It's a little paradoxical, but one's caloric needs can actually increase after surgery when you're in that low-activity healing phase. It takes extra energy to rebuild tissue and heal. So because of that, I increased Koa's daily ration since her Wednesday surgery. Her lipoma that turned out to be a nerve sheath tumor involved a pretty yucky surgery- I took out a good deal of tissue over her shoulder, and even with that I'm not sure if my margins were adequate. Her body has some work to do to ... Read more »
Picture of the Day
Over the weekend, I asked if anyone wanted to add some pictures to my sad little Flickr group to make it a happy place- and you came out in force! In return I thought I would share a picture a day, now through Halloween, of your dogs in costumes. If I have enough interest (and pictures) I'll make this a regular feature! (That will let me include those non costume pictures too.) So to kick us off, the Super Starlet herself! ... Read more »
Water Creatures Need Love Too
Before I was Dr. V the vet, I was Jessica V the vet student. And before that, I was Jessica M (see, I wasn't married yet) the nerdy biology major with an emphasis in marine biology. Before realizing my constitution wasn't nearly hardy enough to tolerate life out in the field, I was sure I was going to be a wonderful conservation biologist. Sadly, I shrink from the sun like a sparkly vampire so field work was not to be. I tell you this so that you understand that despite dedicating my career ... Read more »
The numbers game
Owners have very high expectations of one's ability to diagnose a condition based on their description, what they read on the internet, and (to a lesser extent) my physical examination. Don't get me wrong- taking an accurate history and doing a physical examination are instrumental skills. But they are not 100%. "What is it, doc?" the owner asks as I poke at a lump. I can give you some guesses with a good amount of accuracy based on its appearance, how it moves on or under the skin, that sort ... Read more »
Never never never
Several years ago I was sitting in an exam room with a man who was about to euthanize his cat. "Is he going to wave his legs around?" he asked. "That's pretty uncommon," I said. "No seizures?" he asked. "No." His shoulders relaxed. "That's good," he told me. "Because when I was a kid and we euthanized our cat, I took him home to bury him, and the next morning I found him halfway out of the grave." He took a breath. "When we called the vet, he told us sometimes the pet can have some ... Read more »
Have you hugged a tech today?
Did you know the third week of every October is National Veterinary Technician Week? I can't think of a more deserving, hardworking group of people to celebrate. Vets get all the glory, all the cards and cookies, but techs are so often the ones who neglect to get any recognition for the incredible amount of work they put into keeping pets healthy. They man the phones, hold pets for all manner of procedures, do the vast majority of nursing care for hospitalized pets, and bear the brunt of the ... Read more »
Security Beastie
With Halloween approaching, it's only natural to start thinking and talking about things that scare us. How I long for the days of my youth and a good healthy scare- werewolves and zombies and vampires and all of that, made-up monsters who retreat into myth at the end of the day. But as we all know, that mythos is a cover for the real monsters that lurk out there- rare, fortunately, but flesh and blood humans with something wrong in the head. And they terrify me. When I was a senior in high ... Read more »
On Safari: Famine
It takes all kinds of creatures to maintain homeostasis in a stable ecosystem. On the savannah, the laboceros and the goldenbeast have achieved an uneasy tolerance. Despite limited resources, the denizens of the plains have managed to carve out their own niche, and peace is maintained. Usually. ... Read more »
I like big mutts and I cannot lie
I am just so happy to get an excuse to use that line. :) Koa is big, compared to, say, a teacup chihuahua, but we are inching ever closer to that ideal body weight that will make her happier and healthier. She has a pretty large lipoma on her left shoulder. I can't tell if it is growing, or if it simply seems more apparent now that she has less fat covering it. Either way, it will be coming off in the near future. I am, for reasons that should be obvious, pretty gun shy about taking ... Read more »
I must have missed this kit at Michael’s
I will clarify and agree regarding yesterday's post that I am looking for web sites that help owners understand a vet's diagnosis and treatment plan, NOT ones that claim to make a diagnosis themselves. For every great site out there, there are four or five of these sort, which I link to only because it's the kind of thing that explains my awful teeth grinding habit: HOME PARVO TREATMENT, courtesy of the "Thrifty Fun" website. Yes, alongside articles about turning used toilet paper rolls ... Read more »
Behold the power of the internet
I love the internet. Trust me, I do. I find nothing wrong with a client who goes and pokes all over the net in search of information about their pet, because I do the same thing for myself. The internet is nothing short of miraculous in helping people become empowered. But. But.... (fade to black) The scene: A typical exam room, inhabited by a typical patient: a labrador with an ear infection. Me: Has Freddy had ear infections before? Client: Off and on for most of his life, ... Read more »
2010 Blogathon is ON!
For those of you who are new to the blog, let me 'splain a little pawcurious history: Last year as I was floating about on the internet, I happened upon Romeo the Cat's website and his staff's posting urging us to do something in honor of Animal Shelter Appreciation week, my first foray into Be the Change. I thought about it. I had one week to plan. I had no real well upon which to draw. All I know how to do is write (well, and spay and stuff but I figured that wasn't a great fundraiser.) ... Read more »
Genesis
When we last left this topic... I wrote to Mike Arms after the whole 'terror at the podium' thing, to ask him for his ideas about how we bloggers could help in the bigger picture to improve animal welfare. He was gracious enough to invite me to Helen Woodward for a tour, and then he got me lunch AND a drink. I mention that last part only because some of you were keeping tabs, so I had to make sure I let you all know he kept his word. ;) I didn't have to read the letter again, though he did ... Read more »
Pets for Patriots
One quiet Thursday afternoon, a young man in fatigues came running into the lobby, a beagle cradled in his arms. She was not in good shape. As it would turn out, Sandy had lymphoma. There was not much we could do, and the young man- a veteran of multiple tours of duty to Iraq and Afghanistan- made the difficult decision to euthanize her. Sensing the need for solitude, the staff cleared out of the room, leaving me alone with him and with Sandy. It was only then that he started to show his ... Read more »
John Paul Pet Product Review and giveaway
Winners: Annette, Keighter, and Shannon! I will get those out to you as soon as I have your mailing info (you can send it through the contact form). Hope you like them! I had big plans for this post, but with THUNDERSTORM 2010 looming down it kind of put a crimp in my idea. (Read: we get one thunderstorm every 24 months or so around here, and the county pretty much shuts down in mass panic, blackouts, that sort of thing.) So I thought I would keep it simple. As we learned in Wednesday's ... Read more »
Nulo Challenge: Skinny Jeans
I don't really know what the dog equivalent is of fitting in a pair of skinny jeans. They aren't vain that way. They lack the human tendencies to feel shame, thus have no issues with muffin top fear or the like. Either way, Koa has lost enough weight that people are starting to notice- which although she doesn't know it is a big milestone. Pets reap the benefits as much as anyone else of a healthy weight. Yesterday, I was watching Koa and Brody standing together and noticed how she is ... Read more »
Sometimes I forget I’m not like other people
Scene: Joann's fabric store. Dr. V on her lunch break, perusing fabrics for an upcoming very special crafting project. In the background, two 'normal' looking women pushing babies in carts. The carts are piled high with calico, fabrics with little kewpie dolls, and fuzzy velour. As Dr. V looks on, the two women begin arguing loudly over which gingham best matches the fabrics they're selected for their quilt/baby bedding/whatever. Woman 1: Excuse me, can you help settle an ... Read more »
Tails from the Vet Clinic: Paging Dr. Groomer
I can provide witnesses to this exchange. ... Read more »
