Today is a special day in the Nelson household. Fifteen years ago, our beloved Golden Retriever was born. Susie was a supercharged girl. Her zest for life never ended. She lived every minute to the fullest. Whether she was chasing tennis balls, searching the bird room for bits of food or letting a cat named Tigre clean her …
Author Archives: kristennelsondvm
Litterbox Training Has Begun
Since the kittens arrived, my life has revolved around their feeding schedule. I am happy to report that they are doing well. They are gaining weight and having daily bowel movements. The round the clock care has helped them flourish. When they hear my voice, they crawl to the door of their carrier and meow. …
The First Night With The Kittens
It was a long night! I am exhausted but the kittens are doing well. With each feeding, they gain strength and confidence. I set the kittens up in a bathroom. They sleep in a large carrier lined with towels. Under one end, I placed a heating pad. This allows the kittens to choose how warm they want to …
Fostering Orphan Kittens
When my phone rings before 7am, it usually means one thing. . . an animal emergency. On Monday, the manager of the General Store called about some kittens. A customer noticed four small kittens behind the store and was afraid for their safety in the busy parking lot. Thank goodness, the staff of the General Store …
Mountain Goat Behavior
On my trip to Glacier National Park, I spotted this family of mountain goats. They were perched on the rocks across the river. I zoomed in on them with the camera to get a better look. Why are the goats licking the rocks? What is the medical purpose of this behavior? Diagnosis: SaltMountain goats are …
Barn Fires In Manitoba Claim Thousands Of Animals
On a recent trip to Calgary I read an article in The Globe and Mail. It was written by Patrick White and drew attention to the thousands of animals who die in barn fires every year in Manitoba. According to the article, over 31,000 animals died in 2008 which is more than eight times the number that died in 2007! …
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Glacier National Park – Mountain Goats!
After driving the ‘Going to the Sun’ road through Glacier National Park and a stop for huckleberry ice cream at East Glacier, my husband and I arrived at the ‘goat lick’ hoping to see mountain goats. As you can see from the photo, we were not disappointed! Oreamnos americanus or Rocky Mountain Goats, as …
Glacier National Park – Moose!
A recent visit to Glacier National Park in Montana again reminded me that our National Parks are National Treasures. On a cold, rainy day, we had barely entered the park when that time honored tradition emerged . . . cars stopping and people piling out while the rangers tried to maintain a semblance of order over …
Guinea Pig Diet
Disney’s movie G-Force highlights the adventures of animated Guinea Pigs. Inevitably, there will be a surge in people choosing to adopt them. So, I decided to write a blog about these wonderful little creatures. They are great pets but do require a special diet to maintain their health. Guinea Pigs are hind gut fermenters which means they need a diet …
Hairless Kitten – Name This Cat Breed
This breed started in 1966 when a hairless kitten was born to a normal queen (female cat). Although most of the body is bald, these cats often have short hair on their face, ears and paws that feels like suede. Name this breed of cat. Cat connoisseurs may also be able to name one other morphological feature these cats …