The first question from "Ask The Vet"! Tracy sent the following situation...I have a Shihtzu who is approx 7 years old. Like many dogs, he is afraid of storms. There seems to be nothing for his fear and crying but to wait for the storm to be over. This is very difficult to do in the middle of the night when we are trying to sleep! He shakes, cries, hides behind furniture, appliances and electronics- many times in dangerous spots full of electrical cords or crannies he gets stuck in & cannot get out so therefore cries louder! I feel like there is more I should be doing to alleviate his terrible fear and make it easier on the whole family as well. Do you have any suggestions?An excellent question, Tracy, and one that a lot of people face. The underlying cause of these phobias is not...
Pet Peeve #1
I'm going to go ahead and get this off my chest as an early post. Please forgive me if I step on anyone's toes, but this is a big pet peeve of mine, and one I deal with almost daily. I never get to say this directly to my clients, so pardon me if I vent a bit.If you have a pet, set aside the money to take care of it! Pet ownership is NOT a right. If you have a pet, you have a great responsibility to care for it. Yes, this costs money. Sorry, but that's the reality. If you take shortcuts (not getting vaccines, not using heartworm prevention, etc.), you are putting your pet's health at risk, and will possibly face some very expensive treatments. As a responsible pet owner, you need to set aside several hundred dollars per year for veterinary care, good quality food, and preventative...
Yup, I'm Doing It
So here we go. I've gone and done it. I consider myself a bit of a geek (okay, a LOT of a geek), yet I'm just now getting into blogging. I love computers, and am on the internet numerous hours per day. I think technology is extremely interesting, and pride myself on a slightly more than average knowledge of the subject. Yet I don't have a MySpace page, don't have an iPod, and haven't ventured into the "blogosphere".Until now.I'm going to try and keep this as an active, almost daily blog. You'll get to see what it's like to be a vet, from the triumphs and puppy kisses to the mishaps, frustrations, and outright failures. I'll also be talking about other random subjects that come to my mind and that influence my life. Hopefully you'll find something amusing, entertaining or even informative...
PickensPlan
After hearing an interview on National Public Radio (NPR), I immediately became a supporter of T. Boone Pickens. Though this tycoon man made most of his money in oil, he is now a staunch supporter, or rather leader, in the promotion and use of alternative and renewable energy sources. The gist of his plan is simple: stop using oil, start using wind power, solar power, and natural gas. It is imperative that the planet be weaned from the teats of the oil pits. Read about his plan here. While his focus appears to be on the US, it is evident that his wishes transcend North American and global borders. Please read more about the PickensPlan...
"You must really love animals"...
is something I hear almost every day from clients. "What a happy/pleasant job you have." is also one I hear quite frequently. Being a vet is more than just being able to get my face licked off by adorable puppies every day. While I love when this happens, it certainly does not occur frequently enough to call the profession "cute" or even "pleasant." Being a vet is an enormously difficult, and oft-times a grueling job. Attempting to reach a diagnosis on patients who can't speak, long hours, dealing with unreasonable clients, can all make this job very challenging, sometimes frustrating, and emotionally draining. Being a vet is not easy,...
A tribute to a dog and her owner
A warm and caring person whom I know quite well and whose dog I saw for several years, had her dog euthanized after a lengthy, chronic illness. She cared greatly for her beloved pet, and was diligent and compliant in having all the necessary tests performed, and provided all the necessary treatments that were recommended to her.When it came down to the dog not eating, she immediately had the dog seen by a specialist and hospitalized in hopes that the dog's condition would improve. Alas, no, it did not. Having loved and cared for her for many, many years, it was time to let her go. The owner was able to take a step back and look at things...
Ketika Kasus Flu Burung Tutupi Rabies
Liputan Khusus Infovet edisi 171 Oktober 2008Ketika Kasus Flu Burung Tutupi Rabies(( Jangan remehkan kasus Rabies meski tertutup kasus Fu Burung. ))Dalam melakukan surveilans AI pada burung liar, Merk vaksin yang protektif terhadap penyakit rabies ternyata dibutuhkan karena dalam surveilans itu petugas sering harus membebaskan kelelawar yang terperangkap di jaring; sementara kelelawar adalah salah satu penyebar Rabies.Pengalaman Drh Zulfi Arsan salah seorang anggota milis dokter_hewan itu dijawab salah seorang anggota yang lain dengan informasi untuk vaksin rabies manusia bisa ditanyakan di Depkes kantor P2M (Pemberantasan Penyakit Menular) jalan Percetakan Negara bagian Penyakit Bersumber Binatang seberang Rutan Salemba atau di RS Sulianti Saroso di dekat Tanjung Priok Jakarta.Dr Drh Tri...
