10 Things Our Pets Would Tell Us If They Could

We treat our pets like part of the family, but unlike most of us, they can't say all of the things they might like to. Veterinarian and author Bruce Fogle leads us through ten things our pets would tell us if they could.

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1. Dogs and cats are not furry people in disguise. They are wolves and North African wildcats* in disguise.

2. There are more dogs in the United States than there are people in the United Kingdom. There are more cats in the United States than there are people in France.

3. Chocolate in excess is poisonous to dogs--the darker, the more dangerous.

4. A single acetaminophen tablet can kill a cat. Never use human painkillers for cats except under veterinary supervision.

5. Declawing cats is a cultural practice. It is sometimes done in North America, but it's almost unheard of in Europe.

6. Spayed female dogs live on average one and a half years longer than dogs not spayed.

7. Neutering male dogs reduces some forms of aggression, but it does not prolong a dog's life expectancy. However, neutering does help alleviate certain behavior problems and clinical conditions such as prostate enlargement.

8. The Americans with Disabilities Act permits people with disabilities to take their trained service dogs anywhere, public or private, including areas that are off-limits for other dogs.

9. Dog ownership in North America and Europe has declined for the last decade, while cat ownership has increased.

10. The total cost of buying, feeding, and maintaining a dog the size of a Labrador retriever is, on average, equal to the cost of one Starbucks Espresso Frappuccino® a day.

Learn more about man's best friends in Encarta Encyclopedia's articles on Cats and Dogs.

Want to learn even more about pets? Encarta Reference Library, on CD or DVD, includes articles and multimedia about dozens of pet breeds. Order Encarta Reference Library now!

Bruce Fogle is a practicing veterinarian in London, England. With three colleagues he helped set up in 1980 Europe's first emergency and critical care clinic for animals, the Emergency Veterinary Clinic. He is also cofounder, with Beatrice Wright, of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, an organization that trains hundreds of dogs each year for deaf people in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is the largest charity of its kind in the world.

Fogle is also the world's bestselling practicing vet, with books translated into 35 languages. His books include Natural Cat Care, Natural Dog Care, Know Your Dog, Know Your Cat, The New Encyclopedia of the Dog, The Encyclopedia of the Cat, and the K.I.S.S. Guide to Living with a Dog.