News

In the October edition of NZ Dog World, I speak with famous integrative veterinarian Dr Marty Goldstein who features in the documentary The Dog Doc. See page 2 of the column for a special offer to subscribe to Doc Play where you can watch the The Dog Doc and other interesting documentaries.

“All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn’t a dog.“

– Charles M. Schulz

In this blog post, I review the documentary film Dogs of Democracy. Released in 2016, this film tells the story of the many stray dogs in Athens, Greece and the people who care for them. There are some subtitles which will help if you don't speak Greek. Well worth watching.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have released a study into the health of the dogs that worked in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Expecting to see health impacts from breathing in hazardous dusts and other debris, the researchers found that there was no difference in longevity when compared to a control group of other search and rescue dogs.

In my latest blog post, I review the documentary film The Dog Doc. This film profiles the life's work of Dr Marty Goldstein, a proud proponent of integrative veterinary care and maverick for his time. Stay tuned for my October newsletter, which will enable my readers and clients to access the Doc Play platform for an extended free trial period.

Today was the 2nd annual 4 Paws Marathon - a scaled down event thanks to Covid-19. We're grateful we could have an event at all thanks to the chaos created by the virus. As a sponsor of this event, I work alongside my co-sponsor Bodyworks Massage Therapy to provide the massage services at the finish line. Enjoy this post showing our interpretation of couples massage.

An international research team has documented the molecular basis of the Australian labradoodle. Their main conclusion is that animals in the Australian labradoodle breed registry are mostly poodle, and not a 50-50 split as might have been expected.

A Los Angeles company has released limited edition poop bags to help voters show their true colours in the US Presidential election. It is reported that the Donald Trump bags are outselling those of Joe Biden.

In my blog, I share a recent publication from researchers at the Royal Veterinary College. They've interviewed owners of brachycephalic breeds (pug, bulldog, French bulldog) to understand the popularity of the breeds despite known and recorded health problems. They conclude that the health problems of these breeds is becoming normalized and so the trend in ownership is unlikely to slow.

In the September issue of NZ Dog World, I discuss the emotional topic of saying goodbye to your dog. As hard as it is to do, when a dog is reaching its end of life, owners should discuss plans for euthanasia with their veterinarian and also decide how they wish to deal with their dog's remains.