Animal Health On The Net.

This has been a very hard week for me. I had to put my best buddy and my companion of 13 years to sleep. He was old for a boxer, and over these last few months, he was having a really hard time. His kidneys were failing and he was not eating...he was just old- it was his time. Dogs seem to know this, even before we do.

I was able to find several sites on the Net that helped me to understand what was happening. If Hoocher had been younger, there would have been a lot more options available to me. I was amazed to find out that dogs have many of the same ailments that we do.

Here are some sites you can visit to find out about problems your animals may be having. www.peteducation.com or www.roen.com. Also check out, www.thepetcenter.com/ (The Internet Animal Hospital), www.avma.org/care4pets and www.familypetservices.com.

Some of these websites are provided by animal clinics, others such as the Indiana State Board of Animal Health www.state.in.us/boah are sponsored by government organizations.

Until Hoocher started having problems, I didn’t realize that there were so many things that could go wrong. As our pets get older, they become more susceptible to various diseases. Diabetes is one of them. The Internet Animal Hospital site I mentioned above has a great article on both Type I and Type II diabetes in dogs. Dogs can suffer from hypoglycemia (insulin shock) just like people.

I really like this website. There are several areas where you can find out in great detail exactly what’s involved in such common things as having your pet spayed or neutered. There are articles on routinely performed operations such as intestinal obstructions, kidney stone removal, ear surgery, and pet dentistry. These are real operations complete with pictures. It’s very helpful to know what is actually going to happen to your pet when the Vet says that something major needs to be done.

You’ll also find a section on, “General Pet Care” and another on what to expect in the examining room. Dogs and cats are the most common animals a Vet sees, but they take care of farm animals as well.

Another good reason to see your Vet is if you think your pet needs a little, “obedience” training. I still remember taking my first Great Dane, “Brutus” to obedience class. It was quite an experience for both of us. It really is nice to have a dog that will obey your commands, especially when it’s a huge dog like a Great Dane. He never quite caught on to everything being taught, but he did pretty well. I gave him an A-! It was well worth the time, money, and effort though.

Here’s a website www.ddc.com/petplace/dogtraining that has some very useful articles on training your dog. There are some great tips on other things as well such as…barking, potty training, nipping, and grooming.

I’ve been talking mostly about dogs, but all of these websites have information on other pets too. I saw articles on pot bellied pigs, snakes, rabbits, cats, etc. A Vet has to be familiar with all kinds of animals. I’ve always had dogs, so I guess I’m really partial to them. I still have an old English bulldog and a Shar-Pei at home.

The more you know about keeping your pet happy and healthy, the longer you’ll have your pet around to play with and enjoy. I wish everyone could have known the Hooch-a-Pooch. He was one special dog- I’ll miss him.

Reach me at my website: www.randybenjamin.com.