The Year Of Year Around Care, Transparency, and Accessibility. How Jarrettsville Vet Will Redefine Exceptional Patient Care.

2016 was a banner year for us at Jarrettsville Vet. It was really the first year we started to both think and act way outside of the traditional veterinary clinic box.

We were always a little different. Something I embraced a long time ago. I wasn't cut from the cloth of everyone else and I have learned the very hard and painful way that I could be exactly who I felt compelled to be without fear of castigation and shame as long as I stayed true to who I had always dreamt I wanted to be. At some point you grow out of the ability to force yourself into a mold you foolishly think others believe you should fit into. It is a combination of maturity meets exhaustion when you just cannot be at peace with yourself any longer. Last year was the year I really gave up trying to do anything else except help animals. Last year was a banner year because of this. All of that sweating the small stuff of being responsible for payroll, bills, and overhead gets, well,,, old. It inhibits your freedom to be creative, to live beyond possessions and when you are a dreamer at heart it is a parasite on your vision.

In 2016 we helped rescue, tame, care for, vaccinate, spay/neuter and find amazing homes for over 60 cats. We also helped about a dozen dogs. It was a sincere pleasure and delight to see emaciated, frightened parasite and disease ridden skeletons blossom into jubilant healthy joyful love bugs, and then head off into a life of their own. It happened over, and over, and over. So much so that many of us actually didn't recognize them when they returned to be spayed and neutered. 

We also opened the kennel up to any pet who needed shelter on the hottest, or, coldest days of the year. We helped feral cats in snow storms, homeless pets from freezing in cars, and even a chicken who forgot to shed feathers in the Spring versus the Fall. Did the pragmatic vet in me whisper about fear of staff being bitten by unknown pets? Yes. Did I worry about giving up paid tenant space to a poor homeless kid? Yes. Did I secretly fear that some random uncared for pet might cause a disease outbreak? Sure I did. But at the end of the day, and at the closure of 2016, I know that my heart, and the hearts of the staff who work so hard to help every pet we take care of, believe the purpose of JVC is to "always be kind." We live it.

This year also marked the beginning of our JVC Food Pantry. The simple extension of providing vet care and shelter without cost to those who need it, also now extends to feeding those who do not have the means to buy food. 

We also had a work shop day to make outdoor cat shelters. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our friends at Gemmill Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning we made a dozen  cat houses (that got snatched up in less than 24 hours) for the cats who do not have a warm inside bed to share with their humans. The shelters were offered to anyone who needed them for the suggested donation cost of $7.00. We provided them for free if this was not affordable. (PS please visit the Gemmill's and send a big Thank You!). It was such a resounding success that we are doing it again this Thursday.

This year our Spring Yard Sale was a huge success too! We raised about $2,000 from vendor donations and friends who donated every thing imaginable. Our Pets With Santa also raised about $2500 for the Good Sam Fund. Two fundraisers provided food, lodging, feral cat care, homeless pet assistance, and a litany of good deeds.

Did I ever imagine that every single pet need would be covered by our community pitching in to help? Well, it far surpassed my wildest dreams! I thought I would just end up doing a whole lot of pro bono work to fulfill the presumed endless need, but, it turned out the outpouring of support far outnumbered the need.

Simple things like posting our Price Guide. Putting our transparency where our mouth is provided proof that we have no hidden agenda other than to be the place that your pet is provided the best care at the most affordable prices. It is what I would want if I was the person sitting and waiting in the exam room. I would want to know that my worries would be treated with respect, fairness and dignity. There are endless options as long as the team approach remains focused on helping your pet. Where there is love there are options to help preserve and protect this bond.

So what is new for us in 2017? Well there is a lot!

We are going to be offering Pet Savings Plans to help spread out the yearly costs of pet care. We are going to provide options to preventatives. You can choose the "Easy Preventative Plan" the "Most Affordable Preventative Plan" or, the "Preferred Preventative Plan". We will even send you reminders for them, AND, we will show you what the online pharmacy charge for the same preventative is. (Look out Progressive Insurance,, Move over Flo!)

We are offering new services, new client options for goods and services and we are going to do it with credibility and integrity. The heart and soul are complimentary and always included.

