Veterinary dermatologist Dr. Brittany Lancellotti earned the EveryCat Health Foundation 2024 Steve Dale Communications Award for the Your Vet Wants You to Know podcast. Discussed are all sorts of allergies which dogs and cats suffer – including environmental allergies to food allergies, and what to about them. And even some odd allergies, such as cats allergic to people.

Robyn Michaels, a member of the Greater Chicago Whippet Club and a dog groomer in Rogers Park who speaks the truth – or at least her truth – regarding hobby dog breeders and the American Kennel Club (AKC). Why in the heck does the AKC seem more intent on protecting the breeders of “doodle dogs” or “designer dogs” compared to pure bred dogs? Why are hobby breeders diminishing? She offers tips on where to get and not to get dogs from.. Most dogs landing in shelters are not from responsible breeders, then where are they from?

Katie Campbell is the Director of Collaboration and Outreach to President and CEO at Red Rover and offers an update on what Purina and the Purple Leash Project are doing to support sheltering for pets in instances of domestic violence. 

Coyotes on the prowl.

Linda Michaels, Author of The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook, featuring the Hierarchy of Dog Needs, explains what those needs are.  She discusses how dog training methods DO matter, and what dog trainers to run the other way from. Discussed is that people want to socialize puppies, but what some well-meaning individuals aren’t doing right which may do harm. Also, what teaching dogs incompatible behaviors means.

Steve’s take on National Hug Your Dog Day.

Former Chicago White Sox organist Nancy Faust is beloved for so many reasons, and it turns out – no surprise – she’s a huge animal lover. She talks about the first Dog Day promotions (at that time taking dogs to Comiskey Park) and her love of goats, and what goats are like.  You’ll also hear Bill Veeck and Harry Caray behind-the-scenes stories.

Raissa Allaire, Executive Director of Tree House Humane Society, explains their holistic circle of care, everything from providing for community cats (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) to offering the community affordable veterinary care (for cats).

What New York City is doing about leptospirosis spread by rats, and perhaps Chicago should follow.

Dr. Robin Downing is a polymath (that means she knows A LOT) of veterinary medicine, a well-respected, albeit outspoken, expert on many topics. Discussed are a wide range of subjects from bioethics in veterinary medicine to the Fear Free initiative and principles to consent dog training (ascent is actually a better term) to declaw in cats a multi-modal approach to pain relief and more.

And virtual care and why a veterinary patient client patient relationship is so important.

Dr. Renee Schmid is Senior Toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline, a 24/7 pet animal poison control center.  A wide range of concerns including rodenticides to insecticides; and what you can do if your pet ingests some. The truth about garlic in cats and dogs. Also discussed is Xylitol or Birch Sugar which can quickly kill, and this sugar substitute is now even in some products that aren’t sugar free.

Charlie Propsom, Founder of Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control, on how media has sometimes been critical for too many euthanasia’s at Chicago Animal Care and Control. Finding fosters and other shelters to relieve the stress has helped a lot.  But they continue to get in more animals than those who adopt. Each weekend in April adoption fees are waived and there is an open house April 27. Also discussed is the mission of the Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control. 

What are the most popular dog breeds in the U.S, at least according to the American Kennel Club.

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Chris Pachel talks about canine separation anxiety – what it IS and what it IS NOT. What can people do to deal with dogs who have separation anxiety? Are dogs really guilty after having an accident indoors or tearing up a pillow because of separation anxiety.  Why are psycho-pharmaceuticals may be required or a product called Calmer Canine. Also, discussed is behavior modification. Most important, Dr. Pachel says, separation anxiety can be treated.

Ben Seidman is the COO and co-founder of Mella Pet Care, not only do pet parents love their ideas, so did Mark Cuban of Shark Tank. One product is a pet and user friendly way to take a pet’s temperature, and another keeps tabs on a pet’s weight, as the Biggy Body Scale allows you to monitor a pets’ well-being by calculating weight, body fat percentage and  body condition score.

Play with Your Cat! – That is both the name of the book and the message from Dr. Mikel Delgado. She discusses how to play with your cat, what are the best toys to play with your cat, when are the best times to play with your cat and most important why play is ESSENTIAL to your cat’s mental and physical health. And what is the potential consequence to cats who don’t have the opportunity to properly play.  

Dog Bite Prevention Week and a new idea to reduce dog bites.

Bradley Phifer, Director of Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers , explains what this organization is and what to look for if you happen to be sniffing out a dog trainer. And dog training is not a licensed profession, and some trainers use methods that can do more harm than good. That’s why demonstrating competence in the field is so important. 

Going deep on all sorts of topics with Dr. Lisa Radosta, including her own story – as she has a dog suffering from cancer. She explains her journey with her Labrador Retriever named Maverick and points out what you can learn from her experiences.

Behavior isn’t taught at many vet schools, or much behavior isn’t taught, and still behavior remains the number one cause of death in dogs (and cats). Solving – or better – preventing problems – saves lives.

Please don’t tie-out or tether your dog while you go inside a store or restaurant.

Founder and President of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, Dr. Ernie Ward, says the issue is far more complex than people merely offering too much table food. So, what exactly has been going on? And why with every passing year are there more and more obese dogs/cats? And it’s not only about weight, but also about body condition score. Clearly, our pets would live longer and healthier and even happier lives if they were not so many overweight/obese dogs/cats.

Jackie Ott Jaakola, Executive Director of the non-profit EveryCat Health Foundation explains how all cats truly have benefited from the over 50 years of funding cat health studies, and education events – such as the one coming up April 13-14, “Health Breakthroughs for EveryCat: Being Purrfectly Clear on Feline Pain. 

Is second-hand smoke a problem for pets?