I spent about a day last week worrying and wondering how our eldest dog, Clover, may have ended up testing as suddenly diabetic. Turns out, I made a dog urine sample mistake that threw off the results, a lot. Thankfully, a repeat test — done just hours later via cystocentesis (getting a dog urine sample with a needle) — came back perfect. Whew! What a relief. So, learn from me, pals. Do NOT make this mistake. What you put the urine sample in matters … a lot.
Well, crap friends. There’s some surprising new intel on arthritis supplements for dogs in a recently published veterinary paper that looked at a bunch of prior studies into various types of enhanced diets, nutraceuticals, and arthritis supplements for dogs (and cats).
I emailed the paper to our main DVM. We’ll talk about it more when the dogs get their wellness exams soon. I very well may be changing my strategies for preventing and helping my dogs with joint supplements. (Or not, keep reading to the end.) What works? What doesn’t? What’s *maybe on the horizon as the next big thing in arthritis supplements for dogs? Let’s find out.
Now that French Bulldogs rank number one in popularity in the USA in 2022 (according to AKC stats) a real disaster will get much, much worse. Here’s why (with data) from Nationwide’s Veterinary Analytics team that released chunks of new data and analysis about brachycephalic dogs earlier in 2023. The medical risks due to selective breeding for weirder and weirder faces in these dogs are simply too high, leading to death due to pregnancy (mom and puppies) and rampant, lifelong suffering and death of the puppies who survive birth. It isn’t just breathing problems. Several other health risks in extreme brachycephalic breeds, including French Bulldogs, remain scary high. Lovers of Pugs and English Bulldogs will also find relevant stats and charts.
Well, drat, friends. Clover finished the nosework competition last Friday, March 3, 2023, in Loveland, Colorado, with finding 6 of the 8 hides (in 5 searches), but you have to be PERFECT and all in ONE DAY to earn the NW2 title, so we’ll try again March 31 at a trial MUCH closer to home … and, in fact, the same location where Clover earned her NW1 on her first try at that level of nosework competition. Thanks to an expedited video process. We already have our videos to share. Here’s how it went.
As we learn more about veterinary consolidation and veterinary non-compete clauses, it made me wonder what happens if people get fired as veterinary clients from a hospital or clinic that’s owned by a big veterinary corporation. If you’re banned by one, does that mean you’re banned by all facilities owned by that company? I asked around and got an interesting answer. Plus, don’t miss a peek at our latest partial litter of foster puppies (3 from a litter of 6) – photos and a video of them playing with Clover. Calling them the Birthday Bunch. Might name them all after CAKE.
I explained before how often others’ words belittle or diminish a dog attack after it happens. Along with the ever-present “It could have been worse” from others, I received a note from animal control, telling me this was a “common dog attack.” That phrase sounded like “no big deal” to me, especially when paired with them disagreeing with my assessment that the dogs that attacked me and my youngest dog in late 2021 were dangerous. What is a common dog attack, anyway? I truly don’t believe this label on our experience is true. And, if it is, then beware because that means a crap-ton of dangerous dogs live in our communities. Here’s what I think.
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