As pet owners, one of the most difficult things we can do is to make the decision to humanely euthanize our pet. Most of us don’t make this decision lightly as our pets are beloved members of our family. I know firsthand the hardships pet owners go through in these situations, not only because a big part of my job is walking people through this process, but also because I’ve had to make this decision for my own pets twice in the last four years. I’ve learned a lot from both my personal and professional experiences with this. It’s hard for pet owners to know how to approach this difficult situation. I’m hoping many of you reading this blog don’t have to experience this very often, but I will share with you the things I wish pet owners knew or would consider before euthanizing a pet. In the very least, you can learn from my experiences. 1. No one else can make the decision for you. When your pet is sick and dying, it’s hard to know what to do. Pet owners are often presented with a slew of options depending on the condition. Many pet owners turn to their veterinarian and loved ones, asking for advice as to what they should do. As a veterinarian, I can certainly help guide you through the decisions, but unfortunately, I can’t make the decision for you. No one can. So many factors weigh in on this decision, including quality of life, the human animal bond, your personal relationship with your pet, financial considerations, and more. You know your pet better than anyone else. The other tricky part? Everyone has a different definition as to what “quality of life” means. For instance, I have patients that have completely lost mobility in their hind limbs, yet still have a great appetite and appear to enjoy life. Some of my clients have purchased doggie wheelchairs for their pets in these situations, and they get around just fine. For others, losing mobility is the ultimate loss of quality of life which leads to a decision of humane euthanasia. This isn’t a situation where one client is right and the other is wrong. Just different perspectives. When clients ask me how to know when they should put their pet down, my simple answer is to list five things their pet really enjoys doing (when they’re healthy). If their pet reaches a point where it no longer has the ability or desire to do three out of those five things, then it’s probably time to consider humane euthanasia. 2. Euthanasia doesn’t have to be a last resort. This may seem like an odd thing to say as most of us are used to viewing euthanasia this way, but euthanasia doesn’t have to be the final option at the end of a long battle with a disease or illness. Humane euthanasia is not a bad option just because there are other potential options available for your pet. Other treatment options could include treatments that could affect your pet’s quality of life. These treatments for certain conditions may prolong your pet’s life for a short amount of time. Some treatments that might prolong their life may be doable, but expensive.
There are possibilities, but even with these possibilities, the bottom line is this: Don’t feel guilty about your decision to euthanize your pet just because there are other options available. Other options might only help for a short time, be too expensive for your budget, and might not be best for your pet’s quality of life. Ultimately, you have to make the decision that’s best for you, your family, and your pet. That’s really all you can do. 3. It’s okay to cry and get emotional. I can’t tell you the number of times I have had a client apologize for crying before, during, or after the euthanasia of their pet. It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for grieving the loss of a beloved family member. Men, this applies to you, too. As a veterinarian, I often see the men in the family get more emotional while I’m performing a euthanasia. They don’t call dogs man’s best friend for nothing. After being married for over nine years, I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen my husband cry. Two of those occasions were when we euthanized our dog, Bandit, and our dog, Shalane. It’s okay to acknowledge your emotions. Sometimes letting yourself feel broken is the key to feeling whole again. 4. Stay with your pet. At most veterinary clinics (including my own), you have the option to stay or not stay with your pet during the euthanasia. Most clients choose to be with their pet during this time; however, for some people, it’s just too painful to for them to be there. As hard as it is, I encourage you to stay with your pet and comfort them in their final minutes. When owners are not there, technicians often take on the role of comforting the pet as they pass on. It’s an incredible burden to bear in an owner’s place, and it can be emotionally exhausting. Also, for many pets, a veterinary clinic can be a scary place. They don’t understand why they’re there, the strange noises, and why people are poking them with needles. When the owner is gone, they essentially experience that fear alone. You being there to tell them it’s okay and reassure them can make the process better for everyone involved. 5. Veterinarians were not trained to kill your pet. This header is somewhat misleading because, yes, we were trained extensively in how to perform humane euthanasia. However, the brunt of our training and what most of us enjoy doing the most is diagnosing and treating your pet’s condition and thus, improving their quality of life. Many veterinarians get frustrated by clients that simply want to treat us like the grim reapers of the pet world. