Very Cool Story

This "lucky dog" was adopted by a gentleman who has gone above and beyond. The dog came from the south. The original "breeder" had Brittany Spaniels and German Shorthair Pointers. Well, an oops happened and this dog was one of that litter.


The owner couldn't sell them so this dog went to the local pound. Somehow, the dog ended up out in the wild and got his foot caught in a wild boar trap. The resulting injury cost him his foot from the mid -metatarsal area down. One vet recommended full limb amputation. The dog owner sought his own way on this.


He found a company out of Colorado that made a prosthetic for this dog. First they had him wear a moldable one for a few weeks. Then they used the wear pattern to make a permanent one. Now the dog acts as if this is just part of his leg. He swims, runs, plays, etc. About every 8 months, the owner has to get the piece re-foamed to keep the padding at a good level.


The lovely dog and his owner were in today for a routine exam. Here are some pictures of it:

This amazing prosthetic has used mountain bike tire tread on it that the owner gets from a local shop. Very cool. This dog is so sweet and gentle I told the owner this dog would be an awesome therapy dog. Can you imagine how this dog could inspire young folks with "disabilities?" 


He is interested in pursuing but says the dog might fail a part of the test - the independence part as he will sooner follow the owner than stay with food. If that is it, well, then, that's silly. This dog is a doll!

Early Easter Warning

With Easter approaching, I thought it prudent to warn of a big danger for our cats: Lily plant ingestion, which  can result in kidney failure.

Please go to this informative website from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (of which, I am a member) to learn more.

Interesting Case

An older golden retriever with a problem has cancer until proven otherwise. Ok, maybe that's a bit extreme. Not that extreme. Cancer is the top killer of Golden Retrievers. They have a 60% chance of dying of it vs a 30% chance for other breeds.


So it's always on my mind when I see an older Golden.


Today I saw a dog on my surgery docket that had a very large lump on his head that was affecting his right eye and his muzzle, to an extent.


It stared a few months ago as a small lump a bit further back from this one. Typical medications were attempted and it seemed to go away a bit but then got larger. Again, different medications were tried and it got bigger despite those. 


I was tasked with exploring it and taking biopsies. It was firmly attached to the skull and definitely not easily resectable. In fact, I doubt you could get all of whatever this thing is out without doing major tissue trauma and possibly causing more harm than good.


There were parts of it that were harder than others and I did believe there might have been fluid in one section, but an aspiration with a large gauge needle yielded nothing.


So I dove in and cut into it. The little punch biopsy tool we use, which is like an "ice" corer or soil sampler, couldn't take a good sample, as the tissue was too mushy, soft, etc or as we say, "friable" - no not in the edible sense..just that it breaks down easily and it's hard to get a hold of!


I had to open the incision up and really give it a good feel and get a more thorough understanding of what I was dealing with. It looked like a giant blood clot. It was something that for the most part, I could get a finger around but there was some bony skull changes too. I got what samples I could and sent them out.


I am very curious but the bottom line is - given the age/breed and how this looks/feels, it ain't good.

Here's a view of it: the mass is the dark object in the center of the incision.

What to Do With Unused Drugs?

I really never gave this much thought until the past few years when I read articles like this one that discuss why throwing your old medications down the toilet or your kitchen sink is not a good idea.


It makes sense when you think about. These medications are not impacted by the treatment facilities. Sure, some may get broken down further, or become less active but when you consider how many people may be doing this with pet and  human medications and how long it has been going on, you begin to see that it's very possible, we all get exposed to low levels of all sorts of drugs.


As a veterinarian, I can tell you that many practices will either give you a credit or at least take them for stray or charity cases. The article points out we cannot re-sell the medications but we can use them to treat animals that wouldn't otherwise get treatment. I have done this many times and am grateful to have that "stash" available to me. 


There's also advice for those with human medications you need to dispose of as well.

This is Where I Differ From Kitties

I love cats. Not a surprise to anyone that knows me. The more I learned about them and observed them, the deeper my love and respect grew. I can relate to them in so many ways. Those little hedonists are, like me, always finding ways to get and remain comfortable. They don't take "no" for an answer if they want to lay on this couch or that person. They love the warmth and sun. They don't like change - unless THEY initiate it. They love to eat and sleep. See why I can relate to them? They are me! 


But this article on how carnivores' taste buds proves a point of difference, because I am in love with sweets. I would rather have dessert than a real meal! 

When Are People Going to Learn?

