I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish all of my supporters, ALL OF YOU, my best wishes for joyous, safe, and peaceful holidays for your human and furry family members. Again, than you for another year of your support.
I will be returning with all new blog posts, podcasts and Youtube videocasts in the middle of January, so stay tuned. We have a large array of interesting, fun, and informative topics to cover, as well as important people in the pet industry to interview and give us all their valuable insight. Until then, please enjoy this re-run of our most popular video of this season, "The cat who loves babies", and thank you as always, for caring about what I have to say!
Sincerely,
Roger Welton, DVM
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Airs Wed December14, 2011, 9PM EST. Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Listeners, Viewers, and Readers:
This will be my final podcast of the
year, where I will be reflecting on the year’s triumphs, failures, lessons
learned, and outlook for 2012.From the
stagnant economy and how that affects the pet care industry and pet owners alike, innovations like stem cell therapy and low level laser becoming mainstream
medicine, to the abysmal persistence of puppy mills and dog fighting in our
country, I plan to cover all the good and bad of 2011.
We also have 4 very interesting
listener e-mails to address throughout the show, so be sure to tune in.
As
always, I invite you to post comments right here at the blog or submit e-mail
comments/questions to be addressed by me on the air, by sending them to comments@web-dvm.net.
I
thank all of my fans for another year of your kind and enthusiastic support,
and I thank you as always for caring about what I have to say!
Happy
holidays and best wishes to you and yours!
Sincerely,
Roger Welton, DVM
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to The Web-DVM final episode of 2011. Tonight, I will be addressing a most unpleasant habit of some canines, eating their own feces, or the feces of other dogs. For most of us, the thought of such an act is nothing short of appalling, which is why it is often incomprehensible to most pet owners that their dogs would partake in such an act.
So why do they do this? What many people are not aware of is that under certain circumstances, this is a natural canine behavior. Mother dogs clean their nursing puppies and their environment in part, by eating the feces of the puppies that do not have the capacity to leave the nest to defecate. With multiple puppies in the nest, one can imagine the unsanitary and unhealthy situation that would result from the puppy waste being allowed to accumulate. Other adult dogs in the pack will sometimes help pick up the mommy cleaning duties when litters are too big for her to keep up, or mom becomes sick or dies. This hardwired instinct, therefore exists in most dogs, and certain life circumstances can act as triggers for the behavior.
A dog with an underlying condition that can lead to excessive hunger, such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, or pancreatic disease, to name a few, may resort to eating feces.
A dog with intestinal parasites or other conditions that create blood in the stool can make it more appealing and may cause a dog to eat feces.
Too much time between meals and the hunger sustained in between can trigger a dog to eat feces. Certain diets in individuals can lead to subtle GI malabsorptive issues that can lead a dog to eat feces. Even if you are feeding a good quality diet, there is not one diet that is appropriate for every single dog, hence a change of food may be helpful.
Boredom or separation anxiety when the owner is away from the home can lead to the consumption of feces.
So what do you do about it? First off, the most important thing is to resist the temptation to just assume that your dog is just simply gross. While an underlying cause may ultimately elude us, dogs cannot tell us how they are feeling, so we owe it to them to try to figure out if there is an underlying medical trigger that we can fix.
Your starting point should be a veterinary visit for a general examination, and having the stool examined for parasites and trace blood. It would also be wise to run general blood work to rule out any underlying systemic disease.
If these diagnostics do not reveal anything, try gradually transitioning the dog to a different diet, especially if the one you are currently feeding is of poor quality. If you are feeding your dog only once a day, try splitting his daily food intake into 2-3 separate meals per day.
If you suspect that your dog may suffer from boredom, try engaging with him more with trips to the dog park, walks, etc. If your dog is destructive, soils the home, or vocalizes severely and incessantly when you leave the home, talk to your vet about managing what may be separation anxiety.
If no underlying problem is identified, then be certain to exercise good potty patrol, picking up the feces as it hits the ground. If your dog is too fast for you and gets that feces before you can pick it up, then you may need to resort to leash walks for elimination so the dog can be pulled away from the feces before he can eat it.
Some pet owners resort to food additives to discourage the eating of feces. Some claim to provide a certain nutrient that the dog does not get in his diet and ceases to eat his feces because he no longer craves what he is missing. Others are designed to make the feces less appealing to the dog.
Whatever the approach, be sure to ask your veterinarian if a product is safe before feeding it to your dog, as these products are not FDA or USDA regulated. Even if deemed safe, however, I would not hold your hopes too high for a miracle cure, as most pet owners are left disappointed by these products’ lack of effectiveness.
That concludes tonight’s broadcast. While this is my last YouTube broadcast of the year, I will be concluding 2011 with my final podcast of the year, Veterinary Advice, Animal News and Views, Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 9 PM EST, so be sure to tune in. I bid all of you happy, safe holidays, and I thank you sincerely for another year of your support!
