Steve Dale's Pet World

Bleh-Bleh-Bleh!  We need to stay safe and happy this Halloween and so do our pets!  Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Chris Pachel chats with Steve about ways to keep our pets safe and calm on the most frightening night of the year! We want to make sure to keep our pets safe from ghosts and goblins but also Halloween candy.  Dr. Renee Schmid from the Pet Poison Helpline joins Steve to talk about what we want to make sure our pets are not ingesting during trick-or-treating. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Mission Meow is a non-profit no kill shelter in California doing everything it can to find homes for cats in need of a forever family. Founder Sally Williams tells Steve about their mission and efforts to save more cat lives. Dr. Sandra Faeh joins the show to talk about how important veterinary visits are in the lives of all of our pets and what the veterinary profession is doing to try to ensure that there is better care available for our furry family members. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

This week Steve remembers Queen Elizabeth and her love of animals. Marty Irby is not only someone who has fought to protect horses and end violent training methods, he is also someone who was honored by Queen Elizabeth for his efforts. He joins the show to talk about the Queen's tremendous love for horses and what her support has meant. Dr. Roger Mugford was the Queen's dog trainer. Imagine that kind of pressure! Roger joins the show to share stories of the Queen and the love she had for her beloved corgis. Dr. Natalie Marks joins the show to talk about the outbreak of Canine Influenza Virus in Nashville and why this should be of concern for dog owners in all parts of the country. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Today we are all about helping our aging pets. Dr. Marsha Reich is a renowned veterinary behaviorist and she joins us to talk about behavior issues we see as our cats get older. She shares tips on how to spot these signs as well as what we can do to help our aging felines. In our Vets On Pets segment, Dr. Reich returns to talk all about our aging dogs. Their behavior issues may be a little more obvious, but we still need to keep a watchful eye. We'll hear tips on what to look for as well as what our veterinarian can do to help. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It can be one of the most exciting things, but it can also be very stressful! We're talking about adding another cat to your house. Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Meg Herron joins the show to help us make the transition as easy as possible when we add another cat to the house. Fall means the weather starts cooling off, but the ticks are just heating up! Dr. Adam Christman is with us to talk about why fall is the season you really want to be most careful with your dog and ticks. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

What is the best way to feed our cats? How can we make sure we are helping them to activate their prey drive? Dr. Ruth Ann Lobos of Merrick Pet Care joins the show to help guide us on giving our cats the best dining experience possible! Iraq war veteran Kevin Patrick joins the show to talk about his service dog from Vet Service Dogs NFP. Kevin tells Steve all about what his service dog does for him and why military veterans need better access to service dogs. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Fall means ticks! Yes, believe it or not, this is actually the worst time of year for our dogs to get tick disease. How do we protect them (and our family)? Veterinary Technician Becky Mossor joins us to talk about all the ways we can stay safe when ticks are lurking. Steve welcomes Brian Holub back to the show to talk more about the EveryCat Health Foundation and the progress that has been made in the fight against Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in cats has long been a deadly disease with no answers. Now, thanks to research funded in part by the EveryCat Health Foundation, we are finding answers and even cures! Dr. Brian Holub joins the show to talk about the latest. Far too many Americans are homeless and it's sad to see in any city across America. Many people who are struggling with housing actually have pets and for some they are a lifeline. Dr. John Geller joins us to talk about the Street Dog Coalition, which tries to provide care for these animals. Steve answers listener questions via phone and email.

Last time we were with Dr. Marty Becker we talked all about Fear Free and it's impact on veterinary visits. We bring the conversation to your house now as we talk about all of the ways we can do more to keep our pets happy and stress free in their own homes. It's a parent's favorite time of the year! The kids are headed back to school, but one family member might not be so happy about the disruption in their daily life, your pet! Dr. Ruth Ann Lobos is here to give us strategies to keep our pets happy when their daily routine is changed. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

