Before delving into my personal comment for this week, I want to remind our readers to listen to this week's Pet Chat Radio broadcast, which begins with a wonderfully informative interview with master groomer, Heather Shultz, who kindly took the time to offer invaluable insights into the art and career of pet grooming. There is so much more to this profession than most realize, as Heather so eloquently explains in our interview!
Back to my personal comment and subject of this post, I just wanted to touch on Sarah Palin’s resignation. While this is a political story really, and politics have little place in our broadcast and this blog (we learned the hard way during this past election!), this does pertain to animals directly, and that is, apart from partisan politics, from a wildlife standpoint, perhaps wildlife advocates of Alaska can breathe a bit easier with this revelation. From a wildlife perspective strictly, her policies have been abysmal at best.
As reported by a September 4, 2008 Associated Press article titled, "Environmentalists say Palin's record on wildlife are as harsh as Alaska itself," Sarah Palin's policies and record clearly illustrate little regard for wildlife and the environment. Beginning with her time at the National Governors Association conference spent primarily making her case to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne against classifying the polar bear as a threatened species, Sarah Palin has continually maintained troublingly dismissive environmental and wildlife policies. Some months later, she once again confronted Dirk Kempthorne, arguing against even the Bush administration that they, "didn't use the best science in concluding that without further protection, the polar bear faces eventual extinction because of disappearing sea ice as the result of global warming."
During her months of governor of Alaska, Palin had opposed federal marine scientists who concluded that the Cook Inlet Beluga Whale needs protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. Most appallingly, Palin has defended the right of Alaska to shoot wolves from the air for the benefit of boosting the populations of moose and caribou herds - not for the sake of the moose and caribou, but for the sole purpose of leaving more live moose and caribou for the human sport hunters to kill! Interestingly, this is a view that is contrary to that of her former running mate John McCain. Finally, Palin remains skeptical that human created greenhouse emissions are responsible for the dramatic acceleration of global warming in this century.
As a result of her harsh environmental and wildlife policies, environmentalists have nicknamed Palin the "Killa from Wasilla," and John Toppenberg, the director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, has said that, "Her philosophy from our perspective is cut, kill, dig and drill," and that she is "in the Stone Age of wildlife management and is very opposed to utilizing accepted science."
Now of course, I know nothing of her replacement’s wildlife policies and it is difficult to envision worse, we have to retain some feeling of at least there is the potential for respite, that Alaska’s wildlife powers that be will at least gather or begin to regain some reverence for one of our nation’s most precious wildlife havens.
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Veterinary Technician: The Unsung Hero of Veterinary Medicine
In my personal comment and subject of my blog post today, I would like to expand a bit on my Pet Chat Radio interview earlier with the lovely certified veterinary technician, Melissa Welton. She exemplified just how invaluable technicians are to a veterinary practice from her own personal experience in teh profession. If you have not yet had the opportunity to hear the interview, I strongly recommend it.
Most veterinarians understand the value of good technicians, most treating them and regarding them with the respect they deserve. Many clients also understand how important certified veterinary technicians are to animal health care, taking the time acknowledge them with verbal “thank you” and often “thank you” cards, but very often, the credit for having saved a life or resolved disease is directed solely at the attending veterinarian. Yet the technicians rarely are affected by this, moving on, and performing their essential tasks with the reward they need: the personal satisfaction of knowing that they work in the field that they love, and that they play a big role day in and day out, in doing their part to better the health of people’s beloved house pets.
To get a better understanding of how important technicians are, just refer to the following small glimpse of what my technicians do for me.
When I come in the morning, all treatments of in-hospital animals have ready been complete by the techs. Hospital runs have been cleaned, the animals walked, fed, vitals have been taken, and the treating technicians have a report for me on each patient.
