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	<title>Joy Pet Products</title>
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	<description>Informative and Fun Blog for Pet People</description>
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		<title>Desi and the Cyber Knife</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2012/03/22/desi-and-the-cyber-knife/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2012/03/22/desi-and-the-cyber-knife/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:50:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Helpful Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inside Joy Pet Products]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=278</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Until Valentine&#8217;s Day I&#8217;d never heard of Cyber Knife. I&#8217;d noticed Desi had started snoring in his sleep and was sneezing and congested.  At first I thought it was related in some way to the rectal Valium he  has to have for seizures because every time he had a syringe of the Valium he&#8217;d start sneezing.  When the congestion appeared only on his left side and the sneezing continued regardless of whether he had Valium or not, I was concerned there was an obstruction and brought him in to be checked. The only way to determine what is causing the obstruction is to do a CT scan or an MRI.  Because of Desi&#8217;s previous inflammatory brain disease we opted for the MRI so the brain could be checked at the same time.  There was a mass &#8211; a nasal tumor pushing toward his brain.  It was so far back the biopsy to see what type of mass it was wasn&#8217;t successful.  He came home very uncomfortable with lots of discharge so he needed some pain meds &#8211; which make him very unsettled.  I sat with him all night until he slept and again the next day until he felt better. For the next week I had to constantly wipe his nose because of all the discharge which the biopsy made worse and it made him nervous. The options for treatment for nasal tumors in dogs are all radiation therapy.  The choice was two approaches of conventional radiation or the Cyber-Knife.  After talking to the doctors at both facilities and discussing options with Desi&#8217;s wonderful neurologist, we decided on the Cyber-Knife.  It can give the same amount of radiation in three treatments as fifteen conventional radiation treatments without as many side effects. It&#8217;s much more precise and it requires less anesthetic episodes.  It did however require travel to NY &#8211; no Cyber Knife in MA- and bringing everything we might need should Desi not do well during treatments.  So I packed up all Desi&#8217;s necessities, food to prepare for he and my husband who both have special food requirements and all the general stuff we&#8217;d need for a week away. We arrived in NY on Sunday and on Monday Desi had a CT scan.  The MRI can&#8217;t show the density of the mass and to plan the treatment a CT was needed.  After the CT scan a physicist and radiation oncologist develop a plan for the treatment. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Desi had his treatments.  Each took about an hour plus time for sedation, anesthesia and recovery. Desi has a certain anesthesia protocol becasue of his GME.  I stay with him until he&#8217;s sedated and then as soon as the tube is removed and he begins to wake up he&#8217;s brought to me and I hold him in a private room.  It&#8217;s the only way he can relax and not panic.  He survived and recovered from the GME but has serious anxiety at vet visits so to avoid seizures and make him as comfortable as possible I stay right with him. Each treatment day was different for him in terms of how quickly he recovered from anesthesia and how groggy he was. By the afternoon back at the hotel he was able to eat and his tail was up &#8211; that&#8217;s a great barometer with Desi to tell me how he&#8217;s feeling. On the drive home on Friday he stayed awake in his carrier which is unusual for him.  Normally he sleeps in the car. When we got home I cleaned him up and gave him dinner and he was wobbly but seemed very happy to be home. Except for a lot of coughing he continued to do pretty well Saturday and most of Sunday and I was thinking wow- that was pretty easy.  By Sunday night however he started showing signs of being extremely tired.  It was as if it suddenly hit him. He needed to be hand fed and the coughing wasn&#8217;t subsiding.  Over the next week he was so tired and reluctant to eat on his own he lost close to a pound which is significant for such a small dog. He trembled a lot and  was concerned he was going to have a seizure but thankfully he didn&#8217;t. By the following week an oncologist here recommended a small dose of prednisone and clavamox based on his coughing, difficulty keeping his legs under him, foul breath and weight loss symptoms. Radiation can sometimes cause inflammation and with his [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Until Valentine&#8217;s Day I&#8217;d never heard of Cyber Knife. I&#8217;d noticed Desi had started snoring in his sleep and was sneezing and congested.  At first I thought it was related in some way to the rectal Valium he  has to have for seizures because every time he had a syringe of the Valium he&#8217;d start sneezing.  When the congestion appeared only on his left side and the sneezing continued regardless of whether he had Valium or not, I was concerned there was an obstruction and brought him in to be checked.</p>
<p>The only way to determine what is causing the obstruction is to do a CT scan or an MRI.  Because of Desi&#8217;s previous inflammatory brain disease we opted for the MRI so the brain could be checked at the same time.  There was a mass &#8211; a nasal tumor pushing toward his brain.  It was so far back the biopsy to see what type of mass it was wasn&#8217;t successful.  He came home very uncomfortable with lots of discharge so he needed some pain meds &#8211; which make him very unsettled.  I sat with him all night until he slept and again the next day until he felt better. For the next week I had to constantly wipe his nose because of all the discharge which the biopsy made worse and it made him nervous.</p>
<p>The options for treatment for nasal tumors in dogs are all radiation therapy.  The choice was two approaches of conventional radiation or the Cyber-Knife.  After talking to the doctors at both facilities and discussing options with Desi&#8217;s wonderful neurologist, we decided on the Cyber-Knife.  It can give the same amount of radiation in three treatments as fifteen conventional radiation treatments without as many side effects. It&#8217;s much more precise and it requires less anesthetic episodes.  It did however require travel to NY &#8211; no Cyber Knife in MA- and bringing everything we might need should Desi not do well during treatments.  So I packed up all Desi&#8217;s necessities, food to prepare for he and my husband who both have special food requirements and all the general stuff we&#8217;d need for a week away.</p>
<p>We arrived in NY on Sunday and on Monday Desi had a CT scan.  The MRI can&#8217;t show the density of the mass and to plan the treatment a CT was needed.  After the CT scan a physicist and radiation oncologist develop a plan for the treatment. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Desi had his treatments.  Each took about an hour plus time for sedation, anesthesia and recovery. Desi has a certain anesthesia protocol becasue of his GME.  I stay with him until he&#8217;s sedated and then as soon as the tube is removed and he begins to wake up he&#8217;s brought to me and I hold him in a private room.  It&#8217;s the only way he can relax and not panic.  He survived and recovered from the GME but has serious anxiety at vet visits so to avoid seizures and make him as comfortable as possible I stay right with him.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DSCF0007.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-284 alignleft" style="margin: 8px;" title="DSCF0007" src="http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DSCF0007-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Each treatment day was different for him in terms of how quickly he recovered from anesthesia and how groggy he was. By the afternoon back at the hotel he was able to eat and his tail was up &#8211; that&#8217;s a great barometer with Desi to tell me how he&#8217;s feeling. On the drive home on Friday he stayed awake in his carrier which is unusual for him.  Normally he sleeps in the car. When we got home I cleaned him up and gave him dinner and he was wobbly but seemed very happy to be home.</p>
