Looking For The Right Pet Food

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

Dear Listeners, Viewers, and Readers,

With all of the new pet foods coming out each and every day, with so many people with (often strong) opinions about which brands are good or bad, how does a dog or cat owner sift through all of the advertisements, advice, and "opinions" about pet food and select the right one for his/her pet? 

Tonight, I define what some of the branding terminology really means, and concrete ways that pet owners may be able to discern which foods are reputable, appropriate for life stage of one's pet (s), and having been tested appropriately and under scrutiny prior to being put out on the pet food market.  In this part of our industry that lacks any real oversight, this is information stands to help you make perhaps the most important decision about your pet's health, and feel confident about your choice of food for your dogs and cats.

I caution you to not be tempted to dismiss my talk tonight, because you may have heard the unfounded and completely untrue notion that veterinarians like me are ignorant with regard to nutritional matters, that somehow the vet schools omit teaching us this most basic determinant of optimal or poor health.  This may be popular rhetoric among Internet pet chat forums, but it could not be further from the truth.  Animal Nutrition comprised an entire semester of first year course work, with a mid term and final examination and everything.  Later in second year physiology and medicine course work, these general nutrition premises are taken a step further with disease specific nutrition. 

So trust me when I tell you, your veterinarian is and always will be the best source of information when it comes to your pets' nutritional needs.  Enjoy the show, and feel free to send me questions or comments to be addressed in the next upcoming episode 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.

Does Spay/Neuter Increase Obesity Risk in Pets?

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

Dear Listeners, Readers, and Viewers:

The topic for this evening's podcast  was conceived in response to the common sentiment among pet owners that sterilization procedures (ovarohysterectomy or spay in females dogs and cats; orhiectomy or neuter in male dogs and cats) predispose pets to obesity.  The notion that sterilized dogs and cats tend to have a higher tendency to become obese is not one that pet owners pulled out of thin air, but comes from their own general observations...and their observations are correct.  Statistically, sterilized pets clearly have a tendency to become obese than their unsterilized counterparts.

The question is, is there a direct physiological connection of sterilizing pets to their tendency to become obese, or are there other factors that contribute to this?  For example, for a pet owner to have a pet spayed or neutered pet indicates a certain commitment to pet care, which in turn increases the likelihood of that pet being living a pampered, perhaps overindulgent lifestyle.  How much of a factor may this play if at all?

Like most topics I discuss on the air, the answer is not that simple, however, this topic has actually been heavily studied at the veterinary university level, helping us to gain clear insights into this phenomenon.  Tune in to learn more. :)

We also have 2 listener e-mail questions to address this evening.  I remind you that all are welcome to submit you own questions or comments by e-mailing them to comments@web-dvm.net.  As always, I thank you all 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.
   

The Shot-Wagon: The bottom of the veterinary barrel.

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

Dear Listeners, Viewers, and Readers,

Tonight I will be discussing a troubling trend I have seen spreading in the field of veterinary medicine, a paradigm of wellness veterinary care that has exploded exponentially with the tough economic reality that has gripped our country the past several years: the shot-wagon. Since this is a relatively short topic, I also plan to talk about breed specific legislation and an organized group that is poised to fight against this recent trend that they deem unfair and unsubstantiated. They are still in the process of building their website, but here is their Facebook link, with already 6000 + likes:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/473470059348352/

They are a new group that reached out to me recently. Although this evening I plan to highlight why I am strongly opposed to breed specific legislation, I do not know allot about this group at this point, so I invite you all to draw your own conclusions. I am encouraged to see that there is an organized movement to push back against breed specific legislation, so I certainly hope they turn out to be an effective, yet professional and respectful organization that reflects well on their cause.

There are 2 listener e-mail questions this to address on the air this episode. Please keep the e-mails coming, as listener participation is one of the best parts of the show. Send you questions/comments 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.