The Daily Dish from WebVet

The Scoop on Dog Poop: A few tips on big city pooping

Picking up your dog's poop is likely not a pleasant thought, but it's definitely a must-do when you live in a big city.  If you don't, you just might find yourself in S**T, both literally and figuratively.  I don't know about other cities, but in NYC, those fines just increased to $250.  Not exactly how I'd like to be spending my money.  So, unless your dog knows how to scoop his own poop, I'd
suggest you get comfortable with the idea of stooping and scooping yourself. 

Having moved to New York City from the South where big green grassy yards were the norm, I was a bit perplexed when I had to take my dog Maddie out for a walk.  I asked myself "if there's no grass, where on earth is she supposed to go to the bathroom"?  And when she could no longer stand it and pooped on the sidewalk, I had NO idea I was supposed to pick up after her.  Can I tell you how many nasty looks from young and old alike I got?  More than a little uncomfortable I must say.  So, I quickly learned that standard protocol was to carry a plastic baggie with you and scoop up your dog's poop.  And as all big city dog owners know, this is not always an easy or pleasant task.  The good news is, it quickly became old news and once I realized I wasn't the only one doing the stoop and scoop, it wasn't quite as embarrassing.  I actually became so comfortable with this ritual that when my sister visited me and saw me picking up poop, which totally grossed her out, I told her to think of it as a natural hand warmer during winter's cold months.  While I found this pretty funny, suffice it to say she wasn't amused. Some people just have no sense of humor. I call it making the best of a bad situation.

A few poop scoop tips: 

• Try to use biodegradable poop bags
• Be considerate and curb you dog 
• Dispose of poop and bag in the garbage, not at the curb (shame on you people)
• Save money by going to a dollar store and buying regular baggies. They get the job done.
• And, always, when your dog poops, just stoop and scoop

Veterinary Specialists: Not just your everyday pet health care

Most people don't know the difference between a regular vet and a veterinary specialist.  I certainly didn't until I found myself in the unfortunate situation of needing a specialist.  It was the mid 90s and I was living in NYC with my Old English Sheepdog, Maddie.  She became very ill and was later diagnosed with Coombs disease in which the red blood cells are destroyed therefore depriving the body of the oxygen it needs to survive.  My vet at the time told me there was nothing else we could do for Maddie and that we would likely have to put her down.  To me, a very committed pet mom, this was an unacceptable choice.  I asked him to please tell me if there was anyone else who could help me help Maddie.  And he did.  He referred me to the Animal Medical Center which at that time was considered to be the Mayo Clinic for animals. 

My experience at AMC was harrowing, but it was also amazing.  While Dr. Ann Houenhaus (I still worship her to this day) took care of Maddie's needs, the on-staff counselor Dr. Susan Cohen, took care of mine. The good news was that over time they were able to get Maddie into remission and fortunately for me she lived another three happy and healthy years. 

A supplement, not a replacement

The point here is it's important to know the difference between Veterinary Specialty Practices and regular vet practices.  VSPs are intended to supplement and complement the services offered by regular vets.  When the cases become too challenging for these practices or they don't have the technology necessary to properly treat an animal, they have a resource like an AMC to whom they refer their patients. 

The new kid in town

In 2004, in response to the growing need for emergency and specialty veterinary care in the New York City area, a group of vets set out to create a new specialty veterinary hospital -- NYC Veterinary Specialists.  Their vision was to create a hospital that would be a close partner with the referring veterinarian community and would raise the level of patient and client care in the community.  I had the privilege of visiting NYC-VS a couple weeks ago and it's an amazing facility run by an amazing team of people.  It's very clear that their goal is to address pets' well-being by doing more than tending to their disease or illness.  Compassion is the word that comes to mind.  And what better combination than innovation, cutting-edge research, education and leading technologies, topped off with a healthy dose of both passion and compassion. 

NYC Veterinary Specialists is located on 55th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues and is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

The Animal Medical Center is located at 62nd and York in NYC and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A very sticky situation

We've all heard of salmonella outbreaks but its not often we hear about it in peanut products.  Until now. 

PetSmart recently recalled seven of its Grreat choice dog biscuit products because they contain peanut products made by a company in Georgia, Peanut Corp., that has been linked to a salmonella outbreak in 43 states and Canada. 

Not only is this a threat to our pets, but also those people who are handling the contaminated treats.  Dogs aren't immune to salmonella and therefore in some cases could get sick demonstrating symptoms such as lethargy or bloody diarrhea.  On the other hand, they may never show any symptoms yet still carry the bacteria. 

While PetSmart "is not aware of any reported cases of illness related to these products", they've done the right thing and pulled the products from their shelves. 

The bottom line is that in the short term, make a smooth move and steer clear of any potentially threatening products manufactured by Peanut Corp until they are certain these products are safe for both pets and humans. 

The "purple booty dance"

 

As you guys know, I live in New York City.  While it doesn't snow a lot here, recently we've had a few good days of snow showers.  And when it snows, there's one   thing for sure, my dog Max wants no part of the cold, icy and salty sidewalks.  In an effort to protect Max's paws I tried those fancy multi-padded, velcro-laden booties that sell for almost as much as a pair of Jimmy Choo's but Max hated them.  Not only did he prance around like a little pony, he was incredibly insecure because there was no real contact between his paws and the ground.  I don't know about you, but this is probably the equivalent of me teetering on a pair of 6" heeled stilettos, and that's not a pretty picture.
   
