Posts Tagged ‘veterinarian’

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Happy Heartworm-Free February!

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

Reminder:

If you give your pets heartworm preventative medication on the first…it’s the first!

Heartworm Preventative Medication

The following is a list of prescription medications available in varying combinations and permutations from your veterinarian.  (If you see any I missed, let me know and I will add them!)  Getting the weight-based dose and species correct is super important AND your veterinarian has your pet’s medical history which could impact which preventative is ideal.  So please get your veterinarian’s input in choosing which medication is best for your pet!

The brand names are listed first, with the active ingredient against heartworm disease in parenthesis.  Many of these medications also protect against other parasites.  I can add that information too if you would like!  You really only need to know which meds YOUR pet is on, but isn’t veterinary information FUN??

Dogs

Heartgard Plus (ivermectin) – monthly oral medication

Iverhart Max (ivermectin) – monthly oral medication

Tri-heart Plus (ivermectin) – monthly oral medication

Wormshield (ivermectin) – monthly oral medication

Interceptor (milbemycin) – monthly oral medication

Sentinel (milbemycin) – monthly oral medication

Trifexis (milbemycin) – monthly oral medication – new!

Advantage Multi (moxidectin) – monthly topical medication

Revolution (selamectin) – monthly topical medication

Proheart 6 (moxidectin) – sustained release injectable medication, given every six months (a form given every twelve months, Proheart 12, is available in Australia and parts of Asia)

Cats

Heartgard (ivermectin) – monthly oral medication

Interceptor (milbemycin) – monthly oral medication

Advantage Multi (moxidectin) – monthly topical medication

Revolution (selamectin) – monthly topical medication

Ferrets

Heartgard (ivermectin) – monthly oral medication

My checklist for today:

Ebony Dog – Wormshield tablet

Noodle the Poodle – Wormshield tablet

Joy the Puppy – Proheart injection

Max the Cat – topical Revolution

Princess the Gerbil – no prophylaxis needed*

*Since Princess is not susceptible to heartworm disease, she, Max and Joy get snacks since Ebony and Noodle get oral medication so as not to feel left out, which they would all argue is MORE important than having a heartworm-free household.

Potentially Helpful Links…

#barkoutloud Heartworm Discussion Notes

Heartworm Disease on Riley and James

(This one was written when I treated the dogs seasonally and poor Max the Cat not at all – now I treat everyone year-round!)

Heartworm Disease and Omaha Pets – Wuzzy Chronicles

American Heartworm Society Website

Coming Soon to The Riley and James Heartworm Series!

March 2011…Safety of heartworm preventative medication – Is it safe to give my Collie heartworm preventative medication?  Why is Joy the Puppy getting Proheart but not the old dogs?  Are some pets developing heartworm preventative medication resistance?  Are there valid drug-free options for preventing heartworm disease?  If you have other questions or concerns, let me know, and we will address those too!

(Do not wait until next month’s post if you need to know the answers to these questions now – ask me or ask your local vet – do not worry about spoiling the surprise!)

April 2011…How do these medications work?

May, June, July…I have not planned that far ahead!  What do YOU want to know about heartworm disease??  THAT is what we will talk about!

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Posted in Actual Medical Information (Mostly), Thoughts | 7 Comments »

Boobs and Coffee

Friday, January 21st, 2011

Things that have cheered me this sad week…

You ALL showed up with hugs and encouraging words after Piggy passed away.  And some of you just sat with me and sighed.  You are all wonderful.Wednesday I saw sixteen cats as patients, which I am pretty sure is an all time personal high.

My last two patients of the day Wednesday were two blond Pomeranian brothers, who took turns jumping onto my lap to get squoze then onto the floor to dance in happy circles then back onto my lap again.  One of them had tiny pom-sized sled dog boots.

My patients right before Happy Pom Kids were two of my favorite guinea pig patients.  Angela had to tell me to give them both back.  It was hard to let go.

The day Piggy died, the girls and I started a HUGE photo album project to cheer ourselves.  It is working.  Also, Russ found these pictures of Amanda (2) with Ebony…

and Abby (6 months) with Ebony…

who was just over one year old at the time.  Look how much she looked like Joy does now!  (I took this picture of Ebony (left) and Joy (right) today…

I don’t look for gorgeous black pets.  They just find me.My friend started a blog that I absolutely love.

