Combating Zoonoses (diseases transmissible to us)

Listen to internet radio with Roger Welton DVM on Blog Talk Radio

Dear Listeners, Viewers, and Readers:


I do some online consultation as part of my rather varied career repertoire - as if I don't have enough to do :) .  A couple of days ago, I was absolutely floored by one particular consultation that involved a man and his dog, both suffering from a parasitic disease that comes from raccoons.  The likely mode of transmission was his dog having sniffed, ate, or otherwise contacted raccoon feces, then through casual contact with his human owner, passed it along to him.  Both are now very sick, and treatment thus far has been frustratingly unsuccessful, which is what prompted him to pursue my online consultation service.


This gentleman's and his dog's experience inspired me to dedicate this episode to deadly zoonosis, a branch of infectious disease medicine that includes diseases that can be transmitted from our pets to us and our families.  Our children, the elderly, and the immune suppressed (e.g., cancer patients, HIV patients, or otherwise immune compromised people), are especially susceptible to some of these very dangerous diseases, so be sure to tune in and learn to prevent these diseases from affecting not only your pets, but your precious human family as well!


Also, we have one listener e-mail questions to address this evening.  We encourage all of our listeners to participate in our program by contributing your questions or comments at comments@web-dvm.net.


Thank you again, 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.

Myths About Our Pets’ Foods

Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:

Asking someone about their preferences in pet foods can be as polarizing as if you asked about their political affiliation. Many pet owners have very strong opinions and beliefs when it comes to the type of food they choose for their four-legged companions, however, there are a few myths about pet foods or pet food ingredients that need some clarification.

First, a very common assertion in online discussions, and even in veterinary waiting rooms, is that corn is a bad ingredient and our pets cannot digest it. In fact, some people will outright refuse any pet food that contains any corn in the formulation.

But, looking more closely at ingredient labels, pet owners will see that the “corn” present in many pet foods is actually corn meal or even corn gluten meal. These processed ingredients provide a very high quality carbohydrate source and a very digestible source of amino acids. An important fact to remember is that nutrients are the most important part of a pet’s diet, not the specific ingredients!

Despite the numerous myths circulating, corn is no more allergenic that any other protein source and actually has been shown to be less allergenic than beef, soy, wheat and dairy proteins.

The next myth has to do with an unfortunate naming convention. Almost everyone has seen pet food commercials showing paid actors pretending to be disgusted by the pet food ingredient called “meat by products”. Again, the confusion and misunderstandings happen because of what humans have decided to name particular parts of the meat producing animals.

In reality, by-products include highly digestible and nutritious organs, such as the liver and lungs and do NOT include things like hair, horns or hooves, as advertising gimmicks would have you believe.

Finally, many people believe that veterinarians are not instructed in any sort of nutrition basics during their intense schooling. This is actually a big fallacy as almost all veterinarians will have at least a semester devoted to nutrition and many may have completed undergraduate nutrition courses before applying to veterinary school. Continuing education opportunities that discuss nutrition are also popular lectures for veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

What you feed your pet will be a decision you make based on a variety of factors. But, don’t fall victim to Internet fads promoted by individuals without scientific training or who will profit when you purchase their brand of food. It’s also important to review a variety of information sources before you reach any conclusion about how good, or bad, a particular ingredient might be.

Whether you choose to use a “grain-free” diet, an “organic” pet food or the cheapest food you can find, it’s important to discuss your pet’s nutrition with your veterinarian. He or she can help you understand what the pet food labels really mean and help you make a sound decision based on the needs of your pet.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.

Walmart and Target are Now in the Pet Medication Business

Listen to internet radio with Roger Welton DVM on Blog Talk Radio

Dear Readers, Listeners, and Viewers,

My podcast this evening focuses the new reality of veterinary medicine, superstore giants have turned their sites on our industry, and not only are they here to stay, they are going to exert more influence and eat up a larger portion of the pet veterinary industry as time goes on. 

Now this has many veterinarians scared, depressed, angry...name your negative emotion.  For pet medication revenue for the past 15-20 years has served to improve the quality of our profession with the ability to afford the best equipment and technology, attract the the best employees, and keep the cost of services much lower than our human medical counterparts.  That ship has now sailed, yet despite that revenue loss, we are still mandated to provide a high level of care and services that our customers are accustom to, keep up with new technology, pay our employees well and offer them benefits, and continue to pay our taxes and other operational costs.  I can see why many a veterinarian may be losing sleep over this.   

This veterinarian, however, is not concerned.  I will explain why I have little concerns about Target, Walmart, and any other big business trying to snare their share of the veterinary industry.  I will also explain why the entry of these corporate giants into this industry may seem good for pet owners on the surface with lower pricing for pet medications, but I will remind you that not all is as peachy as it may seem.  There is no such thing as a free lunch, and this circumstance will be no different.  Be forewarned that there will be negative consequences as a result of this new reality, so tune in to find out!

Also, we have 3 listener e-mail questions to address tonight.  Feel free to submit your questions/comments to be addressed on the air by e-mailing 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.