The musings of Dr Liz - What is a natural food for a dog or cat?

Welcome to another of my musings, and this time, it is a very controversial topic - and it is about food and our pets (and it is a bit longer than usual too).

I am not going to tell you how to feed your pet (not yet anyway), as this is about my musings.  Nutrition is important to me, as is food (if you have seen my body, you will know that I do enjoy food).


But I read alot about claims by people that this food or that food is "all natural" and that pets should eat natural diets.  And then they often go on about the foods we are currently feeding our pets (the commercial processed stuff) is harmful, and causes all of our pet's ill's.

And then I hear or read the diet plan given to pet owners by breeders, trainers and anybody who has owned a pet at some point in their lives, with concepts and ideas which are from the 19th century or earlier or following some fad from the 1970's or 80's.

Herein lies a problem - a natural diet for the cat are small rodents - and the natural diet of our domestic dog's ancestor, which were mostly village dogs, were the cooked left overs of the villagers (not the raw bones, raw mince sold in pet shops or butchers, and not the BARF diet promoted by whoever promotes it as natural).

The health of the human race, and the longevity of many animals improved when they started eating cooked food/ Is this a fact that can be disputed?  Our health improved when we started trying to balance our diet with the five food groups.  We are living longer lives, and that is in part, due to the improved "non natural " diet we eat.  Our problem now is that our bodies are living longer than our brains can cope, and this has created another problem, but this musing is not about dementia, but nutrition.

So what is a natural food for a dog?  What is a natural food for a cat?  I certainly don't want to eat my ancestors "natural food", as finding a mammoth or two might be a bit difficult (and a bit chewy I would imagine). If I go to a more recent era, being Aussie born to Polish born parents - that would pork, sausage,

So what is a natural diet for us or cats?

smoked fish, sauerkraut, herring - foods which mostly cause signs of indigestion  in me - very healthy (not).

So I would challenge you to think of what your pet should eat as the best food that keeps them healthy, alive and happy for as long as they can be... and that may mean not listening to what everyone else is saying, but going back to your pet.  The health of your pet is a good guide on how the nutrition thing is working (or not).

As a vet, I have recommended home made diets, commmercial diets, combination of the two - depending on the patient.  My nutritional recommendations are individualised.... which is why my veterinary hospital stocks several different brands of foods. For example, I like one brand for their gastrointestinal diet, and I like another for feline urinary issues.

This is what makes me "not a great clinic" (a true quote), because I will only recommend what is best for the patient, not a brand overall.   It makes me a bad clinic for marketing or sales people, because I can't present a neat "one brand only" wall of pet food either, and for you.. well, it may look messy, because I stock a different food for puppies and kittens, another for skin, another for dental, and a few for urinary.... and so on and on.

I have seen pets do badly on natural diets, and some do great. Nutrition is not simple, and mistakes are easily made, even by the best of us.

Just don't get caught up by the hype on the packet or the cute photos of the pet or the gorgeous hunk on the TV ad.

  Make the effort to  speak to your vet about your pet's food.  We may not be cute or hunky, but geez, we are awfully clever.  All of us vets  really want your pet to live a long and happy life.   I know, as I say often, our animals are not with us for long enough... and nutrition is the NUMBER ONE way we can keep them with us for longer.

And seeing a pet live a long, happy, pain- free life brings me joy .. it is why I do what I do every day. And I am not the only vet out there who feels the way I do.

And on a final (almost) note... before you think about feeding any human food item to your pet, please check with us, or even google it first... for example - macadamia nuts are really yummy, but they are toxic to your dog.  What about grapes? It's a fruit, should be healthy, shouldn't it? No - its not - it can kill some pets.   Dogs are not small people - which is just as well, as they are alot cuter than many people I know!

I am Dr Liz, and I am here to help you look after the most important thing - your pet.

If there are any questions about nutrition in your pet, why not come in to speak with me or Dirk (my other half). You can post questions below or email me directly.

Call us on 42845988 or email us directly.

The canine vaccination debate - 1 year vs 3 year vs none!

Whenever I attend a  veterinary meeting that is often sleep inducing, it is a sure fire guarantee that if the topic goes towards vaccinations and how often to do it, the room heats up in the very passionate argument of the fors and the againsts.

"I can't wear a mask just because you
don't want to vaccinate me" 

This is because whilst everyone agrees that vaccinations are the single most important procedure in the life of every pet as it does provide protection against illnesses that are life threatening, and we all agree that vaccinations are not harmless, there is a big debate about how often they should or shouldn't get this very important protection. 

