Dog Trouble in Yardley
For as long as I can remember, we have owned dogs.
Our lovable American Eskimo, Quincy
We have had Goldens, Burmese Mountain Dogs, and currently have an American Eskimo, Quincy. We are very fortunate in the Yardley area to have a wonderful array of very qualified, and caring vets to choose from.
We have recently been dealing with very troubling, and confusin,g symptoms with Quincy. Unfortunately, we learned firsthand about a local emergency care service, that does an absolutely amazing job caring for all sorts of pet emergencies and diseases.
Quincy had Lyme disease a number of months ago, and was treated without further incident. He looked and acted normally, until about 10 days ago. He suddenly became very lethargic and wasn’t eating the way he normally does. Our local Vet ran several tests, but we could not find a cause. We ended up taking him to a place called Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center. I can’t say enough good things about how caring they are, and how amazing their service is.
Quincy had to stay there for a couple of nights, while they ran additional tests. All of the staff at VSEC are incredibly caring and respectful. We were able to visit Quincy whenever it was convenient, and they are wonderful about following up, and keeping owners informed about what is happening. VESC is a wonderful resource for pet owners in the Yardley, Langhorne, Newtown area, and for anyone owning pets in Bucks County and beyond. It is a place that you would like to avoid, but when necessary, it is just a fabulous resource.
At this point, Quincy is doing better, but we are still searching for a final diagnosis, although it is possible that his symptoms will resolve, and we will not know what caused his symptoms. We are hoping for that.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |10 Steps to Make Moving Easier for Your Pet
I am a dog lover. My family has virtually always had dogs. Over the years, we have had Golden Retrievers, Burmese Mountain dogs, and we currently own an American Eskimo, Quincy. That is Quincy in the picture.
I subscribe to a magazine called Your Dog, which is a wonderful newsletter published by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. The current issue had a very helpful article, called “10 Steps to Tame the Chaos of a Move.” Considering what I do, this could not be more appropriate to share with people.
So, here are the ten steps to tame the chaos of moving with your pet:
1. Prepare for home invaders. The article suggests asking your realtor, or friends, to actually do a test run of showings. Put your dog in a place that you feel would be the best for showings, leave the house, and have your realtor or a friend actually come to the house as though they were a prospective buyer. If the dog was fine, you are probably good to go. If not, try and develop a Plan B. Perhaps a dog walker for showings, or something of that sort.
2. Secure your dog in a safe place. If workers are coming to the house, put your dog in a safe, secure place, while the work is being done. Exercise him/her well, before the workers arrive, and consider leaving a radio on.
3. Condition your dog to the presence of moving boxes. The article suggests conditioning your dog to the fact that good things happen when boxes are around. For instance, if UPS delivers a box, offer the dog treats. You can actually move boxes around, along with providing treats, to get your dog used to being around moving boxes.
4. Take advantage of the dog’s crate. If used properly, crates provide a sanctuary for dogs. Don’t forget to take advantage of this when moving.
5. Introduce your dog to his new home gradually. This works if you are moving locally, and have access to the house, before actually moving in.
6. Introduce your dog to new family members. It is helpful to introduce your pet to new family members, human or otherwise, so that they are allowed to develop a positive relationship before the move, if at all possible.
7. Let your dog play the packing game with you. Although packing for a move is stressful for you, it can also be stressful for your dog. You can make a game of packing by tossing a toy for him/her to fetch while you are packing, and using treats to reward the dog. It will create a more positive environment for your dog.
8. Practice car trips. This definitely makes sense, and it is something we did not do a very good job of with Quincy. About the only time Quincy gets in the car is for a trip to the vet. As a result, he doesn’t like getting in the car at all! Get the dog used to the car before you move.
9. Plan your trip. If you are doing a fairly long distance move, make sure you plan for regular stops, and keep your driving times reasonable, so you can take the dog on walks each evening.
10. Consider medication. According to the article, if your dog is particularly stressed and reacts badly to change, it is perfectly acceptable to speak with your vet about medication.
If you would like a copy of the actual article, please contact me by phone or email, and I will email you a copy of the full article.
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