The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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Exceptional Veterinary Care in the Comfort of Home

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Visiting Veterinary Practice Of Westchester
Visiting
Veterinary Practice Of Westchester

Products and Services:

We offer high-quality veterinary care in the comfort of your home, minimizing stress for both pets and owners. Our practice provides a level of convenience that accommodates the busiest lifestyles, and allows owners easy access to caring and affordable veterinary care for their pets.

Greatest Strengths:

As a full-service practice, our house-call offerings include well and sick visits, vaccines, diagnostic lab work, laser therapy, etc. We have a traveling/dispensing  pharmacy and deliver medications to the home.  For those pets requiring X-ray or ultrasound, dentistry or surgery, we offer pickup and return services to our treatment center in Yorktown, where we perform these procedures ourselves.

Special Plans:

This spring, we are happy to be expanding our support staff to better accommodate our growing family of clients and patients.

Visiting Veterinary Practice of Westchester

Proprietor: Julie Slavin, DVM

In Business Since: 2012

 www.visitingvetpractice.com

A Few of My Favorite Things

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By Maggie Mae…with Ronni Diamondstein

Maggie Mae with her Wee-Nut and Jive Ball. Which one to play with first?
Maggie Mae with her Wee-Nut and Jive Ball. Which one to play with first?
Photo by Ronni Diamondstein

There’s nothing I like to do more than sleep, eat and cuddle with my owner except play.  I am  not fussy about my playthings. I love socks and tags and rags so I don’t need fancy toys but I do like them. Since it’s the time of year to think about gifts I want to tell you about some of my favorite toys. Your dog might like them too.

I am a chewer, I will confess. You may not believe a petite poodle like me could be so destructive, but when I was a puppy I tore through two Orvis Tough Chew Dog Beds. Because of this I don’t get some toys that other dogs enjoy so I decided to get some advice from Jeremy Tubbs, DVM of Millwood Animal Hospital. “Know your pet,” says Dr. Tubbs.  “Toys are anything they get excited about. Every dog is different, just like their owners.”

I love to fetch. I have many bones and balls.   I place one of them at my owner’s feet and if she doesn’t pick it up and throw it, I let her know! I love treats so I love Kong toys because there is always something delicious inside them. I have to work hard to get the treat out. I also love my Wee-Nut: it’s a smaller version of the Peanut by Ruff Dawg. I bring it to my owner and when she picks it ups I play tug with her too. She said that she likes this toy because it is a soft rubber and gentle on my teeth. It doesn’t tear and it is made in the United States, which she says is important to her.  My favorite ball to fetch, West Paw Design’s Zogo-flex Jive ball, is eco-friendly, which also makes my owner happy.

Some dogs, like my friend Buddy, a Labradoodle, like to cuddle with a little stuffed animal. A lot of my dog friends like those comfort toys. Although I got over my big chewing problem and have managed not to destroy my new Tough Chew Dog beds, my owner doesn’t let me have any of those toys. So these days I am happy when I can snatch a washcloth or towel and snuggle with it.

But you have to be careful about plush toys.  Any toy with squeakers can be a problem if the squeaker gets swallowed, and Dr. Tubbs says, “If your dog tends to chew these toys up, its best to take them away before they do.”

Dr. Tubbs says he is a big fan of rawhide chew toys. But he offers a little warning about them too, “They are great for teeth and stimulating gum tissue. But if your pet swallows large pieces, or gets some gastrointestinal issue, I would stay away from them.”  He says that owners who give their dogs these rawhide toys should be very careful because they can be dangerous. My friend Jules, a rescue dog, got a piece stuck in his throat and he did not survive. “It is important to monitor your pets, see how they handle and tolerate any particular toy before walking away and leaving them unsupervised.”

Toys of all kinds can be fun for you and your dog. “It can be as simple as picking up a stick outside. You just have to find toys that match your dog’s personality and what you like to do,” says Dr. Tubbs.  “Exercise and quality time with your dog is most important.” I could not agree with him more. So just have fun and be safe in this holiday season and all year round.

Contact Maggie Mae Pup ReporterTM at maggiemae10514@gmail.com

Maggie Mae lives in Chappaqua with her adoring owner Ronni Diamondstein, who, when she isn’t walking Maggie is a freelance writer, PR consultant and award-winning photographer who has worked in the United States and abroad.

Maggie Mae’s Must Do:

Gifts can be to charities which my owner tells me are tax deductions too! 
Here are some local pet charities 
I hope you will consider:

SPCA of Westchester- A no-kill shelter in Briarcliff Manor, New York.
Visit their website: spca914.org/donations

East Coast Assistance Dogs, Inc.
ECAD- breeds and trains Assistance Dogs for clients with a wide variety of disabilities and needs in our area.
Visit their website: ecad1.org/default.htm

Pets Alive Westchester: A no-kill animal sanctuary located in Elmsford, NY.
Visit their website: petsalivewest.org

Giving Greyhound Racers a Second Chance

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Rescued by Sophie and her family, Jester found a loving home in Chappaqua. Photo by Ronni Diamondstein
Rescued by Sophie and her family, Jester found a loving home in Chappaqua.
Photo by Ronni Diamondstein

By Maggie Mae…with Ronni Diamondstein

One day I was talking about my job as a journalist to my friend Jester, who is a Greyhound, and he told me that he once had a job too. “When I was young I was a racing dog and now I am retired,” he said. Jester and I are both five years old so I thought it was strange that I was in the prime of my career and he had already retired.  “I was racing in Florida and broke my leg so they didn’t want me to race anymore.” He told me that he spent months in a crate before anyone repaired his leg.  That made me sad.  My owner would never treat me that way, and I know Jester’s Chappaqua family would never do that to him. I wondered how he got here from the south. “I was adopted through Greyhound Rescue & Rehabilitation, and that’s how I came to live with Sophie and her family,” he said.

