Keeping Pets Safe Through the Holidays

It’s the time of the year where families and friends get together to celebrate the coming of the new year. In the hustle and bustle of last minute preparations, you have many people to see and places to go. Let’s not make the veterinary emergency hospital be one of them. There are unexpected illnesses, sudden deterioration of chronic illnesses, etc… but more often, the below problems land more pets in the emergency room than anything else --- problems that are avoidable with a little foresight.

You may have extended families and friends visiting the next few weeks. Some of these guests may not have pets of their own and may not be familiar with the below dietary precautions. Instead of making sure that they give "acceptable" snacks, it may be better to request them to not give any at all.

click on image to enlarge and print

Then designate someone in the family to do the feeding. Too much of a good thing can upset Baby's stomach after the fourth person treat her with some pot roast.

When it comes to holiday feast, remember:
* Any food that your pets are not accustomed to --- too fatty, too spicy, too rich --- can lead to intestinal upset and/or pancreatitis. It is best to avoid the following:
- No fatty parts and no skin (poultry, pork)
- No bones, period. Cooked ribs, chicken or turkey bones may seem like a good holiday treat, but they can splinter and cause obstruction or serious injury to the intestines. Some people may recommend raw beef bones (knuckle bones or oxtails) which are “safer” than poultry bones. But we still see patients with intestinal upset (not necessarily intestinal obstruction) from the raw beef bones so we can’t recommend them.

Instead, treat your pet to some lowfat chicken broth over the regular dry food. Or if you want to share your dinner, add a few morsels of boneless, non-fatty meat, green beans, or potato in their food bowl. Just to be safe, stay away from onions and garlic. We don’t know if your pets are sensitive to them. Remember, these are given as treats or to add flavor to their regular diet --- they are not to replace the usual meal. Do not treat your pets to a whole “holiday meal.” You may do more harm than good.

- No chocolate for pets.
- Xylitol, an artificial sweetener, is poisonous to dogs. With the increasing popularity of diet or sugar-free baked goods and sweets, keep that basket of cookies, candies, and chewing gums away from your pets.

Other holiday hazards include:
- Tree & Decorations: Tinsel can twist up the intestines. They are especially dangerous to cats and kittens who tend to play and eat them. Ornaments, if swallowed, can cause intestinal obstruction. Ornament hooks can also get caught in pets' mouths. Use short string / yarn loops, 1 inch or shorter, to hang ornaments (like tinsel, long loops can cause obstruction if swallowed). Even the water at the base of the tree contains secretions that can cause a stomachache. Unless you are there to supervise, it is best to make the tree off-limits; use barriers or have the tree in an area where you can block off access.

- Poisonings: Ivy, holly, mistletoe, hibiscus, poinsettia, lilies and Christmas greens can all cause gastro-intestinal upset if ingested in certain amounts. Some of them can be toxic to animals. Place holiday plants high off the ground. And if you have acrobatic cats, leave the plants in a room where the cats can’t get to them.

- Guests: Boisterous friends and families can frighten pets. Stressed out Fifi may not appreciate having loud kids petting and pulling on her. Designate a quiet and secure room for your pets’ retreat. And if there’s risks of your pets taking off when the door is left open, make sure they have ID collars and/or are microchipped.

Just like us, some pets may be stressed by the holidays. Stress can manifest itself in many ways: behavioral problems, loss of appetite, and excessive grooming to name a few. The problems can lead to serious medical issues such as hepatic lipidosis or “fatty liver” in cats. Contact your veterinarian or the emergency services for advice at early signs of problems --- before they become costly and life-threatening illnesses.

We know it's important enough to warrant repeating each year, but holiday pet safety is one of our least favorite post because it seems so negative. Don't do this. Don't give that.

As we near the end of 2009, we want to leave this year in a more positive note. So here is something you can do to treat your pets, keep them safe, let them know how much you love them, get you into the cuddling holiday spirit, put the biggest grin on your face, and best of all, it costs you nothing!

Hugs! and more hugs!

Wishing you and your family a safe and joyous holiday season!

Disclaimers and Disclosures

This blog is written and edited by the staff of The Family Vet. The contents are meant to be informative, entertaining, and educational. They may be used to supplement information received from your family veterinarian. The details contained in the blog posts are NOT meant to diagnose nor treat illnesses absent of a valid current veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR). Always seek your family veterinarian's opinion before using advice mentioned in this blog.

This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertions. Unless otherwise noted, reviews are done on products we purchased ourselves; not given, donated, nor borrowed from the products' companies.

The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. We will only recommend products or services that we believe, based on our expertise and experience, are worthy of such endorsement. Results from products and services reviewed by us are our opinions only; your results may vary. No guarantee is implied with our reviews.

This blog may contain content which might present a conflict of interest. Reviews may be done on products and services that we offer to clients and the public from our clinic. Advances in veterinary medicine often lead to differing standard of care among veterinary practices. Certain contents may be influenced by our background, experience, and belief in what is considered quality care for our clients and patients.

Giving Thanks

We are thankful that, in these difficult economic times, we are able to maintain a small veterinary clinic with the quality care and services we strive to provide for our patients and clients.

We are thankful to have loyal clients, not only from our nearby Long Beach community, but also from Santa Monica to Palm Springs, and as far south as Huntington Beach. Your frequent commutes to visit us speak volumes of the belief you have in us to care for your companions as we would our own. We are humbled and honored by this trust and will continue to do our best to keep it.

We are thankful for technology that enabled us to expand our family on the web. Our exchanges with colleagues and the pet community worldwide have enriched our lives, professionally and personally.

We are thankful for the clients who support us locally; they make it possible for us to stay in business. We are grateful that they understand the higher price of certain products are reflections of the higher costs associated with maintaining a veterinary clinic. We are thankful for their understanding that they cannot compare the services we provide to those offered by retail stores or online businesses.

We are thankful for colleagues, locally and on the web, who provide support and services that are complementary to our practice. Without the referral facilities and specialists, we would not be able to provide the optimal care we strive for our clients and patients.

We are thankful for the kind souls that are our patients. It never cease to amaze us the silent trust reflected by their acceptance of our handling and treatments. The surprise is not that they are uncooperative. No, the surprise is that they are cooperative and trust us to do no harm. And it is that trust that we work tirelessly to never betray.

We are thankful for the patients who are no longer with us. Each and everyone of them taught us lessons that can never be taught in schools. The bonds between them and their human companions, in life and in death, re-affirm the reasons why we are in this profession. Their time with us may be short, but the impact they left behind is everlasting.

