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You see a cute, tiger-striped kitten with white paws and green eyes, just begging for your attention. Or maybe it's a handsome, tail-wagging Labrador mix who couldn't be more friendly.

If you're like most of us, falling in love with a pet is easy. And no wonder! Sharing your home with a four-legged friend can be one of life's greatest joys. Dogs, cats, and other pets give us unconditional loyalty and acceptance, provide constant companionship, and even help relieve stress after a hard day's work.

Adopting a pet, though, is a big decision. Dogs and cats are living beings who require lots of time, money, and commitment - over 15 years' worth in many cases. Pet ownership can be rewarding, but only if you think through your decision before you adopt a companion.

Things to Consider

The fact that you're thinking about adopting a pet from an animal Shelter, rescue league or humane society means you're a responsible and caring person. But before you make that final decision to bring a furry friend into your life, take a moment to think about these questions:

Why do you want a pet?

It's amazing how many people fail to ask themselves this simple question before they get a pet. Adopting a pet just because the kids have been asking for a puppy usually ends up being a big mistake. Don't forget that pets may be with you even after your children leave home.

Do you have time for a pet?

Dogs, cats, and other animal companions cannot be ignored just because you're tired or busy. They require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of every year. Many animals have been given up because their owners didn't realize how much time it took to properly care for them.

Can you afford a pet?

The monetary costs of pet ownership can be quite high. Licenses, training classes, veterinary care, grooming, toys, food, kitty litter, and other expenses add up quickly.

Are you prepared to deal with special problems that only a pet can cause?

Fleas, scratched-up furniture and accidents from animals who aren't yet housetrained are just a few of the inconveniences that you will face.

Can you have a pet where you live?

Many rental communities don't allow pets, others have restrictions. Make the necessary inquiries before you bring a pet home.

Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet?

If you're a student, in the military, or travel frequently as part of your work, waiting until you settle down may be a wise choice.

Are your living arrangements suitable for the animal you have in mind?

Adopting an energetic dog or a breed that is unsuitable to share your small apartment (a Border collie), for example, is not a good idea. Choose an animal who will be comfortable in your surroundings.

Who will care for your pet if you go on vacation?

You'll need either reliable friends and neighbors, or money to pay for a boarding kennel or pet-sitting service.

Will you be a responsible pet owner?

Having your pet spayed or neutered, obeying community leash and licensing laws, and keeping identification tags on your pets are all part of being a responsible pet owner. Of course, giving your pet love, companionship, exercise, a healthy diet, and regular veterinary care are other essentials.

Finally, are you prepared to keep and care for the pet for his or her entire lifetime?

When you adopt a pet, you are making a commitment to care for the animal for his or her lifetime.

Get an Animal for Life

Sure, it's a long list of questions. But a quick stroll through the animal shelter will help you understand why answering them before you adopt a pet is so important.

Please, think before you adopt. Sharing your life with a companion animal can bring incredible rewards, but only if you're willing to make the necessary commitments of time, money, responsibility, and love—for the life of the pet.

Much of the information for this article was contributed by the Humane Society of the US.

Owning a bird can be an extremely rewarding experience. There are keys to a successful relationship that, if followed properly, allow for a mutually beneficial companionship that can last for decades. Birds have particular needs that must be met in order for them to remain happy and healthy. An extremely important need is housing. Here are some guidelines to follow when thinking about how to house your bird properly.

While caging your bird in the house may at first seem cruel, consider the surroundings. Pet birds may be allowed to remain on perches while you are home to supervise their activity, but they should be confined to cages while you are away to avoid accidental injury and other potential mishaps. Trouble is very often the result of unsupervised birds. Not only can your bird be terribly destructive to your belongings (furniture, decorations, etc.), but all homes contain objects that can be both directly and indirectly harmful to birds. Mirrors, windows, walls, house plants, electrical cords and items containing harmful chemicals are all general hazards. Birds resting on perches are usually happy to stick around; however, if frightened by a loud noise or sudden movement, these unexpected flights can cause your bird to crash into a wall, door, window or mirror because of its confusion.

Helpful Bird Care Information

• The major source of poisoning of pet birds is lead. Found in random places (curtain weights and/or pulls, leaded and stained glass, fishing sinkers, ammunition, costume jewelry), many caged birds seem to have an affinity for this soft metal and love to chew on it. Unfortunately, even a small amount can lead to poisoning, if ingested. Lead poisoning can be successfully treated if diagnosed early enough.


