NPR just ran the most wonderful piece about the miniature train setups that a man does furnished all in botanical materials. The slide show is quite a treat!
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Pocket Pets and Zoonoses
It seems like all I do is talk about cats on this blog. But I don't want to completely forget that we serve a few pocket pet owners, too.
Most owners of rats and hamsters and such are unaware of the risk of a couple of significant zoonotic diseases they can spread: Salmonellosis and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
Salmonella is a gastrointestinal bacterium that is famous for causing food poisoning. But some pets can commonly carry it - reptiles are the most common source, but rodents such as pet rats and hamsters and mice can also carry it. Never purchase pet rodents that look sick, or share a cage with ones that look sick. Always use good hygiene when handling them, washing up with soap and water afterwards.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) causes a serious viral infection in humans and can be acquired from mice, hamsters, and guinea pigs. As with Salmonella, good hygiene is important, as is ensuring that wild rodents cannot have contact with pet rodents. Symptoms of LCMV resemble those of influenza but can result in neurological disease and birth defects.
Most owners of rats and hamsters and such are unaware of the risk of a couple of significant zoonotic diseases they can spread: Salmonellosis and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
Salmonella is a gastrointestinal bacterium that is famous for causing food poisoning. But some pets can commonly carry it - reptiles are the most common source, but rodents such as pet rats and hamsters and mice can also carry it. Never purchase pet rodents that look sick, or share a cage with ones that look sick. Always use good hygiene when handling them, washing up with soap and water afterwards.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) causes a serious viral infection in humans and can be acquired from mice, hamsters, and guinea pigs. As with Salmonella, good hygiene is important, as is ensuring that wild rodents cannot have contact with pet rodents. Symptoms of LCMV resemble those of influenza but can result in neurological disease and birth defects.
Christmas Holiday
Christmas is coming,
The goose is getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat!
If you haven't got a penny
A ha' penny will do;
If you haven't got a ha' penny then God bless you!
~~~~~~~~~~
I am taking a short but much-needed total vacation (and giving my staff one, too) from Thursday Dec. 24 through Sunday Dec. 27, when we will be utterly and completely CLOSED.
~~~~~~~~~
You might want to review a prior post about holiday safety basics. Remember: don't keep pointsettias where cats can chew on them, keep tinsel and strings and ribbon FAR away from cats, cover the water basin for the tree tightly, and don't go feeding candy or table scraps no matter how much the little darlings beg.
Have a VERY Merry Christmas!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
The goose is getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat!
If you haven't got a penny
A ha' penny will do;
If you haven't got a ha' penny then God bless you!
~~~~~~~~~~
I am taking a short but much-needed total vacation (and giving my staff one, too) from Thursday Dec. 24 through Sunday Dec. 27, when we will be utterly and completely CLOSED.
~~~~~~~~~
You might want to review a prior post about holiday safety basics. Remember: don't keep pointsettias where cats can chew on them, keep tinsel and strings and ribbon FAR away from cats, cover the water basin for the tree tightly, and don't go feeding candy or table scraps no matter how much the little darlings beg.
Have a VERY Merry Christmas!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
Friday, December 18, 2009
Video: How to Pill a Cat
I can't figure out how to embed the videos here, so follow this link and this link to some videos over on YouTube on how to pill your cat.
Breaking News!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
If I had a gingerbread house or three sitting at home, this would be Boochi.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
My Alma Mater
While fooling around on the computer I found the website for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at my alma mater, Colorado State University. Things sure have changed since I graduated in 1982.
At the time, the VTH was almost brand new (ours was the second class to use it). In the years since, it has expanded tremendously, and the front entrance has been redesigned at least once and is apparently now being redesigned again. I hardly recognize the place!
The CSU Animal Cancer Center even has its own website.
Here's their brochure, chock full of information about the services they provide. I even see some familiar faces in there - a little older and grayer but still the fine doctors and teachers they always were.
I realize that few of my clients in Southern California will ever have need of this information, but they might know folks in Colorado with pets who don't realize what a fabulous facility is available in Fort Collins. And because the internet is such an amazing thing, many people in far off places can benefit from the information I post here.
Plus, I just feel like bragging about the place.
At the time, the VTH was almost brand new (ours was the second class to use it). In the years since, it has expanded tremendously, and the front entrance has been redesigned at least once and is apparently now being redesigned again. I hardly recognize the place!
