"One way to make sure your vet is up on the latest stuff? Ask what medications he uses for anesthesia. If he says he uses ketamine or halothane gas, that's not good. That's like 1970s medicine. Isoflurane and sevoflourane are alot safer."
There are many variations in how vets practice medicine. We all are trained by professors with biases, and trained with the most up to date information available, but information and biases change with time. We are required to attend continuing education classes yearly, but no-one tells us what information we must be trained on.
The point? Most of us see standards of practice as a moving target- we are constantly re-evaluating how we do things- from exam and diagnosis to treatment and surgery. I think the way we each end up practicing veterinary medicine as an amalgamation of all that we have seen, done, and been taught. We take a bit from all of those who influence us and combine it into our own way of doing things.
Having said that, I use ketamine. In combinations with other medications, it gives cats a wonderful plane of anesthesia for many procedures. I also use propofol, which is considered pretty modern anesthesia. I have used both isoflurane and sevo in practice. I have worked in places with halothane.
I'm not sure grilling your vet on anesthetic protocols is the best way to evaluate the "modernity" of a practice. I'm not sure there is a good way to evaluate how modern a practice's medicine is. One way might be to look for American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) certified practices. These are vet hospitals that undergo a voluntary evaluation by AAHA, and are shown to meet criteria set up to evaluate the medicine, surgery, and management of the hospital. The evaluation might not be a guarantee of good medicine, but I think the motivation involved in getting certified indicates a motivation to stay up to date in other areas.
Enjoy your pets!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Secret #38- rubber jaw
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"Home cooking for your pet is harder than you think. I once saw a dog who was fed a home-cooked diet of chicken breast and vegetables for a year, and his bones became so weak that his jaw broke. If you would like to cook for your pet, find a veterinary nutritionist who can help guide you, or check out balanceit.com"
Oh, that poor dog! This type of bone weakness is very rare, but I think it's a good warning: it's not as easy as you might think to properly balance a pet's diet. Pet food companies put lost of time and resources into researching the best diets to keep our pets healthy as long as possible. There are many nutrients that a chicken and veggie diet won't have- like calcium.
Truly, sticking with a good quality dry (or for cats, canned) diet from a reliable manufacturer is still the best bet. Ask your vet for recommendations. Or, if you really want home-made, do some research so it's done right.
Enjoy your pets!
"Home cooking for your pet is harder than you think. I once saw a dog who was fed a home-cooked diet of chicken breast and vegetables for a year, and his bones became so weak that his jaw broke. If you would like to cook for your pet, find a veterinary nutritionist who can help guide you, or check out balanceit.com"
Oh, that poor dog! This type of bone weakness is very rare, but I think it's a good warning: it's not as easy as you might think to properly balance a pet's diet. Pet food companies put lost of time and resources into researching the best diets to keep our pets healthy as long as possible. There are many nutrients that a chicken and veggie diet won't have- like calcium.
Truly, sticking with a good quality dry (or for cats, canned) diet from a reliable manufacturer is still the best bet. Ask your vet for recommendations. Or, if you really want home-made, do some research so it's done right.
Enjoy your pets!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Secret #37- pass the leftovers, please
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"Giving food is not giving love. Obesity will hurt their health and decrease their lifespan. Instead, give affection. Pet them, brush them, love them, and walk them."
This really goes back the the issues with obesity. We use food as social interactions with each other, and we want to include our pets in this as well. Giving a bit of extra food now and then is not an issue in itself- but overfeeding is. Watch the waistline!
I have older blogs on obesity if you are looking for a bit more info- or call your vet!
Enjoy your pets!
"Giving food is not giving love. Obesity will hurt their health and decrease their lifespan. Instead, give affection. Pet them, brush them, love them, and walk them."
This really goes back the the issues with obesity. We use food as social interactions with each other, and we want to include our pets in this as well. Giving a bit of extra food now and then is not an issue in itself- but overfeeding is. Watch the waistline!
I have older blogs on obesity if you are looking for a bit more info- or call your vet!
Enjoy your pets!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Secret #36- technical issues
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"When you're looking for a new vet, always check out the staff. A lot of times they'll be listed online. Look for technicians who are certified or licensed (they'll have RVT, LVT, or CVT after their names)."