 As a vet, I have seen puppies with severe parvovirus (and die from this debilitating condition despite treatment), and the seizures induced by distemper virus (as this causes ongoing brain damage). My view is always going to be that all pets need to be protected against these diseases.  That is core to everything I recommend for all pets. 

These are the diseases that scare all vets who have seen them, and I remember, only to well, those days. And whilst the incidence of disease has reduced to the point where alot of the younger vets only read about them, they are not gone.  If you know anything about diseases, is that they do not stay dormant forever. 

But fear should not be used as an argument for or against vaccinations.  Being rational, and using the best information that we have available at the time, and being flexible enough to change those recommendations, depending on the situation, is the best policy.  Which means, that this may differ from region to region, and

"I hear ya.... vaccinations have made me sick in the past. So a
blood test is what I need to do?  Okey dokey!"

from time to time.  It doesn't mean that we did before was wrong, but different to what we need to do now. 

As an example - I saw two  3 year old Maltese terriers recently - Bobby and Sarah.  Bobby had a mild vaccination reaction, twelve months earlier.  Sarah was OK.  They only go to the groomers, never go to kennels, and their only walk, is one around the block! 

What is the right thing for these two? A full check up is definitely on the cards, as both dogs have periodontal disease, which we need to treat, monitor, and re-treat regularly. 

What actually happened, though, , was that we performed a vaccine titre test in both dogs - and both showed good protection against Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus.  And we will repeat that test in twelve months time. 

What are our other options?   

• Vaccinate both dogs, and give Bobby an injection to reduce his reaction response. 
• Not vaccinate either dog, and fingers crossed that they were protected
• Vaccinated Sarah only, and hoped that Bobby was protected.

Whilst "hope" and "fingers crossed" may work for some people, they don't work for me.  I like to know! And if you were the loving pet owner, you would want to know to. 

At Russell Vale Animal Clinic, we now are able to offer in-clinic titre testing, using Vaccichek.  Technically speaking, it takes 21 minutes for the test to run, but it is a pretty intensive 21 minutes, so we will work on getting the result to the pet owner within 1-2 days.  It just requires a blood sample, and with that, we can determine whether the pet will benefit from a vaccination or not.  

The reality is, if a pet's immune system is already at it's peak for protection, then adding further stimulation is not going to make things better.  But vaccinating an already vaccinated pet is not going to make them sick either, unless they already have had a history of vaccine reactions. I don't buy into the argument that vaccines make our pets sick.  They may affect some animals differently to others, but they don't cause cancers, nor do they cause immune mediated diseases. Not vaccinating a pet, though, is a sure fire guarantee that if they have no immunity to parvovirus, and they are exposed to it, they will get very very sick, and possibly die. 

Our assessment of what is the right thing for your pet happens so subtly, that you may not be aware of it.  We ask questions like, 

- are they indoors or outdoors (like our cats), or go to the dog park or grooming (for our dogs)

- had any previous reactions

- previous medical history (such as, have they had any immune mediated diseases in the past? )

We perform a full physical examination (the check up ), which is essential in every pet every year (in my opinion, twice a year)

You may not know of these things going through my head, but I assure you, they are. And at the end of it, your pet will either walk out of the consultation room vaccinated, or a recommendation will be made to not vaccinate.  If a recommendation is made against vaccination, it is because that is the right thing to do for that patient, which may not be the right thing to do for the next patient that walks into the consultation room. 

As I said before, it is not a "one size fits all" protocol, but what is the best thing for that patient in the room with me, at that time. 

"Cough... splutter.  Let's share the love
at the local Dog Park" 

Now what about "Canine cough" ?   Well, this is a nasty cough which is highly infectious, but it doesn't kill dogs (or rarely). We do see a few cases of Canine Cough, but most of these were in dogs vaccinated against it.  It didn't last long ( a few days), thanks to the protection the vaccine provided.  Those dogs who are in a high risk group, such as grooming, kennels, beach, dog park or mix with other dogs on a regular basis, do need to have the annual vaccination for kennel cough.  There is no titre test for this, and vaccination (or isolation) is the best protection.

As an aside, we were also the first veterinary hospital in the Illawarra to offer three year vaccinations, when they became available.  If you want to know more about this debate, go to our website.

If you have any questions or concerns, or sensible comments, feel free to comment, so long as it is fair. I respect other people's opinions, and expect the same in return. 

