5 reasons to own a black dog

I love my dogs. Let's face it, I'm a veterinarian, I like pets. I like them big, I like them small, I like them short, I like them tall. (Can you tell I'm also mom to two youngsters?)

Currently, I live with two dogs. Spiker is a collie/aussie mix, and is a beautiful long-coated blue merle, with white feet and nose. He is truly stunning to look at. Bella is our 9 year old black lab. Bella came to us as a stray when she was very young. She's going grey now in the face, but she's still beautiful. And practical. Here are the five reasons to have a black dog in your house. (Disclaimer- pictures were all found on the web, I take no credit for them.)

5. Black fur doesn't show on black pants. Now, you could argue that black fur does show on white and khaki pants, and you would not be wrong. But, frankly, all fur shows on white and khaki. Trust me. I have had every color of fur on my pants at one time or another. But I wear black when I want to dress up, and having a light dog rub against me before I walk out the door leaves a trail on the pants. The black dog's fur just blends right in.

4. You can see black fur dustbunnies on the floor. I know, this doesn't sound like a good thing. But I am an indifferent housekeeper, and seeing the problem areas helps me spot-clean before people come to visit. The lighter fur will escape my attention until a 3 foot fur tumblweed blows across the floor in front of guests.

3. It's kind of fun when a black dog stands outside the kitchen door at night and all you see are her eyes reflecting the light from inside. Camoflage.

2. No one will every think it's a good idea to dye her an odd color. Pink and purple poodles may be fun to look at, but I like my Bella undyed.

1. The dirt doesn't show. Spiker is currently a muddy, muddy mess. Bella is equally muddy (I think), but it just doesn't show up on her. I don't look at her and think it's shower time. Spiker, on the other hand, is threatened with a shower on a daily basis. Which is not to say he gets one. 

So there you go. Enjoy your pets. Even if they show dirt. Or are pink.

Happy Endings

No, not a fairy tale. Or a massage, for that matter (wink, wink). But this was a story told to me today by one of my very best friends, and I thought I would share it with all one of you. I do not have permission to make this public, so names and places will be disguised or simply not mentioned.

My friend Betty volunteers for a local rescue organization. They work with a particular breed, we'll say labradors. They do really good work, and I admire them greatly. If you are not familiar with breed-specific rescue organizations, I recommend looking into them for your next adoption. Of course, I never would recommend a breed over a mutt, or object to keeping all options open by checking local shelters, humane sociaties and no-kill private organizations. But I digress.

So, Betty got a call from the head of the rescue- a couple found a brown lab was nesting in a hay bale on their property. She looked pretty beat-up, so they tracked down rescue and asked for help. Betty went to pick up this dog to foster her for a bit until they were able to get her vet checked and decide what to do with her. When Betty picked her up, she realized that the dog was injured worse than they realized at first. She had patches of fur missing, ugly red welts with scabs down her back, and her back leg was swollen with open sores.

The usual vet that works with this rescue was booked solid with emergency appointments, surgeries and the regular appointments. The receptionist told Betty she was very sorry, but they were unable to get her in that day. Betty thanked her and hung up the phone. Just as she was getting ready to call another vet's office, the first receptionist called her back, saying "The doctor told me to call you, have you come right up, and we will work you in, in between surgeries." That's what they did. Betty found out later that the hospital's staff stayed 3 hours after normal hours so they could see to all the patients that night.

When Betty and the dog got to the hospital, the staff took one look and asked how she had been burned. They could smell the singed fur and skin across the room. The vet examined her and set up a plan to treat her. In the meantime, Betty called the head of the rescue organization, who in turn called the fire department for the township where the lab was found. She was told that there had been a house fire a couple days before. No people were injured, but a brown lab left in the house had died. They found the dog's collar at the scene.

When the head of rescue explained the situation, the firefighters gave her contact information to the homeowner. The homeowner called the rescue. They were able to determine that this poor dog was indeed the one that was presumed dead in the fire. The Labrador has since been reunited with her people, and they are all very glad.

So, yes, a happy ending.

Cats is cats

So my daughter explained to me yesterday as I was driving her home from the grocery store that she feels we should adopt a litter of kittens.