Accessibility has been a key factor in our ability to help our clients. If you need us you can find us anytime via a Facebook message, a question on Pawbly.com (free!), or, coming in late Spring via our app. I also widely publish my email address for all clients. If you don't have it call me and ask for it. It is on every receipt and end of examination Pet Report Card.

What else is there to do? Well, I am going to move mountains, break ceilings, and shatter myths about veterinary medicine. If there is one veterinary demon left to slay it is that I am not going to stop until every pet has a home, every creature has a warm bed, a full belly and a loving hand to share their life with. How can I do this? I am going to keep finding ways to end the ridiculous practice of economic euthanasia. What is economic euthanasia? It is the veterinary profession's way of saying "the only option for you is to euthanize your pet because we can't offer you more affordable options." It is the sequela of abandonment of where this profession came from and legal sheltering of pets still only being considered as "property". We can do better. I am going to challenge the profession to see the shame and the betrayal in this term.

For anyone who might not be confident in the ability to have faith that the new year won't bring positive changes I invite you to stick close, find us, and watch what can happen when you don't care about anything else except building positive change. Is it possible? Yes, if you believe and you dare to be different. Here's to 2017!

Related blogs;

Price Guide 2016

Economic Euthanasia

What is Pawbly?

Pet Savings Plan, JVC Plan For Clients with Financial Constraints

Jarrettsville Vet Pet Food Pantry

Borrowing Battery Juice

Wellness Plans and Savings Plans, and Surprises

What do you think? Is change in veterinary care possible? Is it something you think needs to happen? If you have a voice for better pet care please share it.

If you can help a pet in need please find us at Pawbly.com. It is a free open online community dedicated to helping pets and their people.

I am also on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and at the clinic helping every wet nose and furry friend.

Butterscotch, How To Care For A Found Cat.

Butterscotch

There are some pet stories that remind me to sit back, shut up, and regale in the beauty of sharing the magic of the joy of a pet. For those of us who sleep uncomfortably short-sheeted, contorted, and without moving for fear of disrupting the sleep of our pet bed hog, or share our meal time with the sad begging eyes of the Fido food vultures, or even those of us who put out bird seed everyday just to gaze at the beauty of the winged visitors to our feeder, you will understand what I am talking about.

Sometimes we meet someone who just understands exactly what we are about. Such was the case in meeting Butterscotch and the soft hearted guy whose house he crashed one very cold winter night.

Arrival

I first met Butterscotch on a busy weekday morning. He was a scruffy bony boy who arrived in a copy paper box. Now if you know a thing or two about cats you will know that scant few felines will allow transport in a box. Fewer still will sit contentedly in that box and watch the chaos of a veterinary clinic just pass by.

But, there he sat. Unabashedly perched high, nose inquiring, calm, and cool. As if he was a regular visitor who just landed himself in the box on the bench as a matter of pure fancy. 

The cats that demand the least in attention are those I naturally gravitate toward. If curiosity ever claimed a cat, mine was going to need a resurrection after meeting Butterscotch.

A quiet ominous man sat next to the red box slowly and methodically petting Butterscotch. They were a quiet calm pair in a room of commotion. My fist guess would have been that they were old solid chums. 

When I introduced myself the man he replied that he was here because this cat was huddled up next to his house and "I couldn't leave him outside to freeze to death, and I can't keep him. I am already over my allowed limit." 

"Argh!," I thought. He was here to dump a cat. How many of these do I see every week??,,,at least one..

We have been having record low temperatures. The kind that freezes unfortunate souls in hours and few things tug at me harder than a person stepping up to help, a pet in need, and the dilemma of trying to care for "just one more cat."

With these scenarios the plan is always the same.. Think a second, take a minute to process everything that you are about to say,,, long sigh, deep breathe, and try to figure out a way to help all parties involved without putting the clinic yet another kitty in the Jarrettsville Vet Center general population, or discouraging a good Samaritan from ever helping another creature again. Be strong and kind and don't get frustrated...(all much easier said than done).

Now don't get me wrong, I love having clinic cats. They remind me everyday why I do what I do. And without us every cat in the JVC clinic would have met the end of their days via lethal injection under our roof. We take the cats that clients no longer want, or are able to care for. Lately these stories have left us with our two resident blood donor cats, a diabetic, a chronic stomatitis cat, a back injury cat who cannot urinate voluntarily, and two cats who's parents died unexpectedly. We have four house cat cages and seven cats. Clearly my ability to maintain our 4 cat max policy lacks discipline.

