We Can't Make This Stuff Up!

It’s the last few days of May and I am finishing up the May 2012 Reader’s Digest article, “50 Secret’s Your Vet Won’t Tell You.”

This is my last installment, (I promise I am happier than you guys are). This is also my favorite section.

This section is entitled; “We Couldn’t Make This Up.”

Every veterinary staff member has a bunch of funny tales to tell about some of the cases that they have participated in. The weird cases with utterly unimaginable cascading series of events that somehow landed you and your pet in our office. We have seen and heard almost everything. I have to admit in many cases that I skip the story and just go right to the pet. (It's sometimes hard to focus if I dwell on your superfluous sequence of events. For example, what's the relevance of what you bought at the grocery store on your way home when you found your pet..etc..) For a good laugh, the next time you are at a party with anyone in the veterinary field ask them about their funniest stories, I promise they will have some.

These are the stories that were shared with Reader’s Digest. I will share some of mine here, and sprinkle some through my blog sporadically. The old saying “real-life is stranger than fiction,” is true.

“I once had a dog responsible for a divorce. The dog came in and had eaten something unusual. When we went to surgery, it turned out it was a pair of women’s underwear. The owner insisted she wanted the underwear back. We washed them and sent them home, and it turned out they didn’t belong to the lady. They belonged to her husband’s mistress.” Bernadine Cruz, DVM

I can’t tell you how many times we have surgically extracted “unmentionables” from the stomach and intestines of pets. Actually I should say dogs. I have seen some cats eat odd things, like hair elastics, pencil erasers, plants (fake ones), etc., but not underwear. Those dogs will eat some grotesque stuff. Poop, (cat in particular), must be the yummiest stuff on the planet? Yuck! We have removed tampons. Oh, yes, more than 1, I removed four the last time. The logistics of that boggle me a bit. Were their 4 women in that house? Or did that dog just stalk the waste bin for them? I have removed men’s and women’s underwear, socks, toys, tennis balls, rugs, towels, Nyla-bones, rawhides, hair, grass, gravel, stones, plastic, and coins. I think that dogs eat underwear, tampons, and other “smelly” stuff because they are very driven by their noses. So if it smells particularly aromatic my suggestion would be that you treat it they way all of us dog owners treat rotting food in our trash cans. Place these items in a very solid, safe, secure receptacle and make sure your pet can’t get access to it. What you and I think is gross to the point of being beyond palatable, your dog thinks is irresistible. But I also think many dogs ingest items because their chewing need/frustration turns into obsession. I really believe that these dogs are bored. So, if your pet has an "ingestion problem" think about getting them more active. My honest best piece of advice is to get another dog. Nothing distracts them like a puppy chewing on their ear, biting their tale, and jumping all over them.

 “A client came in with her poodle and warned us that the dog would bite. She said that it would often corner her in a room at home, too, and snarl and sometimes bite. I asked how she handled it, and she said, “Well, I started throwing food to get him away from me, and it worked. So now I keep snacks in every room just in case.’ ‘So…,’ I asked incredulously, ‘whenever he tries to attack you, you give him a treat?’ ‘Yes,’ she answered, ‘and it works everytime!’” Dennis Leon, DVM

I have discussed many times how important it is to get help if you even think that you have any small tiny behavioral problem. I am always perplexed how clients mis-understand what they are doing, and how they are training their pets to be "bad." That’s one of the biggest obstacles. Getting the clients to understand and recognize that their tactics to control the situation are often just re-enforcing the bad behavior. Get some help, from a respected, knowledgeable, trained, recommended trainer, (finding them on-line, and them getting their degree on-line should be a red flag). Then, if you still aren’t able to modify their behavior, or understand how you got your dog to where they are now, take a good long hard honest look in the mirror. Almost EVERY pet can be re-trained to be your perfect companion, but it takes work, patience, and admitting you are also a part of the problem.

“I had one client who got upset because her dog’s ear infection wasn’t getting better. It turned out she was putting the oral tablets in the ear canal. They were all stuffed in there. I wish I were making this up.” Rob Nathan DVM, a vet at Sharon Center Veterinary Hospital in medina Ohio.

I was once at a party with a human doctor and we were sharing our favorite stories. He told me that while he was in his residency at a state healthcare clinic in a very small coal-mining town in rural Kentucky that he had a patient who kept getting “accidentally pregnant.” After the second child was born, he sat the couple down to try to figure out why their prescription prophylactics weren’t working. Turns out the anti-spermicidal foam they were given was being orally taken by the husband.

I am a stickler for writing a very long, verbose, simply stated, clearly legible (computer only), label on ALL medications. I know from firsthand experience that if a medication can get screwed up, it probably will. I also know that people don’t use all the meds we give them; they ferret them away for the next illness, and then can’t remember if that ointment was for the ear or the eye? So every label says how to give it, how often to give it, how long to give it, where to give it, and what it is for. I also tell my clients when to stop using, what to watch out for, and what the product is. Too much information is better than too little.

And then when the medication seems to have failed we all get together and I have them demonstrate to me how, where, and when they used it.

