Joan Merriam
ChicoER
Contact Joan
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Joan:
Another look at pet insurance
What would you do if you were faced with a $5,000 veterinary bill to save the life of your beloved dog? What if you simply don’t have the cash, or don’t have a friend of family member who could loa… → Read More
Training mistakes
Training mistakes, especially if they’re repeated over and over, can lead to behavior problems or even emotional distress, which is the last thing we want to accomplish. → Read More
Heartworm facts
Does the idea of over two hundred spaghetti-like foot-long worms living inside of you make your skin crawl? That’s what happens to a dog that’s infected with heartworms, a potentially fatal disease… → Read More
Boarding or sitting, part 2
So, you’re ready to head out of town, but can’t take your furry companion with you. In my last column, I talked about boarding your dog — so now let’s look at hiring a pet-sitter. → Read More
Boarding or sitting, part 1
No, I’m not talking snowboarding, or whether sitting too much is bad for your health (hint: it is). I’m talking about what to do if you’re heading out of town and can’t take your furry pal with you… → Read More
New year resolutions
The new year begins in just a few days — so what better time to make some resolutions that will help your dog (and you!) have a happier, healthier 2023? → Read More
Snow day! | Casey’s Corner – Oroville
Just because winter appears to be here in earnest, that’s no excuse for gluing you and your dog to the couch in front of a crackling fire and spending the day gorging on bon-bons. It may be cold an… → Read More
Adopting an older dog, part 2
In my last column, I talked about the plusses that come along with adopting a senior dog, and there are many! If you decide that this is right for you, several things can help ensure that his or he… → Read More
Adopting an older dog
Did you know that November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month? So often, when we think of adding a new dog to our household, we think of puppies, or perhaps a dog around 2 or 3 years old. But a senior dog… → Read More
Getting holiday ready
If you’re anything like me, you’re having a hard time believing the holidays are already upon us. I always say that this time of the year, but that’s because every year it seems to sneak up on me! … → Read More
CBD and your dog
These days, it seems like everyone is talking about — and touting the benefits of — CBD for humans. But did you know that dogs may also benefit from this product? First, though, what is cannabidiol… → Read More
Handling a tough medical diagnosis
Every one of us dreads the day when our dog gets a frightening medical diagnosis. Here are some suggestions for handling this difficult time from a veterinarian who’s been guiding clients for over … → Read More
Dining out with your dog
If you’re a regular reader of this column, by now you know that I’m a great believer in taking my dog along when I go places. I feel genuine pangs of guilt if I have to leave Joey alone when I’m aw… → Read More
Summer safety with your dog
It may be September, but that doesn’t mean summer’s over. The season’s dangers still lurk around the corner. → Read More
Tick-borne diseases in your dog
Most people have the same something-crawling-on-the-back-of-your-neck reaction to the thought of ticks. A blood-sucking creature is bad enough — but one that can also transmit potentially dea… → Read More
Summer health hazards
The kind of heat that summer brings can be extremely dangerous for your dog. → Read More
Teaching your dog not to jump
How many times have you seen this happen: someone approaches a dog on the street or in a store or even in someone’s home, and the dog instantly jumps up on the poor, unsuspecting person. Maybe it’s… → Read More
One big happy family — or not?
In the movie “Ghostbusters,” Bill Murray put it in the same category as human sacrifice, fire and brimstone raining from the skies, and zombies emerging from their graves. → Read More
Prevention is the best medicine
We all know that heart-sinking feeling when our dog gets ill or has a sudden emergency. But let’s step backward in time before that illness or accident, and take a look at ways it might have been p… → Read More
When you find a lost dog
Many of us have probably been there: we see a dog roaming the street, alone and afraid, and our first instinct is to rescue it, take it home and find its owner. Sometimes that’s possible, and somet… → Read More