In addition to this, technicians have admitted, performed presurgical vitals, run all pertinent labwork, and reported to me the findings so I can go ahead with my recommendation for premedication, which they then implement. Prior to surgery, technicians, clip and scrub the patient’s surgical site, induce the patient, place the tracheal tube, start gas anesthesia, then monitor anesthesia throughout the procedure. If the procedure is a dental prophylaxis, they perform the professional cleaning, check for pockets and other intraoral lesions, then alert me to assess whether further dental work needs to be done. For procedures that require another set of hands, technicians scrub in to assist me.
During appointments, technicians perform all labwork by my order, freeing me up to keep up with my paper work and see more patients. During down time, technicians sift through all faxed labwork, place them in the proper medical files, then put them in my box for me to interpret and call the clients. They also process and examine all stool samples for parasites, alert me about positive results, then dispense the necessary medication and call the client with a diagnosis and to alert that medication is waiting for the pet to be picked up. My most senior technician spends her down time logging the controlled drugs, keeping the hospital OSHA compliant, and ordering inventory.
At the end of the day, technicians discharge the patient, dispense medications, and go over discharge instructions with the client.
I am sure there is plenty more that they do that is escaping me at this very moment, but I think the point is clear how important technicians are to a hospital. While veterinarians are the nucleus of the practice that bear the primary patient responsibility, we could not do what we do, as well as we do, without our dedicated and hard working veterinary technicians.
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
Most veterinarians understand the value of good technicians, most treating them and regarding them with the respect they deserve. Many clients also understand how important certified veterinary technicians are to animal health care, taking the time acknowledge them with verbal “thank you” and often “thank you” cards, but very often, the credit for having saved a life or resolved disease is directed solely at the attending veterinarian. Yet the technicians rarely are affected by this, moving on, and performing their essential tasks with the reward they need: the personal satisfaction of knowing that they work in the field that they love, and that they play a big role day in and day out, in doing their part to better the health of people’s beloved house pets.
To get a better understanding of how important technicians are, just refer to the following small glimpse of what my technicians do for me.
When I come in the morning, all treatments of in-hospital animals have ready been complete by the techs. Hospital runs have been cleaned, the animals walked, fed, vitals have been taken, and the treating technicians have a report for me on each patient.
In addition to this, technicians have admitted, performed presurgical vitals, run all pertinent labwork, and reported to me the findings so I can go ahead with my recommendation for premedication, which they then implement. Prior to surgery, technicians, clip and scrub the patient’s surgical site, induce the patient, place the tracheal tube, start gas anesthesia, then monitor anesthesia throughout the procedure. If the procedure is a dental prophylaxis, they perform the professional cleaning, check for pockets and other intraoral lesions, then alert me to assess whether further dental work needs to be done. For procedures that require another set of hands, technicians scrub in to assist me.
During appointments, technicians perform all labwork by my order, freeing me up to keep up with my paper work and see more patients. During down time, technicians sift through all faxed labwork, place them in the proper medical files, then put them in my box for me to interpret and call the clients. They also process and examine all stool samples for parasites, alert me about positive results, then dispense the necessary medication and call the client with a diagnosis and to alert that medication is waiting for the pet to be picked up. My most senior technician spends her down time logging the controlled drugs, keeping the hospital OSHA compliant, and ordering inventory.
At the end of the day, technicians discharge the patient, dispense medications, and go over discharge instructions with the client.
I am sure there is plenty more that they do that is escaping me at this very moment, but I think the point is clear how important technicians are to a hospital. While veterinarians are the nucleus of the practice that bear the primary patient responsibility, we could not do what we do, as well as we do, without our dedicated and hard working veterinary technicians.
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
Friday, June 26, 2009
National "Take Your Dog to Work Day" Guidelines
Expanding on a story reported in today's Pet Chat Radio broadcast, in honor of today's Take Your Dog to Work Day, MSNBC.com provided 7 Take Your Pet to Work Day don'ts, provided courtesy of Jennifer Fearing, author of the book "Dogs at Work" and mom to 8-year-old Yoda, who dog who commutes with her to work every day. Quoted from the MSNBC website, here are these important doggie work guidelines:
1.) Don't … Bring a stinky dog to work. You and your dog should both dress for success! "Hygiene needs to be a top priority for your dog if you're going to bring him to work," Fearing says. Make sure your pup is well-groomed, with clean ears and trimmed nails, and that any bedding you bring along for them is laundered and as tidy as possible.
