Resources for Pet Owners
See Also: Local Resources specifically for Frankfort Area Residents
Blogs About Pets
Diary of a Real-life Veterinarian
The blog "Diary of a Real-life Veterinarian" is written by Krista Magnifico, DVM. In her post she offers what the title suggests, stories about her experiences as a small animal vet. She provides interesting writing about real-world situations, along with occasional advice for pet owners.
Animal Legal Defense Fund Blog
The ALDF Blog posts information about current animal issues. These informative articles keep animal advocates and pet owners up-to-date on legal issues involving animals across the United States. Blog content also includes what the ALDF is doing to protect animals and offers ideas on how we can all help.
Horse Listening Blog
The Horse Listening Blog offers entertaining and informative posts about horses, riders and life in general.
Health and Nutrition
American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association, known to industry professionals simply as the AVMA, "acts as a collective voice" for its almost 90,000 members. Industry news and articles on professional development are targeted at the organization's membership. Much of the information on the website is scientific and technical, written specifically for veterinarians. However, the AMVA website also offers a wealth of helpful information for the average pet owner, including tips on how to keep our pets safe and health. From how to prevent dog bites to articles on microchipping, euthanasia, fleas and other parasites, spay and neuter, animal diseases, vaccines and more - this website offers shares reliable fact-based knowledge freely with the general public.
For educators, the AVMA offers twelve lesson plans with activity sheets for children in grades 1-4. These lesson plans focus on teaching children how to become responsible pet owners and help pets remain healthy and safe, what veterinarians do and about animal-human bonding. All the resources are free to download in PDF files.
You can visit the organization's home page for online Pet Care Articles here.
Animal Drugs
Answers provided by the FDA to frequently asked questions about animal drugs.
Human Medications That Poison Our Pets
About one out of four phone calls to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is about a pet consuming human medication, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. Read this list of common drugs the AVMA has compiled as "poison" for our pets.
Pet Health Columns
Written by experts, Pet Health Columns covers a wide range of information on pets. Categories include behavior, cancer care, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, emergency care, infectious disease, neurology, pain management, parasites and toxicology, among others. the website is maintained by the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Animals written about include birds, cats, chickens, dogs, fish, guinea pigs, reptiles, farm animals, small mammals and more. Visit the home page of the website for more information.
Pet Health Information
The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University offers pet owners wealth of resources on pet care, health and nutrition. The website has specific sections tailored for Dog Owners, one for Cat Owners, one for Exotic Animals, one for Equine and Large Animals Owners and one about Farm Animals. You can visit the home page of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine for more information.
Legal Resources
Animal Welfare Laws and Regulations
This resource contains information on laws involving animal welfare from the United States and Great Britain, as compiled by the Animal Legal and Historical Center, a website of the Michigan State University College of Law. The resources include full text of more than 1,200 cases plus tables and maps showing how each of the 50 states deals with specific concerns. In addition, current news about animal welfare and anti-cruelty cases are summarized on the site's home page.
Legal Representation for Animal-related Matters
If you need an attorney for reasons concerning your pets, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) offers pertinent information on how to find help. The ALDF, a top-rated nonprofit organization founded in 1979, seeks to protect animals by utilizing the legal system.
Pet Safety
First Aid and Medical Emergencies
Written by veterinarians, this is a comprehensive guide for pet owners on how to deal with situations that require first aid. Organized by type of emergency, topics include choking emergencies, bandaging, bee stings and insect bites, cuts, burns, dehydration, fever, fractures, heat stroke, and poisoning, among many others.
First Aid Kit for Pets
The American Red Cross provides a list of supplies needed in a first aid kit for your pets. This list is in a downloadable PDF format. Download the list now.
First Aid Tips for Pet Owners
First aid tips for pet owners provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Preparing for Your Pets Safety in Emergencies
Information on how to care for your pet during emergencies, such as natural disasters and unexpected dangerous situations.
How to Properly Store Your Pet's Medications, Food and Treats
Information in this article provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration includes tips on storing your pet's food, treats and medicines to prevent accidents and help keep it everything fresh. These tips also include what to do if your pet experiences side effects or inadvertently gets into the medication. Information on what to do and how to report problems with pet food is also included in this informative article.
Additional Tips for Pet Owners from the Experts
Vet Visits
The American Animal Hospital Association offer advice to pet owners when visiting the vet in "Get the Most out of Your Pet Visit." From greeting the receptionist to checking out, a typical visit is covered from beginning to end.
Help With Vet Bills
If you're having financial difficulty paying for needed care for your pet, visit the website of the Humane Society of the United States. The humane society offers a list of organizations and other resources that can help with vet bills.
Pet Insurance
The Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine offers unbiased information on pet insurance for pet owners. Check out the "Pros and Cons of Pet Insurance" and "Pet Insurance: Weigh Your Options" for more information.
Free Helpline for Pet Questions
Need a quick answer to a pet question? Try the free help line provided by the Kentucky Humane Society. This service is provided seven days a week between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Questions about cat behavior, dog behavior, spay and neuter services, pet food banks and vaccines, among others are welcome.
Be aware that this phone line is not serviced by veterinarians; therefore no medical advice is given. As always, if you have medical questions about your pets, seek the help of a professional vet.
The purpose of the help line is to offer assistance in keeping pets in their forever homes. The number to call is (502) 509-4PET (4738). This is not a toll-free call from landlines outside the 502 area code.