Pet Health

In this segment Pooches at Play Co-host Lara Shannon meets up with George Sofronidis from Orivet Pet Care to talk about the benefits of a DNA test for your dog or cat and how knowing your dog's breed can help identify and address problem dog behaviour issues. The benefits of a DNA test for your dog or cat can help identify the mix of breeds...

Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) not only affect us humans, but  Cystitis and UTI's in dogs is also common and the causes are numerous. A healthy urinary tract is sterile. UTI’s occur when an infection of the urinary tract is present, most commonly this involves an overgrowth of bacteria in the bladder. Bacteria cause inflammation in the bladder, this is...

The term “clean eating” has become a popular buzz word for a particular type of healthy eating and, this term refers to a diet made up of eating whole foods, or "real" foods and superfoods for dogs. Meaning those that are un- or minimally processed, refined and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible. This term can also be applied to...

It is estimated that there are around 25 million pets in Australia, and it’s no wonder since they bring us so much joy. Sadly though, with this joy also comes pain, as their lifespan is often much shorter than our own. So how do we farewell our loving companions deserving of all the unconditional love they have given to us over their life? The answer...

Pooches at Play co-host and dog trainer, Lara Shannon, joins the Studio 10 panel to discuss the importance of keeping your dog cool in Summer and provides her top tips to help keep pets safe. With temperatures soaring around the country over  recent weeks and news headlines revealing dogs are still being left in cars and dying due to heatstroke, it's important to understand why...

Dogs provide us with an array of physical and mental health benefits, so in this segment Co-Host Lara Shannon finds out how owning a pet can help people that suffer depression, loneliness and other feelings of isolation. She talks with Michelle Goff from mental health charity, Livin and Kate from Kalmpets in WA to delve into the mental health benefits of owning a dog.

Being healthy physically, feeling connected to others and having fun are important to our mental health as is having sense of meaning and purpose in life.  On the other side a few of the more significant contributors to mental ill-health are being sick and tired, and feeling lonely and isolated. Interestingly, owning a pet can address all these issues in a positive way and can...

In this segment Pooches at Play Co-host Lara Shannon talks with Chris Essex from Big Dog Pet Foods about why he believes feeding your dog a raw food follows the evolutionary dog diet from since they were in the wild. He discusses the benefits of a raw food diet for dogs and the key ingredients that dogs need in their diet to maintain their health...

Dr Melissa Meehan discusses the main causes of dogs in road accidents, the main injuries they receive and tips for keeping them safe during thunderstorms, fireworks and other event triggers. As well as the importance of having Pet Insurance for when things go wrong.

Learn about identifying and treating cancer in dogs with Dr Melissa Meehan on Episode 1 of Pooches at Play Series One. She talks through how to recognise the symptoms, when to visit your vet and the importance of having pet insurance to help ensure you're adequately covered in a time of need. You can also read her article on this topic here.