<p>Except for a lot of coughing he continued to do pretty well Saturday and most of Sunday and I was thinking wow- that was pretty easy.  By Sunday night however he started showing signs of being extremely tired.  It was as if it suddenly hit him. He needed to be hand fed and the coughing wasn&#8217;t subsiding.  Over the next week he was so tired and reluctant to eat on his own he lost close to a pound which is significant for such a small dog. He trembled a lot and  was concerned he was going to have a seizure but thankfully he didn&#8217;t. By the following week an oncologist here recommended a small dose of prednisone and clavamox based on his coughing, difficulty keeping his legs under him, foul breath and weight loss symptoms. Radiation can sometimes cause inflammation and with his GME history the last thing we want is for treatment to cause more seizures. Whether it&#8217;s just time or the med, he does seem to be feeling stronger.  He&#8217;s still sleeping a lot but I have seen an improvement.</p>
<p>Cyber-Knife treatment is expensive and not readily available. It&#8217;s an approach for brain tumor treatment and other tumors when surgery isn&#8217;t an option and chemo doesn&#8217;t usually give a good enough result. As for the cost,  guess when you compare it with multiple conventional treatments generally needed it isn&#8217;t all that much more expensive, but treatment is costly. With all the pet parents my business brings me in contact with  I&#8217;ve never found another person who has been through the Cyber &#8211; Knife experience so my purpose here and with the updates to come is simply to let you know about it and tell you our experience.  We are very hopeful it will give Desi a great result and more time to enjoy his life. Our goal is to keep him pain free and comfortable.</p>
<p>I did find a great blog about a dog Max who has had Cyber-Knife treatments.  Here&#8217;s teh link http://maxck.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&amp;updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&amp;max-results=18 <a href="http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Desi-working-2.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-283" title="Desi 'working' (2)" src="http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Desi-working-2-224x300.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Please email at Service@JoyPetProducts.com if you need more information.</p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>Patti and Desi</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Give Agility A Try!</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/09/30/give-agility-a-try/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/09/30/give-agility-a-try/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Oct 2011 02:16:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fun Things To Do With Your Pet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=261</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Ever feel like doing more with your dog than tossing a ball or taking a walk?  How about giving agility a try?  Agility is not just for super charged Border Collies with athletically inclined people in high performance sportswear.  If you are looking for something that you and your buddy can do together try being an agility team.  As long as you are both physically able and well enough to move around an obstacle course and you both play nicely with others, you can get involved. It&#8217;s wonderful exercise for  both of you and it definitely adds a new dimension to the bond you share. Agility is a team sport &#8211; one dog and one person make a team -  that involves running a course of obstacles such as jumps, weave poles, a seesaw, a low table that your dog will sit and stay on, tunnels and other equipment.  A competition is called a trial and trials are sponsored by lots of different organizations such as the AKC, North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC), Canine Performance Events (CPE) and others.   Different organizations have different rules and requirements.  When I started doing trials I found it easiest to stick with one organizations so I could learn the rules.  There are different levels  and different size dogs compete in different categories. For example when I was starting I entered the AKC trials in Novice which is their beginner. Since Desi is a Papillon he would normally be in the eight inch category.  Dogs are measured by officials and in some organizations they might be measured at a trial or after they are measured you will get an official height card for your dog.  There are time limits and &#8216;faults&#8217; if you or your dog make a mistake during your run through the course. Lots of people are agility enthusiasts and don&#8217;t enter trials. You don&#8217;t have to compete to have fun. There are indoor and outdoor facilities that offer all sorts of training in agility and other performance or dog sport activities. If you are lucky enough to live in a part of the country that enjoys great weather for a good part of the year you&#8217;ll probably enjoy the outdoor facilities.  Running around in the fresh air with my little pal rates pretty highly on  m y list of fun things to do!  There are indoor facilities too, so you really can enjoy the sport all  year round if you are close enough to an indoor dog gym or training center. If agility is new to you look for a local non competitive class for beginners.  It &#8216;s a good idea to go and check it out solo to see if it&#8217;s clean, if the equipment is kept in good order and if the people running the program have the experience necessary to guide you. Just because someone has all sorts of titles and championships does not mean they are a good teacher. Since you&#8217;ll want to focus on the fun and safety of course, see if you can observe a group class.  You&#8217;ll get a good idea of how the facility and the groups operate and if you&#8217;ll feel comfortable there.  Bigger isn&#8217;t always better, but some smaller programs combine too many different levels and size dogs for anyone to learn much or feel comfortable. Some things to watch for: Is the instructor really tuned in to each team as they run the course? Does the instructor give each person helpful &#38; positive corrections and tips? Is the facility clean and is the equipment in perfect condition as it should be fore safety? Are dogs or people allowed to be too aggressive or interfere with others&#8217; participation &#8211; yes I&#8217;ve seen people screaming at their dogs when they don&#8217;t do something right &#8211; that&#8217;s unacceptable at a good facility. Is the group supportive of each team or does it feel very competitive? What are the requirements for dogs to participate? Since you&#8217;ll be sharing equipment and in close quarters it&#8217;s important that all the dogs are healthy. Once you&#8217;ve chosen a class or a facility the instructor may ask to meet your dog to determine what class might be best to start.  Some will offer you a complimentary trial class.  If there isn&#8217;t a class suited to your dog and your experience level the instructor may offer you a private lesson.  Private lessons are more expensive than group classes of course, but sometimes it&#8217;s a great way to start [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/J6D1972-5x7-websize.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-283" style="margin: 8px 12px;" title="_J6D1972  5x7  websize" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/J6D1972-5x7-websize-214x300.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="300" /></a>Ever feel like doing more with your dog than tossing a ball or taking a walk?  How about giving agility a try?  Agility is <em>not</em> just for super charged Border Collies with athletically inclined people in high performance sportswear.  If you are looking for something that you and your buddy can do together try being an agility team.  As long as you are both physically able and well enough to move around an obstacle course and you both play nicely with others, you can get involved. It&#8217;s wonderful exercise for  both of you and it definitely adds a new dimension to the bond you share.</p>
