Animal Wellness Magazine

by Jean Hofve, DVM Animal Wellness Magazine is the #1 integrative pet health and wellness publication. I’ve been writing for Animal Wellness for many years. It’s a wonderful resource that features the latest information in natural nutrition, holistic veterinary advice, natural products, gentle training techniques, and much more.  To view a sample issue online, visit www.animalwellnessmagazine.com, and click on SAMPLE on the right-hand side of the page. Animal Wellness Magazine normally sells for $6 per issue ($36/year), I'm delighted that they have extended their special offer (provided exclusively through  veterinarians) to Little Big Cat readers. This means you ...

2013-07-09T23:52:44-07:00July 9th, 2013|
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New Pet Food Standards – Finally?

The standards by which pet food are made are set by an organization called AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). AAFCO provides model rules and standards that most states have adopted, and that pet food companies abide by. You’ve undoubtedly seen statements on pet food labels referring to either AAFCO feeding tests or AAFCO Nutrient Profiles. In order to claim that they are “complete and balanced” for a given life stage (or all life stages), pet foods must meet one of those two standards. This is not a glamorous topic, ...

2018-09-17T09:44:39-07:00June 15th, 2013|
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Declawing: A Rational Look

By Jean Hofve, DVM There are few feline issues as controversial as declawing. There is a great deal of myth and misinformation out there about it. If you are considering having this surgery performed on your cat, or if a veterinarian has suggested it, please read this article first to learn more about this major surgical procedure. Isn't it worth a few minutes of your time to make sure that you make a rational and informed decision? Declawing is not a simple or routine surgery. It should never be done ...

2016-11-19T12:31:11-07:00May 17th, 2013|
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College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies

by Jean Hofve, DVM Before last week, I had never heard of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT). But I am tremendously excited about this organization, and I think a lot of our readers will be interested to learn about it. CIVT is an international educational organization that brings science to holistic animal care--a desperately needed perspective! It primarily provides courses for veterinarians, but it isn't limited to just vets. For example, they offer courses that lead to certification as a Natural Animal Therapies Consultant. For anyone interested in working in the animal ...

2017-03-23T14:21:04-07:00May 9th, 2013|
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CatsWalk Newsletter – April 2013

CatsWalk Newsletter April 2013 by Jean Hofve, DVM Library of Congress ISSN #1550-0764 Please note:  This newsletter is emailed only to current subscribers through Get Response, but please feel free to forward it to friends! If you got it from a friend and would like your own subscription, please use the link at the bottom of the page.  For easier reading online click here In this Issue: 1. NewsBites Stay away from Chinese chicken New poison puts pets at risk Most vets prefer dogs "Safe" antifreeze Does your music annoy your ...

2018-06-09T13:50:14-07:00April 30th, 2013|
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PetMD claims soy is good for carnivores

On a PetMD.com blog,  Dr. Jennifer Coates discusses how nutrition impacts the immune system. No argument here, of course what you, your cat, your dog, or your pet elephant eats has multiple effects on the immune system and every other body system as well: "Supplemental arginine (an amino acid) has been linked to increased T-cell immune function. T-cells direct and regulate the body’s immune responses and/or directly attack infections and cancers. Because arginine levels do not have to be disclosed on a pet food’s label, it is hard to determine ...

2017-03-23T14:04:04-07:00April 24th, 2013|
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Declawing and Science

Updated 6/30/26 This summary presents the main arguments against a legal ban on declawing (of cats and other animals), and the documented, scientific facts about each one—as opposed to the opinions expressed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and various other individuals and organizations. Public opinion is subject to change; and the change is now moving in favor of more humane treatment of all animals. The veterinary profession is finally getting clued in, having added "animal welfare" to its Veterinarian's Oath late in 2010 (41 years after it was first written). ...

2026-07-02T21:16:58-07:00April 24th, 2013|
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EFT in Practice: The Scary Hair Dryer

Many thanks to Maureen Cram of South Africa for allowing us to reprint this article. Here she explains in detail exactly how she helped her cat get over a serious hair dryer terror.  It is a perfect example of how EFT can solve all kinds of issues, whether large or small. Please visit Maureen's website at www.stuffbusters.co.za to read more of her great articles! Do you have any companion animals that are scared of everyday items in your home? Hair driers, vacuum cleaners, brooms, washing machines… I am sure you can add ...

