A Rottweiler Reunion

If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you may remember a series of stories I posted about two pregnant Rottweilers that were abandoned at my veterinary hospital (www.speakingforspot.com/blog 2/20/09, 3/8/09, 3/17/09).  In fact, these girls were so darned pregnant that, within 24 hours, one of them, now named Mia, delivered ten healthy, happy puppies.  Mia and her little sausages were fostered by Jill, a member of the amazing team of receptionists at my hospital.   Jill ended up keeping the runt of the litter, now known as Dodger, and she managed to find wonderful homes for Mia and the other nine pups. Candy, the other mama, found her way to Linda, a Rottweiler maven who works tirelessly doing Rottie rescue work.  Candy delivered five pups while in Linda’s care.  Mama and all five pups were placed in caring homes.  

   

  

  

Jill has managed to keep tabs on Mia and all but one her puppies.  As the adoptive families report, they are all matches made in heaven!  At their recent one-year birthday reunion (held at a local dog park) the puppies were all playing while their humans were sporting grins from ear to ear!  Although there were thirty or so dogs at the park that day, the siblings seemed to hang out preferentially with one another.  Have a look at the “before” and “after” photos.  In the adult photos, there are clearly two distinct facial appearances. (Perhaps two different dads were involved in the creation of this litter!) Charlie, Bandit, and Giovani have kept their original names.  Abby, Delilah, Ember, Freda, Hans, Ivan, and Juno have become Maggie, Dee Dee, Dodger, Ava, Trixie, Bruno, and Sadie.    

Dodger is the dog furthest to the right in this photo

  

Those little sausages have all turned into massive dogs with weights varying from 80 to 110 pounds.  And guess who the 110 pounder is!  None other than Dodger, the original runt of the litter!  

I hope this blog makes you smile and reminds you to support your local animal rescue organizations.  

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,  

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook  

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.  

A Rottweiler Reunion

If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you may remember a series of stories I posted about two pregnant Rottweilers that were abandoned at my veterinary hospital (www.speakingforspot.com/blog 2/20/09, 3/8/09, 3/17/09).  In fact, these girls were so darned pregnant that, within 24 hours, one of them, now named Mia, delivered ten healthy, happy puppies.  Mia and her little sausages were fostered by Jill, a member of the amazing team of receptionists at my hospital.   Jill ended up keeping the runt of the litter, now known as Dodger, and she managed to find wonderful homes for Mia and the other nine pups. Candy, the other mama, found her way to Linda, a Rottweiler maven who works tirelessly doing Rottie rescue work.  Candy delivered five pups while in Linda’s care.  Mama and all five pups were placed in caring homes. 

  

 

 

Jill has managed to keep tabs on Mia and all but one her puppies.  As the adoptive families report, they are all matches made in heaven!  At their recent one-year birthday reunion (held at a local dog park) the puppies were all playing while their humans were sporting grins from ear to ear!  Although there were thirty or so dogs at the park that day, the siblings seemed to hang out preferentially with one another.  Have a look at the “before” and “after” photos.  In the adult photos, there are clearly two distinct facial appearances. (Perhaps two different dads were involved in the creation of this litter!) Charlie, Bandit, and Giovani have kept their original names.  Abby, Delilah, Ember, Freda, Hans, Ivan, and Juno have become Maggie, Dee Dee, Dodger, Ava, Trixie, Bruno, and Sadie.   

Dodger is the dog furthest to the right in this photo

Those little sausages have all turned into massive dogs with weights varying from 80 to 110 pounds.  And guess who the 110 pounder is!  None other than Dodger, the original runt of the litter! 

I hope this blog makes you smile and reminds you to support your local animal rescue organizations. 

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health, 

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

Canine Cancer Walk 2010

K9 Cancer Walk

April 24, 2010

 Join Us to Help

Morris Animal Foundation Fight Canine Cancer!

Elk Grove Regional Park – Elk Grove, California 

Registration/Check-in: 8:30 a.m.

K9 Cancer Walk–3K/7K: 10:00 a.m.

Speakers’ Program: 11:30 a.m. 

Speakers:

• Dr. Wayne Jensen, Chief Scientific Officer, Morris Animal Foundation
• Dr. Nancy Kay, Diplomat, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine & Author of Speaking for Spot
• Dr. Michael Kent,  Associate Professor, University of California–Davis School of Veterinary Medicine  

If you are local please come and walk in memory of dogs that have lost their battle with canine cancer or celebrate those that have survived. Your participation helps us help your best friends lead longer, healthier lives. 

Too far to participate in person?  Join Speaking for Spot’s virtual walk team.  Participants will receive a T-shirt and a dog bandanna this year, compliments of the Sacramento Canine Cancer Campaign Volunteers and I will draw the name of one Speaking for Spot team participant who will receive a personally signed copy of Speaking for Spot.