We are thankful that our supportive families are understanding when we work long hours. We are thankful that they are not disappointed when those long hours do not translate to more monetary gain. And we are even more thankful that they accept that what we gain from our work can never be measured in dollars.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Family Vet.

Clumping Cat Litter Conclusions

Edit 11/27/2009: This comparison was done for our own use as we searched for a different cat litter. All products were purchased by us and no compensation was received for this review. Please see our Disclaimers and Disclosures for details.

About five months ago, we set out to find a different cat litter for our cats. This is for our own personal cats. At the clinic, we still use regular non-clumping clay litter (or Yesterday's News if needed for paw injuries) that are disposed as needed throughout the day. Even though wasteful, disposing litters and trays is an efficient way for us to minimize contamination and re-infection in feline patients at our small clinic.

Such concerns do not apply to our cats. Prior to this litter comparison, we used clay clumping litter (Exquisicat) in large litter pans - one per cat. Five of the cats are together in the back office, separated from the rest of the clinic. The pans were scooped and wiped daily. Lots of work but we managed --- until some of the cats decided to be "side-pee-ers." The areas around the pans would be soaked with urine as they stood in the pan and urinated over the edge. Cleaning the urine daily added at least another 30 minutes to the morning routine. "Free" time that we did not have before the real clinic work starts. (Image: cleaned litter pans laid out to dry)

We replaced the five large litter pans with three extra large covered litter containers (customized from plastic storage containers). That took care of the side-peeing. However, the amount of clay clumping litter needed for these large containers made them very heavy for moving around during clean-ups. Moreover, the dust clouds that follow each scooping were affecting the cats' respiratory health. Hence, our search for another clumping litter.

We tried Arm & Hammer Essentials, Feline Pine Clumping, Swheat Scoop Multi-Cat and World's Best Cat Litter (WBCL) Multi-Cat. You can review the details in the previous posts. Arm & Hammer Essentials and Feline Pine Clumping were dropped from the trial after 2 weeks due to the perfume (Essentials), dust, and only fair clumping quality. Swheat Scoop and WBCL were the final contenders. Both had low near-zero dust and good clumping quality. WBCL had a slight edge over Swheat Scoop in the clumping category but was more expensive. Swheat Scoop was more pleasant smelling --- wheat, reminiscent of baking in a kitchen, compared to the clean but barn-like corn smell of WBCL.

We could not decide between WBCL and Swheat Scoop. Hence, over the past several months, we used both litters for the five office cats and the two clinic cats. The following observations were made:

1. Cats seemed to prefer Swheat Scoop over WBCL. The box with Swheat Scoop had more "treasures." We wonder if the location and container size had something to do with this preference. We have to wait until the next complete litter change if we want to test that idea. Based on the adequate usage in the WBCL box though, we suspect the preference, if any, is minimal.
2. Swheat Scoop had less litter trapped in the litter box mat (bath mat by the box entrance).
3. Both WBCL and Swheat Scoop can be tasty to cats (and dogs). The cats ate the litter only on the first day and did not have any subsequent problems. A reader commented that her dog got ill after over-indulging in WBCL. So you may have to be careful during the transition if your dogs are known to raid the litter box.
   
4. WBCL clumped better than Swheat Scoop.
5. WBCL seemed to last longer and needed to be refilled less often than Swheat Scoop.

Does WBCL actually last longer? Maybe Swheat Scoop needed to be refilled more often because cats preferred and used that box over WBCL?
We did a simple test and found that WBCL used less litter to clump the same volume of water (urine) compared to Swheat Scoop. With less litter removed with the urine clumps, WBCL required less refills and lasted longer. Click on image to enlarge.

WBCL's efficient clumping quality makes it more economical (cost-effective) compared to Swheat Scoop. This put WBCL over Swheat Scoop for the win with our cats.

We did not start this post with the background information on our cats to be long-winded. We wanted to give you an idea how WBCL may be the ideal clumping litter for us. We wanted a clumping litter with the following qualities:

• not too heavy when used in extra large litter boxes
• low dust
• good clumping
• excellent odor control
  
• cost-effective

We have not researched past the claims made by the companies, but an environmentally friendly product is an added bonus.

Your requirements may be different than ours. But World's Best Cat Litter did live up to its name and turned out to be the best litter for our cats.

Pet Boarding Guidelines

There's no place like home.
This is also true for our pets. However, there may be times when you have to leave your dogs and cats in the care of another. These guidelines are geared more towards pet boarding facilities (kennel, pet hotel, etc.) but can also be modified for pet sitters (i.e. professional pet sitters).

Finding a Boarding Facility
There are “finders” websites where you can plug in your city to see a list of available boarding facilities and their ratings. We tried a couple of these sites but found them incomplete. Some of these sites are paid listings --- facilities pay a fee to be listed and marketed --- or businesses have to sign up to be listed. If you prefer online research, you may be better off with the review sites such as yelp.com.

By far, the best way to begin is to ask for referrals from friends and family who have previously boarded their pets. Ask your family veterinarian for recommendations or for a list of local facilities. The Family Vet does not routinely provide general boarding services, but we do keep a list of several boarding facilities that are frequented by our clients and patients. Due to laws and etiquette of referrals, we are unable to make a broad recommendation of one facility over another. We do pass on both positive and negative feedback that each facility may have received from our clients.

The Interview
Regardless of how you select the boarding facility, try to visit the place before the boarding appointment. Most places will give you a tour as long as you schedule it ahead of time.

Does the facility look and smell clean? Are the staff helpful and good with the pets present during your tour?

General considerations

1. What are the vaccine requirements? Boarding facilities are allowed to set their own requirements irrespective of veterinarian recommendation. Find out the specific required vaccines as well as the vaccine intervals, i.e. within 6 months, within 1 year, within 3 years. Contact your family veterinarian with the information to see if your pets’ vaccine status meets the requirement. Discuss any discrepancies and update if recommended. Note that if your pet is past due on vaccines, have them updated at least 2 weeks before boarding. Not only for an effective immune response but also because some pets may have reactions to the vaccines --- they may be mild reactions but still better dealt with at home then at a boarding facility.
2. Recent veterinary exam requirement? Some facilities require an exam within 6 months and/or a fecal test to check for parasites.
3. Can you bring your own pet’s food? Continuing with the pet’s normal diet while boarding may comfort pets and minimize risks of GI upset (diarrhea and vomiting). If you bring food, make sure it’s enough for the whole stay. Pre-package meal portions in bags or plastic containers if needed.
4. How often are pets fed? Knowing the facility routine helps you decide if you need to request special services. For example, one of your pets may gorge if fed too much at one time – not a good thing if the staff only feeds her once or even twice a day. You may have to request her to be fed 3 times a day. Also check to see if there’s an additional fee for such services.
5. Are there in-house treats? This is important to know if your pets have food allergies.
6. Can you bring toys and blankets? Some places prefer to use their own bedding or may have a limit on the number of toys or home items. Label these items if possible, i.e. permanent marker.
7. If your pets need medication, find out if the facility is staffed for treatment. Be specific. Some facilities may not have staff trained to apply eye or ear medication.
8. How are medical emergencies handled?
9. How are other emergencies handled, i.e. earthquakes, fires? You want a facility with a prepared safety & emergency protocol.
10. Flea control? Even if the facility does not require it, make sure your pets are current on flea control.
11. Pet identification is always important but especially so when they are away from home. If your pets do not have a microchip, and you rely on a collar and tag, check to see if the collar will be left on your pet at the boarding facility. Some facilities remove dog collars as a safety measure (getting caught in runs, choking). In those situations, most facilities will use a temporary paper ID collar, but it is still a good idea to check so you can have a back-up plan (microchip or break-away collar).

