APEXpert Holistic Paws Care

06/08/2026

The Dog Aging Project

Studying dogs for insights into living longer, healthier lives for both dogs and humans

Dementia results reviewed.

The Dog Aging Project is working to help dogs live longer, healthier lives. The research results may help humans age well, too.

06/07/2026

YES!

Washington D.C. just passed a law that could keep thousands of cats from ending up in shelters.

The Pets in Housing Act, which came into effect in late 2025 and early 2026, addresses one of the most quietly devastating causes of pet surrenders across the United States: housing discrimination against pet owners.

For years, renters in D.C. faced a situation familiar to millions of Americans. They found an apartment they could afford, only to discover that the building either banned pets entirely or charged fees so steep that keeping a cat or dog became financially impossible. Many people, faced with the choice between housing and their animal, had to surrender their pets to shelters.

The new law directly tackles this by banning discriminatory pet policies and improving affordability standards for pet-related housing rules. It also establishes something that has never existed in D.C. before: the city's first pet-friendly homeless shelter. Previously, unhoused residents with pets had no safe option that allowed them to stay together with their animals.

Animal welfare researchers have documented for years that housing instability is one of the top reasons people give up pets. Overcrowded shelters across the country are partly a downstream effect of landlord policies that were never really about safety or property at all. They were about convenience and liability avoidance.

By changing what landlords are legally permitted to do, D.C. is attempting to keep pets with their families in the first place, which is far better for both the animals and the people who love them.

Thousands of cats across the district may never know they were protected by a piece of legislation. But the protection is real, and it matters.

(Source: Pets in Housing Act, Washington D.C., Humane World for Animals, January 2026)

06/05/2026

Another Canadian city is moving to ban cosmetic surgeries on pets.

The city wants to stop painful procedures done only for looks or convenience. This includes declawing cats, ear cropping, and debarking. These procedures have no medical benefit and can cause lifelong pain and stress.

Pets trust people to protect them, not to change their bodies for cosmetic reasons.

For animal lovers, this is real progress. Each city that takes this step brings us closer to a future where pets get the care and respect they deserve.

References:
CBC — Ontario could ban declawing cats, debarking dogs under new regulations
Inside Halton — Ontario considering ban on cat declawing and dog ear cropping
NOW Toronto — New Ontario rules could make declawing cats and debarking dogs illegal

06/05/2026

FERRET ALERT!!

Saying I am thrilled is an understatement. ❤️❤️

It's been a long time since ferrets showed up in the city. Meet our new clients Saber & Rin. Lounging away in their huge cage, but always time to play. Fun fact:

ferrets are highly addictive and such fun animals. Just sayin that I had my share being a ferret pawrent with multiple!

06/03/2026

LOVE S. Boulardii

A new peer-reviewed study found that dogs with severe vomiting🤮 and diarrhea💩 caused by parvovirus recovered approximately 50% faster when given the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii alongside standard veterinary treatment.

Puppies receiving S. boulardii showed significant clinical improvement by Day 2, while puppies receiving standard treatment alone did not show similar improvement until Day 4. Researchers also found that the probiotic reduced key inflammatory markers, improved immune cell counts, and supported recovery from one of the most serious infectious diseases affecting young dogs.

Published in Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, a respected scientific journal focused on animal immune health and disease, the study adds to growing evidence that certain probiotics can do far more than support digestion. They may also help regulate inflammation, strengthen the gut barrier, and improve recovery during serious illness.

Unlike harmful yeasts, S. boulardii is non-pathogenic and does not cause yeast infections. It temporarily colonizes the gut, supports stool quality, helps reduce diarrhea, and is naturally cleared from the body once supplementation stops, essentially acting as a “friendly visitor” for gut health.

That’s why Dr. Karen Becker included S. boulardii in PRIMITIVE PROBIOTICS™, a science-driven blend of probiotic strains designed to support stool quality, strengthen gut barrier integrity, and promote a healthy inflammatory response.

If you’d like to explore a science-backed probiotic option for your dog, comment BETTERBELLY and we’ll send the link straight to your DMs.

06/03/2026

A new peer-reviewed review published by researchers at the University of Illinois examined the health effects of common dog equipment, including collars, harnesses, leashes, and muzzles. One of the most surprising findings was that regular flat collars can increase intraocular pressure (IOP)—the pressure inside the eye—especially in flat-faced breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers. Harnesses did not show the same effect.

Elevated IOP is a major risk factor for glaucoma and other forms of eye damage, and repeated increases over time may place additional stress on delicate ocular structures.

The review also noted that many commonly repeated concerns about collar-related thyroid injury, tracheal damage, spinal problems, and even IOP have limited direct scientific evidence. Rather than disproving these concerns, the authors emphasized how little research has actually been conducted on equipment that millions of dogs wear every day.

This highlights an important reality in veterinary medicine: the absence of published research is not the same as evidence that a problem doesn’t exist. Many functional medicine and integrative veterinarians have spent decades observing patterns in clinical practice long before studies were available to investigate them. Those observations often become the very questions researchers study years later.

Science is essential, but science also has gaps. Some of the most important decisions we make for our animals happen in those gaps, where common sense, clinical experience, pattern recognition, and a commitment to minimizing harm matter deeply. Partnering with a veterinarian who understands both conventional medicine and a broad range of healing modalities can provide a wider lens through which to evaluate risk, support wellness, and potentially avoid problems long before they become scientifically validated. Sometimes the best medicine isn’t waiting for proof—it’s paying attention to what thoughtful clinicians have been seeing all along. Above all, do no harm.

06/02/2026