I would say that the biggest mis-use of a product is the monthly flea and tick spot-ons. Many of these products need the natural oils in the skin to disperse the product over the entire body of the animal after they are applied to the skin, (NOT to the hair). Many of my clients will come in complaining that the product I sold them isn’t working because they see fleas or ticks on their pet’s days to weeks after they apply it. When we sit down to discuss it I find they are applying it right after they bathe their dog. When you bathe your dog you strip their skins natural oils, so I remind them that these products "like a dirty dog."

I welcome you sharing your favorite funny tales. Please share.

Readers's Digest May 2012, Vet Secret's

This is part 8 of the May 2012 article from the Reader's Digest, titled, "50 Secret's Your Vet Won't Tell You" by Michelle Crouch.

This section is called "What You Can Do."

Secret 44

"Yes, dog whisperer Cesar Millan has turned some aggressive dogs around, but-please-don't train your dog that way. Using aggressive tactics can cause serious behavior problems and may not be effective." A vet in Cal.

OK, here I go again being completely honest and knowing that some people, (my staff in particular), are not going to agree, or like, what I am about to say.

On the subject of Cesar Millan, he is viewed as a god-like entity at our practice. We actually have pictures of Cesar, I call them "little Cesar's," posted all over the place with hearts and sticky notes that read things like, "Tracy, you are my reason....," or "Cesar loves Micheley." He is our heart-throb poster pin-up boy. My staff has watched every episode, emulates every action, and I often find them huddled together swapping notes on a behavior case and using words like, "Well, I think Cesar would..." I have no place to supersede him, and his popularity has allowed many dogs to be seen as salvageable, and given many a four-legged (pit bull especially) a second, or third, or even fourth chance. I have seen his magic happen on his TV series and in my own clinic. BUT, I do think that the best way to train a dog is with kindness, respect, and patience. I don't necessarily adhere to the whole"pack mentality" behavior modification treatment plan. I think that overwhelmingly many of these dogs are mis-understood and we as humans are not trying to comprehend what they are trying to tell us. So if I have to pick a trainer to follow I would say I am a Victoria Stilwell follower, more than A Cesar follower. (Sorry guys).

My best advice is to get help for your dog if you even remotely think there might be a problem. I have found that many people disregard my advice when I tell them that I think their dog needs some behavior modification training. I think it is partly defensive on their part, and partly they excuse bad behavior by dismissing the vet staffs opinion because they think being afraid (or aggressive) at the vets is understandable.

I expect pets to be somewhat tentative in our office, but full blown snarling, and needing a muzzle is a big red flag in your face that your pet has some obedience issues.

Dismissing our recommendation because your pet is "never away from your home," and/or "never acts this way at home," is setting you both up for disaster down the road. Behavior problems, fears, anxieties, and aggression of any kind ALWAYS gets worse with time. So please address and deal with it the first moment you think there might be an issue.

Secret 45

"A lot of pet medications are available at human pharmacies  for lower prices than we charge. Walgreens even has a list of veterinary medicines for $4 per one-month dose. These are medicines that you would pay $20 to $30 for at your vet." Mei Mei Welker, DVM

This is true. We cannot compete with Wal-Mart, Walgreens, etc. We cannot in many cases even buy the product as cheaply as these big guys sell them for. But, that being said, you must understand that your veterinarian is trying to make their own businesses ends meet. And we are a business. If we reduced our prices for pharmacy items to match Walgreens (not that I even think this is possible without severely undercutting what we pay for them), we will have to increase prices elsewhere. I am not proposing that you do not inquire about your options, and we all understand that we are all on a budget, but please try not to be upset when you hear or see of a price difference. There is simply no way we could ever compete with these global super stores.


Secret 46

"Want to exercise your cat without getting off the couch? Get one of those little laser beams." Albert Ahn, DVM, a vet in Short Hills New Jersey

Cats love to chase a laser beam. They are widely available, cheap to buy, and will get your cat up, running, and stalking/hunting that ever elusive red light for hours. I fear that someday we will need psychotherapy for laser beam obsession?


Secret 47

"I know you mean well when you vigorously lather your dog with shampoo and then vigorously rub him dry with the towel, but that can jam hairs under the skin like little splinters and cause horrible infections that are very painful. It's especially a problem for short-coated dogs like Weimaraners, Boston terriers, pugs, Labs, and boxers." Nadine Znajda, DVM, a vet with BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa, Fla

I have not seen this happen, but it certainly can, and I bet it does. Please treat your pet the way you would like to be treated. If you think rubbing a towel hard enough to drive hair into your skin would be painful for you, it is painful for your pup.


Secret 48

"If the plaque sprays and dental water additives actually worked, none of us would be telling you to brush your pet's teeth." Dennis Leon, DVM

OK, think of it this way. Do you think that drinking mouthwash, or spraying mouthwash on your teeth would make your teeth feel as fresh and clean as a good brushing? Nope, it won't. Nothing even comes close (not even a tiny bit) to being as effective as brushing those teeth. And, just so we are all clear they need to be done at least 4 times a week.

I had a client last night who told me that she used to brush her dogs teeth, but gave it up a year ago, because she had replaced the daily brushing with daily Denta-Stixs. Unfortunately, the teeth were horrible and her dogs are now obese. So she only got a fat dog with still bad teeth. Not to mention how much money she sank into Denta-Stix?