If you have cats,

1. Is the cat area quiet and away from barking dogs?
2. Are the cats boarded in cages (usually about 3’x3’x3’), larger cat condos (about 6’ tall), or small rooms? Boarding fees will vary with the accommodation. From our experience, not all cats prefer larger cages or rooms. Some nervous cats prefer a smaller area.
3. Are the cats exercised, i.e. let out in a room during the day? Again, some cats prefer to be left alone.
4. If your cat is picky when it comes to the litter box, find out how that is handled at the facility. Include in the information sheet details that may help the staff, i.e. prefers low jumbo litter pan due to arthritis. This information comes in handy when your cat still has not urinated in the small disposable litter tray or high litter box.
   

For dogs:

1. Are dogs ever kept together in the same cage or run?
2. How large are the cages or runs?
3. How often and for how long are they walked?
   
4. Any off-leash activities? Play groups?
   

Home Sweet Home
Upon picking up your pets from boarding, be sure to ask the staff for a status report --- a brief verbal report if there are no written discharge notes.

1. Were there any problems during the stay? Eating? Normal urination and bowel movement? Any vomiting? Do not be alarmed if your pets had soft stool or diarrhea the first few days of boarding as stress can lead to gastro-intestinal upset. However, it would be good to know if the stool has returned to normal at discharge time so you know what to expect.
   
2. Note any issues that may need to be followed up with your family veterinarian: lameness noted on walks, head-shaking, scratching, etc...
3. If your pets had medications, check to see when they were last given.
4. Pick up items that were brought in for the visit: medications, blankets, toys, food, etc...

Checklist:
[ ] Vaccine certificates
[ ] Food and treats, if needed
[ ] Medications and any extras needed to give them (Pill Pockets, syringes). Keep the medication in the original prescription vial so staff can easily identify it.
[ ] Blankets, beds, and toys if needed
[ ] Contact information, travel destination, hotel numbers, alternative contacts (friends and family) who can make decisions on your behalf in the event of an emergency.
[ ] Call to confirm boarding appointment (includes pick up times), especially during busy holiday seasons.

Leaving your pets in someone else’s care can be stressful for you and your companions. Planning ahead for your pet’s stay at the boarding facility will minimize the stress and ensure a safe stay for your pets --- and an almost worry-free trip for you.

C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews For Dogs

Edit 11/27/2009: All products were purchased by us and no compensation was received for this post. Please see our Disclaimers and Disclosures for details.

About a month ago, I ordered some C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews to try out on Elaine, my Pit Mix. I have only given her 1 to 2 chews a week so did not expect any significant changes. Thus, I was quite pleasantly surprised to see the marked improvement yesterday when I brushed her teeth. I decided to do a quick post on this instead of the planned cat litter conclusion.

Some quick background ---
As with my cats, Elaine is my sounding board for pet products and services. I try to do with her what we recommend to our clients. So Elaine gets her teeth brushed by me two to four times a week; on busy weeks, we only manage twice a week. Abashedly, those two times are often on Monday and Tuesday when we are closed and I have more time. Not ideally spread out but that's another post for another day. She last had her teeth cleaned under general anesthesia a couple of years ago. With everything happening this past year, I did not have her dentistry done. The dental tartar accumulated; I plan to have her teeth taken care of soon. In the meantime, I was looking at what else I can do to help her dental health.

I can try brushing her teeth more often, like daily. But I have to be realistic --- knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it are two different beasts. I already give her dental chews on days I don't brush her, usually 1-2 chews a week. Even though the chews are labeled for once a day, I don't recommend giving them that often. I am always concerned that some dogs, Elaine included, will swallow large chunks of rawhide. I figure 2-3 days between chews will allow time for the rawhide chunks to be broken down and digested instead of collecting in her stomach and causing problems (i.e. intestinal obstruction). Again, most dogs are probably fine eating the chews everyday. I just don't want to chance it with Elaine. Besides, I also brush her teeth which is way better than giving her the chews.

Anyway, the dental chews we were using for at least the past 5 years are the Enzadent Oral Care Chews. The product worked well and had great feedback from clients. The chews helped with tartar build-up more than the regular non-enzymatic rawhide chews. About a couple years ago, we noticed some of the Enzadent chews were getting thinner, flat, not as robust. We chalked it up to quality control but gradually, all the large chews are not so large anymore. What used to be about 2 - 2.5 mm thick became 1-1.5 mm. There may be more chews in each bag (same net weight) but the thinner chews did not seem to do as good a job, did not last as long. Elaine would quickly gobble it up, bypassing any chewing benefit.

C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews were the "original" chews we used to carry before we switched to Enzadent. At that time, both products were comparable in effectiveness (at least to me) but Enzadent was cheaper. Enzadent is still slightly cheaper, but we will go back to C.E.T. chews if they yield better results.

First impression, C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews beat Enzadent on appearance. C.E.T. chews were about 2 mm thick. The large chews look large whereas the Enzadent large chews sometimes resemble the small ones.
Elaine loves the thicker C.E.T. chews; they provide about 30-45 minutes of chewing pleasure. I give her one chew 1 to 2 times a week.

Did they help?Amazingly, yes. I can see the marked improvement after only 3 weeks. I continued with her (minimum) twice a week brushing and weekly chews --- same diet; the only change was switching from the Enzadent to C.E.T. chews. Photo A is blurry and at a different angle but it is representative of what Elaine's upper fourth premolars looked like. Her incisors and canines are fine; her problem teeth are those large upper premolars. Notice in Photo B how that tartar was scraped off from her chewing on the dental chews. My brushing remove the plaque, but I do not scrape the tartar off manually -- that was from the dental chews.

