Got a new dog?

Image by kalavinka via FlickrWell, you probably know what I'm going to say first:  get health insurance for your new dogs ASAP, since their health needs don't end with shots and spaying.  Next, you might want to check out DogChannel's New Dog page, which is organized into categories that are actually relevant and helpful, unlike some other sites I could mention.  Additionally, they have downloads for new dog owners, like a shopping list (helpful, since you're going to want to buy everything you see, and you might miss a few important necessities), plus an "ask an expert" feature where you can get advice from a vet, a trainer, a groomer, etc.

I zeroed in on the Guide to Feeding Your Pets download, since I had so many different -- and difficult -- experiences while I was dealing with Tony's diabetes and his later bout with lymphoma.  It has material on food recalls, people food that is toxic for pets, the wet vs. dry debate, raw diets, and so on.  Overall, it's a good basic discussion of the topic, but I was disappointed that they didn't warn about the use of sweeteners (including HFCS) in the semi-moist foods.  I remain convinced that this was what led to Tony's weight gain and his subsequent diabetes.
In any event, here are a few interesting articles:

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• How Much Does it Cost to Neuter a Dog? (brighthub.com)
• Spay / Neuter Education (doggies.com)
• Pet Insurance Can Offer Peace of Mind in a Strained Economy (prweb.com)
• Health Care Reform - For Our Pets? (ecosalon.com)
• DOG PARK Do's & Don'ts (teachstreet.com)

Are you watching the Westminster Dog Show?

Image via Wikipedia

I am (and I can't believe the Pomeranian didn't win the Toy Group!  What is it with poodles?), with occasional cutaways to the Olympics.  Of course, I'm grading papers at the same time.  I don't know if you've noticed, but many of the commercials during the dog show are dog-related, which makes sense, and some of them talk about what the companies are doing for dogs.  The one that really struck me as odd is the one for Progressive Insurance.  It follows the ones from their ongoing ad campaign with the goofy cashier who gets all worked up over discounts.  It's not available for viewing on their website at this moment, but you can check via the link above to see if it's up yet.  They don't give any details, but the implication is that your dog is covered by them through insurance that covers your car or home.  I gotta ask.  What exactly does this mean?  Does it cover emergency care, or what?  
As you probably know, I'm a great advocate for health insurance for pets (and people, too, of course, all the more so since I do not have health insurance myself).  I find myself of two minds about this commercial.  I like the idea that they are covering pets in any way, and I hope it makes people realize that insurance for pets is a good idea, but I also think that it might make people think that this kind of coverage is all you need.  It's not.  You need basic health insurance so that you won't have to make decisions based on what you can afford rather than what the dog needs.  This is especially worth remembering in February, which is the dental health month for pets.  Even though most vets offer a February discount, it is still an area of care that a lot of pet owners neglect, many because of the cost.


Off the soapbox now.  Check out the WKC website.  The poster for this year's show is fabulous.

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• Pet Dental Month Prime Time To Schedule Preventive Annual Cleaning For Pets (prweb.com)

How do you deal with frustration?

Well, I tend to do it badly in some circumstances, but there are a few where I really shine, if I do say so myself. For example, when one of my students needs something explained in a dozen different ways before he or she understands, I stick with it until I see the lightbulb going on, no matter how long it takes. This ability is particularly valuable when it comes to dealing with Tony's problems. I mentioned in my last post that he was having blood sugar crashes. After talking with both his vet and another doctor in the practice, we decided to take him off the Royal Canin Urinary SO and put him back on Lamaderm. I had taken him in because he seemed to have injured his right hind leg, but they checked him out on all fronts, which I always appreciate. It makes me wonder why I can't find a doctor for myself who is willing to take the time to cover all the bases (of course, I haven't really been looking, since I'm without health insurance -- for the last 4 years!-- so there's no point, but still . . .).

The results of their examination? Tony has a mild ear infection, which means a daily ear washing; his skin condition has spread from his stomach to other areas; his weight is down to 10.5 pounds; and he's developed osteoarthritis in his knee. At the moment, the tendon on his kneecap is "subluxated," meaning that it's come out of the shallow groove it's supposed to sit in. Dr. Campbell tried for several minutes to pop it back into place, but it wouldn't cooperate. Tony, however, didn't even whimper when she was stretching his leg out and moving it around -- this after he started shrieking at home, which was why I rushed him to the vet in the first place.
So, he's now on Rimadyl twice daily (and probably permanently), along with a daily dose of Torbutrol, since his trachea collapse is bothering him a lot more, and an antibiotic. Do I need to stress the importance of getting health insurance for your pets? I wish somebody had told me about it when Tony first arrived.

Because of the quantities of pills involved, I asked Dr. Campbell to give me prescriptions for both drugs, but now I'm kind of sorry I did that rather than just have them dispense -- I thought I could save money on the Rimadyl by getting the generic Novox instead (it's about half the price), but it's been a real hassle, and I still don't have the prescriptions filled after a week! Hence the title of this post. First, the pharmacy (at Drs. Foster & Smith) has to have an actual prescription or one faxed from the vet, which I understand and actually agree with as a policy, but mailing the rx's delayed the order a few days, and then yesterday, Fed Ex failed to deliver, leaving a sticker on the front door instructing me to pick up the package before close of business or they would have to wait until Tuesday (Labor Day weekend, remember?) to try again. Unfortunately, I didn't go out the front door until 7PM. The sticker said that the attempt was made at 9:57AM. This is what ticks me off. I taught an 8AM class and was home by 9:45; my mother, sister, and brother-in-law were all home and awake, too, as were all three dogs. The doorbell never rang -- when it does, it triggers a mammoth barkfest -- and we couldn't have missed that, even if we didn't hear our extremely loud doorbell!

I would love to boycott FedEx, but that's pretty much out of the question -- I do most of my shopping online. However, I am going to file a complaint with them. There's no excuse for what they did, and Tony will be out of his meds before the shipment gets here. I'm guessing that the dogs frightened the driver (they bark over noises outside, and the neighbor was mowing, so we probably thought that was what they were barking at). The two Great Pyrenees sound like all the hounds of hell when they get going; if just their minor warning barks scared him, it's too bad he didn't ring the bell. He probably would have lost control of his bladder over the ruckus that raises, a thought that I find very satisfying right now.

I hate to think that Tony might have to suffer even for a minute because of FedEx. I think that I'm going to start favoring businesses that use UPS. It's not a boycott, but it's the best I can do, and my frustration really needs some kind of outlet.