Blog Posts by Webvet

By WebVet.com

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A 21-pound orange tabby cat is being registered as a therapy pet after saving his owner's life -- just hours after he was adopted.

Amy Jung and her son Ethan impulsively adopted the cat, Pudding, and his friend Wimsy after stopping to play with the cats at their local Humane Society in Sturgeon, Wisconsin. Pudding earned his welcome just hours after settling into his new home, when Jung, who has suffered from diabetes since childhood, began to have a diabetic seizure in her sleep.

Related: Why Do Cats Purr?

Pudding sat on her chest, nudging and nipping at her face until she woke up. She briefly regained consciousness, but couldn't summon Ethan. Pudding again played Superman, pouncing on the boy, who then woke up and called for help.

Jung -- and her doctors -- don't think she would have survived the night if not for Pudding's heroics. He's since learned to sit by Jung's feet and meow when he senses that her blood sugar is low.

Related: Is Global Warming Harmful To

By WebVet.com

Dogs are generally lovable. With their puppy eyes, furry faces and natural smile, they make everyone feel like a friend -- but not every canine is instantly approachable.

Many dogs are shy, untrained or require special attention, which is why no one should assume that every pup on the street is fair game for a pat or head scratch.

Enter Kristin Valgardson, who identified the need for a system that would signal to the public which dogs are approachable and which you should leave alone. Valgardson, a dog owner herself, has since created Dog Flags, colored flags that slide over your pet's leash alerting passersby of his or her temperament.

The five colors and their meanings are below:

Red - Ask Before Approaching
Green - Friendly
Yellow - I'm Shy.
Blue - In Training
Orange - Special Needs

"Dog Flags aims to simply this relationship to protect both humans and animals from any unwanted misunderstandings," explains the company. "When every dog is wearing a Dog Flag,

By WebVet.com

The royal puppy finally has a name! Will and Kate's black cocker spaniel has been crowned . . . Lupo.

The palace confirmed the moniker, which is derived from the Latin word for wolf.

The couple adopted Lupo several months ago, but initially kept his name on the down low for "privacy reasons." The top-secret information leaked on Tuesday as Kate visited schools in Oxford that use art therapy to help children with behavioral problems.

Below are the 20 most popular male dog names from 2011. Do you think Lupo will crack the list this year?

Top male dog names

1. Max
2. Buddy
3. Rocky
4. Bailey
5. Jake
6. Charlie
7. Jack
8. Toby
9. Cody
10. Buster
11. Duke
12. Cooper
13. Riley
14. Harley
15. Bear
16. Tucker
17. Murphy
18. Lucky
19. Oliver
20. Sam


Photo credit
More from WebVet.com:

• How To Brush Your Dog's Teeth
• Jeremy Lin Is Up For Adoption!
• How To Tell If a Dog Is Approachable

By WebVet.com

Jeremy Lin is up for adoption! No, not the NBA sensation -- a seven-month-old puppy in New York City.

A good Samaritan dropped the 38-pound tan-colored shepherd-pit bull mix at the Animal Care & Control of New York City last week at the height of Linsanity. The pup was hit by a car, but survived without a scratch.

A shelter employee who played college basketball and is described by co-workers as "a huge Knicks fan" bestowed the raging moniker upon the pup after noticing the dog's affinity for a toy basketball.

"Obviously, because Jeremy Lin has been so popular and been in the news so much, the staff decided to give that name to the dog; we have a lot of sports fans that work for us," said shelter director Richard Gentles.

The New York Post reported that families interested in adopting the dog can visit the shelter beginning February 18th, but have to specifically ask to see Jeremy Lin, since he has not yet been neutered.

Jeremy Lin:

Photo credit: New York Post

Check

By WebVet.com


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Spoiling your dog doesn't have to mean spending lots of money. With a little love and creativity, you can ensure that your dog stays healthy and happy.

Diane Levy lives in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee and shares her 50-year-old farm house with two cats and a dog. Self-employed, Levy knows how to manage work and life on a tight budget. She makes practical decisions influenced by a caring heart.

"I treat my animals the same way that I treat myself," Levy said. "We all eat well and get plenty of exercise. By spending my money on a quality diet today, I am saving myself money in the long run - fewer health problems and fewer vet bills."

Pay attention

Levy physically inspects her animals every day, running her hands from head to toe and tail, making sure they're OK. From her pets' point-of-view, they are being stroked, petted and loved. And they are.

"By being this connected to my animals I can respond quickly to them if

By WebVet.com

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Massaging your dog or cat can provide them comfort and health benefits if the massages are done correctly. Courses, manuals, videos - there are plenty of resources for anyone who wants to give a massage to their pet.

Kim Shotola strongly urges pet owners to consult with their vets to make sure massage will be beneficial and not detrimental. "It's very important to know what you can do and what you cannot do," she said. "You never want to do more harm than good. Working with a vet can help minimize problems."

She says that for the most part, massage for a pet involves many of the same techniques used on people, including four basic techniques:

Effleurage - long, slow strokes increase circulation and promote relaxation
Friction - promotes blood flow and prevents adhesions
Percussion - drumming with the fingers or hands
Petrissage - kneading in which the skin is lifted and squeezed.

Shotola recommends placing the animal on a firm but comfortable surface. "The floor is

By WebVet.com

Uggie might want to rethink his retirement. The Jack Russell terrier may not have scored an Oscar nomination for his star turn in "The Artist," but he was crowned top dog at the first annual Golden Collar Awards Monday night.

Related: How Much Do Movie Dogs Make?

Uggie's win as Top Dog in a Movie was far from an upset; he's arguably responsible for the creation of the Golden Collar Awards, which the Dog News Daily digital media and marketing company launched after he began receiving massive media coverage late last year. Side note: one of the five dogs Uggie battled for the title was himself, having also received a nod for his role as Queenie in "Water for Elephants."

Related: Uggie the Dog Deserves An Oscar

Other winners included the French bulldog Brigitte, aka Stella on Modern Family, who won for Best Dog in a Scripted Series. On the reality end of the spectrum, it was a tail-to-tail race between Hercules of "Pit Boss" and Giggy of "Real Housewives of Beverly

By Webvet.com

Famous dogs who grace the big screen -- like Uggie in The Artist or Blackie in Hugo -- don't get salaries comparable to their human costars, but bank more than the average person. EOnline.com reported these professional canines, or rather their handlers, generally pocket hundreds of dollars a day.

"Dogs usually get paid by the day, or maybe a weekly rate," according to Sid Yost, a head trainer from Amazing Animal Productions, which supplies animals for movies and TV. "Daily, it's $350 to $400 for the day, doesn't matter how good they are."

They reap other perks as well: if the dogs travel to promote a project, they'll sometimes fly in first class -- with their own seat. As for where they stay once they get to town? "It's often a Marriott, Hilton, or [at least] at Holiday Inn or Weston," revealed Yost. "It's really phenomenal, the incredible service the animals get."

Related: Pet friendly hotel search

One unfortunate benefit they do lose out on is residuals. The