This has been MY mantra for I don' know how long: Do NOT buy anything edible for YOU or your pet or your livestock that comes from China. I don't know how many times "bad things" have to happen for people to get this.


I feel very bad for all of these people and pets that are going through this yet again, after feeding various brands of chicken jerky from China. 


Check out this article that discusses the push for the FDA to get rid of these products from the shelves. I'm all for that. But get this:


These "country of origin" claims are made possible by laws that say that once an ingredient is "substantially" altered in a given country, the resulting food can be considered a product of that country. These alterations can include cooking, mixing or otherwise reprocessing the ingredients in some way.

Just as oranges from Brazil can be turned into Canadian orange juice, chicken jerky from China can be reprocessed and repackaged in the U.S. to become a U.S. product. This can trick consumers into a false sense of security about the safety of their pet's food, Morrissette said.

We should go out our way to buy products made from reputable companies here in the US that source their products FROM the US. And yes, it may cost more. But you may save you or your pet a lot of pain and suffering.

A Few Laughs

While I contemplate my next big educational push, I thought I'd share a few of these with you. 


I love http://icanhascheezburger.com/ !

Overheard at Vaccine Clinics

This weekend, I participated in another benefit vaccine clinic for a county Humane Society that I work with regularly. 


It was an awesome turn out so they made decent money to help continue the wonderful work they do taking in homeless and sick animals and finding good, forever homes for them.


In any case, I invariably hear things at these events that make me cringe or laugh. 


This one was pretty good, though of course, full of the usual fully nutted dogs (always drives me crazy!) Sadly, yes, there are stereotypes that are true in vet medicine too and there are a group of dog owners (of various races and backgrounds) that just are beyond too attached to their dog's nuts. In any case, this is not about THAT. I do, however, always notice these things.


A lady made a comment I hear a fair bit - and not just at vaccine clinics. When someone finds a cat, especially a larger, long haired cat or an all grey cat, they always jump to the "He's a breed X!" 


Let me tell you, he is generally a domestic longhair or domestic shorthair (DLH or DSH) not a Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat or Russian Blue. I just find it amusing that people take some pride in that and somehow know those three breeds (those are the ones that always come up). There are a lot more cat breeds of course and I can tell you that most stray large long hair cats are NOT Maine Coons. I don't know if they think they found "treasure" or what but they beam when they think they've gotten something more than a regular old "alley cat", as the older generations used to call them.  


The thing is, these cats are often gorgeous and wonderful pets, no matter what their DNA says!

New Vet School

Yes, veterinary school IS harder to get into than medical school. So yes, we are real doctors. That aside, one of the reasons is that, currently, there are only 28 vet schools in the US.
A good resource on these is the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. 


At present time, Utah has already started a new vet school that partners with Washington State University. The students attend Utah State for the first two years and then go on to WSU for clinical years. A teaching hospital is an enormous expense for a state. There has to be large and small animal medical and surgical facilities, equipment, drugs, and board certified specialists to train and teach students. This is why each vet school wants to make sure you REALLY know what you are getting into when you apply and want to be in their class. You are an investment too. Yes, it costs you money but it costs them too.


Now there is a vet school in Arizona that will open in 2014.  It's good and bad. In my opinion, and studies bear this out, there are areas where there are definite shortages of vets and others where we have too many. "Areas" means types of practices as well as locations. Rural areas are very underserved and large animal vets are becoming a rarity these days. So if we can get students to go into those areas/types of practice, great. It's all about economics. Supply, demand, what someone is going to get paid, and where they would have to live are all part of the equation. You cannot force someone to be a large animal vet or live in the country, still you CAN have economic incentives, like loan repayments. But people that own animals have a responsibility too. Many farmers, especially owners of small sized farms, often don't call a vet until it's late in the process of the problem. Then they want it cheap. Well, that won't fly if you want people to be able to earn a living wage. Student loans are very high no matter what type of medicine you practice after school. 

From Cheetah to Cylon?

I saw this article about a robotic cheetah and of course, I had to check it out. No, it doesn't look anything like a cheetah but it does go pretty fast. There's a short video clip illustrating this on that link.  This "cheetah" is apparently designed with military applications in mind. Being the sci-fi lover I am, and a big fan of the RECENT Battlestar Galactica, I can't help but be reminded of how the Cylon race developed. This seems like a "good" first step. Hmm...

