Petfinder Blog

Last week was a tough one. Our vet told my mother and me there was nothing more he could do to help our 13-year-old shepherd mix, Sashi, who suffers from arthritis and spinal problems that make it hard for her to use her hind legs.

Because Sashi's quality of life had deteriorated so much (she could barely walk, and was getting scrapes from falling down and from her paws bending under or "knuckling"), we made the gut-wrenching decision to euthanize her.

But at the last minute, we decided to try something I've heard a number of (smart, skeptical) people swear by: veterinary acupuncture.

A search on the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society's Web site brought us to Christina Fuoco, VMD, an IVAS-certified doctor at the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary hospital.

My mother brought Sashi for her first appointment last week and reported that Dr. Fuoco was kind, compassionate and, best of all, optimistic about the potential for improvement that acupuncture could offer Sashi.

A while back we asked you what healthy foods you and your pet like. We also asked readers to submit their favorite pet- and human-friendly recipes, and the great site SheKnows has posted some of them.

The site also quotes our founder, Betsy Saul, on portion control for pets and what foods you should NEVER feed your best friend.

Instructions for making Simple Scrambled Eggs are after the jump. For recipes for Harvest Veggie Chicken Soup and Lean Mean Meatloaf, check out the post on SheKnows. What are your favorite pet-friendly recipes?

 

My most-recent addition (and Petfinder alumna!) has not had an easy life. Adopted from Friends of Homeless Animals of Northern NJ, 10-year-old Gretel is missing an eye and part of an ear, is FIV positive and had been shifted through several homes due to unforeseeable tragedies. 

Gretel joined my senior-focused household in March and shares the space with a tabby named Lucy (adopted at the age of 18) and a 13-year-old German Shepherd mix named Dexter (adopted at age 10).

 

While Gretel seemed to fit in seamlessly (she LOVES Dexter), something was brewing underneath. Her blood work kept coming back anemic and finally two ultrasounds determined she had mast cell tumors in her spleen. Shortening a very long story, off we went to see the fine folks at NYC Veterinary Specialists.

With summer here, I begin to hear the call of the wild. I used to love hiking with my dogs (that's my Lab-Shepherd mix, Annie, pictured) -- but when I first began traveling with them, I was surprised to learn how many national parks, wilderness areas, and campgrounds were dog unfriendly. It didn't seem democratic ... or American to keep dogs out of the wilderness!

I did some research about camping with dogs and here's what I found:

Not all national parks welcome dogs. The National Park Service has a great interactive map where you can search for parks by state and check out their pet policies. (When you find a park, click "Plan Your Visit," then "Things to Know Before You Come.")