The Family Vet Blog

"Thank You for Calling The Family Vet"

2011-11-24T05:58:00.000-08:00

"Thank you for calling The Family Vet."

Elias repeats that appreciation countless times during a workday. It is also what you hear at the start of our voicemail greeting. For me, it is "Thank you for holding" when I come onto the phone. So many thank yous uttered through the day may seem by rote and people tend to not hear it after a while. Odd isn't it, that this is one of the times when repeating an idea often enough may not make people think it's true? On the contrary, the sentiment's sincerity declines the more it is repeated until it is only regarded as a polite greeting.

Why am I mulling over our phone greeting this Thanksgiving morning? I was reflecting on my blessings and saw how many of them are related to The Family Vet. That made me wonder if our clients know how much we appreciate them. Our clients and patients are part of our family. As with any family, there's a danger of taking things for granted and (wrongly) assuming that, of course, they know how much they're appreciated.

Thanksgiving Day reminds me to slow down and take the opportunity to make sure the people who matters --- you --- know how much you are appreciated and that you top my list of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful for...

Clients who trust and believe in what we do at The Family Vet. I know that our different approach to patient care requires active participation from our clients at times, and may not be a good fit for everyone.
A wonderful supportive team that put up with my idiosyncrasies and is just as dedicated as I am to providing quality care to our clients and patients. They are not just employees, but also co-workers, friends, and part of my extended family and support network.
A family who supports and loves me even when they sometimes look at me and wonder if there was a baby switcheroo after my birth. They have long learned and accepted that "office hours" are not the same as my work hours and "closed for the holiday" does not mean I do not go to work.
My own pets for somehow understanding that my spending more time with other people's pets does not mean I love them any less.
And I am most thankful for patients who continue to surprise me with their trust and cooperation. It never ceases to amaze me how most cats and dogs will allow us to hold them still for procedures -- from collecting blood to cleaning their ears. Their innate trust in people humbles me. Their resilience and remarkable healing ability are miraculous at times. And I hope to never forget how fortunate I am to be surrounded by them and work with them every day.

To all our clients and friends, near and far,

Happy Thanksgiving!

May this be a great start to your holiday season.

Did You Know.... Puppy Vaccine Series are Age-Dependent?

2011-09-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

One of the more frequent comment we hear from clients with new puppies:
She only needs one more puppy vaccine. The breeder already gave her three 4-in-1 shots.

Even assuming those three 4-in-1 shots or DA2PP (DHPP) vaccines --- as the combination vaccine for distemper, adenovirus-2 (infectious hepatitis), parainfluenza, and parvovirus is commonly known --- were given every 3 weeks, the above comment is true only if the puppy is currently at least 14-16 weeks old. If the breeder gave the vaccine at 6 weeks old then again at 8 weeks and 10 weeks (we usually recommend and follow a 3-4 weeks interval but it is not uncommon to see puppies coming in with 2 weeks intervals), that puppy would still need at least 2 more vaccines to complete the puppy series. In this example, we would have postponed the vaccine until 3 weeks after the last one (puppy would be 13 weeks old then) and give the last of series 3 to 4 weeks after that (puppy would be 16-17 weeks old). If there is a question about the puppy's immune status, we sometimes would give another one so that the puppy's last of series vaccine would be at 5 months of age. Why? Because even though we know that maternal antibodies are gone from most puppies immune system by 4 months of age, some puppies may take up to 5 months of age.

Maternal antibodies protect puppies (and kittens) from diseases that their immature immune system are not able to handle. However, the presence of maternal antibodies also prevent puppies from producing their own antibodies. Maternal antibodies neutralize or inactivate the vaccines (virus) before the puppy's immune system has a chance to "see" the virus to produce his own antibodies. If we stop the vaccine series when maternal antibodies are still present and the puppy is later exposed to the virus (most commonly parvovirus) after maternal antibodies are gone, the puppy, not having adequate appropriate antibodies of his own, will succumb to the infection. It is no surprise then that parvo infection is often seen in unvaccinated (or incompletely vaccinated) puppies around 14 to 24 weeks old.

An 8-weeks old puppy that will receive three DA2PP (DHPP) vaccines, one given every 3-4 weeks (ending at 15-16 weeks old), will likely have adequate protection. So would a 15-weeks old puppy with two DA2PP (DHPP) vaccines, one given every 3-4 weeks (ending at 18-19 weeks of age). However, not that we recommend this, a 6-weeks old puppy that will receive four DA2PP (DHPP) vaccines, one given every 2 weeks (ending at 12 weeks old) may not have adequate protection.

Bottom line, it does not matter if the puppy received two, three, or even four DA2PP vaccines already. What matters is the time interval and when that last one was given.

For more information on vaccines, please visit Vaccine FAQ and General Information and 2006 AAHA Canine Vaccines Guidelines, Revised.

Timing of vaccines is only one aspect of the vaccine protocol. Add to that, the different vaccines, the pet's lifestyle, health status and risk exposure and you can see why the best vaccine protocol is one that is tailored to your pet's needs.

Clinic Beautification Underway

2011-08-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

You know what they say about the best laid plans....

We took advantage of our 3-days "weekend" to have the building painted (yes, the graffiti on the posts are going --- unless new ones appear before the paint dry). The plan was to have the front part painted and ready for us to re-open tomorrow morning. The crew will continue to work on the side of the building and in the back lot. That way, our clients will still have access to our office and the noise (and fumes) exposure to the patients will be minimized.

As it turns out, some additional work is needed on the wooden beams in front of the clinic. Hence, the paint crew may be working up front tomorrow. Clients should still be able to access our parking lot and front door. Even though we have asked the crew to reserve the noisiest work for the times when patients are not around, the clinic environment will surely be unusually chaotic this week. Please have your dogs on short leashes to keep them from rubbing against any "Wet Paint" areas. Cats should be safely confined in carriers, even while in the lobby, as sudden noises may startle them.

Over the years, we strive to provide quality personal care for our clients and patients. Much of our efforts were focused on medicine and service, our inner beauty. It is past time for us to work on our exterior and physical structures to better reflect the pride we have in our practice.

Please excuse any inconvenience arising from our clinic beautification project. We greatly appreciate your patience and support.

