As many of my reader know, I have taken many trips with my pets over the years.  Whether by car, boat or plane, my pets are experienced travellers.  My lab went hiking in Vermont, wandered the Billy Goat Trail  and Chessie  the Coon cat earned his sea legs with over 5000 ocean miles below his tufted toes.  I was really lucky that my guys remained well over the years. [...]

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Let’s face it, this is a time of the year when we’re all carrying a few extra pounds. Whether from inactivity or holiday excess, our waistlines expand in the winter.. The same problem which plagues people befalls pets too. Veterinarians see an abundance of porky pets right now. Just as obesity is bad for us, it’s bad for animals too. Joints carry a greater load which can lead to [...]

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By now, everyone on this part of the planet has heard about Lyme Disease, the difficult to diagnose malady spread by ticks. In this short article, I want to explain several aspects of this disease so readers have some baseline knowledge as warm weather approaches. Information about Lyme disease is timely as ticks start feeding in March and April. As the temperature increases, ticks [...]

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Occasionally, when clients come into the veterinarian’s office, they often just want a quick vaccine. They might need to board a dog, so they require a Bordatella-kennel cough (not portabella!) vaccine. Or perhaps the Animal Control Officer has nabbed their pooch on the lam and now demands proof of a valid Rabies vaccination. Even non-felonious pet owners occasionally want the quick needle [...]

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Unfortunately, the summer is over. Though these past fall days have been lovely, the change of the season brings a returning pest-the flea. The worst time of the year for this hungry parasite is autumn. Cool mornings and evenings convey a wake-up call to the flea: Feed! Our furry friends and possibly ourselves are on the menu. Fleas are blood sucking parasites so the bite of [...]

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Dogs are amazingly adaptable animals. As I prepare to confront the cold, donning heavy coat, scarf, gloves and hat, my yellow lab waits patiently barefoot and unclothed to go outside. He hardly notices the merciless wind which seems like it has blown straight out of Siberia. And Bosun was overjoyed to see 13 inches of snow outside our front door inlate December. His foot pads gripped the icy lane [...]

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…or, things that go bump in the night. It’s that time of year again, with fireworks and thunderstorms upsetting dogs throughout the county. Just why is it that some dogs are so disturbed by these events, and what can we do to make them more at ease? I don’t pretend to know all the answers, but here’s what I can tell you. Certainly loud noises shock and scare many of us, [...]

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My cats go out. I’ve wrestled with the debate over quality of life versus quantity, risk of disease and/or trauma, but ultimately I think that a cat’s quality of life is better if he or she is allowed access to the outside world. My cats roam 5 gorgeous acres. Therefore, usually my pets urinate and defecate outside the house. I do have litterboxes for a rainy day, but in the past, they[...]

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No, that’s not a new support group for those 65 and older. It’s just a great idea for individuals who have two and those that have four legs to come together for mutual solace and support. Think geriatric pets for geriatric people. The benefits of pet ownership have been proven time and again—Companionship: Something warm and soft to caress and hold; a daily walk: increased [...]

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Recently I visited the Kent County Humane Society and was astounded by the incredible number of kittens abandoned, born in cages at the shelter, or simply pulled off the street by the animal control officers. However these kittens arrived, their numbers are staggering. Springtime is known as a fertile season for many species and cats are no exception. Unspayed queens (adult cats) can complete an [...]

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