Secret 49


"Take your cat to the vet in a plastic cat carrier with a removable top, and have your vet remove the lid for the exam. Your pet will feel more secure and be less likely to fight or flee." Mei Mei Welker, DVM

In the last ten years pet carriers have evolved significantly to be safer and easier to load an unload
your pets. For cats, I like the plastic clam shell carriers with the metal grate top that allows you to lower your pet into it, and also for us to open the hatch, and lift them out of it. Nothing is worse than having to stick your arm into a carrier where the cat is hiding and crouched into the tiniest ball in the deepest bowels of its carrier, giving you that low humm-growl that seems to crescendo as your arm plunges deeper. I usually opt out of the extracting unknown angry feline from said dark and safe carrier and opt for the try to dump now hissing and spitting cat onto the exam table instead. But in most cases these guys are also able to use their spideyman claws to cling to a seemingly ungrippable surface and hang upside down from inside of their carrier.

Worst of all are the owners (no doubt trying to instill "calm" (but we all know this ain't gonna happen, your upset cat will NEVER listen to reason)) tries to remove their cat from its' carrier and gets mauled. It has happened to us all. We really don't want you to get hurt in our hospital, and we really do believe you when you protest "that Fluffy is an absolutely delight fully affectionate cat outside of our office."

Your cat will be happiest with a crate you can lower them into, close them securely inside of, and then place a sheet or towel on top of. The carrier should only be about twice the size of your pet and no more. They actually feel safer in dark, quiet, claustrophobic places. That's why they run and hide in a tiny corner of your closet when they get scared. The quieter and darker that carrier; is the calmer they are.

And during that car ride to our office I would suggest that you keep the radio off, don't talk to them, and for god sakes NEVER EVER open the carrier. Your cat can flee to under your brake pedal after thrashing your face to bits in the frenzy to find cover and then neither one of you is going to arrive safely.

Lastly, if your pet has made hamburger meat out of some veterinary staffs arm already in the past, please give us a little heads up before we approach your pet. I always say "thanks for the advance notice," when an owner confesses to me that their pet isn't their usual collected self in our office.

On the subject of willing patients; I have a few patients who are much easier to examine when their owners are not present. I have a few German Shepherd's, Rotties, and Dobermans who are so protective of their owners that I always ask them to leave examination room after passing the leash to me on the way out. It seems once their owners step out of the room they don't feel that they have to protect anyone so they settle down. Either that, or these guys think that they can get away with bad manners in front of their owners and quickly realize we won't allow the rude snarling here. We are never ever mean or harsh, but we are always
stern, direct, and very observant. We have been trained to recognize fear, insecurity, anxiety, etc, and we know that these are likely to turn into aggression, so we are prepared at all times for it.


Secret 50

"If you live in a one-bedroom apartment with no patio and minimal space, and you're gone ten hours a day at your job, a 100-pound Great Dane may not be the best choice for you? Maybe start with a goldfish?" Amber Anderson, DVM

OK, a very big dog, does need more room than a very small dog, granted. BUT, a Great Dane is actually a pretty calm laid back breed of dog. I think it is crazy to get a border collie unless you live on a farm, or run 4 miles, or more, a day. I also think that a Lab, or anything with an -oodle on the end of their name has a very high energy need. So apartment dwellers out there try a cat, a small (mute) bird, turtle, reptile, etc. For those of you with yards and the ability to play for hours with your dog something middle sized is better.

As a good rule when you visit to adopt your pet; pay attention to how fast their tail is wagging. The slow waggers are often the quietest, the tails that you cannot identify other then as a flash of fur need a farm a job, and you will be expected to keep them exercised to the point of them being worn out, (so they sleep) when they get home. If you are finding that your walk or play time ends with him still in the house jumping, barking, chewing, chasing, tugging, etc, head back outside because your work isn't done yet. A quiet, tired puppy is a happy puppy!

Part 4, Reader's Digest May 2012 Article, "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"

Part 4 of the May 2012 Reader's Digest Article, "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You," by Michelle Crouch.

"Secret's" 16 through 21. This section is titled “What We’re Doing”

Number 16

“Sometimes we do things for free, just because we want to help the pet.” Sandy Willis, DVM, DACVIM, an internal medicine consult in Seattle WA.

I REALLY need to send this woman a card. Is there another vet out there with as weak a heart as me?

Actually on this topic I just talked to Dr. Leasure at VOSM. He is doing a femur fracture repair for one of my clients (I will write Ophelia’s story soon) at a lower cost (Chris please don’t kill me for admitting this), because the client is soo in love with his Ophelia and he wants her leg to be fixed by a professional but he cannot afford the cadillac fix. So Chris's heart, just like mine, and many other vets, is torn between trying to help our patients and clients by providing services more affordably and running a profitably (gasp) vet practice. Often this means some stuff is given away to our clients for “free”. It is hard to run a veterinary clinic as a business (ask my husband). I absolutely cannot run JVC like I would a clothing store. If you couldn’t afford the dress you really wanted I would tell you that I have some other more affordable dresses you could look at but I wouldn’t lower the price. Does anyone go to the grocery store and ask for a “discount”? I get asked for this everyday..(it makes me a little annoyed). I would much rather be told, “hey doc I have limited resources can we start at the conservative side?”

Anyone have any great ideas for me to not get cold hearted, jaded, or bitterly annoyed and not be giving discounts or free services everyday? Yeah, I don’t have any good ideas either.