Please call us to book your pet in for their check up, and their vaccination or Titre Test (depending).

Musings of Dr Liz - The Pet Advocate - The owner or the vet

Welcome to another of Dr Liz's musings.  This time it is about who is better equipped to be the advocate for the welfare and care of your pet.

The Animal Advocate - is it the vet,
or the pet owner?

Is the vet or is it you?

Why would I think to bring this up?  Those who know me well, know I maintain my veterinary knowledge through alot of reading, webinars, seminars and conferences.  Many times, my pre-conceived ideas, or what I have believed or was taught, are challenged. Not necessarily a bad thing...  Most time, it is intended to educate and expand my way of thinking.

I have always believed, and acted,  that in the consultation room, there are three of us, working together for the betterment of the one (the pet).  That is, there is the loving pet owner, the beloved pet, and then there is me (the vet).

The pet is the one whom we need to look after.  The loving pet owner is the advocate for that pet, and the vet is there to ensure the advocate is given the information to do their job.

However, in many webinars and seminars I have attended recently (and perhaps it was always so, but I wasn't open to the idea), the message I hear  is  that the vet is the pet's advocate, and as a result, procedures are booked and done that are in the animals best interest.

Before you make a judgement one way or the other, lets go through some hypothetical situations

Let us listen to our pets - they
know the truth!

where I will outline two points of view - the vet and the owner - in these cases, whilst the pet is in the middle.

The first situation involving Tobes - a middle aged mixed breed -  slightly overweight, no skin problems, has two lumps (one of the back leg, and one of the right shoulder - the tests are suggestive of a cancer).  The vet recommends surgical excision, histopathology including surgical margins.  The owner says the lump has been there for a few years, and hasn't changed. It's not painful.

The second situation involving Sassy - a youngish cat (only 1 year old)  with very red gums, especially the first tooth on the lower jaw.  She is eating well and appears otherwise normal.  The vet says that the red gums are not normal, and need an xray plus a complete oral hygiene treatment (scale and polish), and possibly extractions if bad things are found - such as feline resorptive lesions or periodontal disease. The owner says the cat is eating and acting normally.

What would you do as the owner of Tobes or Sassy?  What should the vet do? Who is the best pet advocate? The owner or the vet?  Is it a "it depends" type answer?  If so, depends on what?

If the owner is not keen for any further interventions, such as an anaesthetic and surgery, do they have the right to make the decision?   If the owner is refusing further tests, is this in the pet's best interest? or the owners?

Should the vet use language and techniques which doesn't give owners a choice?   Should the vet be put in the position of "selling" a necessary procedure for the pet? Or in other words, why do vets need to sell a procedure for a pet, when that procedure is necessary for that pet's welfare?

Who is the best person in the room to speak for the pet - the vet or the owner?

Whilst, the idealist part of me, says it is all of us working together, the experienced vet side of me, knows the reality that some vets face every day.

I am Dr Liz, and I am honest to a fault (it gets me into alot of trouble), but I believe your pet deserves that.

Behaviour Bites - Training for Calm

Give me a remote control, and I
am calm!

Welcome to another Behaviour Bites - and it is about being calm, or more specifically, training for calm in our pets. When you are thinking about your pet's training regime, next to come, sit and stay, should also be "calm"

 But when we talk about "Training for Calm" - is this a lesson which can be learnt? or trained for?  And why bother anyway?

Aren't many animals going to learn calm, when they learn  "drop" or "stay"?   Aren't these "calm" positions?  The answer is no - the dog is not calm during a drop or stay - calm is a state of mind, whereas drop or stay, is a body posture where they may or may not be calm).

Training for calm is not a "my way or the highway" training, but thinking about what is going to  work in your pet!  A single technique will not work in every single animal. It needs to be individualised, and that is where you need to work with an open minded vet or trainer.

This is Leo, snoozing in the middle
of a storm - he found his "safe place"

At this stage, lets focus on what the goal is - of course - is it a fear-free pet?  That is what alot of
thunderstorm treatments work towards - stopping the pet from feeling or responding to fear.  This kind of expectation sets up alot of owners to be disillusioned with their efforts in thunderstorm or firework phobia treatments.  Why?  Because the pet still sits in the corner shaking and trembling, even if it is a big improvement on their previous behaviours of pacing, running around, or destroying doors or buildings.
\
 But is the removal of fear a realistic outcome? Aren't we then saying that we want a pet that feels no fear at all when a thunderstorm happens?  Does that happen in us? Be honest with yourself - it never does! There are times when we are fearful to.  Fear is normal, and it helps us avoid bad things - we may not like the feeling of fear, but we develop strategies to cope with it.