Notes and Thoughts on Gopnik's "Dog Story."

2011-08-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

August 8th's The New Yorker magazine has an article titled “Dog Story,” by Adam Gopnik, that examines the complex bond we have with our canine companions. “Dog Story” begins with the author’s persistent daughter (April) lobbying her reluctant parents into purchasing a Havanese puppy. Although Gopnik is an avowed dog-phobic (the result of a dog bite he suffered as a youth), “Butterscotch” quickly becomes a part of the Gopniks’ family. Butterscotch spurs the author’s interest to investigate the allure of the canine species further.

What Mr. Gopnik discovers is that in important ways our views about our closest companions disagree. Worse, not only is there often no consensus, there is often dispute. Even when it comes to the origin of the species itself, (what he calls “dog history”), there is disagreement. When and why did dogs break apart from their wild, wolf brethren and become domesticated? Did dogs begin their domestication as our allies, helping early man hunt, or did they originate as dependents of us from the beginning, scavenging in packs for our throwaways in much the same way as dogs do now in developing countries?

The range of stories such as the two above, Gopnik argues, demonstrates a key facet of our relationship with our companions - that part of our attraction to them is the stories we tell about them. Just as Butterscotch loves certain types of music, many (most?) of us proclaim our companions to have complex emotions (including jealousy, hope, anxiety, guilt and even depression, for example), and behaviors. As examples of myth-making Gopnik cites Millan's (the dog whisperer) pack-animal theories of dog behavior and Grogan’s (the author of the celebrated book “Marley & Me”) portrait of the all-sympathetic dog. At the other extreme we tell stories that try explain those behaviors in mechanical, instinctual terms. Gopnik cites Horowitz, the author of “Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know,” who argues that characteristics we frequently attribute to our canine companions, such as the complex emotions mentioned above, are illusory projections of our own emotions.

To explain, Gopnik describes how Butterscotch sits by the door before their daughter (April) comes home from school. One explanation of this behavior may be that Butterscotch likes April’s companionship, and looks forward to it. But another competing theory may reduce this behavior by arguing that Butterscotch sits by the door all afternoon because she associates that behavior with food stimulus (treats that April often gives her). Under this theory, dogs are the ultimate scam artists: we provide them with food stimulus, and they provide us with the illusion of love. Both competing theories describe the same empirical phenomena, but which one is true? For us dog lovers the second theory is very difficult to accept - could our entire set of beliefs about our canine companions be illusory mirages that disappear upon further examination?

Perhaps we should assume there is some virtue in attempting to navigate towards an Aristotelian middle-course. Indeed, as Gopnik notes we can find a little bit of breathing room in the middle if we remember that while we could also reduce inter-human accounts in the above manner (for example turn love for a partner into disguised sexual appetite and love of our children into a desire to continue our genetic pools) for the most part, in our everyday lives and transactions with each other we don’t.

In fact, many of us already attempt this “middle course.” Gopnik argues the advocacy for animal liberation that Rudy argues for in “Toward a New Animal Advocacy” seems extreme to most of us. At the other extreme, beating a dog or starving it because it doesn't have feelings like ours also seems extreme to most of us. Indeed we seem to naturally favor a moderate view.

Besides, we can reach consensus in certain key respects: we can all certainly agree that our study of dogs is in its infancy. The tensions in the accounts above certainly provide evidence of that. In addition, we can all appreciate that the human-canine bond is rare, and perhaps unique in nature. While there countless intra-species relationships, the human-canine bond is unique in that it’s so familiar to most of us, yet, as the above discussion points out, remains shrouded in mystery. Difficult as it may be, we continue to try to peer into our companions’ souls.

“Dog Story” touches me personally as well; like the author I too had a dog phobia that also began from

a German shepherd bite in my youth. Now, having shared my life with a canine, I also can attest to the warmth, joy, and love that can only come from having experienced dog-ownership. (R.I.P. Mousey, I love you.)

This brings me to a final point, that dog-ownership is one of those experiences that, like child-birth or falling in love, just isn't translatable in verbal terms. The warmth you get when your companion is always around you, the pleasure of a simple game of fetch, the heartbreak when you say your final goodbyes - they're all necessarily experiential. You can describe the experience of owning, loving, and caring for a dog, but no matter how good your description, it doesn't come close to the experience itself.

Gopnik’s article is thought provoking and interesting. It is well-written and well-researched; I highly recommend it. It is in the August 8th issue of The New Yorker. The issue is about $6; alternatively you can sign up for a free trial of the magazine and get free access to the article online at newyorker.com.

Website Update

2011-08-05T20:36:00.001-07:00

We've finally managed to complete a task long planned - a small but we hope useful update to our website, thefamilyvet.net.

We've eliminated all use of flash on the site, reduced file sizes for all pages and simplified navigation options. We also eliminated the need to visit a secondary site (alas, thefamilyvet.mobi links will no longer work) for prescription requests and echeck-ins.

Our primary objective was to make the site easier to access and use from most mobile devices, including iPhones, iPads, and BlackBerries and Android phones, while retaining its core functionality. So go ahead, visit our site and submit a prescription request, check-in before your visit, or check-out our twitter feed or our blog -- it's now faster and easier than ever!

Preparing for Google Calendar Appointment Requests

2011-07-18T04:41:00.000-07:00

Last month, Google introduced appointment slots in Google Calendar. We plan to add this feature as an alternative way for clients to request appointments. We currently offer to schedule appointments via email but, as you can imagine, if the initial offered / requested time is not acceptable, it can result in a lot of back-and-forth emails. Appointment slots in Google Calendar appears to be a promising feature that will make online appointment request more efficient. All appointments are requests only until we confirm them with you either via email, phone call, or Google Calendar confirmation. More details will be posted later when we start implementing this feature.

We are posting this brief tutorial prior to introducing our Google Calendar appointment request option to help prepare our clients who may not be familiar with Google Calendar. You need a Google account to access our appointment slots in Google Calendar.

If you do not have a Google account, you can easily create one:

Click on image to enlarge

Once you have an account, we need to set up Notifications for your Calendar. From your Gmail page, you can access your Calendar from the menu bar:

Click on image to enlarge

A list of your calendars is located on the left side of the screen. If you are new to Calendar, you probably will only have the one calendar that is defaulted to your email address. You can change the name of the calendar in the settings but, for the purpose of this tutorial, we will skip all that and just do the Notifications. Access Notifications either through the Settings option or right-click on the arrow.