We will be stocking the C.E.T. large chews. I have not seen them at the local pet stores but your local veterinarians may have them. They are also available online. The Enzadent small chews are still fine for us since the smaller dogs do not require that thicker chews that most large dogs need. So for now, we will keep the small Enzadent chews.

This post was more about the benefits of a good dental chew in addition to frequent brushing. Visit the links below for more information on general dental care ---
* Home Dental Care and one from VeterinaryPartner.com
* Dental Health Facts
* FAQs with a veterinary dentist
* Good images of periodontal disease

Please note, Elaine still needs her dentistry. The brushing and chews are the next best things but do not replace full dental cleaning and oral exam under general anesthesia.

Clay Clumping Litter - ExquisiCat

Edit 11/27/2009: This comparison was done for our own use as we searched for a different cat litter. All products were purchased by us and no compensation was received for this review. Please see our Disclaimers and Disclosures for details.

Of course, as part of our clumping cat litter comparison, we also looked at regular clay clumping litter. We used ExquisiCat from Petsmart due to cost and convenience.A 40-pound container of ExquisiCat Clumping Litter is about $12-$13, making it the cheapest of all the clumping litter tested. The clay clumping litter also out-performs the others in the clumping category. But its infamous dust clouds (and potential effect on pets' respiratory system as well as our own) are major drawbacks. Plus, unless fragrance or chemical was added to the litter, it has poor odor neutralizing ability.

One of the reason we moved from the clay clumping litter was the weight. When we transitioned to larger litter containers, it was very difficult to tilt the heavy container to scoop. Plus the dust clouds when we scoop or fill the containers sent all of us (cats and humans) into coughing fits. There are "dust-free" clay litter but it still is very heavy compared to the other clumping litter.

In the four months that we've used Swheat Scoop and WBCL, we realize that we restocked those litter a lot less than when we used ExquisiCat Clumping Litter. Perhaps, those perfect hard urine clumps use a lot more clay litter than the non-clay litter, so the clay litter needs more frequent refills. I am sure ExquisiCat still comes out cheapest on a per pound basis.

ExquisiCat pluses: excellent hard clumps, cheap, easily available.
ExquisiCat minuses: very dusty, potential health/respiratory issues, too heavy, poor odor neutralizing / control, not biodegradable, non-renewable.

We've kept our clumping cat litter comparison focused on the following categories: dust, cost, clumping power, and odor control. Although not considered in this comparison, the following issues are worth mentioning --- and perhaps will be subjects of later reports:
* Clumping vs. non-clumping (to give you an idea of the debate)
* Silica gel litter (crystals)
* Health concerns with clay clumping litter (to be safe, don't use for kittens less than 3 months old)
* Is organic clumping litter really more environmentally friendly than clay litter? It would seem so on the surface and based on the marketing of the organic litter. But we couldn't help but wonder about the (de)forests and cropland needed for these natural resources. Then you have to compare that to the effect of strip mining that is used to produce clay litter. What are the environmental effects of the different processing / manufacturing procedures? Who's to say that if organic litter becomes popular and outsells clay litter, companies won't end up exploiting / destroying these "renewable resources" to meet the demand? And everytime I scoop the corn- wheat- litter, I can't help but wonder if those corn and wheat would be better off as a food source instead of litter for our cats' toilet :)

That's about it for the different clumping cat litter in our comparison. Our next and final post on this comparison will go over why the perfect cat litter for us may not necessarily be the one for you and your cat(s), and vice versa.

Arm & Hammer Essentials and Feline Pine Clumping

Edit 11/27/2009: This comparison was done for our own use as we searched for a different cat litter. All products were purchased by us and no compensation was received for this review. Please see our Disclaimers and Disclosures for details.

This is a continuation of the clumping cat litter comparison, focusing on Arm & Hammer Essentials and Feline Pine Clumping.

Arm & Hammer Essentials Natural Clumping Cat Litter is "formulated with a proprietary blend of 100% natural corn fibers that combine with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to effectively absorb urine and eliminate odors instantly." Target has 10.5-pound bags for $12.29 each. Of all the clumping litter tested, Essentials had the least dust when poured. Unfortunately, that was about the only advantage it had over the others. Its clumpability was only fair; the clumps fall apart when scooped. It has an overpowering fragrance ---- almost perfumy so it seems to mask litter box odor more than controlling it. We could only find the small bags, no 34-40# bags, so on a per pound cost, it was more expensive than WBCL and Swheat Scoop.

Essentials pluses: minimal dust, biodegradable and renewable resources
Essentials minuses: overpowering fragrant, fair-poor clumpability, expensive (no large bags)

Feline Pine Clumping Cat Litter is made from renewable Southern Yellow Pine and Natural Guar. Feline Pine Original was the first "alternative" cat litter I used (and liked) when I first got out of veterinary school. I really wanted to like Feline Pine Clumping but had to abandon it early in the trial when it falls short on the 3 main categories: "dust", clumpability, and economy of size.

True, there was no clay dust, but there was sawdust-like particles when poured from the box. Plus, its lightweight made it prone to blowing around when we filled the box. This may not be a problem with a traditional litter box, but we use giant litter boxes and converted Rubbermaid storage containers (more on litter box size later) --- almost felt like working in a sawmill.

Of all the clumping litter tested, Feline Pine Clumping scored the lowest. The litter absorbs the urine but did not form a very firm scoopable clump.

The largest box of Feline Pine Clumping is 10.1-pound, about $13.99, making it the most expensive per pound of clumping litter in our comparison.

Feline Pine Clumping pluses: very pleasant pine smell, renewable resources, biodegradable, chemical-free, light weight, educational site without being overwhelming, Pine Perks and rebates.
Feline Pine Clumping minuses: more dusty than the other non-clay clumping litter, too lightweight, poor clumping, not available in larger volume, more expensive on a per pound basis.

Then there was the traditional clay clumping litter....

Swheat Scoop & World's Best Cat Litter

Edit 11/27/2009: This comparison was done for our own use as we searched for a different cat litter. All products were purchased by us and no compensation was received for this review. Please see our Disclaimers and Disclosures for details.

This is one of several posts on clumping cat litter comparison. The comparison is divided into sections for a more blog-friendly format. A later post will tie everything together with our conclusions / selection.

Over the past 4 months, we've used the following clumping cat litters for our seven cats:

Swheat Scoop, Arm & Hammer Essentials, Feline Pine Clumping, and ExquisiCat Clumping
World's Best Cat Litter was a late entrant (mainly due to cost) and not pictured above.