So, is it a fair goal to have a pet that may fearful of noises or separation, but copes with that fear in a non harmful way?

This is closer to a more realistic goal.

And that is what we try to do when we train for calm.

And training for calm starts at the same time as teaching your pet to come or sit or do a pee in the bottom of the yard instead of the carpet. Yes, you are right - what I am saying is that you need to start as soon as they come into your home.

It all starts with you starting to understand your pet.  Are they normally outgoing, or not... do they like to play with toys, or adore their food.  Is their idea of a great time, just hanging out with you, do they need to be the centre of attention, or are they ok to do things on their own?  Do they have moments of relaxation? If so, after what or when?

Now what about us older ones?
What do we do?

In a puppy or kitten, to starting training for calm, is relatively easy.

 Just use the word "calm" (or any other word you like) , when the pet is starting to relaxed and happy. Reward the calm behaviours. And when something that is potentially fearful occurs, you can then use the word "calm' to let the puppy know that that is the behaviour you want from them - to sit or drop and be calm.

Now, what about those pets who already suffer from panic attacks? 

And they have had no "training for calm" learning to date. Where do you start?

• Start with lots of Adaptil or Feliway.
• Choose a regular time each day that you dedicate to this training and make it fun.
• Choose an area that is your pet's "safe space" - (with my dog Teddy, it was under our kitchen nook dining table, in the darkest corner. He would go straight there, and not move until the storm was over. )

• Select your pet's favourite food/treat or toy.  This only comes out when you are training for calm - which should be every day, whilst you are training, and then only as needed.
• Put on some music (classical music works well)
• Ask your pet to sit and stay on your mat, and use a word to cue what you are asking.  You can use "calm" or "settle" or any other word - so long as everyone knows what the word is.

• Now comes the hard part - training your pet to sit/stay in their safe place without you being in the same room. - you walk to the door, asking your pet to stay and be calm, then walk back and reward the behaviour.  Stretch it out to when you can actually leave the room, and know the pet is sitting and waiting for you to return. and reward the calm behaviour.

Your pet needs to be rewarded for the behaviour you want - after all, behaviour rewarded is behaviour repeated!

I am Dr Liz, the vet from Russell Vale Animal Clinic.  Remember, that whilst behaviour is an interest of mine, I am not a veterinary behaviourist or specialist.  We are for happy, healthy pets, and we are here to help you, or point you in the direction of someone who can help you, always.

Pandora's 40th Birthday Party Invite

Pandora's Birthday Party on Saturday, September 28th, 2013, from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm! 

All loving pet owners and their family are invited.

Pandora's Box - to be opened on September 29th 2013

Happy Birthday to the boss of Russell Vale Animal Clinic!  If you thought I was talking about me, you are mistaken.  It is our clinic cat, Pandora.

Pandora hard at work! 

She turns the equivalent of  "40" in September, and we are going to celebrate with a huge day!  It is going to be awesome!   It is going to be fun!

Just wanted to share with you  "The story of Pandora"..

Pandora arrived at our vet hospital on the 26th of October, 2006.  She weighed 1.4 kg, and she had an attitude (in fact, she still does- have you been at the other end of her slinking up to you, asking for pats, and then getting a love bite?"

She was found bedraggled in the gutter on the Princess Highway, in Woonona, and was brought in by a kindly Mrs Clarke for us to look after.

She would hiss and spit at anyone who went near her for the first 4 days.  We were lucky to get food and water to her with our skin on our hands attached.  Dirk worked hard to gain her trust.  And he still remains her favourite now.

She loves to tease the dogs, she loves to sit at the front door, on either side, and she loves Dirk (our vet nurse).

Paige at the 2012 Open Day! 

Back to the fun of the party -



And it is for the kiddies - we are going to have a jumping castle, and a craft table, where we can make cat and dog toys.  We supply the ingredients, and you supply the enthusiasm!

We will have a backyard full of farmyard babies, for a bit of country in our city!  Lots of fun and cuddles (I love cuddles)

And it is for the adults - they can enjoy some yummy food, watching their kids have fun on the jumping castle.


NB Previously advertised dog wash is not running now, as we have the farmyard of baby animals instead!

Please share, as we would love as many people to come along and have fun.

We're going, are  you?

