Resources

General Care and Health

The Muzzle Up Project They have a great message in 'muzzled dogs aren't bad dogs'. There are many reasons for a dog to wear a muzzle and it is a great thing to teach your dog to accept happily just in case they need to wear one some time.

Show Us Your Ticks (OSU) is collecting ticks from pet owners and veterinary clinics and working to identify ticks and the diseases they can transmit. You can send in ticks found on your pets and find out a little more about them as well as help the research project.

Pet Health Network is brought to you by Idexx, one of the large veterinary reference labs. The website has information about general health and care as well as specific health conditions and testing.

VeterinaryPartner is a searchable resource for health-related topics for cats, dogs, rabbits, pocket pets, and even large animals.

Every Cat Health Foundation (formerly the Winn Feline Foundation) information about health and research of our feline friends. Go to the Education drop down menu and click on Cat Health Research Library. There is a search field part way down the page.

Specific Health Conditions

Vetsulin is a type of insulin used to control diabetes mellitus in some cats and dogs. The website has some helpful articles and some useful tools including a blood glucose generator and mobile app for tracking symptoms.

The FIP Care Group has a website and a Facebook page devoted to supporting FIP cat owners. Feline Infectious Peritonitis is a terrible disease that until recently had little in the way of treatments. Recent options show great promise but the medication can be costly and difficult to obtain. There is no FDA approved treatment but I hope that will change soon.

Dr. Sue Cancer Vet is a well known speaker at veterinary conferences and shares he expertise on her website as well as on YouTube, Facebook, and in literature. She is an amazing source for information for pet owners and veterinarians.

CARE (Canine Arthritis Resources and Education). Lots of good information for pets with arthritis as well as proactive steps to take for those dogs who are prone to developing arthritis.

Nutrition

WSAVA is the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. This link takes you to the Nutritional Assessment Guidelines. WSAVA also has guidelines available for vaccinations, pain, dental, liver and renal disease.

The American College of Veterinary Nutritionists has drop down menus on their main page for information for pet owners, how to obtain a consult, and further nutrition resources.

The FDA's website for food recalls is here.

BalanceIt helps owners who want or need to offer their pets home cooking. You can work with a veterinary nutritionist to ensure your pet is getting the required nutrients. Pets who suffer from severe food allergies can benefit from this approach.

Research Foundations and Boards

The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists has resources for pet owners including a searchable list of board-certified behaviorists.

Cornell University has a Feline Health Center. Their website has articles featuring ongoing research as well as general health information for cat owners.

The American Veterinary Dental College has a link for animal owner resources on their home page as a search for a board-certified dentist in your area.

Senior Care

This is a list of products some of my clients have found useful when caring for their senior pets. If you have any ideas you would like to share, please let me know.

GingerLead- a harness system to help pets with mobility issues.

Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips for dogs who are having trouble with slipping on slick floors. Rubber-backed runners and Pawfriction foot pad grip are also helpful. There are a number of manufacturers of dog boots that have a non-slip bottom as well.

K9 Carts and Walkin' Pets have wheelchair rental programs as well as the option for purchase.

Stairs and ramps are available in a number of different forms. Make sure whatever you purchase or build is sturdy and won't tip. There are foldable ramps for cars as well as smaller options available for in the home to help pets get up to their feeding areas or favorite beds.

Some pets benefit from a nightlight when their vision gets a little cloudy. Stairs can already be a challenge for some seniors and the addition of light can help with confidence.