Intestinal worm infestations are among the most common health problems in dogs, and one that every dog owner needs to be on the lookout for. If you have just purchased or adopted a new puppy, the breeder or shelter should have wormed the animal. Even so, some parasites can linger in the intestinal tract, and new pet parents need to be vigilant to protect the health of their new family members.   One of the best ways to protect your dog from intestinal worms is to have regular checkups with your veterinarian. Your vet can detect the presence of intestinal worms and provide effective treatment if they are discovered. Your vet may ask for a stool sample when you go for your regular exam; that sample is used to find and identify intestinal parasites and recommend effective treatments.   In between regular veterinary checkups, you can protect your dog by watching out for early signs and symptoms of intestinal worms and other parasites. Some of the signs of an intestinal worm infestation are quite obvious, while others are subtle and easy to miss. If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, your next call should be to your veterinarian.   Coughing - Many dog owners do not realize that coughing can be a sign of intestinal worms. They may put the cough down to a simple cold or upper respiratory tract infection, but any cough is cause for concern. Coughing can be a sign of intestinal worms, but it is also a classic symptom of heartworm, which can be life threatening. Lethargy - Intestinal worms will sap the energy from your dog and interfere with its nutrition. As a result, the dog will often be lethargic and apathetic. If you notice lethargy or lack of energy in your dog, you should contact your vet right away. Vomiting - Stomach upset is a classic symptom of intestinal worms, and it should be taken seriously. In some cases the dog owner may be able to detect small roundworms in the vomit. In other cases there will be no worms present, but it is still important to have the dog checked out by a vet. Diarrhea - Diarrhea and soft stools are often present in dogs with an intestinal worm infestation. If your dog is infested with hookworms, you may also notice blood in the stool. Loss of Weight - When your dog has intestinal worms, those parasites are stealing the food and the energy it provides. As a result, your dog may lose weight even though it is eating more than ever. Bloated Appearance - A pot belly or bloated appearance is one of the main symptoms of intestinal worms. This is most apparent in puppies, but it can appear in adult dogs as well. Scooting - Intestinal worms are uncomfortable for your dog, and it may show that discomfort by rubbing its bottom or scooting across the rug. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with your vet. Dull Fur - If you notice that your dog's once lustrous fur is now dull and shaggy, intestinal worms could be to blame.

Whilst we humans love chocolate as a snack, we know it is a bad idea to feed it to dogs. Of course, often dogs are convinced they would quite enjoy ‘sharing’ with us and there have been tales of dogs breaking into a box of chocolates and polishing them off. If a dog does accidentally get a hold of a chocolate product, owners often ask how much is too much? The answer varies from dog to dog, with larger dogs being able to tolerate larger amounts than smaller breeds.   Image credit Chocolate provokes such disastrous results in dogs due to a compenent it contains called theobromine. Whilst we humans can easily metabolise the substance, the dog digestive system processes it far more slowly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels. Whilst one small piece is unlikely to cause your dog serious distress (though it make instigate a case of vomiting or diarrhea) it is best to be on the safe side if you are unsure how much they have gotten into and take a trip to the vet. Serious signs of chocolate poisoning include severe hyperactivity, muscle tremors, seizures, irregular heartbeart, internal bleeding and heart failure.   Image credit Note that different chocolate products contain varying levels of theobromine.  The highest levels are found in cocoa, cooking chocolate and dark chocolate and the lowest levels in milk and white chocolate. Due to these differences a dog consuming a few pieces of dark chocolate can cause deadly results that would not happen if they instead ate milk chocolate. Only one ounce of dark is enough to poison a 44-pound dog. As a general rule, 100-150 mg/kg bodyweight of theobromine causes canine poisoning.   Image credit Treatment options are limited. The general course of action is to induce vomiting, wash out the stomach and feed activated charcoal to absorb any remaining theobromine left in the intestines. For more severe cases, intravenous fluids and medication may be required.    Feature Image Credit 