<p>Agility is a team sport &#8211; one dog and one person make a team -  that involves running a course of obstacles such as jumps, weave poles, a seesaw, a low table that your dog will sit and stay on, tunnels and other equipment.  A competition is called a trial and trials are sponsored by lots of different organizations such as the AKC, North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC), Canine Performance Events (CPE) and others.   Different organizations have different rules and requirements.  When I started doing trials I found it easiest to stick with one organizations so I could learn the rules.  There are different levels  and different size dogs compete in different categories. For example when I was starting I entered the AKC trials in Novice which is their beginner. Since Desi is a Papillon he would normally be in the eight inch category.  Dogs are measured by officials and in some organizations they might be measured at a trial or after they are measured you will get an official height card for your dog.  There are time limits and &#8216;faults&#8217; if you or your dog make a mistake during your run through the course.</p>
<p>Lots of people are agility enthusiasts and don&#8217;t enter trials. You don&#8217;t have to compete to have fun. There are indoor and outdoor facilities that offer all sorts of training in agility and other performance or dog sport activities. If you are lucky enough to live in a part of the country that enjoys great weather for a good part of the year you&#8217;ll probably enjoy the outdoor facilities.  Running around in the fresh air with my little pal rates pretty highly on  m y list of fun things to do!  There are indoor facilities too, so you really can enjoy the sport all  year round if you are close enough to an indoor dog gym or training center.</p>
<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Weaves-outdoors-edited-cropped.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-285" style="margin: 8px 12px;" title="Weaves outdoors edited &amp; cropped" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Weaves-outdoors-edited-cropped-262x300.jpg" alt="" width="262" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>If agility is new to you look for a local non competitive class for beginners.  It &#8216;s a good idea to go and check it out solo to see if it&#8217;s clean, if the equipment is kept in good order and if the people running the program have the experience necessary to guide you. Just because someone has all sorts of titles and championships does not mean they are a good teacher. Since you&#8217;ll want to focus on the fun and safety of course, see if you can observe a group class.  You&#8217;ll get a good idea of how the facility and the groups operate and if you&#8217;ll feel comfortable there.  Bigger isn&#8217;t always better, but some smaller programs combine too many different levels and size dogs for anyone to learn much or feel comfortable.</p>
<p>Some things to watch for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Is the instructor really tuned in to each team as they run the course?</li>
<li>Does the instructor give each person helpful &amp; positive corrections and tips?</li>
<li>Is the facility clean and is the equipment in perfect condition as it should be fore safety?</li>
<li>Are dogs or people allowed to be too aggressive or interfere with others&#8217; participation &#8211; yes I&#8217;ve seen people screaming at their dogs when they don&#8217;t do something right &#8211; that&#8217;s unacceptable at a good facility.</li>
<li>Is the group supportive of each team or does it feel very competitive?</li>
<li>What are the requirements for dogs to participate? Since you&#8217;ll be sharing equipment and in close quarters it&#8217;s important that all the dogs are healthy.</li>
</ul>
<p>Once you&#8217;ve chosen a class or a facility the instructor may ask to meet your dog to determine what class might be best to start.  Some will offer you a complimentary trial class.  If there isn&#8217;t a class suited to your dog and your experience level the instructor may offer you a private lesson.  Private lessons are more expensive than group classes of course, but sometimes it&#8217;s a great way to start and learn some basics so you feel comfortable in a group.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Desi-on-Table-edited.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-286" style="margin: 8px 12px;" title="Desi on Table edited" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Desi-on-Table-edited-300x223.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="223" /></a>You may just enjoy going to the classes and you may find that your dog begins to tune into you differently as you learn.  In agility the dog is tuned in (hopefully) to the handler (the human component) and watches for signals so he knows what obstacle is next.  In the beginning levels the courses are pretty straight forward.  As you advance the courses become more longer and more complicated and the obstacles are positioned so there&#8217;s more opportunity for a mistake.  In classes and trials you often hear a collective grown from the crowd when a team is near the end of a course and makes a mistake on the last obstacle. And when there&#8217;s a &#8216;clean run&#8217; classmates and observers cheer.  And  the best is when the dog and person come together at the end of the course happy with their run together. The bond just keeps getting stronger!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/20080614-nskc-0555-copy.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-290" style="margin: 8px 10px;" title="20080614-nskc-0555-copy" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/20080614-nskc-0555-copy-300x240.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="240" /></a>When we adopted Desi he had been involved in agility but it never seemed he really loved it.  His person was very experienced and Desi earned some titles but he didn&#8217;t seem to love it the way some dogs do.  So we lucked out and were allowed to adopt him.  At the time I couldn&#8217;t have cared less about agility but as much as Desi loved hanging out, I could see he needed activity to prevent boredom.  He was loving life as he was the only dog in our family and he&#8217;d come form a home with a group of dogs.  So I took him to some agility lessons for fun with no intention of competing.  In fact some people were less than supportive saying Desi knew more than I did.  I didn&#8217;t care, he did know more than I did about agility.  I was in it for him.</p>
<p>After a few lessons whenever I went near hings  we took to our agility lessons Desi got really excited.  He started to really fly around the course and when we&#8217;d come home he was that kind of &#8216;happy tired&#8217;.  So I entered a few trials not expecting much and Desi did very well.  Some of the best memories I have with him are the days we&#8217;d spend outside in the cool fall weather (Desi hates the heat).  I think it was fun for him because when we went to agility trials we were together the whole day.  Before that he was one of many dogs waiting for his turn.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/MACH-victory-hug-edited1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-294 " style="margin: 8px 12px;" title="MACH victory hug edited" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/MACH-victory-hug-edited1-300x214.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="214" /></a></dt>
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<p>We gradually made our way up the levels to the Excellent Class and on Valentine&#8217;s Day 2010 he earned his Master of Agility Champion title.  As proud as I am of him it truly isn&#8217;t about the title.  It&#8217;s about what we experienced together.  I will never forget the feeling when he flew into my arms at the end of that run and people who knew the illness he&#8217;d overcome (that&#8217;s another story) were cheering for him.  Just before the final jump he was running fast and he looked toward me and I knew I didn&#8217;t have to do much directing to that last jump.  Not the smartest time to back off, but I knew he was headed for the right jump and he did it without hesitation.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If it weren&#8217;t for Desi I would have spent those days probably catching up on some work. which wouldn&#8217;t have had any impact on my life or provided any meaningful memories.  Desi has given me so many beautiful memories even without agility.   But being part of a team and working together is something wonderful if you just let yourself enjoy the experience.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Play some agility with your dog.  It isn&#8217;t about how fast you run and how many obstacles you conquer.  It&#8217;s about the time you enjoy together and he memories you&#8217;ll keep forever.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Let&#8217;s Go Shopping</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/09/29/271/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/09/29/271/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:26:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fun Things To Do With Your Pet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=271</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let&#8217;s Go Shopping!  Here&#8217;s a link to our September post for The Family Groove.  It&#8217;s all about TWO subjects we love!  Shopping and our Pets!  What could be better (and more informative).  Enjoy! http://www.thefamilygroove.com/blog/20110927-pet-products/]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_7612-cropped-for-blog.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-274" style="margin: 10px;" title="IMG_7612 cropped for blog" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_7612-cropped-for-blog-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>Let&#8217;s Go Shopping!  Here&#8217;s a link to our September post for The Family Groove.  It&#8217;s all about TWO subjects we love!  Shopping and our Pets!  What could be better (and more informative).  Enjoy!</p>
