Doggy farts and kitty vomit. Just like us, dogs and cats can develop tummy woes that trigger flatulence, stomach pain and diarrhea. Some pets even hunch over and vomit. There are all kinds of health issues we have to think about when we have pets, including their mental well-being, oral health, ear, and skin health, and issues like these relating to their gastrointestinal health.

Welcome to spring time in Texas! Seasonal allergies may find you sneezing and reaching for the tissue box. But allergic reactions to trees, plants and grass in your dog may cause him to lick, scratch and nibble on his itchy skin and paws.

For years, your dog or cat has dutifully had good bathroom habits. Suddenly, he starts urinating outside the litter box, on the living room rug or sigh, maybe even on your bed pillow. You may be puzzled, frustrated or a tad peeved. From your pet’s perspective, that yellow pool is no accident. It is a key clue that your pet may be dealing with a medical or behavior issue that merits your attention and possible treatment by your veterinarian.

Beckoning mud puddles. Threatened skunks. Tempting duck poo. Itchy flea infestation. These are just four reasons your dog needs a proper bath without delay. But dogs of all hair coats also benefit from an occasional “just-because” bath from you. It’s a great bonding opportunity and conditions your dog to welcome being handed. Let me share these tips to make bath time welcoming for the both of you:

You may love wiggling a wand toy for your ready-to-pounce cat or engage your dog in a friendly game of fetch in the back yard. Both activities help bolster the bond between you and your pets. Another one of the best ways to show love for your pet is to be down in his mouth – literally. Keeping tabs on your pet’s dental health can stave off many future problems and make any doggy kiss more fresh smelling and welcoming.

Many pets need steady doses of confidence throughout their lives to not have fear or anxiety and to maintain a can-do, happy attitude. However, like us, our pets have been emotionally impacted by the social restrictions triggered by this never-ending pandemic. For most of 2020 and 2021 we did not have anyone come inside our home. It took a toll on my pets’ confidence. This was especially evident with the two pets we adopted in early 2020: Rusty, a then seven-month-old ginger kitten and Emma, a then one-year-old toy poodle mix. Rusty arrived with confidence and performance skills that diminished due to COVID restrictions on house guests.

Dogs “talk” a lot with their tails. Be aware that tail movement signals various canine moods, but to properly “read” a dog, you must size up the entire body language on display, and not just what’s happening with the tail.

Unfortunately, far too people zero in on a wagging tail and regard it as the human equivalent of a friendly handshake when greeting a dog for the first time. Wrong. For your safety, pay attention to the dog’s facial expression and watch out for any signs of body tensing.

What does a hairless Sphynx cat share in common with an English bulldog? Both breeds are prone to skin issues. Any cat or any dog of any breed can encounter rashes, skin allergies, bacterial infections, yeast infections, reactions to new medications and other skin problems but there are some breeds that tend to suffer more than others. Here’s the skinny on pet skin health. Your pet’s skin is the largest organ, representing up to a whopping one-fourth of your pet’s total body weight. That is a lot of surface area to keep maintained and healthy so that they feel comfortable and happy.

Just got a puppy? Brace yourself for what I call the Wonder Year. The arrival of a pup may cause you to wonder where your sanity went. Pump up your level of patience because puppies are energetic, curious and sometimes, fearless. One way they investigate is by taste testing their surroundings. They also tend to swallow things that they shouldn’t. As a master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor, I make it my mission to help pet parents play it safe for their pups’ sake. So, in preparing for your pup’s arrival, I recommend:

After this stubborn pandemic robbed us of festivities last holiday season, I’m betting many of you plan to get the most out of this year’s holidays by hosting parties, taking vacations, even welcoming your B-list relatives to stay for a visit. Or perhaps, all of the above. Fortunately, 2020 is in the rearview mirror. But as we close out 2021, we need to also not forget about the P factor…that stands for our pets.

One of the most challenging tasks facing pet parents is giving pills or liquid medicine at home to their resistant dogs or cats. It might also rank among the most dreaded tasks. Some cats seem to tap into a sixth sense knowing what is about to happen and hide out of sight moments before medication time. Some dogs are masters at spitting out the pill or liquid medicine or rapidly move their heads side to side to keep you from opening their mouths. Medicine-giving time doesn’t have to be a struggle for you and your pet.

Raise your hand if you dream of taking a long Mediterranean cruise, catching the Northern Lights in Iceland or snorkeling the famed coral coast of Fiji. This stubborn pandemic continues to take away the welcome mat for many to travel to such dream destinations. Instead of fretting about being unable to fly to foreign countries, focus on the fun you can have while traveling with your dog domestically, who is happy to be along for the ride.

Every body, including human, feline, or canine, is made up of about 70 percent water. All of us, including our pets, need adequate amounts of water each day to stay healthy and hydrated. Water helps usher oxygen and needed nutrients to every cell in the body while flushing out toxins with the production of urine. It keeps kidneys functioning, lubricates joints, and helps regulate body temperature. Without the right balance of water a host of health problems can ensue including deterioration of oral health and a very serious issue – dehydration.

Now that warm weather has arrived, there are many options for your dog to swim from backyard pools to lakes, rivers, and oceans. Swimming is a great form of exercise for dogs especially when it is blazing hot outside and the pavement is too hot on their paws. Water’s natural buoyancy is far kinder on canine joints than long walks on concrete sidewalks or leaping to snag a Frisbee in the backyard. In water, dogs can benefit from purposeful movement to keep their joints lubricated and their muscles toned. Swimming is also a great way to help dogs who need more exercise than their owners.

Dogs and cats do a lot of talking without uttering a single bark or meow. They are straight talkers who do not deceive or pretend. Among four-leggers, there is rarely a miscommunication or misinterpretation because cats and dogs communicate with one another through body postures, scent markings and to a lesser degree, vocalizations. Even though I have a degree in communications from Purdue University, I still make an occasional “faux paw” in determining what my cat, Casey, or my dog, Kona, is trying to tell me. To remind myself that I need to engage in a real two-way conversation with them, I purposely drink my daily coffee from a mug that reads “Wag More. Bark Less.” After all, forming a strong bond with our pets requires more listening to them and less yapping on our part.

Take A Hike with Your Dog…and Yes, Even Your Cat!

Let’s see how brave you are. I challenge you to cuddle with your dog or cat and take a deep inhale of their mouth. How’s your pet’s breath smell? Is the odor so foul you find yourself backpedaling or rushing outside to inhale fresh air? Or is the smell normal and non-offensive with perhaps a hint of kibble? February is National Pet Dental Health Month and for those of us who are lucky enough to share our lives with one or more pets, we can do our part to keep them as healthy as possible. And, that often starts by being “down in the mouth.” Yes, I do sniff and inspect inside the mouths of my three dogs and three cats to catch any early signs of trouble.

Imagine sitting on your sofa and watching cats perform live circus acts. Or raising a feline-themed cocktail to toast all cats everywhere. Or, learning the real differences in personalities and looks between the big boys of the cat world: Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats. Or hearing a rapper-turned-humane-cat-trapper sing a song dedicated to community cats.

All of this and more occurs every Wednesday night on Meowy Hour. I host Meowy Hour live on Facebook (with shows posted on YouTube). This one-hour show is devoted to all things c-a-t. It is presented by The Cat Fanciers’ Association (the world’s largest registry pedigreed cats) and sponsored by Pet King Brands, makers of ZYMOX ® and Oratene®.

CFA officials kicked off the show in June 2020 in the midst of the pandemic when the coronavirus made it too risky to stage in-person cat shows and stuck-at-home people were getting a bit tired of binge watching on Netflix.