Written by Louis Vanderhaeghen

Dogs and teeth-brushing often go together as well as oil and water. Dogs tend to have better things to do than sit patiently while their owners try to give them a Hollywood smile. There are always new smells to smell, naps to take or walks to go on, after all.

Katy Perry might think we all should shine like fireworks that light up the night sky. Some dogs might disagree. Fireworks act as a great metaphor when we need to talk about finding our inner strength.

This is probably the most common command you’d associate with a dog. But, it’s a myth to believe that you can’t teach a cat to do the same, and more.

Cats seem to have an instinct to never do as you wish. They tend to please themselves and go their own way, especially when it’s time for a visit to the vet. Countless pet owners will tell you that the moment their cat sees the carrier it will do a disappearing act.

Most pet owners will tell you that their dog developed a skin infection at some point in their lives. Typically, you can recognize inflamed skin lesions, known as hot spots, by  clearly defined areas of swelling, redness and hair loss.

Achoo!” It’s a familiar sound coming from your cat (yet again). If they’re Russian it could be “Apchkhi” or Korean, “Achee”, by the way. The point is this: sneezing in cats is common all over the world. Most of the time there’s not a lot to worry about, but if sneezing bouts are very frequent…

Your cat is drinking so often that you’re beginning to wonder if they’ve been running the odd marathon or two while you’re at work. The apparently unquenchable thirst has been going on for a few weeks now and you’re beginning to worry. Plenty of cat owners will have felt the same concern.

If only dogs could speak and tell us when they need help. Sometimes they make noises that set off alarm bells ringing in our minds. If you’ve ever heard a dog in the throes of reverse sneezing, you might well think they’re in deep trouble. The honking noise bears a striking similarity to the cry…

The dinner table looks spectacular and your guests have arrived. Once again, your favorite pooch shows you up by scooting their behind across your polished tiles in full view. It’s a floor show you’d prefer to do without. So what’s the cause of this all-too-common kind of behavior?

“We’ll need to get some blood work done on your pet,” your friendly vet tells you. You may feel reassured that checks will take place but unsure about why they need to happen at all. So, what are vets looking for when they carry out blood tests on your pet?