Many kitten owners have found their new fuzzy family member loves to chew just as much as a puppy. Unfortunately cats seem drawn to sinking their teeth into things like electrical wires, houseplants and other household items which is not only frustrating to owners but can be dangerous for kittens – especially when live wires catch their attention!     So how do you stop your kitten from chewing everything in sight?   The first step is to identify why your kitten is chewing. Usually, it is because they are teething. Just like puppies and human babies when their teeth start pushing out of their gums their mouths become sensitive. Chewing can help relief this discomfort, and so it should be kept in mind your new furry pal might be chewing not to be naughty, but because they are in pain.   Generally adult teeth in cats start erupting when they are aged between 4 and 6 months and fully replace the milk teeth by 10 months by which point chewing should subsist.   In some cases chewing can be caused by other factors, which owner’s should also consider. Kittens and cats can chew due to stress and boredom as well more serious conditions such as a lack of vital minerals or vitamins.    Image credit     If your new kitty is teething there are a number of solutions to help prevent your house being shredded by tiny kitten teeth.   Kittens can be discouraged from gnawing on furniture and cables by coating them in unpleasant tasting solutions. These can be bought in stores – bitter apple spray is very popular – or made at home by mixing spicy substances like cayenne pepper with water.     Image credit  Covering electrical cords in tin foil can also discourage kittens from chewing them, as they dislike the metallic taste in their mouth (though beware, some kittens can enjoy the crackling sound).   Using double sided tape in favourite chew areas is another option, as cats normally recoil in horror from things that are sticky.     It is important to provide an alternative for teething kittens to chew once you have hunted them away from their favourite chew spots so they can relieve their discomfort. Cat chew toys are a good option, as are plants just for them to nibble on like lemongrass, catnip and cat grass.   Image credit   If boredom is the cause, the solution is lots of play and new toys to keep your cat mentally engaged.   If you suspect a more serious underlying condition, a trip to the vet may be in order, where they may be put on a course of supplements.    Feature Image Credit

Numerous conversations can make the average individual uncomfortable. When it comes to matters of health, many people shy away from the conversation about stool and what it says about their health. The same conversation can and should be had regarding your dog's health. As odd as it may seem, taking a few moments to pay attention to your dog's stool can reveal a lot about its health.   When you bring your dog to its annual visit with the veterinarian, the vet will examine the dog's stool as part of the process of analyzing its overall health. You can keep tabs on your dog's health in between visits by keeping an eye on the color, shape, consistency, size, and content of its stool.   Color Your dog's stool should consistently be a chocolate-brown color. Unless you feed your dog dry food with special coloring in it, there is no good reason for its stool to be different colors. Streaks of bright red coloring or red fluid are a sign of blood present in the stool. Stools that are black or tar-like in appearance could signal internal bleeding in your dog's gastrointestinal tract. A lighter color, such as tan, could be a sign of liver disease.   Shape The shape of dog stool should be that of a log. If your pet is dropping stools in the shape of small balls or pebbles during elimination, it could be a sign of kidney disease. Dogs suffering from kidney disease often fail to get proper hydration on a daily basis, resulting in stool that has this unusual shape. Diarrhea is not a definitive sign of a chronic illness, but when it occurs you should keep a close eye on your dog's eliminations for a few days to ensure its stool returns to normal.   Consistency When you are cleaning your dog's stool from the yard, it should be easy to pick up and have the consistency of dough. As mentioned above, diarrhea is a clear sign of distress. If your dog's stool is too firm it can be a sign of dehydration, constipation, or both.   Size Different dog breeds will have different stool sizes, so owners need to be aware of the common stool size for their breed. Stool size should be consistent on a weekly basis and correlate to the amount of food the dog is consuming each day. If your dog is eliminating in higher volumes it could be a sign that it is struggling to properly digest its food. Conversely, smaller volumes of stool are a sign that your dog may not be eating enough food.   Content Finally, as you clean your dog's stool from the yard it is worth looking at the content of its eliminations. If the stool appears to be covered with a filmy mucous it could be a sign that your dog has colitis. Undigested food particles are a sign that your dog may be struggling to digest all of the ingredients in its food. The presence of hair in stool can result from excessive grooming that occurs, in some pets, when stress levels are high or allergies are bothersome.   The most important thing to remember is that your dog should have consistent stool over long periods of time. Humans and animals alike are prone to daily variations, but consistent variations over long periods of time are cause for concern.

