Christmas Presents can be Deadly for Dogs
I would like to advise everyone with dogs to think twice before following instructions on a gift that read do not open until Christmas.
A very nice family I met last night received a Christmas present from an acquaintance. They placed it, still wrapped, underneath their tree. Unbeknownst to them the package contained a pound and a half of dark chocolate.
Although the family had no way of knowing the package’s contents, their dog sniffed it out in short order. He consumed the entire block of chocolate and most of the wrapping.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs. Small amounts may cause no symptoms, or may cause mild agitation. Larger quantities can cause muscle spasms, high body temperature, and severe agitation. Fatal doses cause seizures, heart palpitations, and death.
This dog had consumed a potentially fatal dose. The family sought veterinary attention immediately. We were able to save the dog with intensive overnight management. But for much of the night a favorable outcome did not seem certain. Without prompt medical attention the dog certainly would have died.
In my mind, this story is a good reason to treat yourself to the pleasure of opening all of your gifts as you receive them.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Facebook meltdown
So much for Silicon Valley's latest get-rich-quick scheme. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has cancelled a plan to let employees cash out their shares early. In August, before the markets started to melt down and with Facebook worth $15 billion on paper, Zuckerberg unveiled a plan to let employees sell a small amount of their shares — no more than $900,000 or 10 percent of their stock holdings, whichever was less. The program, all but unheard of among Valley startups, was meant to appease employees who were agitating for some chance to make money from their shares. It was a revolutionary new way to reward employees, without having to go through an IPO or a sale.The revolution is over, Zuckerberg told his company today. "I'm writing this note to let you know some bad news," he wrote in an email to all employees at the 800-person social-network startup this afternoon. "Despite a lot of work, we have not been able to finalize a plan for the employee stock sale we announced in August."
Facebook executives had been courting potential buyers for employees' shares since the summer. But as the value of Google tumbled from its high of $700 last year, would-be investors started asking questions about whether Facebook's value, too, had dropped. By last month, they were getting downright nervous.
Microsoft had invested $240 million in the company for a 1.6 percent stake in the company that valued all of Facebook at $15 billion, but that deal came with extras: Microsoft bought preferred shares, which get paid off first if the company's bought, and it also got an advertising deal with Facebook at the same time.
Facebook's common shares, meanwhile, have a value that put the whole company's worth at around $4 billion. Or they did. A source close to potential investors said they wanted to buy shares from employees at a lower valuation, or with guarantees similar to Microsoft's. To reward a small number of employees who had enough shares to benefit from the program, Zuckerberg would have had to give away something for nothing.
It's still a crushing blow to morale at the company that was once Silicon Valley's highest-flying startup. Facebook once had the pick of the world's best and brightest, hiring brilliant kids from college who had gone through school addicted to the social network.
So Zuckerberg's back to the original startup business plan: Make a big bet, and hope it pays off years later with an IPO or a sale. Facebookers will have to make the same bet, too. It's not as exciting as overturning Silicon Valley's financial order. But right now, just drawing a paycheck seems like a lucky thing.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Untitled
I Treat my Dog’s Injured Nail?
My dog got her back paw caught in the door and her
whole nail came off. Now just the quick is
showing. I got the bleeding to stop but now it is
slimy and has a bad odor. Have you seen this before
and what should we do????
Melanie
Sarnia, ON, Canada
Nail injuries are very common in dogs. They occur when nails snag on carpet or vegetation, or when a nail catches on any stationary object.
In some instances (such as the one described by the questioner), trauma to the nail causes the nail to come completely off. In other cases, the nail is torn partially off.
In either case, a trip to the vet is in order. Nails that have been partially torn off may need to be removed. Both types of injury can lead to infection. Melanie, I suspect that an infection is the source of the bad odor that is emanating from your dog’s nail. Antibiotics may be necessary to help her heal.
Also, both types of injury can be painful. Your vet can recommend pain killers to make your dog feel better.
Most nails grow back normally after nail injuries. However, in rare cases the nail grows back in an irregular fashion. This rarely harms the affected dog. However, you may have to pay special attention to the nail in question. It may require frequent trimming.
For more information on injured nails in pets, click here.
Photo hat tip: Nicci.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The PetsitUSA.com Blog
The PetsitUSA.com Blog Earlier today I came across a website for a “university” that claims to have accredited licensing programs for pet sitters and other pet businesses such as groomers, dog trainers, breeders…just to name a few. This so-called university offers the training and licensing that’ll prepare anyone to jump right in and start a pet sitting business and make a six figure income in no time.
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Guess who's feeling economy stress? Your pet - Pet health- msnbc.com
Animals not only carry our burdens, they have their own anxiety problemsGuess who's feeling economy stress? Your pet - Pet health- msnbc.com
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
Giving your pets medicine
Giving Your Pet Medication
by Heidi Stonehill
You've just been told that your pet will need to take medicine. You know how much to give that's appropriate for your particular animal and how many times per day. You understand all the instructions from the vet and have read all the instructions from the medicine manufacturer. But, now that it is time to actually give it to your pet, just how do you go about it?
Individual cats and dogs can be as good or as bad about taking medicine as individual people are. It's very frustrating when a pet will run away and hide, squirm out of your arms, or try to bite while you are attempting to pop a pill into his or her mouth. Why is it that it looks so simple when the veterinarian does it, but it's impossible to do at home?
My previous cat, Fluffy, had diabetes, heart trouble, and later, a host of other problems. Fortunately, he was a very calm, understanding animal. He would let me give him his insulin shot while he was working on the food in his bowl. Pills he wasn't keen about, but the particular pills he had, I could crush and add to his food, which he tolerated. Liquid medication was fairly easy with him, as he accepted my squirting it into his mouth with a dropper.