Book yourself to come to Russell Vale Animal Clinic on Saturday, 29th of September 2013 - from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm

Free Food, Free Drink, Free Jumping Castle Play, Tours of a working vet hospital, and some absolutely fantastic awesome competition prizes.

Because we all love a good party, and we love family - thanks for being part of our animalclinic family.

Just so you know who the team of Russell Vale Animal Clinic are, if you are new to the area and to us!

Dr Liz's Dental Discussion - Dental Disease Shock

Welcome to another dental discussion, especially now that we are  full on into National Pet Dental Month, where vets all over Australia are offering their time for a free dental check. But this is post is about what we, at Russell Vale Animal Clinic do when it comes to treating dental disease.

As the first veterinary hospital in Wollongong to do dental xrays (since 2005), we are always working harder to ensure all pets receive the dental care they deserve.  This awesome technology has allowed us to identify disease that could easily be missed (read here to find out more), but it doesn't stop there.  We are also now able to take steps which can protect the teeth where previously, the only alternative is to extract.

When more than 80% of pets have dental disease (and our younger cats suffer it too), it is no wonder to me, as a vet, that a pet may come in for the annual health check, or for a torn nail, to find dental disease.  It is common for me as a vet.

How easy for me to forget that to you,  the loving pet owner, however, it is a shock.  I understand how you feel, as I would feel the same way. It would be  a real shock to know that there was disease in your beloved pet's mouth and you didn't know. Or that maybe you knew that there was a little bit of brown stuff, but not that it was a true disease in its own right.  A real shock that now what you thought was a single visit that year to the vet, is going to turn into a more expensive second visit, something that you  hadn't budgeted for.

From the moment your pet comes into your household, you need to budget for their dental care. Simple. They have teeth, but sadly, they do not own self cleaning teeth.  Want to know how to save money on your pet's dental work? Read this.

But to make things simpler for you - all year round, at Russell Vale Animal Clinic, every day is Pet Dental Month, with FREE dental checks (by appointment only) are available. We promise to make it a "shock free" zone, as many times, in my animalclinic family pets, they have absolutely great mouths! Woo Hoo!  This excites me.



Nice and warm, and will be
awake soon with a fresh mouth.
How cool is that!

Every day we are open,  Dirk (our vet nurse)  is available to talk to you about how to brush your pet's teeth, and he can talk for hours on how you can keep your pet's teeth healthy - as there is nothing more than he loves, is to look in a pet's mouth and see a normal, healthy mouth, and if it isn't, on how he can help you, get it there.

In many loving pet owner's eyes, they often say to me "but I given them Greenies every day (or it may be bones or Dentastix), surely that is enough?"

If you are doing that, then you are super-awesome!  You already know how important dental  home care is to keeping your mouth's pet healthy.  Sadly, it isn't enough, so let me help your pet get their mouths back to a nice normal white, and remove disease.


As a vet, I hear what you are
saying about the shock you feel
of finding out your
pet has dental disease.

Other owner's say to me "but they had their teeth cleaned last year at ABC veterinary hospital, how come it has come back?" . Sadly, a once off cleaning will not stop disease from coming back.

 If I use your car as an example -
when was the last time you washed your car?  And how soon does it get dirty again? (for me, I wash my car just before the drought breaks... I can guarantee it will rain the day after, loading it up with mud again, although that was never my intention).

Whilst there are teeth, food, saliva and bacteria in the one spot, there will be plaque sitting on teeth, becoming calcified over time causing the hard stuff that just won't come away.  Not even brushing will remove the hard stuff.

Some owners are in denial - that their pet's mouth is perfectly healthy, that smell from the mouth is normal, that they don't need an anaesthetic to clean the teeth. Read more here about anaesthetics and dentistry. And, smell from the mouth is not normal - just ask your own human dentist.

Dental disease - the stuff that is sitting under your pet's gum line - is progressive - we can't stop it's progression, but we can slow it down an awful lot (change the rate of damage to a snails pace rather than the hare's).  And brushing won't get under the gums either - only vets who do good dental care can. In the human world, these are usually periodontists.

And that is the dental work that we do at Russell Vale Animal Clinic - we treat the disease under the gum, not just the obvious stuff on the surface.


That is where I can help. I know it is a shock to find out that disease is hiding in your pet's mouth, but give it no place to hide. I know it is a shock to realise that despite all of your great efforts in the past (and mine), that dental disease is sneaking back.  It is important to act when you know, as we don't want it continuing on to make things worse.

