Dr Adam Christman, chief veterinary officer DVM360, and Steve Dale in a wide-ranging discussion about how veterinary medicine continues to evolve and what the pet parents’ role is today. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4475637/Petcast_1-3-24_2024-01-03-182737.64kmono.mp3 ..read more

Dr. Mary Gardner can apparently foretell the future, as today the notion of euthanizing at home or a dog’s favorite place, or providing hospice is something pet parents are seeking. Lap of Love is a network of over 300 veterinarians around the country with the goal of empowering every owner to care for their geriatric pets including at-home euthanasia. What she says about the right time to euthanize may be surprising. We do have more geriatric pets than ever, and to answer questions about their needs she’s authored old pet bibles: It’s Never Long Enough: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yo ..read more

Dr. Debra Horwitz, world renowned veterinary behaviorist and co-editor Decoding Your Dog, discusses why dog bites may be on the rise. For starters, she says, hugging your dog isn’t likely a good idea. We may call them our fur babies, but treating dogs like human babies doesn’t benefit the dog. Also, discussed are dog bite prevention tips as well as how the Fear Free initiative is transforming veterinary medicine. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4449101/Petcast_10-26-23_2023-10-24-210301.64kmono.mp3 ..read more

Pilley Bianchi, who is the author of For the Love of DOG, and her late dad, professor John W. Pilley, Jr. trained Chaser, the smartest dog in the world. How did they do it? How smart was Chaser? How smart are dogs really? Are we not tapping into what all dogs are capable? Pilley has a way to open minds and dispel myths. Ear infections are among the most common complaints heard by veterinarians, which makes ZYMOX a savior for pet parents, ZYMOX Ear Cleanser combines protein, enzymes to gently cleanse. ZYMOX Ear Solution provides two options with the patented combination ..read more

Dr. RuthAnn Lobos on how to keep pets out of the pet ER over the holidays, and it begins with being safe rather than sorry when it comes to tinsel and a special hint for preventing cats from toppling Christmas trees. Discussed are foods to keep pets away from and an idea to offer appropriate holiday food and treats so the pets aren’t begging for turkey or ham from the Christmas table. Also, Steve Dale’s dramatic reading, “A Pet’s Night Before Christmas” https://serve.castfire.com/audio/3903502/3903502_2021-12-12-201602.64kmono.mp3 ..read more

Arguably the most important non-profit in the cat world is the EveryCat Health Foundation (formerly Winn Feline Foundation). Guests on this Merrick Pet Care Petcast are Vickie Fisher, president of the Board of Directors at EveryCat and Past President International Cat Association and EveryCat Executive Director Jackie Ott Jaakola discuss the rich history and impact this organization as nearly all we know about all cats was once funded over the past 53 years by this non-profit. I too am involved, as I am Secretary of the Board of Directors, and explain how I created a fund called ..read more

Cats are living longer than ever before, and now the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has created Guidelines for Senior Cats called Senior Cats Have Special Needs. My guest in this Merrick Pet Care Petcast is Dr. Hazel Carney, feline practitioner and Co-Chair of the AAFP Guidelines Committee. We cover LOTS of ground in this Petcast, from rattling off lots of very subtle signs of pain in cats you might not be aware of to defining feline cognitive dysfunction (sometimes dubbed ‘Kitty Alzheimers’). We talk about how learning throughout life and providin ..read more

Talk about heavyweight guests, In this Merrick Pet Care Petcast, Dr. Mark Johnston, chairman of the trustees of  Our Special Friends and VP World Small Animal Veterinary Association Foundation with Dr. Patrick Flynn, president elect of the  Human Animal Bond Association and Professional Services Veterinarian at Zoetis.  This Petcast features the very first  announcement: International Human Animal Bond Day is November 8. And Dr. Johnson and Dr Flynn both explain that indeed it’s all about celebrating our relationships with dogs, cats and other ..read more

Arguably, there’s an epidemic of overweight and obese cats. Dr. RuthAnn Lobos, lead veterinarian Merrick Pet Care feels so strongly about this topic because, though we love them more than ever before, our cats are suffering more as a result. As one example, diabetes in cats is at an all-time high.  We discuss other repercussions of cats being overweight or obese. Dr. Lobos offers tips on both prevention – so the cat isn’t overweight or obese in the first place. And we absolutely talk about how to get that extra weight to gradually come off. https://serve.castfire.com/a ..read more

Dr. Danielle Conway is residency trained in veterinary nutrition and certified in veterinary acupuncture, herbal medicine and chiropractic medicine. In this Merrick Pet Care Petcast, she offers our aging pets the fountain of youth. Dr. Conway is all about integrating traditional and what was once termed non-traditional or alternative medicine. However, today we know these are merely different modalities and what works best for most pets is a multi-modal approach, using the best of what is most appropriate for an individual pet. We talk about how to determine if your dog or ..read more