<p>http://www.thefamilygroove.com/blog/20110927-pet-products/</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Bathtime!</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/09/29/269/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/09/29/269/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:19:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fun Things To Do With Your Pet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=269</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Desi and I are honored to be the only Pet Information and Lifestyle Contributor to The Family Groove.   Here&#8217;s a link to our recent post about grooming and bathing at home.  It doesn&#8217;t have to be a chore and you really can do it! http://www.thefamilygroove.com/blog/20110812-how-to-bathe-your-dog/]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/dog-in-tin-277x300.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-279" title="dog-in-tin-277x300" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/dog-in-tin-277x300-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>Desi and I are honored to be the only Pet Information and Lifestyle Contributor to The Family Groove.   Here&#8217;s a link to our recent post about grooming and bathing at home.  It doesn&#8217;t have to be a chore and you really can do it!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thefamilygroove.com/blog/20110812-how-to-bathe-your-dog/">http://www.thefamilygroove.com/blog/20110812-how-to-bathe-your-dog/</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Hello world!</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/08/01/hello-world/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/08/01/hello-world/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:36:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.petpeevesandpicks.com/joypetmagento/blog/?p=1</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>New Concerns About Tick &#8211; Borne Diseases</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/07/12/new-concerns-about-tick-borne-diseases/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/07/12/new-concerns-about-tick-borne-diseases/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:30:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Helpful Information]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=202</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We all know about the dangers of ticks. Until now we&#8217;ve been concerned with flea and tick prevention mainly to avoid Lyme Disease which can be devastating to humans and animals.  Now, a Boston ABC affiliate has reported that there are new concerns in Massachusetts about a rise in tick-borne illnesses. Our wet spring weather coupled with the increased deer population equals a bad tick season. The two diseases mentioned are Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis. Also referred to as HGA, the diseases are carried and spread by deer ticks the same way Lyme Disease is.  Dr. Michael Lew of  Newton Wellesley Hospital is quoted as saying while usually less common than Lyme Disease, this year in MA cases of Babesiosis  are up 53 percent and Anaplasmosis cases are up 49 percent. The report indicates there have been more cases of the two usually less common diseases seen at Newton &#8211; Wellesley Hospital than Lyme Disease.  The two diseases are reported to be dangerous if not caught early and that both can have flu like symptoms but not the rash typical of Lyme Disease.  Dr. Lew is reported to explain that Anaplasmosis can be life-threatening without immediate medical care.  Symptoms usually come on suddenly, within a week or two of being bitten by a tick. Babesiosis is a little more tricky, with very mild symptoms or sometimes none at all.  The report also suggests that if you have flu like symptoms and are not improving to see your doctor and mention these two diseases. If you are in an area with similar weather conditions and know there are deer ticks, please read the full article at http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/28518411/detail.html#ixzz1RuSu7GI2 The early morning and evening time can be a great time to take your best friend out during the summertime. Enjoy the warmer weather and remember that diligent grooming, flea and tick preventative and daily inspection of your pet are the best way to stay flea and tick free. My Papillon has had problems with the usual topicals Frontline and Advantix so I&#8217;m now using Buck&#8217;s Mountain Parasite Dust.  It&#8217;s an organic powder and you do need to reapply after bathing and swimming. About 1/4 teaspoon is enough for most dogs so applying oftern isn&#8217;t a problem and my uber sensitive Papillon hasn&#8217;t had any ill effects.  I even like to apply after it&#8217;s been on a while between baths. Keep the lawn trimmed low in areas you or your pet frequent and try one of the newer, organic treatments for you lawn to help control the parasite population. I like Pyrethrin Garden Insect Spray found at www.spray-n-growgardening.com   It kills a variety of insects and parasites including ticks.  Check your pet each evening before settling in to relax or before bedtime. I like to brush Desi before bed to check him. A hair dryer on cool air can be a good way to see right down to the skin and check for ticks in otherwise hard to see areas. After you&#8217;ve been outdoors it&#8217;s a good idea to toss your clothing right into the washing machine rather than put it in a a hamper and thoroughly check your skin and hair. Ticks have become a real problem and as much of a pain in the neck  it can be to check you and your pet daily, it&#8217;s more of a pain &#8211; literally- if you or your pet suffer from a disease spread by ticks.  Remember that ticks are a threat until well into a hard frost.  Enjoy your summer! Be Well, Patti &#38; Desi]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We all know about the dangers of ticks. Until now we&#8217;ve been concerned with flea and tick prevention mainly to avoid Lyme Disease which can be devastating to humans and animals.  Now, a Boston ABC affiliate has reported that there are new concerns in Massachusetts about a rise in tick-borne illnesses. Our wet spring weather coupled with the increased deer population equals a bad tick season.</p>
<p>The two diseases mentioned are Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis. Also referred to as HGA, the diseases are carried and spread by deer ticks the same way Lyme Disease is.  Dr. Michael Lew of  Newton Wellesley Hospital is quoted as saying while usually less common than Lyme Disease, this year in MA cases of Babesiosis  are up 53 percent and Anaplasmosis  cases are up 49 percent. The report indicates there have been more cases of the two usually less common diseases seen at Newton &#8211; Wellesley Hospital than Lyme Disease.  The two diseases are reported to be dangerous if not caught early and that both can have flu like symptoms but not the rash typical of Lyme Disease.  Dr. Lew is reported to explain that Anaplasmosis  can be life-threatening without immediate medical care.  Symptoms  usually come on suddenly, within a week or two of being bitten by a  tick. Babesiosis is a little more tricky, with very mild symptoms or sometimes none at all.  The report also suggests that if you have flu like symptoms and are not improving to see your doctor and mention these two diseases. If you are in an area with similar weather conditions and know there are deer ticks, please read the full article at <a href="http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/28518411/detail.html#ixzz1RuSu7GI2">http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/28518411/detail.html#ixzz1RuSu7GI2</a></p>