Any time during the year, not just in August, call us on 42 845 988 or book online (see to the left) for  your pet's FREE dental check.

Want to know more about what is involved about getting your pet's mouth back to normal? Read here.

Find out more about our Grade 1 (gingivitis ) and Grade 2 (early periodontitis) dental care plans, priced to be affordable, but complete enough for peace of mind. The expiry date of these offers is on the website.

I am Dr Liz, and I (and Dirk) are here to help you, and of course, your pet... Looking forward to seeing you real soon.


Call us on 42845988 or book online for your pet's Free dental check, or to book them in for their day stay to assess their mouths, and get them back to a healthy normal.

Call us to discuss what else you can be doing at home to keep your pet's teeth healthy (and the rest of them too).

After all, I am for "Happy, Healthy Pets... Always! "

Behaviour Bites - Feliway and Adaptil aka Dr Liz's Happy Juice

Welcome to another Behaviour Bites, with Pusski (our 4 am foot biting cat) as your guide.  This one

"I'm a Feliway Chilled Dude"

is about my "Happy Juice".

"Happy Juice" is needed in every pet if they have any anxiety related behaviour (or even if bored or lonely). 

Before every cat handling time, whether it be a vet check up, a check up of a  hospital patient, or just one coming in for a weigh in,  we spray the area with "Happy Juice". In cats, this is Feliway, made by Ceva.  We have the Feliway Diffuser permanent on in the consultation room, and we spritz ourselves with the Feliway Spray.

What is Feliway, I hear you ask.  Do you know how happy cats rub their cheeks up against your leg, and often love having you rub their cheek - this is their "happy scent".  They will often rub that against door frames and lounges too - it is a way of marking that as "awesome" spot.  A synthetic version of that has been made,  bottled, and sold for a lot of money.  But it is worth every cent.

In times of anxiety, wouldn't it be nice to walk into a strange house, and feel "ah, this feels homey", rather than "strange place, bad vibe, don't like this place." Some cats don't like to travel much, so having that "homey" feel relaxes them, and makes them less likely to use their fangs and claws to rip the nice vet to shreds.  They are more likely to be smoochy, cuddly; they may not even be totally happy, but at least they aren't aggressive or upset.

Spreading the natural "Happy Juice"

So, we spray Happy Juice around the place. Because we like Happy Cats (and Dogs).
Our dogs, also have their own Happy Juice - that is Adaptil.  This is a similar pheromone that can calm down anxious dogs.  It is a calming pheromone produced by the glands between the mammary glands of lactating dogs.

Why this talk of Happy Juice - I use it daily in my consultation rooms to help stressed pets calm down - and this hopefully calms down stressed loving pet owners too!  As I said earlier, we like Happy Dogs (and Cats).

But, from the stressed, but loving pet owner perspective, if your pet suffers from any anxiety - whether it be a bit lonely sometimes, or doesn't like storms, or the neighbours dog, then pheromones are what you need to use on your pet daily to help them feel less agitated. 

Did I say, use Daily?  That is the important part.  A single dose will help but, we want the pet starting at a low spot.

I use the Diffusers in the vet hospital.  It needs to be changed monthly, and the powerpoint adapter needs to be changed each six months, but, it is a small price to pay for a happy pet.

Happy Juice puts us in our Happy Place!

When it is my turn to "lay the hands" on the happy pet, I then spray the liquid onto my work shirt, and for cats, a couple of sprays onto a towel on the consultation table (I won't sit cats on stainless cold tables). For dogs, we spray a bandanna, and they go home looking awesome! It makes them much happier!

As an aside - Please buy your Feliway and Adaptil from reputable places - there are "pretend" pheromones out there, and even dodgy replica's. After all, wherever there is money to be made, there are replicas.  Most great vets stock it (like we do), so you shouldn't have too much trouble in getting your hands on it.

But remember - Use it Daily!

I am Dr Liz from Russell Vale Animal Clinic.  I am a big user of Happy Juice, but that is not why I

always have a big smile on my face.  We just love seeing happy animals and loving pet owners in our place, even though some days, it isn't such a happy place to be.

Any questions, you know what to do... ask.

PS  As a disclaimer - I sell and use Feliway and Adaptil. I am not under the employ of any company that produces it or promotes it.  I don't receive any kickbacks, rebates or any other financial incentive.  There is no special code on my page that makes me money when you read it.  I am an honest, individual veterinarian, who calls it as she sees it - and hopefully, her honesty won't get her into any more trouble than she has been in in the past!