My Final Trip to the Pond???

 Tuesday was a beautiful day on Cape Cod, so we went for a walk down to my favorite pond. Because it might be my last trip until we move to the desert, my person took some pictures, to help us remember how beautiful it is. Not that the desert won't be beautiful, but it will be beautiful in a different way.

Snake Bites

As promised, I found an excellent, up-to-date article about snake bites. It comes from one of my favorite web sites on veterinary issues: www.veterinarypartner.com.

Click on the following link: Snake Bites: Prevention and Treatment
(If link does not work, copy & paste the following URL into your browser: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2111).

Blanche Dubois was bitten on the face by a poisonous snake. Photo is from above article, where it was used courtesy of Maribeth Johnson. (link to original image on veterinarypartner.com:  http://www.vin.com/ImageDBPub/VP05000/IMG02077.JPG )

It's Been a Long Time......

It's Been a Long Time......But I am Back in the Writing Mode Again. I suppose I got lazy. You know, I turned 6 on June 1st. That means I am now middle-aged. Nevertheless, it's time for a new beginning. I have heard my two masters talking about going to the desert, so I finally started paying attention. Apparently, we are going to be moving to Arizona, near Tucson, where it is hot and dry and much better for Don's asthma. He has been coughing a lot this summer and has been been talking a lot about "bad breathing days." Supposedly, there is not much pollen or mold in the desert. I'll bet that means that the scratching I do sometimes will improve there, also. Right now, I take an antihistamine called Zyrtec twice a day. It does not stop all the scratching, but makes it less. The other thing Lucy does (she says it helps--who knows) is that she wipes my face and ears with a damp towel when we come inside after my morning walk. 


Oh, and did I mention---There are SNAKES in Arizona??!!!! I don't know much about them, but Lucy has been studying busily about how to treat snake bites. I will have to post something about them soon. It sounds important, so I owe it to myself and my dog-friends to find out more...........


Here is a couple of new photos of myself, taken on my 6th birthday. I do not know WHY my people seem to think that a birthday hat is cute, but here it is!

 
I will be back soon........... Woof!
Love, Ginny

The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission is preparing to hold a National SpokesPET Contest

The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission (VEFM.org) is preparing to hold a National SpokesPET Contest. Since I am VEFM's official mascot, I am obviously very excited about this. Please go to VEFM's blog to participate in the discussion. They are looking for lots of ideas on how to run this important competition.
(http://vefm.blogspot.com/2010/04/we-are-taking-ideas-and-suggestions-for.html)

Could it be that fleas are getting resistant to our products? Read the article and decide for yourself.

Make Your Diagnosis

Resistance to a Flea Product?

By Michael W. Dryden, DVM, PhD, Kansas State University

March 11, 2010 (Article found in Clinician's Brief, March 2010 issue)

A mixed-breed dog and 2 domestic shorthair cats were presented for severe flea infestation.

History. The owner reported that fleas were first seen 4 weeks ago on all 3 pets. He purchased several flea products from hardware stores, pet supply stores, and a local veterinarian but concluded the fleas were resistant to the products because none seemed to be effective. The owner reported that the dog sleeps indoors and is restricted to a fenced-in backyard while outdoors; the cats are kept indoors exclusively.....

[The full article can be found at this link:
http://www.cliniciansbrief.com/column/make-your-diagnosis/resistance-flea-product]