Online "Expert"

I recently applied and was accepted to be a pet health expert on JustAnswers.com.If you have any questions related to dog or cat health, you can visit the site and ask your question. In fact, you can essentially get expert advice in just about any field (medicine, law, mechanics, etc, etc). You can even request the "expert" you want to respond to your question. There is a fee involved and the "experts" are paid a percentage of that fee.Click the link above to be directed to the site. My site name is "Dr. Cliff." Hope to hear from you!NB: Remember that online advice is for information purposes only. It does not replace a thorough physical...

Read more »

Things They Don't Teach You

It's pretty much a "given" that veterinarians are well trained in medicine and surgery. We spend four years or more receiving incredibly intense and specific training in recognizing disease, interpreting lab results, understanding medications and their effects, and performing surgery. Once we graduate, we have a very good understanding about how to be a doctor. We hone those skills over years of practice, until most of us become very good at our jobs. Our clients also generally understand that we are skilled physicians and surgeons, and realize that we had a lot of training to become this way. Vets are required to attending regular continuing education seminars to maintain our license, so the learning doesn't stop at graduation. However, there are many non-medical things they never teach...

Read more »

A Warm Welcome

I left NYC on a high. A super high. It was a spectacularly good time. Yes, it was difficult at the beginning as I was lonely and stressed. Soon afterward, however, I quickly got used to work, made close friends, and started enjoying myself. I'm home because I don't want to make my life in NYC. I knew from the beginning that I would return to Canada, and it is here where I feel the most comfortable. From the day of my arrival, I have been welcomed warmly. I wanted to thank all those who have greeted me with such warmth and enthusiasm. I have returned for you - you know who you are. I hope to meet all of you and be of help with your veterinary...

Read more »

Furry Christmas Presents

It is not uncommon for people to give puppies, kittens, and other animals as Christmas presents, especially to children. Though it's a great idea and intention, this isn't the best time of year to try and deal with a new pet. There is a lot of chaos and confusion with people off work, family over for the holidays, and lots of new presents to distract people or pets. However, it's inevitable, and at this point has already happened to many. With that in mind, keep in mind some basic tips and hints.New puppies and kittens need visits to the vet right away. Regardless of where you get them, it's important to have a vet check them over. Bring your records from the breeder or shelter so the vet can review the preventative care history up to this point. Despite great intentions, breeders don't...

Read more »

Little Lost Doggie

My neighborhood has several dogs that kind of wander around unleashed. Because I keep my dog inside or under supervision in the yard, this really annoys me. As a vet, my mind immediately starts to go through the injuries that the dogs can get and the diseases that the could spread. On Christmas day I found a new little dog to worry about.I was outside bringing some tables and chairs out of my wife's van to set up in preparation for dinner at our house (eight adults and eight kids). I let my lab, Guinevere, outside with me to play in the yard while I got things in. I made a few trips in and out and then looked to see her in the yard across the street. She is trained to stay in the yard, so I had to look and see why she had wandered. There were two dogs that she had gone over to say hi...

Read more »

Cold weather

By now, those who know me are aware that I'm not into dressing up dogs. That said, exercising your dog every day is of utmost importance, even if it means taking her outside when you have no desire to feel the blustering cold on your exposed cheeks. Some dog breeds don't have the fat or coat to handle freezing temperatures and so should be "clothed" appropriately. The sauntering Saluki sporting a winter coat in my neighborhood the other day had no qualms about the feet of snow underneath her snow-coloured feet. Her elegant trot was testimony to her comfort outside. I had no qualms about her wearing a camouflage-style (though she stood out...

Read more »

What Christmas Is About

Our son woke up bright an early today, before 7:00. He kept opening his bedroom door and looking out to see if anyone is awake, and finally about 7:15 we gave in and got up. The kids ran downstairs to see what Santa had brought, and have been playing with their new toys all morning. But that's not what Christmas is all about.Now before I continue, let me be clear that I'm aware of all of the origins of Christmas. I know of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia. I know that evergreens with lights (Christmas trees) had their roots in the pagan Winter Solstice celebrations. I know that Jesus was likely born in the Spring, and not December. I know...

Read more »

Christmas Traditions

Christmas is pretty much the biggest holiday in western societies. Though it has become very secularized, it is still very important to many people. This is my wife's favorite time of year, and we start decorating on Thanksgiving. One of the things I find very fascinating about the holiday is the variety of traditions people have around the world. I work with a Russian woman, and did some relief work at a clinic with a German woman. It was interesting to discuss their traditions versus the ones we normally see in our own country.One of the reasons for my fascination is my own heritage. My father is from Sweden, and growing up we incorporated many Swedish traditions into the American ones my mother grew up with. Now that I have a family of my own, we have continued this theme and are...