Cats have a reputation for being very low-maintenance pets-and in some ways, that reputation is well deserved. Still, just because you may not need to monitor your furry friend every second of the day doesn't mean that your cat isn't going to find ways to get into trouble in your house. In fact, a number of common household items have the potential to be very harmful to cats. Here is a look at some of the most dangerous offenders.   Household cleaners Chemicals like ammonia, bleach, chloride, and formaldehyde-many of which are staples in household cleaners-can be extremely toxic if they are ingested by your cat. Many modern cleaning products are scented so they don't have as much of a chemical smell, but this fragrance might actually fool your kitty into lapping up a cleaner unintentionally. Cats can even be exposed to chemicals by drinking water out of a recently cleaned toilet bowl or chewing on cloth that has remnants of laundry detergent left on it.   Medications If a medicine bottle accidentally spills, you need to be careful to collect every single pill so that your curious feline won't get ahold of human medication. Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines can be poisonous if ingested by your cat. Another common mistake many cat owners make is to expose your kitty to topical flea medication meant for treating dogs or humans. The active ingredient permethrin is found in many medications that fight fleas, but it should never be used on cats in particular.   Chocolate You've probably heard in the past that dogs should never eat chocolate, but you may not know that the same is true of cats. Chocolate contains a number of chemicals that are harmful to your kitty. Theobromine is a chemical found in chocolate that animals are unable to digest, and it can cause severe gastrointestinal distress. Chocolate is also high in caffeine, which can negatively impact your cat's nervous system and may cause coma or death.   Houseplants When summer approaches, your home and garden come to life with greenery. Unfortunately, many houseplants are poisonous to cats when eaten. Keep rhododendrons, lilies, azaleas, and jimson weed out of the house in order to keep your kitty healthy. You should also check the comprehensive list of poisonous plants on the ASPCA website before adding any new greenery to your home.   Rodenticides and insecticides It shouldn't be too surprising that products meant to be poisonous to bugs, rats, and mice can also be harmful to cats. Still, thousands of kitties get sick each year from ingesting rodenticides and insecticides. These chemicals can also be harmful if your cat eats a rodent that has been poisoned, so you need to work closely with an exterminator to figure out safer pest control options.   Unfortunately, the common idiom, "curiosity killed the cat" can actually turn out to be quite true unless you are careful with the harmful products that are often found around your home. Make sure to eliminate or hide any items that might pose a threat to your kitty in order to ensure a long and happy life together.

The hot days of summer mean fun in the sun, but parasites like fleas can ruin the party. Romping with your dog and letting your cat hunt in the back yard may be fun, but there could be danger lurking in the grass.   Fleas are a big problem for cats and dogs, and responsible pet parents need to take proactive steps to keep them at bay. If you have a pet, you need to be aware of fleas and do your homework on how to prevent them.   Buy a flea comb If you have not already done so, buying a flea comb is a smart move. The tiny teeth in the flea comb will trap adult fleas and their eggs, removing them before they can do further damage.   A flea comb is also a valuable tool in determining whether or not you have a flea problem. Fleas are so tiny they are almost invisible to the naked eye. Using a flea comb on your pet is often the only way to know if your cat or dog is infested.   If you do have a flea infestation, you may need to treat your home with flea bombs and other chemicals. This will kill any adult fleas and flea eggs hiding in the carpets and other spaces in your home. Once the initial infestation has been dealt with, you will be able to start on a monthly preventative plan.   Monthly preventative treatments There are a number of excellent preventative treatments on the market, and it is important for pet parents to talk to their veterinarians and get their recommendations. The vet can provide detailed instructions on how, and how often, to use these topical flea and tick treatments.   No matter which preventative treatment you choose, you need to use it consistently. Most treatments are applied on a monthly basis, and missing a dose could give fleas and ticks a foothold. Treating the pet promptly will prevent that problem and keep your pet protected all season long.   Be aware of the signs The preventative treatments you use should be enough to keep fleas at bay, but it is still important to watch your pet for signs of a flea problem. If you notice an increase in scratching or irritation, it is time to get out your flea comb and take a look.   If you have light-colored carpets, you can also watch for telltale dark spots that could indicate fleas or flea eggs. If you do find signs of a flea infestation, you may need to treat your home to eradicate the pests once and for all.   Keeping your pets flea-free is not always easy, and it is important to be vigilant all season long. Fleas can start cropping up outside as soon as the weather gets warm, and they can hang out in your home even through the winter. The best way to keep your pet protected is to watch out for the signs and be ready to take action when you find these troublesome parasites in your home or on your pet. Want to protect your fur-babies from fleas? Our online store offers heavily discounted (up to 75% off) flea treatments from leading brands. Feature image credit