This is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Airs Wed November 30, 2011, 9PM EST. Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Readers, Viewers, and Listeners:
In the past few years, there has been movement among many pet industry professionals and even a good number of veterinarians to push for the feeding of grain free, preservative free, pet food. And of course when there is a demand, there will be no shortage of companies happy to fill it...and often charge a rather high premium for this type of food.
The question is, is it really worth it? Are grains really the root of all canine and feline disease as many proclaim? In this episode, I breakdown some real benefits of these types of diets, versus claims that are fantastic and not really based in science and medicine.
As always, I invite you to post comments right here at the blog or submit e-mail comments/questions to be addressed by me on the air, by sending them to comments@web-dvm.net.
Thanks as always for caring about what I have to say!
Sincerely,
Roger Welton, DVM
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
I will not be posting a new YouTube show today, as I have taken some time to spend with family and prepare for the big feast tomorrow. In its place, please enjoy this repeat posting of our most popular video this season, "The cat who loves babies." Since it showcases my angelic little baby Scarlett, I am quite pleased to know that it has been our most popular episode in the new season, and I am overjoyed to post it again!
I would like to take the opportunity to wish all of our fans a very special and safe Thanksgiving holiday, and know that one of the things I am most thankful for, is having a fan base that cares about what I have to say...which works out splendidly for me, as I always HAVE ALOT TO SAY! I also wanted to remind everyone that Thanksgiving presents unique dangers to our pets, that are well summed up in this excerpt from an article from the wonderfully informative website, Petplace.com. Click here to view the article directly at Petplace:
Prevent access to counter tops – some dogs and especially cats will jump up on to counters (cats) or pull thing off counters. This is so tempting to pets with the succulent smells of turkey and food. The hot stove and hot items on counters can cause severe burns. Hot burners can also cause tail and hair to catch on fire.
Safely dispose of the turkey string and foil– the string that wraps or ties turkey's legs is often haphazardly placed aside and found and eaten by dogs and cats. The same danger exists with the plastic turkey wrapper. Ingestion of these indigestible items can require life-saving surgery. Place string, aluminum foil, and turkey wrappers in a secure covered trashcan.
Take care with the fireplace – many times Thanksgiving is the first of the winter holidays and the first time the fireplace has been used. Take special care that pets stay away from the fire. It is a good idea to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home to ensure all heaters are adequately ventilated.
Careful with table scraps and food – some dogs and cats deal well with table scraps and others get stick. Small breed dogs can be especially sensitive and develop a disease called pancreatitis. This is especially true with high fat meals. Don't feed your pet the skins to get rid of them. If you feed anything – offer small amounts of vegetables or meat. Many deserts contain chocolate, which pets don't need. Don't feed your pets chocolate.
No Bones – bones can be dangerous to dogs. Don't feed your dog the bones. If you dispose of them in the trash – make sure the trash is secure from your pet.
Special care with candles – this is a wonderful occasion to light some beautiful candles. Only do this with the candles are supervised. Never leave the room with a burning candle. Pets can knock them over causing burns or house fires.
Beware liquid potpourri – this is another item that is commonly used during the holidays to give the home a wonderful aroma. The liquid potpourri can be very caustic to the gums and throat of ingested. Spray or plug in air fresheners may be a safer alternative.
I plan to return next week with a new episode of my podcast, Veterinary advice, animal news and views, when I will be talking about, The grain free, preservative free pet food craze, worth all the hype? As always, I will also be addressing listener e-mails, which are abundant and passionate to say the least, given our last controversial topic about feline declaw, canine debarking, and other controversial procedures. Please tune in and keep the e-mails coming.
Again Happy Thanksgiving and God bless!
Roger Welton, DVM
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Airs Wed November 16, 2011, 9PM EST. Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Readers, Viewers, and Listeners:
This week, I will be talking about the very controversial and polarizing topics of declaw, debarking, tail docking, and ear dropping procedures. I plan to present these procedures objectively based on medical and scientific facts, not rhetoric or passionate feelings one way or the other. Of course, since I am here to offer my opinion, I plan to do that as well, but it does not mean that I expect you to necessarily agree with me. I am sure this podcast is likely to draw lots of comments and I invite them, either posted here at the blog or sent by e-mail to be addressed on the air in my next podcast. Your comments are welcome and encouraged, but I ask that despite the intense feelings these topics can conjure up, that you keep your posts civil and respectful.
As always, you can submit e-mail comments/questions to be address by me on the air, by sending them to comments@web-dvm.net.
Thanks as always for caring about what I have to say!
Sincerely,
Roger Welton, DVM
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
My
report this evening concerns from my view, one of the most abysmal
inventions in the history of pet products: the extender leash. Oddly,
too many pet owners do not agree, and much to the dismay of those that have
fallen victim to the shortcomings of these leashes, many continue to use them,
and for some odd reason, even like them. For
those not familiar with the extender leash, it is a type of leash that has a
loaded spring/cartridge handle that allows the leash to be as short as 3 feet, or as long as 15
feet, some even extending to 20 feet.It
can lock in place at whatever length the dog owner wishes it to be.Sounds convenient, right?WRONG!