Arm & Hammer Essentials was purchased from Target. The other litters were all purchased from the local Petsmart.


Swheat Scoop is made from naturally processed wheat. Go to the link for more information. We initially got the original formula (in photo above) but switched to the multi-cat formula for the comparison trial. The multi-cat formula is more expensive at about $32 for 40-pounds (Original Swheat Scoop is $25 for 40-pounds; clumping clay ExquisiCat is about $13 for 40-pounds) but appears to clump better than the original and better odor control.

Clay-free does not mean dust-free. The fine powdery cloud when we poured the Swheat Scoop is not as bad as the clay dust (and did not worsen allergies in our cats compared to the clay litter).

Swheat Scoop has a pleasant wheat smell --- not overpowering. It does a good job of odor control. But note, we scoop the boxes everyday so did not test if the odor control is due to removal of wastes or some property of Swheat Scoop.

Natural wheat starches transform the litter into solid clumps when wet (urine). The starches sometimes can make a sticky dough ball in box corners but can still be easily scooped and cleaned. Make sure you have enough litter in your box (3 inches deep) or you will end up with a doughy litter mess.

Swheat Scoop pluses: good clumpability, minimal dust, pleasant smell, good odor control, biodegradable, renewable resources, weighs less than clumping clay litter.

Swheat Scoop minuses: costs more up front compared to regular clumping clay litter, makes doughy mess if litter depth is too shallow (though this applies to most clumping litter), availability (the multi-cat large 40-pounder is not always in stock at the local pet store).

World's Best Cat Litter (WBCL) is made from whole-kernel corn --- it is milled so the actual litter is a ground coarser than the regular clumping clay litter, not actual whole kernels! The website has a lot of information, it's actually overwhelming. We did not include WBCL in the initial selection because of its price tag of $34.99 for a 34-pounds bag. As it turns out, WBCL did live up to its name.

As with the Swheat Scoop, there is a multi-cat formula which we used for the trial. WBCL has a fine powder cloud when poured. After scooping the boxes, my forearm is covered with a fine dust (as with Swheat Scoop) but I (my breathing) did not notice this "dust cloud" while scooping so maybe the dust does not get in the air as much as the clay dust. This powdery layer is not unexpected considering the processing needed to get the fine texture.

WBCL forms excellent clumps, second only to the clumping clay litter in our comparison. Exellent odor control. However, WBCL has a corn smell that is not as pleasant as the wheat from Swheat Scoop. WBCL corn smell reminds me of the cow barns at feeding time --- not bad but not exactly pleasant.

WBCL lasts longer in the litter box than the others in our trial; we did not have to refill the box with fresh litter as often. My theory is that WBCL uses less litter to form the clumps; hence, each urine clump removes less litter from the box. It also kept the litter box cleaner since the urine clumps before it collects at the bottom.

WBCL pluses: excellent clumpability and odor control, biodegradable, renewable resources, lasts longer, septic-safe (though we don't recommend flushing it), weighs less than clumping clay litter, minimal dust.

WBCL minuses: costs more up front compared to regular clumping clay litter, availability often limited to the major pet stores.


Next Up: Arm & Hammer Essentials and Feline Pine Clumping Litter

Maneki Neko

If you're like me, walking into any house or business and seeing a Maneki Neko will bring an immediate smile to your face, no matter what kind of day you may be having.

There's just something appealing about the white or gold cat sitting there and swinging its paw, beckoning and welcoming you.

The Maneki Neko originates in Japan ("Maneki" means "Beckoning," and "Neko" means "Cat" in Japanase), but a more precise origin is unclear. One legend of the cat's origin that I find fascinating and particularly interesting is explained in Wikipedia's entry:

The Temple Cat: This story goes that a wealthy feudal lord was taking shelter under a tree near Gotoku-ji temple (in Western Tokyo) during a thunderstorm. The lord saw the temple priest's cat beckoning to him and followed; a moment later the tree was struck by lightning. The wealthy man became friends with the poor priest and the temple became prosperous. When the cat died, supposedly the first Maneki Neko was made in his honor.

(My cat Cyber and Our 2 Maneki Nekos - I'll leave it up to you to decide which is which.)

A recent Animal Planet show exploring animal myths and legends discussed and analyzed the Temple Cat Theory. According to their analysis, it is conceivable that higher ambient electricity signaling lightning could cause a cat's hair and coat to get more static. In turn, a cat may try to reduce the static by washing itself by licking its paw frequently, thereby giving the appearance of "waving." The experts then called the myth's veracity plausible.

Though thunderstorms are rare here in Southern California, I know our Maneki's have brought us many good fortunes, not to mention countless smiles, and I hope yours have as well.

Artwork

We took advantage of the clean-up after last week's fumigation to mount up more artwork. These were all gifts from our generous clients. Note: Click on images to enlarge.

In the lobby, we have the two works from Julita Jones' early days: Flights of Fancy (above left) and The Great Escape (above right and below).

Julita Jones "The Great Escape"

Karla Davison has been a client of ours for many, many years. We have been a beneficiary of her fine artwork over the years in the form of cards and such. We are glad that we are able to display one of her larger work in one of our rooms (above). My photography skills (or lack thereof) and glare are not doing it justice. Karla is a local artist with a studio in Long Beach. Contact her for more information on her work.

In the same room, we have a D.A. Simpkins work in acrylic titled "All God's Creatures Go to Heaven" (above). A close-up look is needed to truly appreciate the texture and details of this work. The piece was generously gifted to us by Ms. Simpkins several years ago.

In addition to these larger artwork, we rotate photos of our patients along the display counter, walls, and digital photo frame.

Pet photos are always welcomed.

Your artwork and photos help create the warm environment of The Family Vet. Thank you!

Clinic Fumigation

All the hospital pets are finally out and the clinic building is closed up for fumigation. Some of you may remember we were supposed to do this tenting last year (almost to the date) but a clerical error (the gas company turned off the gas to the wrong building) by the fumigating company nixed the plan. So, Clinic Fumigation Part Deux, was scheduled for today. And it looks like it will get done this time.

We will be closed until Saturday 8/15/09.
We cannot return to the clinic until late Wednesday and anticipate at least a couple of days to unpack and set everything back up in working order.

As previously advised, the best way to contact us during this time is via email: staff@thefamilyvet.net
We will reply to emails within 24 hours.

You may leave a message at the office number 562-435-6331 but we may not be able to return calls until Saturday.

For all patients currently under treatment, you were provided with my cell number. Please call or send me text messages as needed.