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing the following appointment on the calendar: New patient, has been going downhill for six months, owner wants to euthanize. If your pet’s health is deteriorating, please seek us out earlier in the process. Even if it’s a terminal illness and you’re not wanting to break the bank, there’s probably certain simple interventions we can do to improve your pet’s quality of life during that six months they’re going “downhill.” As a veterinarian, that’s really our goal. And when the time comes for your pet to cross the rainbow bridge so to speak, we can guide you through that as well. 6. Advice to fellow veterinarians: Don’t euthanize your own pets! This probably seems self-explanatory to most of my colleagues, but like with many things, I have to learn things the hard way. Being a veterinarian, I made the decision to euthanize my own dog, Bandit, in my home a little over four years ago as a new graduate. I will never make that decision again. My advice to veterinarians when it comes to your own pets is to have a colleague perform the euthanasia itself. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I felt a lot of guilt for a long time for “killing” my own pet. The image of my dog looking up at me with trusting eyes as I pushed the drug through the syringe that ultimately killed him stuck with me for a long time. I don’t regret my decision to euthanize Bandit. It was the right thing to do. I do regret my decision to perform the procedure myself and will never do so in the future with my other pets. When you’re a veterinarian, it’s easy for the lines to blur between your role as a professional and a pet owner. The pet owner’s role during the euthanasia process should be to comfort and to hold your pet. It’s okay to take your veterinarian hat off for a little while and allow yourself to grieve and process everything not as a highly trained medical professional, but as a human being. 7. Be prepared. If you know the time is coming soon for your pet to be euthanized, call your veterinary clinic so you know what to expect. Ask as many questions as you need to ask to feel comfortable with the situation. When you come in knowing what to expect, it allows you to focus your attention on your pet. I encourage you to also take care of all business aspects before the euthanasia, like signing paperwork, paying your bill, and deciding on the aftercare of your pet. This will allow you to leave the clinic after the procedure and you can avoid doing these things in the lobby after a very emotional experience. Do what you need to do for self-care after the procedure as well. Order a pizza and rent a Rom Com, invite friends over, whatever you need to do to jumpstart the grieving and healing process. Know that the emotions will come in waves. With time, those waves will get farther and farther apart. It is a hard experience to deal with and to assist in, but sometimes it has to be done to prevent more pain and suffering. If you have recently experienced the loss of a pet or are preparing to lose a pet, the following are great websites and resources for people who are grieving from pet loss:
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In last week’s blog, we discussed some basic veterinary clinic etiquette or what NOT to do in a veterinary clinic. Since I’m a mixed animal practitioner, it only seems appropriate to make a farm call edition to this topic as much of my work is on a farm or even at our corral or haul-in facilities. Our farm call list isn’t quite as extensive as the clinic list. No worries small animal clients! Farmers have lots of practice and get to learn this in large herds multiple times a year, but you usually stick to one lifetime pet. However, I have seen farm animals brought in on a leash, so you never know what animal is going to become a lifelong pet. Farmers can cause the occasional stir. The following are my “don’ts” for farm calls or cattle work. Enjoy! 1. Putting things off- *phone rings at 10 P.M. and I jolt awake in a stupor* Okay okay, I realize it’s kind of lame that I’m sound asleep at 10 P.M., but I’m eight months pregnant so give me a break. I answer, “Hello, this is Dr. Stroupe.” “Hey, Dr. Stroupe! I got a heifer here that’s having some trouble calving. I saw her trying to calve around two days ago and didn’t think much of it. I think she probably needs a little help.” I reply, “Okay, we’ll head that way.” I then hang up the phone and let out a few expletives. He saw her calving two days ago and it’s an emergency now at 10 P.M. Are you #$%!ing kidding me?! I should probably point out that this isn’t typical for most of our producers. Most of my clients know that both the calf and the cow are worth a heck of a lot more alive than dead, so it’s good to stay on top of things. However, this does happen on occasion, and when it does, it’s a doozy. At this point, the calf will obviously be dead. The heifer will also be at risk of dying of sepsis or infection. When cattle have been laboring for multiple days, they also often lose their natural lubrication, making delivery of the calf quite difficult. To add to it, the calf will often swell as it decays, making it harder to pull. On top of it, Dr. Stroupe gets to smell rotten calf on her hands for the foreseeable future as that smell is quite difficult to get rid of. I understand more than anyone that the cattle business has a huge economic component. I also married into a family where if you see a sick cow, you might wait a day or two to see if she gets better on her own. But many times when it comes to sick animals, putting things off is only going to make matters worse and risk losing the animal altogether. Not to mention you’ll tick off your very pregnant veterinarian that has to get out of bed at 10 P.M. for a problem that could have been solved a couple of days ago during regular office hours. 