Read more »

Go Vols!

This story requires a little background set-up, especially for my international readers. Unlike many or even most men, I could really care less about sports. I have nothing against them, I've just never been very interested. I've been to some baseball and hockey games, but have found football (American football, not what we call soccer) uninteresting. Whether it's college or professional teams, I've never gotten caught up in all of the hoopla surrounding these games.One of the major college teams in the southeastern US is the University of Tennessee Volunteers (or "Vols" for short). I received my Master's Degree there, but still never considered myself a big supporter. I don't hate them, I'm just rather ambivalent. However, there are many people who fairly obsess over them, including...

Read more »

The Doctor Is Right?

One of the biggest problems that a veterinarian (and really any doctor) faces is with compliance. There have been several studies published recently that show that our clients don't follow our recommendations anywhere nearly as much as we think they do. This is an incredibly frustrating problem, as we don't make recommendations lightly, and always with the goal of helping the patient. Refusing the doctor's instructions can lead to persistent problems or failure to improve.I had been in practice for about a year when I saw a kitty with an eye problem. It had some drainage and was squinting one eye. An exam and stain quickly revealed that the eye had a moderately sized but superficial ulcer. These can happen from scratches or something else abrading the cornea, and most of the time respond...

Read more »

A Matter of Perception

When my wife and I were dating, she would sometimes come on emergency calls with me. I was working for a practice where we handled our own emergencies, sometimes having to go out in the middle of the night. Luckily, this wasn't too often, as I never liked cutting into my private life to traipse off in the wee hours. There were several times that my wife (well, not my wife at the time) would accompany me.Though my wife loves animals, she never had to worry about the illnesses and injuries they sometimes get. She also doesn't have a strong stomach, and can't easily handle "gross" things. This little quirk made it interesting on some of these emergency calls. Keep in mind that after-hours calls were never something simple or routine. They were usually poisonings, injuries, or sudden and...

Read more »

Let's Talk About Sex, Bay-bee

There are many questions and confusion about the reproductive cycles of dogs and cats, so I thought I'd give a quick lesson in canine and feline sex issues.Dogs and cats reach sexual maturity at around 7-9 months old. At this time the sexual organs are fully formed and producing full amounts of hormones. Once this happens, they start to exhibit behaviors related to the gender and become fertile. Females are only fertile and receptive a few times per year, unlike humans.The heat cycle in both species begins similarly. Initially there is a period lasting 7-10 days where the ovaries begin producing hormones and prepare to ovulate. In dogs, this is accompanied by vaginal bleeding similar to what happens in a human woman's menstrual cycle. Cats do not have noticeable bleeding, but begin to...

Read more »

Common Misconceptions, Part 1

There are many things that people believe to be true, but actually aren't. This is definitely true about pet care and veterinary medicine. So, inspired by this list on Wikipedia, I'm going to do occasional themes based on common misconceptions about pets and vets.Neutering will calm down my dog/cat.Spaying and neutering only affects behaviors related to gender-based behaviors. This can include territoriality, aggression, sexual desire, and so on. However, it does not include activity levels. A pet that is excited and hyperactive before neutering will be the same after surgery. Being sexually intact is irrelevant to such behaviors.Neutering...

Read more »

"House" Calls

Apparently one of the most popular shows currently on TV is House. I've heard of its multiple awards, and know many people who follow it very closely. Frankly, I never really felt much interest in it, and the teasers for it on TV struck me as annoying rather than appealing. Hugh Laurie's character seemed too harsh and cynical to me, and I didn't really understand why people were so drawn to the program.Until now.I happened to have the TV on last week when the show came on. I didn't feel like changing the channel, and ended up watching it. And I have to say that I became hooked, to the point that it annoys my wife. Besides the good drama, what appeals to me is the medical detective work. As a doctor (albeit for different species), I deal with diagnostic challenges daily. They aren't...

Read more »

Evolution of the dog

Having a deep interest in both dogs and evolutionary biology (I failed Creation 101 in university), I recently started thinking about the evolution of the dog. There is much variation within the species, Canis familiaris (i.e., there is a huge number of dog breeds and yet all belong to the same species). Studies suggest that the wolf ancestors of dogs diverged from other wolves around 100,000 years ago, and that domestication occurred sometime around 15,000 years ago. Studies of mitochondrial DNA date the evolution of humans at around 150,000 years ago. It is easy to imagine that dogs (or their ancestors) have been with us, evolved right...

