I've spent lots of time pointing out fun, helpful, and interesting things that a pet lover might be interested in, but today I want to show you something that is a really stupid idea. The Walky Lock car lock may, in fact, be just about the worst idea I've seen in a long time. This is basically a little prop that holds the back of your trunk open just a wee bit. It's kind of like rolling your window down, except it will cost you $20. The ad says, "How many times have you rushed your shopping ... Read more »
Lifestyle
Scientific progress goes boink
(Extra points to anyone who knows the title reference without Google!) At least a couple times a week, a client with a particularly hard to deconstruct mutt asks me, "So what do you think my dog is? I've heard schnauzer/chow/Yorkie/pit bull but I'm not really sure." I look at the dog and hazard a guess. "Well, he does have Australian shepherd eyes, and his tail looks like a chow chow...." and we both shrug. Sometimes, people are obviously misinformed. "I bought this Pomeranian/chihuahua mix ... Read more »
Canine Cuisine, Part Three: So, what should I feed my dog?
In Part 1 of the Canine Cuisine trilogy, Name that Food, I talked about how the name of the pet food itself gave you clues as to its content. In Part 2: Name that Ingredient, I went into detail about some of those baffling ingredient names you see on the back. In the last installment, I answer the omnipresent question of, "What should I feed my dog?" This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked as a veterinarian. I wish I could make it easy for you and just say, ... Read more »
Helping hands (and rears)
About 2 years after I adopted Mulan, she had a TPLO surgery. This is a pretty invasive knee surgery, and as part of the requirement she was on cage rest for 6 weeks. She had a very difficult time getting up, and I had to assist her. We were pretty low tech in vet school, and whenever we needed to assist a pet in getting up we would use a towel looped around their abdomen. This is also what we do at work. It works fine, but getting the towel around a recumbent animal and then supporting 40, ... Read more »
Cruelty Free made easier
I suppose this isn't directly related to my job, but I think the concept is one that is of interest to many of my 5 readers so I thought I would share this with you. Long before I became a veterinarian, I was a mini animal rights activist in training. I remember being 6 and hassling my mother mercilessly about her rabbit fur coat: "Eeeeeew mom, that is soooo ugly! Why are you wearing dead bunnies? We live in California! Yuck!" etc etc. She actually stopped wearing it because I hassled her so ... Read more »
Good stuff
I'm not a fan of tennis balls as dog toys. Few vets are. One, they're a choking hazard. You would be amazed at what a determined retriever can lodge in their gullet. Two, they are TERRIBLE on dog teeth. When a dog chews on something wiry and abrasive, be it their own itchy fur or the felt on a tennis ball, it has a sandpaper effect. The teeth on a chronic ball chewer can be worn down to the gums. It's called attrition, and it's not pretty. That being said, I may not be a fan of tennis balls- ... Read more »
Pet pick of the week: The Blocky Dog 3 way leash
Walking a big dog can be a big proposition. Without the use of my beloved Gentle Leaders, for instance, getting Emmett down the block without dislocating my shoulder was a dicey proposition. And when Mulan was in the mix? Forget it. So yes, I do love the Gentle Leaders, and that is nothing new. But when I saw my friend the trainer walking her rambunctious German Shepherd on a clever 3-way leash, I had to know what it was. Check this baby out- the Blocky Dog Lock n Lead has two features that ... Read more »
Pet pick of the week
I live in a pretty warm climate, and it's a common occurrence for me to be in a hot parking lot calling the cops on a dog panting away in a boiling car. Conversely, it's hard for me to forget the story of the dog abandoned in a van in a New Hampshire airport parking lot in the dead of winter, who miraculously survived. It amazes me how many people seem to think non-humans are somehow immune to the effects of temperature. Granted, the types of people who make poor choices like that are not the ... Read more »
When satin lined coffins are out of the question
Mulan's ashes arrived back from the pet memorial park in a very nice cedar box. I took the box inside the house, and placed it on the counter next to my keys, whereupon my 4 year old immediately honed in and asked what was in the box. "Memories," I told her, then whisked the box out of her hands before she tried to open it. Right now Mulan is resting on top of the TV. It is the only place where she is safe from kid-hands and misplacement. I feel badly that I haven't picked somewhere more ... Read more »
Practice Limited to Animals Only
I wonder how many people truly think getting a pet is good practice for being the parent of a human. I know countless people who use this as an initial excuse to get a pet, but I'm talking about people who have actually gone and done both. God knows it seems like a good idea at the time, when you are young and dumb, when you have neither. Taking care of one living thing, and doing it well, should naturally be a good predictor of being caretaker to another, right? The first clue I should have ... Read more »