When I put my daughter to bed tonight, she was sobbing. "What's wrong?" I asked, giving her a hug. "I'm sad because Koa's going to die," she cried. "Koa's not going anywhere for a long time," I responded. "Why do you think she's going to die?" "Because she ate a grape my brother dropped on the floor today!" she said, hiccuping at the pent up emotion this confession was eliciting. I admit, I may have slightly exaggerated the immediate consequences of grape ingestion with the kids in ... Read more »
Archives for August 2010
Health
Vaccinations for Your Dog: A Complex Issue, by Nancy Kay, DVM
Today I am delighted to have a guest post from Dr. Nancy Kay, a veterinary internist and author of the must-have guide for being a good health advocate for your pet, Speaking for Spot. In today's post, Dr. Kay gives some tips for how to wade through the complex issue of pet vaccination and what you can do to make the decisions that are right for you and your pet. Thank you so much Dr. Kay! During my last year of veterinary school, I recall how scary it was when a new canine ... Read more »
National Drag Your Cat to the Vet Week
We now interrupt my special vacation guest postings for a regularly scheduled posting- but it's for a good reason. August 16th-22nd marksNational Take your Cat to the Vet Week, a reminder to all us cat owners that despite what your cat may tell you, they really should get a vet checkup at least once a year. Cats are masters of disguise, which is something I repeat regularly to owners who just can't figure out how the cat who was acting normal last month now has raging diabetes or a thyroid ... Read more »
The Biggest Loser- Dog Edition!
When I was in my senior year of vet school, a beagle presented to the orthopedics service for a surgery consultation. The complaint: My dog can't walk. The door opened, and in walked a person, dragging a little red wagon behind her. Splayed out inside was the most obese pet I have seen in my life: a 68 pound beagle. His eyes, nearly buried in layers of fat, peeked out sadly as he huffed and puffed, pleading: help. The surgeons rolled that dog right on out of the room and down the hall to ... Read more »