Debunking Pet Care

   Hairballs can be a moment of stress for cat owners and cats alike.  There are some actions you as a pet owner can take to minimize them in cats. A good start is the diagram below.    #HealthThroughNutrition   #ABetterWorldForPets From my experience as a pet owner with the education of a Veterinary Technician and Groomer, I will share the story of my oldest cat who is now a 17 years old girl and still going strong. I practice regular brushing with a comb as she doesn't  like/never liked the brush, the fishtail metal pet comb works even better then the brush anyway to remove the little tuffs she gets. I am always checking both my cats fur for dandruff, fur loss/patching, their poop to make sure their digestion is good, weight and observing their behavior for excessive itching, licking, lack of energy, or discouragement in eating. Also I know my pet's very well even if a behavior seems wacky I am always attentive to see if there is a root to it.   When looking at their poop I m

  Welcoming a puppy or a kitten as a new member of the household is an exciting time, but is an intentional decision that comes with some planning. Do you know the Five Freedoms for Animals? It is a great start to seeing if a home is ready to welcome a new addition to the family. Anyone planning to adopt a pet?  Be it a puppy, Kitten, Bunny, reptile, Avian, rodent, even a fish as a new member of the household   is an exciting time, but keep in mind that it is in fact an intentional decision. You are personally choosing to put that extra work, and  responsibility  on yourself. Therefore before the big adoption day there should be must be some planning as well as self education.  A good start is knowing the Five Freedoms for any Living Creature: Like having a baby you must prepare your home for its arrival and permanent stay: #ABetterWorldForPets   #ResponsiblePetOwnership Activate to view larger image,

 Urine Colour Check:  Super easy to check during winter on the snow. A little harder in the summer but if you place a pee pad underneath or near the area he /she will pee  you may get a good idea of how things are as well as how hydrated your pet is.  Feces Check: It can give you an idea of how well your pet's stomach is able to digest the food, treat, or table scrap that you, may have given.  Level 2  is perfect normal stool, that is what you should look for.  If its more on the side of  Level 3 then keep an eye on it make sure it is not getting softer. Decrease the amount or times you give the food, treat, or table scrap.  Poop Colour Wheel:  Healthy Muscle Mass Take into Consideration age can also affect muscle mass as well as conditions such as Osteoporosis or Arthritis Dogs (Bigger View:  Muscle-Condition-Score-Chart-for-Dogs.pdf (wsava.org) CATS (Bigger View:  Muscle condition score chart-01.jpg (wsava.org) Healthy Weight? Do a Body Condition Score  DOG (Bigger View:  Body-Co

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in the Dog and Cat  Jinelle Webb , DVM , MSc , DVSC , Diplomate ACVIM  Introduction Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a well-known phenomenon in human medicine, but it is likely underdiagnosed in veterinary medicine.1.2 It has been reported that gastroesophageal reflux occurs in up to 41% of asymptomatic dogs.' Little is known about gastroesophageal reflux in cats, but it likely occurs relatively frequently as well. Many challenges face the inclusion of GERD in a differential diagnosis list, and the steps to attain a diagnosis. There are often non-specific clinical signs present, or even no clinical signs at all. The underlying pathology that is causing GERD can be difficult, if not impossible, to definitively prove. Some of these difficult-to-prove causes include an intermittently ineffective lower esophageal sphincter, or delayed gastric emptying leading to prolonged periods of gastric distension. If a pathology is suspected that is leading