2.) Don’t … Wander around the office with your dog. The office is not the dog park! Taking a stroll around the building with your dog can disturb others, so use the nearest exit to take your dog out for a walk when it's time for him to do his "business."
3.) Don’t … Let your dog hang out in common areas like bathrooms or elevators. Avoid places where coworkers who aren't comfortable with dogs may be confined. "These people should have safe harbors where they don't have to come in contact with dogs if they don’t want to," says Fearing.
4.) Don’t … Assume you're the Dog Whisperer. You wouldn't just walk up to another dog on the street, so why do it in the office? Avoid petting or feeding other people's dogs without permission. Find out a dog's boundaries and comfort level before you interact with them. "When strangers walk up to them, they may just be uncomfortable," she says.
5.) Don’t … Let your dog run off without a leash. "Your dog [needs to be] either restrained by a baby gate or under your desk," says Fearing. Anytime you're walking in the hall or heading to your car, your dog should be leashed.
6.) Don’t … Wash dog bowls in the office kitchen. Dumping out your dog's water over the dishes that are shared by coworkers is a no-no – and so is letting your dog lick food off of plates used by others. "Some humans find that less than sanitary," says Fearing. "It's not really appreciated."
7.) Don’t … Bring squeaky or stinky toys with you. It’s fine to bring toys to entertain your dog throughout the work day, but be considerate of others. Squeaky toys are not for the workplace, say Fearing. And leave the big rawhide bone at home — no one needs to smell the wafting aroma of your pup's favorite chew toy.
In setting these basic guidelines, Ms. Fearing is trying to make Take Your Dog To Work Day something that may actually begin to catch on, by participants exercising basic pet owning courtesy, so that employers who decide to have a little fun and give this a try, won’t live to regret it.
In the greater context, she likely feels compelled to do this because, like in all other aspects of pet participation in human activities, a trip to the beach, a meal at a sidewalk café, a day at the air show, etc, it is the idiot pet owners that do not exercise basic pet owning courtesy, that ruin it for all pet owners. In Florida’s Space Coast where I live, for example, beach tourism is a big supporter of the local economy; making keeping the integrity of our beautiful beaches a top priority. Thanks to enough lazy, uncouth local dog owners leaving their dog’s excrement unpicked up, littering the beaches for all to step in, dogs have long been banned from being allowed access to the beaches.
And why is it that it is so hard for pet owners to rent housing, especially those with large dogs? Is it simply because all landlords are unsympathetic swine that have no heart? Perhaps some are, but the biggest problem resides once again in the idiot pet owners who allow their animals to destroy the home they rent, with no regard for the fact that they allow this to happen to someone else’s home, one that another tenant will eventually have to live in, one that, thanks to them, a future pet owner will NEVER get to live in.
So pet owners, in order to make this a more hospitable world for our companion animals, just exercise common sense and common courtesy with your pets. Don’t be the moron who brings his dog into my waiting room unleashed to wreak havoc on the numerous other clients who happen to have their animals properly restrained. Don’t allow your pets to destroy your rental home, or at least have the decency to fix the damage done. And by all means, clean up after your dogs when they eliminate in public. An environment littered with dog feces is just plain nasty for all people, whether they are pet enthusiast or not. Beyond nasty, it is a health hazard, especially for our children.
If we choose to not make our pets someone else’s problem, people can focus more on the joy of watching owners delight with their beloved companions as they play at the beach, passionately enjoy the park, or take in a sidewalk meal together. This would go a long way toward their inclusion into the routine of our society having greater likelihood of being more welcoming.
Happy Take Your Dog to Work Day - hopefuly no discoureous morons ruined it for you and your office.
