Meeting Pete The Vet at BlogPaws 2013

One of the most incredible moments of my life..
I know I will look back at Pawbly and say "I knew Pawbly would succeed the moment I looked into Pete the Vets eyes and saw him thinking about our platform and he knew we were onto something."
It might look like I am sitting here listening, but in reality I was jumping for joy!

Promotional shot for Pete.

There are moments in your life that you realize your path is about to meet a trajectory and head at light speed in a new direction. This is what I have been working for, striving for, and been stubbornly fighting for, for about two years. It has been a long road of brain storming, blogging, and speculating. I have loved every moment of it, knowing that someday things will?, might?, could? hit the fast track.

Seems the older I get the more I seek to lead a life of purpose, intention, and compassion. I have also realized that there are many wonderful people out in this pet loving world that I am incredibly inspired to join forces with and promote the mission of helping and saving pets.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to meet Pete The Vet. For those of you who aren't familiar with him he is from Ireland (oh, how I wish I could provide you with his drawl and strongly anchored home grown Irish accent so you could hear him say it  the way that I did) "EYE-RRRR-Lahnd." Always with a smile, he almost cannot talk without smiling, another characteristic of his genuine European charm.

He writes about his veterinary cases, his patients, his stories (oh, how lovely to have a colleague in my circle) and his mission is to provide as much good relevant medical knowledge to as many people as he can. Meeting him, realizing our common goal and recognizing that we can pool our resources, knowledge, and tools at hand to deliver this mission, well, it is kismet.

He uses Facebook to interact with people all over the world. His goal is simple; to help pets everywhere in the world.. He can be found at his Facebook page, or his website. He is an advocate for helping pets, helping people, and getting good information out in the world for everyone to utilize.

https://www.facebook.com/PeteTheVet

http://petethevet.com/wp/

He is also now available on http://www.pawbly.com/. We are Thrilled and Honored to have him to assist with helping pets and sharing his vision with us.

My new wish "may the road you follow always lead you in a direction that provides you with a sense of purpose and helps others."

To Pete I say a wholehearted "Thanks!" for putting a gale wind in my sails and for inspiring me to not be afraid to bite off more than a mouthful when it comes to helping pets.

Pete's books which are adorable and educational works of wit about lifetime of experiences in veterinary medicine.
Pete's books can be found at amazon.com or via the link directly to them below.
http://goo.gl/6Nf3G

To talk to Pete please visit us at http://www.pawbly.com/

Steve Dale, BlogPaws 2013

Steve Dale, CABC

The keynote speaker Steve Dale, CABC, columnist, blogger, and fellow pet advocate, gave the keynote address this morning to a packed ballroom and a feverishly excited bunch of pet loving people at the BlogPaws 2013 convention in Tyson's Corner, VA. He was energetic, engaging, and inspiring. How could you ask for more from a speaker,  especially at 8 am?

I walked away from his welcome knowing that I was exactly where I always wanted to be, in the middle of an ocean of animal lovers out to make the world better for all pets everywhere.

A big Thank-You from this veterinarian on behalf of all of the rest of us, to you! His lecture focused on pet care, the importance of good routine veterinary care, the gaps in providing that care despite the booming pet industry, and the obligation we pet bloggers have to remaining steadfast and united in our mission to be responsible and committed to pet care.

His lecture was informative and included many of the stats that we vets know because we live it and see it everyday. They included the following dismal facts;

• That veterinarians can do more for pets than ever before, but not if you don't bring them in.
• That half of all cats did not see a vet last year.
• That our pets are getting sicker before being brought in for care, including preventable disease illness.
• That internal parasites up 13%.
• That 24% of pet owners believe that routine check-ups are unnecessary.
• That flea infestations are worsening despite many of the flea and tick preventatives now being available over the counter.
• That vet visits are declining. he pondered why they are declining? Could it be because of the prevalence of internet information? Or because they should be down? Or because the power of the pet community is discouraging them?
• That 64% of dogs leave the vet with out heartworm prevention.
• That only 2% of lost cats are reunted because we don't microchip them.
• Heartworm disease in some states is about 10%.
• If your vet doesn't ask you about heartworm prevention then you should be asking them.
• That 23% of cats were taken into shelters in 2011, more than half all animals in shelters were cats, 48% of adoptions were cats, but based on how many more cats are brought to shelters than dogs the adoption rate for cats is extremely low. 4 out of 10 cats make it out of a shelter, 7 out of ten dogs.
• Only 39% cat owners only bring for vet, and they only bring them if they are sick. But, he queried, how do you know your cat is sick? especially when we know that cats can mask illness so well? Do you have a stethoscope at home?, or a blood machine?