Setting up Notifications (click on image to enlarge).

Then select the Notifications tab to continue with your settings.

Notifications (click on image to enlarge)

In Notifications, you can select reminder options. If you are new to Calendar and/or do not already have a reminder preference, we recommend at least email notifications for all new or changed invitations ("appointment requests").

Email Notifications (click on image to enlarge)

Save your changes.
Once you have that set up, you will receive email notifications regarding invitations or appointment requests later.

Email Notifications (click on image to enlarge)

That's it. You are all set to take advantage of our online appointment request feature later.
We hope we included the details needed to help those not familiar with Google Calendar prepare for the Appointment Slots feature. Let us know if you need further assistance. We will post additional information once we start the online appointment request option.

Last Minute Tips for Fireworks-Fearing Pets

2011-07-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

From the calls I have received this afternoon (and the way Elaine is constantly on guard), it sounds as though the fireworks are already starting. We have all read, at one time or another, articles about fear of fireworks. We blogged reminders and recommended starting behavioral modification in April with Spring Into Summer, if needed. But what if your dog was fine other years (or you were not home and did not know any different) and is terrified this year? Before panicking and thinking that Rover needs tranquilizers, let's see if he really needs "doggie downers."

There are dogs who are unfazed by fireworks. Most dogs, though, are fearful and anxious around fireworks. Their response range from suddenly stopping in their tracks and searching for the booming sounds to panic-stricken, destructive behaviors. Where your dog falls in this fear-spectrum determines the type of treatment -- from something as simple as cotton balls in their ears and closed blinds to anti-anxiety drugs or tranquilizers.

Signs of anxiety and fear may include attention-seeking (whining, pawing, climbing on you), hiding under the bed, panting, pacing, drooling or even trying to escape (outside). Cats can show some of these signs also and you can adapt some of these tips for them. For the most part, dogs are usually the more affected pets. Since most of the questions we received were from dog owners, this article will be geared more towards our canine companions than our feline friends.

What does your dog do? Shakes, whines, and keeps pawing you for attention?
These signs are considered mild anxiety (unless they escalate). We usually do not recommend anti-anxiety drugs or tranquilizers for these responses, especially in older pets. Drugs are not without adverse side effects. Behavioral modification and counter conditioning measures are better options. The more involved behavioral modification techniques are available elsewhere and is beyond the scope of these quick last-minute solutions. Try some of the following tips for now (assuming that pets are already indoors):

Place cotton balls in her ears to muffle the sound
If she is curled up in a corner, try draping a thick towel over her head, again to muffle the sound and provide some comfort ("If I can't see it, it can't hurt me" feeling).
Play music with a regular deep/low reassuring beat.
Keep doors and windows closed if possible (to shut out sounds)
Cover up windows (blinds, curtains) to reduce the stimulus from the flashes of the fireworks.

If your dog is not too fearful and is still interactive, you can try positive association with some of these techniques:

Turn on the music and play fetch indoors
Play games with treats and food rewards that you know she really likes.

If your dog is shaking or whining, do the above activities instead of babying her. You want to show her that fireworks are nothing to be afraid of, not reinforce the fear behavior.
For the mildly affected pets, an antihistamine can sometimes make them drowsy enough to rest and not be as responsive to the stimulus (fireworks). It does not work for all pets and does not help the more severely affected ones. Ask your veterinarian to see if antihistamine is an option for your pets.

The above will work for pets who are mildly affected and are coming to you (attention-seeking) or restlessly pacing around the house. Do not coax or drag your dog out of hiding to do these positive association.

One of the most misunderstood fear response is hiding. What to do if your fireworks-fearing dog is hiding in the closet, under the bed, etc...?
Do nothing.

Well, almost nothing. You can give her a blanket or cover her head. But do not coax her out so you can hold her and babytalk that everything is okay..... You will only make things worse.

Hiding is a coping mechanism for dogs. When confronted with something that trigger fear and anxiety, a dog's normal proper response is to escape to a safe place. Instead of coaxing your dog out so you can hug him, it is better to let him hide. You can make these places safer with additional blankets, cover the crate or corner area with a sheet to block out the light flashes. Keep in mind, hiding is not a sign that your dog needs tranquilizers for the fireworks. Hiding to get away from something they fear (fireworks) is acceptable as long as they are back to normal when the fireworks end that night or by the next morning. If you live in an area where the fireworks go on for days, then you may want to consider the behavior modification and counter conditioning measures above. If that does not work, you are unable to do them, and/or the fear response is too extreme, drug interventions may be needed.

What if your dog gets into panic mode, frenziedly digs at the door, gnaws at the window (to get outside), tries to jump through the window, and/or chews at the crate door?
Those are severe signs that will likely require drugs, such as an anti-anxiety drug or even a tranquilizer, to get your pet safely through the holiday. You can still try behavioral modification later but, unless you (or someone) can stay at home with your dog AND keep her from harming herself, drugs will be the better option for now.
Contact your family veterinarian for advice.
Reminder to our current clients: Our office is closed but you can still contact us via email or call Dr. Tran on her cellphone.

Celebrate the Fourth!

2011-07-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Our office is closed until Friday 7/8/11. We will re-open on Saturday 7/9/11.

It may sound corny but I always pause to think of freedom and independence on the Fourth of July. After the usual acknowledgement and appreciation of what this country has to offer (yes, even in these questionable times), I always circle back to reflect on what I have to offer to others. I grew up learning that, with freedom and independence (financially or socially), comes responsibility. This belief is carried over to how we do things at The Family Vet.

One of the reasons I purchased this veterinary practice eight years ago was to continue providing veterinary services to the community. We are not located in the best area but it is where I grew up and a part of me wants to bridge the gap and make veterinary care more accessible to our lower income neighborhood.
Over the years, the way we provide veterinary care --- as exemplified by our slogan "Personal Care for Pets" --- resonated with many people. The demand for our services has grown more than anyone had expected. We experienced growing pains and tried to find ways to accommodate our growth without compromising our core beliefs of providing quality personal care for pets.

