Category Archives: This and That

Veterinarians sometimes joke that the last thing we’ll do in our hospital bed before passing on will be to answer a question about getting a dog or cat not to go to the bathroom where they shouldn’t. There’s a reason dogs used to be called “Spot”! I’ve talked one-on-one in the exam room with pet […]

Zoos found out decades ago that just having food, water, shelter, and veterinary care wasn’t enough for animals in captivity. They had to look not only at each species, but at each individual animal, to figure out how that animal could best manifest its genetic exuberance and work both body and mind. Some animals need […]

I was at a chain pet store the other day and watched people crowding around the cat treat and toy sections. It got me to thinking about all the ways you can enhance your cat’s life for minute or a month. Here are my top 15: Drop a few frozen ice cubes of tuna juice […]

Knowing when to say goodbye to a beloved pet is the most difficult challenge we face as pet lovers. It never gets any easier and often leaves us questioning if there was anything else that could’ve been done or whether we waited too long. There is no absolute rule for when to let an elderly […]

It was New Year’s Eve at Almost Heaven Ranch, and the house felt empty. It was still full of our dogs, but our children, along with their families and pets, had left. So Teresa and I tried to blunt the loneliness by cleaning up their rooms and the house. Part of that effort was cleaning […]