Read more »

Holiday Hazards

We're less than two weeks away from Christmas, which makes it an appropriate time to talk about the potentially harmful things that pets can be exposed to during this season. Though most people don't willingly set out to harm their dogs and cats, there are some dangers to be aware of and to try to avoid.Tinsel--Cats are at the biggest risk with this traditional Christmas decoration. If they swallow a strand, there is a risk of it becoming entangled inside the small intestine. It can bunch up and draw together like the string in a curtain, and eventually begin to saw through the intestine. Obviously, this is a life-threatening problem, requiring emergency surgery. I recommend that anyone with cats in their home simply avoid using tinsel.Chocolate--Holiday candies are often made of this...

Read more »

Winter Prevention?

Here's a question from Randar...Hey, I got a dog question. Is it necessary to keep my dogs on heart worm and flea stuff during the winter or do they just say that to keep up sales.The short answer is "it depends". And since I've discovered that my readership is international, let me forewarn that my answer is mainly based on northern hemisphere, especially North American, pattern.Fleas require warm, humid environments in order to thrive. The lower the temperature and the dryer the environment, the worse the conditions for them. This means that in desert climates or areas that have strong winters there isn't as much of a flea problem. In the American southeast, flea prevention is needed pretty much year-round. The further north or west you go, the less the concern. For example, in the...

Read more »

Say Cheese!

Last weekend I took some pictures of our family in front of the Christmas tree. We do this to add a recent photo when we send out Christmas cards. So my wife and kids started to get into position as I set the camera up and got the timer ready. While we were getting set up, our dog, Guinevere, walked over and sat down next to everyone. It honestly seemed like she knew we were doing a picture as a family, and didn't want to be left out! Now, I realize that I'm anthropomorphizing a bit, but that was the first thought that came into our minds. She even turned towards the camera like she was posing. One of the things that I love so much about...

Read more »

The Changing Face Of Veterinary Medicine

One of this blog's readers works in veterinary medicine in New Zealand, and recently posted on her own blog about the gender changes in the profession (check it out here). What I find interesting is that this is a world-wide phenomenon. Though she's posting about conditions on the opposite side of the world, it holds equally true here in the US.Historically medicine was a male-oriented field, with women being mostly in supporting roles. As gender equality has become more prevalent in society, and women have become accepted working full-time outside of the home, this has shifted considerably. In the hall of my veterinary college (North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine), there are pictures of every graduating class, with portraits of each student. The first class...

Read more »

The Solution To Chronic Ear Infections

If the title of this post suddenly grabbed your attention, then you are very aware of the problems some dogs face with ear infections. Most dogs never have any problems with their ears. But others have life-long issues that can lead to permanent damage. If you have struggled with recurring infections in your dog, then this article is for you.If your dog has more than two ear infections in a year, then this is very abnormal. In these cases, the ear infections are not the problem. The infections are indeed a concern, but they are a symptom of a larger problem. Infections do not happen on their own. There must be some underlying reason for it. And you will never get it fully under control until you discover and treat that primary cause.Breed has a lot to do with these problems. Certain...

Read more »

Helicobacter...

... is the name of a bacteria (bacterium actually), that can be found within the stomach wall in humans, and other species including dogs and cats. They thrive in the acidic environment of the stomach, which caused a sensation when first proposed, as it was believed that nothing could survive in an environment with such a low pH. That is not the case. This bacterium, which literally, reminds me of a helicopter due to its propeller-like flagellum, is responsible for over 90 percent of cases of peptic ulcers and other serious gastrointestinal disorders in humans. Ulceration is cured with the eradication of the infection. Period. Barry Marshall,...

Read more »

The Cost of Becoming a Vet

I frequently speak with people that thought of being a vet at one point or another. They love animals, and thought it would be great to have a job helping them. For whatever reason, they never followed up on that desire, their lives taking them down a different path. I'm not sure if they or many other people really understand just what it takes to be a vet.Here in the US there are only 27 veterinary colleges. Out of 300 million people and 50 states, we don't have even one vet school per state. Each school accepts around 80-100 students per year, but receives 400-500 applications. That means you have around 5 people competing for each available slot. Pretty stiff competition! Good grades are a must, as well as some experience in the veterinary field.Medical school of any kind is extremely...

Read more »

Veterinary Medicine Is Expensive???

