Dogs (and other animals) know when we're sick

Well, I'm recovering from my once-a-year bout with the flu. The problem with doctors is once you feel ill enough to go see one, you don't want to go see one. You don't want to go anywhere. What happened to house calls?

Anyway. Elka was very good in the time I was sick. I'm thankful time and again that I taught her hand signals in addition to her verbal cues! When your voice goes, you still want your dog to be able to listen.

There's stuff in the news about how "animals know" all the time when people are sick. There's a book, Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat , about a cat who lives in a nursing home.

There's Troy (Raindance Led Zeppelin of Marquis), a Doberman who was at Westminster this year. He kept nose poking his owner, she got herself checked out, and she had breast cancer. Because of Troy, she was able to get treatment in time, and is currently cancer free! He's up for a Hero Dog award, and you should go vote for him to win.

And, to add an unusual species to the mix, you can read this article about giraffes saying goodbye to a terminally ill  zoo worker who just wanted to see his buddies one last time.