<div>The early morning and evening time can be a great time to take your best friend out during the summertime. Enjoy the warmer weather and remember that diligent grooming, flea and tick preventative and daily inspection of your pet are the best way to stay flea and tick free. My Papillon has had problems with the usual topicals Frontline and Advantix so I&#8217;m now using Buck&#8217;s Mountain Parasite Dust.  It&#8217;s an organic powder and you do need to reapply after bathing and swimming. About 1/4 teaspoon is enough for most dogs so applying oftern isn&#8217;t a problem and my uber sensitive Papillon hasn&#8217;t had any ill effects.  I even like to apply after it&#8217;s been on a while between baths.</div>
<div>Keep the lawn trimmed low in areas you or your pet frequent and try one of the newer, organic treatments for you lawn to help control the parasite population. I like Pyrethrin Garden Insect Spray found at www.spray-n-growgardening.com   It kills a variety of insects and parasites including ticks.  Check your pet each evening before settling in to relax or before bedtime. I like to brush Desi before bed to check him. A hair dryer on cool air can be a good way to see right down to the skin and check for ticks in otherwise hard to see areas.</div>
<div>After you&#8217;ve been outdoors it&#8217;s a good idea to toss your clothing right into the washing machine rather than put it in a a hamper and thoroughly check your skin and hair.</div>
<p>Ticks have become a real problem and as much of a pain in the neck  it can be to check you and your pet daily, it&#8217;s more of a pain &#8211; literally- if you or your pet suffer from a disease spread by ticks.  Remember that ticks are a threat until well into a hard frost.  Enjoy your summer!</p>
<div><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Patti-Desi-for-web1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-206" title="Patti &amp; Desi " src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Patti-Desi-for-web1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></div>
<div>Be Well,</div>
<div>Patti &amp; Desi</div>
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		<title>If You Want It Done Right..</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/06/29/if-you-want-it-done-right/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/06/29/if-you-want-it-done-right/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:11:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inside Joy Pet Products]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=188</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As much as I love my work I have to admit I&#8217;m looking forward to the long Fourth of July weekend.  We&#8217;ve recently made the decision to bring some of our production in house and wow, has it been a boat load of work.  Some manufacturers just aren&#8217;t able or willing to meet our quality standards and you know the saying&#8230;if you want it done right &#8211; see where I&#8217;m going with this?  Yes, we&#8217;re going to do it ourselves. The good news is we&#8217;ve found other talented, animal loving, quality fanatics out there who will be working with us.  And in the process and in the midst of this difficult economic time we&#8217;re looking forward to providing work for some very talented people who have been affected by the current economy. So keep those suggestions on what you&#8217;d like to see coming.  And to Brenda from PA who emailed a while back and said &#8220;I LOVE your down coats!! Since you made the best down dog coats, could you make some raincoats? I would buy them in an instant!&#8221;  We listened and have a wonderful new raincoat coming just in time for the cooler and often very wet fall weather. That&#8217;s enough about work and cool fall weather.  Enjoy your Fourth of July weekend.  Stay safe and please keep sending your comments and photos. All the best, Patti &#38; Desi]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_189" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 320px"><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DSC_3378-Copy.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-189" title="Desi ready to celebrate the 4th!" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DSC_3378-Copy-300x199.jpg" alt="Desi playbow outdoors" width="310" height="206" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Desi is all set for the long weekend!  </p></div>
<p>As much as I love my work I have to admit I&#8217;m looking forward to the long Fourth of July weekend.  We&#8217;ve recently made the decision to bring some of our production in house and wow, has it been a boat load of work.  Some manufacturers just aren&#8217;t able or willing to meet our quality standards and you know the saying&#8230;if you want it done right &#8211; see where I&#8217;m going with this?  Yes, we&#8217;re going to do it ourselves.</p>
<p>The good news is we&#8217;ve found other talented, animal loving, quality fanatics out there who will be working with us.  And in the process and in the midst of this difficult economic time we&#8217;re looking forward to providing work for some very talented people who have been affected by the current economy.</p>
<p>So keep those suggestions on what you&#8217;d like to see coming.  And to Brenda from PA who emailed a while back and said &#8220;I LOVE your down coats!!  Since you made the best down dog coats, could  you make some raincoats?  I would buy them in an instant!&#8221;  We listened and have a wonderful new raincoat coming just in time for the cooler and often very wet fall weather.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s enough about work and cool fall weather.  Enjoy your Fourth of July weekend.  Stay safe and please keep sending your comments and photos.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">All the best,</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Patti &amp; Desi</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Tips for Teamwork With Your Vet</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/05/20/tips-for-teamwork-with-your-vet/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/05/20/tips-for-teamwork-with-your-vet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 21:07:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Helpful Information]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=180</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In February&#8217;s post I gave some suggestions for finding the right veterinarian for your pet.  Thanks so much to those of you who emailed to tell me the information was helpful.  For those who may not know we close comments on the blog simply because there are so many computer generated bogus comments. I always welcome real comments from readers and our family of customers. Please email Service@JoyPetProducts.com and put JPP Blog Comment in the subject line.  Whether you have ideas for the next post, comments or suggestions we&#8217;re always happy to hear from you. I promised to follow up with some tips on how to effectively work with the vet you&#8217;ve chosen for your pets. I view the medical care of our pets as team work between the pet&#8217;s guardian and the vet and medical staff. That&#8217;s not to say that pet guardians need to be a medical expert. I think it&#8217;s important, however, to be reasonably well prepared for each visit and aware of your pet&#8217;s norms.  Most of the ideas here are common sense and preparation. I&#8217;ve been told several times by different doctors that I give them a lot of good information.  At first I admit I didn&#8217;t really fully understand what they meant or what I might be doing differently.  Now I realize that a big part of being helpful is being able to quantify and be specific with the information we give the vet about our pets. For example, there&#8217;s a big difference between saying your dog didn&#8217;t seem to feel well and saying he was coughing a lot while excited when the doorbell rang but the coughing stopped as soon as calmed down and rested for a bit.  Specific symptoms, when they started, how long they lasted and the severity on a scale of one to ten are all helpful tools. I t&#8217;s also helpful to establish what was going on when the symptoms started.  Did you just have a lawn treatment that may have caused the coughing?  Was your pet groomed or boarded recently? And if it&#8217;s a behavioral situation this is especially helpful too.  It canl help determine what may have triggered the problem or new behavior. If your vet makes recommendations or prescribes a medicine, be diligent about jotting down what the effects are.  Don&#8217;t just say improved or got worse..be specific&#8230;Maybe by Wednesday after two full days on the medicine he is coughing about 60% less.  