If you share your home with a cat, you may have noticed some strange behavior, including dragging food from the food bowl and hiding it throughout the house. This behavior may seem strange at first blush, but it is actually quite natural when you think about the evolution of the animal and its natural instincts.   Your pampered house pet may have access to all the food it could ever want, but not all cats are so lucky. Outdoor cats, feral cats and abandoned cats all have to scramble for every morsel of food, and when they get food they guard it carefully. That might mean dragging it back to their dens and sleeping areas, and your house cat is following the same ingrained pattern.   Your cat is also relying on millions of years of instinct and evolution when it drags away the food you so carefully placed in the bowl. If you are a fan of nature programs, you have probably seen a leopard drag its prey into a tree before enjoying its meal. Your cat may have lost its spots and much of its wildness, but the instincts are still the same. You simply cannot overcome millions of years of evolution by providing a pretty bowl and a ready source of food.   Past experience can also play a role in this seemingly puzzling behavior. If you adopted your cat from a shelter or took a previously feral cat into your home, you have no way of knowing what the animal went through before you found it. There may have been months, or even years, where food was scarce and hard to come by. Given that history, it is only natural for your cat to drag food out of its bowl and hide it any time it can.   You may not be able to change your cat's instincts or completely stop it from dragging food out of the bowl, but there are a few things you can do to make the problem less troublesome. If your cat routinely drags food back to its sleeping area, placing the food bowl closer to its bed can reduce the number of pieces scattered around the room.   Simply moving the food bowl to a location your cat finds safer and more secure can go a long way in alleviating this unwanted behavior. If the bowl is located in a high-traffic area, your cat may worry that the food will spill or get taken away. Moving the food bowl to a quieter and less well-traveled location should make the cat more secure and less likely to drag food away.   It also pays to look at the behavior of other household pets. If you have multiple cats, each cat should have its own food bowl, preferably close to where it sleeps or hangs out. If your cat fears that other pets will steal its food, it may try to get a jump on the thieves by emptying the bowl and relocating its contents piece by piece. The same is true of dogs. Your cat may worry that the family dog will get to the food bowl first and there will be nothing left to eat. Placing the food bowl out of the dog's reach can eliminate the threat and solve this unwanted behavior.   Stepping on cat food in the middle of the night is no fun. Those tiny pieces can be quite sharp, especially to bare feet. Getting to the source of the problem is the best way to stop your cat from dragging its dinner away and leaving it in the middle of the room! Feature image credit  

One of the great things about cats is that they can take very good care of themselves. Cats love their humans, but they can survive quite well when the people in their lives need to leave the house for a few days or when they get home late from work.   Cats do not have to be taken outside for walks, and they do not need to go out to do their business. Cats are naturally attuned to use their litter trays, and once trained they will use them faithfully unless severe health or behavioral problems arise.   The key to making that litter tray training work is providing enough litter trays for your cat. If the litter trays you provide are insufficient, or if they are not kept clean, you might find your once fastidious cat relieving itself on the floor or in a hidden corner of the room. As cats are very clean animals, you can avoid this problem by providing your pet with the cleanliness it craves.   Locating the litter trays The location of the litter trays is an essential part of cat care. Your cat needs litter trays that are conveniently located throughout your home, and it needs enough of them as well. If you have a large home, you need to provide one litter tray on each floor at a minimum.   If you have a two-story home with a basement, that would mean you need three litter trays. That way your cat has a convenient place to go no matter where it is in your home. If you have a very large home with lots of rooms, adding one or two litter trays can be a smart move. Placing one litter tray in each bathroom is a good way to start. You may also want to place an extra litter tray in the basement or an out of the way storage room.   Quiet Please Most cats prefer that their litter trays be in quiet locations, and owners should keep that preference in mind when placing the pans. Owners should not place their litter trays in high-traffic areas like hallways or living rooms. The noise and activity could cause the cat to avoid the litter tray and seek an alternate place to do its business.   If you are placing the litter trays for the first time, take a few minutes to evaluate your home, including the amount of foot traffic and noise in and around each room. Then place the litter trays accordingly and show your cat where they are. Your cat needs to know where each litter tray is located so it can find the pan quickly when need be.   Once all the litter trays are in place, you need to keep them fastidiously clean if you expect your cat to use them faithfully. Keeping a litter scoop and supply of litter by each pan will make cleaning up easier, and choosing flushable litter can make things even simpler. No matter what type of litter you choose, be sure to check each pan several times a day and clean as needed. Your cat will thank you.  

