Some people have been lucky enough to travel south this time of year. So-called snowbirds have mercifully escaped the brutal winds and sub- freezing temperatures which beset Maryland in winter. Usually pets go along. (Champ, Atticus and I have not been so fortunate.) But also, animals travel for reasons other than climate. Whether for competition at dog and cat shows, owner relocation for [...]
Tis the season to be...wary? Of course we all think of the holidays as festive times; lots of celebrations with food, drink, family and friends. And for the most part, that's true. To keep the good time rollin' for your furry friends, there are a few things to consider. We all know that chocolate has varying degrees of toxicity for dogs, with dark being most toxic, then semi-sweet, [...]
#1 Stop waking mom at 5AM. Once, just once, I needed to be up that early. But the memory of that morning is engraved in their minds and now 5 is the new 7. Rise and shine mom, it’s time to eat! #2 Eat at their own food bowls. Why is this so hard? Why must I stand there every morning like a policeman on patrol? Don’t’ they understand every [...]
I’m pretty excited about this article because I have good news to share. My diabetic cat has gone into remission from his disease. That means no more needles! (For now anyway.) I am very pleased about this because when it comes to giving my own pets needles, I’m just like any other owner-I hate doing it. And even though the needles we use to [...]
Recently, my friend’s dog got into the pantry. The door had been left open when no one was home, and dogs will be dogs. Stormy did considerable damage to the weekly grocery budget, but the biggest problem was that she got into the chocolate. And, my friend didn’t know when or how much chocolate was actually ingested. Here’s why that’s [...]
The Humane Society of Kent County is currently experiencing an outbreak of feline distemper (Panleukopenia). It is thought that the virus was introduced by an infected kitten left in the shelter’s drop room. From there, the virus spread to the vulnerable kitten population. Humane Society personnel have acted swiftly to contain the problem and have enacted the following [...]
Unless you’ve known me for a long time, you probably never met Moby. He was the dog by which all others are measured. He was a handsome, block headed yellow lab who was the coolest dog ever. He wore sunglasses and red flowing scarves as he flew around in my convertible. He rode jet skis. He was invited to parties when I wasn’t. He went on [...]
I had my topic picked out, the title cleverly fixed, the outline complete, and then… I did a spay/neuter clinic. It was a two day event in Dorchester County this past weekend. Sponsored by Dr. Teri White of Tom Cat Solutions in Easton, four veterinarians spayed or castrated 140 cats. That was an impressive first time operation implemented by Dr White who saw a need in a [...]
My darling Chessie is going to be 18 years old next week. 18 years is miraculous for a Maine Coon cat who has suffered with heart disease for a decade, had bilateral hip surgeries and has thrown 2 blood clots in his rear legs. Let’s start with the breed. Maine Coons, called gentle giants, are the largest breed of domestic cats. Chessie was upward of 24 pounds in his [...]
This seems like a good time of year to talk about red eyes. Certainly mine are! My excuses might be staying up late at night, or having one glass of wine too many. But my cat’s eyes are red too, and I’m sure he does not share those extravagances. Red eyes come from so many different causes. We think of blepharitis - an inflammation of the lids. Or [...]