• Caged birds allowed unrestricted freedom in the home may eat house plants or chew on electrical cords, resulting in illness and injury. Some unsupervised pet birds chew on or swallow macrame, carpet, and other similar fabrics, resulting in crop and intestinal impaction.


• Free-flying birds are vulnerable to injury from ceiling fans and hot stoves, as well as attacks by pet dogs, cats and ferrets sharing the same household. It is wise not to underestimate the aggressiveness of our four-legged friends and to restrict contact between them and pet birds as much as possible.


• Birds allowed unrestricted freedom and flight within the home may escape through open doors and windows. Most bird owners have the mistaken notion that their bird would never fly away and leave them. Unfortunately, birds that have escaped the owner's home become disoriented easily when outdoors. This confusion makes return or capture of the escaped bird very unlikely.


• The location of the cage and/or perch in the home is important. Some birds thrive in areas of heavy traffic where they receive lots of attention and are part of the action. Others seem to prefer more privacy and solitude. A pet bird should never be kept in the kitchen. In addition to the obvious gas fumes and occasional smoke from cooking food, there is another, much more dangerous, threat to birds in the kitchen. Super-heated Teflon, and related brand-name non-stick pan coatings, emits fumes that are deadly to all birds. This "accident" happens most often when someone inadvertently leaves a pan coated with a non-stick surface on a lighted gas or electric range burner. The pan becomes hot and the non-stick coating overheats, emitting toxic fumes. Birds that inhale these fumes die quickly.


• Free-flying birds tend to assume a more dominant posture in their relationship with people, and often become intolerably aggressive.


• Contrary to popular opinion, drafts are not harmful to healthy pet birds. A draft is really nothing more than a slight movement of air, usually accompanied by a mild temperature drop. A bird's feathers provide insulation against temperature extremes far in excess of what a draft represents. Drafts are usually inconsequential to pet birds. The notable exception to this is the cool and sometimes cold air produced by air conditioners. Most caged birds cannot tolerate the rapid temperature extremes produced by thermostatically controlled air conditioners. For this reason, cages and perches should not be positioned directly beside or beneath air conditioning, heating or ventilation outflows. Sick birds should always be removed from drafty circumstances to prevent heat loss.


• Covering the bird's cage at night is open to question. Because of the tremendous insulating capacity of feathers, covering a bird's cage at night may not be necessary to protect the bird from cool drafts at night, when the thermostat is usually turned down. The one exception to this would be chilly nights in colder climates. A benefit of covering your bird's cage at night is that it provides a regular period of privacy not usually allowed during the day. Further, it tends to keep the bird quiet in the early morning when it would otherwise become active and vocal. If you now cover your bird's cage at night, continue to do so. If you have not done so in the past and find that your pet bird panics or acts agitated with a cover over its cage, there is no need to continue doing so.


• The most obvious consideration when selecting a cage is the size of the bird. A factor that often gets overlooked when looking at cages is that these cages will be occupied not only by the bird but also food bowls, perches, toys and whatever else the owner chooses. These objects, while absolutely necessary, dramatically cut down the amount of open space in the cage. Another important determinant is the bird's activity level. You will notice some discrepancies between birds and the size of the cage required. Round cages should not be used. They do not give your pet a point of reference and can lead to psychological problems.

The first five reasons for barking are rarely the cause of "excessive" or "annoying" barking. They are usually specific to certain situations and are short-lived. The sixth and seventh reasons are those most likely to be considered problem barking, and they are not unrelated. Barking for companionship can turn into barking for reward: The dog barks to get its owner’s attention, the owner comes to the dog to tell it to be quiet, perhaps petting it or playing with it, and goes away again. The dog is quiet while the owner is there, but has learned that barking will bring the owner back. Thus the system of barking and reward is established.

A solution, again, is to spend more time with your dog and have it near you rather than tied up somewhere separate from you. However, if your dog is separated from you and it begins to bark to get your attention, do not immediately go to the dog. It must learn that barking will not guarantee your presence. By spending more time with the dog at regular intervals not instigated by barking, your dog will feel more assured that it will get sufficient attention from you and will not have as much inclination to bark for companionship.

How do you teach a barking dog to distinguish between friends and strangers?
The solution is to show the dog that certain individuals (garbage collectors, mailmen, milkmen) are, indeed, friends. To accomplish this, the dog has to be introduced to these people and given an opportunity to get to know them. While this is not always practical, it is nonetheless a potential solution. As you restrain your dog, stop delivery people and have a short conversation with them, letting them meet the dog for a brief period. Repeat and lengthen the process over the next few weeks. Eventually, your dog should accept these individuals and all should be well until your regular mailman is sick and another person takes his place.

