Tag Archives: dogs

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.

Every morning at about 5 am, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center’s Emergency Service sends out a list of all pets admitted to the hospital overnight. Recently, one admission caught my attention: a small dog admitted with a fractured neck bone because of an altercation with a revolving door. Fortunately, the fracture was not near his spinal cord. The little guy was in lots of pain and his treatment protocol called for activity restriction, rest and pain medications. He is on the mend, but this shocking story made me wonder about other uniquely urban hazards that might impact the health of your dog.

If dogs have a flaw, and I realize many would argue they do not, it is they don’t live long enough. I think many would agree that a dog lifespan of 40 or 50 years would be perfect, so that you could have the same best buddy for your entire adult life. In the past few weeks, there have been two interesting scientific publications on longevity in dogs. The studies’ conclusions and impact on your dog will be the topic of this blogpost.

For those of us in the dog world, much of our focus over the last couple of weeks has been on infectious respiratory diseases in dogs. While the current outbreak remains a mystery, today’s blogpost will focus on the well documented link between respiratory and gastrointestinal illness in dogs. The link between these two body systems might surprise the casual reader; however, the two systems share a common origin: the mouth. The mouth divides into the trachea (windpipe) of the respiratory system and the esophagus leading to the stomach.

We love pets for the enjoyment and companionship they bring to our lives. Their antics brighten our day, and their presence in our beds at night is reassuring, even if a bit crowded. But pets are more than just companions or entertainers – they make us healthier. Let’s take a look at the different ways pets improve our health.