October is National Pet Wellness Month which celebrates caring for our pets. That means you’ll want to:

👨‍⚕️ Schedule a visit with your veterinarian
🆘 Watch your pet’s weight
🥎 Don’t skip exercise
👌 Keep up-to-date with pet prevention
🐾 Invest in pet insurance

For those who adore cats and dogs or other critters, our animal companions impact us in so many ways we can’t imagine living in a world without them. That begs the questions, how (and why) pets are so important to us. I covered this a bit in what makes people happy, but wanted to go beyond that post.

The Love Connection

As social creatures, humans crave companionship. We are tactile beings, relishing contact with others. During the COVID pandemic, with opportunities for human contact curtailed, our pets became even more important. While we couldn’t reach out and touch each other, petting a beloved dog or cat, horse or hamster filled up our empty emotional tanks with the love we need to thrive and survive…

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month for humans, and it’s also National Pet Wellness Month. I doubt that anyone in today’s world hasn’t been touched by this disease either personally or by knowing someone who has.

But did you know cats and dogs get pet breast cancer? And some of the research for people helps cats and dogs–and vice versa.

We recognize veterinarians make positive differences in the lives of our cats and dogs. But veterinary practices couldn’t function as efficiently or effectively without the expertise of compassionate vet techs. To recognize their contributions, the 3rd week of October each year celebrates National Veterinary Technician Week.

In another life, I worked as a vet tech. I’ve known many “pet nurses” and veterinary assistants over the years, and witnessed the positive impact made by a kind word, gentle suggestion, and simply listening to owner concerns.

Vet tech pros work hand-in-paw with the veterinarian and pet parents. In a Fear Free hospital, that helps ensure cats and dogs have the best possible experience before, during and after the veterinary visit. Here are some ways a vet tech/pet owner partnership helps transforms the shy cat or fearful dog into wagging, purring patients.

Ok, who doesn’t love a little paunch on your favorite pet? I have to admit a round puppy or kitten tummy just begs to be cuddled. Adult cats commonly have a pouch–primordial pouch–that won’t go away even when they weigh the right amount. Even wild cats have this extra-belly, possibly as an added protection from tooth-and-claw, or to give more flexibility when running. But more than that and it’s important to recognize when it’s a sign of something serious or is putting your pet at risk of long-term harm.

I get it. The chubby look on some pets can literally melt hearts! 😍But as someone who has been in this industry long enough, I know that a little chubbiness can lead to some pretty large and serious health issues. Paunch and obesity in pets are serious issues that shouldn’t be ignored. Let’s take a closer look at pet paunch and what you can do to help manage your pet’s weight.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 87% of veterinary professionals surveyed consider pet obesity a disease. But the same survey found that fewer pet owners think their pets are obese versus the general percentages that actually are. This means a lot of pet parents aren’t recognizing that pudge as a potential problem.

Do you have a pet 1st aid medicine chest for your dogs and cats? The audiobook version of my first aid book for pets includes some DIY home remedies for old pets. While your veterinarian diagnoses and prescribes for your pet’s health issues, pet first aid and minor problems may benefit from human medicines.

Home remedies for pets save $$ and pet lives because Fido and Sheba rarely tears a claw or eats something iffy during regular clinic hours. It’s helpful to know how to use your pantry supplies and human medicine chest to help your cat or dog. Some people prescriptions can be dangerous (especially for cats!) so it’s a good idea to have a handy list.