Blog Posts by vetstreet.com

By Amy Sinatra Ayres | vetstreet.com

You can almost hear them: "You go first." "No, you go first!"

Slowly but surely, this brood cautiously follows Mom.

More on Vetstreet.com:
* Video: Dog and Duck Play Fetch
* Why Does My Cat... Stare at Me?
* 20 Hottest Dog Breeds (and Mixes) in America

By Amy Sinatra Ayres

Nova, who was lost during Monday's tornado, is happily reunited with his owner.At least 51 people were killed in the massive tornado that struck Moore, Okla., on Monday afternoon, wiping out entire neighborhoods and two elementary schools. Although the storm missed areas with larger ranches, reports the LA Times, smaller ranches like the Orr Family Farm were devastated. Amid the destruction are stories of relief, like a Moore woman who was headed to work but turned around to ride out the storm in her bathtub with her dog. As the victims try to pick up the pieces, many groups are jumping in to care for lost pets and try to reunite them with their owners. Below is a roundup of some existing organizations that are helping, as well as some Facebook groups that have sprung up to help.

• Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City
• Animal Resource Center
• The Edmond Sun Found Pets
• OKC Lost Pets
• Moore Oklahoma Tornado Lost and Found Animals
• Oklahoma Animal Lost and Found Tornado Group

By Dr. Christopher J. Allen, JD

Dog bites happen to 4.7 million Americans each year.This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

It has always been a smart idea to keep proper control of your dog both indoors and outside the home, but new developments in the law now make that good habit a vital aspect of personal responsibility. In the past a minor dog (or cat) bite might have resulted in an argument with a neighbor or a small cash settlement with a stranger. Recent cases and legislation, however, mean that these sorts of bites can have serious financial consequences for a pet owner.

See Also: How Common Are Dog Bites? 4.7 Million People Get Bitten Each Year

What's the big deal about animals biting people and other animals? Isn't it just a quick trip to the walk-in clinic along with a corresponding apology? That thinking is sooo outdated. In today's world of litigious folks, aggressive attorneys and new theories of recovery, there is real money available to animal bite victims and their legal counsel. And

Some breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, have been popular pets for years, but other breeds (and popular mixed breeds) have moved steadily up the list over the past decade. For example, 10 years ago you might not have even heard of a Cane Corso, but these days you're likely to cross paths with at least one at your dog park or vet's office.

See Also: 10 Trendiest Male & Female Dog Names

To determine which breeds and hybrids are truly the hottest ones, we searched Vetstreet's data and looked at how many places each breed climbed between 2002 and 2012. The results included a plethora of designer mixes and about 800 pounds of giant breeds, plus a few surprises. Did your favorite breed make the list?

Goldendoodle1. Goldendoodle

No. 159 most popular breed in 2002, No. 31 in 2012

The Goldendoodle tops our list of hottest dog breeds with a meteoric rise of 128 places over the past decade. This lovable and intelligent cross between the Golden Retriever and the Poodle is a perfect

By Laura Cross

Thanks to dog shows and competitions like Westminster, you probably know your fair share about the many different breeds of dogs. Our feline friends, however, don't get as much attention, since they spend a lot more time indoors and out of the limelight. From the short-legged Munchkin to the affectionate Ragdoll, we've rounded up nine cat breeds with fun and clever names. You might not be familiar with them, but they all deserve your attention.

Munchkin1. Munchkin

No they don't come from Oz, but with a dwarf-like appearance, this short-legged feline is aptly named the Munchkin. In addition to being fun-loving and adorable, the breed has both a silly name and a funny (and surprising) nickname: the magpie. Munchkins love shiny things and won't hesitate to pilfer and hoard your valuables.


2. LaPerm
The curly-coated LaPerm looks like - well, like she just got a perm, hence her funny name. The breed's wavy locks are a result of genetic mutation (which is not unusual in the cat

By Amy Sinatra Ayres | vetstreet.com

Credit: Fox Carolina - A dog in South Carolina has adopted this kitten as her own.A South Carolina resident called police on Monday to report she'd heard a dog barking since Saturday. When animal control officer Michelle Smith followed the noise down a steep embankment to a ravine, she found a 5-year-old dog - who was nursing a tiny kitten. "I'm thinking that it just couldn't get back up with the kitten, and I don't think it was willing to leave the kitten," Smith said.

The officer brought the pair to a local shelter, Anderson County P.A.W.S., where the staff is now supplementing the dog's nursing with bottles. They said the dog appeared to be someone's pet, and they're hopeful that her owner will come to claim her - and to make the kitten a part of their home, too. - Watch it at Fox Carolina

More on Vetstreet.com:
* 20 Hottest Dog Breeds in America
* Can All Dogs Swim? No, and This Popular Breed Is Worst
* 11 Cat Breeds With Funny Names
* Kitten Plays With Patient Dog (Video)

By Amy Sinatra Ayres

With a little pomp and circumstance, Hero the service dog graduated alongside his best pal last weekend. The canine, who we think deserves an honorary degree, donned a mortarboard and blue gown to match his owner, Bridget Evans.

Hosted by imgur.com

"This is my service dog, Hero, after we graduated with our Master's degrees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign," Evans wrote in a caption with the Imgur photo.

See Also: Meet America's New Breed of Service Dog

Hero got a warm welcome during the ceremony - and this photo of him at his owner's side quickly went viral. "The girl and the dog received the loudest applause hands down. Very adorable," Reddit user tcjones54 wrote in the caption. Some Redditors suggested that Hero should have received a "dogtorate" or been the "valedogtorian."

The photo was taken at the Saturday convocation ceremony of the university's College of Applied Health Sciences, the Huffington Post reported.

When the picture

By Dr. Patty Khuly

iStockphotoIt's not much of a conundrum, really. The bottom line is that most of the time, dogs will lick their people as a sign of affection. "You are the sun and the moon," their silky tongue would have you know. "And guess what? You taste good, too!"

See Also: Why Does My Cat... Lick Me?

But much as barking can be, licking is also a multi-faceted tool that seems to play many roles in canine behavior and, consequently, tends towards many different interpretations. Here's a list of the many ways in which we homo sapiens have come to understand this culturally alien mode of communication: Licking is a natural instinct in canids. When a mother licks her pups and her pups lick each other during the course of grooming and other social interactions, we're observing quintessential licking behavior in dogs. Indeed, this behavior is held up as one that may serve as the basis for all other licking decisions a dog makes. ("Mom licked me now I lick you ...")

• Licking can play a role in