To join the Speaking for Spot virtual walk team click here: http://maf.convio.net/site/TR/Events/CCC?px=1004841&pg=personal&fr_id=1040.

Have you lost a canine family member to cancer or do you have one currently diagnosed with cancer?  Please share your story with us in the comments below or on my Facebook Fan Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Kay/105415179814.

For more information visit www.K9CancerWalk.org.

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, ACVIM
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

What is a Veterinary Specialist?

I participate in a list serve for veterinarians who specialize in internal medicine. The list serve “topic de jour” concerns veterinarians who are general practitioners (also known as family veterinarians), yet bill themselves as “specialists” in specific venues such as surgery, dentistry, or cardiology.  The responses have been strongly disapproving, and here is the reason why:  The American Veterinary Medical Association dictates that the term “specialist” be reserved only for veterinarians who have completed all of the requirements to become a “diplomate” within a specialty organization. What must a veterinarian do to become an official specialist/diplomate? Trust me, it is a long and arduous process! After graduating from veterinary school, wannabee specialists must complete a minimum three-year internship and residency training program, author publications in peer reviewed journals, and pass some insanely rigorous examinations specific to the specialty they are pursuing.  (Note that the requirements differ for those who become specialists in complementary/alternative medicine fields of veterinary medicine such as homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and Chinese herbs.) If one is successful in completing this rigorous and extensive training they achieve “board certification” status and are deemed to be “specialists” or “diplomates” within their chosen specialty.  This is much like the process physicians go through to become specialists.

The world of veterinary specialists has grown by leaps and bounds.  Much like Starbucks®, if there’s not already a group of specialists in your community, there likely will be soon!  Veterinary specialists are found in university teaching hospitals and in some private practices.  They often “cohabitate,” sharing specialty staffing, equipment and laboratory services with specialists in different areas of expertise.  When this is the case, you, the lucky client, end up with access to multiple specialists under one roof.  Not only is this convenient, it also focuses a lot of brainpower and experience on your pet- group discussions about patients (medical rounds) typically occur daily in such specialty hospital settings.

When might you need the services of a veterinary specialist? Just as your family physician refers patients to specialists, your family veterinarian should be considering referral in the following three situations:

1. A second opinion is desired by you or your veterinarian.  Yes, you definitely have the right to request a second opinion.  I know it can be tough telling your vet you would like a second opinion, but as your beloved pet’s medical advocate, you are obligated to do so just as soon a your “gut” starts suggesting that a second opinion makes sense. I encourage you to read the chapter called, “A Second Opinion is Always Okay” in Speaking for Spot- it will provide you with plenty of helpful coaching about how to tactfully broach the subject with your veterinarian! Hopefully your vet has established relationships with local specialists- the kind she would trust to take good care of her own dog should the need arise. Not all family veterinarians are keen on “letting go” of their patients, so self-referral might be your only way to seek out the help of a specialist.
2. Help is needed to figure out what is wrong with your pet. Specialists have advanced diagnostic tools (ultrasound, endoscopy, CT imaging, MRI scans, etc.) and have developed the skills to use them. Additionally, because of their extensive experience with challenging cases, specialists often have the ability to hone in on a diagnosis in the most direct and expedient manner.
3. Your vet doesn’t specialize in the disease your pet has or the therapy he needs.  Just as with our own health issues, treatment is ideally managed by someone who works with that particular disease issue day in, and day out, and regularly pursues continuing education pertaining to that disease.

How can you tell if a particular veterinarian is truly a specialist?  Simply examine the initials following his or her name. See the list of specialties and their corresponding initials below. For example, if you look at the initials following my signature (ACVIM), you can tell that I am a specialist in The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. To learn more about any of these areas of specialization, pay a visit to the websites.  Those listed below are within the United States, but you will find comparable organizations in many other countries or continents.

Have you ever taken your pet to a veterinary specialist?  Have you ever wanted to do so, but had trouble getting “buy in” from your family veterinarian?  If so, please share your experience.  I’d love to hear from you.

