Archive for the ‘Pet Stories’ Category

Within a few days, ghosts and goblins will be roaming the neighborhood begging for treats. Halloween is a fun holiday for children, but there are many hazards for your pet.

For kids and adults alike, Halloween is a great time for dressing up and letting our fantasies reign. From the chaos of trick or treat nights to the eerie decorations and creepy traditions, Halloween has grown into a major holiday. Unfortunately, our pets may find the excitement a bit too spooky!

The most obvious danger for pets this holiday is the amount of candy and treats in the house. Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) reports that insurance claims for substance toxicity more than double following Halloween, with a majority of the cases caused by pets eating candy and wrappers. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. In small doses, it causes vomiting and diarrhea. In larger amounts, chocolate can cause seizures, and an overdose can be fatal.

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As a veterinarian and owner of the Gardner Animal Care Center, I attempt to instill a sense of pride in our veterinary health care team.  We often discuss with our team the importance of knowing, believing and living our vision and mission on a daily basis.

Our vision states, “It is an honor to celebrate and cultivate the pet-family-veterinary bond,” while “Our mission is to maintain a dedicated, caring and knowledgeable team committed to providing exceptional client service and Veterinary Health Care.  We strive toward this excellence through continuing education, technical advances and compassionate care for all pets entrusted to us.”

This never had more of a meaning than it did when I arrived at work one Tuesday morning, following my normal weekend off.  As usual, I got to our facility around 8:15 am ready to catch up with the messages and mail since my last working day.

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This story was submitted by a client, William “Bill” Fernekees and is being reprinted with his permission. Bill is submitting this story to the members of Chicken Soup for the Soul for possible inclusion in a future edition.

It was a cold, January morning out on Brigham pond in Hubbardston, MA. The Hubbardston Lions Club 33A, of which I am a member, was having an ice fishing derby fundraiser to assist people in need. The President of our Lions Club, Marty Smith, was an ardent outdoors man, and he bred and raised a mixed breed of German Short Hair, English Pointer dogs. During the event, Marty asked me if I would like to have one of his spayed pups. I needed time to consider Marty’s thoughtful offer, thinking it best to speak with my wife first before I brought home another dog.

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