Over the years I have heard people complain about the cost of health care for their pets. Yet veterinary care remains one of the cheapest forms of medical care anywhere. Let me give you a few examples of equivalent procedures on a pet versus a human (all in US dollars).Spaying a dog--$150-300Hysterectomy in a human--$7,000-15,000Office visit for a vet--$35-50Office visit for a physician--$155 (average, 2004 data)Hip replacement in a dog--$2700-3500Hip replacement in a human--$20,000-50,000 (2001 data)Pick almost any procedure, and cost comparisons would be similar. Veterinarians receive as rigorous training as human doctors, however, we have to learn the anatomies and physiologies of multiple species. A veterinary general practitioner must be able to perform often complicated surgeries...

Read more »

The Slow Season

Did you know that veterinary medicine is a seasonal business? Well, at least here in the US it is. I've never completely understood why, even though I know some of the factors.Summer is the busy time for us. We see more frequent skin and ear infections, flea problems, and allergy issues. These are complaints that happen more frequently in warm weather than in other times of the year. However, we also see more pets for routine preventative care. The increased number of clients is likely because of several influences besides medical need. Many parents have summers with more free time because they are home with the kids and don't have to worry about school schedules. People need to have their pets ready for boarding, getting them up to date on vaccines in preparation for taking them to...

Read more »

A Doctor's Stress

I'm not sure whether or not people really understand how stressful a doctor's job is and how much pressure we feel in making the right decisions for our cases. We know that our skills and knowledge will determine a pet's health and life. If we're good enough, the pet gets better and does well. If we misjudge something, make a mistake, or do the wrong thing the pet doesn't get better, and perhaps even suffers or dies. That's a big responsibility, and sometimes weighs heavy on us. Frankly, I don't know how human doctors and paramedics handle it. It's hard enough when I loose a patient, but I couldn't imagine if it was someone's parent or child.Today the doctor I work with had to re-do a surgery. She had spayed the dog earlier this year, but it had been a difficult surgery with some complications...

Read more »

Hard To Find Gift

My son is seven, and in the last 4-5 months has developed a great interest in Bakugan. For those of you without a young boy, this is the latest craze. It's a kids' anime (Japanese animation) show on Cartoon Network (here in the States), and has a game to go along with it. The game involves plastic marble-like spheres and cards with metal inserts. You set the cards up in a pattern and each player rolls the Bakugan of their choice onto the cards. A magnet in the sphere is triggered by the metal in the card and the sphere springs open to reveal a particular character. Depending on the point value of the character combined with bonuses from the card, one person will win. And that's what my son is very heavily into right now.In the past he has been a little bit behind the popular "thing",...

Read more »

Wrestling For A Living

Did you know that I was a professional wrestler? Seriously. And I get to practice it pretty much every day. Some days I think I might be able to take on Hulk Hogan or The Rock (yeah, dating myself a bit on my knowledge of wrestlers).You see, many of my patients don't want me to examine them, inject them with vaccines, or collect blood and fecal samples. Go fig. Unfortunately, they really don't have much of a choice, and these things do get done one way or another. Many times that involves physical restraint, and sometimes that restraint can get pretty strong.Veterinarians and veterinary staff are trained in various ways to safely and effectively handle pets. Most pets won't simply stand there as you poke them in various uncomfortable ways. We need to be able to keep them still to allow...

Read more »

What's In A Name?

I've been in the veterinary field for about 25 years now, and during that time I have known countless thousands of pets. Most of them have had relatively common names, and honestly not much originality. If you look at the most common or popular pet names in the USA, it breaks down like this (listed in order beginning with the most popular).Dogs: Max, Jake, Buddy, Maggie, Bear, Molly, Bailey, Shadow, Sam, LadyCats: Tigger, Tiger, Max, Smokey, Sam, Kitty, Sassy, Shadow, Simba, PatchNow, depending on which resource you use, the list may vary a little, but most of these names will show up in the top 5 on any list. Do any of your pets have these names? Then you're in very good company. And I'm sure many people have good reasons for giving these names to their pets. However, as a veterinarian,...

Read more »

A Shrinking World

I'm old enough to remember a time before the Internet, rotary dial phones, and home computers being a luxury rather than a commonplace item. Anyone remember computer programs on cassettes? And before you go thinking that I'm ready to retire, I'm 39. These changes in our society have come on very quickly, and I don't think that people born after MTV really understand just how much things have changed.One of the things that has most impressed and amazed me is how much smaller the world now seems. My father is Swedish, and I remember what a big deal it was for him to talk to his family back in Sweden. Now it's a simple matter of a quick and free email, and you can make international calls practically for free via internet phone services. We as fans of the Net have found ways to come together...

