Mr Stix earns NACSW NW1 title graphic for post with NW search videos

On June 23 2023, our youngest canine hero (Mr Stix) earned his NACSW NW1 title on his second try. He also earned a 2nd place and pronounced honors for his speedy exterior search at the event held at Rambler Ranch in Elizabeth, Colorado. He is SO cute when he is working with his nose. Don’t miss these 4 videos! It also happened to be the 10th anniversary of my Mom’s death (even though I say 20th in the final video), so I asked her for a little help.

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CYP2B11 deficiency dogs main graphic for post

If dog lovers are aware of CYP2B11 deficiency dogs, they likely think of sighthounds. The list of breeds with the CYP2B11-H3 gene mutation, though, reaches far beyond greyhounds and the like. CYP2B11 deficiency dogs pose greater risks of complications with anesthesia, including recovering more slowly. Basically, it’s because the gene mutation results in less CYP2B11, and that means their bodies are much slower eliminating certain medications.

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mdr1 dog breeds featured graphic

Thankfully, all 3 of our dogs carry 2 normal MDR1 genes. We know that thanks to DNA testing. Most MDR1 dog breeds with mutations come from the herding dog group of breeds, but the top list of breeds includes some surprises. I recently came across some stats on how common MDR1 mutations are in specific dog breeds.

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fho surgery dog featured graphic with before & after x-rays

Let’s take a look at FHO surgery dogs sometimes need. Click through to see Mr. Stix’s actual pre- and post-operative x-rays from his FHO surgery in 2019. We have yet-another foster puppy (September 2023) who is recovering from … you guessed it … FHO surgery. Yes, I broke my self-imposed fostering sabbatical for the rest of the year to help a new little puppy-girl named STARLIGHT (~4-month-old German Shepherd puppy).

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dog relaxation protocol tech updates graphic

Quick newsflash for Dog Relaxation Protocol users about some required tech updates to the FREE audio files Champion of My Heart made available eons ago and continues to maintain. What a week! Because, you know, tech glitches are so much fun. [insert beleaguered face here] I could use some help from an Apple computer / Safari browser smarty-pants. Scroll down to see my plea.

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give rice to dogs graphic

Recently, I mentioned in another dog diarrhea post about how some dog lovers and veterinary hospitals no longer recommend you give rice to dogs with upset tummies. When faced with a poopy puppers again in the last, week, here’s why I can’t stop using rice. TL/DR. It seems to work.

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pet insurance annual review of costs graphic

In 2022, our pet insurance through Embrace Pet Insurance was going to go up a lot. I don’t remember the exact percentage, but it was enough to shock me after several years of steady increases in monthly premiums. Our 3 pet insurance policies through them for Clover, Tori, and Mr. Stix renew again in September 2023. No surprise, I suppose. The cost is going up another 24%. To cut back last year, I doubled our annual deductible from $500 to $1,000, and I lowered our reimbursement rate from 80% to 70%. And, a year later, we’re kind of back where we were. I always ask myself if it’s worth the cost. Let’s look at the numbers, including how much the pet insurance market grew in the last year. Funny (not funny) how the % of industry growth nearly matched the % of increase in our premium costs.

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dog diarrhea headline image

Most of us continue to use the same strategies we always have for dog diarrhea – out of habit or a sense of what seems to work for our dogs over the years. A new study, though, pokes a hole in a commonly prescribed dog diarrhea treatment medication and found that special tummy food works better.

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