Category Archives: Responsible Pet Ownership

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.

If you’ve ever had a sick pet, you probably have a cabinet full of unused medications. In fact, I know you do, because my clients often ask if they can give the same pills I prescribed 4 years ago to their sick pet. First, the answer to that question is no. Second, this blogpost will focus on how to properly dispose of your collection of expired drugs and medical supplies.

Vaccine hesitancy is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1955, when Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine became available, the public’s reaction differed greatly from the response to the COVID-19 vaccine release sixty-six years later. There was a good deal of vaccine hesitancy in 2021 that was not evident in 1955. Vaccine hesitancy is now spilling over into veterinary medicine.

Last month, the New York City Council voted to make composting of organic waste mandatory in the city’s five boroughs, starting with Brooklyn and Queens in October and expanding to all boroughs by the end of 2024. The exact details and timing of the plan are still being legislated, but New Yorkers can expect a composting program in the next few years. This will divert a significant amount of waste from landfills, and anything we can do to decrease the amount of waste going to our landfills is, as Martha Stewart would say, “A good thing.” However, this good thing does pose some risk for our canine friends.

My phone rang a few days ago. One of my favorite patients was calling. Piggie Pie is fluffy, beautiful and smells really nice when she comes to see me. That