Would Your Dog Make a Good Therapist?
The wheels on the bus go Ruff Ruff Ruff… Debra Gibbss shih tzu is a little spoiled diva, by Gibbs own account. Boo has always had a very good life, Ms. Gibbs says. Yet you can tell shes growing through her work as a therapy dog. She can even delight children with special needs and thereby help them adjust more easily by inserting ruff ruff ruff where round round round usually goes in the Wheels on the…
Animal-Assisted Activities Versus Animal Assisted Therapy
Coming under the umbrella of pet therapy, animal visitation can either be Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) for general visitation by a therapy animal or Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), during which animals and their owners/handlers work with a human health service provider or other professional as an adjunct to traditional therapies. AAA is a more spontaneous type of visit without an official plan for the get-together. A client may pet and coo over the dog. Its a…
The Price of Love
Did you hear about the dog who came to the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts with acute kidney failure and needed tens of thousands of dollars for treatment in order to stay alive? His owner raised the money through crowdfunding, where you publicize your cause or project through a program on the Internet and people send in small (and sometimes large) amounts of money to help you meet your goal. His pet would…
In It for the Money?
Its sometimes said that veterinarians are in it for the money, but the numbers tell a different story. There are 136 accredited medical schools in the United States but only 28 veterinary schools. That means, statistically speaking, that its easier to get into medical school than veterinary school. Furthermore, both physicians and veterinarians are in debt for an average of over $100,000 when they graduate, but the average first year-salary for a medical doctor is $160,000,…
You Get What You Pay For
Some people engage in comparison shopping for medical care for their dogs, the way you might compare prices for a retail item like an article of clothing. There are even listserves supplying information on which veterinarians in an area are least expensive. Be very cautious about choosing veterinary care this way. As Tufts veterinarian Linda Ross, DVM, says, in a lot of cases, you get what you pay for. She gives the example of someone pricing…
Light Up Your Dogs Life, Literally
Whether it's unconventional work hours, insomnia, a love of the nightlife, or simply that before-bedtime piddle that brings you outdoors with your dog in the dark, a growing assortment of glowing accouterments will brighten your late-hours time together. Heres a sampling in the categories of leashes, collars, and toys. Leashes. A host of energy-efficient, LED-lit and reflective leashes will light your path, or at least make you and your dog visible to passing motorists. …
Steady, Please
While many collars and leashes have lights that flash, flashing lights can irritate some dogs and can sometimes trigger epileptic attacks in people. That's why the Glowdoggie Leuchtie LED Safety Collar, used by search-and-rescue K-9 units in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, doesn't even have a flashing capability, as do many of the products listed here. The waterproof collar has also been used for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska, and it will soon…
Lost – and Found
One in seven dogs goes missing, according to a survey conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. But only a third of dog (and cat) owners attach some type of identifying tag to their pets collar - not good math. Thats why National Pet Identification Week, held the third week of April, is coming not a moment too soon. Its aim is to inform caring pet owners of these statistics, as well as the variety of methods available to make their pets quickly identified if lost. During that time, veterinary organizations and facilities nationwide will hold events and update their web pages with information about the importance of putting ID tags on pet collars in addition to microchipping their dogs.
Need Someone to Watch Your Dog? Who You Gonna Call?
Being at the veterinary school, we have lots of options for people to take care of our dogs when we go out of town, says Tufts veterinarian Linda Ross, DVM, DACVIM. We have the technicians and also 400 veterinary students. Even, so, Dr. Ross, who used to have yellow Lab April, did not take boarding her dog lightly when she spent a six-month sabbatical in England some years ago.
Making Sure Your Dogs Days of Summer Are Safe Ones
While in the upcoming months you know to don light, loose clothing and slather yourself with sunscreen and, when necessary, bug repellent, you may not be as aware that your dog needs summer safety provisions, too. Sun, bugs, barbecues, and other warm-weather features can pose hazards for your dog that you may not have thought of. What better time to think of them than now?
Hair Shampoo or Hype Shampoo?
The Scalp Relief formulas work in four ways to significantly improve the condition of the scalp and hair, from root to tip. Doctor-developed, clinically tested and consumer tested, both treatment formulas use a proprietary…Herbal Blend plus healthful vitamins and botanicals to effectively address skin irritation, naturally. So went a press release we received for a so-called natural shampoo & conditioner meant to treat skin irritations in dogs. The shampoo costs $11.75 for an 8-ounce container, as does the conditioner, for a total of $23.50. Are they worth it?
Who Would Have Thought?
A two-nosed dog? Well, not exactly. But there are a few rare dog breeds that look as if they have two noses, each with one nostril and looking for all the world like the two sides act independently. Want to guess which dog group these breeds belong to?
