Ahh, the fall season. The temperature is dropping, the colors are changing, and it’s time for lots of fun and festivities. And who can forget the food! This time of year, it’s crucial to be aware of your pets and what they are eating. With all the special seasonal delicacies around, it’s not hard for your pet to get his or her mouth on something they shouldn’t. While it’s never a ‘good’ idea to give pets food from the table, usually it’s not a big deal if they get a morsel here and there. Life happens and to err is human. But in some cases, that little nibble of table fodder can produce deadly results.

From October to February, the risk of a pet growing ill due to something they ate escalates exponentially. The key culprit? Chocolate. Ah, chocolate… so many varieties, so little time to enjoy it all. There’s dark, milk, semi-sweet, or white, chocolate to bake with, chocolate to put on your favorite confection, chocolate to mix in your favorite drink. Chocolate mixed with every flavor imaginable, from every country in the world. Who would have thought that such a delightful and widely-recognized treat could be so dangerous for dogs?

With today's growing gas and food prices everyone is struggling to make ends meet. It is important to adjust your budget and lifestyle accordingly so you can prioritize your expenditures. Taking care of your pet should be in the same category as taking care of yourself and your children. Too often pets are neglected when it comes down to the hard choices we all have to make. That is why it is so important you consider all options before you adopt a new pet. Ask yourself will you be able to afford annual exams and vaccinations? What about shampoo and coat and nail trimmings? What if your pet becomes seriously ill, will you be able to afford the care your pet may need?

Taking care of your pets health does not just include food and water. Your commitment to caring for your pet should hope for the best but plan for the worst. Good Luck!

If you have to work on a computer all day (or night), there is nothing better than a warm and snugly puppy curling up on your feet while sitting at your desk. I spend most of the day away from home working 10 hours at my "real job". I then come home and work my "second job" which entails sitting at a computer toiling away. Lately Lucy, our mini dachshund has taken to sleeping on my feet directly under my chair during my "evening shift".

When she does this, it gives me such a warm, comforting feeling. Similar to the feeling of family gathered around a fire in the fireplace drinking hot apple cider on a cold winter's day. I long for the day when I can work from home all day and experience the joys of warm puppy breath on my feet.