Diplomate, ACVIM	Internal medicine (acvim.org)
Diplomate, ACVIM, Cardiology	Cardiology (acvim.org)
Diplomate, ACVIM, Oncology	Oncology (acvim.org)
Diplomate, ACVIM, Neurology	Neurology (acvim.org)
Diplomate, ACVS	Surgery  (acvs.org)
Diplomate, ACVD	Dermatology (acvd.org)
Diplomate, ACVR	Radiology (acvr.org)
Diplomate, ACVO	Ophthalmology (acvo.org)
Diplomate, AVECC	Emergency and critical care (acvecc.org)
Diplomate, ACVA	Anesthesiology (acva.org)
Diplomate DACVB	Behavior (dacvb.org)
Diplomate, ACVN	Nutrition (acvn.org)
Diplomate, AVDC	Dentistry (avdc.org)
Diplomate, ACT	Theriogenology (theriogenology.org)
CVA	Veterinary acupuncture (Ivas.org)
TCVM	Chinese veterinary medicine (tcvm.com)
AVH	Homeopathy (drpitcairn.com) or (theavh.org)
ACVA	Chiropractic (animalchiropractic.org)
CCRP	Canine rehabilitation (caninerehabinstitute.com)

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, ACVIM
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

Patricia McConnell on The Diane Rehm Show

Patricia McConnell, expert on canine and feline behavior and dog training and author of more than a dozen books on canine behavior and dog training will be the featured guest on the NPR’s highly popular Diane Rehm Show on Monday March 22nd.

Please visit the NPR website to  find your local station- http://www.npr.org/templates/stations/schedule/?prgId=33. The podcasts are also available through ITunes and on the show website shortly after broadcast.

Patricia McConnell on The Diane Rehm Show

Patricia McConnell, expert on canine and feline behavior and dog training and author of more than a dozen books on canine behavior and dog training will be the featured guest on the NPR’s highly popular Diane Rehm Show on Monday March 22nd.

Please visit the NPR website to  find your local station- http://www.npr.org/templates/stations/schedule/?prgId=33. The podcasts are also available through ITunes and on the show website shortly after broadcast.

Breed Profiling

Racial profiling is considered taboo, and for good reason.  Breed profiling, however, is fair game for those of us in the veterinary profession! We breed profile on a daily basis particularly pertaining to health issues.  Name just about any breed of dog or cat and I can provide you with a laundry list of potentially inherited diseases.  Patty Khuly, VMD (the “VMD” means her veterinary degree is from the University of Pennsylvania) has created a wonderfully comprehensive list of canine breed related diseases (the feline list is in the works).  I encourage you to check it out at www.embracepetinsurance.com/PetHealth/default.aspx. Not only does she list the most common maladies for each dog breed, she rates the risk for disease inheritance (low, medium, or high), describes each disease, and provides the approximate (emphasis on approximate) cost to diagnose and treat each disease. Hats off to Dr. Khuly for creating such a useful tool!  And if all of this weren’t enough, Dr. Khuly also manages to find the time to pen a witty and informative daily blog (www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted).    

So how might Dr. Khuly’s information about breed-specific diseases be useful for you?  Certainly, if you are thinking about adopting a purebred pup, what you learn might sway your opinion about a particular breed.  If you already have your heart set on a specific breed, the disease-specific information will empower you to ask the right questions of the breeder to learn if the litter’s dam, sire, grandparents, and aunts and uncles have been affected.  A word of warning: don’t dare rely on the proverbial, “None of my dogs have ever had that problem.”  A conscientious breeder will offer forth official paperwork rather than verbal reassurances. Finally, if you already share your heart and home with a particular breed or think you know what breeds have gone into the “making of your mutt” being informed about the diseases that may arise will allow you to better be on the lookout for early symptoms. Timely detection and intervention can favorably affect the long-term outcome.     

Official White House Photo

Now, just for kicks, let’s check Dr. Khuly’s list of inherited diseases pertaining to Bobama (the name I’ve affectionately bestowed upon the newest dog in the White House).  According to the list, Portuguese Water Dogs are at medium risk for hip dysplasia (instability of the hip joints that results in arthritis), and at high risk for Addison’s disease (a hormonal imbalance) and follicular dysplasia (a hair follicle issue resulting in abnormal hair growth).  President Obama might be interested to know that one of his predecessors in the White House had Addison’s disease- none other than the late John F. Kennedy!  I wish Bobama a lifetime of good health, not only for the sake of the first family, but for the sake of the White House veterinarian as well!   

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,   

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook    

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

Too Much of a Good Thing

We love when our animals are eating and drinking well.  After all, a hearty appetite and ample thirst are positive tangible affirmations about the quality of our pets’ lives.  I think this is the reason why so many people delay consulting with their veterinarian when they notice an obvious increase in their pet’s thirst or appetite.  They ascribe busting into the garbage pail, begging at the dinner table, and eating foreign objects to bad behavior rather than an underlying medical issue.  Filling the water bowl more frequently than normal may simply go unnoticed or may be viewed as simply “more of a good thing.” 