Fitting the Mood

You know what one of the biggest challenges is in veterinary practice? To go into a room with a client and pretend the rest of your life is ok. That nothing else is eating at you. There is nothing else on your mind. No thing you are trying to figure out.


Yeah, it's called being a professional. But ultimately all professionals are human. We all have feelings.  


Today in honor of my very sad feelings on things I am posting a story that, along with nearly every other thing today, made me want to cry...the death of a snow leopard...my beloved cat.


Snow Leopard Loses Battle to Cancer

Sorta Bad News

Today I had the opportunity to take an ultrasound training class run by a veterinary radiologist. I was fortunate enough to meet a veterinarian who has been very generous to me over the past year. She invited me to this private class even though I no longer work for her. I had done some relief work for her last year.


So we had a bunch of dogs and cats. Most of them had problems of some sort. It was a very educational experience. Even though I've played with the ultrasound machine at my current job, I didn't have any "formal" training. Today I definitely picked up some tips/tricks in technique and positioning that I believe will help me going forward. Of course, the biggest help is simply numbers and experience - the more patients you do, the better you get!


I had my own dog, Eggroll, 8yrs old there as a small sized dog model. He's been doing ok but a few years back he was a sick little boy. He was vomiting and not eating. After running blood work and x-rays and finding nothing abnormal, we did an abdominal ultrasound on him. He was diagnosed with pyelonephritis, a kidney infection that often causes dogs or cats to be very sick but can be difficult to diagnose. He was treated with antibiotics and has been health since then. 


I was curious what his kidney's looked like now. Well, as it turns out, that infection likely altered the architecture of his kidneys (and thus the function too). The kidneys have two layers - a cortex (outer layer) and medulla (inner layer). These are very distinct on ultrasound in a healthy dog or cat. In my dog, they are not as distinct. 

Normal dog kidney on ultrasound

It's nothing to "freak out" about but it does mean I need to be vigilant with biannual blood work on him and be in tune to any subtle changes that could indicate decreased renal function.

Overly Hyped Cat Parasite

I like to bring this up from time to time- be it on person or on line - because those not in the know often scare cat owning humans with this particular parasite. This includes human physicians who often have little training or knowledge on zoonotic diseases. 


In any case, it is pretty difficult to actually acquire Toxoplasmosis from your cat. Even if you cat shed this every day, if you simply scoop your litter box once a day, you would NEVER get it (from your cat.) 


This blog explains in a little more detail the statistics and true concerns about this parasite. 

Veterinary Technicians

I want to talk today about veterinary technicians. It's not Vet Tech Appreciation Week (that comes in mid October).


Veterinary technicians can be trained in school or on the job.
I've known excellent techs that have come up in the ranks both ways. I've known techs that went to school that couldn't do much and techs that learned on the job that were superb.  It's about the person as much as the training. Are they eager to learn, do they have the skills - both physical and mental - for the job?


It is a tough job. They are often the main communication between the client and the doctor. They offer support and comfort during difficult times. They are our back up and check system.  I am not too proud to say that I've been saved from mistakes by a veterinary technician. I've learned a great deal from them as well. Early on in my career, there were a few that had far more years of experience and could guide me on cases and techniques. Even recently, I've been able to learn a great deal from one who was married to a veterinary surgeon. Her knowledge base is unmatched. As are her skills and compassion for every pet owner. 


These folks don't get paid a lot and work long, hard hours. They often give up extra time to get the job done. They stay late or come in on days off to give injections to a pet for owners who can't do it at home. They offer to go to someone's home to trim cat nails or give fluids to a patient.   


Next time you go to your vet hospital, remember thank the vet techs that work there! A little gift would be much appreciated too - a gift card for food, Starbucks, a pet supply place or a donation to a known favorite shelter or pet related organization are all great ideas. 

Does My Dog Need Surgery?

I read an article a while back that stated that dogs with cruciate tears (or as I say to my clients "you know that football player injury"), may not need surgery. This article went on to say that rest and anti-inflammatories along with a slow return to normal activity over a few months,  is the way to go.


Since that time, though I've observed what I've seen in my patients. I still have always recommended referral and consultation with a veterinary surgeon. They can evaluate the dog and radiographs the best and in my opinion, their decision to cut or not is what I'd go with.  And no, they don't all push to do so. 


But I've been able to see in a population what happens when dog's don't get surgery. I have clients that don't or can't get the specialist's opinion.  If the dog is small, then I can say, it may be ok. If they are large, invariably, there will be issues. There is often a subsequent issue with the other rear leg because of the extra strain put on it by the weight the dog shifts to that side. There's also a lot of tissue damage that gets done by the abnormal bone on bone contact, not to mention pain. 


