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Ask The Vet: Hyperthyroidism Common in Older Cats
Q: Our senior cat is hyperthyroid. How common is hyperthyroidism, and what causes it?
A: Hyperthyroidism is caused by benign tumors in the two thyroid glands located in the cat's neck. The tumors produce excessive thyroid hormone, which impacts all body systems.
Feline hyperthyroidism affects more than 10% of cats over age 10 and is now the ...Read more
My Pet World: Why your pets think the holidays are completely bonkers
Somewhere right now, as you’re dragging a tree into the living room, unboxing last year’s decorations, or trying to remember where you hid the good scissors, your pet is staring at you with a look that says: “Are we really doing this again?”
Because let’s be honest: The holidays make absolutely no sense to animals.
Dogs and cats live...Read more
Charlie Cox 'replaced' by family dog
Charlie Cox thinks his wife has "replaced" him with their dog.
The Daredevil actor married Samantha Thomas - with whom he has a son and a daughter - in September 2018 and he joked he spends so much time away working that the producer has grown "way too close" to their family pet.
He told People magazine: "My wife and our dog have a very effed-...Read more
What Your Pet Knows About You That You Don’t
Dogs and cats often seem to understand their owners in ways that defy explanation. A pet greets someone gently after a bad day, lingers near an owner before illness appears, or reacts to stress before a word is spoken. While these moments can feel mysterious, science and behavior research suggest that pets are reading signals most humans ...Read more
Cats and Cold Weather: What Owners Should Know When Temperatures Drop
As winter settles in, many cat owners assume their pets’ fur coats provide all the protection they need against the cold. While cats are remarkably adaptable animals, cold weather presents real risks—especially for outdoor cats, seniors, kittens and cats with medical conditions. Understanding how cats experience cold, and how to protect them...Read more
When winter bites, preparation matters
Walking a dog in very cold weather or snow can be invigorating, practical and even joyful — but it demands more preparation than a casual stroll in mild temperatures. Cold, wind, ice and snow affect dogs differently depending on size, coat, age and health. They also affect the human at the other end of the leash. The right gear does not just ...Read more
Why Dogs Need Sniff Walks: The Neuroscience of Olfactory Enrichment
For generations, dog owners have thought of walks primarily as exercise — a chance for a dog to stretch its legs, burn energy, and relieve itself. But animal-behavior researchers say this traditional view overlooks the most important part of a dog’s outdoor experience: the nose.
Across parks, sidewalks, and backyards, dogs aren’t just ...Read more
The New Attachment Figure: Why Pets Are Filling the Role of Best Friend, Therapist, and Anchor
In living rooms, studio apartments, and suburban kitchens across the country, a quiet shift has taken place in the emotional architecture of modern life. Dogs curl beside laptops during work-from-home meetings. Cats perch on bookshelves during long nights of writing. Rabbits sit calmly beside children during moments of fear or uncertainty. Their...Read more
Ask The Vet: Healthy Lifestyle May Lessen Dog's Cancer Risk
Q: A friend's dog recently died of cancer, and we want to do all we can to keep our own dog cancer-free. What advice can you offer?
A: Cancer is far too common in dogs, particularly large, purebred dogs. You can't change your dog's genetics, but there are things you can do to minimize the risk of cancer.
Overweight dogs develop cancer more ...Read more
My Pet World: When your neighbor’s dog thinks your yard is a rest stop
Dear Cathy,
I am beginning to believe that most dog owners either do not have the time or the inclination to train their dog. I used to help with a guide dog organization. The dogs were trained to poop with a certain command. And, in many instances to do their business in the same spot to make it easier for the person with sight problems to ...Read more
Sen. Patty Murray: ICE dog attack on Wash. man 'should shock the conscience'
When a man dressed as a construction worker knocked on Wilmer Toledo-Martinez’s door claiming to have hit his car, he believed it was an accident.
Instead, ICE agents were waiting for him outside on Nov. 14.
Toledo-Martinez’s lawyer, Olia Catala, said once he went out to check on the damage and exchange insurance information, undercover ...Read more
Dog Park Behavior Stresses Out Dog Owner
DEAR HARRIETTE: I go to a dog park weekly, and there's one dog owner who keeps letting their dog jump all over me and my dog, even though I've repeatedly tried to set boundaries. I've politely asked them to control their dog, and I've even stepped in front of my dog to block the other dog when it gets too rough, but nothing seems to stick. Every...Read more
Ask The Vet: Senior Cats Don't Require Senior Cat Food
Q: I am very careful to buy only senior cat food for Joon, my healthy 10-year-old cat. Sometimes it's hard to find. Is it necessary for her to eat senior food?
A: No, it's not necessary for Joon to eat senior cat food.
On pet food labels, the word "senior" is a marketing term, not a regulatory or clinical designation. The Association of ...Read more
My Pet World: How to teach dogs when to stop barking
I read your column and always learn something, so thank you for that. I volunteer at a local rescue and often bring your column in to share with others.
I have a 10-year-old terrier mix and two-year-old chihuahua, who I adopted a year ago. That was the best thing I ever did for my older dog who had always been an only dog. They're inseparable ...Read more
Waymo hits a dog in San Francisco, reigniting safety debate
A self-driving Waymo taxi hit a dog in San Francisco, reigniting a heated debate over autonomous vehicle safety just weeks after one killed a popular neighborhood cat.
On Sunday, around 8 p.m. in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood, a Waymo carrying passengers ran over a small, unleashed dog, the company confirmed.
The dog's ...Read more
Bradley Cooper's movie star pooch has become a doggy diva
Bradley Cooper's movie star dog has become a diva.
The 50-year-old actor features alongside his pooch Charlie in his new movie Is This Thing On? and he revealed that the canine has got "cocky" since his previous award-winning turn in the acclaimed 2018 remake of A Star Is Born - where he starred alongside his owner and Lady Gaga.
Speaking at a...Read more
The rise of pet-vaccine hesitancy -- and why it matters
Vaccine resistance in the United States isn’t limited to people. Alongside skepticism toward routine childhood and some adult vaccines, veterinarians are seeing the same hesitation spread to pets. What was once a routine part of preventive care has become a fraught interaction — and the implications extend well beyond animal health.
The ...Read more
Trained to serve: Service dogs' roles are expanding to help more people
In short order, Teddy — a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 3-year-old yellow Lab — punched a wall button with his nose, yanked a rope to open a kitchen cabinet door and tugged a walker across the floor.
After each feat, trainer Emma Hetrick rewarded Teddy with a well-earned piece of kibble. With just a few months to go before graduation, Teddy ...Read more
Ask The Vet: Small Dogs Live Longer Than Large Dogs
Q: Among the dogs I've had over the years, my small dogs lived longer than my large dogs. Is this generally true? If so, why?
A: Yes, it's true, though no one is completely sure why.
When you think about the many species of mammals, you realize that large mammals live longer than small mammals. For example, elephants live much longer than mice...Read more
My Pet World: A seasonal thank you to our pets
This year, as you count your blessings, why not take a moment to include the dogs, cats, birds and other pets who share your life?
They remind us every day of what gratitude truly looks like – unconditional love, quiet companionship, and joy in simply being by our side.
But while the holidays bring joy to us, they can also bring hazards for ...Read more



























