I’m asked this question every week, usually by well-meaning guardians trying to make sound medical decisions in behalf of their older dog or cat. The good news is that our animal companions are living longer than ever before. Let’s discuss the reasons:

1) Preventive veterinary care: Veterinarians have far …

Our dog Sydney loves all the same things that most dogs do. Mention the word “walk” and her tail goes into overdrive. Start loading the car, and she leaps uninvited into the back seat, hoping to go with us. Ask her, “Where’s Bodie?” and she runs through the house to find our other dog.

She wasn’t always …

This beautiful article by Dr. Marc Bekoff was originally published in the Boulder Camera in July 2002. But I find myself rereading it every year and passing it on to those struggling with the issue. It’s a powerful piece about what it truly means to be a compassionate “guardian.”

“COME ON, MARC, it’s time for a hike … …

“If only I had the money, I’d open up a huge sanctuary for all homeless cats and dogs!” I’m sure you have heard this idea expressed as a possible solution to the homeless dog and cat crisis. Over the decades, I’ve found that these comments usually come …

joysaphine / CC

In my last entry I discussed a change in approach from one in which visits to the vet are based around vaccinations to one in which visits are geared toward preventing and treating medical …