I was in Max's favorite little boutique in Chicago one day, Barker & Meowsky - A Paw Firm, and came across these very cool dog booties called PawZ.  While not fancy they are indeed effective, and affordable.  They look a bit like balloons with the tops cut off and because they're rubber your dog still feels a connection to the ground which means he's both comfortable and protected.  All good. 

So where am I going with this "purple booty dance" stuff?  Well, this weekend when it was snowing I took Max out in his purple PawZ.  I have to tell you, he was like a new dog.  He looked quite dapper with his green Tanner & Dash field coat and his purple booties.  Either someone told him he looked 'hot' or he was simply feelin' it because he did what I now call the "purple booty dance".  It was kind of a cross between Riverdance and a hearty Shakira shimmy, but regardless quite entertaining.  And if I'd captured it on video we'd be all over YouTube right now.  And lovin' it!

The important thing to know is that you should always protect your pets' paws.  Who knew our precious pets could look good and feel good all at the same time?  

Signing Off

Picking the perfect presidential pooch

So we got word today that the Obama family has narrowed the perfect presidential pooch field to two:  the Portuguese Water Dog and the Labradoodle.  Both wonderful choices for a variety of reasons, besides the fact they are warm, loving and cuddly.  And hypoallergenic, important because president-elect Obama's daughter Malia is allergic to dogs.  So let's look at the facts and the favorites:

The Portuguese Water Dog is a very popular companion dog, show dog and therapy dog.  The lion cut, where only the base of the tail, hindquarters and muzzle are shaved, keeps the dog's body warm in water while allowing movement of the back legs.  Historically, fishermen who didn't know how to swim could grab onto the long hair of the tail and the dog would pull them to safety.  Why might this be the right fit for the first family? Given the state of the economy and international relations, if the president-elect doesn't need to be saved from drowning, at a minumum he'll need some intense therapy. 

The Labradoodle is a hybrid of two great dogs:  the Golden Retreiver and the Poodle.  Often used around the world as assistance and therapy dogs they are considered great for families.  Their parent breeds are among the world's most intelligent.  Labradoodles can be taught to obey verbal or sign language commands, and remain commonly used as guide dogs for disabled or handicapped persons around the world.  Why might this be the right pet for the Obama's?  In short, like pet owner like pet.  Both Obama and the Labradoodle are intelligent hybrids, are having to deal with handicapped situations and have global appeal.

The good news is here is that the Obama family has two awesome choices.  The bad news is they'll end up with only one perfect presidential pooch.  Hmm.  Unless of course they get one of each.  They do have two daughters, don't they? 

What do you think? 
 

 

 

Helping pet parents help their pets in times of need

In these challenging times, sometimes the ones to suffer the most are our pets.  As if it's not bad enough when the economy is stable, what's happening with our current state of affairs is tragic.  People are losing their jobs, having their homes foreclosed on, among other things, and as a result are no longer able to care for their pets. 

Case in point.  I received a call yesterday morning (one of many mind you) from a man living in upstate New York who was looking for someone who could help him help his dog.  His Collie needs surgery and as he recently lost his job can't afford the more than $3000 he was being told it would cost.  I asked him if he'd spoken with his vet about a payment plan, but he lives in a rural community and his vet was not equipped to do the surgery..  He and his family are devastated at the potential prospect of not being able to provide their dog with the care he so desperately needs.  So where can these pet parents turn in these times of need? 

Fortunately for Mr. Woodcock, the dog's owner, he lives close enough to New York City (100 miles) to tap into the resources of a truly amazing animal hospital, the Animal Medical Center (AMC).  AMC offers a variety of free or subsidized services to those in need through the Frank V.D. Lloyd Fund for Guide Dogs, Seniors’ Animal Veterinary Effort, and Patient Assistance Fund. In addition, The AMC offers a Pet Outreach Program as well as counseling and bereavement services.  I suggested that Mr. Woodcock contact them directly to talk about how they might help him.  I'm happy to say that he called me back late yesterday afternoon to tell me that he and his Collie would be making the trip down to get the care and treatment the dog needs. 

Hopefully for Mr. Woodcock and his beloved Collie there will be a happy ending to this story.  Let's hope and pray that others find their way to those who can and will help them during their time of need.

Feeding America's Pets: A Doggone Good Thing

It's the start of a new year and forecasts lead us to believe that 2009 may be even tougher financially than 2008.  With this comes an on-going concern not only for the families who are trying to make ends meet, but also for their pets who are more often than not considered part of this family.  With the overwhelming increase in home foreclosures the number of pets being abandoned is soaring and even those who are able to keep their homes are struggling to keep their pets well fed, safe and healthy. 

A woman I've become acquainted with is stepping up to help minimize the number of pets that go hungry by opening a pet-food bank, Save Our Pets, in Atlanta.  Ann King opened the food bank because she learned that hundreds of pets were being abandoned or left at Atlanta-area shelters because their owners were in financial straits.  According to King, demand has grown 20% every week since they opened the food bank last summer.  They're currently giving away more than 3000 pounds of cat and dog food per week and on distribution days, as many as 200 people show up to stock up on a month's supply of pet food. 

There are similar initiatives popping up across the country and it warms my heart to know there are so many pet lovers that are willing to step up and take care of our furry friends.  Imagine what could happen if we, as a pet-loving country, came together to start a national network of pet-food pantries.  We've seen the power of these humanitarian efforts through human organizations like "Feeding America".  Maybe, just maybe, if we put our minds to it, we can take the model that Ann King and others have created locally and turn it into a movement.  A movement to share the same love and compassion we bestow on people with our pets. 

Just a little food for thought.