Search Results for: blog human medicine for dogs

Natural Painkillers for Dogs

Yesterday, I was looking at the different painkillers that are available for dogs. I feel bad because my dog Moose is obviously experiencing discomfort from his hip dysplasia — and all the other things I’ve done don’t seem to be helping enough. Then I got to wondering: if natural painkillers work in humans, do they work in dogs, too? Maybe there are some non-medical things I can do to ease Moose’s discomfort. Because the prescription painkillers for dogs seem to all run the risk of liver issues when used for a long time. I’d rather not trade one problem (Moose’s … Continue reading →

Painkillers for Dogs

I was hoping that the warmer weather would bring some relief for my poor Moose’s hips. We had a cold snap a month or so ago, with temperatures down below freezing for about a week. I was happy because it froze all the mud. Moose wasn’t so happy because it aggravated his hip dysplasia. Now that things are warming up, I can see that Moose is still having trouble. I’m doing all the things the vet suggested: Keeping him off the floor and on soft surfaces to sleep. Making sure he’s warm at night. Helping him lose weight. Making sure … Continue reading →

Compounding Pet Medications: Is It Safe?

It can be tricky getting them to take their meds One of the latest health scares has been over a strain of meningitis that’s killed multiple people. According to WebMD, the meningitis originates from a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts. Compounding is the practice of putting more than one type of medication in a pill, or basically changing the medication in some way from its original formula. How is this relevant for the pet owner? Compounding is a common practice in pet medications. Before you worry: the meningitis came from a human medication for back pain and it seems the authorities … Continue reading →

Pet Obesity Rates Still Climbing

The trend I first wrote about two years ago is only getting worse. Pet obesity rates continue to rise in America, and unfortunately that’s not all. Not only are once-healthy pets gaining weight, ones that are already obese continue to put on the pounds. Cleveland’s Fox 8 profiles the epidemic. The Association for Pet Obesity recently ran a study that concluded 25% of cats and 21% of dogs are overweight. Those numbers are slightly up from the last study (and the last article I wrote on the topic) in 2010. As already mentioned, one of the most worrying parts of … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Safe Household Treatments

At various vet trips we’ve received advice to treat our pets with doses of Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Neosporin. That’s right: medicines we think are for people can also be for pets. There are actually a number of household items or medications we can employ if our animals are having problems. The trick is knowing exactly what medicines, and how much of them, are safe for our pets. For example: most dogs should only have one Benadryl a day. If giving the pet Zyrtec, it should only receive the normal kind – make sure it doesn’t have any decongestants or other … Continue reading →

Employer Sponsored Pet Insurance

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It is very nice to see that some companies are adapting the insurance benefits that they offer to their employees in ways that will be a better fit with the needs of the employees. Traditionally, many companies will offer health insurance benefits to their employees. Now, some companies are offering employer sponsored pet insurance as well. It is much easier to afford insurance if the business that you work for helps you pay for a portion of the cost of the premiums. This is how many Americans are able to afford health insurance for themselves, and for their families. If … Continue reading →

Buying Pet Medication Online

I don’t usually have a lot of deals to post here. That’s because the majority of discounted pet items I see are too localized: coupons in the local Penny Saver, sales specifically at my branch of Petco, that sort of thing. This weekend I made my annual bulk purchase of our various pet medications and treatments. Then it occurred to me that I’ve been using discount websites for pet purchases for years now and I’ve never remembered to share the scoop. If you’re a pet owner I’m sure you’ve heard it before; when buying your flea treatments, heartworm medications, and … Continue reading →

Is A Pet Care Business Right For You?

For those of you who think that pet-sitting or dog walking is a job best left for high schoolers, you may want to think again. Pet care is a home based business that requires very little in the way of start up costs and is always in demand. If you love animals and you know how to care for them, you could start a pet care business. Many people enjoy having companion animals at home. Many of these people also have to go to work. While some pets like cats and guinea pigs are fine with being home all day … Continue reading →

Pet Homeopathy

While in the waiting room at my last vet visit, I noticed an interesting sign. My vet offers many special services, like boarding and obedience classes. Also, they perform animal acupuncture. I certainly wasn’t expecting that. I’d never heard of acupuncture for pets before. So I decided to do some research on animal acupuncture, and discovered a wealth of information about holistic veterinary medicine. Today’s post is all for those who might be interested in pursuing homeopathic and holistic medical services for their pets. Acupuncture.com has a whole subsection devoted to veterinary homeopathy. Let’s first check out the details on … Continue reading →

The Curious Case of the Cat in the Shower

Every time anyone enters the bathroom at our house, it’s cause for a big fuss. That’s because no matter what somebody’s doing in there, our cat Cole must have a part of it. If he hears someone in the bathroom, he rushes in (if the door’s open) and starts getting very vocal. Cole isn’t the most vocal of cats, but he’s not the least either. He chirps for attention, and if there’s a bird he can see out in the yard, the whole house knows it. But even when there’s prey he can see just beyond his reach, Cole is … Continue reading →