The
first problem we see with this kind of leash, is that once it is extended, if a
dog needs to be reeled in for whatever reason, it cannot be.So here you are, a car or another dog is
approaching, perhaps it is cyclist or a small child you do not want your dog to
scare or boulder into.Well good luck
with an excited dog with 20 feet of slack you cannot reign in!What’s more, after the first few feet, the
leash narrows from a nylon strap to a thin braided nylon rope, perfect for
getting the pet owner, approaching cyclist, other dog, or small child tangled
up in and riddled with painful rope burns.
This
is even more fun when the pet owner thinks that the lock mechanism is place,
but it is not; or when the dog is about to take off and the pet owner tries to
engage the lock too late, the dog is already pulling too hard and it will not
lock down, giving the dog 15 – 20 feet of freedom, with a dangerous, taught
rope in between.Yes, this is a most
wonderful surprise for all parties involved.
Just
2 days ago, a client had her Chihuahua in my waiting room on one of these genius devices.She had forgotten to engage the lock
mechanism and her Chihuahua, like many others of her breed that rarely see
another dog they do not want to attack, went after a boxer sitting across the
room.The boxer and his owner were
minding their own business, boxer kept at bay with a short leash, when along
comes an angry Chihuahua bounding across the waiting room poised to
attack.The boxer outweighs the
Chihuahua by 60 pounds, so naturally, the Chihuahua’s owner is mortified.Left with no other recourse, she grabs and
pulls on the thin, braided extender portion of the leash, trying to reign in
her determined, angry little dog, meanwhile suffering rope burns on her hands.Another client, an innocent bystander who had
simply come in to pick up medication, ended up tangled in the leash as the
Chihuahua circled around her, gifting her with rope burns on her legs – it’s
shorts weather year round here in Florida.My waiting room descended into utter chaos.Luckily for the Chihuahua, the boxer was a
gentle soul and despite being provoked, did not retaliate.Folks, this is not an uncommon consequence of
these horrible leashes.
From
a training perspective, a dog walked with one of these leashes, never learns
leash manners.Teaching a dog to walk
along with the owner on a short leash at his side, makes the walk pleasant and
productive for both dog and owner.Giving the dog 15-20 feet of slack to take off, jump out into the road, go
after squirrels, meanwhile tangling up the owner and other poor souls that may
pass by, teaches the dog no walk discipline.
The
vast majority of pet professionals whether on the health care side, grooming, or
training, detest these kinds or leashes.I am sure that I speak for most when I urge all of you to say no to
extender leashes.
This
is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Podcast airs Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 9 PM EST
Greetings loyal viewers, listeners and readers,
On this week's podcast, I discuss the interesting dichotomy of cats representing a much larger percentage of household pet ownership, yet are far more often left out in the cold when it comes to receiving regular veterinary care when compared to their canine counterparts. In fact, felines are 30% less likely to receive regular wellness veterinary care than dogs. I get into the core reasons for this discrepancy. You will learn that it is not lack of love, but the result of cat owners' erroneous assumptions and observations that give them a different personal perspective about cats and wellness care as opposed to dogs.
Plus, as always I will be addressing listener e-mail comments throughout the broadcast, so please tune in, keep the e-mails coming, and thank you as always for caring about what I have to say.
Sincerely,
Roger Welton, DVM
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Hello viewers, readers, listeners,
As always, I posted both the video and transcript for this episode of The Web-DVM. If you are one who typically prefers to read the transcript tather than watch the video, I urge you just this once to watch the actual video, as the photographs and video footage of this cat can only be trully appreciated viewed directly. Enjoy!
Roger Welton, DVM
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
I did not have to look far for this week’s news story, as this
one comes right from my own home.This
story is about Forrest, the cat who loves babies.
Forrest is a Devon Rex cat, a feline breed known for quirkiness
and often downright eccentricity, but gentle, tolerant to their core, and very
snuggly little cats.
While Forrest will enthusiastically snuggle up to any person who
takes a moment to pay attention to him, he has a special affection for
babies.It began with my first child
Austin, when Forrest would wait by the door for my wife or me to enter his
nursery in the morning, only to rush in, jump into his crib, nuzzle our infant
son, and flop down next to him purring loudly.
Whether we were bathing, dressing, or changing Austin, Forrest
was always right there snuggled up against him.
But Forrest was at the time only still a mere kitten himself,
about 6 months of age.We thought
perhaps Forrest simply saw the baby as merely another “kitten” to play with, or
was just simply overwhelmed with kitten curiosity over this strange little
human creature.