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
1.) Don't … Bring a stinky dog to work. You and your dog should both dress for success! "Hygiene needs to be a top priority for your dog if you're going to bring him to work," Fearing says. Make sure your pup is well-groomed, with clean ears and trimmed nails, and that any bedding you bring along for them is laundered and as tidy as possible.
2.) Don’t … Wander around the office with your dog. The office is not the dog park! Taking a stroll around the building with your dog can disturb others, so use the nearest exit to take your dog out for a walk when it's time for him to do his "business."
3.) Don’t … Let your dog hang out in common areas like bathrooms or elevators. Avoid places where coworkers who aren't comfortable with dogs may be confined. "These people should have safe harbors where they don't have to come in contact with dogs if they don’t want to," says Fearing.
4.) Don’t … Assume you're the Dog Whisperer. You wouldn't just walk up to another dog on the street, so why do it in the office? Avoid petting or feeding other people's dogs without permission. Find out a dog's boundaries and comfort level before you interact with them. "When strangers walk up to them, they may just be uncomfortable," she says.
5.) Don’t … Let your dog run off without a leash. "Your dog [needs to be] either restrained by a baby gate or under your desk," says Fearing. Anytime you're walking in the hall or heading to your car, your dog should be leashed.
6.) Don’t … Wash dog bowls in the office kitchen. Dumping out your dog's water over the dishes that are shared by coworkers is a no-no – and so is letting your dog lick food off of plates used by others. "Some humans find that less than sanitary," says Fearing. "It's not really appreciated."
7.) Don’t … Bring squeaky or stinky toys with you. It’s fine to bring toys to entertain your dog throughout the work day, but be considerate of others. Squeaky toys are not for the workplace, say Fearing. And leave the big rawhide bone at home — no one needs to smell the wafting aroma of your pup's favorite chew toy.
In setting these basic guidelines, Ms. Fearing is trying to make Take Your Dog To Work Day something that may actually begin to catch on, by participants exercising basic pet owning courtesy, so that employers who decide to have a little fun and give this a try, won’t live to regret it.
In the greater context, she likely feels compelled to do this because, like in all other aspects of pet participation in human activities, a trip to the beach, a meal at a sidewalk café, a day at the air show, etc, it is the idiot pet owners that do not exercise basic pet owning courtesy, that ruin it for all pet owners. In Florida’s Space Coast where I live, for example, beach tourism is a big supporter of the local economy; making keeping the integrity of our beautiful beaches a top priority. Thanks to enough lazy, uncouth local dog owners leaving their dog’s excrement unpicked up, littering the beaches for all to step in, dogs have long been banned from being allowed access to the beaches.
And why is it that it is so hard for pet owners to rent housing, especially those with large dogs? Is it simply because all landlords are unsympathetic swine that have no heart? Perhaps some are, but the biggest problem resides once again in the idiot pet owners who allow their animals to destroy the home they rent, with no regard for the fact that they allow this to happen to someone else’s home, one that another tenant will eventually have to live in, one that, thanks to them, a future pet owner will NEVER get to live in.
So pet owners, in order to make this a more hospitable world for our companion animals, just exercise common sense and common courtesy with your pets. Don’t be the moron who brings his dog into my waiting room unleashed to wreak havoc on the numerous other clients who happen to have their animals properly restrained. Don’t allow your pets to destroy your rental home, or at least have the decency to fix the damage done. And by all means, clean up after your dogs when they eliminate in public. An environment littered with dog feces is just plain nasty for all people, whether they are pet enthusiast or not. Beyond nasty, it is a health hazard, especially for our children.
If we choose to not make our pets someone else’s problem, people can focus more on the joy of watching owners delight with their beloved companions as they play at the beach, passionately enjoy the park, or take in a sidewalk meal together. This would go a long way toward their inclusion into the routine of our society having greater likelihood of being more welcoming.
Happy Take Your Dog to Work Day - hopefuly no discoureous morons ruined it for you and your office.
