About This Blog

The obligatory caveat:

  • I have no training in veterinary medicine
  • I have no training in dog nutrition
  • I have no training in dog behavior

What Led Me Here

I learned several things after I adopted my not-so-little pit bull mix, Phoebe. I started this blog so I could share the things that I have learned, and describe Phoebe’s currently defunct journey from rescue dog to therapy dog. It turns out that she is a little to young and spunky for that role. Regardless, she has an extremely calming effect on one of my family members who suffers from debilitating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The joy she brings is amazing!!!  I still envision walking Phoebe through the halls of the Veteran’s Administration (VA) Hospital, bringing a little joy to other Veterans, but we will tackle that when she is older.

What I am Trying to Accomplish

I naively thought that the risks associated with adopting a rescue dog were limited to emotional or behavioral issues. Shortly after Phoebe’s arrival I learned about a lesser publicized risk – health issues.

All of us can find answers to a zillion questions by searching the Web. Yet, I was having difficulty finding quick answers to some of the questions I had specific to Phoebe. I simply want to make it easier for others to find obscure information by summarizing what I find, and then point people to sources where they can assess the info themselves.

One of my pet peeves is trying to research a topic and finding the same content (verbatim) site after site with no citation to the original source. I won’t give a statement/fact much weight until I find  distinct references on several sites – enough to convince me that the information is not cookie-cutter, trickle-down propagation. I love material from veterinary school lessons. I am not saying it is the absolute truth, but it is nice to know what veterinarians are being taught.

Nothing beat first hand experience, so I do my best to describe specific health issues Phoebe has faced, recovery, and the steps I have taken to give her the best chance at a long healthy life. I try to toss in information about vet care, including interactions I have had with Phoebe’s vet, because I believe that building a positive relationship with the veterinarian is crucial. You will hear it over and over: I love my vet!

 

About Me

I am just a person who likes to research and share real-life experiences.

Analytical, data driven, and objective describe me best. I am an avid genealogist, which is all about details and  proof. Admittedly, I post things that are based on emotion and opinion, but it is easy to pick those out (I call those my soap-box speeches).

Basically, I am just a little research compiler. I do link to some simplistic sites, but that is only after I convince myself that the information jives with all the dry educational material I read.

I love to research! When I am done researching, I like to research some more.