The benefits of owning a pet
Monday November 17, 2008	I was recently asked to give a series of talks in the US at a major veterinary conference. Some very interesting facts came from this that I thought I would share with you about the changing attitudes of us as pet owners. When asked if they could take their dog to the workplace: 11% would take a 10% pay reduction 32% would take a 5% pay reduction 49% would change jobs for the privilege 66% would be willing to work longer hours 70% believed a pet-friendly workplace is better1
	Read more

Feeding the adult dog
Tuesday September 16, 2008	By far the most common problem I see with the feeding of dogs that come into one of my hospitals is to do with overfeeding. In fact, over 40% of people and their pets are overweight! We are obviously too good at feeding our dogs. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to easily feel your dog’s last four ribs. If not, you are being too generous with the volume of food. So a great idea would be to design a programme for weight loss for both our dogs and ourselves! A simple way to calculate your ...
	Read more

Tips on travelling with your pet
Wednesday June 25, 2008	We all love going on holidays, and so do our pets. But every year I see cases where pets have been injured during the trip. By following a few simple rules you can help ensure you all arrive safely to enjoy your well-earned break. 1.    Properly restrain your pet in the car. This may mean a special car harness buckled into the seat belt for dogs, or a roomy well-ventilated cage for your cat. 2.    Stop / Revive / Survive. Let your pets stretch their legs also every 2 hours, making sure it is a safe area that is fenced off. 3.   ...
	Read more

Dog and cat nutrition
Monday April 21, 2008	Pet nutrition can be confusing, so here is a brief outline as it applies to our pets. Food is made up of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. All have very different but important roles. It is essential that the food you feed your pet is properly balanced and completely satisfies their specific needs at their specific life stage.  Protein Not only is the quantity important, but also the quality. Quality is due to the specific amino acids that make it up and also how digestible it is (this can vary from 50-95%). Plant proteins are less digestible than animal and over-processing of ...
	Read more

How to choose the ideal pet
Tuesday February 05, 2008	Time and time again I am asked questions about how to solve problem behaviours in dogs. The basic cause is often as simple as they have chosen the wrong sort of dog for the wrong sort of situation. In fact, many dogs are surrendered to shelters because of a mismatch between what owners are looking for in a dog, and the breed they have actually chosen. So ask yourself the following questions before deciding on the new four-legged addition to your family: 1. Why do I want a dog? Is it for companionship, protection, exercise, ...
	Read more