Some things we tried worked, some did not. One benefit of being a small one-doctor practice is the flexibility to try new things.

As I reflect on this July 4th, I realize that we have been busy running around trying to keep up with our practice growth. We have become a slave to our success --- sort of the tail wagging the dog. Lately, I worry that we may be nearing the point where our growth will start to compromise our ability to care for our clients and patients. Moreover, we were fast burning out our small, wonderful caring staff.

As mentioned at the start of this post, July 4th reminds me not only of our independence but also my responsibilities and obligations.

I, represented by The Family Vet, have a responsibility to our current clients, those who have entrusted us with the care of their pets, and to our staff, those who have entrusted us with their well-being and livelihood.
I have many other aspirations. But I have to first meet the above two responsibilities before I can pursue and take on any other obligations.

We are taking this upcoming week off to give our staff some well-earned vacation time and to give us a chance to do some maintenance work on our building. The down time will also allow us to implement services to maximize our efficiency and improve services to our current clients and patients.

Our office is closed until Friday 7/8/11. We will re-open at 8 am on Saturday 7/9/11.
If you have a medical emergency for your pet, please contact AERC at 310-325-3000

During this time, you may still reach us via email staff@thefamilyvet.net or leave us a message at 562-281-PETS (562-281-7387). Urgent messages from current clients will be returned as needed. We will refer patients to local practices or referral facilities as appropriate. If you are not a current client, please contact another local practice so your pets may receive timely medical care.
If your pet is currently under medical treatment with me, you should also have my direct cellphone number to contact me if needed.

We plan to return in a week, refreshed and ready to continue providing the personal care for pets that you have come to expect from us.

As you celebrate The Fourth, remember to keep your pets healthy and safe with these holiday tips.
Enjoy Independence Day!

562-281-PETS (562-281-7387)

2011-06-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Our primary phone number has changed to 562-281-PETS (562-281-7387). We apologize for any inconvenience of, once again, changing our phone number. We appreciate your understanding as we straighten out our phone services. This should be our permanent phone number now.
Please update our contact information:

The Family Vet

562-281-PETS

562-281-7387
Email: staff@thefamilyvet.net

Dr. Tran may reply to emails from her account for ongoing cases. To keep the conversation in order and improve continuity of care, you may reply directly to her address. However, for any new issues or concerns (e.g. scheduling an appointment, prescription request), using our primary address above will ensure our proper and timely attention.

Keep in mind that we receive about 100 emails on an average day. Elias makes an effort to go through all of them and reply (or redirect to Dr. Tran) within 24-48 hours. If you do not get a reply from us in 48 hours, please send us another email (if not urgent) and/or, for urgent matters, call us directly.

The same applies to voice messages. We receive at least 40 phone messages per day. Some of them are garbled and/or may not contain all the pertinent information for us to return the calls. If messages are left during our office hours, we usually call back the same day. We try to return all calls in a timely manner, no later than within 24 hours during our work week. Since we are closed on Monday and Tuesday, that means non-urgent messages left after closing on Sunday may not be returned until the following Wednesday. Please follow up with another call or email us if needed.

The best way to contact us outside our office hours is via email. If your pet is currently under medical treatment, you may also call Dr. Tran directly at the provided cell number.

We appreciate your loyalty and value the trust you have in us to provide veterinary care for your family.

We welcome new clients and patients throughout the year. However, as you may have noted on our webpage, we are temporarily not accepting new clients at this time (new patients from current clients are still being accepted). Providing personal care to our current clients and patients is our first priority. Limiting the number of new clients will allow us time to focus on the patients currently in our care. We hope to resume scheduling new client appointments in 6 weeks (by the middle of July).

We appreciate your support and understanding as we strive to meet our goal of providing quality personal care for pets.

Frontline Plus.... for your virtual pets!

2011-05-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

Play the virtual pets game "Happy Pets" on Facebook and you may run into a little bonus: a virtual Frontline Plus application!

Applying the dose of virtual Frontline Plus to your cat gave will give her a cool bandanna and a shiny, sparkly, flea free coat!

Kudos to Merial for reminding and encouraging pet owners to keep all of their companions flea free and happy!

Happy Mothering Day!

2011-05-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

Mothering
* (verb) present participle of mother

* bring up with care and affection

* A man's life and schedule revolved around giving his ill cat subcutaneous fluids daily and various medications throughout the day. His reward is a stable happy companion, confounding the specialists almost a year after they released her to us for euthanasia.

* A work-at-home mom feeds her cat 1 teaspoon of food every 20-30 minutes during the day among all her other duties. Saving money for the consultation with the internist, this was the one way she found to keep her otherwise healthy cat from vomiting.

* A college student juggled her 2 cats between rooms in a small apartment hoping they will learn to get along.

* A woman spends her time nursing sick kittens and dogs back to health for adoption. She takes in those that are deemed un-adoptable by the larger well-known adoption organizations. People like her are the unsung heroes to homeless pets; more so than the glossy fund-raising behemoths (IMHO).

* An elderly man with a dog that will not let him medicate at home. He brings his beloved cranky companion in every week for us to do the treatment. The round trip cab fares cost more than the treatments themselves.

* A couple re-arranged their work schedule and family life to make sure their new puppy get the full life they want for her --- from brushing her teeth and potty training, to training time and trips to competitions.

* A football player wrapped his huge hands around a kitten as he sweet talked her to take the bottle of formula. All the while wondering how he would fit the frequent feedings in with his football practice schedule.

I can think of so many more examples of dedication and self-sacrifice from our clients in their pursuit of health and well-being for those in their care.

As most families in the U.S. celebrate Mother's Day today, I find myself thinking of the verb mother more than the noun.

A woman can be a mother to a child, but the art of mothering extends beyond gender, age and reproductive ability.

Whether it is due to financial restraints or other circumstances, some clients choose hospice care or care plans that require intensive time and work on their part. No disrespect to those who can afford the high costs of week-long hospitalization and intensive care, but there is something heart-touching about someone giving his/her all in time and labor, providing hands-on care for his/her loved ones.

I am humbled by the commitment we are privileged to witness almost everyday at our clinic.

To all our clients and non-clients who may see shades of themselves in the above examples (as they are composites of our clients):

Happy Mothering Day!

