Posts in Category: Pet Health & Wellness

One of the best things that pets have going for them is the neverending love and support of their human companions. Responsible, dedicated pet owners lovingly protect their pets from all sorts of illnesses and injuries, and promote day-to-day wellbeing, comfort, and safety. To determine daily health and wellness, owners may assess their pet’s appearance and behavior and make notes of any changes, however subtle or slight. In this way, pet owners might be able to see the first signs of pet cancer long before they are clinically identifiable.

By age 3, up to 85 percent of pet dogs and cats exhibit some signs of periodontal disease. Untreated periodontal disease can spell big problems for a pet, including damage to the heart, kidneys, and other major organs, not to mention possible tooth loss and significant pain.

Anything a pet owner can do to reduce the amount of plaque and tartar buildup on their pets’ teeth will have a big impact on the overall health. Regular home pet dental care is key in keeping your pet’s pearly whites healthy. Good oral health can add years to a pet’s life, and can keep those years more comfortable.

Most pet owners develop a certain mindset regarding their pet’s overall health and safety. The concept of “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong” might not necessarily be the healthiest or most sustainable, but it can serve to keep pets as safe as possible. Regarding antifreeze poisoning in pets, being able to assess a pet’s risk of exposure is an important key. It’s also essential to know what the symptoms are and what to do if your pet ever shows signs of poisoning.

Some of our feline friends have the ability to eat whatever they want and still lose weight. No, it’s not the latest fad diet, and honestly it is not as good as it might sound, either. A super metabolism might sound appealing, but the reality is that it can have some pretty detrimental effects.

In some ways animals and humans are very similar. Unfortunately, this means they are affected by many of the same disease processes that humans face. One of these shared experiences is the development of diabetes mellitus. About 1 in 500 pets is affected by diabetes. So what do you need to know about diabetes in dogs? Keep reading to learn about how this disease affects our pets and how to recognize it.

The canine species is pretty well known for its excellent sniffer. From drug detecting police dogs, to search and rescue dogs, to your family friend who always seems to know when dinner is ready, the evidence is clear. But what can a dog smell exactly, and why is their sense of smell so sensitive? 

The space that cats and their owners share is full of mutually beneficial affection, but it can also contain loads of bacteria. Fortunately, those of us with robust immune systems may never face the effects of disease carried by felines, but that doesn’t necessarily eliminate the risks. The fact remains: Cat scratch fever, or cat scratch disease (CSD), is a zoonotic disease that can easily pass from cat to person. Keep reading to learn how to protect yourself from the disease:

If you have never encountered a pet who is suffering from a reverse sneeze episode before, it can be pretty disconcerting. Is that dramatic display of snorting and gagging something to consider a pet emergency, though? Dupont Veterinary Clinic has the answers to your burning questions about the dreaded reverse sneeze. 

It’s odd that the ways in which we celebrate the holidays are also responsible for negatively impacting pet health. Between the foods, guests, and routine disruptions, pets are inadvertently placed in the crosshairs. To counteract the effect that the seasonal holidays have on our ability to mitigate disaster, we offer this guide to holiday pet safety. The more you can stay in front of at home, the better. 

The holidays are a time for feasting, and many people loosen the reins on diet restrictions and enjoy the many delectable foods that can be found on holiday tables. As our pets also gather around the table and plead with you with their eyes to feed them, it can be easy to forget about how some human food can be harmful to your pets. Your friends at Dupont Veterinary Clinic want to help you figure out which foods to avoid giving to your pets this season: