Dental Care

Dental care is very important for your pet no matter what age! This page has a number of resources for your cat & dog’s teeth – what you can do at home to improve dental care, the costs of professional care, dental insurance information, and more! Check out the resources at Our Dental Care Blog.

Heat stroke signs in dogs

Summertime safety is an important consideration for pet owners. Pets should never be left in parked cars, as temperatures can quickly rise to deadly highs. Other tips include limiting walks and runs with your dog to early morning or evening hours, watching out for paw pad burns on hot asphalt, and using a pet-friendly sunscreen on pets with light-colored fur. For more information on summer pet safety, check out the

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Raisins and Grapes Can Be Toxic

Let’s discuss raisin and grape toxicosis. For some years now veterinarians have known that certain dogs, upon eating grapes or raisins, have reactions that range from mild GI (gastrointestinal, stomach and intestine) problems to kidney failure and death. Cats, being fastidious eaters, probably just have better sense than to eat raisins or grapes. But take no chances and do not offer grapes or raisins to your kitty.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

Feline leukemia is a cancerous disease caused by feline leukemia virus (FeLV). FeLV causes diseases other than leukemia including other cancers and immunodeficiency. Cats may not start to show signs of disease for months or years after being infected with FeLV. Infection with FeLV is a major cause of illness and death in domestic cats. Approximately 2.3% of cats in the United States are infected with FeLV. Read more at

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If you’re for declawing cats, raise your hand.

Ever wonder what goes on behind closed doors at veterinary clinics? Why do veterinarians always take animals into the back? Are there dirty little veterinary secrets that animals can’t tell us? Declawing is one of the most painful, routinely-performed surgeries in all of veterinary medicine, and yet it is so common that one-quarter or more of all cats in the US are declawed.

Feline Vaccination Series

This vaccination series is designed to help protect your pet from several diseases. Booster shots should be given every 3 to 4 weeks until kittens are 3 months old. Adult cats should be vaccinated every 3 years but should have annual physical examination to screen for other illnesses. Vaccinations should be given to all cats even if they are strictly indoors. Recently adopted cats with unknown health histories should also

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Cancer in Cats — Fourteen Signs to Look For

Lump or growth that grows quickly A mass that seems to be attached to the underlying tissue A mass that changes its character Weight loss or loss of appetite Coughing or difficult/labored breathing Bloody urine or difficulty urinating Lethargy or a decreased energy level Straining or difficulty defecating A firm mass A pigmented mass A sore or wound that does not heal Difficulty eating or swallowing Persistent lameness Repeated vomiting

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FIV: Catching a Bad Case of Rumors

By Kristi Littrell (originally posted on bestfriends.org) Despite what many people think, cats with this condition can live perfectly long, happy, healthy lives. I was on my way back to the sanctuary after a family visit in Colorado. Curled up beside me, purring contentedly, was Reggie, the cat nobody dared take in. You’d think he was an unexploded bomb or an X-rated movie. Make that FIV-rated. FIV stands for Feline

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Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus (FIV)

The Feline Immuno-Deficiency Virus (FIV) is a slow virus that affects a cat’s immune system over a period of years. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually, like in litter boxes, water and food bowls

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Senility in Cats

Many people have known old cats that have matured to the point of minimal activity, and who have lost most of their kittenish joie de vivre. That’s normal aging. Feline cognitive dysfunction (FCD), however, is a truly pathological condition represented by a constellation of behavioral signs that are abnormal, seem out of character, or are performed out of context. No one sign is absolutely diagnostic, but the insidious onset of

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