But then came baby Scarlett, and by the time of her birth,
September 2010, Forrest was an adult cat over 2 years of age, my son Austin by
now 2 ½.While Forrest remained
remarkably tolerant of and affectionate toward Austin, his obsession with him
was not quite as intense.And the from
moment we brought home our infant little girl, his attention turned from Austin
altogether and Forrest once again became a cat obsessed, with yet another baby.
My wife took this photograph [see video for image] of Forrest after he had jumped in
the crib to cuddle with Scarlett when she had turned to put some of Scarlett’s
clothes in the hamper.And you can
clearly see, the love is not one sided.
In fact, wherever my daughter may be crawling around in the
house, you will find Forrest right there, ready to cuddle her as she pleases,
something she takes full advantage of often, as she does in this video my wife
shot just the other day.
-Video Clip of Forrest
and Scarlett cuddling on the kitchen floor [see webcast for video footage] -
Yes, Forrest loves his baby indeed and Scarlett clearly loves
him back.While this friendship is a
most unlikely one, it is as real as it gets, and for us and our extended
family, a heartwarming spectacle that plays out every hour of every day right
in our home.
I take heart in the fact that Forrest is still young, only 3 ½
years of age, and that hopefully one day he will still be with us the day
Scarlett is old enough to appreciate this video and realize that her very first
BFF in this world was a silver and black Devon Rex, named Forrest.
This is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Podcast airs Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 9 PM EST
Greetings loyal viewers, listeners and readers,
Now 3 years old, my son Austin is aware enough of last year’s Halloween experience to look forward to dressing up (this year as Iron Man per his request), go trick or treating, and eat free candy. Seeing my son in his little get-up walking up to people’s door to enthusiastically say “twick or tweet” brings me a joy I never expected. Seeing his little friends and all the adorable neighborhood kids so happily engaging in this tradition brings us all back to more innocent and carefree time when dressing up for Halloween was one of the most important priorities of the year.
In this episode, I will be talking about the unique opportunity Halloween brings pet owners to dress up their beloved furry companions in cute, often downright hilarious costumes. With very agreeable weather this time of year here in Florida, many people spend the evening doling out candy sitting outside with tables and chairs set out on their driveways, and increasingly, with their pets at their side dressed up in some of the cutest and outrageous costumes I have ever seen on any species!
I will also be discussing some common pet dangers that present themselves during the Halloween season, how prevent them, and what to do if your pet falls victim to one of them, plus this evening we have 4 listener e-mail questions that I will be addressing on the air.
As always, thanks again for caring about what I have to say, and keep the e-mails coming!
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
Your beloved canine companion clearly is not a cow, so it may be a bit strange to see him grazing on grass outside. It’s even weirder to see your cat doing this. So why in the world would they do this?
Let’s start with dogs. One bit of misinformation out there maintains that dogs are pure carnivores, meaning that they supposedly subsist predominantly on meat based protein. Realistically, however, dogs are omnivores just like people, in that they thrive ideally with a mixed diet consisting of both plant matter and meat, making the craving of plant matter like grass, not entirely unusual after all. Even their ancient cousin the wolf is omnivorous, engaging in the eating of plant matter with similar acts of grazing on grasses, as well as eating the plant matter out of the guts of their herbivorous prey.
Some dogs only seem to eat grass when they are feeling sick, prompting the owner to schedule to a vet visit because Buffy is repeatedly eating grass and vomiting it back up. Grass, after all, contains fiber which can help to expel worms and provide bulk to relieve diarrhea. Some grasses are rich in the green pigment chlorophyll, a compound that is rich in anti-oxidants and free radical scavengers that help to boost an immune system stressed with illness. Chlorophyll also has antiseptic properties, which could be helpful in cases of bacterial infections of the gut.
Many veterinarians dismiss this notion of dogs craving grass only when they are ill, maintaining that they are just not intelligent enough to know that some elements of certain kinds of grasses may be beneficial during times of GI upset, that their grass eating and GI upset are simply coincidental. I do not happen to be of this opinion.
While I would agree that dogs are not going to be smart enough to seek treatment for GI upset on their own the way we seek ant-acids for indigestion, I believe that on some instinctual level born of evolution, some dogs do indeed engage in the eating of grass only when sick.
For other dogs, the eating of grass is strictly a behavioral phenomenon, done simply out of boredom. This fact is evidenced by the numbers of grass eaters that are less apt to partake in grass grazing after the owner takes more time to play with and engage with the dog.
So what about cats? Interestingly, dietary-wise, cats are quite different from dogs and people in that they actually are true carnivores meaning they can fulfill all of their dietary needs and essential nutrients by eating a 100% meat diet. Given this fact, it seems especially strange that a cat would enjoy grazing on grass, but the truth is that many do. While the common storyline from dog owners is that Buffy only eats grass when he is sick, the same is not heard with nearly the same frequency in cats.
This seems to make the instinctual evolutionary craving for the aforementioned medicinal elements of grass less likely to be the case in cats. Still, since we cannot ask them, it cannot be completely dismissed. More likely, however, cats that tend to graze on grass do so out of boredom.
