Lifestyle
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Dr. V | Tuesday | February 21, 2012 |
Eye exams for animals are a little different than they are for people. Sure, you can examine the physical structures of the eye and evaluate its anatomic vigor, but figuring out just how well your pet sees is a little more tricky. We can’t exactly sit them in front of one of those big eyeglass flippy things (I’m sure they have a name, but I never bothered to ask) and get the dog to tell us which is better: This, or….THIS?
Nonetheless, the ubiquitous eye chart is synonymous with the doctor’s office. To that end, Local Paper Studio has created two charming eye charts- one for dogs, and one for cats- that might not reveal whether or not your lab is nearsighted, but they will add a touch of whimsy to an exam room, office, or home of a pet lover.
For today’s Giveaway Tuesday, Local Paper Studio is giving away THREE sets of eye chart posters. Gift one to your vet or keep them for yourself! Who can resist the cute? To make it even better, read on for the way they use eco-friendly paper and donate to Best Friends for each sale!
Set of Two 18″ x 24″ Dog & Cat Eye Charts – Standard Size Posters
Designed for veterinary clinics, this set of two posters makes a
perfect gift to say thank you to your favorite vet. They are sure to
get a laugh in waiting rooms or exam rooms. Also fun to share with dog
and cat enthusiasts.
Each poster measures 18″ x 24″ and will fit easily into a standard
size frame. All posters are shipped rolled and are not matted or
framed.
The artwork was printed in the U.S.A. by a Forest Stewardship Council
certified printer, using vegetable inks on 100% recycled paper from
60% post-consumer waste and processed chlorine free. Due to the
environmentally friendly production of this paper, please note that
small amounts of fibers and recycled matter may be visible on the
paper surface.
$1 from the sale of every poster will be donated to the Best Friends
Animal Society. Visit them at bestfriends.org.
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This is a little bit about our studio:
Printed With Love And Care For The Environment And You.
This pledge appears on all of Local Paper Studio’s projects and
summarizes our belief in community, sustainability and giving back.
Our main goal is to give you fun ways to share a little joy with your
family and friends—the people local to you. 100% recycled papers are
used for all of our projects and we work exclusively with eco-friendly
printers located in the U.S.A.
To enter, leave a comment below and make sure you enter here on Rafflecopter! Additional entries available for tweeting the contest. Good luck!
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Dr. V | Monday | February 6, 2012 |
If I seem a little stressed in the next couple of months, I have a good excuse: we are going to try and sell our house. I say “try”, because this is one of those housing markets when upon saying “I’m going to put my house on the market” the universal response is, “Well, good luck with that.”
We’re staying in the area- after seeing all those pictures from Colorado this weekend I think it’s safe to say I am actually quite content here in San Diego, thanks- and the decision is one that has more to do with commutes and schools than anything else. Now, the last time we sold a house was in 2004, and as you probably know, the market was a little different back then. You could put a ramshackle log cabin on the market in 2004 and it would be sold for a ridiculous bucket of money back then. Our place sold in 10 days, to the second person who saw it. Ah, to be back in 2004 again.
Now, buyers are a little pickier. And the prospect of trying to keep a house in showable condition for possibly months, with two messy kids and a really rowdy Golden who would love nothing more than to go nuts each and every time someone comes by, has me in apoplectic fits. Worse than when I was taking the boards, worse than when I was pregnant. I have NO idea how I’m going to do it.
But I have a point here, and my point is: this is how we found ourselves at the mall on Saturday looking at little knick knacks, because my husband decided potential buyers would be impressed by more candles in the house. Now, I am ambivalent about that kind of stuff to begin with, and all I could think while we were wandering through the store was “It won’t matter, there’s no way the house is going to sell and then we’re going to be stuck in this house forever WITH A BUNCH OF EXTRA CANDLES TO HAVE TO STORE” and then I got even more stressed out and couldn’t concentrate. (more…)
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Dr. V | Tuesday | January 31, 2012 |
When I was in school, there was a resident who could best be described as a holy terror. She ate senior students for breakfast, washing it down with the salty tears of our despair when she would mercilessly rip us to shreds in rounds. And hoo boy, did she love me. And by love, I mean, love to rip me up one side and down the other. I was an easy target; I didn’t know much at the time. Her very favorite snack.
“The patient in room two is a….” I studied the chart…”Belgian Mali-noy?”
“Malin-WAH,” she would correct, rolling her eyes. That sort of thing. You had to see her in action to get just how well she did ‘condescending eyeroll’. And then I would make it through the room, and proudly pronounce the next day that there was another Malinois there on the service, only to have her whip out a droll, “No, um, that would be a … Tervuren” plus eyeroll at the senior clinician. While the difference between a Malinois and a Tervuren are now clearer to me, they really weren’t at the time, and well, they are hard to tell apart to the untrained eye.
