by Kathy McCartney Many people adopt dogs without fully understanding what they’re getting into. I know I did. I made a lot of mistakes with our first dog, things I either misunderstood or things I simply didn’t know. And because I had grown up with dogs and was
There are so many good reasons to spay or neuter your pet. The best known reason is helping to reduce the unwanted pet population, but did you know that neutering can help to protect your dog’s health? Take the example of Fionn MacCool. Fionn, an unaltered male of
By Stephanie BeauvaisA SCARS intake named BamBam came into our care with a few hitchhikers on him — ticks! With a seemingly increased amount of tick bites being seen in Alberta, SCARS would like to share some information with you about keeping your pets safe from ticks, especially if
By Nomi Berger We’ve all seen the TV commercial where a group of grinning dogs flash their wide, dentured smiles. We’ve all heard the voice-over warning us that four out of five dogs over the age of three will develop oral care issues. Whether this is true or not,
Are you considering adopting a rabbit? Rabbits are adorable. They are soft, gentle, quiet and easy to house train. Much like a cat, they will use a litter box. Rabbits, unlike cats, require supervision in your home. Left to their own devices, they may do things like chew
By Nomi Berger Did you know that 80% of dogs and cats over the age of 4 have some form of dental disease? As with people, the main culprit is a build-up of plaque, which eventually hardens into tartar, leading to gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontal disease.
By Nomi Berger With the arrival of summer comes the arrival of two bothersome and potentially lethal pests: fleas and ticks. For each flea found on your cat, there may be scores developing from unseen eggs within your own home. Besides being itchy, flea bites can cause your
By Nomi BergerMillions of dogs go missing each year. Unfortunately, very few of them are ever reunited with their owners. Many of them become and remain strays. Others are taken to pounds or shelters, where they are either adopted out to new homes or, all too often, euthanized. Now
By Nomi Berger Dogs, like humans, are creatures of habit. Once comfortable in their surroundings, they are unnerved by change. And trading a familiar home for an unfamiliar one can cause fearfulness and stress. Unless you, the conscientious dog guardian, plan ahead with all the precision of a successful
By Nomi Berger As the days grow darker and shorter, and the thermometer plummets, so does the mood of millions of people living in the Northern Hemisphere. But humans are not the only ones affected by what scientists refer to as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Our dogs
