I suppose this isn't directly related to my job, but I think the concept is one that is of interest to many of my 5 readers so I thought I would share this with you. Long before I became a veterinarian, I was a mini animal rights activist in training. I remember being 6 and hassling my mother mercilessly about her rabbit fur coat: "Eeeeeew mom, that is soooo ugly! Why are you wearing dead bunnies? We live in California! Yuck!" etc etc. She actually stopped wearing it because I hassled her so ... Read more »
Archives for March 2009
Lifestyle
Good stuff
I'm not a fan of tennis balls as dog toys. Few vets are. One, they're a choking hazard. You would be amazed at what a determined retriever can lodge in their gullet. Two, they are TERRIBLE on dog teeth. When a dog chews on something wiry and abrasive, be it their own itchy fur or the felt on a tennis ball, it has a sandpaper effect. The teeth on a chronic ball chewer can be worn down to the gums. It's called attrition, and it's not pretty. That being said, I may not be a fan of tennis balls- ... Read more »
Pet pick of the week: The Blocky Dog 3 way leash
Walking a big dog can be a big proposition. Without the use of my beloved Gentle Leaders, for instance, getting Emmett down the block without dislocating my shoulder was a dicey proposition. And when Mulan was in the mix? Forget it. So yes, I do love the Gentle Leaders, and that is nothing new. But when I saw my friend the trainer walking her rambunctious German Shepherd on a clever 3-way leash, I had to know what it was. Check this baby out- the Blocky Dog Lock n Lead has two features that ... Read more »
Pet pick of the week
I live in a pretty warm climate, and it's a common occurrence for me to be in a hot parking lot calling the cops on a dog panting away in a boiling car. Conversely, it's hard for me to forget the story of the dog abandoned in a van in a New Hampshire airport parking lot in the dead of winter, who miraculously survived. It amazes me how many people seem to think non-humans are somehow immune to the effects of temperature. Granted, the types of people who make poor choices like that are not the ... Read more »