Spring Into Summer

2011-04-24T23:01:00.000-07:00

Easter and Spring Break signal the coming of warmer weather and summer fun. Some things you can do to prepare your canine and feline companions for fun in the sun.

Grooming
If your pets have long hair or thick coats that you had let go "au naturale" through the winter, it may be time for them to visit a good groomer. Depending on the breeds and lifestyles, an appropriate trim will keep your pets comfortable and safe as they mingle at the local dog parks or beaches.

click on image to enlarge

Parasite Control
Although we recommend year round parasite control in Southern California, some people do stop using preventatives over the cooler winter months. Restart flea control and be prepare for the warmer summer days. Even if your companions spend most of their time indoors, they bound to pick up fleas on their walks -- and bring them back to your home to multiply. Fleas can give your pets more than just itchiness. Products such as Sentinel also takes care of heartworm and intestinal parasites, e.g. whipworms and roundworms.

This 2008 chart has a good summary of the different flea control products available. Some recent notable changes to that chart include: Advantage II replacing Advantage; upcoming discontinuation of Promeris; and introduction of generic fipronil products. The wide array of flea control products can be confusing. Advantage, Frontline Plus, Sentinel/Program and/or Comfortis are often used for our patients --- it all depends on the pet's lifestyle and client's preference. If you are not familiar with the flea control products, please consult your family veterinarian.

General Physical Exam
You do not have to wait for your pets to be sick before taking them in for a physical exam and consultation with your family veterinarian. A wellness visit, especially if one has not been done within a year (or 6 months for seniors and pets with chronic medical conditions), is a great time to go over preventative health care and general concerns.
This is also the perfect opportunity to discuss any noise and fireworks phobias with your veterinarian. July 4th is not that far away. Starting early on behavior modification may help us avoid drugs (i.e. tranquilizers) during the festivities.
Vaccinations for boarding requirements are usually best done at least 2 weeks before checking your pets into pet lodges. If you have travel plans for the summer, discuss vaccine requirements with your veterinarian to ensure a safe boarding experience for your pets.

Spring Blooms and Summer Heat
Warm weather dangers deserve a separate article. Briefly, though, as we enjoy Spring and get ready for Summer, please remember:

* Heat Risks: Limit dog exercise to cooler times of the day. Do not leave unattended pets in parked cars.
* Gardening Risks: Check with the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center to be sure your plants are pet-safe.

Certain diseases are more prevalent in some regions than others, i.e. heartworm and Lyme disease. Please consult your family veterinarian for specifics in your area.

We're Still Here

2011-04-17T03:51:00.000-07:00

From the lack of activities on our blog, Twitter and Facebook, it may seem as though we lost interest in our online presence. Nothing can be further from the truth. Not a day goes by that we do not think at least once, "Oh, we should tweet that," "We need to add that to Facebook," or "That would make a good blog post." However, in a small veterinary practice, each team member has multiple job titles and wears many hats. And when things get busy at The Family Vet, our "Social Media Liaison" hat gets put on the shelf as we focus on providing quality personal patient care.

I kept telling myself that I will write more when things calm down at the clinic --- that we will slow down after the new year, that business usually trickle down the weeks before tax day, etc... Well, April 15th came and went and I still see that my last blog post was Elaine's quickie Thanksgiving card. How embarrassing.

The past year brought many changes to The Family Vet. Our small clinic experienced unprecedented growth that, at times, was almost more than we could handle. Against consultant's advice, we even intermittently stopped accepting new clients, when needed, to better care for our current clients and patients. It is still a roller coaster ride at times, but a controlled ride in which we can apply the brakes and steer as needed to keep us from jumping off track.

I am realizing that waiting for things to completely settle down before writing again is tantamount to kissing this blog good-bye. We just have to include it among the many things we juggle as long as it continues to have a role in our vision for The Family Vet.

Thus, we hope to dust off our Social Media Liaison hat soon and rejoin the online conversation. Look for our Spring Cleaning list later this week as we go over things we need to do now to prepare our pets for safe summer fun.

It's good to be back :)

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2010-11-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

Click on image for larger view.

Synchronized Grooming

2010-09-20T12:02:00.001-07:00

Zuri (the Bengal) and Rorke (the Savannah) grooming to the same beat.

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Pet Manager for Android Review

2010-09-05T15:36:00.001-07:00

Pet Manager by Topo Factory is a software application for the Android smartphone that aims to assist you in managing your companions' healthcare. The software has a clean, easy to use and zippy interface. I've been using version 1.42 on a 600 mhz Motorola Charm running Android 2.1 without any lag or crashes so far.

You begin Pet Manager by inputting your pets' name and vital information, including date of birth, species, and breed. You can even add a picture to your pet's profile. After inputting the information, three new tabs appear: one is a dedicated weight history, another is for your pet's medical history, and finally one for future due reminders.

Nice features included in Pet Manager are the ability to select different veterinarians for each pet, and allowing you to import your vet's contact information from your address book. Pet Manager also has a "notes" section for alerts such as allergies, for example. I found the simple interface made it easy to view your pets' medical history at a glance.

Things that would make this application much more helpful:
-an additional tab for pet's prescriptions.
-an additional tab for owners' to input their pets' daily notes, such as appetite, stool condition, attitude, etc.
-integration of pets' reminders into the native Google calendar
-export data via for emailing, etc.

Despite these shortcocomings Pet Manager is still a very useful application, especially considering the price. (Just a couple of dollars or a free ad-supported version.) Pet Manager is available in the Android Marketplace from your smartphone.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.8

Our Office is Closed Until Saturday 8/14/10

2010-08-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

Our office is
CLOSED until Saturday 8/14/10

We will re-open on Saturday 8/14/10 at 8 am

For emergencies, please call Animal Emergency & Referral Center at 310-325-3000

For non-emergencies, you may email us (staff@thefamilyvet.net) or leave a message at 562-435-6331 or 731-432-6838 (731-4-FAM-VET)

Please note:
* Medication pick-ups are available with scheduled times. Please contact us as above to schedule.
* If you have a pre-scheduled appointment for this week, we will see you at that arranged time.
* If your pet is currently under medical treatment with Dr. Tran, you may continue to contact her at the cell number previously provided.