2. Not bringing your own cattle through the alleyway. I’ve run into this situation a time or two when I’m working cattle at the corral by the clinic. The producer backs up the chute and unloads the calves to be vaccinated and castrated. They’ll bring the gates around so now we have a group of twenty calves standing there, ready to be loaded in the tub. As I’m filling my syringes and getting things ready to work the cattle, I realize I don’t hear the characteristic thump of the tub as it slams shut. I walk to the end of the alleyway and look around the corner to see the producer just standing there, giving me a blank stare just like the calves. Apparently we have some producers that not only expect you to work their cattle for them but also get in the pen with them (with cattle you don’t know and have never been around before), herd them into the tub, and run them up the alleyway. This is not an efficient way to work cattle as I can’t do my job quickly when I’m having to run back and forth and herd your cattle for you. If you own cattle, surely you know what a sorting stick is and how to use it. If not, it’s about time you figured it out. Plus, if you’re standing back while my female technician and I work all the cattle and herd them for you, your man card is going to be officially revoked (kind of like the calves I’m castrating). Of course, the elderly and infirm are withheld from this rule. Some may want to get their money’s worth out of the vet, but believe me, you’ll get the most out of me when I’m at the head of the chute doing what I do best. Too much back and forth nonsense, and I start charging by the hour. And nobody wants that. 3. Don’t overload the tub! This is a pet peeve of mine and probably most veterinarians. It’s inevitable that if a farmer brings in 25 calves to work, he will try to shove all 25 of those calves into the tub. This is an attempt to save time as opening up the tub and herding smaller groups of calves into the tub seems like it would take much longer. Tubs are designed to work most efficiently with three to four calves in the tub at a time. Take it from someone who has worked many, many cattle in their lifetime and has seen first-hand what works and doesn’t work. I guarantee that large group of calves in the tub will circle and circle and not go down the alleyway. The producer will then get frustrated and transition from a sorting stick to a hot shot. This results in the calves just going in circles even faster and not going down the alleyway. This is not a time-saver. Tubs work most efficiently when three to four calves are loaded in there at a time. Yes, that means you will have to open the tub multiple times and load smaller groups in, but trust me, it will save time in the long run. Plus, the extra exercise is good for you, you lazy bum! I kid, kind of. In addition, you’ll probably be able to coax the calves down the alleyway without resorting to using a hot shot. Low stress cattle handling should always be a goal. 4. Castration concerns in huge bulls. I’m thankful that a lot of my producers are on board with castrating calves at a young age. However, every veterinarian has some producers that either choose to wait or just put off castrating their calves until they’re about 800 pounds. Inevitably, these producers will also spend a lot of time asking questions about the risks of their calves bleeding out when you castrate them. Newsflash: It’s a bit too late for you to be concerned about your calves bleeding out. If you're bringing in your calves at 800 pounds to castrate, then yes, there's a distinct possibility that one or two of them will bleed out. Even if they don't, calves this size will drop a lot of weight for days to weeks just from the stress of castration at such a large size. Some producers are still convinced that they grow more if you wait to castrate them. Science and literature does not support that (that’s my nice way of saying that you’re WRONG. So wrong.) Study after study shows that calves that are castrated (surgically or banded) at or after weaning show increased sickness, stress, and death loss. When compared to calves castrated at less than three months of age, calves castrated late in life weigh twenty to forty pounds less at slaughter and are marketed twelve days later. Bulls castrated at 500 pounds or greater also tend to have less marbling than bulls castrated earlier. Beef tenderness ratings decrease the heavier the bulls are at the time of castration. There you go, producers. You just got schooled by science. Some people don’t care about evidence and science, but at least I try. While we’re on the subject of castrating, let’s talk about banding for a second. Studies show that there is no difference between calves that are banded or knife cut less than three days of age. However, I can’t stress enough that if you’re going to band, please do it correctly! As a veterinarian, I will have unkind words to say if I have to practically crawl under a calf with a knife and pry a testicle from a bunch of scar tissue because you don’t know know how to band. Place your band and then “count to two.” There should be two testicles below the band. 5. Just dropping by!....with a load of 30 calves. There has been many an occasion where my receptionist answers the phone, and the person on the other line says, “Yeah. I’ve got my trailer loaded with thirty calves and I’m driving down the highway headed your way.” Wait….what?! Look, I realize that sometimes when you go out to feed calves, all the animals come up and you’re able to wrangle them with ease. You think, “Hey! Now would be a great opportunity to load them up in the trailer and