I apologized for being full and offered to help him find this overly sweet cat a home. 

The man asked me to give the cat an exam, a rabies shot and said he was going to keep the cat inside overnight and try to decide what long term plan for him would be tomorrow. 

We quickly discussed the availability of being adopted at the local humane society, or being taken by one of the rescues, and agreed that based on his age and the over abundance of cats in a similar predicament, this cat's options were limited, and his fate bleak if he wasn't taken in by someone we knew. 

At the end of the exam Butterscotch departed in his box to the front desk.

Thirty minutes later the receptionist found me to inform me that that scruffy ornage box cat was now Butterscotch. And he would be back next week for the rest of his shots. His new dad was keeping him, and "to hell with the consequences!" 

Testing for FeLV/FIV

A week later Butterscotch was back at the clinic for the rest of his recommended health items. After a thorough examination, vaccines, a fecal sample, de-worming, flea preventative, and a microchip, Butterscotch was his same cool collected self, but a bit bolder in the seeking affection from anyone and everyone department and a bit bulkier in the body condition.

Looking for more

He was thriving! 

The only photo I could get without him head butting me

He has a corneal defect on his right eye that we are monitoring. With his lack of any sort of medical history I am taking an educated guess and presuming it is an old injury. He is on an ophthalmic antibiotic just to rule out that I am wrong and will be re-checked weekly until we convince ourselves one way or the other.

Is it an old injury? Or a new corneal infection?

The weather has been brutally cold. Everyday is frigid with temperatures hovering around zero. It is not fit for man or beast. Butterscotch is a lucky cat, but he is also a gentle affectionate cat. He wasn't a hard sell, but he was fortunate that his age, medical condition and the size of his adoptive family. His story is not unique, but it is not the norm either. Too many cats are left outside to fend for themselves and too many of them cannot adequately maintain their body temperature in these extreme temperatures and without shelter or resources provided to them.

Fewer found cats will receive needed medical care. 

Here is what you need to know if you are thinking of helping a pet in need.

1. Always assume that a cat is feral. Always. Many cats have had some human exposure, but many are adept skilled survivors, and their intuitive instincts will kick in in a split second. DO NOT PET OR HANDLE AN UNKNOWN CAT! The consequences of your assumption could kill you. If that cat gets scared, and it likely will if you try to approach or pick it up, it will bite you. That bite could kill you if that cat is carrying or infected with rabies. Be careful in your assessment of a cat. Remember rabies can look like the furious (aggressive) form or the dumb (quiet reserved "sick" looking) form. 

2. If a cat looks sick call for professional help. Your local animal control can assist in catching and transporting the cat for care. BUT, be warned if you have not vaccinated the cat, and if they deem it aggressive, sick, unsafe to be handled they can and will euthanize it. A feral cat is only yours if you are caring for it based on the local, state and federal laws. To make the situation worse, IF the cat tests positive for rabies the health department WILL come to your home and CAN quarantine or mandate euthanasia of every pet that IS NOT vaccinated for rabies. I have seen it happen and it has been devastating to the families who love their cats (and dogs). 

3. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished vs. Paying It Forward. Where would society be if we didn't take care of, look after, and intervene for each other? How does humanity survive if people don't have a compassionate soul? It is cheaper and easier to turn a blind eye and walk away from a creature in need? Can any of us say that we earned everything in our lives without the help of others? 

4. If you can help a cat know what you are getting yourself into. It is not enough to provide food and shelter. It is a good start, but you are ultimately responsible for that cat, and that cat will at some point need assistance outside of your abilities. There are rescues, shelters, and non-profits that can assist you if you cannot afford to, or are physically able to help your cats. Prepare for this day today.

In an effort to help Butterscotch his physical examinations were done pro bono. 

Related Articles;

The Risk of Rabies

The Raccoon Seven. How Seven Puppies Almost Died.

How Can Cats Be The Most Popular Pet AND Yet The Most Neglected?

Cold Weather and Outside Pets

A Guilty Conscious And A Feral Cat?

Sometimes I want to scream!

For whatever reason we at the clinic have been inundated with people complaining and expecting that we are in veterinary medicine because it is our civic duty to provide free services.