Number 17

“New staff or training students sometimes practice injections or catheter placements on your pet. If you'd rather not allow your pet to be used in this way, make sure you say something beforehand.” Oscar Chavez, DVM

OK, here’s where my honesty comes shining through. I will tell you that you absolutely need to be at a veterinary hospital where you trust the staff and mission behind the hospitals name plate. It would be unfeasible for us to run a hospital without training our staff. One of the things I take the most pride in at JVC is that EVERY technician at my clinic can place a catheter AND give an injection. Every technician (and veterinarian for that matter) had to learn this. It takes practice. I let my staff practice on my pets and I let them practice and encourage them to practice until they feel confident doing it. BUT, they do not practice on sick pets. And if anyone is having a tough time placing a catheter, which happens to ALL of us, we swap out and let another person try. Asking me to not let your pet be used for training my staff says to me, “I don’t trust your staff." I will reply to you that, “I understand how much you care about your pet, and I will do everything to make sure your pet is treated with the utmost care and concern.” There is no “untrained” staff at my clinic. We are ALL "in-training" everyday. Medicine is a lifelong learning process. (In fact as I write this I am at the CVC Veterinary Conference in Wash DC, learning about all sorts of things. Those blogs to follow).

Number 18

“I’ll let you in on the secret of no-kill shelters: We had a contract with our local Humane Society that stated we’d euthanize the animals in their care that needed to be put down. One Sunday, they sent us 72 cats to put down. By the end, we were all emotionally devastated.” Jessica Stout-Harris.

I know no one wants to hear this. But here is the truth. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NO-KILL SHELTER. Some are much closer than others, but no one is no-kill. If they say they are no kill then they are turning people away at the front gate to preserve their statistics. Which means these pets are instead being dumped at the city/county/public shelters where some of them have kill rates of 90% plus. If you dump your pet, (for whatever reason you think is justifiable) there is a VERY good chance they will be euthanized, and you are responsible for the death of that pet, the blood is on your hands. 

There is a terrible problem with pet overpopulation in this country. Pets are a life-long commitment that requires time, patience, emotional and financial responsibility. Please don’t enter into it lightly because the consequences can be devastating.

Number 19

“Behavior issues are the number 1 cause of pet re-homing, euthanasia, and death. Yet because it’s not medical, most of us don’t learn much about it in veterinary school.” Oscar Chavez , DVM

This is a true statement. Behavior medicine has blossomed to become its own specialty in the last decade or so. We have two behaviorists on staff at JVC and they get referrals daily from the rest of our staff. I have seen 3 month old puppies come in for their puppy shots already growling and biting. These guys scare the Dickens out of me. They need immediate intervention. I always recommend puppy classes to my clients, regardless of how many puppies that have had previously. We all need re-fresher parenting classes, and it is a great way to spend some real quality time with your pet and to get them socialized. I have had to euthanize countless pets because of behavior issues. It is the reason JVC has 5 cats, and 2 dogs looking for homes right now.

Number 20

“Your vet may not have gotten into vet school! Vets who can’t get into traditional U.S. veterinary programs due to bad grades and poor test scores often go to for-profit schools in the Caribbean, where, basically, if you can pay the tuition, you can get in.” A vet in Cal.

This is the first question I was asked when the client came in the other day to interview me. I was a little blown away. It is true there are many vet schools setting up outside of the United States. These schools market themselves as being "available to anyone who wants to be a vet." The criteria to get in to them is much different than the U.S. schools. I have seen both very poor veterinarians and exceptional vets come out of these "abroad" chools. Because of this I cannot say that you should cast a disapproving eye on them. Vet school, and the life you lead after it, are what separate the good from the bad vets, and even that is in the eye of the beholder. I went to Virginia-Maryland Regional college of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, VA and I do believe I received a first rate education. But it was very hard to get into. If I had a more difficult time, and if I could have afforded it, (which I don’t think I ever could have) I probably would have gone abroad. I was that determined to go.

Oh, here’s a question for you? I have often wondered if “anonymous” is synonymous with “cowardly”? I think if you believe something enough to say it and have it published you should stand behind it. We are all entitled to our opinions but are we all to afraid to voice them?

And, for the record, as my interviewer was told, "all of the vets at JVC went to U.S. schools."

Number 21

“No regulation says vets have to check certain lists before they euthanize an animal, and lots of vets still do convenience euthanasia for owners who prefer the easy way out. We see a lot of euthanasia in November and December, for example, just because people are getting ready for the holidays. I refuse to do it.” Oscar Chavez, DVM

This is another sad but true statement. I have also been faced with these clients. But the discussion needs to be pursued a little further. 

What is going to happen to that pet if I don’t euthanize it?

Where is it going to go?

What is going to happen to it?

Before I flat out refuse to euthanize a pet that the owner clearly doesn’t want anymore I need to think about that pet. I have heard owners tell me “that if I don’t do it they will find someone who will!” Also a true statement. Or even worse I have had owners tell me, “if you don’t euthanize her now I will take her home and shoot her.” To that I respond, "that “shooting your pet is not a legal acceptable form of euthanasia and it is reportable and punishable by law.” Which always makes me feel a little better to say, but doesn’t make anything better for that pet.

