My 12 year old dog was never touched these treats... that is, until I had to put him on steroids (prednisone) and anti-seizure medications (phenobarbital) that made him ravenously hungry! Previous to his medications, he would turn up his nose to any of Science Diet's dry treats - they weren't palatable, were too hard and dry, and were hard to chew into. Now that he's on his medications, he'll eat them, but with no real zeal. He jumps and begs for other treats, but simply carries these dry, hard treats onto his bed, where he eats them at his leisure.

So, if you have a chowhound who will eat anything, go for it. That said, if your dog has dental disease, I'd avoid them - these treats are so hard and crunch so loudly, I worry it actually hurts my dog's teeth to chew on these.

My dog's review of this treats palatability: two thumbs down.

These adult jerky strips are a HUGE improvement for Science Diet when compared to their DRY Essential Treats. The dry treats are unpalatable, but this moist, chewy jerky strips are much more tasty. My dog loves these, and will beg for them constantly. These treats are about 4 inches X 1 inch in size, so be careful feeding them to really small dogs. Not only is there the potential risk for them wolfing down these treats whole (getting stuck in their esophagus), but they can contribute to obesity when not regulated and adjusted with diet. My dog's vote: 2 thumbs up for palatability. One thumb down for having a huge, long ingredient list.

My 12 year old dog was never touched these treats... that is, until I had to put him on steroids (prednisone) and anti-seizure medications (phenobarbital) that made him ravenously hungry! Previous to his medications, he would turn up his nose to any of Science Diet's dry treats - they weren't palatable, were too hard and dry, and were hard to chew into. Now that he's on his medications, he'll eat them, but with no real zeal. He jumps and begs for other treats, but simply carries these dry, hard treats onto his bed, where he eats them at his leisure.

So, if you have a chowhound who will eat anything, go for it. That said, if your dog has dental disease, I'd avoid them - these treats are so hard and crunch so loudly, I worry it actually hurts my dog's teeth to chew on these.

My dog's review of this treats palatability: two thumbs down.

As a veterinarian, I’ve prescribed a lot of Elizabethan collars (aka “funnel hats”) in my lifetime. These collars are designed to protect pets – not torture them – by preventing them from biting, licking, or scratching certain areas of their body that may be affected by a disease or by a veterinarian’s well-intentioned hands (i.e., a surgical incision, a bad infection, a feeding tube, etc.). Over the past few decades, these Elizabethan collars (or “E-collars”) have steadily improved in quality, color, and patient comfort. E-collars used to be difficult to assemble and opaque. They then improved to clear hard plastic with Hook-and-Loop fasteners (i.e., “Velcro”), making them easy to remove and clean. The newest addition to the e-collar world: Trimline’s blue, soft, flexible collars.

There are several pros and cons of Trimline collars, and in general, I have used them successfully… although mostly in cats. The pros are that Trimline e-collars are soft and comfortable, and easier for pets to maneuver around hard-to-navigate spots (like the covered kitty litter box!) without banging around loudly (scaring the pet in the process). They are also relatively easy to clean – they have a water resistant (read: NOT WATER PROOF), laminated fabric that allows for a quick wipe down (with a damp terry cloth or sponge). The cons: they have a draw string, and some owners don’t apply these correctly (i.e., either too loosely – where a pet can get their jaw, mouth, or paw stuck in the opening or completely remove the collar themselves – or too tightly!). The other con: for serious conditions, these collars may not always cut it (i.e., post-abdominal surgery), but this is highly dependent on the individual animal.  Their last con: the fabric, while soft and light, does have a “crinkling” sound that can frighten cats – although it’s much improved over the hard plastic sound of your cat’s head and collar hitting a wall or the kitty litter box lid.