2015-09-25T10:03:40-07:00March 11th, 2013|
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Study Slams Raw Diets for Cats

A study in the Journal of Animal Sciences (J. Anim. Sci. 2013.91:225–237) claims that raw diets aren't quite the cat's meow. Researchers from the University of Illinois and an Omaha zoo fed raw diets to domestic cats as well as African wildcats, jaguars, and Malayan tigers. Let's see what happened: Our objective was to evaluate raw meat diets for captive exotic and domestic carnivores containing traditional and alternative raw meat sources, specifically, beef trimmings, bison trimmings, elk muscle meat, and horse trimmings. We aimed to examine diet composition and protein quality; apparent total ...

2017-03-23T14:29:47-07:00March 1st, 2013|
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Are Dogs Really Supposed to Eat Corn?

by Jean Hofve, DVM Purina was the first to trumpet the results of an letter in the journal Nature reporting an in-depth study of the genetics of dogs vs. wolves. Their findings suggest that dogs have adapted their DNA to be able to digest and assimilate a high-starch diet. Purina is all about how wonderful corn is for dogs; they (and other big pet food makers) must be ecstatic about these findings. However, Purina's version isn't the quite the same as what the researchers actually found.Before the oh-boy-let's-feed-more-grains movement gets too ...

2017-03-21T18:26:36-07:00February 26th, 2013|
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Funny Vet Stories

A couple of weeks ago, my pal Caroline Golon of Catster.com asked if I had any funny stories from my years as in clinical practice. Oh, yes indeed--and one in particular from the first practice I worked in after vet school. I'm honored to be among the vets included in Caroline's new article, "7 Vets Who Are Absolutely Making Fun of You." Fortunately, there are a lot of happy endings! Read all of them here: www.catster.com/lifestyle/funny-veterinarian-office-tales (This pic is not the cat in the story, but he's a joker in his ...

2017-03-23T14:30:34-07:00February 21st, 2013|
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Physical Consequences of Declawing

Declawing changes the way the cat's paws function, and this creates stress on the joints of the paw, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and spine. The cat's gait changes, as weight is shifted backward from the toes to the large rear pad of the paw. Research has demonstrated that, after declawing, cats shift their entire weight more toward the hind legs. This is quite a feat, considering that the front legs normally bear about 60% of the cat's entire weight. Within 6 months or so, normal weight distribution among the four legs ...

2013-08-11T10:29:52-07:00February 1st, 2013|
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Health – the Greatest Gift

My dear friend and world-renowned veterinary homeopath, Dr. Christina Chambreau, has a very specific idea about how to achieve optimal health for your cat or dog. She believes (and I agree!) that keeping a journal is the key to early diagnosis of problems as well as the best way to monitor any treatments or response to changes such as an new diet, supplement, or remedy. There are many "early warning signs" of ill health, most of which we consider normal in our pets. However, what we're really looking at is ...

2018-06-09T13:49:55-07:00December 20th, 2012|
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Pets in Pain–Don’t let them Suffer

We are honored to have a wonderful guest blogger today, Dr. Shelley Brown of Harmony Veterinary Center, Arvada, CO. Dr. Brown practices integrative veterinary medicine, including acupuncture, cold laser, and homotoxicology. She is a member of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.  I hear it all the time--“My pet’s limping, but she’s not in pain” or “Surely he’d cry out if something hurt”. How many times have we ourselves suffered our pains in silence?  Do we scream and moan every time something hurts?  And why do we limp, unless something hurts?  ...

2017-03-23T14:31:42-07:00December 11th, 2012|
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Urinary Incontinence

One of the more unpleasant conditions that pets may develop is urinary incontinence. This means that involuntary passage or leakage of urine occurs. It's a relatively common problem in dogs, but uncommon in cats. Usually, you'll first notice a wet spot when the animal gets up from lying down. This is because when the bladder gets full up to the level of the urethra (the tubular passage through which urine passes), the uretrha acts kind of like the overflow drain in the bathtub: when the water gets to that level, ...

2017-03-23T14:33:07-07:00November 30th, 2012|
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