The assumption that we are independently wealthy, and morally obligated to take care of pets because we are compassionate and dedicated members of our community is presumptuous and manipulative.

I have great faith in my fellow pet caring neighbors. My husband would tell me that that is my first mistake. But still I remain stubbornly devoted to helping them take care of their pets.

Yet everyday there is another person who walks in our doors EXPECTING that if they yell loud enough, stomp their feet hard enough, and worse yet, guilt us relentlessly, that they will get THEIR pet cared for for free.

To add insult to injury many of these people drive new cars, have kids in private school, and know that I care about their pet.

I either get thicker skin, a sharper nastier and quicker venous tongue, or I let the guilt burn me out.

It is not a new dilemma for a veterinarian. It is just my dilemma du jour.

Here is the first example that has my knickers in a knot.

A client called the clinic requesting an appointment because her 'feral' cat had a wound that had not resolved over the last two months. She further told the front desk that she had "financial restraints and was requesting help in caring for him." She was put on the appointment docket with me for that evening.

Now, to be fair, our vet clinic tries very hard to not deny care to any pet in need. There is also an enormous number of feral cats in our rural Maryland County. So there is truly a need for assistance in many cases.

When I walked into the appointment for this cat I was greeted by a woman and her two children. Now I understand that assumptions can be incorrect, but this was not a family in need of financial assistance. New iphones, new car, private school kid attire, new gym outfit. I am not going way out on a limb here. The problem? Well, it appears that the husband doesn't feel that an 'outside cat' is worthy of care from the family budget. The wife repeatedly told me that her husband was already angry that she was here with him.

But I am getting ahead of myself. This cat was named, housed, fed, loved, and cared for by this family. He was purring and weaving through the kids legs seeking and getting attention from all. So why would this client call this cat 'feral'? It was obvious to me that I wasn't looking at a feral cat.

She believed he was considered 'feral' because he had an ear tip, he was not purchased by her, and he lived outside.

After an examination, an injectable antibiotic, and a rabies shot she and her cat were sent to the front desk to check out. When she received her bill the angry scene erupted. She was upset that she had been given a bill. Now to be fair I am still not sure if she expected a partial bill or no bill, but she didn't expect a full bill. She publicly voiced her discontent because she had been led to believe that her 'feral' cat would be given pro bono services. I apologized that she had been mis-informed and tried once again to remind her that this was her cat, and he was not feral. No luck.

In typical veterinary fashion I cowered, refunded her appointment fee, and secretly burnt another piece of my soul. I understand why it is impossible to try to help. People expect you to care, expect you to help, and then persecute you when you try to pull back because it is impossible to sustain.

Here is the email I received days later. (It took my three days to not write the letter I wanted to write).

Hello Dr. Magnifico,

I just wanted to thank you again for your help today with our "feral" cat.... I don't want there to be
bad feelings between us as we have 2 other cats that we bring in regularly...and another that is being transferred from
the XXXX in the near future. I have always been happy and impressed with the care my pets receive at your practice.
Thanks for taking the time to come out and talk after I left. I usually am not one to gripe over bills. The ONLY reason
I reacted the way I did is because our appointment was switched specifically because I was told that "She will work with you financially." I was taken back because I was told one thing and another happened. I was caught off guard. I understand that you are running a business and if I
was told that no "pro bono" would happen then I wouldn't have been shocked. Again, I hope there are no bad feelings. It looks as if it was a case of broken down communication as you knew nothing of the situation when we arrived.
Have a great day,


My reply:

Hello,

Thank You for taking the time to write.

I do agree that there was a break down in communication.

We, at JVC,  try very hard to help every pet in need and every person who asks for assistance. Unfortunately, this is a more than daily occurrence which places a significant and severe strain on our ability to maintain a functional business where employees are given reasonable wages and we have adequate equipment and a facility to meet all of them demands of a hospital. 

We have to be very careful who and how often we provide pro bono services. Compounding the endless requests for free services, goods, and care, is the frustration of having people be angry when they expect this.

It is a no win. I am unable to provide all that I wish I could. 

For us, at JVC, the definition of 'feral' is un-owned and un-handlable cat. I will make this clear to my staff in the future. I will also clarify that a feral cat will only be given pro bono goods, care, and services if it comes through a rescue organization. I hope that this avoids any future mis-communication.

