Category Archives: Dogs

The US Open Tennis Tournament is in full swing at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, Queens and, over the next two weeks, New York City will be all about tennis. For some dogs, every day is about tennis—tennis balls, more specifically. What is it about tennis balls that makes them so popular with dogs? Their yellow-green color might help answer that question.

Last year, just before Christmas, there were nationwide reports of an uptick in dogs with coughing, runny eyes and nose. It was a highly contagious case of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC), also known as kennel cough, and as quickly as it came, the outbreak disappeared. But now it’s back. The Delaware state veterinarian just announced a CIRDC outbreak in the state. Because of the outbreak, all Delaware animal shelters and rescues have been ordered to suspend out-of-state transports, as well as out-of-state intakes or adoptions for 30 days. In neighboring Maryland, the Carroll County Humane Society, west of Baltimore, also had to suspend operations temporarily due to a CIRDC outbreak. Kennel cough can be caused by a host of infectious agents, including bacteria and viruses, and we’ll look at how you can protect your pet in today’s blogpost.

In both humans and pets, weight gain occurs when too many calories are consumed and/or not enough are burned. This sounds simple, but the equation gets complicated by factors intrinsic to the pet, owner feeding practices, and/or a lack of exercise. This blogpost will focus on some of the drivers of canine obesity with a focus on new information on obesity in Labrador retrievers.

One of the best things about summer is the food. If you’re like me, going to the farmer’s market for seasonal food, like fresh fruit and corn on the cob, is a joy. Add those summer treats to your backyard picnic of hot dogs, burgers and shish kebabs and you have a memorable summer evening. However, what many families don’t realize is the threat these culinary delights pose to their dogs, in part, because they are difficult to identify quickly using routine x-rays.

The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center ER has its share of drama. Last summer, a dog family was at a pool party when they noticed their French bulldog missing. He was found at the bottom of the pool and was estimated to have been there 1-2 minutes. The owners rescued him from the bottom of the pool and administered CPR, miraculously reviving the little fella. The family brought him directly to AMC where, after an overnight in ICU, he was discharged and as good as new. This story highlights several things about dogs, pools and swimming. I don’t believe dogs understand what a swimming pool is or how dangerous it can be, and not all dogs are natural swimmers, as this Frenchie’s story clearly illustrates. Many dogs fall in the pool only once and, after they are rescued by their family, never go near the pool again. Every summer there are unsuspecting dogs who fall into the pool when no one else is around. Some drown because they are alone and cannot swim. Others can swim, but quickly become exhausted when they cannot figure out how to get out of the pool. To protect your dog, here are my suggestions to keep your swimming pool dog safe.