Any physical changes or new findings on your pet should be evaluated by your veterinarian to best know if there should be any worry or cause for concern.  Performing a daily body massage and pet inspection can be bonding and revealing for all – this is suggested morning and evening.  Consistency in this evaluation with inspection from nose to tail and head to toes twice daily if possible by one or two members of the family is best.

Questions to be asked when a lump is discovered should better classify the nature of the lump and include:

Knee replacements, MRIs, ultrasounds and laparoscopic surgeries are all some of the advanced techniques and tools that veterinarians are learning in order to keep our pets healthy and happy. Did you know that also at the leading edge of research today are evaluations of the effectiveness of simple needles for the treatment of pain and paralysis and simple honey to manage burns and wounds? In just the past two years, the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association has published multiple studies that have shown acupuncture to be superior to back surgery for certain paralysis in dogs, and honey to be more effective than commonly used medical salves in the United States. Interestingly, both are ancient medical approaches that have been around for over 2000 years.

It’s finally time to get out and stretch and melt away that cabin fever. What better way to enjoy spring and summer then to spend some time outdoors with your best friend. Before heading out with your pet make sure you have the following on your Doggie Pack List:

-Fresh water & non-metal bowl for dispensing
-Treats for your pooch (AND you)
-Sunscreen (Animal friendly, if needed)
-Toys (Frisbee, Tennis Balls)
-Pets collar with current identification
-Veterinarian’s phone number

Now that you’re packed and ready to go, here are some tips on how to keep your time outdoors safe for both you and your pet. Dehydration, heat stroke and sunburn are the most commonly seen illnesses during hot weather. All three illnesses can easily be avoided by following a few simple steps.

Last week we looked at why some cats may be either urinating or defecating in places other than their litter box.  This week, we’ll explore ways to prevent it.

Methods for prevention of house-soiling

• Scooping the litter box daily
• Changing soiled litter daily
• Letting your cat decide which litter or box he/she likes by doing different trials

Did you know cats prefer finely-granulated clumping litter, and that sand is the next most preferred?  Wood chips and treated newspaper plugs are rarely preferred.

• Avoid negative conditioning; not only is it unlikely to work, but it can also be counterproductive by causing new problems
• Recognize negative scenarios that may upset your particular cat (children or other pet harassment) or stress
• Clean all soiled areas in the home appropriately and thoroughly to decrease attraction of soiled areas as established toilet places
• Provide sufficient number of litter boxes for the household;  The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) recommends 1 or more litter boxes than there are cats in the home
• Place the litter box/pan in area easily accessed by all cats

Part 1: Why this may be happening

While most cats are often sought for being a low maintenance pet, when inappropriate "toilet habits" occurs (i.e. ­anywhere but the litter pan) our once low maintenance, inexpensive pet can become one of the most expensive, frustrating and time consuming pet to care for.

What exactly is inappropriate toilet habits (better known as "elimination" in medical terms)? It is when our feline pet elects to change its toilet area to another part or parts of the home besides their litter pan, hence the other commonly used phrase of  'house soiling'.  And this can occur suddenly even with litter box-trained cats.  It's as if the litter box becomes an entirely new concept by our feline's vocabulary.  And this could be urination or defecation or both depending on how much you are loved by your kitty (this is strictly sarcasm from a cat owner that has much experience in this topic).

QUESTION: I have an 11 year old cocker spaniel named Snoops. About 3 weeks ago, he got a marble-sized lump on the forefront of his back leg above his paw. It was very soft. A few days later, it started to leak out a blood/clear liquid. I squeezed the area until it all drained out. It didn't do anything for about a week or two. This Friday, I noticed it was back. Again, yesterday Snoops must have messed with it and it started emptying again. This time it was just blood inside. Again, it was marble-sized and soft. Once it was all drained out, I put some Neosporin and a bandage on it. It seems to be OK today and is flat again. Do you know what this could be?

Many of us grew up with either a dog or cat, and still many had a hamster or guinea pig as a pet as well.  What is less known is that birds are the 3^rd most common pet in American.  And many of these are the hook-billed birds of the parrot species like Cockatoos, African Greys and Macaws, which can have large vocabularies as opposed to the non-parrot species that are smaller such as Canaries, Parakeets and Finches.

Special care and preparation is needed before selecting a Cockatoo or other type of parrot to come live in your home.  Cockatoos, African Greys, and Macaws can be amazing companions.  Their intelligence is often studied by scientists, perhaps in part because of their ability to mimic human speech and perform some moderately complex reasoning (such as distinguishing shapes, colors and textures.)  Their range and vibrancy of colors can make them stand out in any household… which may be a good thing: these birds are considered some of the most intelligent of the avian species, and many health and behavioral problems developed by these birds result from lack of attention from their owners.  They will pick off their own feathers out of boredom (a form of self-mutilation.)

A question we get quite often in our practice is about brushing your pet’s teeth and whether we feel it is necessary:

Imagine not brushing your teeth for a day, now a week, how about a whole month?  The results would be pretty disgusting and unhealthy.  Yet pet owners question the need for taking their pets to their vet for annual cleaning, despite not having a comprehensive plan to keep those canine or feline teeth free of tartar and bacteria.  Pet food doesn’t contain a magic cleaner ingredient that protects their teeth, otherwise that magic ingredient would be put into human food as well and the toothpaste and toothbrush market would cease to exist.  The truth is, most pet owners just neglect their pets’ teeth until often it’s time to have them pulled out.  Often this also is the time where the vet discovers that not only do teeth have to be removed, but the pet has also developed a heart or kidney condition directly related to the rotten teeth.