So what do you do if your dog or cat grazes on grass? Is it a problem? Well, if your dog or kitty is one of those that only seem to eat grass to vomit it up when sick, then perhaps you should schedule a veterinary visit to deal with said illness that prompted the behavior.
For all others that simply seem to enjoy it, try engaging with the pet more to alleviate potential boredom. For dogs, consider more walks, swimming, fetching, or just tickling the tummy as often as possible. For cats, try getting a cat jungle gym in the home, engage in play with cat toys or a laser pointer, or consider getting Tiger a window stand for more visual stimulation.
If in the end, your dog or cat eats grass no matter what you do, it is not likely to cause any harm, in fact, it could even stand to do them some good. The only caveat to this is that many commercial lawn pesticides can cause harm to your dogs and cats if ingested with the grass. As such, for homes of pets that have a tendency to dine on the lawn, it is wise to choose only lawn pest control products that are organic and safe for animal ingestion, or avoid them altogether if possible.
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Podcast airs Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 9 PM EST
Greetings readers, listeners and viewers:
Tonight's podcast deals with the veterinary care side of our ongoing and seemingly never ending economic malaise, a reality that affects both the veterinary industry and pet owners alike. On our side, patient visits are down and have been steadily decreasing over the past three years. On you the pet owners' side, many of you have been faced with making the difficult choice between providing quality wellness care for your pets or making sure your families remain fed and clothed. It is both frustrating and at times even heartbreaking from either side of that equation.
In this podcast, I discuss some modalities that pet owners can take advantage of in order to not necessarily have to sacrifice some level of quality wellness care for your pets during tough economic times. I present these options objectively, explaining how some are indeed too good to be true, while others may be worth your careful consideration. In the end, it is not wise to let the ideal be the enemy of the good, and in tonight's talk, I aim to help you steer through the options available to you as a caring pet owner with a limited budget.
We also have three excellent e-mail questions submitted that I will address on the air, one notably all the way from France, while another is from a fellow practicing veterinarian. Hope you enjoy the show, and please keep the comments and e-mails coming!
Thanks again for caring to hear what I have to say! :)
Regards,
Roger Welton, DVM
Send e-mail questions or comments for Dr. Roger to discuss on the air to comments@web-dvm.net
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
Welcome back ladies and gentlemen, to a new season of The Web-DVM. Thank you so much for continuing to take the time to watch the show. As promised, I have a big announcement about a project I dedicated a lot of time to over the summer.
Many of you who watch are YouTubers that have subscribed having come across my webcasts by chance, through search engine, or through word of mouth. What many of you are not aware of is that this webcast was originally meant to be a media supplement to a veterinary health information website I founded called Web-DVM.net. In short, this show and my BlogTalkRadio podcast were just created to add some spice and updated content to what I deemed the much bigger and more important Web-DVM.net. Little did I know that this webcast and my podcast would take on lives of their own, drawing thousands of viewers and listeners each week.
But Web-DVM.net remains, receives 50, 000 unique visitors per month, and is a project I am still very proud of, especially now that I have added a virtual dog and cat symptom checker. That is, if your pet is exhibiting signs of illness or disease, you can go to the Web-DVM.net symptom checker and use the tool to try to narrow down what may be wrong with your pet. The symptom checker provides the user a set of possible causes of disease, each with a link to an in-depth article about each given condition. Best of all, it is free to use at your leisure, without need for any registration or login. Just show up and use it. Here is a brief example of how it works.
Pause for symptom checker illustration
Pretty cool, huh? Now, while I invite you to use the Web-DVM.net symptom checker as often as, and whenever you like, please let me be clear that it is not meant to be a replacement for your veterinarian. I will repeat that one more time, it is not a replacement for your veterinarian. It is an educational tool only meant to aid pet owners understand if a certain set of signs can mean there is disease present, while also getting an idea of the urgency associated with a particular set of signs. That said, enjoy it, and thank you once again for remaining a fan of my show. Please join me next time, when I will be answering the ever so common question, “Why do some dogs and cats eat grass?”
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.
Hello everyone and thank you for your patience this summer during my abscence. My media work is one of my favorite aspects of my veterinary career and I am itching to get back to corresponding with all of you. Whether you are a fan of my BlogTalkRadio podcast, my YouTube webcast, or both, we are set to kick off the new season tomorrow night, Wednesday 9 PM EST with my podcast, Veterinary Advice, Animal News and Views.
In this show, I will be announcing the completion of an exciting project that I worked on all summer that will be free for pet owners to enjoy great benefits from. I will then highlight some changes that will be in effect for the new fall season and transition into the evening's topic of The Itchy Pet.
For those of you that are waiting for return of The Web-DVM YouTube webcast, the first one is set to air one week from tomorrow, Wed 9-21-2011, where I will be discussing my project further, as well as showing it in action. My plan for this season with a very demanding schedule is to alternate every other week between my podcast and webcast. I love both genres equally for different reasons, but doing both each week turned out to be too much of a demand on my time.
