• Ideas

    Pet Travel Safety – By Land

    With the holidays freshly behind us you’re probably pooped from all the traveling you did and, hopefully, you’re settling into the new year ready for what’s to come. Fittingly, National Pet Travel Safety Day falls right after the holiday season on January 2. As it turns out there is a lot to keeping pets safe when traveling. First things first. Research the requirements of your destination as they vary from state to state, so read first and then take them to the veterinarian and get the necessary work done and documented. Are they healthy enough to travel? Are they up to date on their shots? If your destination is the…

  • Ideas

    Pet Travel Safety – By Air

    National Pet Travel Safety Day falls right after the holiday season on January 2. As it turns out there is a lot to keeping pets safe when traveling, especially when flying. First things first, it’s best to begin at the beginning and research the requirements of your destination. They vary from state to state and country to country, so read up first and then take them to their vet to get them evaluated. Are they up to date on their shots? Are they healthy enough to travel? And that’s just the beginning! There’s even more to consider when traveling by plane.  Having said all this, it’s important to note that…

  • Ideas

    Food as Medicine for Pets with Diabetes

    Dan Teich of District Vet hits the nail on the head when it comes to the pet-parent relationship. “As pet parents/guardians/servants…our main duty is the comfort and happiness of those in our charge. Feeding a nutritious diet, along with providing shelter, exercise and environmental enrichment, are essential, as is a physical examination by a veterinarian.” That’s exactly right. Because plenty of behaviors are also symptoms of underlying issues, and if they go undetected for long enough then they become problems. He goes on to state “A two-pound weight loss, if achieved over a period of a few months, most likely will be missed by the pet parent but will be…

  • Ideas

    The Importance of Shopping Local and Its Impact on the Local Economy

    In an increasingly globalized world, it’s easy to fall into the convenience of shopping at large chain stores or making purchases online. However, the importance of shopping local cannot be overstated. When you support local businesses, you’re not just getting a unique product or personalized service; you’re making an investment in your community and local economy. Here’s a deeper look at why shopping local matters and how it positively impacts the economy. 1. Supports Local Jobs and Employment When you shop at locally owned businesses, the money you spend circulates within the community. Local business owners often employ local people, from shop assistants and baristas to skilled artisans and technicians.…

  • Ideas

    November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month

    First let’s start with a quick lesson: November is recognized as Pet Cancer Awareness Month, with November 7th being specifically Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day. Lymphoma, also known as lymphosarcoma (LSA), is a type of cancer that affects white blood cells called lymphocytes. These cells are important for the immune system, but when they become cancerous, they grow uncontrollably. Canine lymphoma can show up in different ways, but it often causes the enlargement of one or more lymph nodes. It can also affect other organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin, or digestive system. Common symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Some cases…

  • Rescue & Adoption

    Local Organizations Are Aiding Hurricane Rescue Efforts – You Can Help, Too

    California suffers through fire season, or El Nino. The Pacific Northwest has volcanos and earthquakes. Nor’easters in New England. Every year, wherever you are in the United States, there is a “disaster season.” Right now it’s hurricane season and the devastation wrought by Helene, followed closely by Milton, has cost many lives. Larger organizations such as the Humane Society and the ASPCA are critical to the disaster response, providing emergency veterinary care and distributing pet supplies and food. Red Rover is one of the amazing volunteer organizations with boots on the ground in these situations. However, there is another critical part played by local groups. In order to allow shelters and rescues in Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and…

  • Health & Wellness

    Melatonin or CBD?

    The Big Bad Woof has an extensive apothecary section with products that address a variety of symptoms and issues that pets experience. A common question we hear is what’s the difference between melatonin and CBD? They’re both good for calming pets down, right? So which should you use? Though they overlap in important ways, CBD and melatonin are very different from one another and ultimately serve different purposes in the animal kingdom. For our pets purposes the most important difference is the intended duration of use; CBD is better used long term for more chronic conditions like anxiety, pain or cancer, and melatonin is for shorter term, acute conditions like…

  • Health & Wellness

    Regenerative Agriculture

    Regenerative agriculture strives to work with nature rather than against it. Regenerative agriculture is more than just being sustainable. It is about reversing degradation and building up the soil to make it healthier than its current state. Although regenerative agriculture doesn’t have a specific recipe, you may see many regenerative farmers and ranchers doing the following: A major goal of regenerative agriculture is to make actual, measured improvements to soil health. This creates a ripple effect of positive benefits across the land and for the farmer or rancher’s profitability. Regenerative Agriculture provides a number of benefits to both farmers and ranchers which directly and positively impact our (and our pets)…

  • Rescue & Adoption

    Celebrating Mutts

    Created in 2005, National Mutt Day is all about embracing, saving and celebrating mixed breed dogs. And mutts are so great that they actually get two days a year: 7/31 and 12/2. Did you know that celebrities like Benji and Old Yeller were mutts? Even the dog recently featured on Max’s (formerly HBO) “House of the Dragon” is a mixed-breed buddy. Lassie is classic and I’d never detract from her accomplishments (she was always saving Timmy from that well), but mutts have a very special place in my heart. They’re always full of quirks and personality, and they make the funniest faces sometimes. Our adopted Lhasa-Maltese-Shi tzu mix, Max (formerly known as…

  • Rescue & Adoption

    Moxie’s Big Adventure

    July is national Lost Pet Prevention month, which makes sense since July 4 is arguably the loudest day of the year, and July 5 is definitely the busiest day of the year for rescues and shelters. My two best friends have three cats: a derpy baby named Shuri, and a bonded set of sisters, Josie and Moxie. They could not be more different. Moxie, ironically, is the timid one, so sightings are rare. She’s the epitome of a scaredy cat and hightails it into the bedroom at the slightest disturbance, so when she went missing, we were as surprised as we were worried. It was nearly 24 hours before her…