By Sophia Yin, DVM Madison, Wisconsin, April 25, 2009. It’s a quiet, gray day outside in Madison, Wisconsin, but inside, the room’s abuzz. Fifteen dogs of various sizes are being handled by veterinarians and veterinary students in the Happy Pets, Happy Vets behavior and low stress handling workshop. The workshop, organized by the Behavior Club at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of... [Read more]

By Sophia Yin, DVM  April 2009 Question: My 10 week old puppy seemed to do well the first several days we had him but it’s been a week and he’s still have accidents in the house. What can we do to fix this? Answer: While young puppies provide many precious moments, they, like infants and toddlers, require an extraordinary amount of time, planning and energy—usually much more than one predicts.... [Read more]

Portuguese water dog puppy Sophia Yin, DVM    April 13, 2009 When the Obamas announced in November that they would be getting a puppy for Sasha and Malia the whole world breathed a collective “aww” and envisioned the presidential kids carrying the young pup around like a doll. Well, the Obamas have officially announced the big reveal. Their new four-legged family member is a male Portuguese... [Read more]

Sophia Yin, DVM   April 12, 2009 There are two different types of elephants, Asian and African. Up until my visit to Have Trunk Will Travel, I could never tell the difference. But Kari Johnson gave me a fool-proof method. Now I can’t believe I couldn’t distinguish between the two in the past. Asian elephants have a humped back whereas African elephants have a sway back. You probably also notice... [Read more]

Sophia Yin, DVM Rabbits can be cuddly and cute but require specialized care. Potential adopters should consider all of the behavioral and health issues involved in caring for a rabbit before making a decision. Twas the week after Easter And all through the house A bunny was stirring All quiet like a mouse It tasted the carpet It marked the new couch It left little green presents Which made Dad a... [Read more]

Chocolate is toxic to dogs By Sophia Yin, DVM Easter is typically a time when families come together and participate in numerous traditions. For some this means going to church. For others the focal point is the Easter egg hunt and Easter baskets. But for one little dog representing a not-so-unusual case, it involved some Cadbury chocolates and a veterinary visit. It was the day after Easter, and while... [Read more]