I also know that if that pet is brought to the shelter the shelter staff (who are for the most part untrained, and definitely NOT veterinarians), will have to do it. As much as I am angered by the situation when it arises it isn’t right to send a pet to be killed by people who aren't trained and don't have sedation, etc. readily at their disposal. At least in my hands I can sedate the pet and make it a gentle stress-free event where the pet is told that someone is sorry, loves them, and that are a "good girl."

After that explanation it makes it sound like I do perfom these “convenience" euthanasia’s, which, in reality, I also refuse to do. If there is anyway I think I can treat this pet, or re-home it, I will not euthanize it. And if there is any way I can work with an owner to treat a pet I will talk until I am blue, and then resort to begging.

For assistance with any behavioral problems go to your vet and ask for help. If they are not trained in behavior ask for a referral. Please be careful if you are searching for a behaviorist on the internet. There are a HUGE number of people proclaiming themselves to be “experts” because they are big fans of Cesar Milan, and “have watched every episode”. Behavior modification needs a lot of time, patience and dedication, and absolutely no hard, harsh, mean or abusive treatment on your part. Sometimes it also needs medication to treat. This can only come from a licensed veterinarian.

 If you would like to make an appointment with one of our staff behaviorists, or if you want to meet our staff, or our pets, please visit www.jarrettsvillevet.com

More “secrets” to follow…stay tuned.

Reader's Digest May 2012 article

Part 3 of the Reader’s Digest May article, “50 Secret’s Your Vet Won’t Tell You.”

This section is entitled “What We’re Doing”

Number 11

“A lot of veterinarians have told me matter-of-factly that they still don’t use pain killers for procedures that they know are painful. They think that dogs and cats don’t need it, or that feeling pain after surgery is good because it keeps them from moving around too much. But research has shown that pets who are in less pain heal faster, sleep better, and don’t move around as much.” Dennis Leon, DVM, director at Levittown Animal Hospital in Long Island NY

 OK, I know that none of you want to believe this, but pain medication and the whole idea of analgesia is a relatively new, novel, and for some vets, a radical concept. For those of you who price shop for your pets services this is often a missed item that you definitely want to know about when you think you are comparing a spay (for example) at two different vet hospitals. Some pain medications (especially the injectable NSAID’s are expensive, (at our clinic a 50 pound dog who needs a 24 hour dose of an injectable NSAID will cost about $40), so you want to know if this is included in your spay price and if not how can you make sure your pet has some pain medication provided. At my clinic I am always happy to sit down and explain to clients what they need to inquire about and what questions are very important to have answers to. Never forget the cardinal rule, “you get what you pay for.” At Jarrettsville Vet Center we give an injectable 24 hour dose of an NSAID, and then four days of this medication to take home after every dog spay. I want my clients to have something at home so that if their pet wakes up at 3 am screaming in pain that you have something to give them. (Haven’t you ever woken up at 3 am and needed an ibuprofen?)

If you get an invoice from your clinic and a pain medication isn’t listed I suggest you ask your vet why?

I will admit that I do not over medicate cats. This is a learned decision for me. I have had some cats get “soo pain free” that their original injury was made far worse because they decided they were well enough to try to bust out of their cage. I don’t want a painful cat I want a rested, calm, healing cat.

Also some cats seem to get dysphoric on opioids. This means they get vocal and act a little drugged. I always want to mention this to owners and sometimes we slow down on the pain meds.

Number 12

“At a veterinary meeting I attended, it came to light that more than half of the vets there had not licensed their dogs, which is required by law.” Patty Khuly, VMD

We, as vets are responsible to be good examples to our clients and our communities. Why wouldn’t you license your dog?

Number 13

“You should never give pets chocolate, because its toxic to most of them. But my cat is obsessed with it and is all over me when I’m eating it, so sometimes I give her a sliver. Just an itsy-bitsy, tiny one.” A vet in Cal.

OH MY GOD! This is a confession for your priest, not Reader’s Digest. Shut up! Don’t tell clients that we say one thing and then we do another. Think of the anarchy that could ensue? Think of the dying choco-holic kitties?

Number 14

“Every time we help a pet, we help a person. The classic example is the 80-year-old grandma who has nothing left in life but her cat. She’s a widow with very limited social contact, and the cat is what connects her to life. So when we help her cat, she’s really the one we are helping.” Phil Zimmerman, DVM

IS there really anything I can add to this?

Number 15

“When people surrender their pets because they can’t afford their problems, I often end up with them. I’ve got a three legged cat, a one eyed cat, three dogs that required major surgeries, one goat, and 11 chickens.” Sandy Willis, DVM, DACVIM, an internal medicine consultant in Seattle WA.

I am going to send Sandy a note telling her how happy I am to know that I am not alone! A goat? How does an internal medicine vet end up with a goat? I bet there is a great story there?

OK, here I go, dancing on the border of pissing vets off. Here’s my “secret” hint; if your vets office doesn’t have a clinic cat, or, your vet doesn’t have pets of their own, it might be time to see if they have lost their compassion? I once worked at a vet clinic where the vet would randomly euthanize the “house” cats, to teach the staff a lesson. He would let us try to save and re-home a cat, or sometimes a dog, but then would decide they were “too expensive to feed” any longer. He broke our hearts. The staff secretly hated him and we all left. If you take away your staffs empathy and compassion you take away the heart of your clinic, and nothing, seriously, no dollar figure in the world is worth that.

