Jamie Wright

With marijuana now legal in Canada and nearly half of the United States, pets have more opportunities than ever to accidentally ingest cannabis products, whether by sniffing out a hidden stash or snagging an edible left within reach.1 And it's becoming a real problem: In 2022, the ASPCA reported a nearly 300% spike in marijuana-related pet poisoning calls over the previous five years, and cannabis made its debut on the top 10 list of pet toxins for the first time.2
Because pot is toxic to pet...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Your dog's eyes do more than see—they also reveal hidden signs of their health. Eye problems can develop quickly, and if left untreated, they can cause serious damage—even blindness. If you notice anything off, don't wait. Some issues are minor and easy to treat, while others can threaten your dog's comfort, vision and quality of life. Acting early makes all the difference. Here's what to watch for, and when to call your veterinarian.
1. Corneal Damage
The cornea—the...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Of the many ways dogs communicate their health, a wet nose is one of the most questioned and debated. Why are dogs' noses wet? Should my dog's nose be wet? Is a wet nose a sign of a healthy dog? Does a dry nose mean my dog is sick? Can a dog's nose be too wet?
Generally, a wet nose is a sign of a healthy dog, but it's not a guarantee. Most dogs have cool, damp noses when awake and active, and dry ones when sleeping or resting.1
More importantly, a wet nose helps your...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Through their behaviors, dogs signal potential illnesses or injuries to us. Some are trickier to detect, such as hernias. Many hernias in dogs result in protrusions or bumps that we can feel with our hands, or the dog may display signs of stress or discomfort. But in other cases, there are very few indications of trouble.
A hernia is an opening between two body cavities that do not normally communicate, allowing an organ or tissue to protrude into an area where it do...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Every dog likes a good scratch—but then, who doesn't? However, excessive scratching, licking or even biting areas of the skin may mean something is wrong with your dog's health.
A dog's skin and coat are crucial for their overall wellness. They function as part of the canine immune system, regulate body temperature, maintain hydration and protect internal organs from external stressors.
Having a regular grooming regimen allows you to monitor the condition of your dog...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Of all the challenges a pet owner might face, none is more critical than saving their pet's life during cardiac or respiratory arrest. Yes, you can perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a dog or a cat that has stopped breathing. While this task is best left to professionals, every pet owner should be prepared to act in an emergency.
In clinical veterinary settings, CPR is the only practical method shown to achieve a return to regular breathing for cats and d...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
With colorful coats, curious intellect and boundless energy, Australian Shepherds are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States.1 These athletic herding dogs are beautiful and smart—and they take well to training—so it's no wonder people love them.
However, the Australian Shepherd comes with some caution signs all prospective owners should know. Even as puppies, Aussies can test every boundary you set for them and won't fall for your shortcuts or tricks...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
The term "rescue dog" can conjure images of heroic acts, like saving a dog from a burning building or falling off a cliff's edge. More commonly, however, a rescue dog is simply one that's ready for adoption by a loving family offering a forever home.
Adopting from a shelter or rescue group is a generous act filled with both risks and rewards. Prospective pet owners often have many questions: “Am I ready for a dog? What dog breed is right for me? How do I deal with po...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
It's the mother of all midsummer backyard bashes: the 4th of July! Patriotic partygoers have picnic table spreads and whatever's hot off the grill, but our furry buddies deserve a holiday treat of their own to mark the occasion.
While some human foods are suitable for dogs, others are unsafe and must be avoided. If you're attending an Independence Day festivity, know ahead of time which foods your pet can consume. By taking the right precautions to avoid stressful si...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Just like humans—and most animals—dogs must drink water to survive. But unlike us, dogs don't sweat through their skin to regulate their body temperature. Instead, dogs expel body heat through the evaporation of moisture on their tongues, as well as through their paw pads and nose.1 Hydration is particularly important for dogs in hot weather and during heavy or even moderate exercise.
Your dog relies on you, their owner, to remain hydrated! Dogs generally need at lea...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
For those who know the horror, cleaning a pet that's been sprayed by a skunk can be an unsavory business. Do a poor job of cleaning and the rancid smell may not only cling to your pet's fur, but also to you and items in your home.
There are things you can do immediately to ease this difficult situation. And chances are, you already have what you need in your house to conduct an emergency cleaning of your pet.
This article will take you through the steps to remove sku...

Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Whether your dog is your permanent sidekick or they stay home when you travel, consider microchipping. It's a safe procedure for dogs of any age and could be required if your furry buddy is part of your vacation plans. Should you get separated from your dog for any reason, at home or on the road, there's a far better chance of a reunion with a microchip in place.
Don't think of a microchip as a GPS unit or a covert tracking device from a spy movie. Microchips are per...

Hatcheries depend on the brine shrimp artemia – microscopic creatures facing climate change and overharvesting threats – as feed in larviculture. Innovation is facing the challenge head on.
They appear, to the untrained eye, as fine grains of sand. About a quarter-million artemia – tiny brine shrimp that can exist in spherical eggshells, or cysts, in a state of zero metabolism for decades – together weigh about one gram.
Dried artemia cysts, measuring 250 to 300 microns (0.2 to 0.3 millimeter...

Global aquaculture, particularly farmed shrimp, depends heavily on artemia as a hatchery feed. Supplies meet current needs, but expansion will require alternatives and innovation.
Once a luxury food enjoyed only sporadically, shrimp has become a seafood staple in the U.S. marketplace, with consumption at a record-high 4.6 pounds per capita in 2018 (a combination of both farmed and wild shrimp but about 90 percent is from aquaculture). According to the National Fisheries Institute, the U.S. tr...

Kuterra puts Irish company Nova Q’s beneficial-bacterial strategy to the test
A recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) operator in Canada – one of the first land-based salmon producers in the world – says that a proactive approach to eliminating off-flavors in their fish is showing good results.
Kuterra, which operates a salmon RAS operation on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, is collaborating with Nova Q, an Ireland-based biotechnology company, to lower the levels of the off-fla...