No, we’re not sure what that post title means, either. But anyway. We love checking in on Fido & Wine producer Jen Mitchell‘s blog, My Dog’s Breakfast. She’s always got wonderfully creative, road-tested new recipes for homemade doggie meals and snacks. Some are delightfully offbeat — like her latest offering: dog cookies studded with colourful veggie chips, so that they resemble those ever-popular M & M’s cookies. (Never feed the latter to your pooch by the way: chocolate is extremely bad for our canine friends.)

Jen says the recipe took a few tries to get right. Here’s the final version:

INGREDIENTS

- 4 tbsp. butter or margarine

- 1/2 cup honey

- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

- 1 cup dry milk

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp sea salt

- 2 tbsp. water or carrot juice

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup of “Veggie chips,” dealer’s choice: frozen peas, carrots, beets, potato, etc. Basically, cut up tiny chip-like pieces of dog-friendly veggies. (I used dehydrated ones I bought from my fave Heronview Raw And Natural: you just soak them in hot water and they are ready to use. I also used lots of frozen peas, which I left frozen for additional water content.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by adding soft butter or margarine to your mixing bowl. Give it a good forking until it’s a little whipped! Then, add your carrot juice or water, and the eggs. Beat lightly. Then, add the honey, sea salt, baking soda, and stir together. Finally, in portions, stir in the whole wheat flour. Lastly, add 1/3 of your veggie chips and gently mix into the cookie dough.

Place your cookie dough balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make them the appropriate size for your dog(s). Mine are huge as my dogs are of the pig variety. Then, place your veggie chips on top of the cookies and slightly press in. Leave most of them exposed as the dough will puff up a bit around them. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool before letting the dogs have a taste.

Follow Jen’s blog HERE.

Posted by Dr. Pamela Barker

CBC Radio recently aired the story of a dog named Rivers, who disappeared from his fenced backyard and was recently returned to his owner after being found in Calgary, Alberta. Not really headline material — until you learn that Rivers was lost four years ago. And that his owners live in Arkansas.

No one knows how or why this Labrador retriever found his way across the border. Does he have a passport? (Where would he keep it?) Rivers has not been forthcoming with the details; doubtless he’s holding out for a big cheque from one of the tabloids.

What we do know is this: Rivers is back home with his owner today because he happens to have a microchip.

Microchip technology has come a long way in recent years, and has become one of the best tools available for helping owners to keep their pets safe.

Other methods for identifying and tracking pets do exist, but they have their limitations. In many parts of Canada, a tattoo is placed on the inside of the right ear when an animal is spayed or neutered, allowing the pet to to be traced back to the clinic that originally performed the surgery. However, if the animal changes owners, or if the the owner moves, this may not be particularly helpful for identification. Tattoos can also fade or become illegible over time.

Collar identification is important too, but collars can easily be lost or removed. (If you do rely on collar ID, make sure to include an emergency contact, in case you have an accident and cannot be reached, or become separated from your pet while traveling.)

The microchip has two big advantages over both of these other forms of identification: it is permanent and unalterable. The chip is placed under the skin between the shoulder blades, via a simple procedure quite similar to a vaccination. When read by a scanner, the chip — which is no larger than a grain of rice — emits a unique number that is registered with the microchip company. If your pet goes missing, you can contact the company by telephone any time of day or night, 365 days a year.

Unlike a collar tag, a microchip cannot be lost. If your contact information changes, or if the pet is sold or given to someone else, all it takes is a quick call to the company to get the records updated immediately. Microchipping your pet also provides proof of ownership — an important advantage, since photographs and veterinary records aren’t always sufficient in cases where there’s is a legal dispute over custody of an animal.

When your pet is given a microchip, a collar tag comes along with it. If someone finds your lost dog or cat, the collar will alert them to the presence of a chip, and will include an identification number and a telephone number to call.

While a scanner is required to identify the presence of a microchip, these instruments have become increasingly affordable, and most veterinary clinics and animal shelters. can be expected to have one. Most of these facilities, moreover, will scan a pet for no charge. If you’ve brought in a stray, they can also lend a hand in contacting the microchip supplier and locating the rightful owner.

Having a microchip means that if your pet should ever end up in a shelter, the staff will have a much better chance of tracking you down and reuniting you with your lost companion. Veterinary clinic staff usually scan for a microchip immediately when dealing with an unidentified and injured animal. The presence of a microchip can prevent delays in much-needed treatments that legally require an owner’s permission.

Because microchips are so tiny, they can even be placed in reptiles, birds and a host of other exotic animals. Some organizations require a microchip for the registration of certain breeds of horses. And many performance events involving animals also require microchip identification.

For pet owners, a microchip can mean a lifetime of peace of mind. While not all lost-and-found pet stories are quite so dramatic as that of Rivers, microchipping certainly has made for many safe and happy reunions.

Dr. Pamela Barker is a professional veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience, currently practicing in 100 Mile House, B.C. Her special areas of interest include animal behaviour and training, nutrition and condition for canine athletes, and public education about animal health and care. If you’d like to suggest a topic for one of her future blog posts, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Here’s a little secret that just about every pet owner knows: having animals in our makes us healthier and happier. Fido & Wine‘s Jen Mitchell and Laura Ducharme devote their column in this month’s On The Go magazine to the mental and physical benefits of pet ownership — and suggest ways that people without pets can still soak up some of the benefits of befriending an animal.

