Recently in Allergies and pets Category

Here's a nice video about animals that were rescued from Hurricane Ike.

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=3100132&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,424342,00.html

I took Cowboy to my vet (Centinela Animal Hospital) yesterday, he was due for his annual check and some shots (although Dr. Palmquist does vaccine "titers," a blood test to see if the previous vaccination is still active, in order to avoid over-vaccination).

Most of my dogs have been well behaved at the vet's. But not all of them.

Pilgrim, the Australian shepherd I lost about a year ago, was always quite anxious (and he had to go to the vet's A LOT). He'd whine and fidget in the waiting room and was known to take a nip at the doctor once inside the examining room. His chart bore a bright orange sticker: "CAUTION."

The dogs I have now, Cowboy and Tess, are so good they make ME look good. But they're both just incredibly low-key, submissive, quiet, and friendly.

The vet's office, which is tiny, was crowded yesterday after a couple emergencies backed up the afternoon appointments by close to two hours. Cowboy and I wound up in the parking lot, where some extra chairs had been set out for waiting clients.

But I don't really mind waiting, it's always fun to talk with other pet owners. Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time talking with Mrs. Williams who was there with her Shih Tzu who had allergy problems. I liked Mrs. Williams because she told me how much she liked reading the Daily Breeze.

There were a couple of cocker spaniels, a Bouvier Des Flandres (which you don't see every day), a poodle and several cats in their carriers. Several folks commented on Cowboy's eyes, which are a color mixture of blue & brown, marble like. (That's why his eyes look sort of spooky in the photo above.)

Cowboy, despite being as good as gold (he even reluctantly rolled over for the vet to do a tummy inspection), was glad to leave when it was all over. Dr. Palmquist sent us home with a prescription for an antihistamine. It is allergy season and Cowboy has had a hot spot and some skin discomfort.

I think the hardest part for Cowboy was leaving Tess behind at home. They've been pretty much inseparable since I adopted Tess last spring, so both dogs seemed confused when I had to tell Tess to "stay."

If your dog has behavioral issues going to the vet or groomer, here's an article on how you can help your animal prepare for the sometimes intense experience.

And do tell us: Does your dog like going to the vet? Or not? How do you help your dog or cat get through the experience?

This just in: The poodle wins.

You may recall that the American Kennel Club has been asking Americans to cast their vote for what kind of dog the Obama family should get.

Barack, you see, is sans a dog -- a genuine faux paw, as it were, for anyone running for the nation's highest office.

A poll conducted this summer, after all, discovered that pet owners favored John McCain (who has a menagerie of pets) over Obama 42 percent to 37 percent, with dog owners strongly in McCain's corner.

Win or lose, Barack has promised his kids their first family dog. But there were complications. The candidate's two young daughters, for one thing, have allergies. And, should he win in November, any dog living in the White House is going to have to be really, really well behaved. No biting or jumping or barking at visiting dignitaries.

More than 42,000 people cast their vote over the seven-week campaign. The Poodle clinched the nomination after the breed battled it out with the Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier in a race almost as tight as the Clinton and Obama run for the Democratic nomination for president. The poodle won by a (dog) hair, with just a few hundred votes separating the top two contenders.

"Most of our presidents kept purebreds in the White House," said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "When times get tough -- during a bad economy or when presidential pressures are at their peak -- these dogs serve as personal companions and give much relaxation and laughter to our leaders."

I was rooting for the Wheaton terrier myself, but the AKC says the poodle isn't a bad choice. And not a surprise win, either: "Poodles are currently the eighth most popular breed in the U.S.," Peterson said.

They come in three sizes and are "exceptionally smart and athletic," the AKC says.

But most importantly, there's that pet-owner vote up for grabs.

Related posts: Vote for (maybe) First Dog;  Barack and the dog;  Campaign going to the dogs?;  Presidential pets

"Deciding what breed to get is as important as deciding whether to get a dog in the first place," says AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "The first step in being a responsible pet owner is to do some serious and careful research to determine which breed of dog is right for you and your family."