What do you do with a dog that barks at guests in your house?
One solution is to take the dog to another room and give it something to do. Or, if the guest comes to your home often and you don’t want to have to lock up the dog every time, work to gradually introduce one to the other. Have the guest get on his knees, pet the dog, offer it a treat, and more or less become part of the family. Let your dog establish the speed at which this relationship develops: Don’t force it, or your dog may become alarmed by a "pushy" guest.

How do you deal with a dog that barks at the phone?
This is simply a case of a dog that has been rewarded for barking at a ringing phone. When the dog barks, someone eventually answers the phone and it stops ringing. To stop your dog from doing this, have a friend call and let the phone ring until the dog loses interest. Continue over a period of days, and in time, the dog will learn that barking at the phone accomplishes nothing.

Finally, what do you do with the dog that barks while you are away from home?
There are several possible solutions. One is to act as if you are leaving, then stand outside the door until the dog barks. When it does, return and scold verbally. Another is to get your dog a companion—but you might end up with two barkers! A third is to use a sound-activated tape recorder. When the dog barks, the sound switch turns on the tape recorder for a minute. The tape plays your voice scolding the dog. Some systems can repeat as many as 45 times while you are away.

The best way to reduce your dog’s barking is to pay attention to the reasons for the barking. If you can satisfy the dog’s needs, barking will automatically be reduced. By the same token, learned barking can be extremely persistent. Internal rewards can cause the cycle to go on for years.

The best solution to barking is prevention, so be aware of the possibilities and work to stop problem barking before it starts.

Despite their reputation for being "low maintenance" creatures, cats are nonetheless a huge responsibility. Cats are fascinating creatures with very distinctive, and instinctive, behaviors. They are innately curious, mischievous and independent. They love to climb and stalk, they scratch, and they often mark their territory. They can also be very reserved and dignified. Whether your cat is a stray adopted from a shelter or a purebred, it still deserves and requires the same care and attention. Owning a cat requires you to give understanding, affection, shelter, food and general care. In return, you receive loving companionship. Modern research has shown that owning a pet can have measurable health benefits. By providing responsible and quality care for your cat, you are also giving yourself the benefit of a healthier life!

Bringing your new cat home

Being prepared is the name of the game. Before bringing your new playmate and companion home, you should be sure to have basic supplies set up and ready for its arrival.

Food - Because the food you select going to be your cat's sole source of nutrition, it can have a large impact on his or her health and well being. Ask friends who own cats, or speak to your veterinarian before deciding which food to choose. Often times your cat might choose for you! It is important to note what kind of food your cat was being fed previously, especially if he or she was thriving. If a food change is necessary, gradually transition to the new diet over a 7 to 10 day period by adding more of the new food and less of the old food until the transition is complete. Contrary to popular belief, cats should not drink milk. Milk may often cause diarrhea due to lactose intolerance. If you have a very young kitten who needs milk, specially formulated kitten milk replacement is available through your veterinarian.

Litter Box Materials - Purchase a litter box, cat litter and scoop. Make sure to choose a pan large enough for a full-grown cat and deep enough so your cat does not scatter litter when he or she scratches it. If you're bringing home a kitten, make sure the box is small enough so he or she can access it easily. There are a variety of litters available, so you may have to try a few different kinds to determine which one you and your cat like best. If you have more than one cat, a general rule of thumb is to provide one more litter box than the number of cats in the household. For example, if you have four cats, you should have five litter boxes. Even in a one cat household, it is a good idea to have a litter box on each floor.

Bed - From the beginning, you should determine where you would like your cat to sleep. It can be very difficult to break the habit of sharing your bed once the habit is formed, especially for the cat! Generally, cats like small, quiet places to curl up and snooze. For warmth, try lining a cardboard box, with sides high enough to block a draft, with an old cushion or any soft, washable material. To encourage your cat to use the bed, put an old item of your clothing in the bed to help him or her feel secure. Often times, cats will choose their own beds, such as laundry baskets full of laundry, so it is wise to establish where your cat can and cannot sleep before finding cat hair all over your clothes!

Carrier - These come in various styles and materials. You should select one that is large enough so your cat can comfortably stand up and turn around when he or she is full-grown. It should be well ventilated, secure and easy to clean.