It's really true when they say that a cat chooses its owner, you can't choose a cat. This is never more true when your four legged companion chooses another home to visit and potentially live in rather than yours. Owning, caring for and loving a cat can be a wonderfully enriching experience - but what happens when your cat starts living elsewhere? Some cat owners don't mind if their cat is being fed and loved somewhere else - so long as they come home to sleep at night. For others, to see their cat being looked after, and looking contented as a result of living somewhere else can be a very painful and frustrating experience - particularly so for young children. In situations like this, there are two sides to the coin. Your neighbours may be unintentionally (hopefully) feeding and therefore coaxing your cat into visiting them regularly or your cat is entering and eating food in other homes, potentially 'adopting' a new family. For the unassuming neighbours, more often than not, they don't realise that the odd dish of food they're feeding your cat can actually be harmful, causing allergic reactions, over-feeding and obesity and digestion problems. And then you have to deal with costly vet bills and looking after a sick kitty. You should also consider the possibility that the reason your cat is now visiting or even living somewhere else is a reaction their home life - maybe because of other cats your own or children or generally they feel the need to locate to a new and safer territory. In some cases, the original owners end up making the tough decision to allow their cat to become a member of their newly adopted family. It can be a bit of an awkward situation, but for the wellbeing of your cat, and so you can keep that cat as yours, there are plenty of methods you can try to ease this situation. Go and speak with your neighbour and voice your concern - ask them to not let your cat into their home, or not to feed them. Place a bright collar and tag requesting your cat not to be fed - include your name and number and even a bell. Feed your cat well and make sure they are spayed/neutered. Train your cat to stay in your yard, modify your yard to stop your cat getting out or restrict outdoor access to daytime hours. Get to know your neighbours and express your wishes - this is particularly useful prior to your cat getting to know them! As a last resort, call your local RSPCA/ASPCA to tell them of your concerns - particularly if your neighbours are not respecting your wishes. Likewise, if you are the unexpecting neighbour and you have a friendly feline frequenting your home there are also methods you can follow to stop them from doing so. Tell the cat to go away. If you're not able to deter it from visiting you, don't pay it any attention - and if you have a cat of your own only pay your pet attention. Try not to allow it into your house. If a cat makes a suprise entrace into your home, give them a quick squirt with a water pistol to deter them. Voice concerns with the cat's owners - and try and come to some arrangement where you can work together to stop the cat from coming to your property. All parties need to remember that this is actually a common problem and can be resolved easily with plenty of communication and respect. It's important that any situations like these are remedied promptly before any cats become thououghly confused as to where they actually live. Unfortunately there are execptions to the rules such as cases of neglect from the original owners or someone intentionally coaxing and keeping a cat indoors away from it's owners. Keep out for any signs of these sort of behaviours and act accordingly.  

Dogs are opportunistic scavengers that will never pass up the opportunity of a free meal! This is instinctual of course, but that doesn’t mean the behavior should be allowed. Some dogs steal right from the table, others from the garbage, but most problematic are the ones that steal from your small children. This can be a danger to both your child - who may get bit during the act of thievery - and your dog - who could be stealing something poisonous to them.   Children are small, with hands that can fall close to the height of your dog’s nose. This makes your child an easy target, but with prevention and training your dog can learn that it is not okay to steal!   Here are some things you should know when it comes to a thieving dog:   1. Your dog is less likely to steal if they are well fed. Double check with your veterinarian that you are feeding your dog the right amount for their age, size, and breed. You can also try dividing your dog’s daily amount into 2-3 portions that you can give them throughout the day. Another tip is to feed your dog before you’re having dinner company. Remember, dog’s are less likely to be on the prowl if they’re not hungry!   2. It’s essential that no one feeds the dog from the dinner table. By giving your dog people food, you could condition your dog to prefer it over their own. They may even believe that they are entitled to it. If you absolutely cannot resist, it’s recommended that you wait until everyone is done eating, and then put some scraps in their dog bowl.   3. Restrict your dog’s access to the kitchen. If you are prepping a large meal or having company, it may be best to remove the dog from the room by using baby gates or crating. Make sure you keep them entertained though. A good idea is to provide them with a food filled Kong toy while you are busy enjoying your own meal.   4. As humans it’s our job to teach our furbabies good manners and obedience training is the way to do so. In your dog’s mind, stealing food is a self-rewarding behavior. When your dog steals, the consequence is something desirable- they get to eat. Therefore, this thieving behavior is being rewarded and reinforced each time your dog steals something.   With obedience training, your dog will eventually understand that when they restrain themself from stealing, they are rewarded. Here are two different methods to consider:   Method 1: Have your child hold food in their hands and with your dog on a leash, walk towards them. If the dog tries to steal the food, gently tug the leash and say “leave it." If they don't try to steal the food then reward them with a treat.   Method 2: Hold a piece of food in your hand and show it to your dog. Say "leave it" and slowly lower your hand towards the ground. If they try to grab it from you, close your fist and deny them access to the snack. Ignore their nudging until they calm down, and then reopen your fist. If they sit and look calmly at the food in your hand, reward them.   Note that these techniques are not encouraged for dogs that are food aggressive. If you have a food aggressive dog you will need to consult specific training for possessive behaviors.   Be both firm and gentle when training your dog and always reward them for good behavior. Remember, you are competing against your dog’s natural instincts so be consistent with training, and your dog will have better manners in no time!    image credit