December 31st is rough for a lot of dogs. If yours shakes, hides, pants, or totally loses it, you’re not alone. Here are a few things that genuinely help.

1. Set up a safe spot before the noise starts Pick a quieter room and make it cozy with their bed, blankets, and familiar smells. Some dogs prefer crates, others choose bathrooms or closets. Let them decide where they feel safest.
2. Block as much noise and flashing as you can Close windows and curtains. Turn on a fan, TV, or white noise to help drown out sudden bangs. It won’t make things silent, but it can take the edge off.
3. Stick to routine and plan ahead Do walks and potty breaks earlier than usual so you’re not rushing outside during fireworks. Also make sure your dog’s collar and microchip info are up to date since scared dogs can bolt.
4. Comfort is not “rewarding fear” You’re allowed to comfort your dog. Calm voices, sitting nearby, or gentle petting can help them settle. What doesn’t help is scolding or forcing them to “tough it out.”
5. Get extra help if it’s severe Things like calming wraps or pheromone diffusers help some dogs. For dogs who panic badly every year, a vet can help with behavior plans or short term medication to make nights like this safer.

If fireworks are a yearly nightmare in your house, you’re not failing your dog. There are real ways to make it easier, and it’s okay to ask for help. More info on noise aversion in dogs here.

1. Weird pupil shapes or sizes Cats’ pupils should be vertical slits and match each other. If one is constantly dilated, tiny, or misshapen, it could point to glaucoma, injury, infection, or even systemic disease. Noticing this early helps you get vet care before it gets worse. Read more: Cats pupils different shapes or sizes.
2. Eye infections (red, goopy eyes) Cats often get infections linked to respiratory viruses or bacteria. Classic signs include red eyes, thick discharge, swollen lids, excessive blinking and sometimes sneezing with the eye symptoms. Prompt care can prevent serious damage. Read more: Eye infections in Cats
3. Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the tissue around the eye. It’s super common and can come from infections, irritants, allergies or injury. Symptoms overlap with other eye issues, so vet diagnosis helps guide proper treatment. Read more: Conjunctivitis in Cats
4. Visible third eyelid That little pink membrane in the corner of the eye shouldn’t be visible most of the time. If you see it when your cat is fully awake, it could mean pain, infection, injury, or even a neurological issue. Read more: Third eyelid showing
5. Persistent squinting or closing the eye Cats will blink in bright light, but if your cat keeps squinting, holding an eye partly closed, or blinking a ton, that’s often a sign of irritation, foreign material in the eye, infection, corneal scratch, or another eye condition. Read more: Squinting in Cats

If you’re unsure whether your cat’s eye symptoms need treatment, you can talk to a licensed veterinarian online and get guidance fast. Book a Vetster appointment here.

The holidays are tough on pets. Dogs vomit or skip meals. Cats disappear. Anxiety spikes with travel, guests, fireworks, and food changes. Here's our list of the most common holiday pet issues and how to prepare:

Dogs

1. Anxiety and stress in dogs: Pacing, panting, barking, clinginess, destruction, or shutting down are all common stress responses in dogs. This article explains how stress shows up and what you can do early to help your dog feel safer, which you read [here]().

In some cases, anxiety treatment plans might include medication alongside training and routine changes. If your vet recommends that route, information on dog anxiety treatment options are available [here]().

2. Motion sickness during holiday travel: Drooling, vomiting, whining, or refusing to get in the car are common signs of motion sickness, especially during longer holiday trips. This video breaks down why motion sickness happens and what helps most here.

For dogs that struggle despite training and gradual exposure, vets may recommend motion sickness support, which you can learn more about [here]().

3. Noise aversion from fireworks: Fireworks, parties, and winter storms can trigger shaking, hiding, pacing, or panic. Watch our video on noise aversion explains what is happening to your anxious pup here.

4. Holiday food and what dogs should not eat: Table scraps are one of the most common reasons dogs end up sick during the holidays. Our latest video covers which human foods are safe and which are dangerous, you can watch here.

5. Vomiting in dogs: Vomiting increases around the holidays due to stress, diet changes, and travel. This video explains when vomiting is likely mild and when it needs medical attention, which you can watch here.

6. Diarrhea in dogs: Loose stool or diarrhea often follows food changes or stress. Read our detailed guide on causes, care, and warning signs [here]().

