Dog

Has Fido tried acupuncture to cure his pesky arthritis? Has hydrotherapy helped Bailey’s hip dysplasia?

Well hello there, Fall!  Why yes, I would like some pumpkin with my…everything.

Including dog treats.

We found our dog, an Airedale/coonhound mix, while on a hike deep in the jungles of Kauai. Starving, flea-ridden, and skittish, the malnourished dog managed to keep up with us for the entirety of our 5-mile hike, lured along by a stale granola bar we had packed. As soon as my husband named him (Mohihi Wai’ale’ale, or Mohi for short, after the trail on which he was found), it was game over. We brought him home.

If your four-legged friend seems to be having summertime sadness, don’t ignore it. Like us, our pets too need some specialized care to stay safe in the heat.

Many people think strays can handle the cold better than indoor pets, but that's not necessarily true. The cold is tough on animals, including strays, and they can even die from frigid temperatures! I have several stray cats living around my complex, so I've come to learn a lot about them over the last couple of years. While stray dogs aren't as common, in some countries they're as abundant as feral cats. No matter what stray animal you have near you, please consider helping them out this winter.

This is an article on non-medicinal ways to combat the symptoms of depression and anxiety.  As always, if you’re having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (in the U.S.), or your local mental health hotline.

Springtime can be tough on people who experience allergies, and summertime, while slightly better, can still be a rough season for those allergic to pollen and environmental toxins. Just like humans, however, pets can also suffer from seasonal allergies due to a variety of reasons. Last week, for example, I brought my dog on a camping trip to the nearby mountains.

It seems a bit crazy, but pet owners aren’t the only ones following trendy diet fads. It’s becoming more and more common for pets themselves to be given diet-restricting “health” foods. Many of the pet foods that are currently riding the wave of popularity boast being grain free. So, the question remains—is grain-free pet food good or bad? The answer to that is complicated; let’s just say grain-free diets may work well for some of you, and some of your pets, but not all of them.