"How many?" I questioned

"I don't know, maybe ten. That way, they would all be friends, and if they weren't friends, we could give one away." Good 5 year old logic.

I like cats. Cats are like chips- most of us don't have just one. And they'll make more. There certainly isn't a dearth of kittens out there. Those of you who have experienced litter mate kittens playing together know just how much fun they can be. They bring joy to our life.

I grew up with Siamese cats, named for characters from Anna and the King of Siam. Then we added a rabbit to the mix. The rabbit lived in the house, free-roaming with the cats. Now some of you might be concerned that the cats would attack and possibly kill the poor bunny. We had some concerns, too. Until the rabbit took one look at the cats and attacked. Not in a Monty Python Search for the Holy Grail attack rabbit way, more of an annoying aunt backing you into the corner and talking your ear off kind of way. He backed those cats up and stared at them They hissed and hit him. He cocked his head to the side and wiggled his nose. The cats jumped over him and ran!

The cats could be seen huddled on the stairs, watching the rabbit hop down the hall. We think they were plotting his demise. Eventually, they reached a sort of truce and left each other alone. But the antics still make us grin.

And don't tell me animals don't have logic skills.

There was a period of time I made pets of field mice (yes, I was a little odd). I kept one in a cage in my room. On a bookshelf, 3 shelves up. One cat, Rorshack by name, black and white like an inkblot test, would sit on the floor in front of the bookcase, stare at the mouse in her cage, and plan his climb. He would look at the first shelf, turn his head slightly like he was imagining walking across the shelf, then look up to the second shelf. Then he would try his approach. Jump to the first shelf. Walk along the books. Attempt to get paws into position to get to next shelf. Fall to the floor. Sit on the floor and re-try the plan. Logic.

So, yes, I really like cats. But I don't want ten right now.

vocation and avocation

But yeild who will to their separation
My object of living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one  in sight.
Only where love and need are one,
And the work is play for mortal stakes
Is the deed ever really done
For Heaven and the future's sakes.

I first came across Robert Frosts "Two Tramps in Mud Time" quote in a novel by one of my all-time favorite authors, Madeline L'Engle. It has stuck with me through many years. How many of us get to merge our vocation with our avocation in life? How do we make our need and our love merge into one thing? Is work play? For what stake?

I am blessed. Truly. I have found play in work in almost every job I have held. I have been had the oppurtunity to meet and work with some amazing people, in jobs ranging from food service to cashiering to cleaning kennels to preping cadavers in anatomy lab.

Being  a veterinarian for me combines love and need, avocation with vocation. I love the pets, I enjoy their people. I make a living taking care of them both. How cool is that? And how rare.

Now, I'm not going to tell you that there aren't rough days. Days that I question what I am doing or how well I am doing it. Days I wish I was making more money. We all have those. But overall, I love what I do.

My current avocation is in acupuncture. I am amazed at the effects we can get from placement of some small needles- pain releif, relaxation, appetite stimulation. And practicing in the pet's own homes gives me the unique ability to really spend time with both the pets and their people. I get to really know tham, spend more thatn a few minutes in a sterile environment with them. And make a positive change in their lives. These are the stakes, and I do it for heaven and the future's sake.

I expect I will have posts in the future that are pretty technical, discussing acupuncture in depth and the scientific justification for it. But for today just a bit of introspection. How about you? Do you do what you love, love what you do?

New Year, New Thoughts

Welcome! This is my blog of infancy- it's a new experience for me, so I ask those who stumble across it to be kind. You will be able to find more about me and what I do if you would like to like my site on Facebook, Pet Alternative Therapy at Home, or check the website, http://www.path-vet.com/.

But here are the basics to get us started. I am a veterinarian. I graduated from Ohio State in 1999. I have worked with small aninals and "exotics" (small fuzzy furries) as a vet since then. In 2011, I became certified in veterinary acupuncture and started a small housecall acupuncture practice.

This blog does not have a formal theme yet- I suspect that will develop with time. My goals for now are to have some information, some opinion, and likely the occasional rant. I will do my best to identify the difference between each catagory.

So, again, welcome!