In this column a veterinarian explains why surgery is best for most dogs.

I Went Looking For A Smile

And found this...kinda true huh? Yeah. Sorta. My cats do come when I call, they do listen. They don't EVER go out. 


But it's cute. Has some truth. One reason I love cats is that *I* am very cat like: I love my independence, to sleep, to do what pleases me (as much as I can :) ), to bask in the sun, and I don't like change either! 

I Had No Idea

I've been following politics a lot more in recent years but this is one thing I didn't know. 

Las Vegas (CNN) -- One minute, he's checking a cat's mouth for gingivitis. The next, he's carefully bandaging a dog's bloody, broken nail.

This could be any hard-working veterinarian tending to ailing animals. But the embroidered name on his crisp white medical coat bears a familiar name: Dr. John Ensign.

He's better known as former Nevada Sen. John Ensign, who abruptly announced his resignation 10 months ago amid a high-profile sex scandal.

Read the rest of this interesting story.

Sigh

I'm going to bow out of today and I realize I wasn't in here yesterday.


Veterinary medicine is a stressful enough profession but when you add drama from within staff ranks, it gets even worse.


So between that, a tedious surgical procedure, a bunch of sick animals to diagnose and treat and spending my entire day at veterinary speciality centers getting MY new dog diagnosed, I am too tired to present anything too intelligent.


I will say this:


1. My surgery went extremely well and I have a fantastic veterinary nurse to thank for her incredible assistance. 


2. At least I know what is wrong with Theo and why he is how he is and that I can reassure his previous owners, they were NOT at fault.


Just for fun..and I need a few laughs:

Tomorrow's Excitement

So tomorrow I get to do a new procedure. I'm pretty excited but a bit nervous too. I am a perfectionist. 


I will let you know how it goes!


Promise!

A Picture IS Worth A Thousand Words

This gorgeous young cat is a perfect example of why I never count a cat out until she's literally dead.


This was a little kitten I mentioned in a blog last year that nearly died of pneumonia. She made the wise choice to climb up on the deck of the Stone Bar Inn, where a lovely and sweet animal loving lady, Mary Ann, took her in and brought her to us. She had a few battles with upper respiratory bugs but then nearly lost it all to pneumonia. She was in an oxygen cage for 2 days and there were a few times, I was preparing myself to make "that call." But she made it. She's had a few bumps in the road but she is literally flourishing! She was a scraggly, tiny little kitten who is now a stunner!


Mary Ann couldn't take her in permanently but her sister, also a huge hearted animal lover, has and she is living a great life!

Interesting Week Ahead

This week coming up is going to be interesting on several fronts - not all veterinary. 


I am the only vet at the practice this week and that's ok. The only down side is that we don't have any surgeries.


Surgery is my favorite thing. It's fun. It can be challenging. It's where I can get in a zone. I don't have to deal with crazy or nasty clients. 


Last week, I was thrilled to find out someone we work closely with on cruelty cases needed her own dog neutered this week if possible. I was happy to fit it in during a lunch break this week.


Yes, as much as this Italian girl loves and lives for food, I would rather eat quickly (and as a veterinary student you become very good at that!) and do a surgery.


Now, it looks like I'll get to help make our sweet black blocked kitty into a girl. Essentially he needs to lose his penis. No, I am not kidding. We need to make him a bigger outlet like a girl cat so his chances of re-obstructing are minimal (not 0%). This will be a challenge. AND we need to find out when we can do this. So I"ll be juggling appointment around to be able to do this procedure.

It Felt Like Old Times

Well, this evening I had to go in and unblock (or place a urinary catheter) in a sweet black kitty. 


This is a cat that came in nearly dead. He had been blocked for likely just under 72 hours. He was in acute renal failure and his potassium was so high, his heart was in danger of stopping.


We saved him and he was doing great. We took the catheter out and he was going to go home but our wonderful surgery nurse palpated his bladder before putting him in the carrier and was like "um..uh oh..Dr.B?" 


So, sure enough, he was reblocked. Not that unusual, especially in the first two weeks after the initial blocking. He didn't have stones but a lot of "sand like" material in his urinary bladder. 


So we kept him and decided to keep him through the weekend because the owner was not going to be home AND to save the owner money from a potential emergency hospital visit. 


Thank God we did.


