On Saturday, I took a kitty that was very ill to the Moreno Pet Hospital here in San Diego. The cat was 10 years old and belonged to one of my dog-walking clients. About 10  days before I took him in, he had started to show some unusual behavior. He wasn't eating much and was doing a lot of hiding in the closet, which he normally never does. As he began losing some of his mobility, my clients took him in to their regular veterinarian in City Heights. She was told it was a neurological problem and that they would need to do more diagnostic tests to figure out what was wrong.

The National Canine Cancer Foundation announced today the availability of a blood test that can diagnose canine cancer. It was developed by the Veterinary Diagnostics Institute. The blood test is called VDI TKCanine+.

If you suspect your dog may have cancer it is an easy way to find out. It should be available through all veterinary clinics and hospitals. Early detection is one of the best ways to give your furry kid a fighting chance against this life-threatening disease. For more information please visit:

As a professional dog walker, I am a stickler for cleaning up after your dog does his business. The obvious reason is that it is the right thing to do; but beyond that, dog waste contaminates the water when it runs into our sewers. It is smelly, unpleasant to look at, and a horror to step in. It amazes me every time I come across a pile of dog poop that has been left by the owner; especially when a source of poop bags is within reach.

If you are planning on walking your dog, do not leave the house without poop bags or plastic bags of some sort.

Today I received my regular publication from PETA and while reading through it came across some great information on why you should never de-claw your cat.

 De-clawing your cat involves 10 separate, painful amputations, severing the whole joint, including the bones, ligaments and tendons. It is not just removing the nails as many people think. "Complications of de-clawing include chronic pain, nerve damage and recurrent infections. Some stop using the litter box because the grit hurts them, and some develop spinal problems because they can no longer walk naturally- they have no toes".

Several weeks ago I took the Leaping Bunny Pledge. "As a compassionate consumer, I pledge to only purchase cosmetic, personal care, and/or household products from companies that do not test finished products, ingredients, or formulations on animals. I am taking the leap to cruelty -free products."Yesterday. I decided to make the pledge a reality. I went into The Body Shop at  Towne Center Westfield Mall. The Body Shop is renowned for being one of the very first companies not to do animal testing to develop cosmetics.