Born and raised on a small family farm in Southern Idaho, I've been blessed to spend my entire life surrounded by animals. Growing up, we had dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, and lots of cats and dogs. Today, I live with my beloved wife of 26 years, Teresa, and our two children, Mikkel and Lex, on our Almost Heaven Ranch in extreme Northern Idaho. We have two dogs, five cats, four quarter horses and a betta.
I knew from age 7 that I wanted to be a veterinarian. The local veterinarian came out to the family farm to help a holstein cow who had milk fever, a condition where the cow who just calved has such low blood calcium that the nerves can't fire, paralyzing the animal. I watched as the vet poked a needle into the cow's jugular vein and hooked up a jug of calcium fluids to gurgle into the black-and-white statue. Suddenly the calcium took hold, the nerves and muscles came to life and the cow rose to her feet and ran off, the needle popping out of the vein like a half slingshot. Everyone who witnessed this resurrection was impressed, but for me it was much more than that.
I loved pets and people, and I knew becoming a veterinarian would allow me to help both.
After graduation, I went back to Southern Idaho, where I practiced for 16 years. My partner and I had a chain of veterinary hospitals in Idaho and Utah. I have taught in all the veterinary schools in the United States, lectured to veterinarians and staff in more than 40 countries, been writing constantly about pets and their care, and serve as the resident veterinarian on "Good Morning America." I'm still a practicing veterinarian, at the North Idaho Animal Hospital in Sandpoint.
My philosophy of practice has always been to "match the science with the soul." This means I strive for a state-of-the-art veterinary practice with competent veterinarians and staff who are lifelong learners (the science) balanced with a veterinary team who is caring and compassionate (the soul).
Whether I'm communicating one-on-one or through the media, my goals are always the same. These are the things important to me:
-- Authenticity. I tap into a rich network of experts and do the research to make sure that when I'm writing about a subject, I can present the current best thinking.
-- Pre-cradle to post-grave. There's much more to veterinary medicine than just treating accidents and illnesses. There's prenatal care and pet selection (pre-cradle), preventive health care, treating accidents and illnesses, grooming, nutrition, geriatric care, euthanasia, and bereavement counseling (post-grave). I know it's much better to prevent problems than to treat them. And just because a pet isn't sick, it doesn't mean the animal is healthy. There are many degrees of health, and I always aim to optimize a pet's health, happiness and longevity.
-- Celebration. I often say, "There's only one greatest pet in the world, and everybody has that pet!" I love to write in a style where you enjoy learning, smile when appropriate, and find reasons to love your pets at an even richer, deeper level.
-- Threat level. I won't unnecessarily alarm you to a problem that is of minor significance, but I will always give you a head's up on real dangers. For example, the threat to pets from poinsettias is minimal, but the threat to cats from lilies is serious. I will never be a "Henny Penny" communicator where a potentially fatal danger lurks everywhere. I will alert you to real threats as they emerge (such as xylitol toxicity) and revisit ones people tend to ignore (such as obesity and dental disease).
I'm a veteran veterinarian, and I love practicing and communicating with people who love pets as much as I do. I've pulled a puppy wiggling from its mother and watched the animal take a first breath. I've been there when a cat, cradled in her family's arms, drew her last breath. My hands have healed some pets and comforted others, made dogs' tails wag and cats purr, hugged an anxious pet owner, and poured the last few handfuls of dirt on my pets' graves at our Almost Heaven Ranch.
I know most of you believe your pet is special, unique and precious, and think that if I could just come and visit your home and witness the love, loyalty, tricks and endearing qualities, I'd most certainly agree.
While I'll have to visit most of you via television, radio, in print or on the Internet, remember that I know there is only one greatest pet in the world, and that's your pet!
Thank you for welcoming me, once again, into your home as the new member of the Pet Connection team.
Q&A
AKC still runs dog-show game
Q: When will puggles compete at dog shows? Who decides? I love my puggle, and I want to see others on TV. It's not fair, and it seems kind of snobby! -- I.F., via e-mail
A: The American Kennel Club decides eligibility for most U.S. shows, and you'd better not hold your breath hoping to see your puggle invited to compete.
People who love "designer dogs" such as puggles (pug-beagle mixes) may call them "breeds," but the AKC sees it differently. To have a breed, you have to be mating examples of that breed to other examples of the exact same breed. All the trendy designer dogs have parents of two different breeds. In the AKC's eyes, that makes them ineligible for competitions aimed at dogs who are a member of an established breed.
"Most breeds started as some kind of mix as people were searching and selecting for a dog that had all the traits that they wanted. Eventually, those traits became fixed, the dogs bred true to those traits and the dog became a purebred dog," explains David Frei, spokesman for the Westminster Kennel Club and the show's longtime announcer. "As long as a Labradoodle is a poodle crossed with a Labrador, where the resulting offspring vary in their traits -- for example, some with poodle coats and some with Labrador coats -- those dogs will never be considered a purebred, and the combination will not be considered a breed."
Is there any hope for the Labradoodle or puggle lover who dreams of seeing one of these dogs as the Westminster Best in Show? Frei hedges his bets a little.
"As traits get fixed and Labradoodles are bred to Labradoodles -- instead of Labradors to poodles -- to produce a consistent type in all regards, then there is the chance they will be recognized," he says.
"The AKC will decide. A breed has to have a widespread geographical following, a certain minimum number of dogs, a parent club, and a good record of its breedings. That is the starting point in the recognition process," says Frei.