I was curious about greyhound racing, because the only racing I know is when I run around in my house or chase a squirrel. From the ASPCA I found out that racing dogs are not treated as well as I am. They spend a lot of time in crates and when they can’t race anymore they are put to sleep forever.  That made me even sadder, so I decided to find out about the Greyhound Rescue & Rehabilitation (known also as GRR). I contacted the President and Founder, Christine Johnson, who lives in Cross River. She told me that she started GRR after she got her own dog.  Her sister recommended that she adopt a retired greyhound, because she lived in a condo and racing dogs don’t need to run a lot. I was surprised that racers didn’t need to run, but she explained that to me. “Greyhounds live most of their lives in crates so they make excellent apartment pets,” said Johnson. She adopted her first dog in 1999. It worked so well that within four months she adopted a second.

Johnson started GRR because she loved her dogs so much. She found out that there were lots of retired greyhounds that had been injured or  “were just a split second too slow ” Unless these dogs found homes, their futures were uncertain.

GRR takes greyhounds from all over the country. “Most of the hounds have no medical issues, but we do take in as many with injuries as we can afford.” Like Jester, some of them break their legs while racing.  “The retired racers we get are from 2 to 6 years old, however we will take younger dogs if they’re injured while getting ready to race or older dogs, which we refer to as ‘brood moms’ who have had racing careers and then a second career having puppies,” says Johnson. GRR doesn’t have a kennel so after each dog is examined by a veterinarian and either spayed or neutered, it needs a foster family to care for it until it is adopted.  I was surprised to learn that the foster family has to teach the dog how to be a pet.  Racing dogs have never learned to go up and down stairs or walk on a leash. They don’t even know about those things in your house that you can look through but not get to what is on the other side. My owner calls them windows. And I couldn’t believe it when Johnson told me that these dogs have never even had a ride in a car, which is, next to going for a walk and eating, one of my favorite things to do.

So to help these greyhounds find families to love, GRR runs adoption “Meet and Greet” events in our area.  Dogs like Jester are on hand at the events as “Ambassadogs”.  If you want to adopt a greyhound or find out more about Greyhound Rescue & Rehabilitation and the upcoming events go to their website: www.greyhoundrescuerehab.org

Who knew that my sweet and personable greyhound friend Jester had such an interesting history?  Makes me wonder what my next career could be.  Some kind of “Ambassadog” sounds good to me!

Contact Maggie Mae Pup Reporter at maggiemae10514@gmail.com

Maggie Mae lives in Chappaqua with her adoring owner Ronni Diamondstein, who, when she isn’t walking Maggie is a freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.

Top Ten Reasons I Love Writing for Inside Chappaqua

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Maggie Mae doing what she loves to do in our special town! With New Castle Town Board member Robin Stout at the Memorial Day Ceremony last May. Photo by Ronni Diamondstein
Maggie Mae doing what she loves to do in our special town! With New Castle Town Board member Robin Stout at the Memorial Day Ceremony last May.
Photo by Ronni Diamondstein

By Maggie Mae…with Ronni Diamondstein

In honor of the 10th anniversary of Inside Chappaqua, I want to share the top ten reasons I’m proud to write for the magazine.

10. It gets my owner out of the house: Not only does she walk me all the time, but she gets to come along with me on my interviews, take pictures–which she loves to do–and she meets the interesting folks I write about.

9. I get to showcase important causes:  I was proud to interview rescue dogs and the staff at the SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff.  I hope to do more stories like this in the future.

8. I’ve learned a lot and shared what I have learned: Why it’s great for kids to have a pet and how it’s good for people of all ages to own a dog. And one of my favorite columns was why I am a child at heart and always will be.

7. I can help other pets and their owners: My friend Biscuit’s owner Gary told me that he didn’t realize dogs needed to be licensed in the state of New York and our town until he read my first column “Why I Wear My Dog Tag Proudly” in May 2010. And I’ve shared a lot of other important       information on pet health, dog safety in the winter and being careful about coyotes. From the foods that are toxic for dogs to having a whistle to scare off a coyote, I am happy to pass along what I have learned.

6. I can have fun. I met my friend Rocky at Gedney Park for my story on dog parks. And it was an honor to be asked to be a celebrity dog judge at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester’s first Dog Social last spring.

5. I get my picture taken. I’ve been in front of a camera since I was a puppy so I love when people want to pose with me!