Thank you,
The Family Vet

Champion Canine Seat Belt - Floating Chest Pad

2010-04-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

One of the unique features of the Champion Canine Seat Belt System is the cushioned, floating chest pad. The pad allows the top of the harness to slide to each side, helping to prevent injuries as well as creating a more comfortable ride for a squiggly rider.

In the past several weeks, I have seen that it definitely does make for a more comfortable ride for Elaine. She does not get tangled in the harness when she turns around in the backseat. It also helps that I hook the restraint strap over the backseat onto the child car seat anchor. That keeps the strap from twisting around her legs.

Initially, I thought the floating chest pad was just a neat feature, maybe even a marketing gimmick. I did not think it was such a big deal. Now, I can appreciate the difference it makes to Elaine's comfort. It allows the harness to be pulled down the side of her deep chest without twisting the harness under her -- the chest pad stayed on the chest, not pulled to the underarm.

The cushioned, floating chest pad --- another reason why the Champion Canine Seat Belt System is one of our favorite vehicle safety restraint systems.

Champion Canine Seat Belt System

2010-02-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

This is the second seat belt we are reviewing for our series on vehicle safety restraint systems. Champion Canine Seat Belt System is comprised of a heavy-duty harness and a restraint strap to attach to the vehicle's seat belt or cargo hooks.

This is one of the better seat belt system we've tried with Elaine. However, before we go any further with the review, it is important that we address the biggest weakness or flaw with the system --- the ordering. If you do an online search for Champion Canine seat belt, www.champk-9.com tops the result list. Do NOT use that website. One of the most common complaint found in the online search is the poor customer service and slowness in receiving the product (if you receive one at all). Very few complaints were with the product itself. Apparently, there are currently 2 very similar sites online: www.usaK9outfitters.com and www.champk-9.com. The latter is the bad one. The site still takes your orders but will not process / ship the products. Fortunately, as far as we can tell, you are not charged for the products if they have not shipped them. We placed an order in March 2009 and have been monitoring for any charges.

If you are interested in the Champion Canine Seat Belt System, go to www.usak9outfitters.com for ordering and information. Please note that when we researched this system in 2009, champk-9.com was one of the "good" site to order at the time. Hence, we recommend that you call the contact number to make sure you can reach a person before ordering. That does not guarantee anything but, at least, you will know it's a current active site / business. We have called usak9outfitters (303-343-0406) a couple of times the past several months and have always been promptly assisted by a very nice lady named Susie.

Ordering / Purchasing Experience: 2/5
This was rated 0/5 due to the above ordering problems with www.champk-9.com. Initially, we received an email stating the product was on back-order. But after that, we were never able to contact them again: emails were not answered and all voicemail options were full. However, once we contacted www.usak9outfitters.com, the customer service was great and the products were delivered in less than 2 weeks. Hence, we upped the rating to 2/5. Wish the company itself can do something to get their information higher on the web search so less people are led to the bad champk-9 address.

Appearance: 4.5/5
The adjustable harness is made of 1.5 inch (about 3.7 cm) wide nylon webbing. It has a simple but sturdy look. The high rating has more to do with the color choice (black, red, and royal blue) and the reflective Moonglow colors.

Ease of Use: 4.5/5
If you can get your dog into a body (walking) harness, you can get him/her into the Champion Harness. It's just a little more tricky because of the heavy hardware. Elaine was startled by the clanking of the D-rings.
The website has instructions on how to use the restraint strap in your vehicle. We also found a very well-done guide complete with pictures and tips on how to use the strap.

A minor drawback is that the heavy double D-rings may be too big for most regular leashes. You can order a Champion Lead or a universal lead adapter to attach to the D-rings then hook your regular leash to the adapter.

Safety: to be determined
As with the Roadie, we need to use this system a little longer to determine it's safety -- hopefully, not in a real crash. We want to see how Elaine tolerates the system. The floating chest pad is designed to allow the top of the harness to rotate down the side of the chest. We will see if that feature will keep Elaine from tangling with the harness and strap when she twists and turns around in the car.

Cost / Value: to be determined
The large harness for Elaine was $45 + $7.95 for shipping. It is the most expensive of the harnesses we've tried but well worth it if it helps keep us all safe in the car.

Overall First Impression:
Other than the ordering frustration, we like the Champion Canine Seat Belt system. The weight of the D-rings and the need for an adapter to use with our regular leash is a minor trade-off for a sturdier and, hopefully, safer product.

Ruffrider Roadie Elite

2010-02-09T16:07:00.000-08:00

Click on image to enlarge

The first canine safety restraint harness to be reviewed is the Ruffrider Roadie Elite. The company is coming out with a newer model later this year so supply for this model is limited. It is still available at several online outlets. We purchased ours from Amazon.com for $24.99, shipping included.

Ordering / Purchasing Experience: 4.5/5
Some of the harnesses are not available locally, purchases are often made without being able to try them on your dogs. Ruffrider has good demonstr ations and sizing chart to help with your purchase.

Elaine weighs about 54 pounds; her girth (around her chest, just behind her front legs) measured 28 inches which placed her at a Roadie Elite size 5. Size 5 fits Elaine well.

Appearance: 4/5
We like the look of the harness. The width of the straps are 1.75 inch wide (4.5 cm) and are more comfortable than the narrow straps. The harness feels sturdy. The elastic band that goes on the chest between the front legs is thick. However, we wonder if that band will stretch and be the weak point of the harness over time. There are no buckles on this harness, lending to a smooth, and slender light fit. Only color available is the black with red Neoprene lining.

Ease of Use: 3/5
We may adjust the score after we get used to the harness. But from a new user's perspective, the Roadie Elite is not an easy harness to put on your dog. As noted above, there are no buckles. This is not a "step in" harness with a buckle on the back. You have to put the harness over your dog's head then pull the front legs through the openings. Sounds simple and looks simple in the demonstration video. But here is what it looks like when I tried to put the Roadie Elite on Elaine for the second time (I did not do it right the first time, more on this later). The videos are done with a camera so the audio is not very clear but you can see how it may be difficult for some dogs and people.

As you saw, getting that second front leg in can be tricky. The degree of flexion --- bending at the elbows and carpi ("wrists") --- needed to get the legs through the openings will make it difficult for older dogs or those with joint problems. Ruffrider had a Geriatric Roadie but discontinued them a while back.