Well, I’m here to provide you with a wake up call! If your dog has recently turned into a major “chowhound” or your kitty has become obsessed with her water bowl, please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.  An overt increase in thirst or appetite is often a symptom of an underlying medical abnormality.  Increased thirst typically accompanies kidney disease, liver disease, and underlying hormonal imbalances such as diabetes, Addison’s disease (too little cortisone), Cushing’s disease (too much cortisone), and overproduction of thyroid hormone.  A dog or cat whose appetite is uncharacteristically insatiable may have pancreatic disease, gastrointestinal disease, diabetes or Cushing’s disease.  (More information about all of these diseases can be found in Speaking for Spot).    

The good news is that, when associated with disease, increased thirst and appetite tend to be early symptoms.  Paying attention to them sooner rather than later will give you and your vet a head start on making a diagnosis and initiating therapy.  And in most cases, the earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis.  Remember, our dogs and cats tend to be creatures of habit.  Anything that seems out of character is deserving of your attention and discussion with your veterinarian.

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

Too Much of a Good Thing

We love when our animals are eating and drinking well.  After all, a hearty appetite and ample thirst are positive tangible affirmations about the quality of our pets’ lives.  I think this is the reason why so many people delay consulting with their veterinarian when they notice an obvious increase in their pet’s thirst or appetite.  They ascribe busting into the garbage pail, begging at the dinner table, and eating foreign objects to bad behavior rather than an underlying medical issue.  Filling the water bowl more frequently than normal may simply go unnoticed or may be viewed as simply “more of a good thing.” 

Well, I’m here to provide you with a wake up call! If your dog has recently turned into a major “chowhound” or your kitty has become obsessed with her water bowl, please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.  An overt increase in thirst or appetite is often a symptom of an underlying medical abnormality.  Increased thirst typically accompanies kidney disease, liver disease, and underlying hormonal imbalances such as diabetes, Addison’s disease (too little cortisone), Cushing’s disease (too much cortisone), and overproduction of thyroid hormone.  A dog or cat whose appetite is uncharacteristically insatiable may have pancreatic disease, gastrointestinal disease, diabetes or Cushing’s disease.  (More information about all of these diseases can be found in Speaking for Spot).    

The good news is that, when associated with disease, increased thirst and appetite tend to be early symptoms.  Paying attention to them sooner rather than later will give you and your vet a head start on making a diagnosis and initiating therapy.  And in most cases, the earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis.  Remember, our dogs and cats tend to be creatures of habit.  Anything that seems out of character is deserving of your attention and discussion with your veterinarian.

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.

An Herbal Addendum and Vital Information About Vitamins

My most recent blog focused on potential pitfalls associated with treating our pets with medicinal herbs.  As so commonly happens, I received wonderful feedback, and one comment in particular, I would like to share with you.  Dr. Susan Wynn, a much-admired veterinary colleague offered this sage advice, “I think your conclusion is appropriate – if you’re interested in herbs, talk to your vet.  I think you need to go one further, though, since most veterinarians know little about herbs – find a veterinarian who has a special interest in herbal medicine.  Not only are they more aware of interactions and toxicity, recent research and clinical experience, they also take great care to source their products from American companies, some of them organic, that employ knowledgeable formulators. About the PDR recommendation – that will not be as helpful as it is for people only.  Please see Veterinary Herbal Medicine (Elsevier, 2007).  Disclaimer – I’m the first author on it – but it was written to collect the most comprehensive available information on herbs and their use in domestic animals.  There are thousands of references, detailed information on over 100 herbs including known toxicity and interactions, species specific cautions, traditional ethnoveterinary uses and scientific support.”  

Just as many people are giving their herbs to their pets without veterinary supervision, so too are they providing them with supplemental vitamins.  I wish I could tell you that vitamins are perfectly safe to give.  Alas such is not the case and here is why.    Vitamins come in two basic varieties; they are either water soluble or fat soluble. Vitamins B and C are water soluble meaning that any excess in the body is readily eliminated from the body within the urine.  I certainly take an abundance of vitamin C when I feel a cold coming on (thanks to Linus Pauling) with no worries of an overdose.  Not true for vitamins A, D, E, and K.  These are fat soluble vitamins, meaning amounts above and beyond what the body needs cannot be readily eliminated. Rather, the excess is retained within the body’s fat stores which can result in hypervitaminosis (symptoms caused by a vitamin overdose).  For example, too much vitamin A can cause horrendous bony abnormalities and too much vitamin D can wreak havoc on normal calcium metabolism resulting in muscle tremors, gastrointestinal issues, and even kidney failure. 

What’s the bottom line?  As tempting as it is to believe that over the counter herbs and vitamins are safe for any and all living beings, take the time to discuss these products with a trusted veterinarian before you provide them to your beloved pets.

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, 2009 Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, 2009 Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.