I mentioned briefly, a few weeks ago, that I got a guinea pig. I haven't gotten a chance to say much, or take pictures of her, since I've been a little overwhelmed with all the other stuff going on. But she was cute, young, and she needed a home, and I thought she would be a good distraction for the kids- someone for them to take care of. We debated about names. I vetoed "Cutie" and "Mr. Guinea Pig", since she was a she, and we all agreed on Ariel. Not being that experienced with cavies, I ... Read more »
Blog
A sea star thanks you
I am overwhelmed by the kindness here. Although I haven't responded to each comment, please know that I read each and every one- multiple times- and each was like a warm hug to me. As most of you probably know, showing your grief about a pet is hard in the real world- most of us are given a day at most to mourn, then we're sort of expected to suck it up and soldier on. As I work through this I think often of my friends who have been here in this place- Kim, Karri, Meg, and so many others- and ... Read more »
Kevin’s right hand man
As awful as this week has been, I have found so much comfort in finding that others have been touched by my little dude as well. I know my sadness is no different than each of you who has also lost a dear friend. How sad for those who haven't felt this kind of loss, because that means they never got to experience this kind of love. When Emmett and I were at Dog Beach this Sunday, I was following along as Emmett nuzzled a woman for pets as he always does. After receiving his due, we continued ... Read more »
Oh, Emmett.
When my husband and I took Emmett to Dog Beach a couple of weeks ago, my husband commented how the place was like 'heaven for dogs'. I was thinking the same thing, though he probably wasn't thinking about it in as literal a context as I was. This weekend, I went again, without my husband and kids. Just me and Emmett. He had a fantastic time, wading through the surf, visiting other dogs, getting lots of pets. It was a perfect day. That night, things started to go downhill. Fast. I threw every ... Read more »
Proptosis- a tale in words
The phone rings. On the other end is a client with a Boston terrier. "Hey," she says calmly. "I just came downstairs this morning, and Chewey's eye was popped out. I just pushed it in but I'm coming in for you to see him anyway." Good call. Proptosis, otherwise known as bug eyes, eyeballs-popping-out-of-the-head, or most commonly, "AUGH!" is most commonly the result of some sort of head trauma. When the eye is completely displaced out of the orbit, the damage is extensive and may ... Read more »
Microchips- The good, bad, and the ugly
I don't envy the job of Animal Control officers. Yesterday's post brought up a good question by a sharp reader- the dog in question was microchipped, but did the rescue follow up on this? (Still waiting to hear from my friend.) People get their dog microchipped, and subsequently forget to follow through with the all so important address changes. And then you wind up with stories like this one, from my local paper today. Here's the gist: 1. Family finds dog running around, takes a shine ... Read more »
I’ll open this to the floor
I recently received this e-mail from my friend Lisa: Hi Dr. V, We went and got a Golden retriever, named Eddie, from a rescue shelter six or so months ago. He's 2-3 years old, and quite bright, as all Goldens are...he came to us knowing sit, shake, and lay down. We also have a cat, and after quite some time of the cat staying away from him, they are finally able to tolerate being around each other. At the rescue, they said they found him out and about, he had been microchipped and ... Read more »
Happy Friday!
Joy, originally uploaded by pawcurious. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Virtual dog kisses from Emmett to all! ... Read more »
Oooooh, this makes me mad
So here's the story: 1. Person takes sick pet to vet. 2. Person cannot afford care/diagnostics, so vet makes best guess as to condition. 3. In lieu of euthanasia, vet offers to take pet and whatever happens, happens. 4. Pet gets better with care. Hooray! 5. Vet finds good home for pet. Updates Person 1 expecting her to be happy the pet is alive and well. (uh oh) 6. Person 1 wants dog back. Vet says, OK, pay the costs we incurred, and you can have her. 7. Person 1 refuses, ... Read more »
All Dogs Go To Kevin
The vinblastine (which we had tried last week when the other chemotherapy regimen failed) was kind of a bust. It was expected, but I'll keep trying as long as Emmett feels well. Hope springs eternal. Hope also springs eternal that a 3 year old might drop some Cheerios. We're feeling good enough to beg (CHECK OUT those big sad eyes! What a ham!) so that is a good thing. Man, I love that little guy. Last week, a person who had just lost his dog in a terrible way asked me through his ... Read more »
