Analysis by Dr. Karen Shaw Becker

Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, a proactive & integrative wellness veterinarian. My goal is to partner with pet parents seeking to improve their pet’s overall health & vitality through wise lifestyle choices.

Cat Tips

The Condition Sweeping Across the US Affecting 61% of Cats

It's truly become an epidemic, and like some rogue disease, it can reduce your cat's quality of life and lifespan. Plus, it can be a catalyst for a wide range of degenerative diseases. Here’s how to tell if your cat may be affected, and five things you can start doing today to treat it.

Inspiring Videos

Seven Platypuses Rescued, Then Released Back to the Wild

Animal experts in Australia team up to rescue platypuses threatened by fires and drought.

Dog Tips

If Your Nauseous Pet Could Talk, She'd Ask You for This

Sometimes, our furry friends experience nausea and vomiting from a car ride, feeling anxious, or from an upset stomach. And it's just as miserable for them as it can be for you when you're feeling sick. Help them get relief fast with these five natural remedies, some you can fix right at home.

protecting aging pups brain from dementia

Dog Tips

Protecting Your Aging Pup's Brain From Dementia

The risk for doggy dementia increases 52% with each passing year, and the risk is higher in certain groups of dogs. Taking action now with these dietary and supplement changes and taking these steps to increase physical activity and mental stimulation can help safeguard your pet's brain.

Inspiring Videos

Cats Try Catnip for the First Time

Nine cats are given a small plate of catnip. General consensus: Sniff first, then wear it!

Dog Tips

Was Your Adopted Pet Abused? Here's How to Help Them Cope

Many pets in shelters, rescues, and even adoptive homes have suffered some type of trauma, either physical abuse, lack of proper care, punishment, isolation, or neglect. The telltale signs to look for, 5 ways to create a secure, loving environment, and more.

Dog Tips

Gut Issues? Many Vets Miss the Mark for Effective Treatment

If your dog suffers with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), you've likely been given dietary advice to help repair your dog's GI tract. But is it the best advice, and does it treat the problem effectively? Here's what I prescribe for pups who are vomiting or experiencing other GI symptoms.

Cat Tips

Your Pet's Risk for Disease — Why the Food You Feed Matters

New research shows that it really does matter what you feed your cat or dog. Your pet's gut bacteria are a direct result of the type of food he eats, and the diversity of your pet's microbiome influences his risk for gastrointestinal disorders and other chronic diseases like diabetes.

Dog Tips

How to Avoid a Common but Very Damaging Veterinary Treatment

This often overused intervention can seriously harm your dog's health and lead to a compromised immune system, inflammation, a change in metabolic activity and obesity. Help your dog recover and thrive, and at the same time, improve allergies, diabetes, mood and behavior disorders.

Dog Tips

Which Side of This Salmonella Scare Are You On?

One side claims A, the other side claims B. So how many of the facts are you really getting? And which claim does the new research support? Here's the scoop, but it's something you may not be getting from your current information sources (and should be).

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