Skin problems, particularly itchy skin problems, can be quite frustrating to deal with, both as a caretaker trying to help our companion, and as a veterinarian with the same goal.
Question: I have taught my dog Brutus to walk on a leash without pulling, which he does perfectly, but only on the way home from the park where he gets to run every day. On the way to the park, he pulls so hard that he retches, and I can hardly control him. I've put a harness on him so he doesn't choke himself, but it hasn't helped. -Brent
Q: My 5-year-old Maltipoo is sweet and lovable, but when she sees another dog, she starts growling and whining. She barks at all breeds, from Yorkies to Great Danes. I would appreciate your advice on what to do when this happens and why she acts this way.
It's a shame furry friends can't pay for themselves. Though wagging tails after a long day at work may make pet ownership seem worthwhile, a happy pup won't stop those bills from rolling in at the end of the month. Thankfully, quick and easy ways exist for dog owners to cut down on costs.
Andrea writes in concerning her 18-month-old male Netherland Dwarf rabbit that has suddenly become aggressive, especially when approached in his cage. Andrea has heard that neutering him might help this aggressive behavior and wants to know if, at 18 months of age, he might be too old for that procedure.
The precarious medical condition of Sheba has improved - along with the finances of a Chicago animal rescue group - thanks to a lot of dog lovers who were captivated by her story.
The inaugural Downtown Dog Day was held Saturday in downtown Overland Park, Kan. Hundreds of dogs and their humans were on hand at the event to help support Great Plains SPCA. Activities included a walk around downtown and costume contests.
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Kansas City's animal shelter has become so overwhelmed with unwanted pets that it’s putting a new policy in place. Starting April 1, pet owners will need to make appointments before dropping off pets. Last year the shelter took in 8,179 dogs and cats — 1,300 more than in 2012 and the highest number since 2008.
Officials are reviewing hidden-camera photos in an attempt to learn who did it. The dogs were found Tuesday stuffed into four garbage bags in the 5800 block of Oak Ridge Drive, a dead-end street north of Stroud’s Oak Ridge Manor restaurant.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Brian Nieves, allows for local ordinances prohibiting dogs from running at large, as long as the regulation is not specific to breeds of dogs. If passed, it would undo any local ordinances already in place, including one in Kansas City that mandates pit bulls be spayed or neutered.
A 55-year-old man sustained a cut to his hand Saturday night when a relative swung an ax at him during a domestic dispute. The attack occurred just before 9 p.m. in the 6000 block of E. 12th Street.
My friend Marlowe just relocated to the Pacific Northwest. I chauffeured her. Still, we made good time, but then Marlowe is always a little anxious, wants to scoot along. Call it a rat’s Manifest Destiny.
It’s no wonder then that Carla Hanson and Clif Hall will open their 8,000-square-foot Shawnee home as a fundraiser for Operation Wildlife and the National Borzoi Rescue Foundation. On Feb. 9, visitors can tour the house that features more than 40 stained glass windows, a 36-foot indoor lap pool and a large, light-filled gallery space that holds a large portion of Hanson’s mask collection.
A family dog is being called a hero after alerting a sleeping mother and her daughter to a burning house early Sunday in Raytown. The mother and 13-year-old daughter woke up to smoke and fire in the home in the 6700 block of Ralston Avenue shortly after 2 a.m., according to the Raytown Fire Protection District.
In all, 24 dogs were seized from an area known as having the highest number of pit bulls per capita in the city. A city ordinance limits pet owners to four dogs, and it requires owners of pit bulls to spay or neuter them unless they get a breeder’s permit.
The animal welfare organization Wayside Waifs is entering its 70th year with a new president and a new message: It is more than just an animal shelter. The organization is not changing its name, but it wants to encourage people to recognize it as offering a “complete circle of care” for helpless animals, from adoption to behavioral assessment to the end of life.
