Otis the dog disappeared from his backyard over a year ago. According to the broadcast story, the owners thought Otis was gone forever.

Fortunately, their phone rang. It was a call from Florida. A year after Otis, a Boston Terrier, disappeared from his happy home in Lancaster, he was somehow in the sunshine state. That tiny little microchip embedded in Otis made it easy for the Floridian veterinarian to locate his owner.

While it is a mystery how the cute dog eventually was found in Florida, the microchip is what allowed Otis to be reunited with his Lancaster.

WGAL’s story is here.

It reminds us that microchips can be a good investment for all pet owners.

Schedule an appointment for your senior pet during the month of May and receive 10% off wellness and preventative services! Contact a client Care representative for details! 717-484-0440

It is that time of year. Now that spring has finally arrived here in Lancaster, Berks, and Lebanon counties, it’s not just the plants in the fields that are popping up. It’s also unofficially kitten season.

As warm weather arrives, cats are having litters of kittens. This often fills up animal shelters, which look to find the kittens permanent homes. It is the busiest time of year for these organizations. Depending on their sizes, it is not uncommon to have hundreds of kittens to go through the adoption process.

Most of shelter kittens need foster care before they can be successfully adopted. It can last about eight weeks. A family adopts a litter and helps the mother care for her litter until they are old enough to be placed in permanent homes. That helps the kittens’ health. It also exposes them to people so they’re more suitable for adoption. This socialization is important for their development. Before being adopted into their new homes, they are neutered and vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease.

It’s a good time to help a shelter, if you want to help raise a litter of kittens. Before doing so, consider the amount of time and money required.

My dog gets sick when we travel. What causes this?

Motion sickness in dogs is a common problem. Motion or car sickness is more common in younger dogs than adults. The reason may be due to the fact that the parts of the inner ear involved in balance aren’t fully developed. Puppies will often “outgrow” motion sickness by the time they’re about 1 year old.

Many puppies will “outgrow” motion sickness by the time they’re about 1 year old.

Many adult dogs become anxious or even nauseous during travel due to a lack of conditioning and the overwhelming unusual stimuli associated with moving inside a vehicle. Dogs that travel only once or twice a year (typically when visiting the veterinarian) aren’t used to car rides and often associate the car ride with the stressful experience that follows. This causes heightened anxiety and stress, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. Puppies that experience traumatic or frightening first rides may also associate future travel with that stressful event. Some dogs may have medical conditions such as middle- or inner-ear infections or vestibular disease (disease of the vestibular apparatus, located in the inner ear) that predispose them to nausea. Others may be taking medications that can cause vomiting or diarrhea.

Helping your dog overcome the stress and anxiety of travel will mean that your pet can accompany you on trips more frequently and will allow you to spend more time together.

How can I tell if my dog is getting motion sickness?

Nauseous humans often “turn green” or pale when they feel an upset stomach approaching. Signs your dog may be experiencing motion sickness include:

•             Whining and pacing

•             Excessive drooling

•             Lethargy or inactivity

•             Vomiting

•             Diarrhea

If you think your dog is going to vomit, stopping the car and taking your pet for a walk may help temporarily relieve its stress.

The best way to ease your dog’s travel anxiety is by taking several short trips before embarking on a long haul.

How can I prevent motion sickness in my dog?

The best way to ease your dog’s travel anxiety is by taking several short trips before embarking on a long haul. Start by simply placing your dog in your car, starting the motor, and sitting there without moving for a few minutes. The next day, repeat this process, but back out of your driveway and then return. Be sure to praise your dog and offer a food reward for good behavior. Next, try a trip around the block. Gradually work your way up to riding comfortably for 20 to 30 minutes.

Conditioning your dog to ride comfortably in the car may require several days or even weeks. Be sure to gradually expose your nervous pet to more and more challenging stimuli. You can’t force your dog to “get over” or “deal with” its anxiety. Traveling in a confined space in a motor vehicle can be frightening for a dog and requires time to adjust. Make sure you maintain a calm and cool attitude, and don’t scold your dog if it begins to howl or whine. Visible anxiety is a sign to stop the current training and start again another day. Continuing to expose your dog to a stressful situation will only cause it to further associate the car with displeasure and fear and cause setbacks in your training. Car rides in a carrier can also be good practice for traveling in an aircraft or train.

Here are additional tips to make your dog’s travel more enjoyable and reduce motion sickness:

•  Withhold food 12 hours before travel – An empty stomach will help reduce nausea and the need for frequent potty breaks that are often unwelcome, especially during long car rides or airplane or train travel. Be sure to provide access to fresh water whenever possible. Water bottles that hang on the carrier’s door are a good option for many pets.
• Use a carrier or dog safety harness – Anxious dogs can both hurt themselves and cause accidents. A carrier is often viewed as a “safe place” for many dogs.
• Keep the car cool and quiet – Play soft classical music, and keep the temperature cool.
•  Include the sweet smell of home – Add a t-shirt or blanket with your scent to your dog’s carrier. In addition to smelling like home, nothing’s cozier than mom or dad’s shirt.
•  Offer special trip toys – Giving your dog really cool toys it only gets to play with when it travels can help your dog associate travel with fun.Traveling in a confined space in a motor vehicle can be frightening for a dog and requires time to adjust.

