Gabrielle Linzer

In an age where all of your pet's necessities can be purchased online, it only seems natural that its medication should be available through the click of a mouse. While a multitude of online pharmacies provide a convenient and often inexpensive way to obtain prescriptions you'd normally purchase at the vet's office, many veterinarians warn against using them.

Risk #1: Pharmacy Could be Selling Counterfeit or Inferior Medicine
A major concern for most veterinarians is the source of the medications sold by online pharmacies. "Many online pharmacies are not well regulated," said Dr. Michael Farber, Practice Owner and Chief of Staff at West Chelsea Veterinary. "Not all of these sites are licensed to sell drugs. Some sites are not based within the United States, so many of the medications they're selling are foreign-made or bootleg, and may not be exactly what has been prescribed by the vet."

Counterfeit products, expired products, and "products replaced with lesser products under the same name or category" may put your pet's health at risk, warned Farber.



Risk #2: Even High Quality Products Can Degrade During Shipping
Quality control also worries many veterinarians when their clients purchase medication from online sources. "There is no real quality control that I'm aware of with most online pharmacies," said Dr. Alan Stewart, Internal Medicine Specialist at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists. "When medications are shipped under the correct conditions, they're safe to use, but medicines shipped improperly in extreme hot or extreme cold may become damaged."

As the summer heat escalates to oven-like temperatures, the thought of donning a fur coat may be unbearable. So how can you help ease your dog's discomfort during sweat-inducing heat spells? Paw Nation spoke with Beth Recchia, Owner and Director of Furry Tails Grooming Salon and School of Pet Grooming and Kathleen White, Owner of The South Carolina School of Dog Grooming about how to groom your dog's fur for optimal coolness.

Here is the question everyone asks: Should pet owners shave their dogs for the summer?
Some dog owners think their pooch would be more comfortable shaved, but many professionals insist that dogs' coats are already equipped to deal with hot temperatures. "I believe that all dogs should be left in their natural coat if possible," said White. "We sometimes have to give in to what the customer wants, but a dog's coat insulates them for hot and cold weather."

If the owner does prefer to pare down the fur, which type of haircut is best for dogs in the hot weather?
Hair styles do vary by breed, but Recchia recommends a generic "buzz cut" for her furry clients rather than shaving. "It's a very short cut which removes excess fur, thus preventing shedding," she tells us. "[Dogs] are much easier to bathe over the summer with less fur, and it's also great for preventing ticks and fleas. You can spot pests much more easily."

White advises her customers to allow the groomer to leave some fur for sunburn protection and insulation.

While most pets don't indulge in vices such as smoking or drinking, some animals share one seemingly unhealthy behavior with humankind: nail biting. Whether your pet is a chronic nail muncher, or just takes an occasional chew, here's what you should know.

Why Pets Chew Their Nails
According to Christina Shusterich, Canine Behavior Counselor and president of NY Clever K9, Inc. cats bite their nails as part of a grooming routine. They do this "in order to clean them, as well as to get rid of the older, outer sheath of the nail." This often occurs when a cat's nails are overgrown and could use a trim.

Nail chewing in dogs, however, is not normal. They may bite their nails "from itchiness due to allergies or an infection. They could also be biting out of boredom or anxiety." Excessive nail biting by either cats or dogs can be harmful, as it can "cause bleeding, irritation, and infections," says Shusterich.

Dealing With The Problem
There are several steps you may want to try to take care of excessive nail chewing.

Diagnosing the Cause: It's always good to check with the vet when your animal exhibits obsessive behavior to see if there could be an underlying medical cause. But if you think your dog or cat is bored, anxious or has simply irritated his skin so much that he can't stop working it, then there are a few things you might want to try.

Deterring the Behavior: An anti-itch spray paired with a head cone can help ease skin irritation and keep the pet from further abrading it, giving the skin time to heal. "A good over-the-counter anti-itch spray with a taste deterrent is called Lido-Med," says Shusterich.

Your vet has bombarded you with messages about the importance of maintaining your pet's oral hygiene, but you can't seem to get a toothbrush near the little furball's teeth without a struggle. So what you do when your cat or dog suddenly develops a case of lockjaw every time you appear with a toothbrush in your hand? Here are few ideas to help you get on track:

1. Start Slowly. "Get puppies and kittens used to having their mouths opened and work on rubbing their gums with your fingers," says Dr. Michael Farber, Practice Owner and Chief of Staff at West Chelsea Veterinary. "Do a little at a time and gradually build up to a soft brush."

With older animals, "start with just brushing one or two teeth at a time. Try to keep them distracted and always reward them," says Farber.

2. Work With the Animal's Instincts. Pets will often want to shut their mouths, so let them. Dr. Stephen Riback, expert in veterinary dentistry at The Animal Medical Center suggests that brushing will be more effective if you hold your pet's muzzle shut, rather than trying to open it, "For me, the easiest method is to hold their muzzle shut with one hand, lift the lip with the index finger of the same hand and then brush the outer surface of their teeth with a soft bristled toothbrush or finger brush using the other hand," he says. Pets mainly develop plaque and tartar on the outer surfaces of their teeth, says Riback, so this method will allow you to tackle the main problem areas.

Cold weather often generates a strange phenomenon in well-trained dogs. Shredded toilet paper appears throughout the house, garbage cans are overturned and special "presents" are left for you to discover. Though there may be other factors contributing to your dog's destructive behavior, cabin fever is often at the root of the problem.

Snowstorms and freezing temperatures may keep you from taking your dog for long walks or trips to the dog park, but there are a variety of ways you can keep your canine physically and mentally active throughout the winter.

Provide Interactive Toys
Most dogs love to eat, so why not use food as a motivation to keep their minds busy? Michelle Douglas, President of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, recommends stuffing your dog's meal in a Kong. "This way, your dog will have to work at getting the food and will burn calories in the process." The Buster Cube and the Dog Tornado are other toys that offer your dog the opportunity to work for their meal.

But the toys don't have to feature food to be fun. The IQube challenges your dog to remove squeaky balls from within a plush puzzle-like cube, and comes in a variety of sizes to accommodate both small and large pooches. Babble Balls are another fun -- and noisy -- option. The balls entice your dog by producing realistic animal noises each time he passes by, tapping into his desire to hunt. If, however, your temples are throbbing at even the thought of wild animal calls, Fetch a Bubble may be a good alternative. This clever machine blows chicken-scented bubbles into the air, sending your dog into a frenzy to catch the delicious floating flavor.