Educational Articles
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Foraging toys are great for dogs and cats. They can be filled with treats or with the pet's regular food as an alternative to feeding from a dish. They offer mental and physical exercise while also providing benefits from sensory stimulation as they search for their meals. Dogs in particular benefit from the opportunity to solve puzzles in order to access food.
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Seeking guidance before obtaining a new pet can prevent many behavior and health problems in pets. Such a consultation will help you select the best pet for the household, but also provide information on how to prepare in advance for the new arrival.
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Counterconditioning and desensitization are powerful ways to change behavior. They are usually used in combination. Desensitization provides a means of safely exposing the pet to the stimulus at a level at or below which fear is likely to be exhibited.
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Marker-based training such as clicker training is a positive reinforcement technique that allows great precision and can help animals learn complex behaviors. Charging the marker, marking correctly, and building a reinforcement plan will help with successful training.
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Tellington TTouch is a technique developed by Linda Tellington-Jones for conditioning relaxation through gentle massage. The technique can be used in behavior modification programs designed to treat stress and anxiety in people and many species of animals.
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Behavioral health medications are used in animals and humans. They include antidepressants, atypical antidepressants, antipsychotics, and amphetamines. Dogs and cats often require lower doses of these medications than humans and are sensitive to overdoses. As such, when a dog or cat gets into human doses of these medications or a pill vial of their own medication, behavioral health medication poisoning can occur.
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Benazepril HCl is a second-generation angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. This medication may be used to treat high blood pressure, as a vasodilator in the treatment of heart failure and as adjunctive treatment of chronic kidney failure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder. Over time, the heart and arteries will become damaged and not function correctly. This can lead to damage or malfunctioning of the brain, heart, and kidneys.
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Breed-specific diets are a category of commercial pet feeds available for dogs and cats that are formulated to accommodate various breed predispositions. This article provides a concept overview of these diets, including what they are and what benefits they may serve. Specific examples are reviewed in brief to illustrate case scenarios for common canine and feline breeds.
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Benign fibrous skin tumors can go by many names and in many cases don't need treatment. Surgical excision can be curative unless certain types are due to an underlying tumor elsewhere. The main focus in many cases is addressing underlying allergies or sources of pressure. To adequately diagnose these tumors, a biopsy and histopathology are usually necessary.
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Benzoic acid + malic acid + salicylic acid (brand name Derma-Clens®) is an acidic cleansing agent used on burns, wounds, and other skin conditions in cats and dogs. Benzoic acid + malic acid + salicylic acid comes in a topical cream.