Staff is the backbone and the life's blood of any practice. A good vet tech is worth his or her weight in gold.
I think perhaps the write of this quote wanted you to know that some hospitals are staffed with assistants rather than techs. This may be true. And there are certain procedures that techs can legally do that assistants cannot. One could make the argument that an up-to-date practice will have a licensed tech available.
Here's the rub- there are not as many techs as there are jobs available. So I wouldn't necessarily discount a practice based in a lack of technicians on the staff. Not having an LVT means the vet is likely doing many of the things I have not needed to do for years (I love being spoiled), like placing IV catheters and drawing blood. Having excellent technical staff means there is more time for the vet to do what we do best- diagnose, prescribe treatments, and perform surgery.
So, I would not tell anyone to avoid a practice that does not employ LVTs. But I do like having them at my back.
Enjoy your pets!
"When you're looking for a new vet, always check out the staff. A lot of times they'll be listed online. Look for technicians who are certified or licensed (they'll have RVT, LVT, or CVT after their names)."
Staff is the backbone and the life's blood of any practice. A good vet tech is worth his or her weight in gold.
I think perhaps the write of this quote wanted you to know that some hospitals are staffed with assistants rather than techs. This may be true. And there are certain procedures that techs can legally do that assistants cannot. One could make the argument that an up-to-date practice will have a licensed tech available.
Here's the rub- there are not as many techs as there are jobs available. So I wouldn't necessarily discount a practice based in a lack of technicians on the staff. Not having an LVT means the vet is likely doing many of the things I have not needed to do for years (I love being spoiled), like placing IV catheters and drawing blood. Having excellent technical staff means there is more time for the vet to do what we do best- diagnose, prescribe treatments, and perform surgery.
So, I would not tell anyone to avoid a practice that does not employ LVTs. But I do like having them at my back.
Enjoy your pets!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Secret #35- Thank you!
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"Most vets put themselves through 8 to 12 years of school and have huge student debts. We love animals and want to help them. Most of us start our day early, finish late, and are available for emergencies."
Yep. This runs with the other overworked, underpaid- feeling posts on the list of 50.
We love pets. We love their people. We get really tired of feeling that our efforts do not get recognized.
Don't get me wrong- many of you take a moment to thank us for our time and work- and we really appreciate that. Some of you send us cards- we love that. Some send cookies- our staff members really love that.
There are those who don't seem to appreciate us. There are even some who (gasp) think that we're in it for the money. This makes us sad and defensive, hence the plethora of "secrets" along this line in the article. We try our best, just like I presume you do at your job. We like to be liked, and we want everyone to understand just how hard we have worked to get where we are, and how hard we continue to work to help your pets be healthy.
So here's a proposal: say thanks to your vet. Take it a step further, even. Say thanks to everyone who earns a paycheck doing something that helps you, some of whom also may feel underpaid and under appreciated. Remember those random acts could really make someone's day!
Enjoy your pets!
"Most vets put themselves through 8 to 12 years of school and have huge student debts. We love animals and want to help them. Most of us start our day early, finish late, and are available for emergencies."
Yep. This runs with the other overworked, underpaid- feeling posts on the list of 50.
We love pets. We love their people. We get really tired of feeling that our efforts do not get recognized.
Don't get me wrong- many of you take a moment to thank us for our time and work- and we really appreciate that. Some of you send us cards- we love that. Some send cookies- our staff members really love that.
There are those who don't seem to appreciate us. There are even some who (gasp) think that we're in it for the money. This makes us sad and defensive, hence the plethora of "secrets" along this line in the article. We try our best, just like I presume you do at your job. We like to be liked, and we want everyone to understand just how hard we have worked to get where we are, and how hard we continue to work to help your pets be healthy.
So here's a proposal: say thanks to your vet. Take it a step further, even. Say thanks to everyone who earns a paycheck doing something that helps you, some of whom also may feel underpaid and under appreciated. Remember those random acts could really make someone's day!
Enjoy your pets!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Secret #34
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
" If we wanted to go into it for the money, we'd have become human doctors."
I could have gone to med school. Really. I scored high on the entrance exams- higher than a couple friends who had gotten pre-admittance to med schools.