As always, if it is an emergency requiring immediate care, please contact an emergency clinic:
http://www.animalemergencyreferral.com in Torrance (310) 325-3000
http://www.accim.net in Tustin (949) 654-8950

Changes for August

As some of you know, I was in an accident on the 405 Fwy this past Friday night. A motorcyclist rammed into the rear end of my car at quite a high speed, sustaining injuries that tragically ended his life. I did not know who/what hit me or how he hit me until I heard from the eyewitnesses in the vehicles behind me. CHP officers are still investigating the accident. Regardless of the reasons or causes that lead the motorcyclist to lose control of his bike, a life was lost and many lives were touched and changed that night. My heart goes out to his family.

I spent Saturday and Sunday in hospital, undergoing numerous tests for the weakness in my left arm and leg, presumed from the trauma to my neck and shoulder. Long term prognosis is good, yet uncertain as we do not have a definitive diagnosis for my profound weakness. I am improving quite rapidly and have regained most of my strength in the past couple of days. However, extended use of my left arm / hand still weakens it and leave it quite fatigued for the day. I have no problem with routine daily uses, it is the prolonged use that I am not quite capable of yet.

Until I am confident that I have good strength back in my left hand / arm, I will have to temporarily stop performing certain surgeries. We have contacted those of you who may be affected this coming week and have already made arrangements with you. I have a follow-up with the neurologist next week and will update all of you of any changes.

We are making every effort to ensure that our clients and patients are cared for during this period. We are fortunate to have excellent referral facilities and other local practices that will be able to perform those surgeries or procedures that cannot wait for my recovery.

Other than the limitation on certain surgeries, I do not anticipate any other major changes in our services --- except for a delay on some client communication as I catch up the next couple of days.

We will be open for our usual office hours this week (Aug. 5 - 9):
Wednesday to Friday: 7 am - 1 pm and 2 pm - 5 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 7 am - 2 pm

Please note, our clinic building is being fumigated and will be closed from Monday Aug. 1o to Friday Aug. 14. We will re-open for appointments on Saturday Aug. 15. We will post reminders of how to contact us for that week.

We received many well-wishes and inquiries to my health the past several days. Elias tried to reply to them while I was hospitalized. Our apologies if we missed anyone.

Communication is essential to the trust we have developed with you over the years. Please do not hesitate to voice your concerns or questions about any aspect of our services.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding this past weekend.
Thank you.

The Story of Duke

Duke was a sweet little fellow; a Jack Russell looking puppy, maybe 6 months of age. Duke was relentless and fiercely loyal to me. He followed me home without a leash, enthusiastically passing house after house as we walked home together on a hot July afternoon. The only problem was that Duke wasn't my dog!

Luckily, Duke had a collar and tag that even more luckily, stayed on him the entire time he was lost. After walking around home to home and calling the phone number on the tag (no one was answering), I decided to take him home and call Long Beach Animal Control. Long Beach Animal Control is sometimes criticized, but my experiences with them have always been positive, and this was no exception. Even on a day off, I was able to contact them with my and Duke's information so that they could locate his owner.

After about 2 hours his owner finally called, and Duke was reunited with his grateful owner. I explained to them the importance of keeping a puppy secure. Right afterward Animal Control came by my house, and were glad to hear of the happy outcome. A simple dog tag and collar saved the family much grief.

After formally studying ethics and philosophy for many years, I've come to believe that a primary motivator of animal care should be empathy. Unfortunately empathy is not something that can be taught in schools nor trained during a staff meeting. It is something that is attained only through maturity and realization that animals and their companions experience life much as you do. Like other pet owners, I've suffered grief from losing a close companion animal; I've become nervous at the thought of expensive veterinary bills, and I've experienced the thought of having lost my pet, if only temporarily. Empathy has its upsides too, as I was glad to enjoy the pleasure of the reunion of Duke and his family.

In The News: Canine Influenza Virus Vaccine

Some of our clients have read the recent New York Times article and had questions on the soon to be released canine influenza virus (CIV) vaccine from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. The NY Times article has a summary of the canine flu, its clinical signs and treatment so I will not repeat them here except to remind us that in most dogs, the disease is self-limiting and/or is treatable with appropriate medical intervention. Its devastating effect is more likely seen in situations where a lot of dogs are housed or kept together (i.e. boarding kennels / doggy daycare, animal shelters, or even veterinary clinics where infected dogs may pass through) because it would mean risk of widespread contamination and possible interruption of services. But on a smaller scale, as it pertains to you (and your canine companion), CIV is often treatable with timely supportive care. Do not dismiss it as "just a cough." Contact your family veterinarian to have your dog evaluate and treat if needed.

Do we (will we) recommend the canine influenza virus vaccine?

No. At this time, most of our canine patients are not in the at-risk population. We are not considered in an endemic area for CIV. That does not mean CIV is not in Southern California, just that it's not commonly reported. As CIV becomes more prevalent in our community OR if certain dogs have higher exposure (i.e. travels to dog shows, etc...), we will re-evaluate our recommendation and vaccinate if indicated.

If a boarding facility requires the CIV vaccine for boarding, we will talk to the facility management (so we can get an idea if CIV is present locally); we will defer to their requirement. Management of the boarding facilities know their husbandry practices, are aware of the condition of their other boarders, and have knowledge of whether their facility was exposed to CIV. We would not want our patients to board unvaccinated in a facility where CIV is a concern to management.

The canine influenza vaccine does not prevent the disease; it lessens the effect of the disease. The conditional license issued by APHIS listed the vaccine as an "aid in the control of disease associated with canine influenza virus infection, type A, subtype H3N8." The vaccine can reduce the incidence and severity of lung lesions. It can also reduce the duration of clinical signs
(i.e. coughing) and viral shedding, hence lowering the risk of contamination. But, again, it does not prevent infection or its clinical signs.

The canine influenza virus was identified in 2004. If you recall, the "Swine Flu" (H1N1) in humans was a concern because it was a new strain that the general human population had no prior exposure, no immunity. Similarly, when CIV was identified in 2004 as a novel pathogen to the general canine population, speculation surfaced that the disease will quickly spread through the canine community. In 2006, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) called for development of a CIV vaccine due to its novel pathogen status.

Fortunately, CIV has not been as devastating as we fear. "Canine Flu" was often in pet-related news in 2004-2005. AVMA had a guideline to help deal with the "emerging disease." When CIV did not become as widespread as predicted, it fell out of the limelight --- until now, with the upcoming release of the vaccine. We need to keep in mind that CIV vaccine is not intended for all dogs, just those at risk based on their lifestyle. There is still much that we do not understand about viral mutation. Indiscriminatory widespread use of a vaccine in a low-risk population may inadvertently cause more harm in the future, not only to dogs, but also to other species including humans.