Thank you all again for your patience this off season, and for caring enough to listen to little old me! I hope the my new project I have to offer you, as well as this season's topics and formats will be such that I do not disappoint!
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
Season Finale! Online Pet Pharmacies: Saving Money or Danger to your Pet?
Their ads promise to save you lots of money and even “a stressful trip to the veterinarian”. You are encouraged by slick video and professional announcers to purchase flea medications, pain relief drugs and even heartworm prevention all from the comfort of your living room and laptop computer. But, are online pet pharmacies really the best option for you or are there hidden dangers?
With record numbers of families enjoying the benefits of pet ownership and online shopping, it should come as no surprise that the amount of money spent on our pets is huge. Experts are forecasting that pet owners will spend more than $50 billion dollars annually. A significant percentage of those expenses include veterinary care and prescription medications. So, is it any wonder that buying your prescription medications online may also look like a good deal?
At first glance, online pet pharmacies would seem to be a great option. The promise of lower prices and having the medication shipped to your door is a big selling point for busy, budget conscious people. But, there are some pitfalls when relying on Internet based sources for your pet’s medication needs.
First, they all say you can “save a trip to the vet”. Unfortunately, this is only partially true. In order to prescribe and dispense medication to your pet, most states require that there is a valid veterinarian-client-pet relationship or VCPR. This is usually defined as a veterinarian having examined your pet within the last 12 months. If the VCPR does not exist, medication cannot be dispensed.
Some websites will offer to sell the drugs without a prescription. This is not only illegal but not in the best interest of your pet! Websites that sell without needing prescriptions are most often based outside of North America, where pharmacy and drug laws may not be as strict.
The requirement for this professional relationship insures that you and your veterinarian have good, up to date facts about your pet’s health. Plus the medical records and history for your pet are all in one place. The veterinary staff also knows your whole pet family and can help prevent problems when there are multiple species present in the household.
Since pets are unique individuals, some may have unexpected reactions to certain drugs and some medications can even be deadly if given incorrectly. Others may need a special formulation for ease of administration. The online pharmacies will not know this information and this could be a problem if your pet is on several medications or has secondary conditions.
If a life-threatening emergency happens with a medication, your veterinarian is only a phone call away. Some online pharmacies only allow contact through email and this will not help you if your pet needs assistance immediately!
Finally, despite many good businesses online, there will always be a few who are looking for a quick buck at your expense. Avoid sites that offer dramatically lower prices than competing sites or your veterinarian. Likewise, if you have ordered medication online, check the drug to make sure it looks similar to what you have given before. If it looks different in any way, do not give it to your pet.
The FDA is so concerned about this, it is now warning pet owners to be aware of shady online companies. And, the National Board of Pharmacies has instituted the Veterinary Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites program (Vet-VIPPS) to help you find properly licensed and compliant online pet pharmacies. Only twelve companies so far have earned the right to display the Vet-VIPPS seal of approval.
Check with your veterinarian about online pharmacies. Many veterinary hospitals now offer their very own store on their websites. You can order your pet’s medications conveniently from home, possibly even get home delivery and you know that the source is reputable. In addition, you will know who you are talking to in case of any problems or concerns. Honest and open communication with your veterinarian about cost concerns will prevent misunderstandings about money and help you do what’s best for your pet.
This episode concludes our 2011 spring season, we will return with all new episodes in September, 2011. I will be using this time off to work on a project that stands to benefit pet owners worldwide. I plan to announce it in the first episode of the new season, so please be sure to keep in touch. This is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Don't forget to catch my live call-in radio show Wednesdays 9PM EST. Listen via podcast live or archived here:
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
The Down and Dirty on Fleas!
Greetings, pet lovers, this is Dr. Roger Welton, veterinarian and Veterinary News Network Reporter.
The most common type of flea in the U.S. is the Ctenocephalides felis…or the Cat Flea. Despite its name, this species will feed from cats, dogs and even humans. . These wingless insects attack both people and pets and feed by drawing blood from their host.
While most people relate to the irritation of flea bites, fleas can transmit more serious diseases. Flea allergy dermatitis is certainly the most common problem associated with fleas, but they can also transmit Bubonic Plague, tapeworms and Feline Infectious Anemia.
The challenge of winning the flea battle lies in understanding the flea’s life stages, then attacking all levels of the life cycle.
A single female flea can lay 20-50 eggs at a time, creating over 2000 fleas in her life span of three months. With just 25 adult female fleas that equates to more than a quarter of a million fleas in only 30 days!
The non-sticky eggs fall off the pet, ending up in your carpeting, pet bedding or furniture upholstery. Outdoor environments such as leaf litter, lawn or mulch in moist and shady areas are also ideal environments for egg incubation.
