Can Dogs Catch a Cold?
We all feel a little under the weather sometimes, and it's no different for our pets. Whether they're affected by environmental factors or contract an illness from being around other dogs, there are many illnesses that your dog can face during their lifetime.
What is FIV in Cats?
There is a lot of confusion around FIV in cats, with many owners believing it to be the feline equivalent of AIDs in humans. This, however, is a myth. In this blog, we’re going to explain what FIV is, how you can spot it, and what you can do to care for cats positive for FIV.
Understanding Cat Tail Talk
Feline communication is a complex system of sign language, some vocalization, and even scent cues people can’t detect. Signals help define and reinforce the cat’s social position and smooth cat-to-cat, cat-to-people, and cat-to-dog relationships.
How Do Fish Get Parasites?
Quarantine new fish for 4-6 weeks to prevent parasite spread and ensure their health before adding them to the main tank.
Giardia in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Parasites can be a pain, and while these little critters are small, the damage they do can be disastrous! This blog will look closely at one of the smallest (microscopic, even) parasites that can impact your dog - Giardia.
Hyposalinity or Osmotic Shock Therapy for Marine Ich
Hyposalinity, or reduced salt levels in water, is an effective treatment for marine fish parasites during their free-swimming phase.
Is it Cruel to Keep a Cat Indoors?
One of the choices a new cat owner needs to make is whether or not they’re going to allow their cat to free roam outside of the home. While many people think this is a simple decision, there are actually a few reasons why an owner might keep their cat indoors.
What to Do if Your Puppy Is Scratching and Itching
Puppies can itch for various reasons, including fleas, dry skin, ear mites, mange, allergies, and ticks.
Dealing With Pet Health Emergencies on Holidays
Keep your pet’s routine consistent during the holidays to minimize stress and avoid potential health issues.
Lice in Freshwater Fish
Fish lice are macroscopic parasites that cause lethargy, abnormal swimming, and itchy skin, and they can carry secondary infections.
Hookworms in Puppies
Puppies are highly susceptible to hookworms, which can cause severe anemia, diarrhea, and even death without prompt treatment.
Giardia in Dogs
Giardia is a microscopic protozoan parasite that causes giardiasis, a common intestinal disease in dogs, often leading to diarrhea.
Roundworms in Puppies and Dogs
Roundworms, particularly Toxocara canis , are common intestinal parasites in dogs, especially puppies, and can cause serious health issues.
Lice in Dogs
Lice infestations in dogs cause severe itching, skin infections, and fur loss, and require prompt treatment to prevent complications.
Diagnose and Treat Saltwater Ich (Cryptocaryon)
Saltwater ich, caused by Cryptocaryon irritans , presents as white spots on fish and can cause respiratory distress and lethargy.
How to Treat Heartworm Disease in Dogs
Heartworm disease is a potentially deadly parasitic infection in dogs. Without treatment, a dog with heartworm disease will eventually die. Although the disease can often be treated, prevention is the best way to keep dogs safe.
Neon Tetra Disease: Signs, Treatment, and Prevention for Healthy Fish
Neon tetra disease is a fatal, untreatable condition caused by a microsporidian parasite that spreads quickly among fish.
Are Your Dog's Worms Contagious? Here’s What You Should Know
Multiple types of parasitic worms can be passed from dogs to humans, including roundworms and hookworms.
Kitten Diarrhea Treatment: Recognize When to Call the Vet
Kitten diarrhea can result from various causes, including dietary changes, stress, infections, and parasites. Persistent diarrhea requires veterinary attention.
Exotic Pets You Can Own Without a License: State-by-State Laws
Every state has laws that determine what kind of animals can be kept as pets. These laws can change at any time and over the years, many states have added to their list of prohibited animals. Game and fish commissions, departments of fish and wildlife or conservation, and other state divisions dictate these rules that are found in state statutes and regulations. These documents can be difficult for some to discover and decipher because they are written in complicated legal language.
Tea Tree Oil for Fleas: Evaluating Safety and Effectiveness
Tea tree oil should never be given orally to pets as it is toxic if swallowed.
Deworming Your Dog: How Often Is Necessary for Optimal Health?
Puppies should be dewormed regularly for the first few months of life, typically during scheduled vaccination visits.
Hole-in-the-Head Disease in Saltwater Fish
Hole-in-the-head disease (HITH) causes erosive pits in fish and is primarily an aesthetic issue but can lead to secondary infections.
Tapeworms in Dogs
Tapeworms in dogs are rarely serious but can cause irritation, malnutrition, and weight loss if untreated.
Tapeworms in Cats
Tapeworms are a common parasite in cats that live in the intestines. They can be excreted in the feces and passed along to other animals. Some owners may notice tapeworm symptoms in their cat such as vomiting, diarrhea, a bloated belly, changes in appetite, or segments of the worms in the stool, but many cats can have tapeworms and not show any signs. For this reason, regular prevention and screening is important to keep your cat free from tapeworms and other intestinal parasites.