My current cat, Tig, is not so cooperative. He's very nervous and picky. Crushed pills in his food are not to his liking. And I have a very hard time keeping him still if I have to give him a pill or liquid medicine directly. It's amazing how strong a 17-pound cat can be when he wants to get out of your arms. Do you have a pet like that?
There are several techniques that may help you to administer medication to a pet. One method is to hide the pill in food. This is a popular method with dogs, but doesn't usually work with cats, as they often eat around the pill. You can try hiding the pill in a moist niblet. This sometimes works for cats. In fact, there are even moist treats specifically designed to hold a pill in the center; these come in dog and cat sizes and are offered online or at pet supply stores.
If food doesn't do the trick (or, if the medication is not to be given with food), then you'll need to give the medication directly to your pet. This is when it can get difficult.
Here are some helpful videos from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine that you can view online. They are just a minute or so long. The first focuses on how to give a cat a pill, from putting it in food, to giving it directly with you fingers, to using a "pill gun" (available from your veterinarian).
How to Give a Cat a Pill http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/node/316
The other video is how to give a cat liquid medication. Sometimes you can use liquid medication as an alternative to pills if your cat might handle it better. Some medications only come in liquid form.
How to Give a Cat Liquid Medication http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/node/305
The Cornell site also offers videos on other cat health topics, such as how to give insulin to a cat.
Here are instructions (no video) from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine about how to give a pill or liquid medication directly to a dog, if s/he doesn't eat it in his/her food:
How to Give a Dog a Pill or Liquid Medication http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_meds.aspx
Hope these help! Good luck, from one pet owner to another!
by Heidi Stonehill
You've just been told that your pet will need to take medicine. You know how much to give that's appropriate for your particular animal and how many times per day. You understand all the instructions from the vet and have read all the instructions from the medicine manufacturer. But, now that it is time to actually give it to your pet, just how do you go about it?
Individual cats and dogs can be as good or as bad about taking medicine as individual people are. It's very frustrating when a pet will run away and hide, squirm out of your arms, or try to bite while you are attempting to pop a pill into his or her mouth. Why is it that it looks so simple when the veterinarian does it, but it's impossible to do at home?
My previous cat, Fluffy, had diabetes, heart trouble, and later, a host of other problems. Fortunately, he was a very calm, understanding animal. He would let me give him his insulin shot while he was working on the food in his bowl. Pills he wasn't keen about, but the particular pills he had, I could crush and add to his food, which he tolerated. Liquid medication was fairly easy with him, as he accepted my squirting it into his mouth with a dropper.
My current cat, Tig, is not so cooperative. He's very nervous and picky. Crushed pills in his food are not to his liking. And I have a very hard time keeping him still if I have to give him a pill or liquid medicine directly. It's amazing how strong a 17-pound cat can be when he wants to get out of your arms. Do you have a pet like that?
There are several techniques that may help you to administer medication to a pet. One method is to hide the pill in food. This is a popular method with dogs, but doesn't usually work with cats, as they often eat around the pill. You can try hiding the pill in a moist niblet. This sometimes works for cats. In fact, there are even moist treats specifically designed to hold a pill in the center; these come in dog and cat sizes and are offered online or at pet supply stores.
If food doesn't do the trick (or, if the medication is not to be given with food), then you'll need to give the medication directly to your pet. This is when it can get difficult.
Here are some helpful videos from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine that you can view online. They are just a minute or so long. The first focuses on how to give a cat a pill, from putting it in food, to giving it directly with you fingers, to using a "pill gun" (available from your veterinarian).
How to Give a Cat a Pill http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/node/316
The other video is how to give a cat liquid medication. Sometimes you can use liquid medication as an alternative to pills if your cat might handle it better. Some medications only come in liquid form.
How to Give a Cat Liquid Medication http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/node/305
The Cornell site also offers videos on other cat health topics, such as how to give insulin to a cat.
Here are instructions (no video) from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine about how to give a pill or liquid medication directly to a dog, if s/he doesn't eat it in his/her food:
How to Give a Dog a Pill or Liquid Medication http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_meds.aspx
Hope these help! Good luck, from one pet owner to another!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
My Videos
My Videos
Molly and I ride along the Mississippi Levees south of Baton Rouge
Molly and I ride along the Mississippi Levees south of Baton Rouge
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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Dogs
I love to read stories about pet owners, I'll share this one with you.
http://www.grit.com/blogs/A-Few-Good-Dogs.aspx?blogid=184
http://www.grit.com/blogs/A-Few-Good-Dogs.aspx?blogid=184
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Monday, September 22, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Windows Live Hotmail
"Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a 2nd chance, grab it
with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy,
they just said it would be worth it !"
Unknown sender.
So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a 2nd chance, grab it
with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy,
they just said it would be worth it !"
Unknown sender.
The Molly Chronicles
This blog is dedicated to Americans just like you.
Please share your American dreams, sucesses or failures with others. Join today and post away.
Invite your American friends to join.
Here is my story.
In 1969 a Vietnam veteran found it very hard to get a job. I was.
So with $100 dollars worth of tools and an old ford truck I started my own auto repair business.
At first my family dang near starved.
But I kept trying.
I have never had a public job.
I never got a handout or drew unimployment.
I have never been unemployed.
I never looked back.
I created five very sucessful businesses.
That my friends is the American way.
Now I am Retired.
I want to meet you, in person, and if that is not possible, then we can meet right here online,
W onderful W orld of the W eb
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