The first step is to be honest about your lifestyle. By Rachel Saslow Justin Keane watched his purebred miniature Australian shepherd, Stella, play on a chilly December morning at a riverfront dog park in Portland, Oregon. He has owned dogs all his life, both rescues and purebreds. He says he chose Stella from a breeder, and that she’s now a well-trained 4-year-old who has...

Report reveals top 10 heartworm cities in the U.S.
The monthly report is created to alert pet owners, veterinarians, and service providers about areas with the highest percent increases in positive heartworm tests February 13, 2019 Cincinnati, Ohio, and Stockton, Calif., have topped the list of heartworm cities in the U.S. for January. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has released its Top 10 Cities Heartworm Report for January 2019. CAPC monitors and...
Research updates on diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy
Now more than ever, it is imperative we discuss diet and nutrition with our colleagues, our clients, and members of the pet food industry By Sarah M. Cavanaugh, DVM, MS, DACVIM (cardiology) As veterinarians, our mission to identify curable conditions is everlasting, but like many of our human colleagues, we too may be overlooking the most logical etiology of all—food. Recently, the work of...
Which Holiday Plants are Toxic to Dogs?
For a complete list of plants toxic to dogs and cats, please follow this link. Many people are decorating their homes for the holidays, but pet owners should be aware that some plants used for holiday decorating can be dangerous to cats and dogs. Understanding which plants are toxic, and which are not, can help bring home the festive spirit and avoid danger for...
December 19, 2019 Puppy Up Newsletter
“If I could live my life over again, I would have found you sooner so that I could have loved you longer.” In This Issue: Annual PuppyUp Couch Potato Walk Is Back!; A Message From Our Executive Director; The New Book, Be More Dog; Two Stories of Devotion to Inspire Your Holidays; Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog; Dog Treat Recipe — Gingerbread....
KC company launches new fitness tracker with GPS for dogs
FitBark introduces new device to help keep pets, their owners active KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As the weather gets colder, it can get harder to stay active for both us and our pets. A Kansas City company hopes its new product can help, while also giving better insight into your dog’s health. When siblings Davide and Sara Rossi launched their company, FitBark, they...
Dogs may be smarter than we think — and can benefit our health in ways we don’t realize
Studies show our four-legged friends can identify more words than previously thought and even help us learn Adam Miller · CBC News You may think your dog can understand you, and in a way, you’re right. New research suggests dogs may actually be smarter than we give them credit for and can also have profoundly positive effects on our health. Researchers from the University of...
Osteosarcoma of the radius in an eight-year-old Labrador.
When amputation is not an option, please don’t go straight to euthanasia By Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ, Fear Free Certified Osteosarcoma of the radius in an eight-year-old Labrador. When a patient is diagnosed with osteosarcoma, we tend to focus on three options: • the “gold standard,” i.e. amputation with or without chemotherapy; • what many call palliative care, meaning pain medication and rest;...
Getting a better understanding of the aging process in dogs
With a better understanding of the aging process in dogs, researchers hope to delay onset of age-related diseases. By Kim Campbell Thornton As researchers continue to learn about the aging process in dogs, they hope to delay the onset of age-related diseases. Sophie Cobb, a Shetland sheepdog in Omaha, recently celebrated her 20th birthday. That’s an unusually long life for a dog....