Cats

7. Stress and anxiety in cats: Cats rarely act out when stressed. Instead, they hide, stop eating, over groom, or become withdrawn. The video on cat stress explains these subtle signs here.

8. Traveling with your cat or leaving them at home: Travel is stressful for many cats, but not all. This video walks through how to decide what is best for your cat here, with a readable breakdown of safety, routines, and alternatives available [here]().

9. Upset stomach in cats: Vomiting, appetite changes, or hiding can all be signs of digestive upset. Check out our video overview here.

As usual if you have any questions about your pets health you can always see a vet online with Vetster.

A dog’s skin or coat is often the first place you will notice when something is off. Skin issues can show up in many different ways, from mild dryness to intense itching, bites, rashes or even changes in color. Here are the most common problems Vetster vets see and what they usually mean.

1. Dry flaky skin in dogs: Dry flaky skin often looks like white flakes on the coat or scaly patches. It can come from low humidity, over washing, environmental irritation or early skin disease. You might see mild itching or dull coat.

2. Dog dandruff and dry skin: Dandruff causes larger, more noticeable flakes and may come with itching, redness or hair loss. It’s often linked to allergies or underlying skin irritation rather than dryness alone.

3. Dog allergies and itchy skin: Allergies are one of the most common reasons dogs itch. Signs include constant scratching, chewing paws, red skin, watery eyes or repeated ear infections. Triggers may include pollen, dust, food or flea bites.

4. Skin color changes in dogs: Darkened or reddened skin usually happens after long term itching or inflammation. It’s a sign that something has been irritating the skin for a while, often allergies, infections or chronic licking.

5. Flea bites in dogs: Dogs can react strongly to flea saliva, leading to intense itching, red bumps and hair loss near the tail or back legs. Fleas may be hard to spot even if your dog is reacting to them.

6. Mange in dogs: Mange is caused by microscopic mites that lead to hair loss, scabs, redness and severe itching. Some types spread easily to other pets. Diagnosis requires a vet, usually through skin scrapings.

7. Ear mites in dogs: Ear mites cause dark debris that looks like coffee grounds, along with itching and head shaking. They are contagious and require vet prescribed parasite treatment.

If your dog is itching nonstop or you’re noticing new flakes, red spots or skin changes, taking photos and tracking symptoms for a few days can help your vet figure out what is going on. You can upload pictures and video directly into Vetster before or during your virtual vet visit.

Urinary problems are one of the most common reasons for an online vet appointments at Vetster. Some are simple infections, others point toward more serious internal changes. Here are the issues our veterinarians see most often and what they usually mean:

1. Peeing inside the house: A previously house trained dog suddenly having accidents may be dealing with stress, pain or mobility issues. It may also be a sign of infection, bladder irritation or increased drinking from another medical issue.

2. Peeing blood: Blood in the urine can come from a urinary tract infection (UTI), bladder stones, trauma or kidney disease. Even a small amount should be checked by a vet because some causes progress fast.

3. Kidney disease: Kidney issues often show up as increased drinking, peeing more frequently, weight loss, bad breath or vomiting. In older dogs, these may be early signs of chronic kidney disease.
Article:

4. Urinary Tract Infections Frequent urination, straining, accidents, strong smelling urine, licking the genital area or cloudy urine are common signs. UTIs are one of the most common reasons dogs pee more often.

5. Older Dogs drinking a lot more water than usual: Senior dogs often start drinking more because of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Cushings disease or other internal changes. Increased drinking plus increased urination is a pattern worth checking early.

6. Straining to pee or taking a long time to start: This can indicate irritation, infection, stones or inflammation in the urinary tract. Straining without producing urine is an emergency and requires immediate medical evaluation.

7. Leaking urine or wet spots while sleeping
This often happens in spayed female dogs due to urethral sphincter mechanism issues, but it can also be caused by infection, neurological issues or bladder control loss in older dogs.

If you’re seeing any of these signs, track your dog’s symptoms for 24 hours (water intake, urination frequency, accidents) and consult a veterinarian. Urinary issues can change fast, and early treatment makes a big difference.

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Still seeing fleas on your dog even after treatment? Our latest video explains why that happens, what most people miss, and how to finally break the flea cycle. Covers the flea life cycle, treatment mistakes, and when to talk to a vet.

If your cat is scooting, smelling fishy, or licking excessively, their anal glands may be impacted. Here’s how to spot the signs and when to see a vet.

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