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Should You Get Your Dog A Flu Shot?

Today in “vaccines I didn’t know existed for dogs” (last time it was for Lyme disease): canine influenza. That’s right, you can get a flu shot for your dog. Pet website ZooToo takes a look at it. Apparently, dog flu is a thing. I have to say I’ve never heard of it, not the way I’ve heard about bird or even pig flus. The difference is that while those strains can pass to humans, canine influenza doesn’t. It’s basically just dogs getting the flu, in a particular strain that won’t infect us. So while we might have to worry about … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for October 22-28

I’m going to try a new format this week in the Pets Blog Week in Review. One fellow bloggers such as Michele Cheplic, Nicole Humphrey, Mary Ann Romans, and Karri Weathers use in their various blog topics. I’ll post the title of articles Aimee and I wrote under the dates and then summarize what the articles were about. Monday, October 22 Adventures with Murphy: Spotting Albino Critters It seems Murph’s a white critter magnet, as evidenced when we spotted yet another albino critter on a walk. This time a white chipmunk in our neighborhood. Tuesday, October 23 Welcoming Puppy: Throwing … Continue reading →

Do Dogs Catch Colds?

Up until the last week or so, I could say that I’ve never really heard a dog cough before. But in the last few days, Lally’s been making a weird noise that is somewhere between a human cough and the sound she makes before she barfs. Aside from the cough, she seems fine… so it got me wondering: do dogs catch colds? Colds — like humans have — aren’t transmittable from humans to pets. So what could be causing Lally’s cough? Kennel cough comes with a high, dry cough — the dog seems to feel fine otherwise. In most adult … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Contagious Cautions

Not all boarding facilities are equipped to handle guests (feline or otherwise) with health issues. Because we’re owned by and attached to a veterinarian’s office, the staff at the cats-only boarding facility is trained to do some unusual things. We administer oral medications (pills and liquids), topical medications (like creams applied to the inside of the ear), injections (like insulin for diabetic kitties), and even subcutaneous fluids (for guests who are dehydrated). But sometimes, we get a guest with a serious health issue that could possibly be contagious to other guests. We work very hard to ensure that the ill … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Outbreak Aftermath

After several of our guests got sick with an upper respiratory virus, we decided it was time for a major cleaning. We’re already very dedicated to cleaning at the cats-only boarding facility. The condos are cleaned as soon as a guest leaves, and at least once per week if they sit empty. The floors are swept and mopped twice per day. The playroom and exam room are sanitized after each cat is inside. But after four cats came down with a kind of cold, we didn’t want to chance other guests catching the same runny nose, runny eyes, and sneezing. … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Outbreak!

It started with one cat: runny nose, weepy eyes, sneezing. Soon three more cats were drippy and lethargic. The cats-only boarding facility had an outbreak! I’ve been working at the boarding facility since last December (how time flies) and this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this. The first cat — patient zero — usually has runny eyes and a sniffly nose. He’s a Himalayan, and like other flat-faced breeds, they can be susceptible to upper respiratory problems. Other Himalayans who come in to stay with us tend to have very runny eyes, too. So when patient zero … Continue reading →

The Pug

Pugs are strange-looking dogs. They are so cute, but they are ugly too. They kind of look like piglets with their wrinkled face, curly tail and short body. These dogs come in 4 colors: black, apricot, silver and fawn. They have a short coat that is very easy to groom. Please note that just because a dog has a short coat it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to brush it! Pugs tend to shed a lot. Also, since small dog breeds are prone to teeth problems you want to make sure you brush their teeth frequently. Health wise since … Continue reading →