My clinic has a whole slew of pets that came in the door to be euthanized for various reasons. All of our guys were treated and are now up for adoption. (OH, please see our website! Wouldn’t you love a Staffie Bull terrier? He is as cute as a button?) www.jarrettsvillevet.com

Just in case you don't visit our website..Here are some of our amazing pets.

Meet Lobo.

Meet Tink. Our favorite, the sweetest girl in the WHOLE world!

More “secrets” to follow…stay tuned.

Part Two "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"

This is the second part of the May Reader's Digest article, "50 Secret's Your Vet Won't Tell You."

I wanted to go through the article and give each "secret" my own take on it.

I thought the article was very good overall. I think that there are also a few items that were missed. I thought that going through each secret and giving you the real inside reason, or explaining the secret would help. Because in typical Reader's Digest fashion the articles are short and to the point..But there is too much left out for me to feel comfortable with just listing them.

Number 6

"We're a vet hospital, not a dog hotel. People will get upset because their dog got a sheet instead of two fluffy blankets or because their dog didn't get hand-fed. We're just trying to get your dog better so he can come home and you can spoil him." Jessica Stout-Harris, a vet tech who runs confessionsfromtheanimalshelter.com

To this I respond; a hospital is a hospital. Dog or human. It is very important that our patients and clients feel comfortable while in our care. People are often upset because they are worried and stressed. So often it's not really about the blanket, it's about the disease. Clients want to feel that we value their pet as much as they do. I bet it is the same when your family member is in the hospital? We are all advocates for our sick family members when they are in the hospital and voicing a concern is an expected and acceptable response to leaving a pet in our care. And hand feeding is often a necessary and required action to encourage these guys to eat. We always encourage family members to come visit their pets and we want them to be as actively engaged in the healing process as possible. We also encourage them to fluff pillows, supply blankets, walk, and hand feed their pets.

I remind my staff that the doting parents might be a little annoying, as I am sure they would be if their child was in the hospital, but how many owners do we see that don't care at all? If I have to chose an owner it's ALWAYS the doting and demanding ones.

Number 7

"Here's a pet peeve: owners who don't want to pay for diagnostic tests but then cop an attitude because you don't know whats wrong with the animal. Since you wouldn't let me do the blood work or X-rays, how the heck do you expect me to know?" A vet in So Carolina

Goodness! Can I ever identify with this one. I can't even classify this as a pet peeve. I need to categorize it as one of the "most stressful parts of my job." It is very difficult to diagnose a pet when you cannot use many, or any, of the tools available to you in your tool kit. I can give you a list of possible diagnoses, but the list will be longer and longer as the tools available to me to figure out the puzzle of your pets ailments gets shorter and shorter. Imagine if you went to your doctor, you couldn't speak to them (because you are an animal and I don't speak dog or cat) and then they couldn't run any tests on you? What do you expect would happen? Well, there is a much higher chance that you would stay feeling sick longer and a much lower chance that they would be able to identify the cause of your illness. If you don't get a diagnosis it is very hard to start a treatment plan. Which further reduces your chances of recovery.

Now I understand that many of us live on budgets, and that these budgets have gotten tighter for many of us in the last few years. But if you ask me to play it very conservatively to begin with there is a much greater chance we will loose precious time, and even have to repeat much of the diagnostics we have done previously to get a more full picture if you decide to pursue this disease process later.

Number 8

"If you're visiting your pet in the hospital, and we say something along the lines of 'OK, it's time to let Fluffy sleep now,' often what we really mean is that you're in our way, and we're trying to treat other patients." Jessica Stout-Harris

OK, this seems to be deceitful and ridiculous to me. If you are concerned about not being able to adequately care for a patient then you politely tell the owner that you are going to do your best to take good care of their pet so they can go home with you as soon as possible. If we know the client wants and needs some alone time and the patient is stable enough to do so, we put them in a quiet private place to spend some time together.

If the patient isn't stable enough we assure the owners that we will do everything we can, and that we will notify them immediately if anything changes.

This job is all about trust. Without that there is no need to be a great vet, no matter how incredible your skills are trust keeps your patients and clients coming back.

If a client even gets a whiff of deceit, even in the tiniest forms like, "what we really mean is..." they will find someone they do trust and your skills that you spent countless hours earning, honing and practicing are worthless.


Number 9

"I understand the value of dog parks, but I personally wouldn't take my dog there. We see alot of dogs who were injured at dog parks." Rachel Simpson, a vet tech at Adobe Animal Hospital in Los Altos, Ca

I live in a rural area. We are lucky to have state parks, huge open areas, farms galore, and few townhouses or apartments. It is a dogs paradise around here.But for those of you who don't live in the country dog parks are a vital, necessary and absolutely essential part to raising a well rounded happy puppy or dog. Raising a dog is much like raising a child. They need lots of exercise, playmates, and friends to learn most of their grown up skills. In many ways the dog park is like the play ground. It requires that you keep a protective watchful eye over your kids and protect them if needed. It also means that if your kid turns out to be the bully you get help in teaching them how to become a respectful member of society.


