Receptionist: Hello, how can I help you? Owner: Hi there, this is Slinky's owner. I have a question. Receptionist: Oh, hi! Didn't we just start her on medication for seizures? How is she? Owner: Oh, that's going great. No seizures at all. Receptionist: Wonderful! So how can we help you? Owner: I wanted to know if you think shock collar training would be ok for her. (technician grabs the phone) Tech: Hi there- were you asking if we recommended shock collar training for your ... Read more »
Daily Life
Have dog, will travel
We have a little family vacation coming up, and I'm trying to decide what to do with the dogs. Normally, I would either board them or have a housesitter, but this is a destination the dogs would really like, I think. My husband's family owns a little cabin on a lake, and we are going to spend a week or so there in August. There's not much two retrievers would enjoy more than hanging out at a lake in the woods. But, it's a long drive. A long, long drive. Almost-Mexico to almost-Canada- ... Read more »
Happy 4th everyone!
Be safe! And don't do this. This video never gets old. ... Read more »
Special Weekend Edition: Tails from the Clinic
Have you all seen that iphone video online? That one made me laugh. Then I had to go make my own that made me laugh even more (and yes, this is based on an actual conversation I had.) ... Read more »
Happy North American Independence Week!
Does that cover it? Well, whatever you celebrate, I hope it's a great one, and if you're not celebrating anything, feel free to come on over because we're grilling. ... Read more »
I’m not cut out for the ref job
My children have spent the wee dawning days of summer re-enacting the World Cup. On this side, representing the Bipedia, we have the Daughter and the Son. On the other side, from the United Republic of Retrievers, we have Koa and Brody. And we're off! Daughter runs the ball, easily dodges Koa, and heads down the field. Son goes running after, screaming that he wants a turn. The goalie stands firm. Daughter feigns to the side, then punts the ball past the goalie, who pounces on it, ... Read more »
It’s the most horrible time, of the year….
Sing it with me! Well, Fourth of July isn't really that horrible a time in general, unless you happen to live in the US and you are a noise-phobic dog. Then, well, then it's pretty scary. To us, July 4th is corn on the cob, barbecues and pyrotechnics set to the booming tones of the 1812 Overture. To your dog, man, it is armageddon. The sounds. The vibrations. The yelling. The sulfurous smell of gunpowder. No wonder it's the most common night for pets to run away. I have heard and seen ... Read more »
Sad
I've been thinking a lot about Callie lately, my kitty who disappeared last autumn after one brief escape outside. I think about her whenever I see a pet who has been attacked by a coyote at work, my breath catching in my throat as I wonder if that is what happened to her. I look at the lacerations, the injuries, and I imagine her sitting quietly, trusting, not realizing that the predator approaching is not an Emmett or a Mulan to tease and romp around. Whatever it was, I can only hope it was ... Read more »
The Definition of Insanity
A few weeks ago, we had a client come in with her cat. She had gone to the emergency hospital the previous weekend, gotten a diagnosis of heart disease, and was instructed to follow up with her regular vet. She didn't have a regular vet- the cat hadn't seen one in 10 years, but no matter, we would do. Only problem was, we didn't do. From the moment she stepped in the door, she was mad. The receptionist was terse, the price was too high, we didn't have the records from the emergency vet, we ... Read more »
The Giving Ke(koa)
About 10 o'clock this morning, the receptionist comes into the back and says, "The kids are here." "What kids?" I asked. "The YMCA kids," she responded. "Oh- did you not know about that?" Apparently, the YMCA down the street was really reaching for things for the kids to do and had arranged a mini tour of our hospital, which no one thought to tell me about. Normally I would be OK with taking kids around for a brief visit, but at this particular moment in time my RVT was wrist deep in a ... Read more »
Dogs and work- yes? no?
Friday marks the 11th year of Take Your Dog To Work Day. I am, of course, very fortunate that I can take my dogs to work with me whenever, though as odd as it seems (ha!) a veterinary clinic isn't always the most fun place for a dog to hang out. I have lots of clients who take their pets to work, and it always surprises me to hear it- why, I don't know. Most work in small offices or family businesses. I can't imagine the logistics of dealing with HR and corporate lawyers if one were to try ... Read more »
From the Mailbag: Running with Rover
I was asked this in an e-mail today, and I thought it was a good enough question to share with the crowd: "I'm training for a half marathon coming up this October and want to keep my dog involved. She's a small dog, only 20 pounds, so I want to know - is there a time limit or distance limit i should take into consideration when taking her with me on runs? I want to get her energy out (so she'll stop barking her face off all day!) but I don't want to risk putting her in harms way. If there ... Read more »
Don’t tread on me
I'm sorry I haven't done a lot of picture posts or Barbie posts lately. Those are pretty time consuming, as I think I have mentioned before, and if there is one thing that has been in utterly bleak supply lately it's been time. Between the end of school, holidays, birthdays, colds, and some other junk going on I have barely- barely!- had time to breathe, let alone set up what I have planned for the next Barbie post. It's in my head, though, where it has remained since Mother's Day. Father's ... Read more »
All I really need to know I learned while my daughter was in kindergarten
Yesterday was a really bittersweet day for me. It was my daughter's last day of kindergarten. I didn't think it would hit me quite this hard, but it really got me right in the throat to watch all the little munchkins skip up to the teacher with their little cardboard caps to pick up their kindergarten diplomas. The teacher took them down to the field for a few minutes to run some energy off before the afternoon graduation party, and while they were doing that I joined a couple of the parents ... Read more »
The life of glamour
I admit it, I'm a reality TV addict. While other, more serious and conscientious veterinarians are catching up on their journal reading or maybe doing some online continuing education, I'm rewinding the Tivo so I can force my husband to watch Alex Wong's routine on So You Think You Can Dance. "I love dance," I sighed as I reclined on the couch with my Nilla wafers. "These guys look like they're dancing on air." "So what did you do today?" asked my already-bored husband. "Um, I gave a ... Read more »
They’re not *your* appendages!
I checked the schedule this morning and was very pleased to see Rocco on the docket for a neuter. A sweet and allergy prone pup, he had been scheduled and re-scheduled for this neuter about three times. My pleasure quickly turned to disappointment when our drop-off time came and went, with no Rocco. I called the owner. "We missed you guys today," I said. "What's up?" "Oh...." said the wife, somewhat sheepishly. "I couldn't find him this morning." "What do you mean?" I asked. "Is he ... Read more »
Thunderphobia!
I live in Southern California. We don't have thunder. We have earthquakes. In fact, we just had one 5 minutes ago. It was a 5.9. I'm still shaking. My point is, while I can tell you all about how to handle earthquakes (freeze and pray), thunderstorm phobia is really not my area of expertise. Fortunately for all of you, as we stand on the cusp of thunder season (so I hear), I have the pleasure of having guest blogger and trainer extraordinaire Eric Goebelbecker from Dog Spelled Forward, one ... Read more »
The Koa Blues
Poor Koa had a rough week. It started with her sad day at doggie daycare. Then, we had a birthday party for my son at the house, and she had to join Brody in my bedroom due to a couple of dog-phobic preschoolers. THEN, as soon as the day wound down we had a little earthquake. It wasn't her week. She sits there with such a hangdog look on her face all the time. She is a natural blues song. I woke up this morning, Had myself some kibble- Woke up sore this morning, Brody tried to ... Read more »