We don’t learn breed identification in school. We learn it on the fly. We learn that the whatever-it-is in the room has an ear infection, and how to deal with it. It’s much easier in a clinic, where the owner has already filled out paperwork and told at least two other people what breed you are looking at before you go in and mess it up.
It’s still not easy. While this may be easy to ID: (more…)
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Dr. V | Tuesday | January 24, 2012 |
My husband sometimes gently mocks me for my love affair with cards. But I love cards. I love stationery, little joyful repositories for a happy word or two. Who doesn’t love getting a note in the mail? Especially in this day and age when bridal shower invites come over Evite, there is something nostalgic and extra special about getting a real, paper, happy card in the mail.
Unsurprisingly, most of the cards I have in my stationery drawer are of the animal persuasion. It’s not intentional, it just kind of happened. And now I have even more to love: check out the adorable goodies over at Jack’s Master! All the cards are hand-painted, beautifully designed, and made to be admired.
The collection goes much further than just dog-friendly designs, as you can see at the Etsy Shop; but obviously you know where I gravitate. 
A portion of all proceeds go to the ASPCA as well, to make your heart melt even a little bit more.
Want to make someone’s Valentine Day a little brighter? I have an awesome giveaway for you. FIVE winners will each get two dog-themed lovely cards, in your hot little paws in time for V-Day itself.
Got a secret crush? Who will you send your Valentine to?
To enter:
Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget- leave a blog post comment, and like Jack’s Master on FB. Note: If you just click that you left a blog post comment but didn’t actually do it, you won’t win.
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Dr. V | Tuesday | January 17, 2012 |
We go through a lot of dog toys in these parts, and I can say with confidence that Brody has yet to come across a Kyjen toy he didn’t love. They’re fun, they’re well-made, and they have interesting configurations that engage the dog in a way different from standard toys, either with a big mat of squeakers or hidden eggs or an unusual food puzzle. To this day Brody’s penguin egg is the only toy I have actually ordered replacement parts for. He loves it that much. So today, I’m happy to be giving you all several opportunities for some fantastic goodies from this great company.
The first giveaway is for an Excursion Dog Backpack, size M. I actually used this as a demo in the news story I’ll post the video of tomorrow, so the tag is removed. It’s a great backpack and I was tempted to not give it away, but the medium is for a size 18-50 pound dog so Brody really needs a large. I’m sure one of you will have lots of good times with it backpacking in Nepal or something along those lines.
The second giveaway is for not one, not two, but THREE random selections of Kyjen goodies. Each of the three winners will each get three items that could be any combination of the following: (more…)
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Dr. V | Tuesday | January 10, 2012 |
You know by now how I feel about cutesy pet stuff, right? I mean, it has its place, but as far as my own tastes go I’m constantly on the lookout for something that falls on the sleeker end of things. (This from the person who bought a dinosaur barrette from Anthropologie, so take it with a grain of salt.)
But I digress. When it comes to pets, function still has to have a place over form, or you end up like me with a nice wooden bowl holder that is chomped to bits within a few weeks. So when I see a product that has both form and function, I get admittedly disproportionately excited. I can’t help it.
I recently received a bowl from ModaPet (“Moda” means fashion in Italian, for those keeping track) and I’m hooked. So hooked that I want you to have one too. I’m giving away one ModaPet bowl in the happy Sunflower color.
Form: This particular bowl is a 4 cup version, enough for even the big pooches like Brody and Koa, and comes in a variety of jewel tones like orange, teal, and red. They have the weight of a heavy ceramic bowl, but with the look of glass. They’re pretty enough that my daughter put a handful of flowers in them before realizing they were actually a dog dish. And somehow despite this fragile appearance, this is a bulldog of a bowl.
Function: ModaPet bowls are made of BPA free plastic that is dishwasher safe. The sturdy soft plastic bottom makes it skidproof, and because it is molded on as opposed to being glued on, it will hold up through multiple go rounds in the washer. This puppy is heavy. Even Koa leaves it in place, and I’ve seen her push steel bowls clear to the dining room when she’s in an eating frenzy.
I really like these bowls an awful lot, and I’m not one to wax poetic about eating implements, usually. So here is your chance to have a lovely bowl all for yourself, and you can impress your guests with your Italian designed dog ware to distract them from the Italian shoes they just trashed. Well, at least that’s what I did.
To enter, you know the drill! Comment on who you would like this bowl for, and make sure you enter on the Rafflecopter widget. US/Canada only, please.