Since these dogs aren't even at that starting point, and may never be, dog shows will be out for a long, long time. But remember that there are plenty of other canine sports that welcome any breed or mix. -- Gina Spadafori
Mix pets carefully
Q: We have a mellow 8-year-old cat who doesn't seem that interested in hunting, and my daughter wants a cockatiel as her own pet. What do you think? -- G.P., via e-mail
A: While many people successfully manage multispecies households, you must always be careful when you're mixing predators and prey.
That's true when you have dogs and cats, and it's true when you have cats and birds, or small pets such as rats, hamsters or lizards. The lion doesn't lie down with the lamb in the wild, and you should not expect your cat to consider your cockatiel as his brother. Keep these pets safely apart.
Also consider the stress factor. Birds know that cats are predators, and birds are prey. Gerbils and hamsters know this, too. It can be tough for tiny prey animals to see a deadly predator lurking about all the time -- even if their cage is very secure.
If your daughter intends to have the birdcage in her room with the door closed when no one is around to supervise, you'll probably be OK.
A warning though: You should regard anytime your cat gets his paws (and especially his teeth or claws) on a pet bird or rodent as a medical emergency, even if the smaller pet seems fine. At the very least, your little critter may need a course of antibiotics. Once prey animals such as birds seem sick, they're often too sick to be saved. -- Dr. Marty Becker
PET BUY
Giving pets a big boost
It used to be pet columnists and trainers were asked for advice on how to keep dogs off the furniture. I guess that war is over, and the pets have won, to judge by how many products are now available to help older or injured pets get up where they used to not be allowed.
The Pet Steps ($40) from the pet-products company Petmate (best known for its line of animal carriers and airline crates) is 20 inches tall, designed to come up to the level of most sofas. The product is easy to move (only 4 pounds in weight), made of sturdy plastic and covered with carpet for better traction. They come in different colors to help match home decor.
Long, low-slung dogs such as dachshunds are prone to back injuries. If you're going to let them up on the furniture, it's a good idea to minimize the jumping up and down. Getting steps or a ramp and training the dog to use them can help. -- Gina Spadafori
ON GOOD BEHAVIOR
Signs of stress in your canine
Do you wish your dog were more like a stuffed animal who could comfort you but didn't require any energy on your part? Unfortunately, many people seem to want this type of dog. Maturing and aging will slow a pet down, but waiting for your pet to become mellow isn't the best way to get the most out of a relationship with him.
Dogs have natural behaviors that need to be shaped for a good fit into our lives. Dogs don't raise themselves -- they are dependent on their human families for socialization, training and care.
Exercise and socialization go a long way toward calming a "hyper" dog.
Signs of canine stress may include scratching, hyperactivity, excessive vocalization, destructive chewing and digging, shedding, difficulty learning, running away, shivering and aggression.
Signs of a relaxed canine are belly-up sleeping or resting, easy breathing, initiating play, stretching, relaxed muscle tone, relaxed ears and eyes, and being responsive to training.
(Animal behavior experts Susan and Roland Tripp are the authors of "On Good Behavior." For more information, visit their Web site at AnimalBehavior.net.)
PET CONNECTION ONLINE
PetConnection.com features a weekly contest for free prizes, tips on pet health and behavior, a searchable archive of all past columns, reviews of "dogmobiles," products and pet-care books, and a popular Web log offering frequent contributions from the entire Pet Connection staff.
PET Rx
Thin cat or fat, talk to your vet
Can a cat be too skinny? Yes! A healthy cat should have a small amount of fat padding over the ribs. When you press in just a little and move that skin back and forth over the ribs (the way you'd move a shirt over the ridges of a washboard), you should be able to feel those ribs. A cat who's too skinny -- and especially a cat who loses weight quickly -- needs to see the veterinarian.
When an older cat becomes skinny, it may be a relatively common malady called hyperthyroidism. In cats with this disease, the thyroid gland starts overproducing its special hormone, making these cats lose weight and often seem more active than normal for older cats. Veterinarians sometimes call the condition "zoom around the room" syndrome. Left untreated, hyperthyroidism can be deadly. Fortunately, treating the disease is a real veterinary success story.
The overactive thyroid can be persuaded to slow down using drugs, surgery or radiation therapy. Radiation therapy involves a hospital stay, but it usually resolves the problem permanently. Other pet lovers decide on surgery or daily medication. If you're facing this decision, discuss all the options with your veterinarian, and choose what's right for you and your cat.
Hyperthyroidism is what makes many cats look like a rack of bones, but it's certainly not the only possible problem. The cat could have a digestive problem, suffer from a severe internal parasite infestation, or even have an autoimmune disease. If you're free-feeding in a multicat household, your skinny cat may simply be losing out at the trough.
Bottom line: A cat who's too fat or too skinny needs to be checked out by a veterinarian. -- Dr. Marty Becker
BY THE NUMBERS
How big's your dog?
Although small dogs seem all the rage these days, canine popularity isn't much influenced by size. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, dog lovers like their pets no matter what size (multiple answers allowed):
Own small dogs 43 percent
Own medium dogs 34 percent
Own large dogs 44 percent
PETS ON THE WEB
Watch videos on feline care
Have you ever struggled to give your cat pills or liquid medicine? Ever pulled out your hair over the prospect of trimming your cat's nails? Help is just a few clicks away, thanks to a collection of cat-care videos produced by the Cornell University Feline Health Center and available on the veterinary college's Web site (www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC).
What a fantastic idea! In addition to demonstrating giving medication and basic grooming, the site also provides information on caring for a diabetic cat. Each video is a few minutes long and breaks each subject into easy-to-understand segments.
That these high-quality videos come from Cornell is no surprise. The Feline Health Center program of the university's College of Veterinary Medicine has offered the very best in cat-care information for a long time now. It is one site every cat lover should bookmark. -- Gina Spadafori
Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or visiting PetConnection.com.
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