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
Friday, June 12, 2009
Pig Poop For Energy Independence!!!
In a report by National Geographic, the Netherlands have found a way to further the cause of energy independence and decrease greenhouse gasses by generating electricity from pig feces. Methane-rich pig excrement on a large Netherlands farm is being turned into electricity and partially fed into the national power grid.
The farm uses the electricity it needs, and feeds the rest into the national grid, for which the government pays up to $238 US dollars per megawatt as a green energy subsidy.
United Nations scientists say farming and forestry account for more than 30 percent of the greenhouse gases that are gradually heating the Earth.
Much of that pollution comes from cattle, sheep and pigs that belch or excrete methane, a heat-trapping gas more than 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, the most common global warming gas.
One way to deal with the problem is to make use of it and burn it.
The waste from the pigs at Sterksel Research Centre drops through slats in the floor.
The slurry is then channeled into three, four-thousand cubic meter tanks, mixed into a thick paste with other organic waste, and then broken down by bacteria.
The gas is then siphoned off into a generator to produce electricity.
Together with four other commercial farms, the group reportedly saves 40-thousand tons of carbon emissions per year, which can be sold as credits for nearly $7 US dollars per ton to offset carbon emissions.
Though operating expenses for the biogas plant are considerable, the combination of electricity savings, power production and carbon credits makes it profitable.
This leads me into today’s personal comment. WHY ARE WE NOT DOING THIS??? In a country desperate for cleaner energy and energy independence, that also happens exceed the world in farm animals per capita, we could power our country and perhaps half the world with the staggering amount of cattle, horse, and pig feces that is available for the taking. Heck, we could probably provide that much power from Texas alone!
Forget clean coal, President Obama, use our nations most abundant and renewable resource: POOP. I would not be so bold as to presume that the President reads my blog or listens to Pet Chat Radio, but if you do, Mr. President, wake up and smell the doody!
If he does not access my weekly addresses, I am a believer in 6 degrees of separation, you know, that premise that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth. If that is true pass my broadcast and/or blog post along to everyone you know so that they can pass it along and perhaps 6 degrees of separation later, this information may get to the President and we can have clean energy and energy independence once and for all. Shout it from the roof tops if you have you!!!
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
The farm uses the electricity it needs, and feeds the rest into the national grid, for which the government pays up to $238 US dollars per megawatt as a green energy subsidy.
United Nations scientists say farming and forestry account for more than 30 percent of the greenhouse gases that are gradually heating the Earth.
Much of that pollution comes from cattle, sheep and pigs that belch or excrete methane, a heat-trapping gas more than 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, the most common global warming gas.
One way to deal with the problem is to make use of it and burn it.
The waste from the pigs at Sterksel Research Centre drops through slats in the floor.
The slurry is then channeled into three, four-thousand cubic meter tanks, mixed into a thick paste with other organic waste, and then broken down by bacteria.
The gas is then siphoned off into a generator to produce electricity.
Together with four other commercial farms, the group reportedly saves 40-thousand tons of carbon emissions per year, which can be sold as credits for nearly $7 US dollars per ton to offset carbon emissions.
Though operating expenses for the biogas plant are considerable, the combination of electricity savings, power production and carbon credits makes it profitable.
This leads me into today’s personal comment. WHY ARE WE NOT DOING THIS??? In a country desperate for cleaner energy and energy independence, that also happens exceed the world in farm animals per capita, we could power our country and perhaps half the world with the staggering amount of cattle, horse, and pig feces that is available for the taking. Heck, we could probably provide that much power from Texas alone!
Forget clean coal, President Obama, use our nations most abundant and renewable resource: POOP. I would not be so bold as to presume that the President reads my blog or listens to Pet Chat Radio, but if you do, Mr. President, wake up and smell the doody!
If he does not access my weekly addresses, I am a believer in 6 degrees of separation, you know, that premise that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth. If that is true pass my broadcast and/or blog post along to everyone you know so that they can pass it along and perhaps 6 degrees of separation later, this information may get to the President and we can have clean energy and energy independence once and for all. Shout it from the roof tops if you have you!!!
Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
Friday, May 29, 2009
Circus no fun for animals?
In continuance of our report on Pet Chat Radio earlier today, the ongoing debate about the whether the use of animals in circuses is inhumane has once again surfaced as the Carson & Barnes Circus is set to begin a string of performances on several dates throughout Northern California next week. SFGate.com reports that Bay Area and national animal welfare agencies, including the Marin Humane Society, Humane Society & SPCA of Sonoma County, Citizens for Cruelty Free Entertainment, Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, Pets Lifeline and the San Francisco SPCA, have publicly called for a boycott of the Carson & Barnes Circus, citing the company's routine abuse of animals. These organizations are all strongly against the use of animals in circuses and the inhumane training methods that are often employed, such as whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods and bull hooks that can puncture and tear an elephant's skin. When not performing, animals are often transported and confined in small, cramped cages.
According to a statement from PETA, the Carson & Barnes Circus has "failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)." The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Carson & Barnes Circus numerous times for failing to provide: veterinary care and minimum space requirements, shelter from the elements, properly maintained and adequately ventilated transport trailers and cages, proper fencing to protect spectators and the animals, clean water for the animals and updated animal health records.
The Carson & Barnes website counters these attacks saying that they are essentially "lies" and that, "Data suggests that elephants are not stressed when they travel and find the life 'quite acceptable,' and that working elephants are in better physical condition, have more muscle tone, greater stamina and less excess fat than their sedentary counterparts."
From the Carson & Barnes Circus website:
"A part of circus history and a part of Carson & Barnes Circus are the animals. Animals have been a great addition to our family unit since the beginning. Often bred and born in the circus, our animals enjoy performing as much as their human counterparts. Appreciate the natural beauty, incredible force and speed, and God-given grace of these wondrous animals."
The problem with this statement, many argue, is that making these animals perform unnatural tricks can be injurious and stressful. By showcasing elephants walking on their hind legs or tigers jumping through flaming hoops, circuses potray animals as creatures whose sole purpose is to amuse us.
There was indeed a time long ago when the circus was the only interaction many people had with exotic and wild animals. But now that we have easy access to zoos, Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel to help educate people about the natural habitats and behaviors of animals, many maintain that using them as circus performers has become an outdated, unnecessary and inhumane concept. So why are they are still used? Many opponents of circuses that the reason is purely monetary reward.
Twelve years ago, the Marin Humane Society attempted to block a Carson & Barnes circus in Novato. Thanks to the county's unique permitting process, the organization was able to require that clean food and water and regular health monitoring of the circus animals be provided. "Circus officials were not happy about having to provide these basic needs and they have not been back to Marin County since," said Marin Humane Society spokesperson Carrie Harrington.
According to a statement from PETA, the Carson & Barnes Circus has "failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)." The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Carson & Barnes Circus numerous times for failing to provide: veterinary care and minimum space requirements, shelter from the elements, properly maintained and adequately ventilated transport trailers and cages, proper fencing to protect spectators and the animals, clean water for the animals and updated animal health records.
The Carson & Barnes website counters these attacks saying that they are essentially "lies" and that, "Data suggests that elephants are not stressed when they travel and find the life 'quite acceptable,' and that working elephants are in better physical condition, have more muscle tone, greater stamina and less excess fat than their sedentary counterparts."
From the Carson & Barnes Circus website:
"A part of circus history and a part of Carson & Barnes Circus are the animals. Animals have been a great addition to our family unit since the beginning. Often bred and born in the circus, our animals enjoy performing as much as their human counterparts. Appreciate the natural beauty, incredible force and speed, and God-given grace of these wondrous animals."
The problem with this statement, many argue, is that making these animals perform unnatural tricks can be injurious and stressful. By showcasing elephants walking on their hind legs or tigers jumping through flaming hoops, circuses potray animals as creatures whose sole purpose is to amuse us.