Also ask when you should notice an improvement.   You&#8217;ll have accurate information that you can refer to. It&#8217;s very possible the same animal will have similar issues again.  Knowing what worked and what didn&#8217;t is very helpful.  It&#8217;s also a great way to ensure the accuracy of your pet&#8217;s medical records.  People make mistakes and knowing what medicines don&#8217;t work with your pet or worse that your pet has a problem with, rather than relying on your vet&#8217;s records can be crucial information.  There&#8217;s always the unfortunate possibility you&#8217;ll have an emergency and need to go somewhere other than to your regular vet.  Having notes or a file ready with key information such as your pet&#8217;s age, allergies, foods, medications etc. can be a life saver &#8211; literally. If you add the information piece by piece as things happen it&#8217;s very simple and not time consuming. If your pet does have a health problem that requires ongoing care it&#8217;s important to be able to work as a team with your veterinarian.  Hopefully you have a good foundation and have asked the important questions before choosing a veterinarian.  If not, see February 2011&#8242;s post for suggestions.  When a health problem arises you&#8217;ll probably have questions and you may need to be in regular contact with your veterinarian. Some questions to consider: Ask if there is suggested reading about the diagnosis so you can better understand the problem and possible solutions. Ask if there are different options for care. Ask if you can talk further once you&#8217;ve had time to read and digest the situation. Ask what you need to look for. Sometimes there are things that might not be obvious that your vet will want to know about. Has your vet handled similar cases and what was the outcome? There&#8217;s a line between being diligent and being unreasonable. You need to have a plan for an emergency of course, but when it&#8217;s a non urgent question either save it for the next visit or use your vet&#8217;s preferred method of communication.  If you are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSCF1462.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-256" style="margin: 8px;" title="DSCF1462" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSCF1462-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="120" height="120" /></a>In February&#8217;s post I gave some suggestions for finding the right veterinarian for your pet.  Thanks so much to those of you who emailed to tell me the information was helpful.  For those who may not know we close comments on the blog simply because there are so many computer generated bogus comments. I always welcome real comments from readers and our family of customers. Please email Service@JoyPetProducts.com and put JPP Blog Comment in the subject line.  Whether you have ideas for the next post, comments or suggestions we&#8217;re always happy to hear from you.</p>
<p>I promised to follow up with some tips on how to effectively work with the vet you&#8217;ve chosen for your pets. I view the medical care of our pets as team work between the pet&#8217;s guardian and the vet and medical staff. That&#8217;s not to say that pet guardians need to be a medical expert. I think it&#8217;s important, however, to be reasonably well prepared for each visit and aware of your pet&#8217;s norms.  Most of the ideas here are common sense and preparation.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been told several times by different doctors that I give them a lot of good information.  At first I admit I didn&#8217;t really fully understand what they meant or what I might be doing differently.  Now I realize that a big part of being helpful is being able to quantify and be specific with the information we give the vet about our pets. For example, there&#8217;s a big difference between saying your dog didn&#8217;t seem to feel well and saying he was coughing a lot while excited when the doorbell rang but the coughing stopped as soon as calmed down and rested for a bit.  Specific symptoms, when they started, how long they lasted and the severity on a scale of one to ten are all helpful tools. I t&#8217;s also helpful to establish what was going on when the symptoms started.  Did you just have a lawn treatment that may have caused the coughing?  Was your pet groomed or boarded recently? And if it&#8217;s a behavioral situation this is especially helpful too.  It canl help determine what may have triggered the problem or new behavior.</p>
<p>If your vet makes recommendations or prescribes a medicine, be diligent about jotting down what the effects are.  Don&#8217;t just say improved or got worse..be specific&#8230;Maybe by Wednesday after two full days on the medicine he is coughing about 60% less.  Also ask when you should notice an improvement.   You&#8217;ll have accurate information that you can refer to. It&#8217;s very possible the same animal will have similar issues again.  Knowing what worked and what didn&#8217;t is very helpful.  It&#8217;s also a great way to ensure the accuracy of your pet&#8217;s medical records.  People make mistakes and knowing what medicines don&#8217;t work with your pet or worse that your pet has a problem with, rather than relying on your vet&#8217;s records can be crucial information.  There&#8217;s always the unfortunate possibility you&#8217;ll have an emergency and need to go somewhere other than to your regular vet.  Having notes or a file ready with key information such as your pet&#8217;s age, allergies, foods, medications etc. can be a life saver &#8211; literally. If you add the information piece by piece as things happen it&#8217;s very simple and not time consuming.</p>
<p>If your pet does have a health problem that requires ongoing care it&#8217;s important to be able to work as a team with your veterinarian.  Hopefully you have a good foundation and have asked the important questions before choosing a veterinarian.  If not, see February 2011&#8242;s post for suggestions.  When a health problem arises you&#8217;ll probably have questions and you may need to be in regular contact with your veterinarian.</p>
<p>Some questions to consider:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ask if there is suggested reading about the diagnosis so you can better understand the problem and possible solutions.</li>
<li>Ask if there are different options for care.</li>
<li>Ask if you can talk further once you&#8217;ve had time to read and digest the situation.</li>
<li>Ask what you need to look for. Sometimes there are things that might not be obvious that your vet will want to know about.</li>
<li>Has your vet handled similar cases and what was the outcome?</li>
</ul>
<p>There&#8217;s a line between being diligent and being unreasonable. You need to have a plan for an emergency of course, but when it&#8217;s a non urgent question either save it for the next visit or use your vet&#8217;s preferred method of communication.  If you are leaving a message be clear about what the situation is and be clear about what you want from the doctor.  And don&#8217;t forget to leave a number where you can be reached. Often small practice veterinarians check voice mail when they are out of the office and may not have access to your records. Do you think your pet is having a problem with the medication and it needs to be changed?  Are you just calling with an update and don&#8217;t require a return call?  Do you think something isn&#8217;t healing properly and need to be seen?  The doctor has other patients and usually will prioritize by the seriousness of the situation.</p>
<p>When something is wrong however if the doctor is not responding you do need to get your pet attention.  Things can sometimes go from bad to worse too quickly and while you want to be respectful you can&#8217;t wait for a doctor who isn&#8217;t being responsive to your needs.  Generally veterinary practices refer clients to a hospital or other facility when they are not available.  Knowing what other options you have and having your pet&#8217;s important information will allow you to handle emergencies or situations much more easily when your regular vet isn&#8217;t available.  Having emergency numbers and locations of facilities readily available <em>before</em> you have a crisis will save time and stress in an emergency as well.  One helpful website is www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control   There&#8217;s a great deal of information on the site other than poison information too.  There is a phone number to call if you suspect your animal has been poisoned.  The number is toll free -888.426.4435 but a fee may apply.<strong> </strong></p>