"Cats get no respect," he said. It's true, we all know it, the statistics prove it, and this room has an enormous number of cat lovers who can help improve this.

He reminded me that the vet needs to ask the client about the other pets in the household. So that we don't neglect the cat too.

We vets need to go through the clients file, ask our clients, and help our clients understand that all of the pets need our services and assistance.

We all need to encourage more microchipping, especially in cats.

He remarked  that "food has become a religion and that this "creates division."

That the widespread speculation that the  FDA is not in bed with the pet food companies..but that people feel so passionately they will use any argument they can to promote their view.

He, like all of the veterinary nutritionists, discourages feeding raw food to pets.

He also reminded us that obesity is an epidemic where 52.5% of  dogs and 58.3% of cats, which is about the same as Americans. He reminded us that what we feed our pets is as important as and what we feed ourselves.

He said "we are a group of people who love pets, that is what motivates us, that is what unites us, and to be divided" only diminishes our purpose, obligation, and assistance to our pets.

I hope that we all remember why we are here, sharing our experiences, stories, passions, and efforts. We are such a strong voice, made stronger by our numbers, stronger by our publications that allow the whole world to see. It is an incredible gift, and obligation, and our calling.

To meet me, ask a pet question, or view our library of pet information please find me at
http://www.pawbly.com/

At BlogPaws 2013

The incredibly talented gracious and prolific pet blogger Lorie  Huston, DVM.
Author of the Pet Health Care Gazette.
http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/

I have found my calling!

I am at BlogPaws, in Tyson's Corner MD, at the pet blogging convention.

Currently I am at the discussion of Pet Bloggers vs Vets. Which I thought was so oddly appropriate. Me, the veterinarian who loves to blog about her own "real-life."

Are their different sides to this issue? What could this possibly be? What could the issues be?

I sit....and I wait....appears that there aren't any? Then why is this a topic for six speakers and a room full of bloggers?

Why would a pet blogger, who obviously loves their pets, and all pets, sooo much that they dedicate huge portions of their lives to sitting and writing about pets be at odds with a veterinarian? I was here sitting quietly to try to figure this out.

I sat, and I sat, and I sat.....

There were 6 panelists, 3 vets, vs. 3 bloggers. The vets were for the most part  rather reserved.The bloggers were writers of blogs that are being written and published simply to help people. They both write about disease, illness, rescues, and the pets they meet along the way.  But the bloggers seem to write for their audience and the vets appeared to write more for themselves. It gave me a moment of pause. What is my audience? What is my message? How accurately do I get this across? I didn't imagine there was a division before I walked into this room. But now as an observer I sort of understood it. I saw the division and I was saddened. Aren't we all here to help pets? Did any of us go to vet school so we could "cover our butts?"  I am the vet who wants to be the educator and the helping hand.

Here's what I realized. We all sat here in this small room and we all LOVE pets. Maybe not the same breed, (there are many people here who are breed specific, "I write about dachschunds," or "I write about cats," there are even "I write about guinea pigs" people), but they ALL are dedicated to helping pets and writing about their experiences. What an incredible place to be. Surrounded by people, and many of them toting their muses, who are as in love and dedicated to their loves as I am.

I am at my Woodstock, I am home.

One of the best parts about BlogPaws?
Is that pets are welcomed everywhere!

My posse; Joe, the dedicated husband, and Adam, my business partner.
I am the luckiest girl in the world to have such a dedicated pair!

This Devon Rex is ALL personality, (and not afraid of accessorize).

To learn more about Pawbly, or to ask me or any of our other advisors any sort of pet question please visit us at http://www.pawbly.com/