There was indeed a time long ago when the circus was the only interaction many people had with exotic and wild animals. But now that we have easy access to zoos, Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel to help educate people about the natural habitats and behaviors of animals, many maintain that using them as circus performers has become an outdated, unnecessary and inhumane concept. So why are they are still used? Many opponents of circuses that the reason is purely monetary reward.
Twelve years ago, the Marin Humane Society attempted to block a Carson & Barnes circus in Novato. Thanks to the county's unique permitting process, the organization was able to require that clean food and water and regular health monitoring of the circus animals be provided. "Circus officials were not happy about having to provide these basic needs and they have not been back to Marin County since," said Marin Humane Society spokesperson Carrie Harrington.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Pet Chat Radio's First Broadcast
It was decided a while ago that we were going to enhance the interactive communicative aspect of Web-DVM augmenting the blog and message boards with a weekly Internet radio broadcast, Web-DVM's Pet Chat Radio. The blog especially will now be geared toward expanding on topics presented in the broadcast beginning with my own commentary and continuing with listener/reader comments.
Regarding this week's maiden broadcast, one particular news story I wanted to expand on a bit was La Jolla, California's program to keep seals from taking over Children's Pool Beach by scaring them away with loud barking dog noises, as well as their plan "B" to shoot water at them should they become refractory to the dog noise. Quick side note, I am quite embarrassed about my gross mispronunciation of "La Jolla," as following the broadcast, I was immediately notified by an L.A. base close friend of mine that it is actually pronounced, "La Hoya."
Per the broadcast, animal rights activists plan to oppose this plan, the question is, are they justified in making this an issue? Do La Jolla residents have the right to keep the seals in check to keep one of their favorite beaches clear for their own use? Are their tactics pf barking dog noise and possible water projectiles reasonable, or invasive or even inhumane? I would love for someone actually from that area to comment - provided you don't give me too much flack for my ridiculous mispronunciation of La Jolla.
And of course, comments on any aspect of the broadcast are welcome. Thanks for listening!
Click Here To Listen To Pet Chat Radio Directly from Feed
Regarding this week's maiden broadcast, one particular news story I wanted to expand on a bit was La Jolla, California's program to keep seals from taking over Children's Pool Beach by scaring them away with loud barking dog noises, as well as their plan "B" to shoot water at them should they become refractory to the dog noise. Quick side note, I am quite embarrassed about my gross mispronunciation of "La Jolla," as following the broadcast, I was immediately notified by an L.A. base close friend of mine that it is actually pronounced, "La Hoya."
Per the broadcast, animal rights activists plan to oppose this plan, the question is, are they justified in making this an issue? Do La Jolla residents have the right to keep the seals in check to keep one of their favorite beaches clear for their own use? Are their tactics pf barking dog noise and possible water projectiles reasonable, or invasive or even inhumane? I would love for someone actually from that area to comment - provided you don't give me too much flack for my ridiculous mispronunciation of La Jolla.
And of course, comments on any aspect of the broadcast are welcome. Thanks for listening!
Click Here To Listen To Pet Chat Radio Directly from Feed
Monday, May 11, 2009
Incredible But True III
This is a little segment I like write periodically about recent experiences that seem hard to believe. Whether funny, inspirational, despicable, stupid, or miraculous, as incredible as these short stories may seem, they are oh so true. . .
Unwilling patient
A client picked up a kitten that she saw thrown out the window of a moving car. The kitten amazingly did not seem very hurt, but there was some bleeding from the mouth and she wanted her looked at. On her way over, she let the kitten loose in the car while she drove, and the kitten proceeded out of fear to climb up into the dash board of the car, out of the reach of the client.
Upon arrival, two of my techs were unable to help this client get the kitten out of the dash, and one hour later, the client gave up. She said she would leave the windows open and let her come out when she is ready, perhaps try to lure her out with a can of food. This was last week, and I still have not seen the kitten or the client.