Long, rambling disclaimer:If you let your kids read Riley and James for the guest posts written by kids, or the hamster pictures or other fun stuff, but you don’t want them to read the word BOOBS, have them skip this post.  The link isn’t kid-appropriate, but only because it is Things Grown-ups Struggle With That Kids Should Not Have To Yet, not because of inappropriate material or pictures.  We try to shield our kids from Almost Everything in the World.  I know I probably overstep, and I will pay for the therapy as they need it, but hilarious names for anatomical parts is one thing we definitely do not shield them from and even encourage them to learn. 

That being said, here is a very thoughtful, sensitive, multi-layered new blog by one of my very favorite people in the Whole Wide World.  It is about Life, but it also has a Cat I Love and a Dog I Love.  In fact, I love the whole family.  You would too if you knew them, I just know it.  Thank you Friend, for starting this blog the week I needed something to take my mind off the sadness of losing Piggy and helping put things in perspective, as you also do so well in Real Life.

Boobs and Coffee

by

Vera Jo

And finally, this Christmas 2010 picture of Piggy that I forgot I had…

AND this picture of Piggy that Dave drew cheered me.  I put it as my phone screen background…

May you have pets in your life as wonderful as Piggy and Friends in your life as wonderful as mine, and may you find reasons to smile, even during the most difficult of weeks.

♥

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Posted in Exotic Pets, Pet Blogger Hop, pet loss, Thoughts | 10 Comments »

Pet Bloggers' Challenge

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Edie Jarolim of “Will My Dog Hate Me?” and Amy Burkert of “Go Pet Friendly” challenged people who blog about pets to answer a set of questions about their site on this, the tenth day of January.

I try to keep up with pet blogs, but was challenged at a whole new level this past weekend, when I joined the Saturday Pet Blog Hop for the first time.  (Yes, I have visited every single one of the 134 140 sites!  Woo!  You guys have some cute pets!)  THAT is where I heard about The Pet Blogger Challenge.

Pet Blogger Challenge

I am always up for a great group project, especially when it involves pets or blogging or both, and don’t tell Edie and Amy, but I think they are awesome, and I will most likely do anything they tell me to do.

Here are their questions…

1. When did you begin your blog?

September 1, 2006

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

My original purpose was to get pet preventative care information to pet lovers in a broader way than just one-on-one in the exam room, veterinarian to client (which I still think is super important!)

My brother Dave suggested that I publish a newsletter for our family and mutual friends.  I loved the idea!  I tried to talk him into helping me print, staple and deliver newsletters to our friends, and he talked me into putting all of the newsletters onto a website that he offered to design for me.  (Dave, you were right, this is much more fun!)

He and his wife Sara had a gorgeous Great Dane at the time, so we named the site after her, The Official Riley Fan Club.  He even made buttons and fan club cards – so cute!  They still have Riley and later adopted James, the wonderful English Mastiff, and the website became Riley and James.  I went from publishing kind of long, formal entries every other month, to my current practice of publishing about twice a week.

 

Riley and James and…Riley and James!

3. Is your current purpose the same?

Yes!  The methods have changed over the years, but the purpose of Riley and James is the same, to provide pet preventative care information to pet lovers.  I also want it to be a fun site, and to be able to share some of my own pets’ stories.  I recently came up with a Purpose Statement, at the recommendation of , and buried it in a .  I will repost it here, and then at the Website Update, maybe somewhere more prominent!

The Purpose of the Riley and James Website:

To Promote Preventative Care of Pets in Order to Enrich the Lives of Pets and Their People

4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the Spirit moves you?

At first, posts were every other month.  In 2010, I posted about twice a week.  Now I am trying to do that (way more fun, and I can post shorter, more random stuff) and I am trying to post on Mondays and Fridays, to give myself a schedule to follow.

5. Are you generating income from your blog?

No, but I hope I am making pet lovers think about important things, and providing good medical information, and that I am playing a part in pets living longer, healthier lives.

I do work for Carefresh, and have written for Veterinary Economics and Firstline.  I do not think I would have met any of the wonderful people involved with those groups if I had not been writing online.

6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular?