Flea eggs hatch after 1-10 days (depending on the temperature and level of humidity) into larvae. These larvae feed off flea feces and debris, then molts three times in a 5-25 day period before spinning a cocoon (pupae). The flea pupae then hatch in as few as 5-9 days to the fully formed adult….OR they can remain dormant for up to five months.
Adult fleas comprise only about 5% of the entire flea population. The remaining 95% consists of eggs, larvae and cocoons in the pet’s environment. It’s easy to see how the flea can quickly invade and even overrun your home.
Expert “Flea Guru”, Dr. Michael Dryden recommends a combination of products and procedures. The very important first step is a visit to your veterinarian. “You can beat the fleas, but you have to purchase the right products.” Flea products obtained from a veterinarian have been proven effective through rigorous testing. Topically applied products like Frontline, Advantage & Revolution have worked well in the battle against the flea as has the orally administered pills, Capstar and Comfortis. With the rapid life cycle of the flea, the product must have a kill ratio of 90-95% to be considered effective. Anything less will not do the job completely.
Dr. Dryden continues “That’s not the case for (generally less expensive) over-the- counter products. Natural and organic doesn’t necessarily mean safe. I’m all for green and saving the planet. But I am also all for using a product which is proven safe for my pets.”
Shampoos and collars are less effective and in some cases can even cause harm to your pet. For example, the wrong dose of your dog’s flea product can have devastating and even life-threatening results if given to your cat. It may sound silly, but the EPA estimates that this mistake happens thousands of times every year!
Once the flea does appear, Dr. Dryden promotes a 3-part plan. The first step: eradicate the existing fleas on your pet. Proper product usage is very important and, remember, one dose won’t eliminate all the different stages.
Secondly, it’s necessary to ensure that you have rid the premises of the fleas. Use products that contain Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) to kill flea eggs and larvae. Your outdoor environment may need to be professionally treated. You need to regularly clean the indoor areas frequented by your pets. Treat ALL dogs and cats….not just the affected pet. And all pets should be treated for at least three to six months to ensure total elimination.
.
Thirdly, prevent new infestations with lifelong flea control. Using a veterinarian recommended flea product will kill all levels of the flea infestation. If the flea can’t reproduce, it will become extinct. However, if even one cycle of flea prevention is missed, the battle will continue.
Knowing how to combat fleas is really more than half the battle. And although they are hardy little critters, we do have safe effective products to fight these bugs. Ask your veterinarian for product recommendations and advice.
This is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Don't forget to catch my live call-in radio show Wednesdays 9PM EST. Listen via podcast live or archived here:
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
Are the heartworms winning?
Greetings, pet lovers, this is Dr. Roger Welton, veterinarian and Veterinary News Network Reporter.
Heartworm disease has been known to veterinarians more than 120 years. Transmitted from any of more than 70 known species of mosquitoes, the disease attacks the pulmonary arteries and the dog’s heart. Heartworms are spread directly to the dog from the mosquito, with no dog-to-dog transmission.
For more than four decades, heartworm disease has been effectively prevented in dogs by using available products. But recent research indicates this might be changing. Information released at a 2010 veterinary conference detailed a genetic mutation in heartworms that appears to confer slight resistance to current preventives. Anecdotal reports in the last 4-5 years also point toward an increase in heartworm prevention product failures in the Mississippi delta region of the U.S.
Lack of efficacy (LOE) to heartworm preventives remains geographically limited, but research is ongoing. Historically, the LOE was attributed to poor owner compliance, Hurricane Katrina effects, increased heartworm numbers within this mosquito vector, and/or the increased sensitivity of heartworm testing.
Two prominent veterinary groups, the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) and American Heartworm Society (AHS) concluded recently that most credible reports of LOE are geographically limited at this time. The extent of this problem is unknown.
Lack of conclusive evidence could also be due to:
• Poor Owner Compliance.
o Is the pet given preventive medication consistently?
o Is the pet ingesting the medication and not vomiting up, splitting out meds?
• Imperfect Clinical Testing & Education
o Dogs with inconsistent heartworm testing tested more often.
o Delayed maturity of heartworms potentially indicates a “negative” antigen test, leading to false sense of security.
o Heartworm tests may have become more sensitive.
This same study group concludes: “The potential for lack of efficacy of traditional control products is not a reason to abandon their use”. Emphasis is placed on the importance of annual heartworm testing.
The veterinary industry does recognize the dire consequences if resistance is confirmed. The American Heartworm Society will continue to support and monitor research. If resistance is confirmed, changes to preventive and therapeutic strategies may be implemented in the future.
The following are key veterinarian recommendations:
• Proper use of current heartworm preventives remains effective for the vast majority of dogs.
• Prevention strategies should not be abandoned.
• In heartworm disease confirmed cases, stage-specific medical management should be implemented.
The following are dog owner key recommendations:
• Annual heartworm disease testing, more often if missed preventives or high risk.
• Follow label directions on dosage and frequency.
• Reduce exposure to mosquitoes.
