Er Buyuk Kopek had a vacation too - and is a TV star!

While I was in Turkey, Jesse stayed at the brand new, state-of-the-art Animal Lodge at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital. Though he didn't get to join me in enjoying Turkish food and swimming in the Mediterranean, he feasted on low-residue Iams Senior and swam in AEVH's water therapy pool, an underwater treadmill.

This pool allows dogs to exercise their joints at low resistance, while keeping their head above water. It helped Jesse's arthritis.


With Jesse and Animal Lodge's Kari, Molly, and Adrianna. They took great care of Jesse while I was in Turkey.

He even got on television. On June 1, KWGN's morning news featured the Animal Lodge, which recently celebrated its grand opening. Reporter Dan Daru saw Jesse lumbering along in the water therapy pool and said, "Look at this old paint! He's thinking, 'Get me out of here; this is so humiliating!'"

Jesse gazed up at the camera, his lip wedged over his lower tooth in his customary Winston Churchill pose. This prompted KWGN weathercaster Angie Austin to quip to the reporter, "Dan, I think that dog needs a dentist! Look at that tooth!"

KWGN anchor Tom Green also asked the reporter, "Dan, is that a dog or a cow?"