Scratching Post - Scratching is one of the most innate cat behaviors. Scratching helps cats clean away dead scales from their nails and allows them to mark their territory (both visually and with their scent). Having a scratching post in the house provides your cat with an acceptable target for his or her scratching, as opposed to your new couch!. The post should be sturdy and tall enough so your adult cat can stretch out to full length. There are a number of colors, styles and materials for scratching posts, so it should be very easy to find one that suits your home. If you notice your cat snagging or getting stuck to the scratching post (or your clothes!), it might be time to trim his or her nails. Ask your veterinarian to demonstrate the proper technique and to give you tips on proper nail care.

I.D./Collar - Even an indoor cat should wear a collar with an up-to-date identification tag in the event that he or she escapes outdoors. Make sure the collar is made of flexible or breakaway material to lessen the likelihood of choking if it becomes entangled in something. You may also want to explore another, more reliable identification option with your veterinarian, such as microchipping.

Grooming Tools - Cats are notoriously clean and spend many hours a day grooming themselves. It is still important; however, that you regularly groom your cat to help remove excess hair and dander. This helps lessen the likelihood of hairballs. Establishing grooming as part of your cat's routine and rewarding him or her after each "session" makes it a pleasant experience for both you and the cat.

Toys - Cats play with ANYTHING that moves, rustles, rolls or sways. Many of these "toys" are safe household items such as empty plastic thread spools, unshelled walnuts, cardboard toilet paper tubes or waxed paper balls. Cat nip toys, as well as feathers or something with bells, work well, too! Although cats tend to enjoy playing with string, yarn or tinsel, ingesting any of these could cause severe gastrointestinal problems.

Socialization of your new cat

When bringing your cat or kitten home, make sure the house is quiet and allow your cat to settle in and explore without too much interference. Keep your new cat or kitten confined to a particular part of the house or a particular room and definitely keep him or her indoors for the first few weeks. Once your cat has settled into its new home, the socialization process should begin. Introduce him or her to neighbors and visitors, allowing time for the cat to get acquainted with all the normal household noises and activities. Other pets should be introduced to him or her slowly and only under close supervision. It may take some time for a pet to get used to the new arrival "invading" the house and realize that the new cat is staying!

Regular Health Care

Establishing regular health care is an important element of your cat's well being. Regardless of your cat's age or where he or she was acquired, regular veterinary exams are crucial. These visits generally include vaccinations, inspection of the eyes, ears, mouth, abdomen and coat, as well as heart and breathing patterns. It is during these examinations that questions about your cat's health can be answered, even if it is a minor issue.

Dental exams are also an important part of your cat's routine health care. Plaque buildup is the most common dental problem in cats and can lead to deposits of hardened calculus on the tooth surface. If plaque is left unchecked, it can cause inflammation of the gums. This condition can worsen until the teeth eventually loosen and fall out. To prevent this, talk to your veterinarian about regular dental care for your cat.

Unless you have a pet that you intend to use for breeding, it is very important to have your cat spayed or neutered. Check with your veterinarian to determine the best time for the procedure. This helps prevent unwanted litters, manage pet overpopulation, prevent undesirable behaviors (urinating or "spraying") and may improve your cat's overall disposition. Spaying also eliminates the risk of uterine infections, lessens the chance of hormonal imbalances and reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering lessens the likelihood of testicular cancer and unwanted behaviors such as aggression and "roaming."

Holiday Time

If you are traveling, you need to consider how best to care for your cat while you are away. Cats can be safely left at home alone for up to two or three days, provided they are left with enough food and fresh water and have access to a clean litter box. If you decide to leave your cat home alone, it's a good idea to have a neighbor or pet sitter check in on him or her daily. If traveling for a long period of time, consider hiring a pet sitter or board your cat at a pet boarding facility. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a respected place to board your cat and be sure to ask for a tour of the facility. It is important to see where your cat is going to be living while you are away.

Ultimately, as you get to know your cat and form a lasting bond and friendship, you will become the best judge of what's best for him or her. Providing a caring and loving home will help to ensure the health and well-being of your cat, which will, in turn, benefit your health and well-being. If a question regarding the care of your cat arises, never hesitate to call your veterinarian for advice.

Warm weather means fun in the sun, but it also means that we might see growing populations of fleas. Although pets can get fleas at any time of year, spring and summer are often the worst times as these hungry little parasites make life miserable for your pet…and for you! Learn how to control the flea population and keep these pests off of your dogs and cats with a little help from your veterinarian.