What should you look for in a dog trainer? Should there be a licensing procedure that trainers should have to go through? Darris Cooper, Lead Dog Trainer at Petco chats with Steve about all things dog training. Fear Free is the movement that has revolutionized veterinary visits. Founder Dr. Marty Becker tells us why it's so important to help our pets with their fear, anxiety, and stress and how we can make veterinary visits and even home life better for our furry family members. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We've talked about "The Link” many times over the years, but in the wake of recent mass shootings, it may be more important than ever. The knowledge that often times people who harm people start out harming animals. Phil Arkow, Co-Founder of the National Link Coalition joins the show to talk about this connection and how it might be used to help prevent other tragedies. It's sad but true. We have a nation of brain dead, fat cats. It's not their fault, it's ours! Dr. Craig Webb joins us to talk about why a tubby tabby is not a cute instagram pet, but a medical condition in the making. He'll share tips on keeping fluffy healthy and happy. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We talk all of the time about the stresses of getting our cats to the veterinarian, but what about the stresses in our own home? The way we handle out cats can cause stress, so let's learn to do better. Dr. Ilona Rodan is one of the premier experts on how we interact with our cats, she'll share some tips to make all of our homes more cat friendly. Amy Shojai is a legendary pet writer who has always been dedicated to helping pet parents find the best resources to have as much knowledge as possible about their pets well-being. This week she shares some places that we can all turn for the best information. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's all around you, whether you live in the country or the city you need to protect your dog and your family from Leptospirosis! Wildlife carrying this disease spread it through their urine which your dog can unwittingly pick up through puddles and streams and licking their paws. And our dogs can pass it on to us! Dr. Natalie Marks is here to talk about how we can go about keeping our whole family safe from this disease. Zen By Cat is dedicated to raising awareness of FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). Up until recently this disease was considered almost 100% fatal in cats. Now through years of research there have been breakthroughs. Co-Founder Peter Cohen chats with Steve about Zen By Cat's mission and why more research is needed to protect cats from FIP. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We probably can all admit we need to do a better job of taking care of our pets teeth. But why is this so important to our pets overall health? Dr. John de Jong, former President of the American Veterinary Medical Association explains why we need to keep our best friends choppers clean, and how we can go about doing that. You're going to have to just go along with us on this one - Dr. Timm Otterson is a very real veterinarian, but in his book "All Creatures Weird and Dangerous," he goes on some fantastical adventures and treats some very mysterious creatures. We'll hear some of his very tall tales. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Our cats are living longer than ever before, but that means, just like us, they are experiencing more pain than ever before. So how can we identify and combat that pain for our aging kitties? Dr. Richard Goldstein of Zoetis shares the latest on how we're helping our cats live longer and more comfortable lives. Don't ever say we don't get the biggest celebrities. The grandson of Curly Howard from The Three Stooges joins us this week to talk about Curly's passion for animals and for entertaining. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Dr. Vicki Thayer talks to Steve about the latest research and findings for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) and the upcoming Feline Health Symposium (and how you can be part of it). Dr. Marc Bekoff joins Steve to talk about his latest book, "A Dog's World: Imagining The Lives of Dogs in A World Without Humans." He tells us how he thinks our best friends would do if we weren't around. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Summer is in full swing and that means so are all of the pesky parasites that like to try to feed off of our pets. So how bad is it this summer? Dr. Rick Marrinson from the Companion Animal Parasite Council will be here to share this year's parasite forecast. What is the truth and what is myth about the types of foods we should be feeding our pets? There is a lot of conflicting information out there so we are excited to welcome veterinary nutritionist Dr. Lindsey Bullen to the show bust some nutrition myths! Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

There is a clear link between violence towards humans and animal abuse. Wayne Pacelle, the founder of Animal Wellness Action chats with Steve about how we can do a better job of spotting violence and taking action. Lymphoma in cats is common and there is much research being done into better treatments and better outcomes. Dr. Craig Webb chats with Steve about the latest. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) has been a terrible disease and common killer among cats. Great strides have been made in effectively treating FIP, in large part thanks to funding of studies by the EveryCat Health Foundation. Dr. Julie Levy shares the latest information with us. Everyone is asking about CBD and how it can help pets. Blake Smith is the Chief Technical Officer of Chou2Pharma, and he drops by to answer common questions about pets and cannabis. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

This week we spend the entire show talking to our dear friend Dr. Marty Becker. First we hear all about how Dr. Becker went to the border of Ukraine to help provide assistance to the many people fleeing with their pets. He tells us all about what things were like for the refugees. Later in the show we talk to Dr. Becker about the Fear Free movement that he helped create and how that is changing visits for animals at practices. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's a beautiful time of year! We're getting out and about and enjoying the weather, but parasites like fleas might be enjoying hitching a ride back into your house! Veterinary Parasitologist Dr. Michael Dryden tells us how to protect our pets and our homes. Debbie Martin is a registered veterinary technician specialist in behavior. This week we chat about something we don't think we've ever covered on the show, harness aversion. How do you make sure your pooch is comfortable in their harness and what kind of problems can it cause if they aren't? Debbie shares great tips for all of us. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

