Pawcurious: With Veterinarian and Author Dr. V

Celebrating the truth that pets make people better.

Dr. V

Fun With Google: Doing the Pigeon!

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Today, a client called in a panic because her dog ate a bluebird and she was concerned that the dog would get rabies. "Birds don't get rabies," we told her. "Oh," she said. Then, hopefully, "Distemper?" Dogs are, at the end of the day, dogs, and one of the imperatives of dog-dom is eating stuff they're not supposed to, including dead things, things with eyeballs, and entrails. While there are specific instances that cause concern- a dog playing with a dead bat, say, or eating a rat that ... Read more »

Weekly Weigh-In

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Koa held steady this week at 75 pounds. I'm just happy she didn't gain weight in her inactive state. This morning, she chased Brody around the yard for a good 5 minutes after their morning ablutions, which is pretty much unheard of for her. In addition to her recovery, I wonder if her sarcoma was causing her some discomfort that is now alleviated. I took her staples out on Sunday, so I no longer have to see her and think Frankenpup, which is good since it made me feel guilty every time. ... Read more »

Be careful where you’re rubbing that thing

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I absolutely, positively adore the Veterinary Information Network. It is a subscription-based website open to veterinarians with a whole wealth of specialists, bulletin boards, news bits, and resources. I can check the dosing on a rarely-used medication, see the prognosis of a particular type of cancer, or ask my colleagues for an opinion on an odd case, all without leaving the treatment area. In an office where I am by myself 99% of the time, it gives me real-time access to a group of like ... Read more »

Lions and spiders and bears…

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After my post about spiders last week, Marcie from Helen Woodward Animal Center reminded me that their Fall Harvest Tour was happening this weekend. I remembered seeing the haunted house as it was being set up on my tour with Mike Arms a few weeks ago, and I was really excited about getting a chance to take my kids. Like everywhere, we have our usual assortment of pumpkin patches, hay rides (but in San Diego, that translates to a ride on a tractor around a cement parking lot) and the like, ... Read more »

He Who Must Not Be Named

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I've talked to lots of pet bloggers in the last couple of years, and seen all sorts of topics get discussed and dissected. Much like mommy bloggers learn early on to avoid lecturing on the merits of breastfeeding lest they actually enjoy getting called names, most pet bloggers have to step in it on a couple topics once or twice before realizing- oh. People get really upset about that one. If you're a pet enthusiast and really want to get people going, utter these two magic words: "Cesar ... Read more »

Shelob’s Web

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One day about a month into my career, I was in an exam room with a client when a large-ish spider skittered across the exam table towards my hand. "Eeek!" screamed the client. "Eek!" screamed the vet. I grabbed the nearest book (I believe it was Miller's Anatomy, a nice, dense tome) and dropped it on the table with a thud. Silence. Then, from the client: "Guess you don't love all the animals, huh?" I felt kind of bad about that one, truth be told. I haven't done it since. I've ... Read more »

Help! My lab ate an M&M!

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It's Halloween time, and that means one thing: everyone stuffing their cabinet with chocolate under the guise of "just stocking up for Halloween." Except then you have to open the bag for inspection, just to check that it didn't melt or anything on the way home from the store, and that no one put razor blades in it. Safety first, after all. So by October 20th, you've exhausted that first bag, and then you have to get a couple more; can't wait until the last day, since of course the stores ... Read more »

Who’s a little pumpkin- Giveaway!

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Congratulations to the winner, Melanie! If you didn't see my Sunday post, I'm trying to post daily reader pics of pets in costumes from now until Halloween. If you haven't uploaded yours yet, I have a group over at Flickr (non-Halloween pictures are welcome too!) That is also where I will have participants upload their pictures for the 12 Days of Petmas, which I will be doing again this year because it was so much fun last time around. If you don't have a costume for your pet, there's ... Read more »