"To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs." - Aldous Huxley

"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshiped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." - Anonymous

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about little puppies." - Gene Hill

"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow." - Jeff Valdez

"Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear." - Dave Barry

"Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia" - Joseph Krutch

"A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down." - Robert Benchley

"My husband said it was him or the cat...I miss him sometimes." - Unknown

"Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend, and inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

"Dogs believe they are human. Cats believe they are God." - Anonymous

"I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers." — Unknown

When bacteria invade the body, a bacterial infection is present. Often, the bacteria are removed by our own immune system before there are any obvious signs of disease. But if bacteria multiply faster than our immune system can destroy them, an infectious disease develops. An infectious disease is treated by drugs that harm the bacteria - either by killing them or by preventing them from multiplying - without harming the host (animals). These drugs are called antibiotics.

Many people simply use the term antibiotics to apply to the broad group of drugs that prevent the spread of or kill microorganisms. Sometimes, though, a finer distinction is made. An antimicrobial is a drug that kills (or inhibits the multiplication of) microbes or microorganisms. Bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa are all microbes. Antibiotics, however, kill only bacteria. They have no effect on viral or fungal disease.

An antibiotic such as penicillin, is bactericidal. This type of antibiotic kills bacteria. A bacteriostatic antibiotic, such as tetracycline and erythromycin, stops the bacteria from multiplying. After the invading bacteria stops multiplying, the body's natural defenses usually kills the existing bacteria.

The discovery and development of antibiotic drugs are two of the most important therapeutic advances of the twentieth century. Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1929, and was introduced into clinical use in 1940. Fleming was awarded the Nobel prize in 1945 for this discovery. Since then, antibiotics have dramatically changed the course of many illnesses (both in humans and in animals) from almost certain death to little more than an inconvenience.

The problem of resistance to antibiotics is very serious. Very often, an animal is treated successfully with amoxicillin (the most commonly-prescribed small animal veterinary drug in the United States) on three separate occasions for three different infections. Then, amoxicillin doesn't work for the fourth infection. Since different antibiotics have different spectra of activity (only work on certain bacteria), this particular bacteria may not be sensitive to amoxicillin.

Another problem with antibiotic resistance occurs when an animal is treated for the same infection several different times with the same antibiotic. The antibiotic works perfectly during the first 2 or 3 episodes, then on the fourth episode, it fails to work. The most likely reason for this is that the organism has become resistant to that particular antibiotic.

Bacteria become resistant to some antibiotics through genetic mutations, which are then passed on to succeeding generations of bacteria. Amoxicillin is ineffective against infections from staphylococci, for example, because those organisms have developed resistance to the entire group of penicillin-type antibiotics (called beta-lactamins), including amoxicillin. These bacteria produce an enzyme, penicillinase, which changes the structure of the drug and makes it inactive. This is an example of bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics by inactivating the drug via specific enzymes. There are other mechanisms by which bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. These include alterations in the bacterial target enzyme as well as changes in the ability of the drugs to accumulate in or on the bacteria.

Here are some important things to remember when your pet is taking antibiotics:

1. Antibiotics need to be given at specific times. Even though it may be difficult to give a medication every six or eight hours, it is necessary in order for these medications to work properly.
2. Antibiotics need to be given for a particular duration. During the first few days on the antibiotic, our pet usually feels much better. The antibiotic zaps most of the bacteria; however, there are usually still some bacteria left in their system. At this point, if the medicine is discontinued, the surviving bacteria quickly grow and multiply, and may overwhelm our pet once again. Continuing the medication for the full course usually prevents this from occurring.
3. Antibiotics need to be stored properly so that they do not lose their effectiveness. Some call for refrigeration; especially those that are liquids. Also, be sure to shake liquid formulas before administering them.
4. It is crucial that you do not begin to give antibiotics to your pet without first talking to your veterinarian.
5. As a general rule, antibiotics are very safe and have few side effects. Loss of appetite, upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea are the side effects most commonly encountered.
6. Occasionally, an animal will develop an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. This usually occurs within the first 30 minutes after administration. Severe allergic reactions - panting heavily, difficulty breathing, intense vomiting or diarrhea, seizures or lethargy - are emergencies and should immediately be seen by a veterinarian.

If you have any questions regarding an antibiotic or any medication, please contact a staff member at your veterinary hospital.