If your dog seems to need a little more help to stay calm during travel, talk to your veterinarian about using one of the following remedies:
•  Lavender and dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) – Aromatherapy and pheromones can calm a tense traveler. Add these scents to your dog’s bedding to help calm its fears.
•  Calming herbs – Natural remedies, including Bach flower (Rescue Remedy), kava, valerian, passionflower, ginger, and skullcap, have been used for decades to ease anxiety and motion sickness.
•  Anti-nausea medications – Cerenia (a veterinary-specific prescription medication), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine or Gravol), and meclizine (Antivert, Bonine, or Dramamine II) – These anti-nausea medications can prevent vomiting in a stressed pet. A single dose of Cerenia lasts 24 hours. Keep in mind that these drugs only help with motion sickness, not anxiety. Ask your veterinarian for dosages and frequency to administer.
•  Anti-anxiety medications – For use in extremely stressed pets only.  Alprazolam (Xanax) or other prescription medications given the night before travel and repeated 12 hours later can relax even the most anxious pet traveler. Many veterinarians will recommend you give a second dose about 2 hours before you embark on your trip. Keep in mind that some prescription medications need to be started several days to a couple of weeks before travel to be most effective. Always follow instructions from your veterinarian carefully.

There images are from unknown sources, but were received via one of those e-mails that make its rounds among friends. These several images are just so unique, they are included here on our blog.

Keep you camera ready when you get some time to relax with your pet - and send us some of your images, too!

Does my bird need a “friend”?
Generally, you should only get another bird if you want another bird. You, as an owner, must accept the responsibility of caring for, feeding and loving additional pets in your home. There are certain species that may become more involved with each other, therefore developing less of an interactive relationship with you and your family.
“If you feel your bird is lonely or bored you should first consider providing more safe toys and entertainment for the bird or you may end up with two bored, lonely birds.”
If you feel your bird is lonely or bored you should first consider providing more safe toys and entertainment for the bird or you may end up with two bored, lonely birds.

How do I introduce the birds?
All new birds should be checked by your veterinarian before any introductions. A physical examination including a record of the current weight will be performed. Certain wellness tests may be recommended to help screen your new pet for evidence of possible disease. Your veterinarian can discuss this with you.
Ideally, the new bird should be quarantined in a separate isolated room within the house for 30 – 45 days. A new bird can have a relatively unknown history and may be carrying some disease that other birds may catch. Some people have experienced great tragedies by unknowingly introducing a sick bird without a quarantine period, only to have their own birds fall ill. Any evidence of ill health should be brought to the attention of your veterinarian immediately.
“A new bird may be carrying some disease that other birds may catch.”
After the quarantine period, it is a good idea to put the two cages in the same room. Let the birds get use to the sight and sound of each other. Gradually move the cages closer to each other. Eventually, under strict supervision, the two birds may be introduced together while monitoring for bullying or fighting. Remember, the original pet has someone intruding on his/her territory. This may lead to certain challenges. Only the birds can decide who the “boss” is and establish who is to be at the top of the pecking order. Certain challenges and interactions between the two birds are necessary to establish the new relationship or pecking order. You must intervene if there is all out fighting and start over later slowly.

Will they get along?
There is no way to be certain they will like each other, as they are all individuals. Some birds will never be friends and may only ever tolerate each other. Generally, most birds will accept the presence of another bird very well. Consult your veterinarian if experiencing problems.
Rick Axelson, DVM
© Copyright 2009 Lifelearn Inc. Used and/or modified with permission under license.

Our Mottos

For humans:

‘‘Our dogs’ lives are much shorter than our own. We should help them enjoy their time with us as much as we can.’’

For dogs:

‘‘Let us learn new things that we become more helpful.’’

There is a growing movement in doing good with your dog. There is the Dog Scouts of America program, now in 22 states. According to the Associated Press, what had started in 1995 as a non-profit aimed at enriching the lives of people and dogs, has become a highly sought out club, complete with merit badges (for the dogs), cookie sales (also for the dogs), and community service awards (for the people).

The group’s founder, Lorrie Olsen, made it her ambition to experience as many dog sports and activities as she could find. She believes dogs truly love learning new things and spending time with their owners.

Dog Scouts of America offers around 80 badges in such dog-friendly pursuits as:

• Basic Obedience (The official Dog Scout Badge)
• Jumping
• Water Rescue

There are several dozen troops in Pennsylvania, and several in our immediate Lancaster – Lebanon – Berks county area. You can learn more about Dog Scouts of American by visiting their web site at: http://www.dogscouts.org/

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Internet is filled with a video of a news anchor being bitten by a stressed out dog on her TV show. The videos have gone viral – and fair warning, you may find them disturbing. Kyle Dyer, a popular KUSA TV news anchor, was bitten on the lip, and she appeared on the TODAY Show. Fortunately, she is recovering from the bite. 

This incident prompted us to give some guidelines on how to greet a dog you’re not familiar with.

No one knows a dog better that its owner, and it is always smart to ask, “Is it ok if I pet your dog?”

Sometimes a dog will growl or snap at an individual, probably thinking they are protecting their owner. The dog may have vision problems, or might have been abused by a human hand in the past. Not knowing whether your hand is coming to hurt or give compassion, the dog chooses to defend itself. This is why it is always best to ask the pet’s owner first.

Give a dog some distance. A dog will signal you by the way they approach you. If they are interested in meeting you, their body language will tell you. If they approach you with a “wiggly” body, soft wagging tail, and a lack of a prolonged stare, they probably are ready to greet you. It is a good idea to allow them to sniff you, while you engage the owner in a conversation. Use a happy voice when talking directly to the dog. This can be quite effective in calming the dog down.