I chose to pursue vet med instead. I did it knowing that I would not become rich. I did it because I want to help pets and their people.
Vets are one of the lowest paid professions with post-graduate degrees. We have an inferiority complex about it sometimes, and feel the need to defend ourselves. We work long hours, act as pediatrician, surgeon, dentist, internist, oncologist, geriatrician, and councillor.
We love it. We did not go into it for the money.
Enjoy your pets.
" If we wanted to go into it for the money, we'd have become human doctors."
I could have gone to med school. Really. I scored high on the entrance exams- higher than a couple friends who had gotten pre-admittance to med schools.
I chose to pursue vet med instead. I did it knowing that I would not become rich. I did it because I want to help pets and their people.
Vets are one of the lowest paid professions with post-graduate degrees. We have an inferiority complex about it sometimes, and feel the need to defend ourselves. We work long hours, act as pediatrician, surgeon, dentist, internist, oncologist, geriatrician, and councillor.
We love it. We did not go into it for the money.
Enjoy your pets.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Secret #33- show me your title and insurance
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"Some people worry that paying for pet insurance will be a waste if they don't use it. But when you renew your fire insurance on your house, do you say, 'Shoot, my house didn't burn down last year- I wasted all that money?'"
I like this. I pay my car insurance and life insurance, and never think that I have been cheated by not needing it.
But what if you really don't want to pay monthly premiums for pet insurance?
I offer a different approach to my clients- well, a couple. First, if you trust yourself to budget well, you can set up a savings account. Put in $50 per month, or whatever amount. Earmark the money for vet expenses. Use it for routine care, or save it up as an emergency fund. Then you feel like the money is yours no matter what.
Another option might be to "pre-pay" your vet. I have offered to have people bring in a little money at a time that we deposit on account for the client. Sort of like layaway, I guess. Then they can build up a balance to cover a spay, or a dental procedure. I wouldn't use this as insurance against a big, unexpected bill, though. I think it would work best for expected, planned services.
Enjoy your pets!
"Some people worry that paying for pet insurance will be a waste if they don't use it. But when you renew your fire insurance on your house, do you say, 'Shoot, my house didn't burn down last year- I wasted all that money?'"
I like this. I pay my car insurance and life insurance, and never think that I have been cheated by not needing it.
But what if you really don't want to pay monthly premiums for pet insurance?
I offer a different approach to my clients- well, a couple. First, if you trust yourself to budget well, you can set up a savings account. Put in $50 per month, or whatever amount. Earmark the money for vet expenses. Use it for routine care, or save it up as an emergency fund. Then you feel like the money is yours no matter what.
Another option might be to "pre-pay" your vet. I have offered to have people bring in a little money at a time that we deposit on account for the client. Sort of like layaway, I guess. Then they can build up a balance to cover a spay, or a dental procedure. I wouldn't use this as insurance against a big, unexpected bill, though. I think it would work best for expected, planned services.
Enjoy your pets!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Secret #31- cost cutting
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"Unfortunately, I've had to work in low-cost clinics, and many of them are cutting corners to make a profit. Some placed give half doses of vaccines instead of full doses, which is totally illegal and ineffective."
Vaccines are made to be given a whole dose at a time, no matter the size of the patient. A half dose is indeed wrong and possibly illegal.
Look, we all work for a living, we have bills to pay. And yes, you get what you pay for in veterinary care as in just about everything else. I recommend some caution with price shopping- there has to be some reason one person's prices are much cheaper than others. It might be innocuous- they might have lower overhead costs, the building might be paid for, the practice is rural with lower costs overall. But the differences might not be so harmless- they might give half doses of vaccine, or find other ways to cut costs that would make me flinch.
Most vet practices are moral, legal, upstanding. Watch for the bad apples, but don't let them spoil the perception of the basketful.
Enjoy your pets!
"Unfortunately, I've had to work in low-cost clinics, and many of them are cutting corners to make a profit. Some placed give half doses of vaccines instead of full doses, which is totally illegal and ineffective."
Vaccines are made to be given a whole dose at a time, no matter the size of the patient. A half dose is indeed wrong and possibly illegal.
