Search Results for: blog recommended reading for pet owners

Find A Vet on Pet Advocate

I’ve talked – extensively – about how important it is to find a good veterinarian. I’ve done that, however, without offering much advice about how to do so. Finding a good vet (or doctor, or dentist, or anything) is always tricky if you’re new to an area, or if you’re the only person you know who has pets. I went through it myself. When I first moved here I only knew one other person who had a pet, and she doesn’t take her cat to the vet very often. She’s the one who recommended the low-cost clinic to which I … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Neck Sores

This morning, I noticed a weird matted spot on my dog Lally’s neck. On closer investigation, I found a sore around the size of a quarter on the right side of her neck, just above where her collar sits. Time to put my pet first aid skills into action! First, I soaked a washcloth in warm water. After wringing it out, I applied the warm washcloth to Lally’s neck to help soften and clear away the dried blood. Once I could pick the hair out of the way, I could see the sore. It didn’t look like a cut, scrape, … Continue reading →

How To Restrain A Pet

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In medical emergencies, knowing the right way to restrain your pet can save your pet’s life. But knowing how to restrain your pet will be useful in more mundane situations, too — like at the vet’s, when you’re trying to trim toenails, or when your pet has a minor injury that needs attention. A humane restraint protects humans from being bitten or scratched. It also protects the pet from struggling and possibly making an injury worse. Perhaps most importantly, a humane restraint gives you a chance to administer first aid and check the severity of the injury. A reclining restraint … Continue reading →

Acupuncture for Pets

As acupuncture use increases in human medicine, some pet owners and veterinarians have turned to acupuncture for four-legged family members. Around the world, millions of vets and veterinary assistants are trained in acupuncture! In the hands of a skilled practitioner, an acupuncture treatment does not cause discomfort — this goes for humans and pets. Slender, flexible needles are inserted to stimulate particular locations in the body. Acupuncture is based on the idea that energy flows through an animal’s body along meridians; a blockage in one of the pathways can cause all sorts of health issues. Sometimes, the effects are immediately … Continue reading →

Two Upset Tummies (and One Upset Aimee)

Over the weekend, I noticed that Moose wasn’t feeling well. My first indication? He threw up in the office. That was just the beginning of what has turned into a very long few days of recurring barf and poop. I was sure at first that Moose’s upset tummy was the result of scarfing down those chicken bones in the parking lot. I cooked up some rice and chicken broth and hoped things in digestion-land would settle down. By Monday morning, Moose seemed to be feeling better. I started mixing kibbles in with the rice and broth. But I was being … Continue reading →