take them to the vet to be worked.” Not so fast, Cowboy! I’m happy to work your cattle and have your business, but in the course of time it takes to load those cattle in the trailer, you might want to call the clinic and make sure a veterinarian is available on short notice to work your animals. Odds are, we’re probably not sitting around waiting for you to get there. Otherwise, my sassy office manager may tell you to turn around or you may be waiting in our parking lot for a couple hours. And just an FYI, if I have to work through my lunch hour because an unexpected load of cattle show up, let’s just say Dr. Stroupe gets a little hangry and might not have nice things to say. Yes, hangry. It’s a real word and it’s the combination of anger and hunger that comes with going a long time without eating. In my case, that’s about two hours. So if you’re just going to drop in, at least bring food to soften the blow. I like cheese curds from Dairy Queen with ranch dressing...with a chili cheese dog. An Orange Julius wouldn’t hurt, either, you know, for the folic acid while I’m making a baby. Just saying. 6. Tie her up! I’m pretty sure nearly every mixed or large animal veterinarian has experienced this. A producer calls late at night and says, “Hey Doc, I have this old cow that’s sick. She’s down in the pasture.” I say, “Oh? Do you have her tied to anything?” “No Doc, she’s down and there’s no way she’s getting up anytime soon.” I would explain what I usually tell them next, but it would ruin the story. I pull up at their farm and the producer meets me at their gate. He hops in the truck next to me and tells me where to drive through the hills of the pasture. We arrive at a tree line where the sick cow rests. She sees my strange truck and her head and ears perk up. I realize at this point that the producer didn’t tie her up like I told him to. I slowly step out of the truck, and ‘ol Bessie decides to hightail it into the woods. Yes, “she’s down and there’s no way she’s getting up anytime soon” are famous last words, my friend. Famous last words. Most cows that are “down” will take off when they see a strange vehicle and unfamiliar people step out of it. So for the love of God, tie up those down cows! Because after two hours of chasing your sick cow through the woods, I might conclude that they’re not really sick enough to treat. 7. Put your darn dogs away! A good rule to follow is if you’ve called a veterinarian out to your farm to work on your horses or livestock, please put your dogs away! I just love it when there are three to four dogs running around under a table with a $14,000 ultrasound machine on it. Treating a scared, sick cow? That dog on the back of your gator barking is not helping things. Horses and cattle are prey animals and dogs are predators, so it's in their nature to be uneasy around our canine friends. Most veterinarians, whether they're working a herd, suturing a laceration on a horse, or treating a sick cow, just want to finish the job and keep the animals as stress free as possible. Make our job a little easier and keep Rover penned up, Mmmkay? 8. Chute etiquette. Most people are aware that veterinarians do a lot of things near the hind end of cattle. Naturally, we're in a pretty vulnerable position when we're back there sometimes. Sometimes, our friendly farmers unknowingly put us in those vulnerable positions. FYI, doing anything at the head of cattle when we're at their hind end can cause problems. You think cows get ticked off when we stick our arms up their rectum? They get even more ticked off when you mess with them anywhere around their face. It's a common fact for ruminants. Farmers, my plea to you is this: Please don't mouth your cows (open their mouth to check their age) while I'm preg checking them or open the chute before I've finished preg checking them. Most importantly, please don't put an ear tag in your bull at the exact same time I'm measuring his scrotal circumference. I'm literally grabbing life by the balls at this point, so try not to make it more difficult for me. As I said with the with the veterinary clinic etiquette list, most of my clients know the ins and outs already, so this doesn’t apply to them. There are a few that I will be printing and slyly sliding it behind a producer’s bill after we work calves. I’ll slap it on some official letterhead and call it a newsletter! We’re discussing pet ownership responsibility in the month of September, so it only seems appropriate to discuss proper veterinary clinic etiquette. Being a mixed animal veterinarian, I’ll also have a farm call edition of this list in a future blog post, so keep your eyes open for that! Let’s face it. I’m eight months pregnant and getting snarkier by the week, so this type of topic is right up my alley. I realize that if you’re a client of mine and you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’re most likely one of my “A-list” clients and I’m probably preaching to the choir. However, it’s possible you might be doing some of these things and not know that it’s an annoyance or taboo in a clinic. If some of these things apply to you, take note for the next time you bring your pet into a veterinary clinic. If none of these things apply to you, there’s probably some entertainment to be had in reading this blog anyway. Plus, you can give yourself a pat on the back for being such a great client. The following is my list of “Bye Felicia” moments, which is my sassy way of listing things you should NEVER do in a veterinary clinic. Enjoy! 