What Is Cognitive Dysfunction?

If you have ever had a senior pet, you may have noticed that as they age their behavior can change. Just like people, cats and dogs can get behavioral changes that can look a lot like changes we see in elderly people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

As we make New Year's Resolutions for ourselves, why not include our four-legged family? Here are our Top 5 Resolutions for Pets- let's make the new year a great year!

October 12 is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, causing many pet owners to pause and reconsider before handing over that extra treat or dinner table scraps. That's exactly what the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) hopes this day will achieve--a rethinking of our everyday habits that might add weight to the scale at their next veterinarian visit.

As veterinarians and animal lovers, we get it—feeding your dog or cat your leftovers is fun. It makes them feel more like family, right? And nine times out of ten, we're okay with that, as long as you're not overfeeding anybody or feeding more people food than dog or cat food.

From choosing the right food to making sure you’re not offering up too many treats, you need to keep several things in mind when it comes to meeting your dog’s nutritional needs. To make things even more complicated, much of what you think you know about canine nutrition could be completely wrong. There are a lot of dog nutrition myths out there, and following inaccurate information could put your four-legged best friend’s health at risk.

It doesn't matter how often or how much you feed some dogs—they're always begging for more. While they don't physically need an extra serving of food, those melt-your-heart eyes and wagging tail often lead to their owner reaching for one more scoop or tossing them some extra treats. But it's still not enough, and the begging persists.

For the insatiable dog in your life, the following are six ways to curb their appetite and ease your guilt over their constant begging.

Myths follow us through life, from the idea that lightning won’t strike twice in the same place to the infamous penny thrown off the Empire State Building being lethal for an unsuspecting pedestrian below. Our dogs are no exception, being the subject of many myths themselves. As veterinarians, we want to correct as many misconceptions as possible so owners can steer clear of falsehoods and let their dogs live their best lives. Following are some of the most common we hear, and the truth behind them.

Dogs gravitate towards treats just as we gravitate towards the dessert table. Much like humans, dogs are at risk of becoming overweight or obese at some point in their lives. It’s estimated that nearly 56% of dogs are overweight, which increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, puts unnecessary strain on their bones and organs, and decreases their overall life expectancy. As veterinarians who are also dog owners, we know those extra rolls are ripe for belly rubs, but we also want your dog to be at peak health every time we see them for their wellness visits.