What was particularly upsetting to me was that it appeared that you are caring for this cat as if he was yours. A cat that is named, tame, looked after, housed, and treated as if he is yours, is in my opinion, yours. There were also multiple statements about your husband being upset that you wanted to get care for him. It made me feel like this was somehow my fault? Many of our clients have cats that stay outside. An outside cat is not synonymous with 'feral'. 

It also did not seem to be a fair nor accurate statement that "you could not afford to care for him."

On a personal note I would add that I feel almost completely emotionally burnt out to be asked and expected to take care of every cat in what feels like everyone's back yard in the entire county of Harford. I have 12 years of college to try to serve my community by doing what gives me a sense of purpose: to help pets, and I am becoming a sounding board who feels an overwhelming sense of guilt because I am not able to take care of other peoples responsibility. It is a daily guilt ridden soul stealing occurrence. My husband has to witness me not bring home a salary reflective of my education, hours of work, and deal with my emotional burn out. It isn't fair any way you look at it.

I hope that you can understand my dilemma.

I sincerely appreciate that you are caring for Buggy. Clearly, he was not a product of your irresponsible pet ownership, but unfortunately there are literally thousands of cats just like him. 

I wish you and your family the best.

Sincerely,

Krista

Where is the key sticking point on this? "I hope there are no bad feelings". Yeah, I have them. And yeah, I haven't figured out how to resolve them.

Note to the staff at JVC: Please don't sign me up for something without talking to me first. We all end up bitter. 

Ok, head up, press on, and sorry if I vent to much.. I seriously try not too..

Well, after a bit of hesitation about sending my reply, I did. I decided to be honest and upfront..and I got the same in return.

Hello Again,
Thanks also for your response. I imagine it is super frustrating dealing with everyone's issues as you are trying to run a business. And, I apologize for putting any guilt on you. I certainly didn't mean for you to feel that my husband's issues were your fault. He always thinks I spend too much on my various animals. LOL We are new to the area and new to "feral" cats. I guess he is ours if we go with your definition. I was simply trying to make this little guys life easier as he wandered into our yard in the dead of winter.  I have never before taken in a stray. I never really liked the idea of an outdoor cat. Again...breakdown in communication...as to what a feral is and that JVC was going to do something for him.  I thought, through reading about ferals, that vets sometimes do pro bono stuff for them. Like I said before, I wouldn't have reacted in such a way if I knew from the start that JVC doesn't do that. I'll take it as a learning experience. It's quite sad that you feel so emotionally burnt. I used to be a classroom teacher and know what burn-out feels like. It sucks! Please know that most everyone who speaks of JVC does so with positivity. I wish I could do something to help...???
Sincerely,
Shelly

A little better, but still sort of missing the point..

so I say again, 

Chin UP! Press ON!

Wordless Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Little Bitsy, who does fine as long as she can't see what you are doing.

Me and dear Rizzy.

Lilly, here for her post op cruciate re-check.

Our Sunday outing to Adamstown, PA. Where I went to do a little antiquing, but instead just took photos of the pups I met along the way.

At work on Sunday.

Cybil, who is being stressed out by her siblings to the point of having urinary issues.

Zoe, who has a nail bed infection.

Buster. Just adopted from BARCS, who has an interdigital cyst? 

Tyler's dad, here with his two dogs, Zoey and Tuaca.

Penny

Surgery Monday!

Feral cat spays and neuters.
Saving the planet one kitty at a time.

My all-time favorite girl Rizzy.
Here for the last week boarding.
She spends most of her time under the front desk or in our arms.

Sammy, the rescued Briard.
He was sent to Washington state to his new home today.
His story to follow.

Dr. Bizby's foot grips..on Savannah.
Our latest attempt to push back the hands and weight, and struggles of time.

Bear, here for his neuter.
He was adopted as a puppy at the Humane Society.
See you can get a pure bred puppy at the shelter.

Dr. Morgans girl, Bailey.

Bandit, after his neuter.
If there is ever a saddest face contest I am entering him.

Two just rescued, a little under the weather,
kittens under the care of Black Dogs and Company rescue.

Charlie, the back seat driver.