Ear Mites in Puppies and Dogs
Ear mites are highly contagious parasites that cause itching, inflammation, and discomfort in pets, requiring prompt treatment.
Velvet: Aquarium Fish Disease Identification and Cure
Velvet disease is a serious condition caused by dinoflagellate parasites, requiring immediate attention to prevent fish mortality.
Anchor Worms in Freshwater Fish: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Anchor worms are crustacean copepod parasites common in freshwater fish such as koi and goldfish, and they are visible to the naked eye.
How to Give Fish a Freshwater Dip or Bath
A quick freshwater dip is an effective first step to treat saltwater fish for parasites before quarantine.
Cheyletiellosis in Cats
Cheyletiellosis is a highly contagious skin condition in cats caused by Cheyletiella mites, often called "walking dandruff."
Coccidia in Cats
Coccidia may not be visible to the naked eye but that doesn't mean it can't cause problems in your cat. This microscopic parasite infects the intestinal tract of cats and other species and causes coccidiosis, a condition of the intestinal mucosa . It can exist undetected in your cat so it's important to know how to see if your cat is infected and how to treat it.
Flukes in Fish
Flukes are microscopic parasites that infect fish skin and gills, causing symptoms like red spots and difficulty breathing.
How to Identify and Control Tiny Worms in Your Fish Tank
Properly identify whether you have detritus worms or planaria to determine the correct solution.
How to Treat Dry Skin on Dogs
Dogs can develop dry skin due to environmental factors, poor grooming, parasites, or underlying medical conditions.
Can I Let My Dog Roam Free?
Free-roaming dogs face significant risks, including traffic accidents, exposure to diseases, and encounters with aggressive animals.
Ulcers in Freshwater Fish
Ulcers in freshwater fish often result from weakened immune defenses caused by stressors like parasites or poor water quality.
Ivermectin for Heartworms in Dogs
Ivermectin is widely used to prevent heartworm disease in dogs through products like Heartgard, which kills immature heartworms before they mature.
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Bartonellosis in Dogs
Bartonellosis in dogs is a rare bacterial infection transmitted by fleas, ticks, or lice, not cat scratches.
Flashing in Aquarium Fish: Causes and Treatment
Fish use flashing to relieve itchiness, a behavior often tied to parasites. Lacking arms or fingernails, they rub against objects in their environment. Fish may dart abruptly to the side or bottom of the aquarium, flattening their bodies against the substrate—a motion revealing their light undersides, hence "flashing." Additional signs are twitchy swimming or sudden swimming bursts. Some fish jump out of the water, using its surface tension to scratch, risking injury if they don’t return to the
Diarrhea in Ferrets
Diarrhea in ferrets can result from various causes, including infections, dietary changes, stress, or foreign body ingestion.
Whipworms in Dogs
Whipworms are intestinal parasites in dogs, transmitted through ingestion of soil contaminated with infected feces.
Brooklynella in Fish
Brooklynella is a fatal and highly contagious parasitic disease primarily affecting clownfish and other aquarium fish.
Salt Bath for Fish: Treating Freshwater Aquarium Diseases with Ease
Salt can effectively treat freshwater fish diseases, heal injuries, and reduce stress, but must be used cautiously.
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Lara Hew 27 articlesLara is a photography major at UArts in Philly! In her free time, she likes to walk dogs and, of course, take photos. She also loves reading and movies, hiking, kayaking, and just anything that involves being outdoors. She has grown up with animals since she was little and currently has two dogs and a cat of her own.
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Peyton Shine 26 articlesPeyton originally from Michigan, but have lived in Philadelphia for 10 years. She grew up surrounded by animals, both at home and on her grandparent's farm. She now has one dog, a golden retriever-boxer mix named Cooper.
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Tiffany Salmon 47 articlesI focus on empowering my team through collaboration, transparency, and a shared sense of purpose. I believe in leading by example, maintaining a mindset of continuous learning, and encouraging others to think creatively and take calculated risks.
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Dana Minacapelli 47 articlesDana started her journey in the veterinary field in 2004 at an animal shelter in Corpus Christi, Texas. She immediately fell in love with the profession and nurtured her passion for helping animals that were in desperate need of a second chance. Here, she began implementing improved policies that mitigated disease control, managed a low cost spay/neuter program for the community, and made recommendations to the Board of Directors on best practices for the clinic as well as the shelter as a whole.
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Lizzie Youens 50 articlesLizzie has over ten years of experience as a veterinary surgeon with particular interests in animal behaviour, dermatology, and geriatrics.
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Hannah Clark 25 articlesHannah has worked at Pet Drugs Online for over three years, researching, writing, and publishing all of our blog content. She currently lives in Cardiff with her 5-year-old cat, Margot, and 2-year-old Cavapoo, Merida.