I know those of you who do not know me in person do not believe me (because you have told me so!) but I am an extreme introvert.  Unless I am completely comfortable in a group, I will always choose listening over talking.

With the blog, I am able to formulate my thoughts and get them out there, without worrying I will not be heard because my voice is too soft or I am not articulate enough.  I think I have valid things to say, especially when it comes to veterinary medicine and related topics, but I will not necessarily say them outloud in Real Life.  It is great to have this outlet.

7. What do you like least?

I really, really love everything about doing the Riley and James website and all of the writing and online interaction opportunities that have come from it.

8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2011?

I hope to become a better writer, take cuter pictures (That will be hard to do without Fuzzy and Wuzzy), make a dent in the puppy mill and cat overpopulation problems, connect in more ways with the pet community at large…I just think it is going to be a really great year, and I am excited to see it unfold.

Oh!  Also, Dave is updating the website this year! If you know Dave Nelson, or his company, Secret Penguin, you know he does incredible work!  Check back soon for the great updates!  I will keep you posted.

*****

Coming Soon to Riley and James:

My daughter Abby will review the kids’ book, Marvin, The Golf Caddy Dog, by Harold R. Mann, an Omaha author.  Our friends at Nebraska Humane Society know I like reviewing books and that Abby just read this one, and suggested I have her do a guest post – book review.  Her first blog post, woo!  Great idea, guys!  Thanks!

 

Bunny Trails: My latest article is up at Omaha.net…

Arthritis in Cats and Dogs

Arthritis in Cats and Dogs

I wish it did NOT feature my own Max the Cat and Ebony Dog, but aren’t they gorgeous??

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Posted in Thoughts, What I am Doing This Week | 33 Comments »

I (Still) Love to be Boring

Friday, January 7th, 2011

My first Riley and James post was entitled I Love to be Boring.  (I realize what a dork I am, but I still think that is hilarious.)  My point then (and now) is that I love my pets and my patients and would love nothing more than boring, nothing-to-report wellness exams time after time.

Truth-be-told, I love your pets too, and the pets I read about and the pets I hear about…I even love the pets in medical journal case studies:  “The cat presented with this super awesome disgusting lesion and the following history…”  “Oh no!” I yell and flip to the conclusion.  My family no longer jumps when I yell at my journals, and pats me sympathetically on the shoulder when I cry over them.

I LOVE treating very cool cases.  But do you know what would be even cooler than treating very cool cases?  If horrendous medical issues were so rare, we only read about them in journals!  And do you know what would be even cooler than that??  If horrendous medical issues were so super rare, that we only read about them in history books!

You laugh, but have you ever seen a dog accidently given “blue eye” by a vaccination?  Me neither!  Have you ever seen a dog with distemper?  Me neither!  A cat with rabies or plague?  Me neither!  Ok, those cases are still out there, but they are far less common than they used to be.  With continually advancing medical and surgical care, increased awareness of pet welfare, husbandry and behavior issues, we are approaching boring, and I love it.

Can we fix everything with appropriate husbandry and medical care?  Of course not!  Accidents and illnesses and aging will always be with us.  Life can be unfairly random, and sadly, every pet’s story ultimately ends the same way.  Still, we have to work with what we’ve got, and start from where we are.

I have decided to dedicate this year on Riley and James to The Pursuit of Boring.  Of course it will take more than a year, and of course we can only approach Boring, we can never actually reach it, but maybe, just maybe, someday we can say to our friends:

“Your cat is thirty and healthy?  That’s nice.  *yawn*  Well, I’m heading down to take my dog in for his wellness exam.  They never find anything!  Then I have to stop by the shelter.  They have a dog in that needs help, first one of the decade.” 

It could happen.

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Posted in Thoughts, What I am Doing This Week | 2 Comments »

Goodbye Fuzzy and Wuzzy Rats…

Friday, December 17th, 2010

Our hairless rats passed away recently.  I have had (and have) pets as wonderful as these two, but none better.  Goodbye Fuzzy and Wuzzy Rats.  We love you, and we will miss you very much.

A Day in the Life of a Vet

Fuzzy (left) and Wuzzy (right), July 2010

My last story about Fuzzy and Wuzzy was just published on Omaha.net.  The link to the story is below.  Maybe I will write a remembering or looking back sort of story later (or a photo story – that would definitely be the cutest choice…)  But in Real Life, this is the last chapter.  I am really not ok with that.

