Like many pet lovers, I waste a lot of time asking myself the question, if I were an animal, what would I be? It's really not as easy a question to answer as one might think. The obvious first answer, of course, is to look to which kinds of animals you own. There's certainly a correlation there, as anyone who has spent time looking at a veterinary exam room can attest to. The short, squat bulldog owners. The wiry, nervous bird owners. The little wrinkly elderly with the little wrinkly ... Read more »
Giveaway Tuesday: Royal Canin Doggy Day Spa Pack
I have a giveaway today, which is good because I'm as you can imagine a little off my writing game this week. I've been digesting a lot these past few days. Transitions always do that, don't they? So anyway, today we have a giveaway of *two* Doggy Day Spa packs, courtesy of Royal Canin. The dog pack giveaway is being done in celebration of the release of their new X-small dog food, designed for dogs under 8 pounds. I saw this diet for the first time when it was being premiered at Global Pet ... Read more »
Some things never change, until they do
I'm in Boston for my grandfather's service today. Per his request, it will be a low-key affair. Being the exceptionally organized person that he was, my grandfather had planned 95% of the service himself before he left, leaving envelopes to pay his taxes, money to take the family out to dinner after the burial, and strict instructions that we are to finish off the cognac before we leave. It's a bittersweet time. He was the last of my grandparents, and with him passes an era. Or, as my dad so ... Read more »
Elegy for Carl
You know this scene from Up. Unless you were living under a rock back in 2009, you found yourself blindsided when you settled into the movie theater expecting some animated shenanigans, only to have your heart ripped, still beating, from your ribcage, stomped on, wrung out, and rubbed in wasabi for good measure before being unceremoniously deposited in your lap to absorb all your tears. All in the first five minutes. I'm sure there were one or two people out there who didn't sob like a ... Read more »
Scientific progress goes boink: viruses, renal failure, and you
A thin, dehydrated cat presents to the clinic with the complaint of malaise, inappetence, and weight loss. I tent his skin and watch as I let go, the gummy flap at the nape of his neck sitting still instead of snapping smartly back in place. His breath has the sour smell a vet might describe as "uremic", common in cats with renal failure as the kidneys are overwhelmed with their job of filtering waste from the blood. Bloodwork confirms what we suspect: this older cat is in kidney failure, and ... Read more »
You’ve had a bad day
This post is rated PG-13 for talk about the randy elderly, human brains, and jellyfish. Read at your own risk. I've had plenty of bad days at the vet clinic. Like, the kind where you go home, collapse on the couch and hold a pillow over your face while you wonder why you ever thought this line of work was worth the effort you sunk into it. It has highs and lows, more so than lots of other jobs, but that is what makes it interesting, I suppose. But don't worry, I won't be starting your day ... Read more »
Stop lion to me
When I was in college, a friend of mine decided to get a rabbit. She brought it home, purchased all the necessary bunny-equipment, and then about one week in realized she was living with Bunnicula. Far from being the sweet and docile cat-substitute she was hoping for, this bunny was a real demon. It chewed up the carpet. Every time she picked it up, it pooped all over her. When she opened the cage, it would hiss. No, really, it hissed. This was not a nice bunny. I've never met a rabbit who ... Read more »
A few of my favorite things, part 2
Before we head off into the ale-spattered sunset that is St. Patrick's Day weekend, I wanted to share the second half of my very, most favorite things I saw at Global Pet Expo. There was much and more there that I loved to pieces, but I wanted to focus on some of the more unusual products, since it's the unexpected surprises that often delight me the most. Arte House Vintage Prints You all know how much I love art, right? And I'm really picky about the aesthetics of what I put on my walls. ... Read more »
You’re a pain
Count me in as one of the lucky members of the migraine club. Now, I have it a lot better than many- mine hit infrequently, and usually last a day or less. I know for many it is so debilitating that they lose several days when one occurs, lost in a blinding sea of pain and nausea. I had one that bad in my adult life, when I was in New England for a family event. I had forgotten how bad they could be, unaware that something in the swampy Massachusetts air was a trigger. My father- he's the one ... Read more »
Product Review: Kurgo Wander Pack
