We bet you have a large collection of photos of your dogs and cats on your phone. We certainly do. A far more important use of our phones was sparked when Penny reviewed a study on dogs who were doing a lot of licking. She learned how you can use your phone to provide your veterinary team with vital information to help them with a diagnosis.
Take a Video of the Problem
The next time your dog or cat is limping, licking, gagging, or showing any other visible symptom that makes you think about a trip to the vet, take a video of the symptom or behavior. Upload the video to an Internet-based site and you can send a link to your vet or play it during your visit.
We all laugh about the number of times a symptom magically disappears when the cat or dog is on the examination table. If that occurs, you can present the video as a part of your report to the doctor.
Take Progressive Photos
In some cases, a close-up photo might work better to help you determine if an issue is getting worse or getting better. Taking a photo-a-day of an injury or problem can be a sure way for you and your vet to assess progress.
We did this recently when Poppy was under treatment for an irritated paw. Each day, after we cleaned and treated her paw, Ed would hold it as open as he could while Penny photographed the area. Looking at the photos together assured us the treatment was working and her paw was healing. You could do the same thing with videos if that works better.
About that Licking Study
I mentioned a study on dogs who were licking as a symptom of various problems. What I learned is that any odd licking should be reported to your vet the same way you would report a change in unusual eating or elimination symptoms. The study reported that 74% of dogs with excessive licking of surfaces had some form of a gastrointestinal disease. As a part of this study, the researchers had people take videos of the licking behavior.
Next Sunday, we'll share some tips for these photos and videos.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino
(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)
came off 
circulator, I check a number of sites and recommendations for each new item I cook. Often a writer will recommend marinating or adding oil and herbs to the cooking bag with meat or fish.
or chopping ingredients to add to the bag or to use in the final sear in my trusty 
.
fits right into my warmed teapot and will keep the water for my favorite Moroccan Mint tea
at exactly 180 degrees. 
, popped in the tea, and steeped it for exactly 2 1/2 minutes. I was very pleased with the result. At warmer temperatures, the mint overwhelms the green tea. This pot was nicely balanced with both tea and mint flavor.
method or an 
, you will also find this a great way to heat the water to your favorite brewing temperature. 
for Poppy.
” and founder of Vetcall.com, recommends rinsing, “… because the various forms of ice-melting salt can be quite irritating to dogs’ paws, causing them to lick and/or chew those paws to relieve the irritation.”
are a popular alternative to foot coverings. The company calls their product, “the invisible boot.” Dr. Jake says, “Musher’s Secret is quite safe to put on your dogs’ pads. It is designed to serve as a barrier to protect dogs’ paws from harsh materials, including road salt and other chemicals that might be either abrasive to or absorbed by dogs’ paws.”
Dog Boots are still drying on chopsticks. Over the years, we improved on the container we're using to store them between trips outside.
on hand because we use them to store everything from paper clips to flour. And we have an extra large container with an assortment of 
that serve many purposes. That makes this hack a natural for us. 
and a larger jar with some sand or beans added to weigh down and stabilize the system.
from here to support this site!