What my dogs teach me
Most stories about dogs with the deadly cancer hemangiosarcoma end sadly and this one does too. Just so you know. But I want to tell the story because canine hemangiosarcoma is so sneaky and can be hard to diagnose. For Summer, it all started with a backache, though it turned out not to be the main problem. Continue reading “Canine Hemangiosarcoma: Summer’s Story”
Summer succumbed to hemangiosarcoma on 8/25/17. I wrote this on 7/10/17 and have left it as it was when I wrote it: a tribute to a dog who I thought had many years left.
I currently have three dogs: Summer, Zani, and Clara.
Clara is the youngster, and has a dramatic backstory. She was a feral puppy, and also my first puppy. Life gave her lemons and we have made lemonade together.
Zani has “all the cuteness going on,” as a friend puts it. She is adorable, wicked smart, sensitive, and feisty—all at the same time. Whenever I teach anything to all the dogs, Zani picks it up the fastest (unless it’s a verbal cue, in which case she is dead last). Zani has quite the fan club on social media.
Zani helped raise Clara, and they are buddies.
But Summer.
Continue reading “Unsung Summer”
This post is about how I made weekly allergy shots into a fun event for my two allergic dogs. It’s not about the medical aspects of allergy shots or how to administer them. Be sure to get specific advice and training from your veterinary staff if you will be giving shots at home.
I have two dogs with seasonal allergies that are severe enough to make them pretty uncomfortable, especially in the summer. I recently took them to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. They got skin tests and the vet specialist determined that they were both good candidates for an immunology protocol. First, they would get shots approximately every three days Continue reading “Allergy Shots for Dogs: How I Made Them the Best Thing Ever”
Please see the additional note at the bottom of the post.
Prong collars, also called pinch collars, are metal chain collars for dogs that include links of prongs whose ends press into the dog’s neck.
When a dog pulls on leash, moves out of position, or is “corrected” with a quick snap of the leash, force is exerted on the dog’s neck through the points of contact of the prongs.
Continue reading “Why Prong Collars Hurt”