http://www.miamiherald.com/357/index.html http://media.miamiherald.com/images/logos/rss_sitelogo.gif http://www.miamiherald.com/357/index.html 140 25 News, sports and entertainment from MiamiHerald.com en-us Copyright 2008 MiamiHerald.com Pets 60 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:03:56 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's PubSys miamifeedback@miamiherald.com http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/592051.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/592051.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:01 EDT Q: I just moved to Miami and I need to get acquainted with all the health hazards my 6-month-old mutt Fuzz and my 8-year-old cat Zoolander might encounter. I've been told to be careful about taking Fuzz out since he looks a little like a pit bull, and I hear that lizards are a big deal for cats who eat them. And what is this I hear about poison frogs? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/590671.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/590671.html Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:01 EDT Without the help of choreographers or voice coaches, Leroy, Andrew and 10 other contestants have been preparing for stardom on a new reality show. They're intensely training by running, jumping, fetching and just looking adorable. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/583858.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/583858.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:01 EDT Q. Our dog Blackie is a 125-pound Rottweiler. He was recently diagnosed with a malignant bone cancer called osteosarcoma. The specialist says he's in a lot of pain, even though he never cries. He does limp on that leg, which is why we brought him to our vet in the first place. The surgeon says if we remove the leg he might live another year without pain. He's only 7 and we can't bear the thought of what he might go through if he loses a leg. What would you do? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/576314.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/576314.html Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:01 EDT Q: My dog Butch, a beagle, loves to roam whenever he can manage it. Last month he was lost for two weeks. We finally found him when a child was seen walking him in a nearby neighborhood. He had a microchip but the family that found him hadn't taken him to a vet or shelter. Instead, they had placed ads in the paper and signs in their neighborhood but I didn't know where to look. Could you please inform your readers about reuniting lost pets with their owners? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/568894.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/568894.html Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:01 EDT Q: Is it OK for me to let my kitties sleep in bed with me? I've heard conflicting reports on this (mostly from my family) and would like to hear an expert's opinion. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/560623.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/560623.html Sun, 08 Jun 2008 03:01 EDT Q. My cat Princess recently spent a week at the vet hospital after she ate a couple of Tylenol caplets that had fallen on the floor. I knew they could be toxic to cats but I had no idea that even two small pills could kill her, otherwise I would have been more careful. Could you please inform your readers of how deadly this drug can be? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/560339.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/560339.html Sat, 07 Jun 2008 03:01 EDT Confession: ``Relaxing foot massage . . . I let my dog lick my feet.'' Confession: ``I think I kiss my dogs more than I kiss my husband.'' http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/552303.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/552303.html Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:01 EDT Q: About a year ago I started keeping guinea pigs as pets. They get along great with my cats and they've got more personality than anyone seems to give them credit for. The problem is that I can't seem to find a vet who really knows how to take care of them. Can you help? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/544433.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/544433.html Sun, 25 May 2008 03:01 EDT My most knowledgeable clients often ask the best questions. Within the past few years, they have tended more toward the issue of vitamins and nutritional supplements than ever before. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/535710.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/535710.html Sun, 18 May 2008 03:01 EDT I haven't seen a flea season like this since I was 12 and our three black labs were infested so badly that every member of my family sported a multitude of bright pink splotches about their ankles. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/527107.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/527107.html Sun, 11 May 2008 03:01 EDT It's Mother's Day, and it's an excellent opportunity to discuss the maternity of our pets. Dogs and cats are often pressed into maternal service by their owners, either by neglect of their alteration (spaying) or because of the express intent to see these pets procreate. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/517243.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/517243.html Sun, 04 May 2008 03:01 EDT Does your pet ever stray from home? If you answered yes and you live in hurricane-prone South Florida, you're in need of a microchip to keep your pet safe. Hurricane Katrina's many thousands of missing pets proved that even those who never leave home are at risk of homelessness after a natural disaster. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/508469.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/508469.html Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:01 EDT With Earth Day fresh in our minds it's a great time to consider the impact of our household pets on the planet and ways to reduce their ``carbon paw prints.'' http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/499603.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/499603.html Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:01 EDT Q: My vet is great and I'm very happy with her services but when it came time to euthanize my cat Morris, the death-related options overwhelmed me. I wished someone had prepared me. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/502273.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/502273.html Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:01 EDT Frank Sullivan watches his dog search through a swampy stretch of grass for a crow that just landed. A canal is behind them, then the six lanes leading to Interstate 75 and the tower for WTVJ-NBC 6. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/490414.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/490414.html Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:01 EDT Q: Help! I can't get my cat T.C. to the vet. Every time I try to take her she hides in hard-to-find spots. Getting her out of these is virtually impossible, not to mention getting her into the carrier. So far she has been healthy but it's been years since she has seen a doctor. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/482910.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/482910.html Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:01 EDT Q: We have a new puppy and we think he's the sweetest, smartest Border collie that ever lived. The problem is that he's only 6 months old and he has already chewed through every chair leg in our house. He has even made dents in the aluminum ones outside. We've tried everything from ''bitter apple'' sprays to cayenne pepper and he still chews them up. My husband is about ready to send Chip away. What do I do? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/473905.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/473905.html Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:01 EDT Q: My vet just told me my cat Doris might have heartworms. She came up positive on a blood test he runs every year on cats over 7. We're now waiting to see whether she really has worms in her heart or if the test just shows she was exposed to a mosquito carrying them. I thought only dogs could get them. Should I be giving her the same heartworm pill my dog gets once a month? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/454536.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/454536.html Sun, 16 Mar 2008 03:01 EDT Tethering pets has long been a hot-button issue for animal welfare advocates. Several states and myriad municipalities have outlawed this practice in which dogs are chained to stakes or otherwise tethered to a fixed location out of doors. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/445898.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/445898.html Sun, 09 Mar 2008 03:01 EDT Q: I had to rush my cat Ginger to the emergency hospital when I found her shaking violently after I got home from work. My husband called and explained that he had used the dog's flea medicine on her. Ginger's doing better now but we had a pretty good scare. Could you discuss this in your column so other owners don't suffer like we did? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/437131.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/437131.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 03:01 EST Many readers have asked me to toss off a list of simple do-it-yourself, vet-approved treatments for simple injuries and illnesses. So, by popular demand, here is a brief rundown of my favorite home remedies for pets. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/427412.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/427412.html Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:01 EST When South Florida families lose their homes to foreclosure or seek smaller and cheaper places to live, they sometimes leave everything behind, including the family pet. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/419116.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/419116.html Sun, 17 Feb 2008 03:01 EST Q: My dog Madison recently came back from the kennel making a horrible gagging sound. My vet says it's kennel cough. But the people at the kennel said they vaccinated her before she was exposed to the other dogs. So what happened? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/410048.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/410048.html Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:01 EST Q. My dog Chalupa (a Chihuahua mix) started shivering and shaking and didn't want to eat his morning meal (a rare event). I took him to his vet, who determined that he had pain in his middle back. He had X-rays (which were normal) and he's now on pain medication. The problem is that he's still shaking occasionally, refuses to jump and isn't eating well. Could something else be wrong? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/410049.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/410049.html Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:01 EST Cool stuff for us and our faithful companions: The Diner Pet collection of retro-styled ceramic dishes and place mats is perfect for hip cats and dogs. Matching place mats also are available. $11.95, www.wrap ables.com. http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/401032.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/401032.html Sun, 03 Feb 2008 03:01 EST Q: My cat Juliet is fat -- really fat. I know I have to get her to lose some weight but her brother Romeo is skinny as can be. How am I supposed to get one to lose weight when the other could use a few more pounds? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/391769.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/391769.html Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:01 EST Q. My cat FredEx needs surgery on a tumor he has on his liver. I've already spent over $1,000 to determine it's a benign mass that can be treated surgically. The problem is that the surgery itself will cost $2,000 more and I don't have the money. The vets say FredEx is still young enough that he can live a good long time if we remove it soon but I'm angry that they won't let me pay for his care in installments. What do you think? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/383026.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/383026.html Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:01 EST Q: I often see cars and trucks parked by the roadside selling pets in cages. Is this legal? I know there are worse crimes out there but it makes me mad to see puppies exposed to the hot South Florida sun like this! What can I do to stop this? http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/374088.html http://www.miamiherald.com/357/story/374088.html Sun, 13 Jan 2008 03:01 EST Q: Our dog Bingo is a beagle and he's fat. Our vet says so. Our friends and family say so. Our neighbors even stop us on the street to make sure Bingo is on a diet. I think they want to tell us to walk him more but they probably don't want to embarrass us. The problem is that Bingo doesn't eat much. He's just a lazy dog. His favorite activity is couch-lounging in front of Animal Planet (probably wondering why everyone is moving so fast). That's why I'm convinced Bingo has hypothyroidism. The vet...