As an animal-lover, I can’t resist browsing through the pet boutique catalogs that come my way. After all, how else are my pets going to be the cool kids on the block? With the advent of the Internet, we’re seeing lots of pet products marketed towards our four-legged friends. That said, just because you love your poochie doesn’t mean you should buy indiscriminately. Dog lovers spend $43 billion dollars(1) a year on pet products, but that doesn’t mean that all of us have “SUCKER” written across our forehead, does it? As a vet, I look with even more critical eyes—and frankly, a lot of what I see makes me cringe. Well, when it comes to certain products, heed this vet’s advice and avoid these losers.

Magnetic beds
Perhaps you’re thinking about spending a pretty penny on an anti-arthritis, magnet-laden bed. There’s  pretty extensive human research disputing the benefits of magnets and their ability to increase circulation and reduce inflammation. Most research shows that it’s the placebo affect that is beneficial, and not the magnet itself. While there isn’t any veterinary research, it’d be worth doing - as pets aren’t affected by the placebo affect to the extent that humans are. In the meantime, Dr. Choi, an associate professor in integrative  medicine at the University of Minnesota, recommends seeking more aggressive treatment for arthritis (like weight loss, cartilage-protective drugs like glucosamine chondroitin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and acupuncture) instead of just “support” itself (like a magnetic bed), as the magnets just don’t cut it.

When it comes to fleas, America spends about $1 billion a year on preventative medications.1 Apparently, our hatred for histamine-releasing, itch-causing fleas runs deep. That said, approximately 46% of American pets2 still have some level of flea infestation despite all those powers, dips, spray on products, and flea bombs. Find out how - and why - it’s so important to rid your life (and house) of these pests.

Where your pets are picking up fleas
No matter how meticulous you may think your house is, dogs and cats are exposed to fleas – and it’s likely from the backyard, playground, dog park, beach, or boarding kennel. Fleas have an incredible jumping ability, and while you may not suspect so, they leap onto any four- (or two-) legged victim with voracity and speed (after all, they don’t have wings, and need to be able to jump high). Once they grab a host (i.e., your dog or cat), they crawl to safety, hidden under all that fur and dander. After biting your pet for a blood source, fleas are able to produce “flea dirt” or dried blood – which their eggs, pupae, and larvae then survive off of as their future meal.

How to spot them
Fleas are the size of the tip of a pencil, and can be seen with the visible eye – provided you can see through all that hair and undercoat. Common areas where fleas hide on your pet include the lumbar region, the area near the tail, the belly, the inner thighs, and the neck. The best way to find if your pet has a problem is to purchase a flea comb, which has fine teeth to snag those fleas and flea dirt. An easier way to spot a flea problem is to look for flea dirt – those small black specks that look like ground pepper. If you see this, you have a flea problem - and it’s in all your pets, not just one - as fleas will rapidly infest the environment. These black specks are dried blood, and if you moisten these specks, you’ll notice a blood-red color on the towel.

Just got a card in the mail reminding you to bring in your pet for vaccines? Well, make sure you take the time to re-educate yourself, as we vets have recently changed our vaccination guidelines.1,2 While we used to recommend annual vaccines, it’s now changed to an annual exam with vaccination every three years.

Think about it – when was the last time you got vaccinated? Add to that - we humans live about five to ten times longer than our pets, and don’t get half as many vaccines, right? Our pets are generally well-vaccinated and protected from certain viruses after a certain age, provided they’ve gone through the proper puppy or kitten series, so we want to minimize the extra chemicals we’re injecting into them. Now, don’t interpret this as skipping out on your annual vet visits – you should still go every year for a physical exam, heartworm test, flea and tick preventative, and routine care. Just know what you’re getting into when you’re bringing your pet to the vet.

So what vaccines are we talking about giving, and which ones can you skip? When in doubt, consult your vet on your pet’s exposure, environment, and age, which all play a role in how often we vaccinate and which vaccines we recommend. Typically, the vaccines with all those extra letters – like FVRCP or DHPP (which vaccinates for three to five major viruses in one vial) – is strongly recommended for your cat or dog, respectively. This, along with the rabies vaccine, is a must for your pet, especially since it’s often state law!

Nowadays, you really can get a cat scan for your cat, or a total hip replacement for your dog (at the cost of your own arm and leg!). Thanks to the improvement in the quality of veterinary medicine, our pets are living longer than ever. I tell my dog, JP, and my cat, Seamus, that they need to live till at least 15 years of age… otherwise I’m not sure how I’ll deal! Want some secrets from a neurotically-attached, pet-obsessed vet on how to make your pets live longer?

Keep ‘em thin
One of the easiest (but toughest for owners!) ways of helping your pet live longer is to starve them. Seriously. Remember, feeding more doesn’t mean you love them more! Back in 2002, the “Purina Study,” a 14 year long study evaluated 48 dogs fed a control-fed versus a restricted-fed diet, and the results were amazing. Not only did dogs live an average of almost two years longer (11.2 vs. 13 years of age!), but restricted-fed dogs had a dramatic decrease in osteoarthritis (OA) and the need for medical treatment for OA.1-4 By 8 years of age, 77% of the control-fed dogs had evidence of OA in multiple joints, compared with only 10% of the restricted-fed dogs – isn’t that proof enough? Overall, the restricted-fed dogs weighed less, had lower body fat content, were healthier, and were able to push back their requirements for medical treatment by two years; so, make sure to cut back on that kibble (by at least 25%) to help delay the onset of signs of chronic disease. Being that 40% of our pets are obese, if you really love your pet, cut back on the treats, table food, and the calories (and consider switching to a low-calorie, lower-protein food) while increasing the exercise. After all, this advice applies to you too.