Summertime means a lot of great things for dogs and dog lovers. Running through open fields, rolling in the cool green grass, swimming in our favorite holes and fountains. Longer days mean more time afield, more hours lounging around under shady trees and on front porches. And with all of that extra playtime comes more exercise, which usually means happier pooches and happier owners. But there is a downside to hot sultry summertime too.

Because like a lot of things in life, summer comes with a real dark lining.

I'm talking thunderstorms.

And the dogs that hate them.

Related: 7 inspiring stories of dogs that saved their owners

If you've never had the pleasure of being around a poor pup who just cannot process or handle big thunder and lightning storms, it's difficult to explain just how strange things can get. Nothing seems to change certain dogs' normally upbeat personalities as much as the clap and crash of a t-boomer rolling across the neighborhood sky. Some happy campers m

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Studies show nearly half of our dogs and cats are overweight or obese, but these healthy habits might help keep your pet from becoming an alarming statistic.

Is your pet at risk? People aren't the only over-eaters in America: The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) found that 56 percent of dogs and 53 percent of cats are either overweight or obese. Recently, we were touched by the story of Meow, a 39-pound cat who died in a shelter from obesity complications. His heartbreaking situation is a solemn reminder that pet obesity can lead to kidney disease, cancer, high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes, decreased life expectancy, and more. Next: See how you can work to reverse the trend for a healthier, happier pet.

Know your label language. According to the FDA, ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight on all nutrition labels. But just because meat may be listed first, that doesn't mean it's healthiest: Water counts toward its weight, and dehydrated meat

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By Dr. Ann Hohenhaus

I have a patient, Ajax, who lost his leg to cancer. Even though his owners found the tumor when it was very small, it was not a type that was responsive to chemotherapy or radiation. The tumor was attached to the bone, so no treatment other than amputation could eradicate the mass.

Ajax's story has a happy ending - after nearly two years, there's no sign of the tumor - but suggesting to an owner that I amputate a pet's leg never makes for a happy day in my clinic.

An amputation discussion day is sad because most owners have no experience with a three-legged dog or cat, and they tend to project their own negative feelings about amputation onto their pets.

See Also: My Pet Is Limping. What Should I Do?

I never suggest this radical surgery lightly, and I only recommend it to control pain or prolong a life. Humans can't walk on one leg or function well with only one arm. But cats and dogs come with three legs and a spare.

No-Regrets Dog Owners

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By Dr. Mary Fuller

Although cats and dogs clearly relish cleaning morsels of food off their whiskers, the long hairs have other purposes, from sensing things close to their face to communication.

How Are Whiskers Different From Other Hair?

When it comes to pet hair, whiskers are longer, thicker and more rigid, as well as more deeply embedded in the skin. Each whisker is rooted in a hair follicle that's filled with blood vessels and nerves. And like other hairs, whiskers will occasionally fall out and grow back.

Most cats have 12 whiskers that are arranged in four rows on either cheek, but the whisker pattern in dogs is more varied. Whiskers can also sprout above the eyes, as well as under the chin. Cats can also grow whiskers behind their wrists.

See Also: Why Does My Cat Meow at Me?

Why Do Cats and Dogs Have Them?

The primary function of whiskers is to aid with vision, especially in the dark, by providing additional sensory information - much like antennae on oth

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Summertime provides a ton of activity options that we don't always enjoy during cold weather. Many of those can be turned into great exercise opportunities for both us and our dogs. The blazing sun and high heat index, however, can quickly turn a fun outing into a heat-related emergency. Being prepared and observant of your dog's behavior can help keep him safe in the summer heat. Check out these hot weather exercise tips that we can safely share with our canine companions.

Going for walks - I know, we take our dogs walking during the winter months as well, but summertime makes it more enjoyable. I like to walk along dirt or mulched trails to protect my dog's paws from the scorching pavement.

Biking - My dog loves to tag along when I go for a bike ride. In the summer I take him on shaded trails to protect him from the sun and reduce the risk of heat-related emergencies.

