Cats are generally content creatures that are happiest when they have an established routine. However, if this routine is disrupted, a cat can become stressed and start behaving in new,...
Friday 23 June is International Take Your Dog to Work Day (TYDTWDay®) and ROYAL CANIN® Pacific will be celebrating this event for the second year in a row.
Surprisingly, around 85% of dogs over 3 years old have significant dental disease. If left unchecked, dental disease can end up causing significant health problems for a dog.
If your cat’s breath smells bad, you might have more of a problem on your hands than putting up with a foul smell.
Dog breath shouldn’t be smelly breath. If you are starting to smell unpleasant odours coming out of your dog’s mouth, they may have a problem.
Have you been noticing a change in your cat’s toilet behaviour recently? If you are seeing them constantly trying to urinate or straining when they do urinate, they may be...
When healthy dogs urinate, that urination is normally effortless, with a strong, steady flow of urine.
Seeing Eye Dogs puppy carers are an essential part of developing the next generation of Seeing Eye Dogs, helping to socialise them and get them ready for more serious training...
Purebred large dogs have a lot of similar traits: large appetites, big exercise needs and a tendency to take up a lot of room in your house.
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but what many owners may not realise is that even similar dog breeds have different nutritional needs.
The slinky Siamese has been selectively bred over generations to have a slender, muscular body and a thin, triangular jaw shape.
For such a large breed, the Ragdoll cat usually lives a pretty sedentary life. Despite their size, the breed has earned the name Ragdoll because they have a reputation for...
The Persian cat is a pure breed with a unique combination of nutritional needs. One of the earliest recorded domestic cats, with a history that dates back to the 1600s,...
Cat constipation is one of the most common health problems associated with a cat’s digestion. Acute, occasional constipation is fairly common in cats and is quite easily treated with a...
Dogs and cats are usually healthy eaters, known for their love of food and even getting into some foods they shouldn’t.
If you have a cat, chances are you’ve most likely dealt with hairballs. Cats spend 30% of their time grooming and swallow up to two thirds of the hair they...
Seeing your pet vomit can be distressing, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many dogs and cats will vomit to expel something they shouldn’t have ingested or to throw...
Dogs and cats can experience stomach aches – just like people do. Stomach aches in pets are fairly common.
Most pet owners will probably experience their pet having diarrhoea at some stage. It is important to know what to expect and what you need to do when it happens,...
When people are considering what to feed cats, they often look at whether wet cat food or dry cat food will be best.
As anyone who’s met a Maine Coon will know, they are big cats – one of the biggest pure breeds there are. A healthy adult can weigh up to 10kg.
With its distinctive broad face, chunky body and dense, plush coat, the British Shorthair is one of the most popular pure breeds, not only in Britain but in many countries...
Owning a pet is a rewarding experience, but when it comes to deciding what pet food you should buy it is not always easy. Every day we are faced with different information on what is best to feed our pets.
Not all puppies will be toilet trained before you bring them home. Toilet training a puppy or a dog takes time and patience: the keys to success are concentration, consistency...
In an environment where the kitten is raised as part of a litter, the kitten will learn how to use a litter box by watching their mother.
While overweight cats are often portrayed in media and online as being cute and cuddly, the effects of this excessive weight on their wellbeing is often profound.
Obesity in dogs is a real issue in both Australia and New Zealand. In fact recent surveys of Australian vets[1] found that almost a third of cats and dogs are...
There are plenty of ways to assess whether a cat or dog is overweight, but most vets start with a basic test – the Body Condition Score.
The first year of your kitten‘s life is when they do most of their growing. Their digestive and immune systems are maturing during this time and a good quality diet...
One of the challenges with weight loss in cats is to ensure excessive body fat is lost, while lean muscle mass is retained.
Obesity in dogs is a significant problem. A recent survey of Australian vets found that 32% of the pets they see on a daily basis are overweight, and a significant...
The first year of life is crucial for your puppy’s development. The right diet will supply them with energy but also build and maintain their body’s cells.
Whether your kitten is your first or an addition to your current pet family, your kitten will rely on you to ease the transition from their mum and littermates to...
