Pet Health

Dear Porky & Buddy,

I read all the time about supplements that I can give my cat, Cindy Lou, and my dog, Herman, that will make them generally healthier, or have nicer coats, or less joint pain or whatever. How can I find out whether any of them are actually worth buying?

Dear Porky:

My cat has a swelling on its ear tip.  What is it and what is causing it?

What I don’t know much about is the impact of pets and especially pet products on the environment. Are there things I should be doing about that that will make a difference?

Dear Porky & Buddy, I just heard that antifreeze can be very dangerous to pets if they drink it or even lick up a spill off the garage floor. Is that true? I was going […]

Dear Porky and Buddy,

Maybe you can help me. I know you usually give advice about dogs and cats, but my question is about horses. I have been driving by a small pasture where several horses seem to be living and, I can’t see that they have any shelter at all.

Dear Porky and Buddy,

Maybe I’m just confused but I sometimes rescue cats and dogs that I find that appear to be lost or abandoned and if I can’t find the owner, I then try to find them new homes on my own. A friend of mine told me I could be charged with larceny because they are really not my animals. Is that true?

Dear Porky & Buddy,

I know that you mostly answer cat and dog questions, but maybe you can point me in the right direction about choosing another kind of pet—a bird. I would love to have a parrot in my house. They are so interesting. Do you think that is a good idea? What should I do to go about finding one and caring for it?

Dear Porky and Buddy,

A “friend” of mine just harangued me for about an hour about how pets are bad for the environment—they aren’t necessary; they cause a lot of waste (poop); they use up a lot of resources, dragging them to the vet, getting them groomed, buying them stuff, cleaning up after them etc., etc.

Dear Porky & Buddy,

Sally, my ten month old lab mix is driving me crazy. She is always on the couch, especially when I am sitting on it, and no matter how much I yell at her, the minute I turn my back she is right back up there. What am I doing wrong? I just don’t want my beautiful leather couch to be ruined.