We reviewed the online demonstration and found that pulling the legs through the openings work better than pushing them through. That worked a little better and even only after wearing the harness 3-4 times this past week, Elaine seemed to be better with the twisting and pulling.

It should be mentioned that when I put this harness on Elaine for the first time, I got one of her leg into the wrong opening.

Click on image to enlarge

That, in effect, hobbled her front legs to her chest/neck causing her to flip backward when she threw her head back.

Click on image to enlarge

Fortunately, Elaine stayed calm after that and I was able to remove the harness. So be careful when you first try the harness on your dog. Visualize where the legs are going (as I had to do in the second video above).

Taking the harness off is also not as easy as unbuckling it. The below video was the third time taking the harness off this past week. I'm sure it will be easier as we get used to the routine (and not have to worry about blocking the camera).

The Roadie Elite had points docked for difficulty in putting on / taking off the harness. The rest of the Ease of Use test was fine. It has a short attached lead for walking to the car.

(Click on image to enlarge) The harness can be buckled in with the car seat belt, threading through the opening on the harness back. It can also be secured with a carabiner or other safety restraint system via the heavy D-ring at the end of the strap.

Safety: to be determined
No independent crash test reports are available, but compared to other harnesses, the wide straps and buckle-less (which can be weak points) features of the Roadie Elite should provide for safer rides. Ultimately, the safest harness is one that you will use and your dog will tolerate in the car. We plan to use the different harnesses in the next several weeks before scoring the safety aspect.

Cost / Value: to be determined
For $24.99, the Roadie Elite is in the middle cost range of the harnesses we are reviewing. Whether it is worth the cost is dependent on the safety and use.

Overall First Impression:
Despite the misadventures of learning how to put it on, Elaine and I like the Roadie Elite and look forward to test driving it the next few weeks.

Next to be reviewed is the Champion Canine Seat Belt System.

Preview: Canine Seat Belts & Safety Restraint Systems

2010-02-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

We are excited about our next product review, comparing some of the canine seat belts and safety restraint systems. As with the cat litter comparison, we plan to look at several systems and go over how one may be better than another for certain pets. A system that is ideal for a toy Chihuahua may not be appropriate for a 95-pounds Chocolate Lab.

Meet Elaine, my Pit Mix. She will model most of the harnesses and test them out as we cruise around town the next couple of months.

Elaine is sweet (to people she knows) but she is not exactly well-trained. That should make things interesting as we score the ease of which we can put each harness on her --- and keep her restrained in my Ford Focus hatchback.

Kobi, my mother's Poodle Mix, will help out with one of the harness system. As noted in our disclaimers and disclosures, we purchased these harnesses ourselves so we might as well get Kobi a new one. After all, how many harnesses does Elaine really need??

Elaine in her Four Paws Safety Seat Harness

Four Paws Safety Seat Harness is Elaine's current car harness. Elaine is a bit of a wiggle worm in the car and constantly gets the harness twisted as she tangles with the seat belts. Thus we started this search for another safety system --- almost a year ago. Yes, almost a year ago. We got held up waiting for the Champion Canine Seat Belt. You will have to read about it in the Champion Canine review but please note the warning about the websites below.

We plan to review the following harnesses:

Click on image to enlarge

RuffRider Roadie Elite (reviewed here)
Champion Canine Seat Belt System (*** The sites look similar, but Do NOT order from champk-9.com; use usak9outfitters.com. See the review later for details) (reviewed here)
BeBop Secure Fit Harness
Easy Rider Harness
Four Paws Harness

On first impression, the Roadie Elite and the Champion Canine Seat Belt System are the main contenders but each have its own drawbacks. We will review those two and the BeBop Secure Fit Harness in separate blog posts, followed by the Easy Rider and Four Paws Harness in one brief write-up. The conclusion will compare the different products to help readers decide which system may be a good match for their pets.

Pet Goals for 2010

2010-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Did you make any New Year's Pet Resolutions?

Popular New Year's pet resolutions are similar to our traditional goals: lose weight, more walks (exercise), eat better.

There is one resolution that costs you almost nothing but will go a long way towards providing better care for your pets.

Resolve to be a proactive partner in your pet's health care.

That sounded fancier and more intimidating than it needs to be. As with most things, there are different levels of involvement. It is laudable if you research every pet products, read (and understand) the pet food labels, know why puppy mills are bad, and are aware of the changes in vaccine protocols.

No, we are not suggesting that everyone should make that part of their New Year's Resolutions. That level of participation require a commitment and training that may be too much for some of us. Let's start with baby steps.

Resolve to be more aware of your companions' conditions and to bring that information to the veterinarian(s).

A major part of the office visit and consultation is your pet's subjective history and information provided by you. The veterinarian uses that information along with the physical exam findings and medical history to evaluate your pet's health. Without your information, the veterinarian will be working with an incomplete history and you will get less value for your consultation.

For wellness or routine general check-up, be prepared with the following information:
1) Have you notice any coughing, sneezing, or vomiting? If yes, how long has it been going on?

2) How are the stools? Diarrhea? Constipation? Report any straining, change in colors, shapes, and consistency. When did you first notice the change(s)?

3) Any change in the water intake? More than usual or less than usual? For how long?

To make it easier to monitor this, try changing / filling the water bowl(s) at least once daily. Over time, you will notice if the bowls are emptying faster or slower.

4) Have you noticed any urination problems? Straining to urinate? More frequent urination? More to scoop out of the litter box? If yes, when did you first notice the change?

5) Any change in his appetite? Eating more than usual? Eating less? If yes, when did you first notice the change?

If you have to use a gravity feeder or if your pets are fed free-choice, establish a set routine so you have an idea how long it takes for the food to go down.

6) What is the current diet? How much and how often is he fed? Any diet changes?

7) Any change to his behaviors or activity levels? Any change in his environment? New pets? New family members?

8) Make a list of all medications, supplements, flea control products or bring them to the appointment (a good incentive to having a pet care box containing all the medications and pet products).

