A great medical reference book with information on nutrition, genetics, first aid, reproduction, breeds, anatomy, medical advances, preventive care and more.

This kit has everything you need to keep your dog's teeth and gums clean and healthy. It comes with toothpaste, a toothbrush for dogs, a finger brush for hard-to-reach places and doggy breath mints.

This book will likely save phone calls and trips to the vet. It has TONS of information on canine health and is a great reference book for all dog owners.

It's a fact of life: pets get sick. There are things you can do to help your pet stay healthy, though, and we'll cover some of those here. Let's start off with a general guideline for what vaccinations your pet should have depending on their lifestyle and age and also the area where you live:

1. Both Cats and Dogs — Rabies. This is the foaming-at-the-mouth crazy Cujo disease. It is usually illegal NOT to vaccinate both cats and dogs and keep them up-to-date on this vaccine. In case you're curious, "rabies is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system. It is transmitted from infected mammals to man and is invariably fatal once symptoms appear."  It is rare in the U.S. and the last case occurred in 2004.


2. Dogs — Rabies plus canine distemper, hepatitis, adenovirus cough, parainfluenza, and parvovirus, plus leptospirosis and coronavirus if they will be around other animals or outside alot. There are also vaccines against lyme disease which are usually only given if ticks are a problem where you live. If your pet frequently spends time in wooded areas, this one is probably necessary.


3. Cats — Rabies plus the distemper combo, which usually includes panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus. Do make sure they are immunized against Feline Leukemia, because this is a very nasty disease that can pretty much be avoided now that there is an effective vaccine. (R.I.P. Bob)

Simple Things You Can Do To Keep Your Pets Healthy:

• Keep your pets up-to-date on their vaccines - see above.
• Wash and brush them regularly. This not only helps cut down on your vacuuming, but it also greatly reduces the need to deal with matts and hairballs. Check out our Grooming Page for more details, including how to wash your cat.
• Feed them a high-quality nutritious food. It may cost a few more dollars than the cheaper stuff, but both cats and dogs usually eat less, mostly because they are getting more nutrition with less, making it a pretty good value. Better quality food can really make a difference for your pet, including their skin, coat and digestive system.

• For cats, don't feed them tuna or let them drink tuna juice. I KNOW they love it, but it's bad for them. Fish contains lots of ash, which is what causes kidney and bladder stones, and it is not good for cats, no matter what they might have you believe. Cats in the wild are not often seen in rivers prowling for fish. They hate water. You'll thank me later when you DON'T incur the $2,800.00 vet bill that I had trying to cure my cat of F.U.S. (Feline Urinary Syndrome).  After two surgeries and countless other treatments, he still died. All fish, even tuna, is bad for cats.
• Keep their teeth clean. Pets, like people, get periodontal disease, and it's just as painful for them as it is for us. In addition to brushing, you can buy toys for both dogs and cats that are designed to help keep their teeth clean, making it easier than ever to maintain their teeth and gums. You can also buy toothbrushes and other supplies for your pet as well.
• Keep your pets, especially cats, in the house. The life expectancy of an outdoor cat is only 2 years, and an indoor cat can live 20 years or more. That's a huge difference. Additionally, cats fight and they have very dirty mouths. Dealing with vet bills because of abcesses is expensive and nasty. Then there are dogs, cars, people - the list of hazards goes on and on. It's a big world out there with a lot of bad stuff for an animal that only weighs 7-15 pounds. Your cat will be much safer indoors. For dogs, make sure your yard is a safe place to be. Puppies, especially, will eat anything - like a yummy dead squirrel he found in the yard.
• Watch who and/or what you let your dog play with. Taking your pets to dog parks and pet stores is a fun outing, but remember that there are a lot of other animals there, and some of them probably have not been vaccinated properly - if at all. If you take your dog to the pet store, don't let him pick up any of the toys, especially the ones on the bottom shelves where they can easily be picked up - and probably have been numerous times - by other pets. Remember to wash new toys well before letting your pet play with them unless they came tightly wrapped. We would NEVER let our child put a toy in his or her mouth at a store, so why do we let our dogs do it?
• For cats, use a good clumping cat litter that can be easily scooped out and completely removed from the box. Remember that they are standing in this, and think about all the places they walk in your house - like the kitchen counter, maybe? How about the hard wood floors where your son plays? On your bed?  Enough said.