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Dr. V | Friday | December 30, 2011 |
I can hardly believe it myself, but I’ve just passed the thousand post mark on the blog. That’s a lot of hammering on the keyboard. What a cool benchmark to ring in 2012! Thank you for sticking with me through all of it- the good, the sad, and the goofy.
I know lots of you are reading this from chillier climates than mine, so to celebrate, we’re having a giveaway of one Original Goose Down Filled Doggie Coat from Joy Pet Products!
Our Original Goose Down Filled Doggie Coats are so unique they have two US Patents! Filled with 550 fill power white goose down – no inexpensive feather down blends here – the Original Goose Down Filled Doggie Coat features cozy fleece reversing to water resistant nylon for two different looks. Quick and easy on and off with two secure Velcro closures. Offering a very adjustable fit, easy wash and dry care and plenty of hip coverage, this coat will help keep your best friend warm and dry when temperatures dip. Smaller sizes are available with an opening for the lead to pass through. Sizes XS through XL. Made in Canada or USA .
These coats normally retail for $79- $100, but there’s a huge end-of-the-year sale going on right now, so even if you don’t win the giveaway, this is a chance to get a coat for HALF off! Almost makes me wish we lived somewhere it snowed, because Koa would look stunning in leopard print. I’m just sayin’.
Enter below! For the blog comment just let me know who you want to win this for. Winner will notify Joy Pet Products of the size (size chart here) and Joy Pet Products will choose the color from available stock. Good luck!
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Dr. V | Thursday | December 22, 2011 |
The holidays are right around the corner- and to celebrate I have the first of a series of giveaways running between now and the New Year!
To kick us off, I have TEN chances to win either:
So here’s the interesting thing about pet food nutritionists, and this is the same across the board in terms of the big companies I have talked to: they don’t mind corn. They have in front of them the data from years of research and can say with assurance that based on science, it’s not an evil thing.
But here’s the other thing: there are lots and lots of people out there who do not like corn, and no matter what the studies may say, it is not an ingredient they want to feed their pet, for a variety of reasons.
I get both sides, actually. I like data and numbers and science but I also can’t help but intuitively feel certain ways about foods based on my own anecdotal experiences, and at the end of the day, I still encourage people to trust their instincts, as long as they are leading you in the right direction.
I am a veterinarian with a scientific mind sometimes, but I’m also a person who does exactly what drives scientists batty, which is ignore studies and go with my gut. Why not? As long as it’s balanced either way, companies would be out of their minds not to give people what they want. That is what sells.
So I’m happy to see Hill’s add meat first, grain-free, no corn products to their line, because it means this: companies are listening to what consumers want. And the more options there are out there for consumers, the better, I say.
Hill’s has provided me with ten coupon codes, each of which are good for a 12-15 pound bag of either of the above diets from Pet Food Direct. (Note: the dog diet is grain free, but the cat one is not. Check the links for full information.) The coupon code includes shipping, so each is a $49 value.
Want to try it out? Or if not, want to give a bag to a friend or your local shelter? It’s easy to enter, but do it while you’re thinking of it: the codes expire 12/31/11 so this is a short giveaway ending 12/27.
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Dr. V | Wednesday | December 21, 2011 |
It’s not too late to grab some last minute goodies for your pup if you’re like me and still scrambling to get things together between now and Sunday! If you’re still looking for some ideas or stocking stuffers, here are the products I’m featuring this morning with Santa on Fox 5 San Diego’s morning segment:
Freeze-dried treats are the perfect choice for those who like an all-natural, no filler sort of treat. Just freeze-dried chicken, salmon, or beef with no added sugars or grains. These are also a good choice for a training treat! Available at Petco and other large pet retailers. (more…)
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Dr. V | Monday | December 12, 2011 |
Here’s the thing about dog shows: They are a to-do.
I’m not the pro source about dog shows, as you know. I’m learning as I go, and the more I learn, the less I know. It’s fascinating, the work that goes into becoming a champion, the hours spent grooming and training and driving from place to place and competing in the hunt for titles. But at the end of the day, for me, it boils down to this: people who are really into showing dogs are absolutely, 100% nuts for canines.
And that I get. I took that love and channeled it in my own way, by learning how to take a sick dog and make him better, to cut out offending masses, make them happy, and keep them healthy. Others do it by funneling their time into rescuing abandoned dogs from shelters. And this group does it by taking their personal favorite breed and making them exceptional. But we’re all facets of the same die: people who believe that dogs are important, and worthy of our time and attention, and whatever path that means for you, I admire it. Because there is another option, and that is to be apathetic. And that, my friends, is the root of a lot of pain for our canine friends. (more…)
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Dr. V | Thursday | December 8, 2011 |
When my husband and I were dating, we took a trip to Vancouver. One of the things you can do there is take a horse drawn carriage ride around the park.
