Philadelphia Pet Care Examiner

Pets 101: What are the options for a dog with cancer?

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:27:19 -0700

This Golden Retriever's swollen lymph node is typical with lymphoma. Photo: WikipediaDog owners are often shocked when they find out their beloved dog has cancer. Many dog lovers think only humans get cancer until they're faced with bad news, option...

Pets 101: Where can I buy organic and natural pet food in the Philadelphia area?

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:05:49 -0700

Many animal lovers realize that better nutrition equals better health not only for themselves, but also for their pets. Just as many of us are reading ingredient labels on human food these days, we're also reading the labels on pet food, and much of ...

Pets 101: What should I feed my dog? Part two

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:29:51 -0700

Dogs are closely related to wolves and have similar dietary needs. Photo: Wikipedia.What is the best choice?While raw and homemade diets are becoming increasingly popular and recommended by more than a few veterinarians and nutritionists, many dog o...

Pets 101: What should I feed my dog?

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:10:08 -0700

When it comes to dog food, the choices seem endless. Photo: Wikipedia.Dry dog food or kibble. Canned dog food. The raw or BARF diet for dogs. Homemade dog food. Holistic and organic, frozen specialty and raw dog foods. Vegetarian dog food. Table scr...

Tweet to support canine cancer research

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:11:13 -0700

Hans was still acting like a puppy when he was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma at age 10. Although he received the best of care and lived much longer than vets predicted, he died 18 months later.Did you know that one out of three dogs will be affected...

Tick prevention and preventatives

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:21:03 -0700

The American dog tick is very common in PA and NJ. Photo: Wikipedia.There are hundreds of chemical products available that claim to prevent ticks from attaching to a dog or puppy or to kill them after they bite, but not all are effective, and none o...

Help dogs avoid ticks and Lyme disease

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:49:46 -0700

Ticks are often so small they are difficultto detect. Photo: Wikipedia.With increased awareness of ticks and tick-borne diseases, many dog and puppy owners are rightfully concerned about avoiding ticks. Although no tick preventative is 100% effective...

Dogs and Lyme disease

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:29:09 -0700

An engorged blacklegged (deer) tick. Photo: Wikipedia.Many dog owners are concerned about ticks and the diseases they can carry, particularly Lyme disease though there are others such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis, to ...

Dogs and ticks in the Philadelphia area

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:11:47 -0700

An adult blacklegged or deer tick. Photo: Wikipedia.Pennsylvania and New Jersey are considered high risk areas for Lyme disease, and that can only mean one thing: ticks. For dogs and their owners who rarely leave Philadelphia city limits and for whom...

Summer safety tips for pets

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:21:41 -0700

Not all dogs can be professional surfers, and not all dogs can swim without a little help from a special flotation device or lifejacket. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) The heat and humidity of summer can be just as uncomfortable for pets as it is for h...

'Tis the season for fleas - part three

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:00:31 -0700

Fighting fleas once they're present can take many approaches. It's best to start off conservatively, depending on how bad it is. Check with your vet first, though, especially if you have a puppy or a kitten, if your pet is pregnant, if your pet...

'Tis the season for fleas - part two

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:49:46 -0700

The best defensive strategy against fleas is a vacuum cleaner, a washing machine, and hot water. A dryer helps, too. Extra vigilance during the warm months is important, and that not only means thorough, regular housecleaning, it also means exa...

'Tis the season for fleas

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:43:25 -0700

Photo: Wikipedia Fleas, fleas, fleas everywhere! In your house, on your dog, all over your cat and even on you. In less than a month, hundreds or even thousands of adult fleas could set up camp in your home and—what's worse—you might not...

Sockington, the microblogging cat

Wed, 27 May 2009 22:22:14 -0700

Here is Sockington posing next to his Twitter page. (AP Photo/Jason Scott)Are you following Sockington the cat on Twitter? If you're not, you should be, but he probably won't follow you. Unless you're an animal, that is.Cats are like that.With more t...

Pigs as pets

Wed, 27 May 2009 17:35:38 -0700

These pigs are a common type found on many farms. (Photo: AP/Alexandre Meneghini)As you've probably heard, so-called swine flu is primarily a human disease, and it doesn't come from eating pork or being around pigs. Unfortunately, though, it looks l...

Christian the lion

Mon, 25 May 2009 19:18:53 -0700

If you haven’t already seen the video of Christian the Lion and his reunion with the humans who raised him as a cub, take a moment to watch–or watch again. When I first saw it, I questioned the validity of the story and did some rea...

The amazing dancing cockatoo

Sun, 24 May 2009 10:00:24 -0700

I'm never surprised at what animals can do, but I'm always amazed.

Think you'd like to have a bird like this for a pet? Think twice. Or thrice. And then think again. Read this Quick Checklist for New Parrot Owners.

Difficult decisions

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:08:20 -0700

Eventually, a beloved pet becomes very old, seriously ill, or badly injured to the point that his or her end is near, and it may be time to make some very difficult decisions. This isn't an easy subject for most animal lovers, but I've had to tackle ...

Philadelphia area pet cemeteries and crematoriums

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:04:04 -0700

Here is a list of local pet cemeteries and crematoriums. I'll be adding to it regularly. Reasonable effort is made to ensure that phone numbers, addresses, and websites are current and correct. However, if you should find that contact informati...

The dog, the lawn, and the burn spots

Tue, 12 May 2009 14:27:54 -0700

Here's my (late) dog Hans in his "bathroom." I used twine to separate the area from a newly-seeded lawn while training him at a new house.For lawn lovers who also love dogs, the battle against brown and yellow "burn spots" can be...