Welcome to Bay Woof, October 2021

Hello Fellow Dog Lovers,

Happy October! Canine Health and Wellness is the featured topic of this month’s Bay Woof, and we hope you’ll find plenty of tips to keep your pup wagging from Halloween right through the holidays.

This subject is especially timely as veterinarians nationwide struggle to maintain quality health care amid the ongoing pandemic. Here in San Francisco, we’re down to just one 24/7 animal emergency clinic. And a few months ago, when it  went dark for a scheduled weekend closure, some panicked pet owners were left frantically searching for nearby alternatives. 

To avoid a replay of that nerve-wracking scenario, Bay Woof reached out to friends in the local dog community to create a list of emergency animal clinics in the greater Bay Area for quick reference when you need it. Many thanks to Laurel Rose (Golden Gate Dog Walking) and Krista Maloney (SF SPCA)  for their help compiling the list, which will live on baywoof.org under the Resources tab.

But whether or not it’s an emergency, you know you’ll have to visit the vet at some point. To help your pal handle the experience, this month’s issue offers practical tips from Veterinary Behaviorist Stephanie Zablah-Kruger that will go a long way toward reducing vet-related anxiety for you and your dog.   

And speaking of anxiety, there’s the question that’s always part of any vet visit: how much will this cost? If you’ve been considering pet health insurance, you’ll definitely want to check out this piece by Stephanie Gonzalez of SAGE Compassion for Animals, which walks you through the basics to help decide if pet insurance is right for you.

Elsewhere in Bay Woof, you’ll find a healthy dose of columns and features. Learn how San Rafael’s Guide Dogs for the Blind became the first service dog group to become 100% Fear Free certified. Or dip into Nose for News for the latest on Covid sniff-downs, surfing pups, and a Border Collie named Bandit who’s finally gone straight. Amy Luwis’s Red and Howling  provides a handy chart for knowing when to take your pal to the vet with a BONUS downloadable poster, while Mr. Smarty Pants offers a spoonful of sweet factoids guaranteed to make any medicine go down better. As usual, there’s a pack of fun and info waiting for you at the links below. 

Finally, we’d like to offer some prayers and praise for all veterinarians and their hardworking teams. These folks have endured rigorous training to care for those who can’t speak for themselves. Their busy clinics have been inundated with a 300% increase in pet ownership during the pandemic, and many are operating with fewer staff members due to a variety of factors, including illness, lack of childcare, compassion fatigue, and burnout from dealing with frustrated humans who are themselves over-stressed. Sadly, the suicide rate among veterinarians is now alarmingly high, with organizations like Not One More Vet (NOMV) working to raise awareness and offer support to those who are struggling. 

All that’s to say, please be kind to humans and animals alike, and especially to your vets and their staff. As suggested by NOMV, this is a great time to thank your vet with a postcard, flowers, cookies or treats - or just a kind word as you’re checking out to let them know you’re grateful for their help. 

Speaking of which, we’re endlessly grateful for you, dear Bay Woof readers. Have a wonderful October, and we’ll see you in November for our special Gratitude issue! 

M Rocket
Publisher