1. Fib about your pet’s medical history, medications, dietary intake, etc. Liar, liar, pants on fire! Just kidding, I realize that sometimes things might be omitted or left out of your pet’s medical history just due to forgetfulness. That’s totally understandable. When I ask if your pet is currently on a medication and get an answer of, “No,” I assume that your pet is literally on no medications. When I ask if your pet is on year-round heartworm, flea, and tick preventative, I mean is your pet on these products monthly for a year-round basis. Not “all year” with the exception of the months of November, December, and January. I also must investigate the common problem of omission when discussing a pet’s dietary history or what type of food they eat. . These conversations often go something like this: “What kind of food do you feed your pet?” “Well, I’m not sure. Most of the time it’s a dog food in the green bag. You know what kind that is, right?” “Okay, does your dog get a certain amount of food each day? How often are they fed? Or is your dog fed ad lib?” “Well, I feed two cups of the dry food twice a day.” “Is that a measuring cup? Like the ones you use in the kitchen?” “No, it’s a Break Time Big Gulp cup.” “Does your pet get any extra table scraps or treats?” “Absolutely not! Oscar only gets his dry dog food, and that’s it.” Then the husband standing in the room pipes in and says, “Well, remember that you feed him a 12 oz ribeye every Sunday when we grill?” “Oh yeah. But that’s only once a week!” The husband adds, “And Oscar gets half a plate full of spaghetti on Wednesdays, which is spaghetti night.” I then do bloodwork and confirm that Oscar’s pancreatic enzymes are elevated. I ask, “Are there any other high fat foods that Oscar gets on a regular basis?” The wife replies, “Oh yeah. We forgot to mention that we pour the bacon grease from breakfast on Oscar’s food every morning.” You get the idea. Veterinarians are used to having to pry information out of clients sometimes. Not only does this scenario make it difficult to do our job, take extra time, and make it harder to run diagnostics with an incomplete medical history, but leaving out information can be dangerous to your pet. For instance, certain medications can interact poorly and be dangerous when given together, so it’s important for us to have a complete list of medications your pet is currently on (which includes over-the-counter medications you might be buying from Wal-Mart or elsewhere). If you bring your dog in because he’s sick and got into your stash of marijuana or other drugs (including prescription), please tell me because I can’t treat your pet without knowing what they ate. I’m not the DEA, I just need information so I can treat your pet adequately. Help us do our jobs and ensure your pet gets the best care by giving us complete information. 2. Answering your cell phone in the exam room. “Well, Mrs. Smith, I’m sorry to tell you that after Roscoe’s exploratory surgery, we found a tumor on his liver. I think the best course of action from here would be…” *phone rings* Client: Hello? Oh, hi sweetheart! Wait, I told you not to buy the cheap hand towels because they’re not soft enough!...No, I told you this yesterday!...” *conversation goes on for a few more minutes* You see what I mean? When you bring your pet into the veterinary clinic, you’re paying for our expertise and knowledge. Nothing is more frustrating than being interrupted by a phone call in the middle of giving that expertise. Please be respectful of our time and hold your phone calls until the appointment is over. 3. Throwing a fit when we need to muzzle your pet. I’ve experienced this one a lot lately. At our clinic, we want your pet to have the best experience possible with as minimal restraint as we can, however, my staff and I also are very experienced at reading body language in a dog or a cat. This scenario usually goes something like this: I approach the dog and it looks a little scared and apprehensive. I slowly move my hand toward it to begin my exam, and it turns and snaps at me. I explain, “We are going to put a muzzle on Sparky. Looks like Sparky is a little scared today, and better safe than sorry.” The client replies, “Oh, Sparky doesn’t bite!” Me: “Really? Because he just turned and snapped at me.” The client says, “Here, I’ll just hold his head for you.” I would not like to have someone who is completely inexperienced with animal restraint hold the head of a dog that is a fear biter. I reply with, “Ummm...No thanks!” and then I put the muzzle on the dog. This is a scenario where it’s my way or the highway. If a dog is growling, trying to bite, or showing signs of aggression, a muzzle is the best precaution to ensure that I, my staff, and you don’t get bit. So please don’t argue with us when we need to muzzle your dog. I don’t muzzle dogs without good reason. 4. Refusing to pay. This probably happens more often than you think. People will bring their dog in for treatment, go to the front desk for check out, and then act surprised that payment is expected, pretend they forgot their wallet, or act like they don’t understand the payment plan that’s been explained. In other instances, people want to pick and choose what services their pet gets. They’ll say, “Why do I have to pay for an exam? I just want my pet to get vaccinated! She doesn’t need an exam!” We’ve even had people cancel their credit card or check payments after we’ve saved their pet’s life. Look, most veterinarians aren’t out to price gouge people. However, it takes a lot of time and money to keep a veterinary business running. Remember that a veterinary clinic is a business, and payments are needed to cover the cost of treatment and keep the business running. Would you go into a retail store, a medical doctor’s office, or your dentist and claim you don’t have any money to pay for goods and services? Doubtful. And if you do, let me know how that goes for you. 5. Letting your pets run loose around the clinic. I can’t stress enough the importance of bringing your dog to a veterinary clinic on a leash. Cats and sometimes even very small dogs can be brought in carriers. Even if you’re confident that your dog is well behaved around other dogs, you don’t know what the leashed dog in the waiting room is going to do. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone walk in with an unleashed dog that sniffs around and approaches another dog in the clinic that is leashed that doesn’t appreciate the attention. This can be a dangerous situation for the animals and the people involved. Please be responsible and leash your pet when you bring them to the office. If you have a retractable leash, lock it at a relatively short distance so you can adequately control your dog. Also, don’t carry your cat into a veterinary clinic. Many of you have found that the car ride alone to the veterinary clinic can be stressful for them. If you walk in with an already stressed cat, and it sees other unknown animals in the waiting room, it is likely to claw the crap out of you at the very least and possibly even escape. We’ve certainly had cats get loose outside of the clinic when people are trying to carry them to their cars. A carrier is by far the best way to transport your cat and some small dogs to the clinic. Don't have a carrier? It's probably a good idea to purchase one if you have a cat, but if you need one on short notice, my clinic has one that we loan out to clients for transport to and from the clinic. 6. Put up roadblocks. These clients drive veterinarians crazy. When a client is paying you to be their pet health expert yet denies and refutes every recommendation, it can be quite frustrating. There is nothing wrong with questioning your health care team on issues that are important to you. However, I have had many appointments where clients refuse every diagnostic or treatment option I present to them. No, my pet does not have fleas. My pet is not obese! My dog’s teeth aren’t rotting out of its mouth. No, my dog is too old for surgery. No, bloodwork is too expensive. Can’t you just give my dog a shot and cure it? I have to wonder in these cases why they brought their pet to a veterinarian in the first place? Sometimes the answers to our pet’s health problems are simple, and sometimes they’re not. Either way, veterinarians usually don’t have a crystal ball that tells them what is wrong with your pet. Tests often need to be done to achieve that. Nor can we cure your pet by placing hands on them (most of the time). Treatment might involve you medicating the pet at home. These clients often demand, “Cure my pet, but don’t run any tests, don’t touch him, don’t send home any medications, and did I mention he bites?” Let’s have some realistic expectations, here. 7. Try to tell my technicians how to handle your pet. Everyone has dealt with someone who likes to micromanage. In a veterinary clinic, you’ll inevitably get a client that wants to tell the technician how to handle, hold, or restrain their pet. Please trust that my technicians have been trained in animal restraint and handling to keep the pet comfortable and prevent injury to everyone involved. You may think you know your animal, but chances are they know how to handle animals better than you. Our restraint techniques are designed to keep you, your pet, and us safe. Also remember that most of us entered this profession because we like animals and want to ensure that they are safe and comfortable. 8. Rely too heavily on Dr. Google. As a veterinarian, I am not intimidated or offended by clients that research conditions or pet health issues on the Internet. Personally, I think it’s great that you’re taking an active interest in your pet! However, it can be frustrating when your recommendations contradict their Internet research, yet the client is insistent what they found on Google is correct. Client: I think I’m going to go ahead and use this homemade apple cider vinegar recipe to get rid of fleas on my dog instead of the preventatives you recommend. Client: I’ll NEVER feed the prescription Science Diet dog food that you’re recommending because it has corn in it. And everyone knows corn is EVIL! Client: I didn’t give my cat the antibiotics you sent last week because the Internet told me it doesn’t have a urinary tract infection (which culture results later proved otherwise). Please understand that not all information on the Internet is accurate. While I was attending a breastfeeding class a few weeks ago, a young woman raised her hand at the end of class. She said to the instructor, “I read on Google that it’s good to boil your breast milk before you feed it to your baby.” This is the kind of information you find on the Internet, people! There are a lot of buffoons running their mouths on the Internet. I’m obviously not one of them! Ha! If you want a list of great, reliable Internet resources on a variety of pet-related topics, visit my website at the following link: http://howardcountyvet.com/internet-resources/ 9. Tell us what your breeder recommends. I can’t tell you how many times I have clients bring in a brand new puppy, complete with a packet full of misinformation from their breeder. These packets usually include “facts” stating that this particular breed of dog can never eat grain, is sensitive to anesthesia, should only get a half dose of rabies vaccine, shouldn’t be vaccinated for rabies until six months of age (it’s three months of age, by the way), should have a heat cycle before being spayed, etc. Anytime a client hands me one of those “breeder packets,” it’s all I can do not to rip it in half and