• Get examined by veterinarian immediately if symptoms appear in your dog…i.e. persistent cough, exercise intolerance, body wasting.
• Upon heartworm diagnosis, follow veterinary recommended treatment.
Heartworm disease is a complex issue. Until more is known about the extent of the issue, pet owners should trust current heartworm products as the best choice for prevention.
Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations, give heartworm prevention monthly year-round and test annually to ensure that you are protecting your pets.
This is Dr. Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Don't forget to catch my live call-in radio show Wednesdays 9PM EST. Listen via podcast live or archived here:
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
The Myth of Discount Veterinary Surgery
Greetings, pet lovers, this is Dr. Roger Welton, veterinarian and Veterinary News Network Reporter.
Most pet owners have heard of these so called veterinary clinics, offering discounted spays, neuters and other surgical procedures at very low prices when compared to general practices. In the midst of recent economic difficulties amid the Great Recession, they have capitalized on people’s financial distress, stepping up their promotion of veterinary surgery at rock bottom prices, claiming that the quality is on par with any general practice. This could not be further from the truth.
I invite you for a brief tour of my operating room, where I will highlight important aspects of safe anesthesia and surgery. I will then return to explain how this contrasts with the methods of discount clinics. While watching this, always bear in mind that anesthesia is the controlled administration of potentially lethal drugs for the purpose of surgery. Given their very real lethal potential, we must engage in the best possible monitoring to ensure optimal safety for our patients...
...So, how does all this differ from discount veterinary clinics? Given their rock bottom pricing to attract more customers, they are unlikely going to have a SurgiVet monitoring device, nor a therapy laser. To cut costs, many discount clinic veterinarians do not change their surgical gowns between patients or re-scrub their hands, while some do not not even wear a surgical gown to begin with. Some discount clinics do not even provide each patient with a fresh surgical pack, using one pack with the same instruments for multiple patients. Cleaning and re-sterilizing instruments and gowns costs money, money they are not willing to spend for the sake of discounting their services to maximize the quantity of patients they see, at the expense of the quality of their services. Likewise, IV catheters are often not placed for surgery and fluids are not routinely administered during each procedure, as these actions also increase the cost.
As is the case with most things in life, when it comes to safe anesthesia and surgery, you usually get what you pay for. If you are the type of owner that wants to price shop when considering a given procedure for your pet, even spays and neuters, make certain to really have a thorough look at what your are getting for the price. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is, and that is not a chance worth taking with the life of your beloved furry family member.
This is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Don't forget to catch my live call-in radio show Wednesdays 9PM EST. Listen via podcast live or archived here:
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:
Health and wellness web portal...for pets?
Most people are familiar health and wellness mega webportals, large internet resources for people to access trusted information regarding the management of their own health and wellness. People have been benefitting from disease awareness, wellness tips and gathering health informaiton from sites of these kind for years.
With pet owners passionate about the health and wellness of their pets at a level never before seen and growing exponentially, their subsequent demand for accurate, trusted information has led to the creation of PetMD.
PetMD.com includes a wealth of pet content, directories, and interactive tools all designed to strengthen the human-pet bond. PetMDs content is provideded by pet health care professionals base on their specialties, and said content goes through a very thorough process of fact checking and editing prior to publication.
PetMD's health library offers an array of health channels that span 9 different species, and features informative and fun blogs, such as "The Daily Vet" and "Fully Vetted" PetMD's news center reports the latest news and information about the world of pets. Given its wealth of pet resources and people's love of their pets, PetMD receives 500,000 unique visitors per month.
PetMD offers e-mail news alerts with a subscriber list of ver 280,000. Given the ever growing commitment of pet owners to the care of their pets, in addition to PetMDs phenomenal commitment to providing continuous quality information and tools, this site clearly rivals WebMD on the veterinary side of health and wellness.
The advent of PetMD.com is very exciting for pet health care professionals, as it is confirmation that our advocacy of pet wellness does not fall on deaf ears, and that pet owners are becoming increasingly proactive about the wellness of their furry familar members.
I will be following up this broadcast with a live interview with a spokeperson from PetMD, named nicolas on the next broadcast of my internet radio show, Veterinary Advice, Animal News and Views, airing live this Wednesday, 9PM EST.
This is Roger welton, reporting, for The Web-DVM.
Don't forget to catch my live call-in radio show Wednesdays 9PM EST. Listen via podcast live or archived here:
Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.
Dr. Roger Welton is an experienced ER and general practice veterinarian, and reporter for the Veterinary News Network (VNN). He is a published author and expert in his field, offering advice, pertinent veterinary information and news to the general pet owning public through his YouTube and BlogTalkRadio shows, which are embedded weekly here for your viewing and listening convenience. Dr. Welton is a reporter for the Veterinary News Network (VNN), enabling him to offer the most up to date, interesting, and cutting edge pet related information. Dr. Welton is happily married with 2 small children, and in his spare time competes in triathlons and coaches youth league lacrosse.
