Recently in Pet Corner

There is some confusion out there about when or if you can pet a service dog, like Moses. Part of the confusion comes from the many different kinds of service dogs and the many different kinds of work they do.

Are your pets bored? [Adjective, bored--feeling tired and irritable because of constantly being exposed to the uninteresting or because of having nothing interesting to do]

Jill has been writing all the pet columns lately. She does a pretty good job for a human, but wouldn't you rather get a dog's point of view now and then? I think it is high time for Jill's readers to hear from me, Moses II.

Grooming involves the power of touch. Just stroking a dog or cat can lower the blood pressure of a human, and it can also lower the blood pressure of the dog. In other words, grooming can be a positive experience for both human and pet. Did you know that Cesar Milan, the "Dog Whisperer" began his career as a dog groomer?

Poor little Vida! Ever since I started this three-part series on geriatric health issues for dogs and cats, she has endured my concerns and probes as I worry she might be a victim of dementia, arthritis, and now based on this third part to the series, hyperthyroidism, hypertension and heart disease.

The other day it became painfully clear that my 12-year-old black lab, Vida, has cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), or a cluster of symptoms that can indicate dementia.

This winter has already been extremely cold and nasty. My husband Steve, a native of Saratoga, keeps telling me this winter is shaping up to match some of the hard winters of his youth. 

The New Year is a time for new beginnings. It is a time for you and your pets to try again to live better. It is a time to wipe the slate clean.

Often I write about the county animal shelter and pets in need of loving homes. The emphasis has been on humans rescuing unwanted, neglected or abused pets. In contrast, today's column focuses on stories of pets coming to the aid of humans, and in some cases even saving them from situations of eminent death.

There are plenty of dangers for pets at this time of year. Veterinarians see animals with lacerations from broken ornaments, with lethargy and vomiting after ingesting tinsel, or with pancreatitis after eating too much rich Holiday food. It is not a bad idea to find out which emergency animal hospitals will be open over the Holidays and tape the phone number to your refrigerator just in case an emergency arises.