Hiking - I've never seen a dog that didn't enjoy exploring new territory along a hiking trail. They never

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By John Platt, Mother Nature Network

Flying with carry-on luggage is hard enough these days, but what if you need to pack a panda or a thoroughbred horse?

No worries. More and more airlines are seeing profits in shipping animals in their cargo holds. Airlines say this is a small but lucrative portion of their cargo business, despite the risks.

Deutsche Lufthansa's Animal Lounge in Frankfurt is one of the top players in their field, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. The airline shipped 110 million creatures - including 80 million tropical fish and hundreds of tons of worms - in 2011. The airline also shipped 14,000 cats and dogs, 8,000 pigs and 150 zoo animals last year. When Businessweek visited the facility last month, animals awaiting shipment included a white rhinoceros, a Madagascar chameleon and an Andean alpaca.

Animal Lounge Director Axel Heitmann told the magazine the facility has 24 veterinarians on staff to mitigate the risks of shipping non-humans: "If

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By WebVet.com

The benefits of owning a dog are seemingly never-ending. They provide companionship, encourage physical fitness, brighten moods, introduce lovers -- even save you money. Oh, and they can also save your life. The Daily Mail identified six conditions for which canines can drastically improve the quality of a sufferer's existence. As if you needed any more proof that dogs are amazing.

DIABETES

Diabetes alert dogs are being used to alert type 1 diabetics that their blood sugar is too low and they are at risk of a dangerous "hypo." This can happen through not eating enough or from accidentally taking too much insulin, but some diabetics might not notice the warning signs, such as going pale and feeling shaky. A diabetes alert dog can detect a change in body odor that can indicate low blood sugar, says Dr Claire Guest, of the charity Medical Detection Dogs. "We train our dogs to lick, nudge and stare at someone having a hypo, to make sure the person knows they should fetch th

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By WebVet.com

Diamond Pet Foods has expanded its recall yet again after two cats died shortly after eating their product.

The Calgary Herald reported that two cats at a Montreal shelter passed away and a third is sick after consuming Diamond products thought to be contaminated with salmonella. One person is also believed to have become ill after handling the food.

However, Diamond did not call special attention to the expansion of the recall to cat food aside from amending a statement on the company's recall site which says, "Diamond Pet Foods has voluntarily recalled some brands of dry dog and cat food that it manufactured in its Gaston, S.C. facility between December 9, 2011 and April 7, 2012 due to potential Salmonella contamination."

Affected brands manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods include:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4 Health
• Taste of the Wild
• Apex
• K

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By Dr. Patty Khuly

Cats can be finicky about a lot of things. But when a kitty starts to get persnickety about her food, it's time to pay attention.

Modern house cats evolved as opportunistic hunters, so their gastrointestinal tracts are designed to subsist on multiple, small meals every day to maintain a normal feline metabolism. This is why your veterinarian will recommend feeding your cat at least twice a day. In fact, it's critical that felines eat at least a little bit more than once every 24 hours.

See Also: 6 Foods to NEVER Give Your Pet

How do most cat owners comply? By filling a bowl to its brim with kibble every morning.

Ideally, that fat couch potato of a fuzz ball who lives in your house should be stalking, killing and consuming live prey several times a day to keep fit, healthy and metabolically on her toes. Instead, she spends her waking life sauntering over to the bowl and taking a bite every now and again to keep up her plump perfection.

So w

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By WebVet.com

Fostering animals is a common practice of rescues and shelters. People temporarily open their lives and houses to pets in need until those animals find their forever homes. It's a wonderful process, with many benefits, including:

1. It saves adoptable animals from possible death at an overcrowded shelter.
2. It gives the animals a happy home, as opposed to a crowded shelter environment, while they await to be adopted.
3. It gives the foster parent the experience of having a pet without the long-term commitment.
4. It allows the foster family to learn the animal's personality so they can better match them with a forever family.

Abandoned pets need your help - Webvet

However, it's also a difficult process, as a foster parent often becomes attached to the pet in their care, making it hard to part ways when the time comes. In fact, sometimes they can't. Dancing With the Stars judge and animal advocate Carrie Ann Inaba admits that she is a "failed foster."

What is

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