For my friends in the US, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, or American Thanksgiving as we Canadians who live on the border like to call it. As an aside we border Canuks like to celebrate twice, once in October and again in November–guess we just like Turkey. One great thing about holidays in going home or visiting relatives and for many people that journey includes the family pet. Here is a survival guide in 2 parts for traveling with… Continue reading →

This post deals with Canine Hypothyroidism because except in a few very extreme circumstances Feline Hypothyroidism does not exist. The thyroid gland is a small gland in the neck adjacent to the windpipe. It is considered a master gland and is responsible for producing thyroid hormones which have an effect on many parts of the body, including the skin and hair coat, metabolism, behaviour, attitude and even bone marrow function. Hypothyroidism occurs when the gland does not produce enough thyroid… Continue reading →

The secret to flea control is in the FREQUENCY of your flea treatments. You should be attacking the new adult fleas every 2 weeks or so but most conventional treatments ( house sprays) should only be used once a month or so due to the toxicity. If you use a conventional spray (no foggers please), use one with pyrethrins AND methoprene, and use as often as the label allows. These do leave toxic chemicals in your environment so beware! The… Continue reading →

The common flea, Ctenocephalis felis, is well known to most dog and cat owners. Fleas are tiny primitive parasites that feed on the blood of dogs and cats and humans in some cases. Fleas live on pets and in the environment. Fleas have a 4 stage life cycle, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Research shows that if you have a flea problem in your house 5% are adults. Most of the fleas exist as pupae ( 10%), larva ( 35%)… Continue reading →

In a recent study published in an Animal Behavioural Journal, it was found that in multipet households, cats are top dogs. Cats and dogs can get along together, particularly if the cat is in the household first and if the two pets are introduced at a young age. However, usually the cat is dominant to the dog! Cats and dogs can learn each other’s body language especially if they are exposed to it at a young age–just like our children… Continue reading →

I was recently asked to visit a stable to provide chiropractic service to some therapy horses. Although I was familiar with riding for the disabled and have worked with these groups before these horses were different. They were used for Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). EAP is not about riding or horsemanship.All interactions with the horses are done on the ground. It is a powerful and effective therapeutic approach that has an incredible impact on individuals, youth, families, and groups. EAP… Continue reading →

Separation anxiety is a very common behavioral problem in dogs. The dog fears or dislikes isolation and this causes him to engage in undesirable behaviors such as excess barking or whining, inappropriate urination or defecation, destructive behaviors or hyperactivity. Typically these dogs engage in these undesirable behaviors while the owners are gone and then have an excessive and prolonged greeting when the owner returns. What causes separation anxiety? Usually this is caused by trauma in a young dog’s life. Dogs… Continue reading →

Obesity is a very common problem in pets. Approximately 40 % of all pets are overweight. This is not just a cosmetic issue with a little extra “fluff”, obesity can be a serious problem. Just like humans, pets that are overweight suffer from illness related to their weight. The extra weight puts stress on all parts of the body. Obese animals are more likely to develop joint and mobility problems, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, breathing difficulties, high blood pressure and… Continue reading →

Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine diseases seen today in dogs and cats. There are 2 forms of diabetes, Type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes and Type 2 or Non-insulin dependent diabetes. When dogs get diabetes almost 100% get Type 1 Diabetes and when cats get diabetes 50 and 70 % of them get Type 1 Diabetes. Immune disease can be a cause of diabetes in these animals. Other causes of diabetes in dogs and cats include obesity… Continue reading →