Terrible patient, delusional owner
A Sharpei came into my office for seeming to have been bitten by "something" in the back yard and was "freaking out" every time the area was touched by the owner. On the disposition line of the check-in form the owner had written, "very sweet." Despite the owner's assertion, in typical Sharpei fashion, the dog was extremely stressed and apprehensive when approached, snapping, and literally climbing the owner to get away from us. After we managed to get a muzzle on the dog, things did not get any better.
During the exam, the dog remained curled in a tense little ball and could not have been more stiff if it had been a corpse in rigormortis. I had to pry the legs apart, expending a considerable amount of force just to get a look at what turned out to be little more than a scratch on the skin. From the dog's reaction, however, one would have thought there was a compound fracture, as it screamed, clawed my assistant, and urinated all over itself (and us).
All the while, the owner kept saying "you are such a good boy!"
Too many health problems for one little dog
Three years ago, a wonderful owner of a young, cheerful little Bichon Frise came into my office for a chief complaint of a bad cough. I treated what was ultimately kennel cough successfully, but this was only a tiny blemish in what would be a future of a number of diseases that this dog would ultimately have to contend with.
Since then this dog has been treated for severe skin allergies, pancreatitis, diabetes, ACL tear in the knee, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, ear infections, and is currently dealing with severe cataracts and chronically infected anal glands.
Fortunately for him, his Mom is fiercely dedicated his care, sparing no expense and painstakingly keeping up with all of his treatments. Fortunately for us, despite all he has been through and continues to go through, he remains sweet and amiable, and his owner is an absolute pleasure to work with, considered by the doctors and staff alike to be both client and good friend. Thanks to her, he remains alive with good quality of life and happy as a clam despite his constant health problems.
Unwilling patient
A client picked up a kitten that she saw thrown out the window of a moving car. The kitten amazingly did not seem very hurt, but there was some bleeding from the mouth and she wanted her looked at. On her way over, she let the kitten loose in the car while she drove, and the kitten proceeded out of fear to climb up into the dash board of the car, out of the reach of the client.
Upon arrival, two of my techs were unable to help this client get the kitten out of the dash, and one hour later, the client gave up. She said she would leave the windows open and let her come out when she is ready, perhaps try to lure her out with a can of food. This was last week, and I still have not seen the kitten or the client.
Terrible patient, delusional owner
A Sharpei came into my office for seeming to have been bitten by "something" in the back yard and was "freaking out" every time the area was touched by the owner. On the disposition line of the check-in form the owner had written, "very sweet." Despite the owner's assertion, in typical Sharpei fashion, the dog was extremely stressed and apprehensive when approached, snapping, and literally climbing the owner to get away from us. After we managed to get a muzzle on the dog, things did not get any better.
During the exam, the dog remained curled in a tense little ball and could not have been more stiff if it had been a corpse in rigormortis. I had to pry the legs apart, expending a considerable amount of force just to get a look at what turned out to be little more than a scratch on the skin. From the dog's reaction, however, one would have thought there was a compound fracture, as it screamed, clawed my assistant, and urinated all over itself (and us).
All the while, the owner kept saying "you are such a good boy!"
Too many health problems for one little dog
Three years ago, a wonderful owner of a young, cheerful little Bichon Frise came into my office for a chief complaint of a bad cough. I treated what was ultimately kennel cough successfully, but this was only a tiny blemish in what would be a future of a number of diseases that this dog would ultimately have to contend with.
Since then this dog has been treated for severe skin allergies, pancreatitis, diabetes, ACL tear in the knee, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, ear infections, and is currently dealing with severe cataracts and chronically infected anal glands.
Fortunately for him, his Mom is fiercely dedicated his care, sparing no expense and painstakingly keeping up with all of his treatments. Fortunately for us, despite all he has been through and continues to go through, he remains sweet and amiable, and his owner is an absolute pleasure to work with, considered by the doctors and staff alike to be both client and good friend. Thanks to her, he remains alive with good quality of life and happy as a clam despite his constant health problems.
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