Blog Posts by Webvet

By Kristine Lacoste


Have you ever wondered about the little motorboat inside your cat? My friend noticed that his cat purrs when he is stroked and has always wondered why and how he does it. He always thought of it as a sign of contentment, but I informed him of the scientific theories that attempt to explain this feline phenomenon.

What Is a Purr?

Purring is a sound and vibration cats make by moving the muscles in their throat and diaphragm. I describe the sound and vibration as a motorboat inside the cat. It is low in volume, and you can best feel the vibration by placing your hand on the cat's back or stomach. There is no unique internal organ that produces the sound.

Why Do They Do It?

There is no definite or specific answer for purring in cats. I know when I stroke my cat he purrs, so I see this as a sign of contentment or relaxation. Some scientists believe purring is also a social or healing function.

One part of their theory states that purring triggers the brain to release

By WebVet.com

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If you've noticed your cat's indifference towards sweet foods, you're not alone. Scientists have confirmed that felines lack the gene that allows them to taste sweetness.

That they're missing the gene is the simple answer. If you want the inside scoop, here you go:

The tongues of humans, for example, have five taste buds -- including one for sweet -- which is made of two coupled proteins generated by two separate genes known as Tas1r2 and Tas1r3. However, cats lack 247 base pairs of the amino acids that make up the DNA of the Tas1r2 gene -- therefore it does not code for the proper protein and doesn't allow them to taste sweets.

WebVet: Carrie Ann Inaba: How To Help Shelter Pets Without Adopting

Joe Brand, biochemist and associate director at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, noted, "They don't taste sweet the way we do. They're lucky. Cats really have bad teeth as it is."

Although it was originally thought that cats were alone in lacking the sweet

By WebVet.com

Carrie Ann Inaba may be best known as a judge on Dancing With the Stars, but she's doing everything in her power to make her other passion -- animal rescue -- just as popular. The lifelong animal lover has created a new web show called Crib Cat, the episodes of which feature a new adoptable shelter cat who needs a home.

Carrie practices what she preaches, calling herself mom to six cats and two dogs. Why the feline majority? "I've had cats my whole adult life. I just relate a little more to their personalities," Carrie told us. "They have a sense of mystery and independence that I respect and admire. Cats also do things on their own terms and I can appreciate that. Cats also suited my busy lifestyle as I worked my way through my career. I think most of my friends would agree that I was a cat in another life."

While Carrie has been able to personally provide a home for many pets in need, not everyone can do so -- but that doesn't mean there aren't ways to help! "There

By Hope Schultz for WebVet.com

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So growing up we used think it was oh so funny when our dog would -- with absolutely no shame -- begin humping one of my dad's business associates, a family friend, or even the neighbor's infant just learning to walk.

For the most part we assumed that dogs, like people, might have gay tendencies as they didn't seem to discriminate based on gender -- females humped females, males humped males . . . . oh the doggy decadence of it all!

Is it true?

The truth of the matter is that in the dog world, humping is not purely about sexual stimulation and procreation -- it can also be about dominance. When a non-neutered males does the dirty dance with an unspayed female in heat, that is indeed about making babies. However, when you see all the other various "love" connections taking place, this is simply one dog telling the other who's boss.

So while it might be somewhat embarrassing when your dog attaches itself to an extremity of a friend or family member and

By Steve Dale for WebVet.com
2120081124184051puppyeatingDo dogs ever get full? My dog, like most, seems to be a bottomless pit. I know its unhealthy to overfeed them, but he always seems so hungry!! Do they ever get full or stop wanting food?

A: I love this question. My wife just asked the question about me after visiting one of those Mexican resorts where you can eat (and drink) all you want. And the answer might be much the same. It seems some dog never fill up. Of course, you can't expect them to maintain their hour glass figures if allowed to free-feed. Actually, the same is true for most cats. We think they will self-regulate, some will, many will not.

I'm not anti table snacks (particularly items like carrots, which are healthy), just don't overdo it. If you have a small dog consider that dog is only, say 15 lbs., so a slice of lunch meat is like you or I eating a quarter a packet.

WebVet: How Much Water Should My Pet Be Drinking?

Actually, I'm on my way to the Conference of the American Animal Hospital

By WebVet.com

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"Who's Your Daddy" DNA test parties for dogs are turning into great fundraising opportunities. Dog lovers are getting creative when it comes to giving back to animal welfare. Take, for example, Rebekkah Woodard, an interior designer in Nashville, Tenn. When she and her husband brought the now-one-year-old Otis home from the local SPCA last summer, they believed he was a purebred.

"I had always wanted a Saint Bernard puppy and here the shelter had just gotten several,'' she said. "With all the right coloring, I adopted him on the spot.''

But as Otis started to grow, Rebekkah realized he wasn't nearly as big as he should be if he were truly a purebred. After hearing about dog DNA testing from a friend, she decided to have Otis checked. The results showed he was part Border Collie, Poodle, Basset Hound, and Basenji.

Not a lick of Saint Bernard in him.

While Rebekkah and her husband were surprised, they were also inspired to celebrate the new discovery by

By WebVet.com
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No one knows pets like Mindy Dobrow, a proud dog mom and the owner of Brookline Grooming, a premiere New England destination for grooming and pet supplies. With over 38 years of experience and a wholehearted dedication to the health and well-being of animals, Mindy offers 10 greats tips for a healthy pet:

Regular grooming: Even if your long haired dog or cat doesn't have a fancy 'do, they should still be professionally groomed every 3-6 weeks. Trimming the hair will allow your pet to see well and will prevent eye irritation, which can occur if the fur grows too long. Grooming also helps prevent ear infections, which are especially prevalent in floppy-eared dogs.

Bath them often with a good shampoo: Among the shampoos Mindy recommends: Bio-Groom, Earthbath, Tropiclean, Synergy Labs, Sheapet and Vet's Choice.

Brush regularly: Don't just brush your dog or cat's hair when you notice that they need it. Regular brushing will get your pet used to the action so they're not

By WebVet.com

A handful of beach-goers in the Brazilian town of Arraial do Cabo sprang into action and saved the lives of 30 dolphins stranded in the sand. A dramatic video captured the incredible event, and has now gone viral.

The footage shows a normal day at the beach, suddenly interrupted as dozens of dolphins swim in with the surf and get stuck in the sand. The stunned onlookers quickly jump in the water and drag each mammal to deeper waters where they can swim away. The entire event -- the beaching and the rescue -- occurs in less than four minutes.

Dr. Darlene R. Ketten, senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, told the Huffington Post that approximately 1,000 dolphins and whales strand themselves in U.S. coastal waters each year. After viewing the video, she speculated that "the pod may have been feeding very close to shore and then were caught in a strong current or wave area and pushed onto shore by the water . . .We do see feeding groups getting caught in