<p>Emotions are part of the equation when something is wrong with an animal you love.  It&#8217;s natural to be very upset when there&#8217;s a problem.  As responsible guardians we need to stay focused on what we can do to help and not make the situation worse.  Easier said than done of course when there&#8217;s a crisis, but try to remember that you can&#8217;t waste time in an emergency and giving the right information or acting appropriately and quickly can help your animal.  It&#8217;s helpful to have someone who can come with you in an emergency, even if they are just there for moral support.  And again, having everything documented before hand can help you through emergencies as it can be hard to remember everything  and give accurate information when you are overwhelmed.</p>
<p>I hope that information is helpful. Please email if you have other suggestions I can share in the next post.</p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>Patti &amp; Desi</p>
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		<title>The Right Veterinarian for Both of You</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/02/01/the-right-veterinarian-for-both-of-you/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2011/02/01/the-right-veterinarian-for-both-of-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:33:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Helpful Information]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=169</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Choosing between a veterinary hospital and a private practice can be difficult.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Many times people take their pets to the closest vet&#8217;s office without thinking about whether that vet is the right match for them or their pet. It&#8217;s true you don&#8217;t have to be best friends with your vet, but you do need to be able to work well together. It&#8217;s up to you to communicate with your vet and understand his or her suggestions. So while you don&#8217;t want to select a vet that is completely inconvenient to get to, choosing based on location alone isn&#8217;t a good idea.</p>
<p>Sometimes people make their choice on price thinking if they pay more it must be better or they are getting a better deal if they choose the doctor with the lowest prices.  Different doctors charge differently, include different services and things in their pricing structure and have vastly different levels of expertise. While you do want a clear understandable price and payment policy, choosing by price is not making an informed decision about the best doctor for you pet.</p>
<p>Be sure to do your homework before you have an urgent situation and before you bring your new pet home if possible.  And if you are already taking your pet to a veterinarian you can still use these ideas to help make sure you&#8217;ve made the best choice for your animal&#8217;s needs.   A vet that loves little puppies may not be understanding and patient with the needs of a more geriatric patient. If your pet develops a serious illness and your vet has no experience with that specific situation you need to find someone with the right experience. It&#8217;s all about finding that balance of skill, disposition and services offered that make a vet and his or her practice the &#8216;right one&#8217;.</p>
<p>Start by asking people who have animals now (not ten years ago) and who are fairly selective. Getting informed recommendation is great.  Don&#8217;t just select a practice based on someone saying the doctor was really nice to their dog.  If you currently have a great vet and are moving you might ask them to help with your search. Sometimes veterinary hospitals who do not provide primary care are also good resources.  Look online and in your phone book and see who else is in the area too. Don&#8217;t be fooled by fancy web sites or large display ads in the phone book. That doesn&#8217;t mean they are good doctors.</p>
<p>Once you have a list of doctors it&#8217;s time to start asking questions and visiting.  Call, get some basic information and chedule a time to visit the office. Pay close attention to the office staff both during the telephone call and  in person and the office itself.  Is the staff professional and courteous? Where are animals kept if they must stay for a procedure or overnight? Are they left alone or monitored and by whom? Is the office clean and free from odors from pets or cleaning products? You shouldn&#8217;t be smelling any foul odors at all nor should you be able to detect strong cleaning products- they aren&#8217;t good for your animals. It&#8217;s not necessarily a good sign if the staff or doctors have hours to chat, but the staff should be able to politely answer basic questions and set up a time for you to come in to meet the doctor.</p>
<p>Here are some of the basics you&#8217;ll want to know prior to making a decision.</p>
<ul>
<li>Is the doctor&#8217;s license current and are there any disciplinary actions against them? You can start by going to http://www.aavsb.org/DLR/ and selecting your state. Follow the links from there as most make licensing and disciplinary information actions available.</li>
<li>Are the office hours and general policies posted or readily available and are you comfortable with them?</li>
<li>What animals do they see and what are their specialties? (Some vets may accept all types of patients but have little or no experience with some species)</li>
<li>What equipment is on site and what procedures do they do regularly?  What procedures do they refer to other clinics or hospitals? (If the office does not do routine procedures, X-Rays etc. you may find yourself relying on a total stranger when something comes up.)</li>
<li>Who do they recommend after hours or when they are not available and is this facility available 24/7?  (You&#8217;ll want to check out this facility and doctor as well.)</li>
<li>If it is a multi -doctor practice or hospital setting will you always see the same doctor or will it be someone different each time?</li>
<li>How long can you expect to wait to schedule a routine appointment and to see the doctor when you arrive for the appointment?</li>
<li>How much time is allotted for routine appointments and how much of that time does the doctor spend with you and your pet? A doctor who sends their technician in for most of the appointment and then breezes in fr a quick visit is not going to be able to fully assess things, not will you have the opportunity to discuss your pet&#8217;s problem if there is one.</li>
<li>When lab tests are necessary are you allowed to be with your pet (in accordance with state regulations), how long before results are given to you and does the doctor call you with results? Sometimes when a technician calls with results you are not able to ask questions or have results explained to you adequately.</li>
<li>Are estimates given before procedures or are prices for routine procedures readily available so there are no surprises?</li>
<li>Does the vet practice conventional or homeopathic medicine or both? There are advantages to having clinicians skilled in both available  even if it means establishing a relationship with two different doctors.  Would the doctor be open to that or does he or she frown on other points of view?</li>
<li>Do you feel rushed through the tour or appointment?</li>
<li>Does the staff and doctor talk to you and explain things in a manner you are comfortable with and understand?</li>
<li>Is the staff and doctor appropriate and gentle with your pet?</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are thrilled with the first office or hospital you visit, check out one or two more anyway. Write down the answers you were given so you are clear about each practice. If you decide on a doctor and find you are not comfortable with your choice at some point down the road, call your second choice if you felt it was also a good option. Be honest and explain you started with another doctor on the basis of something you discussed and it didn&#8217;t work out or just that you need another opinion if that&#8217;s the case.</p>
