Animal Radio News
“First Dog” Will Be a Portuguese Water Dog
It’s official - first lady Michelle Obama said the first dog will be a Portuguese Water Dog for Sasha and Malia. The First Lady said in a People Magazine interview she wants the family dog to be a rescued pooch adding “the folks we know who own them have raved about them so that’s where we’re leaning.” Mrs. Obama said her daughters have also come up with some names for the Portie - Frank and Moose…the First Lady told the girls to work with the names and said the family will wait until at least April before getting their Portuguese Water Dog.
Vick on His Way to Halfway House
Convicted felon and former NFL quarterback Michael Vick will soon end his prison sentence and head to a halfway house. But because of overcrowding, the former football star could serve the remainder of his sentence in his own Virginia home. AP says, Vick, who is currently serving 23 months for his part in a dog fighting ring, will be required to wear an electronic monitor if he’s released to his 3500 square foot brick home in Hampton Virginia assessed at nearly 750-thousand dollars. By the way, the Atlanta Falcons, Vicks former team, said they will try to trade him but other NFL teams may not jump at the chance to add the admitted dog killer to their roster.
Dog Club Fears Unwanted Publicity
The first family’s choice of the energetic Portuguese water dog as their family pet has not thrilled some of the breed’s fans. The president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America is concerned what the publicity will bring to the breed. Stu Freeman said he doesn’t want to see the dogs suffer from what’s known as “101 Dalmatians Syndrome”. That’s the phenomenon rescue shelters see when a large number of people rush out to get the most popular dog and end up dumping them once the dog matures.
Ultrasound Technology in Veterinary Medicine
Flip the switch, squirt on some gel and give old Sparky a friendly pat. A few minutes from now your veterinarian might be able to diagnose a problem with your pet. Increasingly, veterinarians are adding diagnostic ultrasounds to their offices as the technology improves. It used to be only used by specialists, but now more general practice veterinarians have the machines. The machines allow your veterinarian to get near instant feedback without hurting the animal. It also allows the doctor to capture the images, which means they can e-mail the footage to a specialist and get a quick second opinion.