Nikki Wardle

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” — Confucius. At IPH, we work with the best of society—pets. Those family members (furry, feathery, or scaly) that show us unconditional love and are the most enthusiastic when we get home from work. We not only value the significant impact that pets have on our lives but the special relationship between a pet and its owner.

You are the number one expert when it comes to your dog's number two, so when your fur-baby suddenly stops going, you take notice. 

Allergies are awful and can lead to atopic dermatitis. Atopic derma-what? It's the inherited condition where your pet has an allergic reaction (inflammation or getting itchy) to some kind of allergen. According to the US National Library of Medicine, about 12.5% of felines suffer from atopic allergies, and 10% of canines suffer from atopic allergies. 

Cats were worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, and some would argue that they still should be. And it’s no wonder—cats are a great source of comfort for millions of people, both nationally and internationally. 

February is Pet Dental Health Month, which is a big deal to everyone at Intermountain Pet Hospital. Over the years, we've heard all the reasons why people don't brush their dog's teeth. The most common is "my dog won't let me brush his teeth." Since brushing your dog's teeth is so important and shown to be 80% effective in preventing dental disease, we're going to give you three easy steps to follow to get your pup to love getting his teeth brushed.

Spaying your female canine or feline is one of the best things you can do for your pet’s health. However, pyometra is a disease of which every pet parent with breeding pets needs to be aware. In 2014, the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) found that about 25% of intact female canines are affected by pyometra before the age of ten.

January is “Unchain a Dog Month”, and it is a time to come to the rescue of chained-up dogs.  It is also a time to spread awareness about the damaging physical and psychological effects that chaining has on dogs.

Have you ever been over at a friends’ house and their cat stares at you like you’re their next victim? Or maybe you have a feline furball that randomly yowls and hisses at you 30 minutes after purring and rubbing up against your leg. Could your cat be bipolar, moody, or possibly even worse? Researchers in the UK may have an answer for you: your cat could indeed be psychopathic.

Toys are a necessity for all pets. Toys can provide comfort, entertainment, and even help combat bad behavior problems. So, when choosing a toy for your pup or kitty, you want to make sure it is the correct type of toy, especially for cats, as they are very particular about what toys they will play with.

Humans use our face and body to communicate with other humans non-verbally; dogs use their ears and tails. And the science behind how dogs use their tails to communicate with other dogs, as well as humans is fascinating.

Dogs wag their tails to convey happiness, anxiety, alertness, and most likely a vast array of other emotions. Dogs pick up on each other’s wagging signals that will influence whether they will respond positively or negatively.