The CSU Animal Cancer Center even has its own website.
Here's their brochure, chock full of information about the services they provide. I even see some familiar faces in there - a little older and grayer but still the fine doctors and teachers they always were.
I realize that few of my clients in Southern California will ever have need of this information, but they might know folks in Colorado with pets who don't realize what a fabulous facility is available in Fort Collins. And because the internet is such an amazing thing, many people in far off places can benefit from the information I post here.
Plus, I just feel like bragging about the place.
Give Your Cat the Gift of Good Health
It's the season for giving, and in these challenging economic times we have to choose our gifts carefully to get the most out of our money. So what better way can you celebrate and show your love for your feline companions than to give them something that will help them live longer, healthier lives?
Call us to schedule an appointment for that overdue annual checkup and vaccinations. If we have sent you reminders for recommended medical procedures, such as teeth cleaning or screening lab tests or spay/neuter surgery, give us a call. This time of year we have plenty of openings.
I can't think of a better way to show your kitties how much you love them.
Here are some of our posts about the value of preventive health care.
Call us to schedule an appointment for that overdue annual checkup and vaccinations. If we have sent you reminders for recommended medical procedures, such as teeth cleaning or screening lab tests or spay/neuter surgery, give us a call. This time of year we have plenty of openings.
I can't think of a better way to show your kitties how much you love them.
Here are some of our posts about the value of preventive health care.
Friday, December 11, 2009
A Phone Conversation
The phone rang a little while ago. The following conversation ensued:
Receptionist: Cat's Meow Veterinary Clinic. How may I help you?
Caller: Hi. I used to bring my cat to you, but we moved up to Sacramento. I need you to send me a copy of my cat's records. We didn't leave a forwarding address.
Receptionist: Okay. Would you like me to fax the records to your new vet up there?
Caller: No, that's okay, just mail them.
Receptionist: Okay. I'll need to get your new address.
Caller: Why??
Receptionist: (long pause) Um, so I can mail the records to you?
~~~~~~~~~~
True story. Where's that headbang smilie avatar when I need him?
Receptionist: Cat's Meow Veterinary Clinic. How may I help you?
Caller: Hi. I used to bring my cat to you, but we moved up to Sacramento. I need you to send me a copy of my cat's records. We didn't leave a forwarding address.
Receptionist: Okay. Would you like me to fax the records to your new vet up there?
Caller: No, that's okay, just mail them.
Receptionist: Okay. I'll need to get your new address.
Caller: Why??
Receptionist: (long pause) Um, so I can mail the records to you?
~~~~~~~~~~
True story. Where's that headbang smilie avatar when I need him?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
VIN News Service
Veterinary Information Network, the website I couldn't live without, has made its news service page available to the public. You can find it here.
More H1N1 Deaths in Cats
Two more cats have died of H1N1 flu, one in Pennsylvania and one in Oregon, where the first reported death occurred.
More H1N1 vaccine for humans is becoming available. If you are interested in getting this important vaccine, you can find a source by using the widget below.
Let's work to make sure there are no feline deaths due to H1N1 here in Los Angeles!
More H1N1 vaccine for humans is becoming available. If you are interested in getting this important vaccine, you can find a source by using the widget below.
Let's work to make sure there are no feline deaths due to H1N1 here in Los Angeles!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Feral Cat Colonies Discouraged
The Daily News is reporting that Superior Court Judge Thomas McKnew ruled Friday that the city had "secretly and unofficially" promoted a practice of allowing feral cats to run free, while promising to conduct an environmental review.
Given the known deleterious effects of feral cat colonies on populations of sometimes endangered native species of birds and other wildlife, and the non-native status of the domestic cat (it evolved in North Africa and the Middle East), the maintenance of feral cat colonies has never made any sense to me. They also contribute to the spread of often deadly diseases to owned cats, and pose a human health threat due to uncontrolled zoonotic diseases.
We'll see how this turns out. I predict a rather contentious legal process.
Given the known deleterious effects of feral cat colonies on populations of sometimes endangered native species of birds and other wildlife, and the non-native status of the domestic cat (it evolved in North Africa and the Middle East), the maintenance of feral cat colonies has never made any sense to me. They also contribute to the spread of often deadly diseases to owned cats, and pose a human health threat due to uncontrolled zoonotic diseases.
We'll see how this turns out. I predict a rather contentious legal process.
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