vaccine.

Trish Hamme, Flickr Pet vaccination can be a confusing subject for even the most conscientious pet owner. Should you vaccinate your cat? How can shots protect your kitty's health? To get the expert scoop on the subject, Paw Nation spoke with veterinarians Kristen Nelson, author of "Coated with Fur: A Vet's Life," and Christine Bellezza, co-director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell University. When and why should pet owners vaccinate their cats? The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) recommends that kittens start getting their shots at around 6 to 8 weeks of age, the time when the immunity they received from their mothers starts to wane. "It's important to vaccinate ...

Getty In honor of National Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, Paw Nation spoke with Christine Bellezza, a veterinarian and the co-director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell University. Bellezza gave us the scoop on keeping kitties healthy. What are the most common cat health problems? It depends on the age of the cat and the general status of the cat. Indoor cats versus outdoor cats, vaccinated cats versus unvaccinated cats, shelter cats versus pet cats. Each has different problems more common to them. In general, upper respiratory diseases are some of the most common diseases you would see in cats. Other common health problems include viral disease such as panleukopenia [feline ...

This won't hurt a bit... Brownpau/Flickr In honor of National Cat Day, we're answering some of your most pressing cat-health questions. Paw Nation spoke with Christine Bellezza, a veterinarian and the acting co-director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell University, to get the scoop on healthy kitties. What are the most common cat health problems? It depends on the age of the cat and the general status of the cat. Indoor cats versus outdoor cats, vaccinated cats versus unvaccinated cats, shelter cats versus pet cats -- each has different problems more common to them. In general, upper respiratory diseases are some of the most common diseases you would see in cats. Other common ...

"Can I get some chicken soup please?" Photo: rogue3w/Flickr After a kennel closed in Virginia due to a dog flu outbreak, panicked headlines screamed, "Protect Your Dogs from Deadly Canine Flu." Despite a smattering of recent cases, vets have assured us you can hold off from forcing your dog to clean their paws with hand sanitizer, wear a surgical mask, or even get the much talked about canine flu vaccine. The dog flu strain, dubbed H3N8, has floated around the horse population for decades but jumped to dogs in 2004. So far there have been relatively few cases around the country. Dr. Jean Dodds, a veterinary vaccine researcher and founder of pet blood bank and diagnostic lab ...