Another wonderful nurse at the practice, called me to report she thought he was blocked this evening. 


Chris and I drove in and yep, he was. I unblocked him with the assistance of Chris, acting as my trusty technician. I trained him when I was doing mixed animal practice because I wasn't "allowed" to call a tech in though we lived in a rural area and there were plenty of large and small animal emergencies.


I should say, we were "allowed" but when I did call one in for 3 emergencies we saw back to back, I got reprimanded. They didn't want to pay her. I inquired how I was supposed to take blood, put a catheter in, and get x-rays by myself. Then I was told I see too  many emergencies. You know what? You cannot tell when someone calls you up how serious it is. If I am on call and there is any doubt, I, in good conscience, can't blow it off. I'd rather go in and find it's not a big deal. 


But tonight's trip in reminded me of those times we used to go in. He saw me do an emergency C-section/spay where I had to cut a dead pup in half because it was lodged in mom's birth canal. We had a hell of a time once euthanizing a 100lb+ nastier than a son of Satan Komondor even though I used the horse drugs I had access too. Oh and there was the nasty cat that needed gas anesthesia to just be examined. The German Shepherd we found on the way home from another call - lying in the  middle of the road bleeding from his nose. We took that one back and found the owners who proceeded to be nothing short of difficult and truly "not getting it." That one died. 


I don't miss those days but we do have some memories from them.


As for tonight's sweet kitty, since this is blockage number 3 in the past week, he's going to need a little sex change operation we call a PU (perineal urethrostomy). 

His "Achille's" Heel Cost Him 1/9

Cat's never cease to amaze me. The places they go and come from, the things they survive, the ways they find to get where and what they want. However, it sometimes comes at a cost.


Here's a story about a lucky cat that leaves me wishing Chris could fly this kitty home! I just wonder if he was hoping for a flight to a more feline friendly destination? 


Cat Rescued From Airport Ceiling

Love THIS!

I like to discuss a variety of issues relating to animals and veterinary medicine. As my regular readers know, I don't just talk about cases I see or educate on specific animal diseases.


This article is a perfect example of something we deal with on a regular basis and that, frankly, can kill a business - or at least, stifle it's growth! It's deadbeat clients and sadly, I believe my yellow cat's owner is one of them.


The Cost of Deadbeat Clients


An except I particularly loved is:

Some companies take a cheekier approach. Cliff Stepp, owner of SteppUp Consulting, a branding and marketing company in Arroyo Grande, Calif., learned from his bookkeeper that sending out overdue reminders in sealed envelopes was too subtle.

“She bought a bunch of vacation post cards, and on the message side wrote: ‘We wish we were here, but can’t afford it because you haven’t paid your bill,’” said Stepp. “Her rationale was that the message on the card was public, and that employees might see it. After the third post card, one company that owed us $1,400 paid up in full. That was three years ago and we’ve had a couple of occasions to use that strategy again.”

If you've been in this business any length of time, this sort of stuff growths thin. Time and time again, you lose money because of compassion. There is a very good reason many vets do not accept payment plans. This is especially true of "new" clients. Yes, like yellow cat owner, who was having his dad help him pay but is now not returning phone calls.

Our suppliers - of drugs, medical equipment, surgery equipment, our laboratories and our staff all expect to be paid. The mortgage or lease is due each month. There are taxes. Electric bills. General office supplies. The list goes on. I tell this to people. Flat out. If you want to have a vet to go to, pay your bills!


As it says in the Bible (as a matter of principal = no matter what you intend to do, build a barn, agree to host a party, consent to being in a wedding or acquire a pet - first count the cost and then have integrity):  

New Living Translation (©2007) "But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?

They Have NO Clue

In going through some animal related articles, I found this article about College Majors that Are Useless.


On this is list is MY major: Animal Science. 


I found that first article after reading this on how WE took issue with the assertions.


Anyone that knows me, knows I can't stand by and just listen to it, so yeah,  I commented on it:


Here is what I wrote: 


As the proud EARNER of a BS in Animal Science, I beg to differ here. As the article quotes: "Graduates with animal science degrees who responded to a recent Purdue University survey said they used their majors to find careers in animal production, at zoos and the pharmaceutical industry. A degree in animal science also opens doors for additional graduate and professional training in areas such as veterinary medicine, research and education".

I'm thrilled it came from the place I received my SECOND and professional degree THANKS to my Ani Sci degree - Purdue Univ. 

