Pet Health

We are off visiting with our grandchildren this week and way too tired to write a column. In the meantime, send us your questions about anything that is pet related. We love hearing from you!

You recently wrote about Section 353-b of the Agriculture and Markets Law which basically requires that all dogs left outdoors have to be provided with a dog house. I am writing to say that I personally think that law is ridiculous. I have a purebred Siberian Husky, Scarlet. She is three years old and I am here to tell you that SHE WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH A DOGHOUSE!

Every party needs a pooper and here we are again with depressing but important advice about how to keep your pets safe over the holidays. We’ve already established that you don’t need to panic if they munch on the poinsettias. But what about all the other fabulous holiday stuff laying around?  What if they get into that?

Well, #GivingTuesday has come and gone and we let it go by without a lot of Hoo! Ha!, because, quite frankly, we thought, why should we harangue all you good people about giving on one day of the year when you all do so much all year long.

I am planning to adopt an eight week old kitten soon.  She will be my first pet ever and I am wondering how I go about litter training her?  I helped with the toilet training of my kids when they were toddlers and I know how stressful it can be. I don’t want to make any mistakes.

It’s that time of year again and we are receiving scary emails about all the things that can go wrong over the holidays. Why do people feel such a need to do that?  We often wonder.  Nevertheless, we are now gong to do it ourselves!  One common warning is about holiday plants and their dangerousness for pets. But they are not always accurate.

We’re listening to the weather report today and want to remind you about the New York statute concerning shelter for dogs. We’re assuming, of course, that if you are reading this column your own personal dog(s) is (or are) curled up inside on the couch with you. But you still need to know about this law because many dogs are not so lucky.

I called one of the local cat rescue organizations to inquire about adopting a cat for my kids for the holidays and was told they don’t allow adoptions as gifts. They also will not approve any adoption to take place for the two weeks before Christmas.

Once again, we need your help about an important issue. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been actively investigating consumer complaints about jerky pet treats made in China which are causing illness in dogs and in some cats.