The weather is wonderful again and you might just want to get out to the dog park. But what precautions should you take? Is your pet right for the dog park? Robin Bennett is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and she has tips on having fun and staying safe. We're celebrating National Pet Month with Dr. Kurt Venator, Chief Veterinary Officer at Purina. We talk about Purina's commitment to the Purple Leash Project, which is helping fund rehabs so that domestic violence shelters can become pet-friendly. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Our veterans deserve the best for what they have been willing to sacrifice for our country. Studies are showing that so many service people who are suffering after their service is over, could be helped with the aid of a service dog. Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s for Warriors talks to Steve about the work they are doing to provide these much needed animals for veterans. We've learned so much in the last few decades about what we can do to make veterinary visits better for our pets. But it also turns out we can do more to make our homes a fear free place for pets. We learn how when Steve chats with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ken Martin. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Steve has been working for years to do what he can to stop puppy mills, this week he's thrilled to be joined by John Goodwin, who is the Senior Director of the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign at the Humane Society of The United States. Veterinary Parasitologist Dr. Mike Dryden is broadly known as Dr. Flea. This week he gives us all the information we need to know on how to keep those pesky buggers off of our cats and dogs. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

More and more states and cities are banning the practice of declawing cats. Why is this so important and why does it have such a negative affect on cats when their claws are removed? Dr. Kelly St. Denis of the American Association of Feline Practitioners tells us the important issues surrounding this practice. What vaccines should our pets get and when? Veterinary Technician Becky Mossor gives us the scoop on everything we need to know about lifestyle vaccines for our pets. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Spring is in the air - and that means so are mosquitoes! Veterinary Parasitologist Dr. Michael Dryden joins the show to talk about all of the ways we need to protect our dogs and cats from heartworm. Looking for a different pet? Have you heard of a bearded dragon? Dr. Krista Keller joins us to talk about these exotic pets and what we need to know before we decide to make one a part of our family. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We're learning a lot more about Veterinary Technicians this year because of an initiative from the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) which is all about helping us understand their vital role better. Harold Davis, the President of NAVC, joins us to talk about the program. Better results faster. That is what is happening with some new technology that has been developed by Zoetis called VetScan that allows your veterinarian to get test results faster. That means answers more quickly so you and your veterinarian can figure out the best solutions. Dr. Richard Goldstein from Zoetis joins us to explain how it all works. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's Dog Bite Prevention Week and we will do our part by chatting with some important guests. Victoria Stilwell is the host of Animal Planet's, “It's Me or The Dog!” She's also a renowned dog trainer and one of our favorite guests. She'll share ways we can avoid dog bites. Dr. Jose Arce is the President of the American Veterinary Medical Association and he has all the data on dog bites, why they happen, and what we can do to prevent them. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We're going to learn all about pain this week! Deb Dullen is the CEO of a revolutionary company with a product called Pain Trace. By hooking up electrodes to our pets we can measure the pain signals their brain is sending and receiving. We'll learn all about how this works and how this can help us treat pain that our pets can be so good at hiding from us. The legendary Dr. Elizabeth Colleran is with us to talk all about arthritis in our aging cats. Our cats are living longer than ever before but that also means they are suffering more like us that ever before as they age. Dr. Colleran will tell us what to look for and how we can make their lives better. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Spring is here and we're doing more outside with our dogs, or maybe we're starting to travel and our furry friend is staying at a kennel. Either way there is risk for exposure to bordetella, also known as kennel cough. There are ways we can protect our dogs from this, and we'll hear how from Dr. Mike Lappin. We've got celebrity veterinarian Dr. Evan Antin with us on the show today. He cares for all sorts of pets in practice in California but he also travels the world taking care of all sorts of endangered species and shedding light on the plight of many of these creatures. We'll chat about his adventures as detailed in his book, "World Wild Vet."" Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

What are you putting in that bowl? What should we be looking for when it comes to feeding our pets? Boarded Veterinary Nutritionist Dr. Lindsey Bullen tells us about the science behind the way we feed. It's been the most popular and maybe the most controversial subject in pet care for the last few years. What can CBD do for pets? Dr. Eleanor Green joins the show to talk about the newest company doing research into CBD and pets.

