https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2017-04-09-nl-why-cats-vomit/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/7960ed92-f164-4eb9-a2e0-24686240de61/ By Dr. Becker One of the most common feline health issues is a tendency to vomit. Many kitties throw up on a more-or-less routine basis. It happens so frequently, in fact, that their humans and even some veterinarians assume chronic vomiting is completely normal for cats. Typical excuses vets and cat guardians offer for regular episodes of vomiting include: "He eats too fast," "She has a sensitive stomach" or "Maybe it's just hairballs." I've even had clients ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2017-07-09-nl-struvite-stones-in-pets/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/c4c7614b-830b-4597-b1a9-fb0cd2a8ef6f/ By Dr. Becker Struvite stones, also called triple phosphate stones and magnesium ammonium phosphate stones, are a type of bladder stone or bladder crystal that occurs in both dogs and cats. Magnesium, ammonia and phosphate are common substances found in urine. In high concentrations, they can bind together to form crystals that irritate your pet's bladder and cause inflammation. If the crystals combine with mucus, they can form plugs that partia ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2024-04-18-can-your-pets-eat-pineapple/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/45ac691c-e0c1-44c0-9f5a-8736379e6977/ Often added to fruit salads or eaten on its own, this tasty fruit can be added to your list of healthy, natural snacks for your pet. However, it contains a fair amount of sugar, so feed it in moderate amounts ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2017-09-30-nl-why-pet-owners-favor-dry-pet-food/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/8139323b-029d-45e6-ba38-9df5179afc81/ By Dr. Becker Despite the fact that an increasing number of pet owners are becoming better informed about nutritionally balanced, species-appropriate diets for dogs and cats, sadly, it seems there’s still an awful lot of kibble being sold. According to a Packaged Facts survey conducted earlier in the year, pet owners generally believe dry food is: 1) healthier and 2) better for pets’ teeth.1 Honestly, nothing could be further the truth — more ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2015-11-16-nl-new-puppy-arrival-preparations/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/fd850f41-6e12-433c-bd9b-aaefccaf8165/   By Dr. Becker Bringing home a new puppy is a very exciting, fun time for family members (including the new furry addition). It's also typically a somewhat stressful period as everyone makes the adjustments necessary to integrate the new puppy into the household. In order for things to go as smoothly as possible, I believe preparation is priceless. Planning ahead for your new arrival can make a huge difference in managing everyone's stress ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-05-28-nl-travel-with-pets/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/68a31d3a-98b7-41b5-9d5c-3109c2df7781/ By Dr. Becker More than half of U.S. pet owners (56 percent) travel with their pets, as do a sizeable number of those in the U.K. (41 percent).1 Understandably, the biggest concern pet owners have is that their pets will become stressed out, but this can be effectively managed by making the proper preparations. While it may be tempting to hop in the car, roll down the windows and let your pup happily ride in the front seat, stick his head out the window and tr ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2015-06-12-nl-cat-kneading/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/2b863a3a-21f1-4232-a26a-ab1004d97c9c/ By Dr. Becker Cats are mysterious, often independent creatures, but that doesn’t mean they don’t interact with their owners. On the contrary, cats use multiple methods of communication and will actually follow your lead in terms of how much involvement the two of you share.1 As felines, however, cats tend to display certain behaviors that may seem peculiar to us humans. One of the most common is “kneading,” which is when your cat pushes her paws against a soft su ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2015-04-17-nl-11-cute-but-dangerous-animals/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/3d81d3a5-7512-4008-949e-2b36e80b9e97/ By Dr. Becker Just because an animal is cute, it doesn’t mean it’s friendly. This is one of the first lessons we should teach our children, who are drawn to furry and fuzzy creatures of all kinds. But running up to and trying to pet a strange animal is rarely a good idea, especially if you haven’t asked its owner if it’s ok. Then there are the animals with no owners … the wild animals that share the Earth with us. Many are cute to look at and mos ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2017-04-10-nl-national-dog-bite-prevention-week/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/b7445686-8bb0-4cd4-b478-ac859b09eaac/ By Dr. Becker For those of you who keep track of dates, the annual National Dog Bite Prevention Week has been permanently changed from the third week in May to the second full week in April. "It is never too early to prevent dog bites," said Dr. Tom Meyer, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). "Moving up the time frame to the early warm days of spring expands our opportunity to work with schools and communities to e ..read more

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2015-04-26-nl-immune-mediated-thrombocytopenia-dog/ https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/b86668d1-6765-4796-b078-af4593d6f7dd/ By Dr. Becker Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMT) is a condition in which the body’s immune system destroys its own blood platelets. IMT is primarily a disease of middle-aged dogs, and while any breed can be affected, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Old English Sheepdogs are predisposed. The disease is quite rare in cats. The Job of Blood Platelets Platelets are very important types of blood cells that are produced from bone marrow. Th ..read more