“Let’s go,” I said. “That will be romantic.”
“Oh, I’m allergic to horses,” he said.
“Come on,” I wheedled. “You can sit in the back. You don’t have to go near them. PLEEEASE!” And because he is a good guy, he said OK.
About halfway through, I looked over at him, wondering why he was so quiet. “I need to get off,” he choked in a high pitched voice. “I…can’t….breathe.”
So off we went, having to navigate back to the park entry by foot, me weighed down by the large weight of the “HEEL” emblem replacing my head. I figured he was allergic to horses the way he was allergic to cats, a minor inconvenience, but apparently it was the kind of asthmatic reaction that can send someone to the ER.
People with pet allergies face a lot of struggles trying to figure out what the best response is to them. For many, antihistamines do the trick. Others have to get allergy shots. For many people, it’s a small price to pay for keeping a loving pet in the home.
When I was at Rug Doctor last month, we had a great presentation from Joy Krieger of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation. According to their website, for about 20-30% of people with asthma, cat contact can trigger a severe asthma attack. It’s nothing to mess around with, and for this reason many allergists flatly recommend people not have cats in the house if someone in the house is asthmatic.
The reality is, many people see this as a last ditch effort and try everything in their power to manage their allergies before removing a pet from the house. And lots of those people, fortunately, are successful. In addition to medical treatments, science has made environmental management an easier proposition, from home HEPA filters to house cleaners that bind allergens to more easily make them removable. I’m amazed at the dedication many people have to keeping their pets in their home, and I’m so glad there are options out there.
I know in my case, I would do any and all of the above if I had a pet allergy, but I would be beside myself if my child’s doctor told me I was risking their health.
What do you do when it’s your child that’s allergic?
My heart breaks for people who have to rehome an animal because of pet allergies. I would gladly do anything in my power to keep a pet when it’s my own health I’m compromising, but what is a parent to do when a doctor looks them in the eye and says, “Your child has asthma. You can’t keep your pet”? It’s a terrible position to be in as a parent, and one with which I have nothing but sympathy. They are damned if they do and damned if they don’t in most cases. I don’t know of anyone for whom it was an easy choice.
Anyone here have to deal with pets and/or kids and allergies? What did you end up doing?
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Dr. V | Monday | November 28, 2011 |
Welcome back! Hope everyone here in the States had a lovely Thanksgiving. And in celebration of that and all the work it took the rest of the weekend to put the place back together, a post about cleaning products, something with which all pet owners are all too familiar.
I bought my car six years ago. Six years ago, I was obsessed with the idea of a black car with a beige interior. Sleek. Contemporary. Gorgeous. Six years ago, I was also very naive, with a nine month old who had yet to start throwing stuff on the floor and leaving red crayons on the seat.
So now, two kids and two dogs later, my beautiful beige car interior can best be described as “house of horrors”, a visual timeline of every insult that has been heaped upon it in the last half decade. No matter how much we try to stay on top of it, it’s a lost cause. It’s quite sad. I’ll come back to this in a minute.
A couple of weeks ago, Rug Doctor invited me to St. Louis to tour the factory and learn some more about their products. I figured hey, why not? I have an incontinent dog and two little kids and a spraying cat, so we definitely are familiar with carpet cleaning.
OK, so I’ll never be one of those Price is Right spokesmodels. But you’ve seen these displays in your grocery store, right? They’re everywhere.
I’ve rented the machines before, though not as often as the every 3-6 months (gulp) it’s recommended that you clean the carpets. I suppose I haven’t put much thought into the mechanics of getting a carpet clean, but Rug Doctor has.
Each Rug Doctor machine has three components: the spray hose, which shoots the cleaning product into your rug; the vibrating brush, which vibrates at 1700 vibrations a minute, and the vacuum hose, which pulls everything back out. Compared to what I usually do when there’s a spot on the rug, this is the mega-nuclear cleaning approach. Seek and destroy.
There are two main keys to getting the rug clean: The machine and the cleaning product you use in it. Here’s a nice tan rug, right? Remember this.
We got a demonstration from engineer Jason Hill, who told us about lift- the industry standard for suction. It’s near impossible to describe suction in a positive way that does not have some sort of inappropriate connotations, so let’s just leave it at “they demonstrated convincingly the superiority of this product’s ability to lift all sorts of garbage from your carpeting.” They run those motors to failure in the lab, just so they know before sending them out to stores how many hours of use they can expect (it’s about 1400, if you’re wondering.)
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