Women are bad with directions and men hate cats. Or so they say. Though, culturally speaking, we readily buy into these not-so-truisms, we also understand them to be misogynstic generalizations. 

After all, I can find my way out of a mangrove maze without a compass or a GPS and navigate any city with near-perfect aplomb. My boyfriend shows a similar ability to buck these sex-linked traits by...

It’s summertime and that means flying bugs. Unless you live in the most arid climate imaginable...you’ve got ‘em too. 

The bites and their bumps are disturbing enough, but we all know that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real predators to fear are usually not the insects themselves...but the even smaller bugs they carry with them. The West Niles and the heartworms of this world are far...

Got a ferret? Guinea pigs? Fish? Snakes? Goats? Chickens?

Consider that plans are in the works to limit their inclusion into the arsenal of accepted “pet” species. Wild, non-native species are especially targeted. This we know. Some of these rules seem fair. Some do not. And we live with the unfair manifestations of these emerging laws, fighting the regs tooth and nail, if we must. 

Consider...

“Irregularity” is a politely inadequate euphemism for what you know as diarrhea, constipation and flatulence. In all cases, these symptoms are accompanied by changes in the animal’s gastrointestinal bacteria. That’s why “probiotics” are often recommended for these pets by way of boosting “good” gut bacteria and counteracting the bad. 

But what are these probiotics anyway? And how do they...

We’ve all heard the stats: One in three pets will get lost in his or her lifetime. Only 17% of dogs and 2% of cats make it back home. By some estimates, almost four million pets are euthanized every year because pets aren’t properly identified and their owners can’t be found.

If you’ve hung out on Dolittler over the years, you might already know that strong opinions prevail on the subject of...

I have a job so I shouldn’t be complaining. But here comes another one of Dr. K’s “It’s the economy, Stupid!” rants, anyway...

This past week I performed one extensive feline dental (with extractions), undertook a canine spay (with multiple, retained puppy teeth extractions) and treated a dog with severe skin disease...among a multitude of other basic veterinary service offerings.

These...

Cats who live where mosquitoes do, whether they live indoors or out, should [ideally] receive heartworm preventatives. That’s the premise of this post and I hope you’ll all take it to heart. 

While it’s true that cats are not the ideal host for heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis), they can become infected by heartworm carrying mosquitoes, nonetheless (as can humans, though usually only...

Here we go again. The veterinary establishment continues to find ways to tackle the increasing prevalence of raw food diets for pets. Yet another study is out on the adverse effects of raw feeding on animals. This time, however, it’s not the Salmonella that can make your pet sick. It’s about the Salmonella that can make YOU sick when you feed your pets a raw meat diet. 

Actually, this study...

Got an itchy pet? Losing hair? Diagnosed with “allergies” or “allergic skin disease”? Are the summer months causing your pet especial distress? Then you’ve likely been offered “allergy testing.” But what, exactly, does that mean? 

For starters, it means we rule out all other potential causes of skin disease to make sure we’re not all hung up on the allergy thing for no good reason. This...

An eBay savvy, Maryland veterinarian is offering a spay or neuter to anyone willing to bid on it. Really. 

Dr. Marcella Bonner used to auction purses on eBay to supplement her income. These days she’s got a new practice and a nut to cover. So she’s taking her well-honed eBay techniques to places veterinary services once feared to go. 

Well beyond a sophisticated website, an attention-getting...