I am a practicing veterinarian and my love of large animals came from the experience I gained at the Univ of Delaware earning my Animal Sci degree. I didn't grow up on a farm and sadly, we are more and more removed from the source of our food, clothing and other supplies we all use day to day. I didn't know I loved working with poultry, cattle, sheep, etc until that experience. I am glad UD can provide that for so many. I know other universities that do the same. 

There are so many paths you can take with this degree. It is extremely strong in science but gives you the extra edge of having education related to animals - above what a regular biology degree would give you.

I could've done research, worked for the government, gone on to a PhD, an MPH, or an MD (if I didn't make it into vet school), worked in a zoo, worked for all sorts of companies from pharmaceuticals to feed companies and everything in between.


I would NOT trade this degree for anything. If I didn't want to go to vet school, I have no doubt I could be employed in any of a wide variety of jobs. It was not an EASY degree because of the strong science component - organic chem, physics, biochem, microbiology, etc. The best part of it for me WAS the animal component. It's like a biology degree but so much more fun!

Misc

Just a few thoughts today:


1. I haven't seen my yellow cat back. He missed his Monday appt and attempts to contact the owner have not been successful. I hope the cat is ok but I suspect his outstanding bill may have something to do with it. Though there was an agreement made. This is exactly why some vets do NOT do any type of payment agreement. We spent thousands to do the work. Now we could be screwed. And yeah, it adds up. I know of a vet that has zero..yes ZERO..accounts receivables. Great way to run a business. 


2. I am still amazed at how people act at a veterinary office 


  a. Complaining about money and being downright mean/nasty as if it's OUR fault their pet, who hasn't seen a vet in years (add the money up they saved..they have NO excuse NOW) and is not spayed but could have a serious uterine infection, is sick now. Let me clue you in on something here: if you are nicer, you'll get a lot more. Vets are often very willing to throw things in and we give away a lot more than you know about but when you are mean, nasty and have disdain for your pet's health and the people who care for her, you can bet, we will make sure you get charged for everything.


  b. Don't bring pets you didn't make an appointment for, ask us to examine them (bad enough) and then complain when you are called on it and told you are expected to pay for the always extended doctor's time you take up.

Cruelty? Neglect? Either Way You CUT It..NOT GOOD!

I am not going to say much and just let pictures speak for themselves here...

Now, let me ask YOU how you think that happened? How long did it take? Was it an accident? If so, do you think it could've gone unnoticed for days? 

Perish the Thought!

A web site, called Life's Little Mysteries cites a work done by a Purdue researcher on what the world would be like with no little felines in it.


But alas, it is NOT a good thing - so phooey to the haters out there! Here's a taste of the article. Click the page line for the full thing!
----

Perhaps you're a cat lover. Perhaps you abhor the lazy critters. Either way, when you see a cat lounging on an armchair, napping all day but for the occasional stretch or window gaze, "useless" is by no means the last word that comes to mind. Cats, beloved or otherwise, don't radiate the message that they're indispensable, hard-working members of the household, or the world.

But, in fact, they're just playing it cool (as usual). Experts say that if all the world's cats suddenly died, things would quickly go to hell in a handbasket.

Cats, both pets and strays, may fool us into thinking that they depend on our food and trash for survival, but according to Alan Beck, professor of veterinary medicine and director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University, they're expert predators with adaptable hunting behaviors. "They are a significant predator of small animals, and can survive as almost solitary animals when the prey is scarce, while thriving in high density when the prey is abundant," Beck told Life's Little Mysteries.

And that's just why we'd miss them. By killing mice and rats in barns and grain storage areas, cats are vital for keeping those pests in check. In India, Beck said, cats are believed to play a significant role in lessening the amount of grain loss caused by consumption or contamination by rodents. In other words, it may be true that humans feed cats, but without cats, humans would have less food in the first place.

One of my lazy felines!

Cat Gets Free Rides

Ha! I love this cat. This is just more evidence of what I keep telling you all about how cool and amazing cats are!

Valentine's Day Warnings

Since I am in the middle of working on a talk for some high school students, I truly appreciate the ability to find or be given a relevant blog topic that is quick but informative. 


Today, my blog topic is thanks to a friend who sent me this link. Last year, I warned about the dangers of chocolate. Every year, I find we have to warn about the seasonal dangers to our pets. People forget. Some people become pet owners for the first time. Or maybe they haven't had a pet in years to decades!


So here it is: Valentine's Day Risks

And all 3 of these can apply to many times through the year - holidays and regular days!