What is animal hoarding? I deal with this question on probably a daily basis. Animal hoarding is not necessarily a person who has a large number of animals. An animal hoarder is a person who has a large number of animals and cannot properly care for them, while insisting that they can. According to the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, these are the characteristics of an animal hoarder: • More than the typical number of companion animals • Inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in starvation, illness and death • Denial of the inability to provide this minimum care and the impact of that failure on the animals, the household and human occupants of the dwelling Animal hoarders have compulsive disorders that lead to them obtaining the animals. They become deeply attached to each one of their animals and have a hard time letting them go. They believe that they are caring properly for their animals, which is a major distinction between hoarders and those that are cruel to animals. Unfortunately, hoarding is harmful to humans and animals. The conditions that …

I am a scientist who loves dogs. In my research I have spent much of my working life traveling through different European countries. In each area I have encountered distinct personalities, philosophies, traditions, and different approaches to life. I appreciate these different approaches dearly. In order to preserve, extend, and maintain life, cultures develop a unique approach to health and healing. Over time, I discovered remedies, diagnostic techniques, treatments. With each new discovery I became a blend of different philosophies and treatments. What does a scientist do in a situation such as this? We improve. We are here to expand perspectives and insight into how we can approach disease, diagnosis and treatment, and I want to impart some of this specialized knowledge and vision of the future to my readers. Why am I with DoggyDoc? As a scientist, I am always curious as to “why” medical treatment is done a certain way, or why test results are the way they are. And, I am always seeking new knowledge about these wonderful creatures we call dogs. I am excited to be here to contribute to the development of a new diagnostic …

There’s an email circulating around with a sign that a person posted on their front door. I chuckled when I received it in my inbox, as most pet parents that I know have suffered the complaints and eye-rolls of non-animal-loving guests at their home. Here’s the sign: TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS: 1.) They live here. You don’t. 2.) If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That’s why they call it ‘fur’-niture. 3.) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people. 4.) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours, and don’t speak clearly. Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they: 1) eat less, 2) don’t ask for money all the time, 3) are easier to train, 4) normally come when called, 5) never ask to drive the car, 6) don’t hang out with drug-using people, 7) don’t smoke or drink, 8) don’t want to wear …

It’s been a year and a half and she is still missed. It’s hitting especially hard now because the holiday season was her time. The day after Thanksgiving was the day that all the Christmas decorations came out of the shed. She would jump around and act silly—nose-poking the box that held her stocking and her reindeer antlers (to this day I still don’t know how she knew which box it was). She would lie quietly on a blanket beside us while we opened each box and carefully extracted each ornament, her eyes lighting up when the angels and snow globes made their appearance. Then, when the last ornament went up on the tree, we would step back and look at our handy work... she was always beside us, body wagging as if to say, “Good job!” The decorations did not come out the day after Thanksgiving this year. We tried, but we just couldn’t. We kept thinking about her, our best friend, and we couldn’t. Christmas is just not the same without her. If you are reading this, you are a dog lover …

Born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam, I have seen my country progress from an underdeveloped, war-ravaged country to become one of the most rapidly developing nations in Southeast Asia. Almost everyone enjoys the benefits of modern communucation. We have instant and ubiquitous internet access, and hence, we expect all kinds of information to be available, immediately. Nontheless, dogs in Vietnam are still not properly cared for. They rarely recieve veterinary treatment. The unfortunate among them are at risk of being stolen and sold to illegal dog traders. Although there are animal rights, veterinary clinics and hospitals, animal care is still a private, and expensive service. It relies exclusively on the veterinarian for help, and owner education and supplimentary resources which can come in handy in an emergency are not here yet. So, our "modern" assumption that everything is at our fingertips works great, except for our pets. When found a stray dog right in front of my office I experienced something that proved to me how far we have to go. Stray dogs are still somewhat a common sight in Vietnam. And this one was in bad shape. …