<p>Choosing between a veterinary hospital and a private practice can be difficult. Hospitals tend to be open longer hours, have more equipment and have different veterinary specialists available. Veterinary medicine is advanced and there are clinicians who specialize in internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, dentistry, ophthalmology, dermatology, nutrition, physical therapy, behavior problems and more. The down side is you may not be able to see the same vet all the time or that vet may move on from the hospital. Some veterinary hospitals can be stressful environments for you and your pet. Visiting is the only way to determine if a hospital is the right choice. Private veterinary offices generally can establish a close relationship and the veterinarian owning the practice has the final say so you are talking to the decision maker about policies and other questions. Sometimes a private practice veterinarian will go out of his or her way to help because of the relationship they have with you and your pet and frankly because it is their own business.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve personally experienced the best and worst of both &#8211; hospitals and private practices. As a client you have to understand when the doctor has an emergency and needs more time with another animal. It could be your pet that needs the extra time some day and you&#8217;d certainly want the doctor to do everything possible to help your animal. Waiting while the doctor chit chats or is behind with appointments scheduled unrealistically close together is another matter and sends the message that only the doctor&#8217;s time is valuable and there is little or no concern for your time or the comfort and stress of your animal.</p>
<p>Education and medical skill are critical of course. Assuming the doctor has the skill and education necessary to treat your pet, look at the person. Is the doctor kind, efficient and detail oriented?  If not you may have a doctor that can diagnose a problem but doesn&#8217;t get back to you with test results in a timely manner. I&#8217;ve had that experience! Does the doctor listen to what you are saying about your pet so they get to know the whole animal &#8211; rather than the (usually) shaking, nervous pet they see in their office? Will the doctor do everything possible to give you the information necessary, educate you when needed and to provide your pet with the best preventative, routine and emergency care?  The only way you can answer that is to visit the offices and talk to the staff. It takes a bit of work, but you learn so much in the process. And since it&#8217;s usually a long term relationship, it&#8217;s well worth investing some time in the beginning. It could save your pet and much heartache later.</p>
<p>I hope that information is helpful for you. Next up &#8211; once you&#8217;ve chosen a doctor I&#8217;ll have some tips for you on what you can do to help your vet and your pet.</p>
<p>Be well.</p>
<p>Patti</p>
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		<title>Take a Hike!</title>
		<link>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2010/09/23/take-a-hike/</link>
		<comments>http://www.joypetproducts.com/blog/2010/09/23/take-a-hike/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:34:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fun Things To Do With Your Pet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://joypetproducts.com/blog/?p=159</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do you fall in love with crisp air every fall like my little pal, Desi and I do?  He and I both perk up when the heat and humidity of summer begin to fade.  Crisp apples are a great treat for both of us and he thinks it&#8217;s pretty cool to share what I&#8217;m having. This is the perfect time to make healthy plans for you and your tail waggin&#8217; friend.  Many beaches that are off limits to pets during the summer months can now be enjoyed with your best friend.  Hikes in the morning and late afternoon are also a perfect way to spend time together and a great way to exercise with zero boredom.  It&#8217;s way better than too much time online or in front of the TV.  You&#8217;ll both keep those extra pounds off and you&#8217;ll have that wonderful feeling only physical activity and time with your little buddy can give you.   Keep in mind ticks are still with us  until a hard frost  and consistent cold temperatures.  Adult ticks unsuccessful in attaching to  hosts take cover under leaves and other surface vegetation.  Winters in our area of the northeast and also in the northern mid-west region are generally cold enough to keep adult ticks away until February.  March and April usually starts a peak in activity so be sure to protect you and your pets from ticks according to the climate in your area.  We really like Buck Mountain Parasite Dust.  It&#8217;s an organic powder that has been very effective for Desi and others we know who have used it. And there&#8217;s none of the potential risks associated with the spot on topical products.  Ask your vet if it&#8217;s a good option for your dog.  You may need to show them the data sheet as many vets don&#8217;t know about products other than the mainstream topical products. If you aren&#8217;t familiar with walking trails in your area, Wikipedia has listings for most states state parks.  For example, the MA state parks are listed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Massachusetts_State_Parks and most have links to the organization that manages the parks so you can contact them about their pet and picnicking policies.  Desi&#8217;s always up for a hike and if there&#8217;s a picnic involved even better! Pack your cell phone, make sure you have plenty of daylight time and take some healthy snacks and plenty of water for you and your pet.   Be sure to check for ticks before you get back in the car and definitely before you go in the house. So happy fall and happy trails to you and your pets.  Enjoy this beautiful time of year and create great memories together. All the best, Patti &#38; Desi]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_160" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 210px"><a href="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Halloween-Hoodie-on-Desi-edited-for-print-by-Dawn.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-160" title="Halloween Hoodie on Desi" src="http://joypetproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Halloween-Hoodie-on-Desi-edited-for-print-by-Dawn-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Did Someone Say Treat?</p></div>
<p>Do you fall in love with crisp air every fall like my little pal, Desi and I do?  He and I both perk up when the heat and humidity of summer begin to fade.  Crisp apples are a great treat for both of us and he thinks it&#8217;s pretty cool to share what I&#8217;m having.</p>
<p>This is the perfect time to make healthy plans for you and your tail waggin&#8217; friend.  Many beaches that are off limits to pets during the summer months can now be enjoyed with your best friend.  Hikes in the morning and late afternoon are also a perfect way to spend time together and a great way to exercise with zero boredom.  It&#8217;s way better than too much time online or in front of the TV.  You&#8217;ll both keep those extra pounds off and you&#8217;ll have that wonderful feeling only physical activity and time with your little buddy can give you.  </p>
<p>Keep in mind ticks are still with us  until a hard frost  and consistent cold temperatures.  Adult ticks unsuccessful in attaching to  hosts take cover under leaves and other surface vegetation.  Winters in our area of the northeast and also in the northern mid-west region are generally cold enough to keep adult ticks away until February.  March and April usually starts a peak in activity so be sure to protect you and your pets from ticks according to the climate in your area.  We really like Buck Mountain Parasite Dust.  It&#8217;s an organic powder that has been very effective for Desi and others we know who have used it. And there&#8217;s none of the potential risks associated with the spot on topical products.  Ask your vet if it&#8217;s a good option for your dog.  You may need to show them the data sheet as many vets don&#8217;t know about products other than the mainstream topical products.</p>
<p>If you aren&#8217;t familiar with walking trails in your area, Wikipedia has listings for most states state parks.  For example, the MA state parks are listed at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Massachusetts_State_Parks">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Massachusetts_State_Parks</a> and most have links to the organization that manages the parks so you can contact them about their pet and picnicking policies.  Desi&#8217;s always up for a hike and if there&#8217;s a picnic involved even better! Pack your cell phone, make sure you have plenty of daylight time and take some healthy snacks and plenty of water for you and your pet.   Be sure to check for ticks before you get back in the car and definitely before you go in the house.</p>
<p>So happy fall and happy trails to you and your pets.  Enjoy this beautiful time of year and create great memories together.</p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>Patti &amp; Desi</p>
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