Dogs, Cats And New Year's Resolutions!

We're still working on our resolutions for 2017...But at the very least, we think will resolve to nap in sunspots as often as possible!

Here's to a Happy and Healthy New Year for all of our blogging friends! May 2017 bring all you desire, along with much serendipity!

Meanwhile here's our list from a couple of years ago. We done good, don't you think? What about your New Year's resolutions for 2017, either for you, you pets or both—we'd love to hear all about them!

Have you dogs and cats out there made your New Year's resolutions yet? How about you humans? Parental Unit is going to take this coming week to stake claim to her vows for the year, but me, I'm gonna stick with the basics: more food, more treats, more exercise and more napping. As you can see, I'm not into denying myself anything! Check out last year's New Year's Day post for a few more resolutions and a bit more elaboration.

Meanwhile, the New York Daily News posted these  excellent resolutions that pet parents should make for their pets...and really themselves, too. If you stick with the basics, like high quality food and water, regular exercise (and lots of it!) and periodic vet visits, you'll be in good shape. And above all, carve out time to spend with your pets, whether it's playing, grooming or just veggin' on the couch—that togetherness time adds immeasurably to the quality of life for both humans and their furry companions.

                          But most of all, have some fun!

Share

Medical Marijuana For Dogs: Should Your Aging Or Sick Canine Use Pot?

Photo courtesy of The Washington Post

(Damian nDovargaes/ Associated Press ) - In this photo taken Thursday, May 30, 2013, Companion Cannabis, by Holistic Therapeutics, a Marijuana medicinal tincture for dogs and cats is seen at La Brea Compassionate Caregivers, a medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles Thursday, May 30, 2013. Stories abound about changes in sick and dying pets after they’ve been given marijuana. There is a growing movement, led by Los Angeles veterinarian Doug Kramer, to make it more widely available. Others, however, urge caution until there’s better science behind it.

Can you picture your dog reclining on the sofa, remote in paw, and giggling for no apparent reason while scarfing potato chips? While this isn't Fido's typical evening at home (if it is, may your video go viral!), it could be if  you and your pooch are approved for the use of medical marijuana.

All kidding aside, there are a number of veterinarians who believe that your dog should have access to appropriate doses of cannabis to ease a variety of medical ailments, just like humans do-although some vets are more enthusiastic than others. According to this article published just yesterday in the Washington Post, one vet from Los Angeles is out front and outspoken about his belief in the benefits of canine cannabis: Doug Kramer says that he "...grew tired of euthanizing pets when I wasn't doing everything I could to make their lives better...I felt like I was letting them down." He gave his own Siberian husky, Nikita, pot to ease her pain after tumor removal surgery, which he said gave him six extra weeks with her. And during that time, Nikita stopped whimpering, "started eating, gaining weight and meeting him at the door again."

But being outspoken about the use of an illegal substance can have its drawbacks (even though marijuana is legal for human use in 19 states, it remains an illegal drug under federal law). A number of veterinarians interviewed for this article, and who are proponents of the use of pot to ease pain and to improve other quality of life symptoms in dogs, declined to be named in this article "for fear of arrest or retaliation."

We know where we stand on this issue: If medical marijuana can be approved for human medical use in specific cases, it should also be available for our dogs. We would love to hear what you think!

Share