Blog

Could  your pet’s behavior changes be caused by a physical problem? Often the answer is yes, and those problems include dementia. Here’s what you should know. Q: I inherited my mother’s 15-year-old cat, and I notice that she wanders and yowls in the middle of the night. My veterinarian said pets can get dementia, and […]

Unlike people and dogs, cats rarely get bladder infections. But their urinary tracts are susceptible to a number of other problems. Here’s what every cat owner absolutely needs to know. Q: My cat stopped using her litter box, and the stain on the carpet where she peed looks pinkish. What’s going on? A: A number […]

Since moving to Almost Heaven Ranch, our daughter Mikkel’s very social Quarter Horse, Chili, was very lonesome. Our older horse, Pegasus, had died, and Teresa’s horse, Angel, is temporarily at the local barn where Teresa rides and trains.  Chili constantly sought human contact, following us everywhere, and was restless and lethargic. Teresa has been quietly […]

I write a lot about enrichment, and that includes pets other than cats and dogs. Here’s what my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, and I told a reader who wanted to make life joyful for her new parrot. Q: I just got a yellow-naped Amazon parrot. What are some good toys for him? A: Parrots are […]

Pets show stress in many different ways. Yawning, showing the whites of their eyes (nicknamed whale eye), excessive licking or grooming, sudden hair loss (like when your pet is at the vet and is shedding hair like crazy), increased barking or whining, trembling, pacing, suddenly starting to hide, eating less and breaking housetraining can all […]