Look, we all work for a living, we have bills to pay. And yes, you get what you pay for in veterinary care as in just about everything else. I recommend some caution with price shopping- there has to be some reason one person's prices are much cheaper than others. It might be innocuous- they might have lower overhead costs, the building might be paid for, the practice is rural with lower costs overall. But the differences might not be so harmless- they might give half doses of vaccine, or find other ways to cut costs that would make me flinch.
Most vet practices are moral, legal, upstanding. Watch for the bad apples, but don't let them spoil the perception of the basketful.
Enjoy your pets!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Secret #30- I'm late for my tee time!
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"If your animal is really sick, it's better to bring him in during the morning. A vet I once worked with would do a huge work up when a sick animal came in early. But if the animal came in late in the day, the vet would actually encourage the owner to euthanize. But I would add that this is not common."
Not common? I would hope that it would be downright rare!
Sounds like this vet was working for someone with serious fatigue. Or maybe he or she had a standing meeting committment of some sort. I can't pretend to guess. Treating patients diffently based on the time of day of the appointment is wrong, and should not be tolerated.
I have seen articles that recommend getting early morning or just after lunch appointments with a doctor so that the MDs don't have a chance to get too far behind. But I can't say I've seen anyone say that you get better care in the morning.
You have to trust your vet. We are human, and make mistakes. But we should all strive to provide the best care we know how.
Enjoy your pets!
Addendum: So, I've been thinking about this one a bit. I wonder about the circumstances surrounding this vet's experience. Did it happen mor than once? Maybe there were vast differences in the signs the pets were showing. Maybe the accused vet knew the clients well enough to know what they would or would not do. Maybe there was more to the conversations between the accused vet and the clients than the quoted vet knew. We need to be careful about casting stones without having the whole picture.
"If your animal is really sick, it's better to bring him in during the morning. A vet I once worked with would do a huge work up when a sick animal came in early. But if the animal came in late in the day, the vet would actually encourage the owner to euthanize. But I would add that this is not common."
Not common? I would hope that it would be downright rare!
Sounds like this vet was working for someone with serious fatigue. Or maybe he or she had a standing meeting committment of some sort. I can't pretend to guess. Treating patients diffently based on the time of day of the appointment is wrong, and should not be tolerated.
I have seen articles that recommend getting early morning or just after lunch appointments with a doctor so that the MDs don't have a chance to get too far behind. But I can't say I've seen anyone say that you get better care in the morning.
You have to trust your vet. We are human, and make mistakes. But we should all strive to provide the best care we know how.
Enjoy your pets!
Addendum: So, I've been thinking about this one a bit. I wonder about the circumstances surrounding this vet's experience. Did it happen mor than once? Maybe there were vast differences in the signs the pets were showing. Maybe the accused vet knew the clients well enough to know what they would or would not do. Maybe there was more to the conversations between the accused vet and the clients than the quoted vet knew. We need to be careful about casting stones without having the whole picture.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Secret #29- sniffles
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"The biggest mistake pet owners make is calling the vet too late. Pet's rarely get colds or the flu, and they almost never get food poisoning. So if they're sick for more than a day, call us."
Well, there is such a thing as canine flu virus. And I see upper respiratory infections (might be called colds) fairly frequently. I think the point this vet is making is this- don't sit on a problem and hope it resolves. There are certainly some self-limiting illnesses out pets can get, but they can't tell us how they feel, and many will try to tough it through until they are so sick it can be dangerous to them. Calling for an appointment sooner rather than later is always a good idea.
Enjoy your pets!
"The biggest mistake pet owners make is calling the vet too late. Pet's rarely get colds or the flu, and they almost never get food poisoning. So if they're sick for more than a day, call us."
Well, there is such a thing as canine flu virus. And I see upper respiratory infections (might be called colds) fairly frequently. I think the point this vet is making is this- don't sit on a problem and hope it resolves. There are certainly some self-limiting illnesses out pets can get, but they can't tell us how they feel, and many will try to tough it through until they are so sick it can be dangerous to them. Calling for an appointment sooner rather than later is always a good idea.
Enjoy your pets!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Secret #28- cold noses
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"A cold, wet nose on a dog does not necessarily mean he's healthy. I've seen plenty of sick dogs with wet noses."
tumblr.com
The cold nose thing is an old wives' tale (tail?). A warm nose does not necessarily indicate fever, either. If you want to check your dog's temp at home- rectal is best. Be careful- he might not like it! Normal temperature range for dogs and cats is about 101-102 degrees F.
