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If you’ve ever marveled at your dog’s sense of smell, you’re not alone. The canine nose is definitely a doggy superpower. While it was originally developed to help them survive, a dog’s sense of smell has helped humans detect drugs, weapons, illegally transported plants and seeds, cadavers, missing people, cancer cells, and even low blood sugar. 

What’s behind the powers of the canine nose? Dog nose slits, the small openings on either side of your dog’s nostrils, are partially responsible for a dog’s amazing sense of smell. 

A recent search for a pet-friendly rental on Apartments.com yielded tons of results – and that’s just in (and around) San Antonio! That’s great news for a pet owner, especially because landlords and property management organizations are generally perceived as “anti-pet”.

With potential for significant damage, disruption and conflict, what can prospective renters do to win over landlords or management companies?

Let’s Stay Together

It can be challenging to find the right pet-friendly rental. In fact, it’s one of the most tragic reasons for re-homing or surrendering a beloved pet to the animal shelter.

Cats sleep an average of 15 hours a day, but there are many that get upwards of 20 hours! When they aren’t dreaming of chasing mice, fighting rivals, or licking their chops for a taste of tuna, cats are highly alert and keenly aware of themselves. To that end, they spend up to half of their waking lives grooming themselves.

What is this fixation on grooming all about? More importantly, what can owners do to help their cats stay clean and encourage healthy grooming? Let’s take a look at cat grooming practices to get a better understanding of this important social instinct.

Of all the gear needed for responsible dog ownership, a good leash ranks pretty high. Of course, dog leashes vary in size, length, material, and the many ways they keep dogs and people safe.

For some, retractable leashes offer the perfect combination of freedom and flexibility. However, because they present serious injury risks, retractable leashes aren’t the best choice. So, what are the best dog leashes out there?

Like their human owners, cats and dogs can both experience asthma – shortness of breath, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. When your pet has an asthma attack, it can be scary and even life threatening. Fortunately, with good medical management, your pet can still live a relatively normal life.

Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital explores the ins and outs of pets with asthma.

Dogs can be puzzling and entertaining, but when they do things that seemingly defy human logic and understanding, owners can go from exasperation to anger in no time.

Consider digging, for example. An innocuous canine behavior most of the time, digging can become pretty destructive for some pets. Let’s take a closer look at why dogs dig and some possible solutions to redirect their one-track mind.

Some dogs go through life like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park. They might not be quite as terrifying, but they do tend to eat everything in sight. Most of the time, this perfectly normal canine behavior doesn’t result in anything too awful.

However, when dogs eat weird stuff, they can find themselves in some pretty big trouble. We’re here to help dog owners understand the difference and know when it’s time to intervene.

Although it wouldn’t be true to say that every small dog has a Napoleon complex, many can be domineering or overly aggressive in social situations.

This doesn’t mean small dogs are incapable of affection or good manners, but when compared to gentle giants or other larger dogs, they can appear high-strung, excitable, and less obedient.

Have they earned their reputation? Perhaps; but when small dog behavior is fully understood, everyone benefits.

Most pets sneeze, wheeze, cough, or make other respiratory sounds at some point or another. Sometimes it is no big deal, but other times respiratory noises in pets are cause for alarm. Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital thinks it’s important for pet owners to know what’s normal, and when to worry.

Decoding Respiratory Noises in Pets

If you rushed your pet in for every grunt, snort, or sniffle, you might be in to see us quite often! While we don’t mind seeing your pet, there are lots of different reasons respiratory noises in pets happen, and some are perfectly normal.

Some of the more common causes of respiratory sounds in pets include:

Have you ever been the recipient of a big wet dog kiss and simultaneously realized your dog just ate cat poop (or worse)? We can’t believe they do it, and don’t understand why. But one thing’s for sure, some dogs sure seem to enjoy it – even with our loud protests.

It turns out this disgusting habit is just another result of natural dog behavior. At Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital, we explore this phenomenon and what pet owners can do about it.