As you may recall, I spent a good portion of last week curled up in a ball in my bedroom, drowning my sorrows with cough syrup and muddling through a bizarre sequence of subsequent side effects that gave my malarone experience a run for the money. Note to self: I am, apparently, highly sensitive to all medications. That is what I get for trying the Tim Taylor "MOAR POWER" approach to pharmaceuticals and gulping down an extra strength extended release tablet of guafensin and dextromethorphan ... Read more »
Betty White Rocks the Petco Foundation Hope Gala
There are lots of reasons I love living in San Diego. I could go on about it for days- the weather, the pet friendly atmosphere, the tacos... but today, I'm particularly grateful that I live in the same town as the Petco headquarters. For the second year, I was fortunate enough to be extended an invitation to the Petco Foundation Hope Gala. At this weekend's fourth annual gala, the recipient of the Petco Foundation HOPE Award, which celebrates the spirit of hope through a life dedicated to ... Read more »
Global Pet Expo: A few of my favorite things, part 1
I stayed at Global for two out of its three day run, figuring hey, that would be plenty of time to plumb its depths. Yes, well, not so much. It took at least ten minutes just to walk from one side to the other; we're talking 2,452 booths here. And me (yet again) without a good pair of flats. But at least I did bring a fairly decent pair of heels; the stilettos never made it out of the suitcase, sadly. With that many products to check out, I know for a fact I missed more than a few, which of ... Read more »
Contagion
Not much of a post today, I'm afraid. I've spent the last week trundling my youngest back and forth to Urgent Cares, doctor's offices, and emergency rooms (twice in one day! hooray!) as we dealt with an ever-snowballing cascade of viruses, secondary infections, and tertiary allergic reactions to the medications sent to treat the secondary infections. It was a mess. My husband ended up with pneumonia, on the eve of another overseas business trip. And I fought it off as long as I could, ... Read more »
What’s in your meal? Aside from BS
Every now and then I get a sample of food for the dogs to try. As I've said before, I rotate through multiple brands, and if I've written about a specific food on the blog, it's one I've given to the dogs at some point. I don't mind trying new brands- my local pet store just started carrying some new brands this week, and I bought a couple to try out. I'm not averse to new foods, as long as giving the label a good once over doesn't give me reason to feel otherwise. I look for several things: ... Read more »
We Love Pet Products: Caroline and the Barnacle
You all know Caroline Golon, right? She runs the amazing rescue site Romeo the Cat and the wonderful cat resource site The Happy Litterbox and the pet PR site HighPaw and she was one of the co-founder of BlogPaws and she's a great mom to her adorable kiddos and a bunch of other things that, taken in total, make me realize how inadequate my contributions to society have been. Anyway, I make it a goal to surround myself with incredible people like her because I always learn a ton from them- ... Read more »
Starstruck at Global, or, why you should wear Anthropologie as much as possible
I've got plenty to tell you about all the great stuff I got to see at Global Pet Expo last week. I enjoyed it immensely. But before I get to the products and the pictures and the video (oh, the video is awesome) I'm going to tell you about all the celebrity spotting I got to do. Admittedly, celebrities in the pet industry are a little different than celebrities on, say, the red carpet, but to me they are much more interesting. And there were plenty to be found at this show. On Wednesday, I ... Read more »
Healthy Goo Giveaway!
One of the leading complaints that brings a pet into the vet is allergies. It is a complicated problem, and like all complicated problems, there are no easy answers. Some pets need special food, others respond to antihistamines, and some need very strong immune suppressants just to make it through the day. Watching a pet lick and chew themselves raw is so sad and frustrating. All you want to do is help them get rid of that horrible, painful persistent itch. So you go to the vet, and lo ... Read more »
My dog, the practical jokester
I am sure Brody has a sense of humor. I can sense it in the twinkle in his eye, the way he waits until his chew toys are nice and soggy before dumping them in my lap. When I'm in a deep sleep, sometimes he rests his chin on the side of the mattress and stares at me silently, breathing doggy breath two inches from my face before I wake with a scream. He's full of 'em. Last night, with my husband far away, I flicked on the TiVO and watched the latest episode of the Walking Dead. Now, I keep ... Read more »
