Sophia’s Indonesia Trip, Day 3 (Sept 2009) Hornbill Impressive Hornbills On day 3 of my Indonesia vacation and our first day on Bali, we stop and visit Bird Park. The park has the standard variety of parrots, most of which are also present at other zoos. But they have a large collection of hornbills, which most other zoos do not. These large birds form monogamous pairs and live in tree holes... [Read more]
Day 2 of My Trip to Indonesia by Sophia Yin It’s day 2 of my trip to Indonesia and today I visit Asri’s brother’s family. They have a puppy named Cream Puff that the breeder sold to them as a poodle. At 8 weeks it was hard to tell, but now that she’s 5 months old, it’s clear, she’s probably more like a “moodle” (maltese-poodle mix). Elisa, Asri’s... [Read more]
In some cultures it's bad luck cause injury to a cat My Trip to Indonesia: Day 1 (Sept 2009) It’s the first day of my last-minute vacation trip to Indonesia-only the second actual vacation I’ve taken in 15 years. A few weeks ago, out of the blue, my college roommate Asri who had just received her U.S. citizenship emailed me. “Sophia, I’m going to Indonesia to visit my... [Read more]
By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS September 24, 2009 In these difficult times, it can be challenging to care for your pet and to know when you’re getting the most appropriate care. In fact one pet owner once wrote to me for advise regarding what to expect from her vet. “Dr. Yin, she says, “ I no longer trust veterinarians to practice ethical medicine. Three years ago, our newly-purchase guinea pig showed... [Read more]
Sophia Yin, DVM September 4, 2009 While many of you already know that chocolate can make your cat or dog sick, did you know that onions can kill? I learned this my second year in veterinary school. But I didn’t really appreciate it until the big onion incident that occurred during my senior year. Well, maybe the incident wasn’t all that big; it only involved one dog. But it was my... [Read more]
By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS September 2009 Anyone who hangs out with dogs and their owners has probably heard this or similar comments a million times-”My dog is dominant, he ignores our commands and plays too rough with other dogs.” To the general dog owner, this statement seems pretty normal, but to researchers studying social hierarchies in animals ranging from lions, to macaque... [Read more]
Lucy finally starts sitting for my dad By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS September 14, 2009 It takes about 5 minutes to train a puppy to learn most new behaviors but how long does it take for that behavior to become a habit? When I started training Lucy, my Dad’s 8 week old Australian Cattledog I was hoping that not long. By then I had been training her for a week through the puppy learn to earn program... [Read more]
Jonesy getting a reward at the end of the teeter By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS September 11, 2009 It was 100• F here today but that didn’t stop us from going to our foundations agility class. Or as I call it “Jonesy time.” Here’s Jonesy on the teeter. Over two years ago when he was 10 months of age and had been lliving with me for several months, I took several private lessons... [Read more]
Sophia Yin, DVM, MS. September 11, 2009 Ok. By now, most of you know the potty training basic plan. Take the puppy out first thing in the morning and stand around until she does #1 and #2. Then praise her when she does, give her a treat and some play time and water. Then, throughout the day either have her tethered to you or on leash nearby or in her crate where she’s not likely to... [Read more]
By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS September 6, 2009 Q: I’ve taken in a stray cat that’s about one year old and has been spayed. She’s very affectionate; however, sometimes when I pet her she either bites or scratches me. How can I stop her from doing this? A: Have you heard the joke about the patient who visits the doctor? The patient comes in and asks, “Hey Doc. My arm hurts... [Read more]
