Wet vs Dry Dog Food Comparison
With so many pet food options on the market, it can be overwhelming for owners to make the best choice for their dog. One of the most common questions every owner ask is which is best: wet or dry dog food, and we've got the answer.
Should You Spay a Cat in Heat?
Spaying a cat while in heat is possible but not ideal due to more complicated surgery and potential risks.
Is Cat TV Safe? Learn How Much Feline Screen Time is Too Much
Cat TV can be a great source of mental stimulation and enrichment, especially for indoor cats.
Bringing Home a New Cat
Whether you’ve decided to rescue, have gone through a breeder, or have found yourself opening your home to a cat for any other reason, there are a lot of things you need to consider when welcoming a new cat into your home. In this article, we’ll take you through the key things you need to remember when the time comes to bring your new bundle of fluff into your family so they can settle in properly and feel at ease in their new home.
Hypothermia in Dogs: What a Vet Wants You to Know
As cold weather descends on some parts of the country, you may be prepping your winter gear and considering how best to keep your pup warm, too. The change of seasons can bring a number of important considerations for our pets including how best to protect their paws from snow and ice melt products, traffic safety for walks after early sunsets, and how to keep our dogs warm on the coldest of days.
Exploring Lentigo: Understanding Black Spots on Orange Cats
Lentigo is a benign, genetic condition in orange cats causing black or brown spots and is not associated with cancer.
Guide to Dog Dental Care
Did you know that February is the official Pet Dental Health Month? We've put together this guide to help you understand the importance of caring for your dog's teeth as well as highlighting the key signs of dog gum disease and what you can do to prevent it.
What is the Best Flea Treatment for Cats?
Since many cat owners choose to let their cats free-roam around their local area, they run a much higher risk of picking up pesky parasites like fleas from their environment. This means it’s important for you as their owner to ensure they have the best possible protection against fleas, ticks, lice and other parasites they might pick up while they’re out of the home.
How to Give a Cat a Tablet
No matter how well you care for your cat, there will inevitably come a time in their life when you’ll need to give them a tablet. This could be to treat an existing condition or even just to give them a routine deworming tablet for cats.
Feline Breeds, Domestic Shorthair Cats, and Color Pattern Differences
There are over 70 recognized cat breeds, but only around 41 are recognized by the CFA. A breeds' recognition can vary by different cat registries.
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.