Pawcurious Vet Blog: With Pet Blogger and Veterinarian Dr. V

See you in a bit!

It’s a major award

As we count down the final hours to the Blogathon Extravaganza, I thought you all might like a sneak preview of some of the prizes and awesomeness that will be heading your way here and on other sites during the blogathon.

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Happy surprises part 3: The cooking segment

I wasn’t sure how I could top eating dog food without actually, you know, eating a bully stick or something (NOT gonna happen) but I finally figured out a way to do so without actually going full ‘Fear Factor’.

So for the next day, I need to dream up some delightful recipes using…..da da da….

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Brody, Bradyn. Bradyn, Brody.

I come from a very competitive family, starting from the age of 10 when, in response to something my mother whispered in his ear during a heated ping-pong exchange, my dad brushed off the paddle and said, “I don’t LET anyone win.” Thus began an epic decade long rivalry. I am my father’s daughter- when I set a goal, I plan on reaching it.

So I have a goal this weekend of getting Bradyn as close as possible to getting his service dog. Actually, my sub-goal is to actually get him to the full fundraising quota for his service dog, but I’m not prepared to make that the official goal since I don’t want to be devastated if we don’t quite get there. I take my goals super seriously, people.

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m joined in this by my official Bradyn Brigade of Dr. Crosby, Michelle Maskaly, and Dr. Finch. We are four corners of a lead box housing a laser pointing to our target. Yes. We are aiming to blow that goal away.

As the mom to two young children, one of whom was born one short month ahead of Bradyn, the story of his family just really hit home. His mom Elizabeth is the type of person that you can’t help but like- open, honest with the struggles as well as the triumphs, and madly in love with her little boy. (I think most of you know this by now, but if not: Bradyn’s family is working to raise $13,000 in order to get a seizure alert dog from 4 Paws For Abilities.)

I got to talk with her over the phone a couple of weeks ago to reassure her I wasn’t some creepy dude living in my mom’s basement (always a concern when the net is involved) and it solidified my resolve to help them even more. Without even having to ask, she answered the million dollar question: “We are totally dog people, by the way,” she said. I knew it.

Elizabeth has graciously shared her story with me and now with all of you. I dare you to read it and not want to set this goal on fire. Seriously. Double dog dare you.

Bradyn’s Journey

My perfect baby was born on July 14, 2006. He was beautiful and he was healthy. In fact he was healthy for his first year and most of his second.

In January of 2008 we were living in Arkansas but were at my mom’s house in Dallas for the holidays. The night before New Years he caught a puking bug and was oh so sick. All I really remember from that night was how little he was, we were sitting in a recliner and every 5 or 10 minutes he would reach his little hands out to grab the bowl I was holding so that he could vomit into it. I was kinda amazed that he was able to do that. It was one of those “do I have the smartest child in the universe” moments.

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The Eight Blogeteers

One for all and all for one!

While we hammer out the last minute details for the weekend’s festivities, I wanted to introduce you to the seven other intrepid typists who will be joining me in the quest for enlightenment through sleep deprivation and nonstop online shenanigans.

Although we have a common goal (helping pets) and a common date, the manner in which these women interpret the challenge is very open ended, so I think you are going to see some fantastic stuff coming out of the blogosphere this weekend. There will be giveaways, music, tweets, videos, paint flying about- all in all a true multimedia extravaganza.

If you haven’t met these bloggers yet, here’s your chance: give ‘em a bookmark and prepare to be wowed come Saturday.

AboutVetMed

Name: Dr. Janet Tobiassen Crosby

Blog: Aboutvetmed.com

Known for: Authoring an extensive pet healthcare library over at About.com’s Veterinary Medicine section.

A lesser-known fact: Dr. Crosby is also a talented maker of glass lampwork beads, which are rumored to be a part of the Blogathon giveaway festivities.

Blogging for: 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Bradyn Ferguson (I’m calling this the Bradyn Brigade!)

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Start your engines: Blogathon 2010 is coming!!

Can you believe it? I can’t believe it. It’s only 6 days until Blogathon 2010, Bigger and Better than Ever. I hope you all are going to be around this weekend, because there is going to be a whole lotta stuff for you to check out!

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2010 Blogathon is ON!

For those of you who are new to the blog, let me ‘splain a little pawcurious history:

Last year as I was floating about on the internet, I happened upon Romeo the Cat’s website and his staff’s posting urging us to do something in honor of Animal Shelter Appreciation week, my first foray into Be the Change.

I thought about it. I had one week to plan. I had no real well upon which to draw. All I know how to do is write (well, and spay and stuff but I figured that wasn’t a great fundraiser.) I remembered seeing a LiveJournal friend who participated in a 24 hour blogathon a couple years prior, in order to raise funds for a cause important to her.

Well, I figured, I can do that. And so I did. You can see all 24 posts here. No one else wanted to do it with me (not that I blame them), but I figured hey, maybe someone will come and hang out even though it’s the weekend and maybe I will raise a couple hundred bucks.

I even off-handedly offered to eat some dog food on camera for money. Then Anthony Holloway over at K9 cuisine took me up on it and sent me a sampler box (one vegetarian, one seafood stew, and one unagi and seaweed. Ha ha). And it all took off from there. Note: do not offer to eat anything gross on camera unless you mean it, because someone, somewhere, will pay you to do it. Should have remembered that lesson from How to Eat Fried Worms.

It was a party, I tell you. SO MUCH FUN. We had a kickoff chat, giveaways, sad stories, guest posts, a windup chat, and just an overall blast with all these people I had really got to bond with. We raised $2250, which was then matched by a generous benefactor who likes to remain anonymous (but I posted about him already)- making it $4500 raised, in one day.

Anyway- that is how it began, and it was so fun I’m doing it all again!

Mark your calendars: Saturday, November 13th, starting at 11 am PST!

My goal is to make it epic.

Details below the cut:

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