We may hear more about CIV outbreaks as we approach the release of the CIV vaccine. For those unfortunate areas, families, and dogs, the CIV vaccine may be a life-and-money-saving measure as it can reduce the duration of clinical signs and decrease viral shedding (e.g. decrease spreading of the infection). The vaccine may especially be helpful in animal shelters with confirmed cases of CIV or at risk for CIV. For the rest of us who are not at risk, it is better that we are vigilant of clinical signs and be aware of our lifestyle and exposure risk. Be aware of where we take our dogs; ask questions of the management.

One of the reasons we moved to a by-appointment only policy was to better control patient and traffic flow. With careful scheduling, we are able to minimize exposure between ill and healthy pets in the lobby. If you suspect your dog was exposed to CIV or is coughing, please inform the staff when you schedule the appointment. Even if your dog is otherwise doing fine, it is important that you mention your concern to the person scheduling the appointment in case precautionary measures are needed. This applies to any medical condition that may be contagious (sarcoptes / "scabies", ringworm, feline upper respiratory infection, etc...), not just canine influenza.

Remember that the prevalence of CIV may be different in your area. Based on their services, such as an on-site boarding facility, it may even be different among veterinary clinics in the same city. Contact your family veterinarian for information and recommendation specific to your locale.

When Making Changes to Cats' Litter Boxes...

Cats can be very particular with their litter box habits. Changing the type of litter or location of the litter box can sometimes trigger episodes of inappropriate urination or defecation --- translation: urinating or defecating outside the litter box.

Some cats will take to changes with no problems. Most, though, will not appreciate changes to their litter box, even if it means a better, prettier, easier-to-clean, litter box. A gradual change over is critical to avoid elimination issues.

Adding some of the current litter in with the new litter will help with the transition. For example, if changing from regular non-clumping clay litter to a plant fiber clumping litter (such as Arm & Hammer Essentials), place about 2 inches of the new litter in the box then add the current clay litter to the top 1/2 to 1 inch. Clean / Scoop the box at least once daily and add more of the new litter as needed. In a week, the box will contain mostly new clumping litter. Try to leave the litter box in the same location until the change is complete.

If you are changing the litter pan/box itself, such as switching over to an automatic litter box or upgrading to a larger box, place the new box next to the current one. Use the current type of litter in both litter boxes, if possible.

Stop cleaning the current (old) litter box. It will look unsightly but this is an important step in the transition. Just clean and maintain the new box. You can also remove some clean litter from the old box daily to make the box less inviting (most cats prefer a deep substrate to dig around). Your cat will start using the new box when the old one gets shallow and dirty. Remember to monitor to make sure he is urinating and defecating somewhere (hopefully in the new box). If your cat refuses to use the new box and stays away from the dirty old box, you may need to start over with a slower transition. Also look around to see if you can locate where he was eliminating in the house. If you know he is not urinating in either litter boxes and cannot tell if he is urinating somewhere in the house, contact your family veterinarian for advice. He is probably fine and is urinating somewhere, but best if you consult your veterinarian in case of problems.

A review of the different types of litter is in the works. After a brief initial research into the current "cat litter technology," I have to confess that it may take me a while to sift through the limited research and unlimited anectodes on the pros-and-cons of the available litter types for our feline companions. Nevertheless, silica gel litter, or crystals, intrigue me and will be first to be reviewed. I just introduced my cats to Fresh Step Crystals this week and will report back in a couple weeks.

Running with Your Dog: A Beginner's Guide

Are you looking to add some variation to your daily run? Do you like the idea of being a runner but lack the incentive and moral support to stick with the training? Your canine companion may prove to be just the running buddy you need.

Basics First
Let's face it. If you have not been walking your dog at all, don't think you can buy a collar and leash and start running with her tomorrow. Make sure your dog is at least leash trained before running with her. Struggling with a bucking dog at the end of a leash is not conducive to a good run.

Ideally, she is able to walk on a leash. Added bonus if you can teach her to heel. Start with 15 minute walks twice daily. Gradually increase the walks by 5 minutes every 3 days until you reach the desired time. Some dogs can probably do a 30 minute walk from the beginning. Increase the distance and time based on your dog's condition.

Then start adding in jogging intervals. Again, this will depend on your dog's (and your own) physical condition. A good place to start is to alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 to 30 minutes. Increase the time of the jogging intervals every week. For instance, in the second week, jog for 90 seconds and walk for 90 seconds, and so on. You can model the program after the training programs for new runners. Runner's World and Cool Running both have basic training guide. Remember to start and end the run with an easy 5 minutes walk. Not only is it good for you but it will calm your dog, giving you a happy dog, not a hyper bundle of energy still excited from the run.

Safety Tips
- Before starting your dog on the jogging phases, have a general physical exam done by your family veterinarian. You may need to take certain precautions with certain breeds (i.e. brachycephalic breeds) or medical conditions.

- Watch for traffic. If you are running on the street, have your dog by your left side and run against the traffic (you should be between your dog and the oncoming cars).

- Run early in the morning or late evening. Dogs can't handle heat as well as we do. They can only pant and sweat through their pads; they can get overheated easily. As a side note, shaving a dog does not help keep her cooler.

- Run on an empty stomach (for your dog). Make sure she is calm and relaxed after the run before feeding. Avoid feeding her too soon after the run when she may also gulp down a large amount of water.

- On longer outings, bring enough water for you and your dog. Offer the water, she will drink it if she needs it. Do not force water down her mouth.

- Use reflective collars, leashes, or similar devices to ensure high visibility if you are out early in the morning or late in the evening.

- Keep your dog leashed.

- Harder surfaces such as asphalt and concrete can retain heat and burn pads; the roughness can lead to pad wear and injury. Products such as Pad Guard can help protect the pads. Check her paws after every run for injuries such as cuts and foreign bodies (burrs, gravels, foxtails) that may be stuck between her toes.

- If you often run on grass or dirt trails, keep your dog's nails well trimmed to avoid getting caught on roots, branches and vines.

- Signs that the run may be too much for her:
* falling behind you (instead of staying by your side or slightly ahead of you)
* panting excessively
* difficulty moving (sore) the next day
If she is otherwise fine, you may try going for shorter runs and increase the time and distance at a slower pace. Consult your family veterinarian if any concerns.

