Pet Health

I feel so guilty.  I was just petting my beautiful Maine Coon, Sylvester, when I notice a huge mat of fur in his arm pit.  When I started to try to loosen it he freaked out and ran under the couch.

I just wanted to write and thank you for all your good advice this summer about dealing with the hot hot hot weather and to express my relief that it is finally cooling down a bit. I love fall and my dogs love fall too – lots of long walks in the woods, new sweaters for all of us. What could be better?

My elderly lab, Snoozer, just lies around all day in the heat and seems to be having a really hard time this year. I had him shaved down so his coat was fairly short at the beginning of the summer, but that has grown back in.

This is about Chester. He was found abandoned and cowering in a basement with a badly infected paw. He has progressed from a very frightened and mistrustful boy to one who wants attention and affection and lots of it. He is in temporary quarters at the Humane Society’s office – but that is no place for a cat.

My dog Maggie loves to go for walks with me when I get home from work, but lately, I have been noticing that the mosquitoes and deer flies have been really pestering her. I use a product containing DEET to keep them away from me, but is that safe for her too?  It doesn’t say anything about it on the label.

Did you know that pets make you smarter? It’s true. We wouldn’t lie just to get you to adopt a pet. And even if you don’t quite believe that, surely you agree that they make you happier, right?

My next door neighbor has started to criticize me for taking my dog Pluto for rides in the car.  She says I should have Pluto in a crate or a harness, but that would totally spoil the fun for him of hanging his head out the window and enjoying the wind.

I just adopted a kitten, Esmeralda, from the Humane Society.  She’s very playful. I went to the pet store to buy her some toys and was shocked at the prices. What do you recommend I should buy and are there other alternatives, household things I can let her play with instead?

Help!  My little Schnauzer, Mini, was out for a walk for me when a car nearby backfired I guess and she panicked and bolted off into the woods. I called and called to try to get her to come back but there is no sign of her. What should I do?