Being a Vet and Coping With Loss

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Posted in Exotic Pets, pet loss, Thoughts | 4 Comments »

Blogathon 2010 – Speaking for Spot

Saturday, November 13th, 2010

(I cropped out the oil painting of the smoking clown that is on the wall next to this clock.  Because I love you guys.)

Speaking for Spot

by Nancy Kay, DVM, Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Five Stars!

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I took a twenty-four hour break from reading books so I could do this crazy Blogathon!  Most of the books I have been reviewing have been from the Veterinary Economics Summer Reading List.  I have thrown other fun ones in now and then too as I have come across them!As you may have heard, I will only review books to which I can give five stars.  I speed-read the second half of Speaking for Spot this week so I could tell you about it tonight – I knew from the moment Jana Rade recommended it (thanks Jana!) that I would love it.  Maybe I should quit apologizing for judging books by their cover, and we could change the saying to “Always judge a book by its cover.”  I have not steered you wrong yet, have I?

I have never seen a book anything like this one.  It is a guide to help you be the best advocate for your dog’s health that you can be.  If I saw a client come into my office with this book under their arm, I think I would want to hug her.  (Do not worry if you were planning on doing just that – I will restrain myself.)  I LOVE when clients are proactive about the care of their pets.  Most are – this is going to help you be even more so!

Get this book now, before you are in a medical crisis – you can read it with your pup on your lap in your big comfy chair.  You will be SO prepared when a medical situation comes up that you do not know how to handle.  It even covers “routine” situations like wellness exams and vaccinations.  I really think every pet owner ought to have this book.

(Side note:  Illustrations by Beth Preston – Five Stars! ✩✩✩✩✩  I LOVE the pictures!  I wish I knew the illustrator – I would give her every single new notebook and sketchbook I bought and commision her to “hide” some dog sketches here and there.  It would make me happy every time I saw them. *sigh*)

If you buy this book during the Blogathon, Dr. Kay will donate five dollars from the purchace price to Bradyn’s service dog AND autograph your book.  Thank you Dr. Kay!  Here’s the LINK.

(Note 11/27/10 THANK YOU for buying this awesome book during the Blogathon and simultaneously supporting Bradyn!  A donation has been made to 4 Paws for Ability because of your awesomeness.)

Yes?  You in the front?  In the mitten box?  I do not know.  I will ask.  Dr. Kay?  Max the Cat would like to know if you have a “Speaking for Max” book planned.

Clicking here will bring you to the webpage with information about Bradyn and an opportunity to donate towards the training of his service dog from 4 Paws for Ability. ♥

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Posted in Blogathon 2010, Thoughts, What I am Reading This Week | 1 Comment »

Pugs are Cute…”Table of Contents”

Monday, October 18th, 2010

A while back, I posted a series of Pug Health Articles written for Pug Partners of Nebraska.  Here is a list of those articles, in case you need to find them quickly!  They are not just pug-specific.  But the poor dears do lend themselves so well to health issue discussions!

Introduction:  Pugs are cute, but they do have issues.

(haha I still think that is a hilarious title!  Woo!  I crack myself up!)

Allergies

Anal Glands

Coprophagia

Dental Disease

Ear Care

Eye Care

Orthopedic Issues

Paw Care

Respiratory Issues

Skin Care

Weight Management

If there are other Pug (or any) topics you would like me to cover, please let me know!  I always thought Dave and Sara should get a Boston Terrier to match Riley the Great Dane’s markings, and a Pug to match James the Mastiff’s markings.  Don’t you agree??

Mona Lisa, the super cute Boston Terrier

Ebony (our gorgeous Lab Mix), James and Riley (also gorgeous!)

Typhoon, the super cute Pug

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Posted in Actual Medical Information (Mostly), Pugs, Thoughts | No Comments »

Blogs by Veterinarians

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

An upcoming Problogger assignment () involves analyzing ten blogs in my niche.  Ten?  It took me years to find one veterinary blog I loved, and now I have to gather ten?

