INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Mitotane is an oral drug used to treat pituitary-dependent Cushing's disease (caused by a pituitary tumor). Initially, your vet will prescribe an induction mitotane dose. This is a high dose that will cause enough adrenal gland damage to bring cortisol levels back to normal and start improving disease symptoms. You will give the induction dose once or twice daily for one to two weeks. Dogs with Cushing's disease drink a lot of water and eat a lot. During the induction treatment with mitotane, your dog's appetite and water intake will likely start going back to normal. Mitotane is more effectively absorbed by the body with food, so feed your dog when you give each dose. After the induction period, your vet will perform a blood test called an ACTH stimulation test. This test, which measures blood cortisol levels, is a way to determine whether the medication to treat Cushing's disease is working. On the test, your vet will look for decreased blood cortisol levels, indicating the adrenals are working normally again. ACTH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland that stimulates adrenal cortisol release. Mitotane treatment is lifelong. Long term mitotane treatment is usually once or twice weekly. Unfortunately, for some dogs, Cushing's disease symptoms come back during long term mitotane treatment. If this happens to your dog, it will need to go back to daily mitotane. To keep the symptoms under control, your vet may need to increase the mitotane dose over time. Mitotane is fairly inexpensive, compared with other Cushing's disease treatments. A major disadvantage of mitotane is the serious side effects, including GI problems (vomiting, anorexia) and neurologic problems (weakness, seizures, uncoordinated walking). These side effects are usually due to excessive adrenal gland damage, causing cortisol levels to drop too low. If you see these side effects, contact your vet immediately. Your vet may need to stop mitotane treatment and start your dog on prednisone. With mitotane treatment, your dog will start eating and drinking normally again fairly quickly (possibly during the induction period). Hair loss, which is another common sign of Cushing's disease, will take longer to improve. Overall, it will take about four to six months before your dog's symptoms completely improve with mitotane treatment. Mitotane treatment requires very close monitoring by you and your vet. You will need to watch for side effects at home and your vet will need to monitor your dog's blood cortisol levels. Your vet will recommend bringing your dog in about every three to four months for an ACTH stimulation test. At these visits, your vet may decide to adjust the mitotane dosage.

SUMMARY: Start your dog on an 'induction' dose. Have your vet perform a blood test. Begin long term mitotane treatment. Monitor your dog for side effects. Wait for symptoms to improve. Take your dog to your vet regularly.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Hamsters can get easily injured because their bodies and bones are so small. Fortunately, not all injuries are serious enough to require treatment by a veterinarian. Take a quick look at your hamster to see if his injuries look minor (e.g, small cuts and scrapes) or major (e.g., broken limbs, lots of bleeding). Minor injuries are typically treatable at home, but major injures require immediate veterinary care. If your hamster has major injuries, he will have other symptoms, including labored and raspy breathing, excessive squeals, and aggression when handled. Be mindful that hamsters can be good at hiding just how much pain they're in. If your hamster's injuries are major, call your veterinarian immediately to let him or know you will be arriving soon with an emergency case. Be aware that not all small animal veterinarians treat pocket pets (e.g., hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs). If your veterinarian is not able to treat your hamster, ask if he or she can refer you to a veterinarian who can. By calling, your veterinarian can advise you on what first aid you can give your hamster before you get to the veterinarian's office. If you have determined that your hamster's injuries are minor, begin preparing to treat him at home. You will need a number of supplies, including clean towels, Q-tips, several 10cc syringes (without the needles), and some sterile 2 x 2 gauze. In addition, you will need a bottle of sterile saline, a disinfectant solution (Betadine) and an antibiotic ointment. You can find treatment supplies at your local pharmacy. Your veterinarian can advise you on the specific type of antibiotic ointment you should use. Betadine is also known as povidone iodine. Hydrogen peroxide has commonly been used as a disinfectant, but it may not be as beneficial as previously thought. The bubbling seen with hydrogen peroxide can damage cells, so using it may do more harm than good.
Summary: Look at your hamster's injuries. Call your veterinarian. Gather your treatment supplies.

"Settings" is the grey gear icon--it should be on your iPod's home screen. You can turn off your wifi or disable certain wifi settings from this menu. When this option is enabled, your phone constantly searches for nearby wifi networks. Turning it off will save you some battery life. Using wifi rather than data is easier on your battery, and you'll likely have faster upload and download speeds. Your iPod's Network Searching feature should now be disabled!
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One-sentence summary -- Open your Settings app. Tap the "Wi-Fi" tab. Disable the "Ask to Join Networks" option. If you are in a location with wifi available, tap the network name to connect to it. Close your Settings app.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Songwriters come in all shapes and sizes. If you're wanting to get serious as a songwriter, you should get an idea of the direction you would like to take. Some songwriters write music to play themselves, while others work for publishing agencies and have their material used by famous artists. The vast majority of songwriters also have particular genres they're most inclined to write in. Take a moment to imagine the sort of songwriter you would like to be. The most successful songwriters listen to a wide variety of musical styles. This is because work isn't always available in one style. If you're aiming to make a living from your songs, you'll need to cover the range of popular musical styles. What's more, being versed in a variety of genres will open new doors to be inspired by. Don't be afraid to listen to types of music you don't normally listen to. As always, it's a good idea to look at hits from a variety of styles and eras. This will offer you the most dynamic insight into what a "hit" is, and how you can replicate that success. Here are a few hit songs you might look at for the sake of a good example: "Roundabout" by Yes. "Yesterday" by the Beatles. "Trains" by Porcupine Tree. "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson. If you're thirsting for inspiration, there are few places as well-suited to get the creative fires stoked as a live concert. Not only will you get to watch an artist passionate interpret a collection of songs, you'll also be able to see the life-affirming effect music has on the listeners. By the time you get back home, you should have a refreshed perspective on the reasons why you want to write songs. Inspiration doesn't come to those who idle. Even if you're fixated on writing music, the only way you'll be properly inspired is if you are getting out and doing things. Spend time with friends, or go out to see new film. The more fresh stimulation your mind has, the more potential you'll have to be inspired about something.

SUMMARY:
Decide on the kind of songwriter you want to be. Broaden your musical horizons. Analyze a variety of hit songs. Attend a live concert. Stay busy.