Number 10

"Every time I save a life, every time I fix a patient, that makes everything worth it. And I love it when a client says, "I wish my physician would treat me as nice as you treat my pets." Phil Zimmerman, DVM

I treat every pet as if they were my own. I also expect my physician to treat me like I am as valuable as his family member. I tell my clients that it is an honor to be their vet, and it is an honor I try to earn everyday. I have also gone through the same process with my own physician. (In fact as of 2012 my husband and I have not only switched our health insurance we have switched our general practitioner. It was a pain in the butt, but worth it. We have benefited immensely from that decision. There is a reason JHU is the best in the world, just ask me). Find a vet, vet tech, doctor, and hospital you trust and love and then let them know how much you value them.

Your health care is your responsibility, be an active diligent and demanding participant in it. Its really all up to you.

The First 5 "Secrets"

 

 

 

This is my take on the May edition of Reader's Digest article titled, "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You."

The article is divided into sections.

The first is "What We're Thinking".

Number 1

"People always ask, 'How do you handle pit bulls and rottweillers and big German shepherds?'
The truth is, the dogs that scare me the most are the little Chihuahuas. They're much more likely to bite." Mark Howes, DVM, owner and medical director of Berglund Animal Hospital in Evanston, Ill.

OK, to this I say, "Yes, very true." The little dogs are more likely to bite. They also give you less warning. Almost every fearful small dog says they hate you with teeth.

Most larger dogs are better at giving you very clear definitive clues that they are uncomfortable around you. Also, many times it is harder to get a muzzle on a small dog, especially the brachycephalics. And then there is the whole fear of proptosing (medical jargon for the eye literally pops out of its socket) an eyeball..It happens, and it is terrifying.

But if I have to choose between equally angry dogs I will take smaller than larger. I have seen five of us pile ontop of a dog losing his mind and still felt that the odds were not in our favor of maintaining control of this beast. A little dog can always be scooped up with something, (like a towel), and put into a cage or a carrier to allow him to simmer down and finish his spitting profanities at us. I have had to sedate a big shepherd with enough tranquilizers to make a charging herd of wildebeests sleep for a week. Only to find that  he can, and does, still come at me when I get within 12 inches of his face, or feet. (God, I have spent hours doing a nail trim on a bad dog that needed sedation).

Number 2

"We know when you're twisting the facts. If your dog has a five pound tumor hanging from his skin, please don't tell me it wasn't there yesterday." Phil Zeltzman, DVM

I will add to this; if you do tell me that it wasn't there yesterday, I am going to ask you "when the last time that you paid attention to your dog was?" I have had clients tell me that their "dog lives outside and they hadn't checked on them in weeks." (Yes, there are times I want to scream. That's why I blog..OK, slightly just kidding).

Number 3

"Most hospitals keep comprehensive records of behavior-of both your pet and you! If you are aggressive to the staff, you will be treated differently." Oscar Chavez, DVM

I actually wrote a blog about this. But my staff got so upset at me that I was being too brutally honest, and I told the truth, (which I think is appropriate if your blog is titled, "Real-Life") that I pulled it. (Someday I will get the courage back to re-post it).
I will also add that my staff has a memory like an elephant. They remember every aspect of almost every pet and owner. If you lie to them, yell, or (god forbid) swear, or disrespect them, they will remember. AND, if you say something to them and then something completely different to me, they will bring it to my attention and we Vets will believe the people we spend 40 hours a week with, our staff.

Veterinarians and veterinary staff have devoted their lives to taking care of your pet. We are in most cases significantly underpaid for the amount of school and training we have to have to work in this profession. This job is for most of us a labor of love. We all have bad days, but please always be nice to us. We will be nice to you, and more importantly, your pet in return.

Number 4

"Looking for a way to say thank you to your vet? Last year, one pet owner gave us a check for $100, saying we could use it at our discretion for an animal in need. That was a wonderful gift." Patty Khuly, VMD


Here at Jarrettsville Vet, we have the most incredibly wonderful, generous, and kind clients. I have had clients donate items for us to raffle off for our "pets in need fund." I have also had countless clients buy these raffle tickets. I have clients volunteer to help walk dogs, pet our clinic cats, donate food, blankets, towels, time and resources. I am amazed everyday that we are surrounded by so many outstanding compassionate people. I really believe that it is a direct reflection of what we give to our community.

When a clients cat came in with a blood pressure of over 250 I called another client who has their cat on blood pressure medicine and asked her if we could borrow some for our new patient who needed it ASAP. I told her that I had ordered some but it wouldn't be here until tomorrow afternoon. She immediately got in her car and drove us down a weeks worth. There isn't a day that we don't have clients bringing us bagels, cake, cookies, cards, or helping to pass out flyers of our "up for adoption" pets. There may be a few reasons I want to scream everyday, but there are a million more that I am forever grateful to have known the people that I get to see and become parts of each other's families because of JVC.

Number 5

"The reason your pet is fat is because you are fat too. I would never say that to someone in an exam room, but the fact of the matter is, if you have an owner who overeats and is inactive, they are very likely to have an obese pet." Oscar Chavez, DVM

How many times have I said this before. (Hint; see all of my Biggest Loser blogs).

It is a difficult task to get an owner to acknowledge that their pet is fat, and then admit that they are responsible for it. It is even harder to get everyone in the household to join forces to get healthier together. I have seen some families start walking and eating better simply because they love their pet so much. It wasn't enough of an incentive for them to live longer, feel better, and be healthier for themselves, but it was when it was for their dog.

Hey, whatever it takes.

More to come tomorrow.