Of course, if there are any issues you have, any questions about your pet's health, call us!
Enjoy your pets!
"A cold, wet nose on a dog does not necessarily mean he's healthy. I've seen plenty of sick dogs with wet noses."
The cold nose thing is an old wives' tale (tail?). A warm nose does not necessarily indicate fever, either. If you want to check your dog's temp at home- rectal is best. Be careful- he might not like it! Normal temperature range for dogs and cats is about 101-102 degrees F.
Of course, if there are any issues you have, any questions about your pet's health, call us!
Enjoy your pets!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Secret #27- to shoot or not to shoot?
My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"
"After the kitten vaccinations, indoor cats don't really need to be vaccinated. They're not going to get rabies sitting inside the house. Vaccines have the potential to create a lot of harm for cats, including possible tumors at the vaccination site."
My first year after vet school, I worked in a great small animal practice east of Cincinnati. One morning the tech and I came into the building to discover a dead bat on the floor of the treatment area (sometimes referred to as "the back"). We picked up the bat, handled it a bit- bats are cool! On a whim, we decided to submit the body for rabies testing. I'll give you once guess as to the results.
Yep, rabies positive. The tech underwent post-exposure vaccines. We monitored the clinic cat for months.
The point? The animals most likely to carry and spread rabies vary from area to area. In my part of Ohio, we have bat carriers. Eastern states have problems with racoon varients, and in the western states coyotes might be the biggest risk.
Yes, indoor cats might be a relatively low risk for rabies. But that rabid bat made its way into a vet hospital. I have had bats in my house. Tell me I am not risking my cats (or myself, or my kids) by not vaccinating. Rabies is fatal. Period.
Many areas have laws that require rabies vaccines for cats as well as dogs, inside or out. The state does not care about the cat's health, this is a human health issue. A rabid kitten biting neighborhood kids could be devastating. Imagine the lawsuits.
Yes, vaccines can have side effects. So do antibiotics. And pain medications. Heck, water can be a toxin (it is not well absorbed by the lungs). So we weigh risk and benefits with everything we do. There are very good vaccines out there for cats that minimize the chances of harmful effects- ask your vet about the pros and cons.
Enjoy your pets!
PS- I heard this really great interview soon after writing this rebuttal- it's very interesting!
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/19/157049292/terrible-virus-fascinating-history-in-rabid
"After the kitten vaccinations, indoor cats don't really need to be vaccinated. They're not going to get rabies sitting inside the house. Vaccines have the potential to create a lot of harm for cats, including possible tumors at the vaccination site."
My first year after vet school, I worked in a great small animal practice east of Cincinnati. One morning the tech and I came into the building to discover a dead bat on the floor of the treatment area (sometimes referred to as "the back"). We picked up the bat, handled it a bit- bats are cool! On a whim, we decided to submit the body for rabies testing. I'll give you once guess as to the results.
Yep, rabies positive. The tech underwent post-exposure vaccines. We monitored the clinic cat for months.
The point? The animals most likely to carry and spread rabies vary from area to area. In my part of Ohio, we have bat carriers. Eastern states have problems with racoon varients, and in the western states coyotes might be the biggest risk.
Yes, indoor cats might be a relatively low risk for rabies. But that rabid bat made its way into a vet hospital. I have had bats in my house. Tell me I am not risking my cats (or myself, or my kids) by not vaccinating. Rabies is fatal. Period.
Many areas have laws that require rabies vaccines for cats as well as dogs, inside or out. The state does not care about the cat's health, this is a human health issue. A rabid kitten biting neighborhood kids could be devastating. Imagine the lawsuits.
Yes, vaccines can have side effects. So do antibiotics. And pain medications. Heck, water can be a toxin (it is not well absorbed by the lungs). So we weigh risk and benefits with everything we do. There are very good vaccines out there for cats that minimize the chances of harmful effects- ask your vet about the pros and cons.
Enjoy your pets!
PS- I heard this really great interview soon after writing this rebuttal- it's very interesting!
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/19/157049292/terrible-virus-fascinating-history-in-rabid
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