Our newest family member, Dr. Rogge,
with Scissors,
who is not so happy to be hospitalized.

Wren and Oriole,
best buddies, whether or not Wren likes it.

Is It Possible To Save A Life AND A Limb For Pennies?

There are a few patients, clients, and cases that become indelibly etched in your heart and soul. Some of them are disastrous, heart breaking, and cause you to question why the heck you ever decided to care so much, invest so much, and even try to help people in the first place?

BUT,

there, thankfully, are more of the good cases to keep your spirit fulfilled and to carry you through the train wrecks.

This is Elliott. He is a two month old, never been seen before by a veterinarian, grey and white kitten. He is a sweet gentle boy,

BUT,

he, unlike so many of the other kittens that I see, is healthy, bright, purring, and calm.

His dad is an older man with a story about Elliott. It went as follows; He and his wife had recently bought a home here in rural Harford County Maryland. Unbeknownst to them when they bought the home they also acquired a few cats. Those few cats did what all cats do, they populated.

When they realized they had more mouths to feed, they started a proactive approach to getting the felines under control.

As I listened to his story I relaxed. He was trying and I was beginning to think that maybe for the first time in a long time I wasn't going to have to try to figure out how to convince a person to take care of their pet.
First challenge appears to be diverted.

Elliott was here today because as his dad reported "he has a bum back leg. That bad leg is a mystery as to how it happened. But Elliott won't use it and so he has come to visit us."

The right side is normal, the left has three fractures.
Can you see them all?

An x-ray later we had our answer. Elliott had a broken femur, a broken tibia, and a broken fibula. No wonder he won't use that leg. There aren't any intact bones of his back leg to hold him up.

Second challenge, paying for surgery.

The challenge is all too often the same: 1. Trying to coerce a person to step up to the plate and do both steps; and 2. take responsibility and follow through with a treatment plan.

Today, the gods were smiling on Elliott. His dad loved him, he cared about his injury, he wanted to treat it, BUT, he had a herd to manage and a budget.

In the area of Elliotts injury he has a laceration over his hip.

Here is where I put my BIG disclaimer!!
I did what I hate to admit in public, on record, and in reality do all too often. I sat down and negotiated.

Why do I hate it? Because it sets a terrible precedence. It de-values what I do, it makes it harder to hold future expectations on par, and it further drives my profession into scrambling to make ends meet. It perpetuates the same problems that we vets have been plagued with forever. Why should I work for free? Who else but vets get asked daily for free services AND then are made to feel guilty when they decline? Think about it, how would you feel if everyday at your place of work your boss came to you and asked you to work an hour (or more) later for nothing? And then gave you some guilt trip about why you should after you reluctantly tried to discuss why you didn't want to work late.

In typical never-confess-this-exchange to my husband mode I offered to "try" fix the leg for $300.

To put this in perspective, at a boarded surgeons I would expect they would start the opening bid at $1,000 US dollars.

Me, heck no, I will not only significantly undercut my own services I will also add a mountain of stress onto myslef. Why? because damn it I still can't learn my lesson. I still can't turn a blind eye, and say "not my problem." And, mostly, I liked this kitten and this guy. If he's willing and committed to taking care of his feral cat population I'm willing to throw my best pitch.

We 'hang' the broken leg in the hopes of straightening the broken bones.

Holding both parts of the femur together with thumb forceps (you know them as tweezers) to pin the leg.

There are two stainless steel pins in the hollow part of the bone.
They will stay in for about 4-8 weeks.
Elliott is a kitten and they heal fast!
I am so proud of this that I beam every time I see this x-ray!

Elliott was walking on his leg by the end of his surgery day. He was given pain medications for the first few days and very very strict cage rest. NO running, jumping, or playing!

Elliott will have his pins removed in about two months. When I remove them we will also neuter him.

I saw Elliott tonight for his first re-check post op. He is happy and he is walking on his leg!!

go Elliott!

Best of luck Elliott and family!

Update:

Elliott had his pins pulled on Monday the 9th of September. They came out easily and his bones are all healing splendidly!

In a matter of minutes Elliotts pins were removed.

Elliott has a few more weeks of rest ahead of him, but I expect a fully functional leg in spite of his three fractures.

If you have a question about Elliott, or fracture repair in a kitten please find me at Pawbly.com