Avoidance is the best plan when it comes to overheated dogs. But, dogs can still get overheated running in the evening, especially on humid days. Signs of overheating that you may notice include:
- excessive panting
- white foaming around the mouth (salivation / drooling)
- unable to stand or uncontrollable movements (i.e. stumbling)
- gums are deep red
If you see signs of overheating, stop immediately and cool her down slowly with cool (not cold) or tepid water. Get her off the hot concrete or asphalt and onto the grass. In most cases, she should be fine in about 10 minutes (assuming you've been diligent and caught the warning signs early). If you are close to your car, drive her home. Otherwise, slowly walk home once she cool down.

Overheating can progress into heat stroke, requiring emergency treatment. If she does not show signs of improvement a few minutes into the cooling treatment --- for example, she continues to gasp for air and salivate excessively --- or if red blotches appear on her groin and chest, take her to a veterinarian.

In later articles, we will look at products designed to increase the fun and safety factor. But you don't need those products to get started. By following the above safety tips and precaution, you and your canine companion can start running together towards a healthier lifestyle.

May 17–23, 2009 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

Sorry about the late posting, but last week was National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Like cat scratches, even "superficial" dog bites can become serious medical problems. (Especially considering that children are the most common victims of dog bites.) The Centers for Disease Control have more information on the health concerns of dog bites. Incidentally, a recent 2-year study in Colorado showed that the most frequent dog bites in that state were caused by chihuahuas.

By Phone, Email, SMS or Twitter .....

Communication is one of the cornerstone of our services to you. The care provided to you and your pets do not end when you leave our office. You may need to contact us days or weeks after your visit. It may be for lab results, updates on response to treatment, or even something as simple as scheduling the progress check appointment.

We all have different schedules. Some of us are available in the evening; some prefer early mornings; others during our lunch breaks. Unfortunately, those times may not always match with the times our office is open. In addition, the doctor may not be available to come to the phone at those times.

For your convenience, we have a myriad of contact options.

1) Office Phone: 562-435-6331
For emergency or urgent matters during our office hours, calling us is the best method. Plus, if you prefer talking to us directly for that instant response, this is the way to go. However, if you have a non-urgent question for Dr. Tran, you may have to leave a message for her to call back later.

2) Email: staff@thefamilyvet.net
Email is probably the best option for non-urgent questions regarding your pet. You may write as much as you need, attach images, etc.... And of course, you can email us anytime. We try to reply within 24 hours, often sooner than that. Please note that online services can have intermittent outages. If you email us during our office hours and need a reply from us (i.e. from the doctor) sooner than 24 hours, you should call the office to let us know about the request.

3) E-Sevices
Use this service from our website or the mobile site to request prescription refills, perform e-Check In, and fill out Client Registration forms.
* Note: E-Check In is for scheduled appointments. If you submit one without a scheduled appointment, it does not automatically schedule one for you. You still need to contact us for an appointment.

4) Dr. Tran's Mobile Phone and Text Messages (SMS)
Clients who may need to contact Dr. Tran outside our regular office hours (i.e. critical patients, patients with chronic complicated illnesses) are provided with her cellphone number for voicemails and text messages. Please note, call the office number during office hours as Dr. Tran usually has her cellphone off during those hours.

And of course, there are the old standbys: facsimile (fax) and snailmail (regular mail).

In addition to the above contacts, we also use Twitter and our blog as ways to stay in touch with you --- in a broad general sense, not necessarily matters specific to your pets. Twitter allows us to broadcast pet-related news and tidbits in a more timely manner. We invite you to follow us on Twitter. Due to the public nature of the updates, we may not be able to answer specific questions pertaining to your pets. Please use email for specific questions about your pet care.

As a reminder, technology is not fail proof. Please follow-up if you do not get a response from us in a timely manner.

Even when our office is closed, you can still contact us.
Whether it's by phone, email, SMS, website, blog or Twitter --- we're here for you and your pets.

More on Medical Records

Elias did a great job explaining the importance of medical records. I told him I'd add in my take on medical records. So, without further ado:

1) Classic example is one of allergic reactions to vaccines and drugs. Clients can tell us that Chloe had a "bad" reaction to vaccines last year. But which vaccines? And how bad was the reaction? Hives? Vomiting and diarrhea? Anaphylactic shock? Local swelling at injection site? The information helps determine the best vaccine protocol for Chloe.

2) Weight changes through the years can help raise our suspicion to diseases and endocrine disorders such as hyperthyroidism in cats and hypothyroidism in dogs.

3) Changes in lab work. Oftentimes, it is not a single abnormal lab value that makes the diagnosis in some medical conditions such as kidney or liver disease. It is the trend i.e. an increase or decrease in the values over the years that help us detect an illness, hopefully in time for a successful intervention.

I can go on and on with examples, but the underlying theme is that medical records are health journals for your pets.

Look at it this way. We do wellness screens and senior screens. I'm sure other veterinarians do also. Why? We talk about "establishing baselines" and "early detection." What good are those tests (which are not cheap) if they don't follow your pet as part of his medical history? The values of those tests do not end after the visit at which the tests were done. I am sure those test results were priceless when it was time to document Bandit had normal kidney and liver values a month before he started eating an infamous recalled product.

To discount the values of medical records is to discount the values of those wellness screens and other preventative care.

When you pay the exam and consultation fee, you are paying us for a service. That service includes documenting our exam findings and plans to keep your pets in the best health possible. That is one of the reason why even the most simple procedure (in your eyes) still take some time for us to do. We don't just give a vaccine or express the anal glands (sacs). We weigh your pet, check his temperature (if presented for vaccines), do the treatment, then note in the record information such as where vaccine was given or the fullness of the glands. Location of vaccine is important if a local swelling / reaction develop later -- sometimes years later in cases of vaccine-associated fibrosarcoma.

Saying medical records are not important is like throwing away the information you paid for all these years. Of course, as with most information, medical records follow the GIGO principle. Garbage In, Garbage Out. Hence, not all medical records are useful. But that does not mean we should not strive to get them whenever we welcome a new patient. Complete informative medical records should be the norm, not the exception. But they are in danger of being the exception if we cease to expect them, if we give in to the thought of "why bother, all we're going to get is the useless bare bones patient chart anyway."

As a veterinarian, I view our patients' medical records as reflections of all the services, expertise and care we provided. To disregard the information and values found in medical records is akin to belittling the knowledge and worth of veterinarians. And since veterinary services often come with a price tag, disregarding medical records is wasting money spent.

For all those reasons, we encourage clients to request medical records whenever they anticipate a change in veterinarian(s). We remind clients who are relocating to let us know in advance so we can provide the medical records to the new veterinarian(s).

To say complete medical records are not needed is to do a disservice to all involved --- pets, clients, and veterinarians.