4. I am recognized wherever I go. One day my owner was surprised when someone she didn’t know said hello to me on one of our walks into town. The woman explained that she recognized me from my picture in Inside Chappaqua magazine. I am always very happy to meet my readers!

3. I go interesting places and meet very nice people. I wrote about pet friendly lodgings and toured Crabtree’s Kittle House and Inn with John Crabtree, one of the original owners. I was so happy to visit author and animal lover, Jean Craighead George at her home and talk to her about her book, How to Talk to Your Dog. And I’ve been to Town Hall to talk to New Castle Animal Control Officer James Moore and Town Clerk Jill Simon Shapiro.

Maggie Mae meets up with her beloved editor Grace Bennett at the Chappaqua Farmers Market in the summer of 2011. Photo by Ronni Diamondstein
Maggie Mae meets up with her beloved editor Grace Bennett at the Chappaqua Farmers Market in the summer of 2011.
Photo by Ronni Diamondstein

2. I’ve met some very intriguing animals. I loved meeting Ronnie, a rescue dog at the SPCA and was happy to hear he was adopted after my visit. One of my favorite and scariest interviews was at Dr. Laurie Hess’s Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotic Pets. I loved meeting Dr. Hess and I was very brave to have my picture taken with her parrot Target whose beak got a little too close to me!

1. And the number one reason is Grace Bennett.  In this “dog eat dog” world (I can’t believe I really wrote that!), Grace had the vision and imagination to give me, Maggie Mae Pup Reporter, and my owner this amazing opportunity to have a voice.  Thank you, Grace! Congratulations! Here’s to another ten years!

Contact Maggie Mae Pup Reporter at maggiemae10514@gmail.com

Maggie Mae lives in Chappaqua with her adoring owner Ronni Diamondstein, who, when she isn’t walking Maggie is a freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.

It’s A Small World for Dogs in Chappaqua

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By Maggie Mae…with Ronni Diamondstein

When my editor and publisher Grace Bennett was off on her adventure in Africa with Secretary of State Clinton, I started to think that most of the dogs I meet on the streets of Chappaqua are not native American breeds.  I, for one, am a Poodle.  Most people think poodles are French, but we really came from Germany.  Secretary of State Clinton has a Toy Parti Poodle, Tally, just like me. She and President Clinton also have a Labrador Retriever named Seamus.  Labs are the most popular dogs in America, and their ancestors came from Canada.  On my daily walks, I meet lots of them; some are chocolate, others are black or yellow.

Walking around Chappaqua, I have met dogs from all around the world. One of the first dogs I met when I was a puppy was Gizmo, a Tri-Color Australian Shepherd. Though he was about ten times my size, Gizmo seemed shy at first.  When I got to know him, he was gentle and friendly.  He was like the mayor of Greeley Avenue and made me feel right at home on the street.

Out of Egypt comes my friend Jester, the sleek and speedy Greyhound. “We are one of the oldest breeds known to man,” Jester, a former racing dog, told me, “ and came to America in the 1500’s with the Spanish explorers.”

I’ve met lots of dogs from Europe: the very friendly and low-key Puffy, a Black and Gold English Spaniel and Oliver, the exuberant Yorkshire Terrier, and Milo, the very affectionate cream-colored French Bulldog.  Another handsome dog is Finnegan Patrick O’Keefe, the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier whose name lives up to his breed’s Irish roots. Don’t be surprised when Finnegan gives you his Wheaten greeting, playfully prancing on his hind legs and showing off.  Wheatens are very outgoing and self-confident that way.

Maybe you’ve seen “Q,” the Golden Retriever, romping in Gedney Park.  He collects tennis balls, which are about the only thing this Scottish lad retrieves.  Or Harry Houdini, the Wire Hair Terrier who also hails from the British Isles, springing into action at Gedney and around town.

And there are all the “Doodles” and “Poos”.  Goldendoodles  and Labradoodles were first bred in Australia. Although he is not a service dog, my friend Blue, a Goldendoodle told me that his ancestors were Golden Retrievers bred with Poodles to create hypoallergenic dogs for visually impaired people with allergies. Taz, a Labradoodle, actually flew over from Victoria, Australia via pet jet 11 years ago, when he was only 4 months old.  He was picked up at JFK cargo by his owners. And I mustn’t forget Cody the Malti-Poo, who is a mix of the aristocratic Maltese with the intelligent Poodle.

My neighborhood is like the United Nations. We have French Papillons with butterfly-shaped ears, Chinese Shih Tzus and a Hungarian Vizsla, to name a few. There are two All American dogs on our block, MJ and Lucky, who are Boston Terriers. I did some research and found out that their breed began when Bostonians combined two British breeds: English Terriers and English Bulldogs.

And so as I stroll around town greeting dogs from all over the world, I realized we have some things in common.  No matter what our size, color or country of origin, we are and always will be man’s best friend and feel right at home in Chappaqua.

My owner says there are lots of other breeds from abroad in Chappaqua so you can let me know who you are.  Contact Maggie Mae Pup Reporter at maggiemae10514@gmail.com.

Maggie Mae lives in Chappaqua with her adoring owner Ronni Diamondstein, who, when she isn’t walking Maggie is a freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.