Herbal remedies marketed to pets might actually be dangerous to your dog or cat. Obviously, we prefer to give our animals natural herbs when possible. Our companion animals’ bodies work different from ours, and some products that work for people are toxic to pets. But with hundreds of “natural” or “herbal” options, how do you know which ones are truly safe?

The first place to start is with your veterinarian. There are even holistic vets who can help evaluate your pet’s condition and determine the best natural course of action. When …

If you’ve ever arrived home to discover that Fluffy took a bite out of your sofa cushions or Fido shredded the morning paper “¦ well, then you own a dog. While indiscretions are common, many are avoidable. You already know that the first step in keeping your dog happy and healthy – and your home in one piece – is daily physical exercise. But what about mental exercise?

“Dogs weren’t bred to lie on the sofa all day and then walk in perfect step with their human for 30 minutes a …

In companion animals, severe wounds often result in severe consequences: amputation, infection, sometimes even death. As unbelievable as it sounds, an unexpected savior has emerged.

Medical-grade maggots.

In 2004, the FDA classified sterilized maggots as a medical device – in other words, you can purchase a prescription for fly larvae. Recently maggots have been used to clean human wounds, but veterinary medicine only recently has begun exploring the usage of these little wrigglers.

According to Monarch Labs, a supplier of medicinal maggots, these worm-like insects work wonders on hard-to-heal wounds. The maggots clean …

Vitamins and supplements are rising in popularity among health-conscious dog owners, due in large part to concerns about the quality of pet food. Of course, manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon and producing an array of products – from the healthy and practical to the completely absurd. For instance, if you are so inclined, you can now purchase bottled vitamin water for your pampered pooch.

While bottled vitamin water is pretty crazy, there are good supplements on the market that can be used as either preventive care or to manage specific …

Yesterday, we looked at how to prepare for home a shelter dog. But dogs aren’t for everyone! So what if you’re adopting a cat or kitten from the animal shelter? Bringing home a new kitty can be really exciting. But cats can take time to settle into their new surroundings. Here are 10 tips to help you help your cat adjust:

1. Before you bring your new kitty home, call the shelter to find out what type of food she was eating. Gather any information about medications, allergies, or

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Adopting a shelter dog can be a hugely rewarding experience. But it also takes a lot of preparation and patience. Though you may want to start spoiling and snuggling your new pup right away, he may take a little time to adjust. Get yourself and your home organized to welcome your new family member with these steps:

1. Ask the shelter what food your new dog has been eating. While you may want to switch him to a different diet, start him out on his familiar kibble until he’s comfortable

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Garbageman? Try Garbagedog! An environmentally-responsible dog owner in the UK trained his dog, Lucky, to collect trash in their local parks. If he locates glass, though, instead of trying to pick up potentially dangerous shards, Lucky barks twice to alert his owner. Not only does Lucky pick up the garbage he finds, he also tosses it in the nearest trash can.

Lucky’s owner William Keating said in an online interview, “I don’t understand why people throw litter away because if a dog can put it into a bin then so can …

Guess which states still allow the brutal devocalization of pets? Nearly all of them.

Devocalization, commonly called debarking in dogs, is a surgical procedure that involves removing tissue from an animal’s vocal cords, thus reducing the animal’s ability to vocalize. The surgery not only steals the animal’s ability to communicate, but it also poses numerous health risks, including the possibility that scar tissue will block the animal’s throat, and can cause significant pain.

The United Kingdom and Denmark outlawed the procedure, but almost every state in the United States allows it. In California, …