Welcoming a new puppy into your family is an exciting and sometimes challenging period while your new puppy explores and adjusts to the new environment.
As anyone with a dog would know, they don’t care if it’s freezing cold or boiling hot outside.
As pet owners, we play an essential part in our pet’s lives. We take on the responsibility for feeding them, sheltering them and helping them stay healthy.
It can be a challenge to keep your cat cool as temperatures start to climb over summer.
As the weather heats up and the days get longer there are a number of things responsible pet owners should be thinking about to keep their pets safe over summer.
As the weather heats up over summer, it’s important to make sure your dog can stay cool.
If you own a pet, heading away for a holiday can involve the sad moment where you have to drop them off at a cattery or a kennel – or...
As a lot of pet owners who live close to New Year’s Eve celebrations will know, fireworks can be very stressful for cats and dogs.
Pet obesity is a major health concern and can lead to very serious health problems: arthritis, diabetes, urinary tract infections and respiratory disease are just a few of the problems...
Many people around the world receive a new dog or cat during the Christmas period. It’s always with the best intention, as pet ownership can be one of the most...
Hold the dog treat in front of your dog’s eyes.
Once your dog can sit, you can use dog treats to train them to stay. Start by getting them to sit, then put your hand out in front of you...
Puppies aren’t the most focussed animals, so it is best to run their training sessions in an enclosed area with very few distractions. Begin by letting your puppy wander off.
Puppies love to chew – especially when they are teething. The problem is when they start chewing something important like a shoe, a cushion or maybe even you.
When your dog knows how to sit, you can teach them how to heel. Begin by having them sit next to you on your left hand side.
When your dog knows how to lie down, you can teach them how to roll over using dog treats. Start with them lying on the ground.
Knowing if your cat has allergies is not always easy. Allergic cats with itchy skin will often spend more time grooming than actually scratching so signs of allergies are easy...
When you are dealing with highly allergic dogs, sometimes you need think outside the box – or start thinking inside the coop.
Our Veterinary Dermatology range is an essential component in the diagnosis and ongoing management of cat and dog food allergies.
Currently, there are no known food allergies to carbohydrates, preservatives or additives that have ever been reported in a cat or dog.
Dogs can potentially be allergic to many of the same things that cause allergies in humans.
Is your dog scratching more than normal? They might have an allergy to something in their environment. A quick way to tell is to give them an ESP test.
If your cat has a skin condition, they will often start grooming excessively. You can tell it is "excessive" grooming if their skin becomes red or irritated, bald patches start...
It’s a little known fact that stress can be a contributing factor in cats with urinary tract disease.
Cats need daily exercise - along with a nutritious diet - to keep healthy and maintain an optimal body weight.
Indoor cats, outdoor cats, large cats and small cats all have different daily energy requirements. It's important to manage your cat's diet to ensure a healthy weight range is maintained.
Dogs come in different shapes and sizes and to keep them healthy and active it’s important to know the ideal weight of your dog’s breed to help manage their daily...
Cats, like us, need exercise to shed extra weight and maintain good health. And also like us, the consequences of carrying around extra weight are serious, ranging from osteoarthritis and...
It is important to recognise any significant weight gain your dog experiences in order to prevent associated health issues. Large breeds are somewhat predisposed to excessive weight gain.
With arthritis (osteoarthritis) identified as one of the most common diseases seen and treated in veterinary practice, it is often asked whether specialised food and nutritional supplements can really make...
Is your dog's stool very loose or mostly liquid? If so, there may be something going on in their bodies that could be causing digestive upset.
It isn’t the most pleasant topic but it is one we would like to spend a few minutes on.
Cats love their food, and you probably find your cat is usually very good at eating every last piece.
It's amazing how quickly cats will take to certain foods, while they will remain thoroughly uninterested by other foods even though to us they seem virtually identical.
The quality of what goes in to your cat’s diet, affects the quantity and smell of what comes out in the litter box, writes Dr Mark Edwards, Veterinary Technical Consultant,...
Skin problems are among the most common reasons cat and dog owners seek veterinary advice. Being itchy due to skin problems can cause a lot of discomfort for dogs, and...
