My Pet Lady

01/26/2025

Do your pets enjoy enrichment games like the ones below? One fun and simple game you can create at home is a treat-dispensing puzzle like the one below using a muffin tin. Place treats in the cups and cover some of them with tennis balls or other toys. Your cats and dogs will have a blast figuring out how to uncover the goodies! The Tricky Treat Ball below was purchased from Amazon and can be filled with your dog or cat's favorite treats. Share with us your favorite puzzle games for your furry friends!

02/06/2024

Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody (CPMA)
This will be a game changer for dogs who get Parvo!

A mortally ill puppy named Richard has been given a second chance at life after receiving a new state-of-the-art medical treatment for parvo.

02/06/2024

A mortally ill puppy named Richard has been given a second chance at life after receiving a new state-of-the-art medical treatment for parvo.

12/05/2023

Here is your feel good story for today. I think most dog owners can relate.

During the pandemic I chose a breed often compared to a velociraptor. It ruined my life—until I discovered that he’s the best dog who’s ever lived.

11/13/2023

Oh yes.😆

07/22/2023

test

05/02/2023

This sweet boy needs a family!

03/11/2023

I learned about this disease at a pet sitter conference I attended a few weeks ago. One of our attendees did a great write up and I am happy to share. Ask your vet if they test for this!

While at the Texas Pet Sitters Conference recently, we had the chance to hear from Dr. Roy Madigan, a veterinarian, and the principal scientist in the Canine Chagas Treatment Study.

We felt it imperative to share with our clients, and our community, the surprising information we learned.

Chagas disease is a parastic disease that is spread by kissing bugs. Similar to heartworm disease, animals can become infected with Chagas if they're bitten by, or ingest, a kissing bug.

The symptoms of Chagas can show up in a variety of ways. For less severe cases, lethargy, decreased appetite and weight loss may present. In more severe cases, you may see fluid in the abdomen, heart failure, vomiting, and unfortunately, sudden death.

Dr. Madigan estimates that up to 23% of companion dogs in Texas currently are positive for Chagas (compared to about 3.3% that are heartworm positive).

Chagas tends to attack the heart tissue, and is a progressive disease. The most common symptom seen when this happens is arrhythmia. It is also known to attack the brain.

Testing for Chagas is not common. The pet owner usually has to seek it out. There is currently a reliable test called "ELISA" that costs around $120.00. Dr. Madigan tells us that by next year, a new version will be available that will cost around $35.00 and will include a heartworm test. It will be readily available to all veterinary practices. They are currently awaiting approval from the FDA.

The treatment for Chagas is in a pill form and lasts for 12 months. Dr. Madigan reports that while it is 100% effective, it does not fix the harm that has already been done to the body by the parasite.

Our best defense against Chagas is preventative action. Pyrethroid insecticides will kill kissing bugs. Oral flea and tick medicine will kill Chagas.

If you see your pet with a kissing bug, do not squish the bug. Use a plastic baggie to capture it (don't touch it!) and contact https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/contact/ for instructions on how to submit it for testing.

It takes up to three weeks for a pet to test positive after exposure to Chagas, so don't immediately get your pet tested.

It is not only dogs who get Chagas. Cats also are affected. Chagas is the number one cause of seizures in cats.

Humans can also get Chagas. If your pet tests positive, every pet in the house should be tested, as well as all humans.

Antibodies are not effective at preventing reinfection, so a vaccine is not an option. Researchers are currently working to develop a slow-release injectible to protect pets.

Our takeaways:

*Chagas is impacting more pets than most people know. If your pet is showing unusual symptoms, ask your veterinarian to test them for Chagas. The sooner it is detected, the better off your pet will fare.

*Chagas is a treatable disease.

*Be aware of your enviroment. Keep your yard clean. Turn off outdoor lighting. Bring pets inside at night. Remove piles of rocks, leaves or wood near your home. Keep vegetation trimmed regularly. If you find a kissing bug, submit it for testing.

*If your pet tests positive for Chagas, test ALL your pets. Also, test all humans in the house.

For more information, please visit https://kissingbug.tamu.edu and www.vidapharmacal.com

02/22/2023

Yes, foster fails happen and as many people will tell you, the best!

02/20/2023

Seniors dogs are dogs with a lot of love to give! Having adopted a senior dog last year, I can tell you they bring so much joy to your life. Give one a try!

02/02/2023

Looking for a sweet, quiet, pup to have as a companion?

We haven’t had an update about Mellow in a bit and we haven’t found the right home for her just yet either but she’s ready for adoption. Foster mom Amy sends us this latest update:

It’s been a few months with Mellow figuring things out in her foster home and she is making slow and steady progress. Being in a mill for 7 years has taken its toll and she is still a bit timid but so very sweet. Potty training is going slow, but using potty pants have helped a ton and she now has the freedom to sleep in bed with us at night and loves it!! She is comfortable and quiet in her crate when I’m at work, but has really made huge improvements the last two weeks with me being home so much. I think she would do great in a quiet home where people are around more. She gets along with all dogs big and small. Not cat tested, but I can’t imagine a problem there. She is a perfect little lap dog and ready to find her forever home!

Applications can be submitted at dogranchrescue.com

01/31/2023

I am a big proponent of all three!

Dogs need to sniff, forage, play and feel safe in order to fulfill their natural instincts.

12/31/2022

12/05/2022

Good advice from a fellow pet sitter.

With the holiday season fast approaching I wanted to share THREE things NOT to do in regards to your pets..🐈🐕

1) If you have cats, please DO NOT use tinsel to decorate your tree 🌲 Tinsel is a fun shiny thing cats LOVE to play with but if ingested it can get tied up in their digestive tract and require emergency surgery to remove!

2) DO NOT leave your purse (or that of a guest) out where your pet can have access to it. People carry medication with them in their handbags which if ingested by your dog or cat can lead to serious medical issues. Most people also carry sugar free gum and mints with them. Quite a few of these products are made with xylitol (a sweetner that is toxic to dogs) 🚫

3) NO turkey bones. While your dog may be giving you their best puppy dog eyes, please refrain from sharing your holiday meal with them. All the delicious rich, fatty foods we eat over the holidays can cause serious illness in our 4 legged friends. Also turkey bones splinter very easily and can cause severe intestinal damage.

Let's all do our part to help keep our best friends safe this holiday season 💕

11/30/2022

This!!

Do you use air-scenting products? Please read this for the health of your pets. ❗👇

Learn more about the health risks of air-scenting products to pets, along with pet-safe ways to keep your home smelling fresh, in today’s free pet blog post linked in the comments.