Our pets are living longer than ever before and that means we need to make sure to get them all the proper help they need as they age. Dr. Heidi Lobprise joins Steve to talk about taking care of our senior pets. We talk a lot about what we feed our pets, but what about how we feed our pets? We're talking food bowls on today's show with Veterinary Nutrition Technician Kara Burns. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

So many new pet parents since the pandemic began! What do first time pet parents need to know? Dr. Mark Russak shares tips for starting out right with that new family member. We're heading down south to what Steve thinks is the best Cat Cafe in America. We chat with Celyta Jackson, owner of the South Beach Cat Cafe. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

"It's Never Long Enough." That's the poignant title of the new book by Dr. Mary Gardner, co-founder of Lap of Love. She has spent her career making end of life care better for pets and pet parents and now she has written the definitive book on the hardest part of having a pet as a member of your family. Mikkel Becker is a nationally renowned dog trainer and part of the Fear Free family. Today she joins Steve to talk about all of the ways we can make a stress free home for our pets through the website fearfreehappyhomes.com Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

He's a famous name in the pet industry and even to many pet owners. Mark Cushing is the author of the book, "Pet Nation: The Love Affair That Changed America." He joins Steve to talk about the latest with all of our pet parents. Dr. Molly McAllister is the Chief Medical Officer at Banfield. She chats with Steve about the importance of annual veterinary visits as well as why wellness plans might be a good option for some pet parents. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

So many new pet parents after the pandemic, do we all know what kind of things we need to do to take the best care of our new pets? Dr. Courtney Campbell joins us to talk about building a better home with our pets. The largest veterinary conference in America just concluded - VMX. Gene O'Neill, the CEO of the company that puts on the show - The North American Veterinary Community, talks about the exciting news that came out of this year's show. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's been known for some time that domestic abuse victims often stay in their homes because they would have to leave their pets behind. Purina in partnership with Red Rover, launched the Purple Leash project a number of years ago to help domestic abuse shelters become pet friendly. Now they have given out over two million dollars in grants. Nicole Forsyth, President and CEO of Red Rover, tells us about their mission and the progress that's been made. It's February and so we celebrate National Pet Dental Health Month. Dr. Jose Arce, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, chats with Steve about the importance of keeping up with our pets' oral health. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

As we reflect upon the incredible success of the #BettyWhiteChallenge we talk about one of Betty's favorite animal support organizations with Tiffany Grunert, the President and CEO of the Morris Animal Foundation. Veterinary Technicians have never gotten their due. Today Dr. Dana Varble of the North American Veterinary Community tells us all about the amazing work of Vet Techs and why they are so vital to the exams our pets get at the veterinary office and their long-term health. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Dogs can be aggressive towards one another. How do we change this behavior whether within our own household or with dogs in the neighborhood? Dr. Marsha Reich joins the show to talk about ways to keep peace among the dogs. She was Miss America in 1990, became a veterinarian, and for decades has been a journalist. Now Dr. Debbye Turner Bell talks to us overcoming failures and doubts in her new book, "Courageous Faith: A Lifelong Pursuit of Faith Over Fear." Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Breed bans are a too common problem for many people who want to rent apartments or homes. Many of these rules are just too arbitrary or based on faulty information. Stacey Coleman of the Animal Farm Foundation chats with Steve about the ongoing troubles people can face when landlords are deciding what pets can and can't be allowed. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is one of the most common reasons younger cats die too soon. There has been a ton of research and some recent breakthroughs in fighting this disease. Dr. Elizabeth Colleran joins Steve to share the latest. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's a very sad week for us here at the show as we remember our good friend, and best friend to animals everywhere, Betty White. On this week's show Steve reminisces with stories of his interactions with Betty and we replay a portion of one of our many interviews with her over the years. Most of the country is seeing its first blast of very cold weather. Dr. Adam Christman joins this week's show to share some tips on keeping our four-legged friends safe in this frigid weather. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We welcome in 2022 by looking back at some of the highlights of the past year. 2021 saw the first ever International Human-Animal Bond day. We learned why it's so important we protect our pets from Leptospirosis. We learned so much more about our cats from the new book from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists' titled, Decoding Your Cat. We remembered 9/11 and the human and four-legged heroes who searched for survivors on the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. And Steve even got to chat with Hollywood Royalty. Join us as we look back on the year that was.