On the Go is available at TTC and GO Train stations in the Greater Toronto Area. CLICK HERE to check out the current issue.

Don’t forget to catch the newest episode of Fido & Wine, “Dogtoberfest,” tomorrow (Tuesday April 17) at 8 pm ET/PT. Repeats on Saturday.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW FULL SIZE.

Posted by Dr. Pamela Barker

Discovering an unusual growth on your pet’s body can be a scary experience. With so much media attention devoted to the dangers of cancer, the sudden realization that your pet might have a tumor is understandably distressing. Knowing what to look for can help you spot potentially dangerous situations and may even save your pet’s life.

First, a little reassurance: skin growths and lumps that develop below the skin surface are a fairly common occurrence, especially in middle-aged and senior dogs. Many are completely harmless — a cosmetic issue, at worst.

As pets age, changes occur in the skin that can cause an overgrowth of skin cells — commonly referred to as skin tags. Some dogs, especially smaller breeds such as poodles and spaniels, are also prone to plugged-up oil glands or hair follicles. These cyst-like growths may be unsightly, but they’re not problematic unless they break open and become irritated or bleed.

Larger breeds, particularly retrievers, are prone to fatty tumors beneath the skin or within muscle tissue. These fat deposits, called lipomas, are soft and can rapidly grow quite large. Lipomas can cause discomfort if they interfere with the animal’s movement, or if their size causes the overlying skin to stretch. In very rare instances, fatty tumors can prove malignant, behaving like more aggressive types of cancerous growths.

So when should you become concerned?

First, beware of growths that look like wounds but don’t heal. This is particularly true for cats. Tumors of the ears, nose and face may begin as reddened, scabbed areas rather than lumps.

Just like people, pets can suffer from melanomas: malignant growths of skin pigment cells. (White-faced animals, like fair-skinned people, are particularly prone to these skin tumors.) Melanomas tend to dark or black in colour, but may also be pale or pink. When these tumors occur in or around the mouth or feet, they can be extremely aggressive, and may spread to the lungs or bone. If you find a mass fitting this description, an immediate trip to the vet is called for.

A mast cell tumor is another common type of cancer — one that can be particularly deceiving. Mast cell tumors generally occur on or under the skin. They tend to be small and grow slowly, sometimes over a period of months or even longer. They look unimpressive, so many owners simply don’t realize how dangerous they can be. These tumors release histamine — the same chemical that the body produces in response to an insect bite or sting — so you may notice your pet scratching or chewing at the area. The lump may also be red, and may vary in size — becoming smaller over time, then growing larger. Again, schedule a visit with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Left untreated, these tumors can become extremely aggressive, potentially spreading to internal organs.

Female dogs and cats that have not been spayed, or that have been spayed later in life, stand a higher risk of developing breast cancer. These tumors occur on the belly, often starting out as firm growths under the skin that feel like tiny pebbles. They can multiply rapidly, and may spread to the lungs or lymph nodes.

Cats are less likely than dogs to develop abnormal growths — but those tumors that do occur are more likely to be cancerous. Some of the most aggressive types of tumors are deceptively innocent in appearance, so a good rule of thumb is to have any growth on your cat checked out as soon as possible. Don’t wait to see if the mass grows. Early diagnosis and treatment can be critical to preventing the advancement of the disease.

If you’ve found an unusual growth, make a point of marking the location prior to the examination. You’d be surprised how often a readily noticeable lump will seem to move or disappear once you’re in the vet’s office — especially if you happen to have a large or long-haired animal. Clip the hair short in the vicinity of the lump, or use a permanent marker on a light-coloured pet. Lipstick also works well and is easy to remove.

For a definitive diagnosis of any abnormal growth, you must arrange a veterinary exam. But your sharp eyes and vigilance are also key to ensuring early diagnosis and successful treatment.

Dr. Pamela Barker is a professional veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience, currently practicing in 100 Mile House, B.C. Her special areas of interest include animal behaviour and training, nutrition and condition for canine athletes, and public education about animal health and care. If you’d like to suggest a topic for one of her future blog posts, please feel free to leave a comment below.

The Fido & Wine production team are busy putting the finishing touches on two new episodes of The Pet Network’s flagship series. Check out the Web exclusive clips we’ve posted for “The Luck Of The Irish” and “Dogtoberfest” — the latter airing next Tuesday April 17 & Saturday April 21 @ 8 pm ET/PT.

Behind the scenes on FIDO & WINE‘s upcoming “Luck of the Irish” episode, The Pet Network’s Melissa Auger gets schooled in the mysteries of the oyster — and gets her first taste of bivalve — courtesy of master shucker Patrick McMurray.

Join the FIDO & WINE team behind the scenes on their “Dogtoberfest” episode at Toronto’s Steam Whistle Brewing, where editor Wes Champion finds out what hops taste like before they go into making that delicious pint of beer. Prost!

… and you could win an iPod nano!

Got some WILD ideas? Want to UNLEASH your creativity? Tell us what YOU want to see on The Pet Network.

Your ideas can help us make The Pet Network even better. Just CLICK HERE, fill out our online viewer questionnaire, and enter for your chance to win a brand new iPod nano.

Speak! We’ll listen.

Draw closes Monday April 30. See the contest Terms & Conditions HERE.