Tis the season for parties, festivities, and presents — lots and lots of presents. And while parents are doing their research on what toys are appropriate and safe for their children, most people don’t consider the safety of their pets and those toys.

Spaying your female canine or feline is one of the best things you can do for your pet’s health. However, pyometra is a disease of which every pet parent with breeding pets needs to be aware. In 2014, the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) found that about 25% of intact female canines are affected by pyometra before the age of ten.

Toys are a necessity for all pets. Toys can provide comfort, entertainment, and even help combat bad behavior problems. So, when choosing a toy for your pup or kitty, you want to make sure it is the correct type of toy, especially for cats, as they are very particular about what toys they will play with.

We've all seen a commercial, TV show, or Hallmark movie where an adorable puppy or kitten crawl out of a box with a cute little ribbon tied around its neck. Every one coos at those loving, innocent eyes that can tug at even the most hardened guy's heart. Now you want to bring that same experience to your family with an adorable new addition to the family. Be it a bird, lizard, cat, or the ever-popular canine. 

Adding a dog to your family is an exciting time, but can be a little overwhelming with all the different breeds available to adopt. A good first step would be to evaluate your current lifestyle. Are you active? Home a lot? Have a big or small yard? These are all questions you need answers to so you can be paired with a breed that best fits what’s already going on in your life.

Whole health is an initiative put forth by the American Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association to improve the health of people and pets alike. Parasite Prevention is an essential component to the whole health initiative.

We know that certain diseases can be transferred between pets and people. We call these zoonotic diseases. One such disease is the transference of parasites from our pets to humans, which can cause, among other things, blindness in people.

Each time you get into the car you buckle up. Your passengers buckle up. Your kids buckle up, or you buckle them into their car seats. But Fido, he jumps in and proceeds to stick his head out the window to enjoy the wind. But just like you, your passengers, and your kids, if you get into an accident, Fido is put in harm’s way if he isn’t buckled up.

The holidays are just around the corner, and you’re probably trying to think of the perfect gift for the pet lover on your list. Maybe you’re even considering putting a big red bow on a furry friend and putting a pet under the tree this year. But hold up—think before you gift.

Deciding to bring home a new puppy can be exciting, thrilling, and stressful all at once. If you already have another dog (or more) in the home, this introduction of a new family member can be dicey and require extra care and attention on your part. Particularly if you have concerns about your dog based on interactions in the past where your dog may have acted aggressively toward other animals, you should consider how to make the first impression a good one. Here are a few ideas to make the transition of bringing a new puppy home smooth.

Neuroscientist Shannon Odell loves to study the brain and ask why certain things affect us so much, from alcohol to cuddling. In a recent video, Shannon tackled a question we may all wonder: why do we love puppies so dang much?