Read more »

Goodbyes

There was a bit of a rough morning for me today. My second patient of the day was a schnauzer that I had diagnosed with a heart murmur four months ago, but had not come in for an evaluation. He came in with congestive heart failure, and the owners decided to put him to sleep. While I was preparing to do that, a young cat who had been hit by a car suddenly came in. She was in shock, and had severely fractured her left hind leg with bone poking through the skin. Additionally, she didn't have any feeling or movement in her hind legs, apparently having suffered a broken back and spinal damage. Her owners also decided to euthanize. So I went from one to the other, trying to end the suffering of these two pets.As a vet, euthanasia is one of the hardest things we have to do. Yes, it does...

Read more »

Goodbye NYC

Dr. Cliff is pleased to announce his return to Toronto within the next few months. He looks forward to providing quality veterinary care as a locum/per diem veterinarian in and around the downtown area.(addendum December 6, 2008: departure date is set for the end of Decemb...

Read more »

The Perils of Parvo

We have a little puppy clinging to life in our hospital. He's critically ill, and has about a 50% chance of surviving. For the last three days he has been lingering, not really getting much better or even worse. There's no way for us to be able to predict what will happen at this point. All we can do is treat him, take it day by day, and hope for the best. The worst part about it is that this was completely preventable. He has parvo.Parvo virus is a very serious intestinal disease, and highly contagious. Puppies are most susceptible, though dogs of any age can potentially get it. Interestingly, this virus (which affects only dogs) mutated from the feline panleukopenia virus in the 1970s. It was first recognized in 1978 and had spread world-wide within two years. Over the years very...

Read more »

Translation Troubles

In today's society it's common to talk to people who learned English as a second language. Sometimes their grasp of English is minimal, which makes communication difficult, especially if you're having to discuss potentially complicated medical issues. Now, I could go on a rant about how you should learn basic communication in the language of whichever country you're living in (this goes for Americans living abroad also), but that's not my reason for writing. Several years ago I had a rather awkward situation involving a translation, and one that I can now laugh about.A Hispanic woman came to see me with her cocker spaniel for routine vaccines and preventative care. She didn't speak or understand much English (if really any), so she brought her daughter with her to help translate. I guessed...

Read more »

Is Your Pet ADR?

There are many abbreviations used in medicine, most very confusing to average people. Just look at your prescription some time before you give it to the pharmacist. Something given by mouth is abbreviated "PO", meaning "Per Os" (Latin for "By Mouth"). A medicine given twice daily is listed as BID. If you look on a medical record and see TPR, this stands for Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration. A problem with the right eye might be listed as OD, or "occular dextrans". The list could go on.Which brings us to an abbreviation that I have seen used in official records while I was in veterinary college. This is surprising because of what it stands for. Keep in mind that medical abbreviations are normally based on Latin or sometimes Greek, and are considered official and proper designations....

Read more »

Why Do You Have A Pet (a.k.a. Pet Peeve #4)?

This is perhaps a subset of Pet Peeve #1 (go back and find it at the very beginning of my blog). I talk to people who have a pet and sometimes hear "it's only a (dog/cat/hamster/parakeet/etc.)." I have clients who put their dog or cat outside, and pretty much let it fend for itself. Sure, they provide food for it, and maybe get vaccines done, and if I'm very lucky they will make sure it's on heartworm and flea preventions. But they don't spend time with it, don't train it, don't interact with it, and don't really make it a part of their family. The pet just kind of exists as something they have.We have come a long way in Western Civilization in our attitudes towards pets. One hundred years ago they were largely there to help around the farm, kill mice, and protect us. However, there...

Read more »

The Weather Outside Is Frightful

Winter is coming, and that means we need to be aware of the weather changes with our pets. Here in the US there are huge differences in weather, from Maine to the Dakotas, Florida to Oregon, California to Georgia. But regardless of where you live there are some guidelines to remember. Most of our pets, especially dogs, aren't really well designed for living outside. We've bred them to be dependent on us, and often have bred coats that don't do well in cold weather. Smaller breeds are especially at risk for this.Most dogs can do well outside, though long-haired breeds are much more likely to have problems with matted fur. However, dogs that aren't arctic breeds shouldn't be outside in cold weather. A dog house with fresh straw or hay is needed to help keep them warm and well-insulated....

Read more »