WHAT? You Need A New Vet? A Pet Parents Guide To Making A Hard Decision Easier.

I suppose there are a few justifiable reasons why I would lose a client; moving, specialty referral, or you decide to get a pet Boa Constrictor (I don't do snakes).

But admittedly, I am not the perfect vet for every client. I have learned to accept this. Every vet  has their own areas of interest, strengths, and limitations. Trying to be everything to everyone is not possible.

I have clients tell me that they are moving, and regrettably, need to find a new vet closer to their new home. I too have had the unfortunate task of driving my kitties to the Vet. I too hate hearing their incessant pleadings to be "let out of the torture chamber!" I too empathize with having my cat stuck in the carrier in the car, screaming those blood curdling, gurgling, guttural green-mile desperate calls. Only to be followed by vomiting and blow-out diarrhea. I know taking your pet to the Vet can be very stressful on everyone involved. I know we all try to make that trip as short as possible. I wouldn't want to drive my cats an hour away for their routine Vet visits, so sometimes it is necessary to say goodbye to one vet and start a search for another.

In my life before I was a Vet, when I had just moved to Blacksburg, Va. I went to three different vets before I found one that I both liked and trusted. I started my search in the phone book, (ah, the good ole days of phone books), and found a vet 2 miles from my house. I made my first appointment with him. It was a small single doctor practice. When I arrived with my cat I was put in a tiny closet sized exam room, "Very homey," I thought, "but that's OK." When the vet started his exam he started by picking up my small 6 pound cat and then they both got on the scale together. OK, this was a problem. How can you get an accurate weight this way? I mean what if he just had an especially big lunch? Or what if my cat lost a half a pound, (this is significant if you only weigh 6 pounds), and you take her half pound because you just ate 2 double whoppers? This guy was out. He was a cheap, old-timer, BUT, I had high standards and my cats were very, very, important to me.

Back to the phone book.

Vet number two had a nicer practice. Well, not by leaps or bounds, but, nicer. When I arrived there were about a dozen people in his reception area. "OK!" good sign! He is popular! People like him! I had come to inquire about some motion sickness medicine for one of my cats that I wanted to bring to see him. Belle got terribly car sick every time she went anywhere. I remember one time she had diarrhea all over my boyfriend in the exam room. He was NOT happy. Lesson learned; Always keep your cat in the carrier! Until the vet takes them out.

As I inquired about some sedation for my cat, the receptionist said to me, "Hold on honey, I'll be right back." A few minutes later she came back to me and said, "Here you go, give this to your cat and then come on in." I was pretty sure she had done the prescription herself because I had seen the vet go into an exam room and I know she didn't go in to ask him. But the real icing on the cake was when she checked me out and said, "$1.13, Honey."

"What!, a dollar?" I said. Now I knew why the reception area was so busy.

"Please tell the vet that he is part of the reason this profession is stuck in the dark ages. How am I ever going to pay back my student loans from vet school when other vets charge a dollar for a prescription?!"

She had no idea what hit her, and I was sort of a little taken back by my own vigorous reply. I never went back. I was a little embarrassed, and I didn't want my kitties to be getting anesthetized by a rag soaked in ether.

My third attempt was a whole 35 minutes away from my home. I actually passed 4 other vets to get to them. I decided on this clinic because they were open 7 days a week, (big sigh of relief for me, I always seemed to need them Sunday mornings), and had 5 doctors on staff. The clinic was always clean, smelled clean, and they had 4 clinic cats that littered the front desk like old fat men at a brothel.

So I know first hand how hard and tedious it can be to find just the perfect match for not only you, but your pets.

On Wednesday afternoon one of my technicians came to me saying that there was "an appointment here who wanted to interview me."

OK, I had never heard this one before. I stopped and looked at them quizzically. "Umm... What?"

She replied. "There is a women in Room 2 who made an appointment to interview the doctors because she needs a new vet. But she wants to interview the clinics first."

"OK," I said very enthusiastically.

I went into the exam room and said "Hello."

I was greeted with a firm handshake from a well dressed middle aged woman holding three large binders.

Maybe my technician confused "client" with "reporter" I thought?

She introduced herself and said, "After many years I am in the market for a new vet because my old vet only works fours hours a week now. He is moving towards retirement. He is now in his eighties."

"Good for him," I responded. (OMG, 80's?).

"Do you mind if I ask where you live?" I said.

"I live in Delta."

"I do too, I just think it is helpful to start looking close to home." She nodded in agreement.

She then pulled a magazine out of one of her binders. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I just read this article in the Reader's Digest."

She handed me the copy. The article was entitled "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You."

So began the interview.

I picked up my own copy of the Reader's Digest the next day. I was happy to see that each of the 50 "Secrets" were submitted by veterinarians. It's actually a very good article. I would suggest you all query your vet about it. Many of these "Secrets" will tell you a lot about your vet and the practice you are supporting. But many of these "secrets" don't have cut and dry answers.

I didn't charge her for the interview. It was too entertaining and it appeared to me that this woman loves her pets, wants the best for them, and she is on a very tight budget.

I'll let you know if I ever see her again.

I think I am going to blog on every one of these "Secrets".


A great article on how this fellow blogger dealt with having to find a new Vet.
http://consciouscat.net/2010/09/27/adventures-in-veterinary-medicine-finding-a-new-vet/