Well, I can tell you they are out there.  Through twitter, #dogtalk and dvm360, I have found all sorts of very fun veterinarians who are also bloggers.  So I listed my ten favorite veterinary blogs, and kept the list open so I can add more as I remember or discover them.  I will, of course, have a similar Veterinary Blog Reviewing Policy as my Leadership Book Reviewing Policy.  (Unless I can say “Great Book!  Five Stars!” I will not say anything.  My Mom taught me that.)

I actually probably will not review the veterinary blogs at all, as it is much simpler for you to click a link to a veterinary blog than to buy or borrow a leadership book!  You do not need me to review the sites for you!  Just read through some of them and see what you think!  I will tell you this –

I think they are all great!  Five stars!

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Here is a (working) list of blogs I enjoy that are written by veterinarians…

Animal Care Center of Huntington Beach

Annmarie Hill Chavers, DVM

(I am saving this space on my list for Dr. Hill because she is great and I know she is going to come back and write more great things!)

Cruzan Borders

Dr. Nicki

Dr. Di’s Vet Blog

Di Veale, DVM

Dr. Patrick Mahany (Fun “Spin-off” – Celebrity Pet News)

Patrick Mahany, DVM and Cardiff : )

Emergivet

Emergivet

E-Vet Clinic Blog

Daniel Beatty, DVM

Fully Vetted

Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA

Generation Vet

Hillary Israeli, VMD and Phillip Barnes (ssshhh, it is too a blog!)

The Homeless Parrot

Homeless Parrot

Journey of an ER Veterinarian

ER Doc

The Learning Vet

a great <secret identity> vet

Olathe Animal Hospital Blog

J.C. Burcham, DVM and team

Pawcurious

Dr. V

Pete the Vet

Pete Wedderburn, DVM

Pet Health Care Gazette

Lorie A. Huston, DVM

So I Have This Dog….

<anonymous>

Speaking for Spot

Nancy Kay, DVM, Diplomate Internal Medicine

and About Vet Med and Vet Med Connect

Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM

VetLIVE

Laci Schnaible, DVM and Jed Schnaible, DVM

VetMom

Laura McClain Madsen, DVM

VMDiva

Jennifer Koehl, VMD

The Wagging Tail

Banfield, The Pet Hospital’s Veterinary Blog

An earlier post, Blogroll! lists other blogs I enjoy!

March 2011 Update:

I found some more!  Woo!

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Posted in Thoughts | 13 Comments »

Pet Loss

Monday, September 27th, 2010

My newest article at Omaha.net deals with pet loss and grieving.  We have had eight healthy pets for almost two years now, so I decided it was well past time to write this one that has been wandering around in my head and heart for a very long time.

When I started writing it, my Fuzzy Rat became very sick, and I wrote the article while holding her on my lap and hand feeding her.  If you know me, you know that was a bit difficult.  Ha!  I was a wreck!  I feared at times that I was writing the article for myself, for here and now…

Dealing With Pet Loss:  On Loving Pets…and Losing Them

Fuzzy rallied and is doing wonderfully.  I suspect she had a severe inner ear infection.  She will be on medication for at least five more weeks, but should do great.

However, in the time it took me to write the article, I lost three dear patients, two of whom were family (the rats).  I dedicate this article to YOU and your wonderful pets and also to…

♥Kiki the Cockatiel♥

♥Miss Molly Rat♥

Molly, Rest in Peace

♥Miss Clarence♥

 

You were well loved by your wonderful families.  Your company was crucial and your absence is acutely felt.  You will be missed, friends.  I was blessed to have known you.

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Posted in Exotic Pets, pet loss, Thoughts | 3 Comments »

What I am Reading This Week – Big Important Books

Friday, September 17th, 2010

I have not reviewed a book from the Veterinary Economics Summer Reading List here for a while because I have apparently saved all of the big, huge books for last, and they are taking me FOREVER to read!  I am almost halfway done with the twenty-five books.  I am still having fun, and I am learning lots, but I may not have much to say for a while.  I will complete the list, but most likely not by the end of summer!

I found a cute star template weeks ago and have not gotten to use it yet.  So I will give you my input on a Book NOT on the list, you know, so I can use my stars…

Word of God – Five Stars!

✩✩✩✩✩

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Posted in Thoughts, What I am Reading This Week, WITW does this have to do with pets? | No Comments »

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