throw it in the trash. You may also be surprised to know that it’s surprisingly difficult to reverse the word-vomit on these pages and educate clients on pet health. Many of them will defer to their breeder on pet advice. You’re right. The advice I’m giving you is purely based on years and years of school and experience and hundreds of thousands of dollars I’ve invested in my education. Feel free to go ahead and do what your breeder recommends. If you’re wondering what the requirements are to become a dog breeder, the answer is there really aren’t any. There’s no reason to believe they know anything about pet health, especially compared to someone with a doctoral degree on the subject. Does it make more sense to trust someone who has made it their life’s work to keep pets happy and healthy or someone who wants to sell as many dogs as possible and get them out the door? Hmm… Other common recommendations we get are from people at the natural food store. Need to deworm your pet? Feed it diatomaceous earth! Want to cure parvo or diarrhea in general in dogs and cats? Apparently the common recommendation is to give everything fermented goats milk. Gross! A colleague of mine says, “I just say in my compassionate, yet authoritative voice, ‘Well, let’s discontinue that...and never give it again.” Honestly? The only fermented products you should trust are wine and beer (but don’t give that to your pets!). 10. Phone trees! “Hey, Dr. Stroupe! Could you call my wife/husband/brother/family friend/neighbor/homeless person and tell them everything you just told me?” I realize that it’s good to keep everyone in the family in the loop, but it’s an extremely inefficient use of our time to have to call three different people and explain the exact same thing. It’s best if all interested parties can schedule the appointment at a time when everyone can attend so questions and issues can be brought up at that time. While we’re on the subject, please don’t send your teenage son with your sick dog to the clinic that doesn’t have a friggin clue about what the dog’s symptoms are, how long it’s been sick, what tests are okay to run on the dog, etc. It’s very difficult to work up a pet without a good history or idea of what tests you’re willing to run. 11. Asking us to fill prescription medications without seeing your pet. “Hey, Dr. Stroupe! Tucker’s ears are itching again. Could you just fill the prescription for “X” medication? It works every time!” I then look at the record and realize the dog hasn’t been seen in five years. Listen, there’s a reason certain medications are prescription. We can’t diagnose a pet’s condition over the phone. Even though you think you know your pet, you have not been trained to diagnose and treat your pet, which is why it should be examined by a trained professional. Examinations and tests are crucial for diagnosing a problem and sending home the appropriate medications. Guessing what is wrong without seeing an animal and sending home a random medication is not a way to practice medicine. 12. Walking in without scheduling an appointment or showing up late. It’s important to know that most veterinarians do not encourage walk-ins at their clinics. Sure, we understand that emergencies can pop up. However, just randomly showing up with your itchy dog, cat to vaccinate, or load of cattle to work is not usually appreciated. Scheduling can be tight in veterinary clinics, and walk-ins can throw things off in a major way. I’ve had a client randomly show up with their flea-infested cat and then storm out because I was busy in the back stabilizing a dog that had been hit by a car. Yeah, dude. Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. Showing up late can throw things out of whack as well. I’ve had Saturdays where I’m nearly double-booked all morning. My first appointment shows up 10 minutes late and throws the entire morning off schedule. Please be respectful of the fact that we often have many, tightly scheduled appointments to see in a day. Schedule your pet’s appointment ahead of time and try your best to be on time. If you’re running behind, give us a call and let us know. We may be able to work you in at a later time or reschedule you. This is not meant to be a tirade against my wonderful clients. Most of my clients, especially regular clients that have learned the ins and outs of the veterinary clinic, know these things already. Actually, they’ve probably been in the clinic before when someone hasn’t followed these suggestions and see how it can create chaos. If you have done one or two of these things before, remember the examples that I explained and how it could affect your pet or other pets in the clinic to keep it a safe and respectful place for all. September is Responsible Dog Ownership Month, so in this week’s blog we will be discussing the steps to becoming a responsible dog owner. There are a lot of things to consider before getting a dog. Adding a dog to the home should not be the result of an impulsive decision, and the but-look-at-his-face excuse doesn’t eliminate all the work you’ll have to put into it. A dog or pet in general is a lifelong relationship (or should be), so pets should be carefully selected to suit your lifestyle and home. The following is a list of guidelines for responsible dog ownership. Since I’m also a veterinarian and for entertainment purposes, I’ve also written a separate list of what NOT to do at a veterinary clinic since this kind of fits the theme, so look for that blog soon. Enjoy! 