It's that time of year and Steve is excited to perform his annual rendition of A Pet's Night Before Christmas. We all know that second-hand smoke is bad for us, but what about our pets? Carol Southard is a Registered Nurse and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist and she lets us know why we want to keep our pets away from second hand smoke too. Zoonotic disease is a term we will continually hear more and more about. Dr. Jennifer Chatfield will talk to us about these diseases that can be passed from animals to humans and why we need to protect our pets (and by extension ourselves) from many of these all too common diseases. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We're all stressed out, there's no denying it. Between the pandemic and how that has changed our lives along with the regular stress of day-to-day life, now we have the holidays. Can the stress we are feeling be passed to our pets by us? Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Marie Hopfensperger chats with Steve about how we stress out our pets as well as some ways we can help them feel more calm. There's a new comic book that pet lovers can really rally around. Here Comes Calico is the first in a series of comics about a new superhero who goes after anyone who abuses animals. And proceeds from the comic are benefiting groups that make a difference in stopping animal abuse. The author, H.H. German joins Steve to talk about this new pet hero. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

One of the most common cancers our dogs face is mast cell cancers. These can result in surgery and sometimes even amputation. There is a new drug called Stelfonta that recently came to market that can help some cases avoid those outcomes. Dr. Andrew Mills is a veterinarian in Indiana who has had a chance to use the product and he'll tell us about the results he has found. As the end of year holidays approach you might be doing more traveling with your pets. That can mean more stress for them - and that means more stress for you! Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter joins Steve to talk about ways you can help your pets be less stressed when visiting friends and family for the holidays. Steve has holiday safety tips and helps listeners by phone and email.

The most wonderful time of the year is here, and what better time to start thinking about what you want to do for your furry family member for the holidays. Stacie Grissom of Bark Box joins the show to talk about some great gifts for dogs. Our active dogs can get injured just like we do when we play sports or partake in strenuous activities. Steve is joined by Dr. Leilani Alvarez, head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Animal Medical Center of New York. She talks all about the different types of rehab our canine athletes can need. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's becoming an annual event - we reveal the list of America's rattiest cities. This can be important to the life of you and your pets because rats help spread leptospirosis, and our dogs can actually help spread that to us! Dr. Natalie Marks tells us all about the dangers of Lepto and how we can avoid it in the first place. So you want to add a new cat to your home? One of the biggest keys to expanding your feline family is making sure that the new cat and the current cat can get along. Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter has tips for making your house a happy house for your entire family. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

We're counting down the days to the National Dog Show presented by Purina, airing at noon on Thanksgiving Day on NBC. With over 30 million people tuning in annually, it's one of the biggest television events of the year. Co-host John O'Hurley joins us to talk about what makes this show so special. We want our pets safe and happy during the holidays and certainly not overstressed. Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Marie Hopfensperger shares tips for keeping our furry family members happy when life gets disrupted. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

It's almost time! Thanksgiving is coming and that means The National Dog Show presented by Purina! David Frei is the host with the most and he'll drop by to tell Steve what we can expect from this year's show. The holiday season also means travel! Many of us will be traveling to see family for the first time in a very long time. If our pets are coming with us, how can we make sure they enjoy their time without getting too stressed. Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter shares tips that will help. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

This Monday (11/8) is the first ever International Human-Animal Bond Day! Steve is joined by Dr. Mark Johnston and Dr. Patrick Flynn to talk about why the bond is so important to our lives and our relationships with our companion animals. We continue our conversation with Dr. Ashley Bourgeois about our pets and allergies and what we can do to treat them. Steve helps listeners by phone and email.

Our pets get allergies too! But if your pet is scratching, does that necessarily mean they are allergic to something? And if so, what is it? Is it environmental or is it a food allergy? Boarded Veterinary Dermatologist Dr. Ashley Bourgeois joins Steve to give us the 101 on allergies and how to treat them. Our pets got very used to us being home all the time. If you are suddenly back at work and out and about more your dog could be suffering. Malena DeMartini-Price joins us to talk about her book: "Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Next Generation Treatment Protocols and Practices." Steve has last minute Halloween safety tips and helps listeners by phone and email.