Tag Archives: new york city

Rat Sightings Are Up in New York City: What Pet Owners Should Know

A dog with a rat in its mouth

It’s been all over the news in 2021: rat sightings are way up in New York City. While there’s plenty of speculation why, one thing is clear: increased interaction between rats and dogs is not good for the health of our fur families. Rats carry diseases that can be deadly to both dogs and humans,

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Rabies Alert!

A raccoon holds the finger of a person on the street

I received a veterinary alert from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene last week. In the middle of a pandemic, you would think the topic of the alert would be SARS-CoV-2 in animals. It was not. The alert focused on rabid animals in New York City. Animals with Rabies in NYC

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Understanding Cat Tail “Language”

A cat with its tail straight out

June is the ASPCA’s Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, and June 4 was International Hug Your Cat Day. I need no better reasons to write a blog on cat “language” than those two cat celebrations. Cat Talk Some cat words are universally used by cats and understood by humans. For example, consider the wail emitted

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You Can Help Prevent Hip Dysplasia in your Dog

An x-ray showing hip dysplasia

Today, I received a call from a pet owner whose dog I had taken care of several years ago. I remember how heartbroken she was when I euthanized Stormy, her rescued Labrador. Stormy was not sick, his liver and kidneys were fine and he didn’t have cancer. But Stormy could no longer walk due to

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Should the Government Regulate Cats?

This question is a rhetorical one – state, federal, and local governments already regulate several aspects of your cat’s care. And there are good reasons for the government to do so. U.S. regulations Rabies is a fatal disease, easily prevented by vaccination. Governments want to protect the health of their citizens and thus require cats

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