You may have already heard of this, but I just ran across PetMD.com. I’d love to get the opinion of others on this site. The interface and graphics are nice, but unfortunately the look and feel greatly exceed the functionality. For example, there were only four vets in my zip code and the neighboring zip code didn’t even exist. I looked up diarrhea (as my Jack Russell does indeed have diarrhea) and all I got was a laundry list of diseases that my dog could have – ranging the gambit of stomach flu to conditions I’ve never even heard of. I guess if you’re going to mimic a dynamic service like WebMD.com, you might want to beef up your resources first.

A new service was also launched recently called Webvet.com. Again, the site is slick and contains a lot of information. I had a hard time navigating the many, many links, so I punted and searched for diarrhea. I received a lot of results, but in that same “laundry list of conditions” fashion, it was hard to narrow down what’s wrong with my dog. Webvet.com seemed to have more information than PetMD.com and with a little tweaking to their symptom checker – it could be a great resource.

With that said, all pet owners need to remember – if your pet is sick or hurt, take him/her to your vet. Tools like this are certainly helpful, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Reston, VA (March 27, 2006) – Despite a report of rain, the weather was perfect for the third annual Healthy Hound Dog Walk and Pet Health Fair sponsored by GoodDogz.org. Local dog owners learned about pet health and care at Lake Anne Village Center from exhibitors like Canine Caterers and the Northern Virginia Animal Swim Center. Over 80 walkers participated in the 1-mile dog walk around scenic Lake Anne. Walkers received goodie bags full of treats, toys and fun. The dog walk raised over $1400 that will help GoodDogz.org support homeless dogs.

Pam Ahart of Pet First Aid and Care conducted a demonstration of a “tail to snout” health exam. Ahart enjoyed the event. “What a great day! The Healthy Hound Dog Walk & Pet Health Fair was enjoyed by both the dogs and their owners. It was a great time for the dogs to socialize and the owners learn more about the health conscious pet businesses in their local area. As the Pet First Aid & Care exhibitor, many dog owners expressed how nice the event was and they will be attending next year!”

GoodDogz.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating potential dog owners on dog selection and care and supporting the efforts of rescue groups. We believe that by assisting with good dog-owner matches, we’ll give each family the best opportunity for a life-long relationship with their new dog and help to keep dogs out of shelters.

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Vienna, VA (June 5, 2005) – A beautiful Memorial Day weekend was home to the 2nd annual Healthy Hound Dog Walk and Adoption event at the Viva Vienna! Festival in downtown Vienna, VA.

The super dog adoption showcased 10 metro DC rescue organizations during the two-day affair. It encouraged the organizations to discuss their efforts, brainstorm ideas and offered them exposure to a much larger audience that they might not normally receive.

As an added Memorial Day bonus, over 50 walkers and their participated in the 2-mile Healthy Hound dog walk through Vienna. The walk was a 1.5 mile hike down the WO&D Trail and through the woodlands of Vienna.  Each walker received a goodie bag full of treats and fun. The event raised over $1000 for GoodDogz.org.

“We’re very excited about the success of the event,” explained Mark Bates, Vice President of GoodDogz.org. “It’s always great when a rescued doggie finds a home.”

GoodDogz.org is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating potential dog owners on dog selection and care and supporting the efforts of rescue groups. We believe that by assisting with good dog-owner matches, we’ll give each family the best opportunity for a life-long relationship with their new dog and help to keep dogs out of shelters.

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