Researchers looked at more than 157,000 cases of dogs needing a general anesthesia / sedation events between 2010 and 2013 and reported on the dog anesthesia risks of death. The published study includes insights into relative risks based on age, health status, type of procedure (including spay/neuter), and even length of dogs' noses. It's meant to be reassuring, but even an experienced Dog Mom like me learned a few things. Don't miss the context and caution about possible overestimation of risk at the bottom of the page. 

With our latest foster puppy (DREAM) in the house for a full week now, here's an update and real-world foster puppy example of how parts of our foster puppy set up actually work. Written and video updates ahead, including the #1 skill I taught my own dogs that keeps chaos to a minimum. Plus, live video of baby DREAM! Don't miss it! 

A study published in June 2022 reported on results for dogs detecting COVID compared to other testing methods. It's pretty neat. Let's take a look at what the dogs found. 

Cuterebra in dogs — also called warbles, botfly larva, and straight-up maggots — rank pretty high on the yuck scale. Yes, in some cases, they can be dangerous too. Based on real-life experience with them over the years, let me answer some common questions in case you ever need to know. To see what cuterebra holes look like and what cuterebra themselves look like scroll all the way down. That way I don't accidently gross anyone out. Your choice to scroll that far, or not.

Let's continue looking at the problem of veterinary care inequities and how veterinary care access issues hurt us all, including veterinary professionals. That's important because if they keep cutting back their hours and services, quitting entirely, or, worse, dying by suicide, everyone's access to veterinary care is only going to get worse. 

I recently researched and wrote a lengthy article for veterinary professionals on veterinary care inequities. It's NOT YET published, but some important parts got axed in editing. It felt like an issue of fragility, if you understand that term. I argued (and lost). I feel that NOT sharing painful details about the problem only perpetuates inequities many people face when trying to access veterinary care for their pets. So, I alerted some of the people I interviewed about the editing cuts and got permission to share these key points here instead. Who isn't getting the veterinary care? How common are veterinary care inequities? What barriers do people face? What underlying biases preserve the problem? And, how does this bias and lack of access feel in real life? Let's take a look. 

Maybe I'm more distracted after handing off our tiniest-ever foster puppy (Pavé) earlier this week, but this third cancer relative risk paper from Nationwide Pet Insurance is really something to wade through. It discusses dog size and cancer risks — overall as well as for several specific / common canine cancers (bone cancer, splenic cancer, liver cancer, lymphatic cancer, mammary cancer). This may require more than one post. I may do a video at some point, but let's dig into at least some of it now. Scroll all the way down to see bonus photos and more info about tiny Pavé in case you missed him on our social media feeds.

Posting this *barely in time to celebrate National Foster a Pet Month (June). I'm sharing a stat from Petco Love shows what it'll take to end preventable euthanasia in pets at shelters and rescues in America. Fostering greatly expands capacity to help more animals. While loving on our most recent foster puppies — The Wonder Twins — foster volunteers for our local shelter had 120 animals in their homes. We even ended up keeping Zan and Jayna an extra 5 days because the shelter was FULL. What's the shocking stat, how can you help, and how to I answer things people say to me about fostering? Keep reading to find out. Plus, cute pix and videos!

Celebration time !! Dog thief arrested !! After more than a month since the kidnapping of 3 search and rescue dogs from Carlsbad, New Mexico, I'm thrilled to report the dog thief got arrested on June 13, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. All 3 dogs, and the litter of 8 puppies born to one of them after the crime, were all found safe and have been reunited with their owner. Two short video clips of the family being reunited and a link to a TV news report below. Plus, a video from the investigator who found the dogs and located the suspect (scroll all the way down).

A study published in Scientific Reports in April 22 measured hair cortisol concentrations in shelter dogs before & after adoption, essentially to see if this new testing method works to evaluate long-term shelter dog stress. The data comes with a bunch of caveats, but it's still interesting and informative adopters and those working or volunteering in the animal rescue and animal shelter environment. When does shelter dog stress go up and down? What does it mean for you?