complications after Diego was sent home from the hospital and Diego ended up dying in Jillian’s arms as she rushed him back to the veterinary office.
At that time, Jillian knew nothing of pet first aid or how to properly perform CPR on a dog. That day changed Jillian’s life forever as she vowed to do her utmost to make sure that this scenario was not repeated for other pet owners.
Healthy Paws Pet First Aid and CPR Classes
The courses offered at Jillian’s Healthy Paws facility not only include hands-on exposure to basic pet first aid techniques but also teach participants how to care for their senior dogs and cats as well as focusing on proper oral care for pets. But Jillian talks much more about what her classes are like and what is covered in them in the interview, so have a listen.
Don’t forget to join the Animal Cafe team next week for another great podcast interview.
This entry was posted in Lorie Huston, Pet Health and tagged cats, dogs, pet cpr, pet first aid, pet first aid certification, pets on July 25, 2011 by Lorie Huston, DVM.
Poison and Pets – Hidden Dangers Lurking?
How many pet poisons are hiding in your house and garden?
Poison and pets get together at the worst times, often taking families by surprise when household items turn deadly.  One of the most common pet poisonings occur when your pet accidentally gets into your medication.  But many other substances that  can poison your pets are hidden dangers lurking in and around your home..  Some poisons are well-known as dangers to pets,  others are unexpected.
Poison and Pets – What’s In Your Kitchen
There are some foods that are well-known for being dangerous for our pets. For instance, most people know that chocolate is a poison and pets who ingest it need to be seen.  But did you know that sugarless chewing gum can also be a dangerous, even fatal source of pet poisoning? It can if it contains a chemical called xylitol, especially for dogs.
Do you feed your pet grapes or raisins? Grapes and raisins are known to be a poison for pets also.
These are just a few examples of  how poison and pets  get together in something as  simple as household foods considered to be treats.
Poison and Pets – What’s In Your Garden?
Yes, absolutely. Many of the flowers in your garden are quite dangerous. Some of the common plants that can be a pet poison are:
foxglove, contains a poison known as digitalis
lillies, an especially potent poison for cats
Japanese yew, contains another type of poison
In addition, many of us use fertilizers and other chemicals on our lawns and gardens. Many of these products, particularly the ones you use in your garden, can be a poison for your pet. Did you know that bone meal, commonly used as a fertilizer for plants, is a poison?
Poisons in Pets Flea and Tick Medicines – A Real Threat?
In areas where fleas and ticks are common, flea and tick control is a must. But how safe are these products for your pets? The answer may surprise you!
Poison and Pets – Hear Dr. Justine Lee, from the Pet Poison HelpLine, Talk About Flea and Tick Products, Their Potential to Poison Your Pet and Much More
This week, Animal Cafe welcomes Dr. Justine Lee, director of veterinary services at the Pet Poison Helpline. Dr. Lee discusses the potential toxicity of flea and tick medicines and explains the steps you can take to keep them from becoming a poison issue for your pet in addition to many other facts that pet owners need to know about poison and pets.
Dr. Lee will also be joining us on Wednesday, May 4 at 9PM EST in the Chat Cafe to further the discussion of pets and pet poisonings. She’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. Mark it on your calendar and pull up a chair in the Cafe to hear more about what things can be poisonous to your pets and what you can do to avoid them.
Photo courtesy of mbrubeck/Flickr.com
This entry was posted in Lorie Huston, Pet Health and tagged cats, dogs, pet poison helpline, pets, poison, poison and pets, poisonings on May 2, 2011 by Lorie Huston, DVM.
Finding the Best Quality Pet Food for Your Dog or Cat
Anthony Holloway, owner of K9 Cuisine
This week, we’re joined by Anthony Holloway, owner of K9 Cuisine. In this audio podcast, Anthony discusses the origins of K9 Cuisine and the difficulty he and his family experienced in purchasing a good food for their own pet. He also discusses his criteria for offering a food for sale through K9 Cuisine. There are many foods which K9 Cuisine does not offer because they do not meet the website’s standard for quality.
Anthony also discusses the pet food rating tool available at K9 Cuisine. This tool allows a pet owner to determine the quality of their pet’s food by answering a number of questions. All that is required for you to complete the questionaire and find out how your dog or cat food rates is the product label for the food. The tool also explains why each question is important in determining the quality of the food.
Go ahead and listen to the podcast at your convenience. Then, don’t forget to join us in the Chat Cafe on April 6, 2011 at 9PM EST to ask your own questions or share your experiences with the various foods you have fed your own dog or cat. Anthony will be joining us and will be happy to provide further information.
This entry was posted in Lorie Huston, Pet Foods and tagged best cat food, best dog food, cat food, cats, dog food, dogs, pet food, pets, quality cat food, quality dog food on April 4, 2011 by Lorie Huston, DVM.
Categories Select Category Animal Welfare Breeding and Reproduction Edie Jarolim Eric Goebelbecker Guest Post Kelly Gorman Dunbar Leadership/Motivation/Counseling Lorie Huston Mary Haight Pet Conferences Pet Foods Pet Health Pet Products Pet Travel Steve Dale Training and Behavior Uncategorized
Pet Health Care and Prevention
Pet health care is not something pet parents want to skimp on. We know prevention is key to continued good health and lower vet bills. So why is the trend showing less visits to the vets? Watch Steve Dale's video5/27–7/2013
Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes Want Your Dog!
Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes are soon to be out in force, looking for a meal. What will you be doing about prevention meds for your pets this year? Watch Steve Dale as he chats with Dr Ernie Ward on visiting your vet.4/26/2013 – 5/3/2012
Rescue Shelter Pets from Testing Labs
You may not know that more than 30 States allow your local animal shelter to sell pets to research and medical testing labs. Listen in as attorney & author Allie Phillips gives us the highlights and lowdown on this controversy.4/09/2013 – 4/16/2013
Dog Play - What Games Are Your Rainy Day Favorites?
Carol Bryant of Fidose of Reality stopped by to share a game she plays with Dex, her cocker spaniel, at home and on the road. Dog play is great fun and an excellent bonding experience - listen in!3/29/2013 – 4/7/2013