1. Be Committed! Now, I don’t want you to be committed in the Britney-Spears-2007-Meltdown sense of the word, but it’s important that when you get a dog that you commit to the relationship for the pet’s lifetime. Our dogs love us and rely on us to care for them. They are fully committed to us, so it’s only right that we do the same with them. Of course, there can be extenuating circumstances that may cause people to rehome or even euthanize a dog. However, most of these circumstances can be avoided by carefully selecting a dog for your home and lifestyle, researching breed traits, training, and socialization which will also be discussed in this post. 2. Don’t Go Overboard! Part of being a responsible dog or pet owner is keeping the appropriate number of pets. I know so many people that want to save or even hoard animals, but they don’t have the sense to realize that they can’t possibly provide for that number of animals. Most of these people are good people and have their heart in the right place. It’s important to keep a number of pets in which a safe, hygienic environment can be maintained. Taking care of pets can be quite expensive. Their wellness and preventative health alone can be costly, and that doesn’t include emergencies that can pop up. It’s easy to think that you can save an animal or provide them a better life, but if you can’t maintain a safe environment and afford their healthcare, then you’re really not doing that pet any favors. 3. Provide Proper Identification! Even with our best efforts to keep our pets contained, they can sometimes slip a collar or run off and get lost. Proper identification can be so important to reunite you with your pet. Tags and collars can certainly be helpful, but they can also fall off and get lost. The most reliable form of identification for your dog is a microchip. The microchip is placed under the skin (usually between the shoulder blades). It is a simple office procedure that only causes mild, brief discomfort. If your pet gets lost and taken to a shelter, animal control, or veterinary clinic, they will be scanned for a microchip which can be linked back to you. Another important thing is registering the microchip when it is put in and updating that information each year (especially if you move or change phone numbers). I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had a lost animal brought to my clinic, scanned them and excitedly discover they’re microchipped, only to find that the microchip is unregistered. It only takes a few minutes, and your microchip is often worthless without the registration information. 4. Make the Investment! It’s important to realize that dogs require a significant investment in both time and money. Training and socialization are very important. Dogs also need to be exercised and stimulated daily, which can take some time. However, once you get into a routine, most find exercising and spending time with their dog to be quite fun! And let’s face it, it doesn’t hurt you to go on a walk every evening, either. The other thing to consider is the money investment. Dogs should be immunized once a year and kept on year-round parasite prevention. I’ve also found that dogs can sometimes fall ill, get hit by a car, or suffer a number of unlucky circumstances. Emergency care can also be expensive, so it’s important to have an emergency savings fund for these things so you’re not caught off guard. 5. Follow the law! When it comes to dog or pet ownership, it is also important to adhere to your local leash laws and licensing requirements. Your city administrators can be a great resource to local pet requirements if you’re unsure. 6. No babies! Some may disagree with me, but I (and most veterinarians) believe that part of being a responsible dog owner is controlling their reproduction. Spaying or neutering your dog is the best way to do this. If you want to learn more about the benefits or why you should spay and neuter, follow the link to my spay and neuter blog post below: (Love Is In The Air: Why Spay and Neuter). 7. No Nonsense! As a dog owner, it is important for you to ensure that your dog does not become a nuisance or burden to others. Making sure your dog does not have a negative impact on other people, animals, or the environment is very important. This includes but is not limited to noise control, proper waste disposal, not allowing your pet to roam or become feral, and basic training and socialization. 8. Establish a Relationship with a Veterinarian! This is the most important part of this list (not that I’m biased)! We’ve discussed the importance of vaccination and parasite prevention in this blog. It’s also great to have a relationship established with a veterinarian in the event your dog gets sick. Having a sick pet is already stressful, but having to frantically track down a veterinarian can add to it. 9. Socialize and Train Your Dog! I’ve mentioned this in other sections of this blog, but it doesn’t hurt to repeat it. Having a dog with proper training and socialization is not only important for their well-being but also the well-being of other animals and people. If you don’t feel like you have the resources or expertise to train your dog, there are plenty of classes you can take. Training and socialization will improve their interaction in most of the suggestions I’ve already listed above: their relationship with you, in the event they get lost, out on walks in the neighborhood, and with the veterinarian. If you’re thinking of getting a dog, definitely look over this list again before you do, or even take a look at it after you’ve had your pet for awhile. It’s a good checklist and reminder of what your pet needs to be happy and healthy. So Happy Responsible Dog Ownership Month! Now go out for a walk and celebrate! |
Jessica Stroupe, DVM
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August 2017
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