9) Bring a list of questions or concerns you collected since the last visit (including any visits to a different clinic). A pet diary or journal can help collect these tidbits. If you have a wall calendar in your kitchen, a quick scribble works just as well. The eye discharge or lameness that happened one morning and was gone by the end of the day, etc...

10) Be on time for the appointment to make sure you have plenty of time to discuss things with your family veterinarian.

Once you get used to the questions, the list will not look as complicated. Another level of involvement is needed when your pet is sick. For now, start with this small resolution and get involved with your pet health care.

In the United States, a valid veterinarian-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) must exist for a veterinarian to provide medical advice and administer therapy. The most effective VCPRs call for participation from all three: veterinarians, clients, and patients (pets). Take control of what is in your control. Be an active part of the VCPR.

Keeping Pets Safe Through the Holidays

2009-12-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

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 exce ssive 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

2009-11-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

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 Yest e r d a y's N ews 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:

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.
Swheat Scoop had less litter trapped in the litter box mat (bath mat by the box entrance).
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.
WBCL clumped better than Swheat Scoop.
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

2009-11-17T23:15:00.000-08:00

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

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.
Recent veterinary exam requirement? Some facilities require an exam within 6 months and/or a fecal test to check for parasites.
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.
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.
Are there in-house treats? This is important to know if your pets have food allergies.
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.
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.
How are medical emergencies handled?
How are other emergencies handled, i.e. earthquakes, fires? You want a facility with a prepared safety & emergency protocol.
Flea control? Even if the facility does not require it, make sure your pets are current on flea control.
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,

Is the cat area quiet and away from barking dogs?
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.
Are the cats exercised, i.e. let out in a room during the day? Again, some cats prefer to be left alone.
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:

Are dogs ever kept together in the same cage or run?
How large are the cages or runs?
How often and for how long are they walked?
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.

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.
Note any issues that may need to be followed up with your family veterinarian: lameness noted on walks, head-shaking, scratching, etc...
If your pets had medications, check to see when they were last given.
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

2009-11-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-03T07:03:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-03T07:02:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-03T06:19:00.001-08:00

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

2009-09-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-10T13:26:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-21T14:04:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-09T00:17:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-06-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-02T22:15:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

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 .....

2009-05-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Regarding Medical Records

2009-05-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

Simply put, a medical record is the set of notes that a veterinary facility keeps for each patient. Many pet owners confuse their receipts with medical records. Other times, the pet owner assumes that they can verbally summarize the medical records when asked. However, the medical record is much more detailed. It should include obvious items such as any laboratory results that your pet has had done, including specific blood values, and often times includes less obvious items, such as the location of where a particular vaccine was given, or the changes in your pet's weight.

Because they provide crucial medical information on your companion, attending veterinarians will usually want to review these records as part of a thorough exam. This is especially true if the veterinarian is unfamiliar with the patient, as when a different doctor is in the office seeing your pet, or when you are visiting a new clinic for the first time.

Excluding medical services such as radiographs (x-rays) and ultrasounds, most medical records are in the form of handwritten notes that the attending veterinarian and his or her staff accumulate in the course of providing medical care to your loved one. Sometimes, a medical record may consist of electronic/typed notes. Finally, many medical software packages allow the user to readily produce "patient chart" printouts that summarize visits but do not convey the information that is in the medical record. Here frequently occurs a problem for the pet owner. When you are seeing a new veterinarian and request your pet's medical records so that the new veterinarian can review them, some animal clinics will provide the incomplete patient chart summary - an electronic printout that is of little use to the new physician. In short, it's like asking for a photo of your child, and getting a silhouetted drawing instead.

The quandary may be easier to describe in more familiar terms. Consider your own medical care. You may have office visit receipts for copayments, or insurance forms that describe what was done and what was paid for by the insurance. You may even have a letter from your own doctor that states your last lab results as "normal." These are often similar to the information provided by patient chart summaries. In contrast, a medical record is the actual patient chart that your doctor possesses. It is the chart that you may see the doctor walk-in with, or that you may see the nurse inputting into a computerized records system. It is your record that records everything from medications prescribed (including WHY they were prescribed), to the temperature reading that is probably measured every time you walk into the office.

Consider the images in this blog post. (For privacy we've deleted sensitive patient information). Can you guess which one is the medical record, the receipt, and the "patient chart summary?" Can you see details in the medical record that are not included in the summary or in the receipt?

Knowing about medical records helps you provide better care for your loved one in several ways. Because of the time and effort that goes into compiling them, as well as the information conveyed in thorough medical records, they are a critical, valuable asset of your companion's care - they are part of what you pay for when you visit your veterinarian. Several lessons can be learned here. For one, we strongly urge you that when you visit a new veterinarian, you contact your previous veterinarian and request that they forward medical records to your new veterinarian. Second, we encourage you to ask your current veterinarian what her or his medical records policy is. If your veterinarian has the best interests of your companion in mind, they should provide all detailed records without hesitation, as they are necessary and essential to providing your companion with the best possible medical care. Finally, when seeking a new veterinarian, see if he or she requests that you obtain your pet's past medical records. This is always an encouraging sign that your new companion is being seen by a more thorough veterinarian.

Finally, it should be mentioned that by California law, medical records must be maintained for 3 years from the date of last visit. After that, the veterinarian may dispose of them.

In The News: Confusing News over NUTRO Pet Food Investigation

2009-04-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

Update 4/28/2009 FDA issued statement: "Nutro Products, Inc. is not currently under investigation."

Update 04/27/2009 CNN corrected their Nutro story, confirming that FDA is not investigating Nutro Pet Foods.

Update 04/27/2009 - 2 pm Additional reporting from VIN News Service includes interview with freelance journalist Lisa Wade McCormick and Nutro spokeswoman Monica Barrett.

"Swine Flu" and political news will likely dominate the airwaves, keeping this ConsumerAffairs article from much airplay or coverage. The article reports of an FDA investigation on NUTRO Pet Food brought on by a series of unexplained illnesses and deaths. ConsumerAffairs noted that consumers (their readers) have been complaining for more than two years about illnesses believed to be linked to NUTRO Pet Food.

ConsumersAffairs followed up with an article on NUTRO's denial of the investigation. ConsumerAffairs remained steadfast on the existence of an FDA probe, evident by FDA's denial to ConsumerAffairs' request for a list of all complaints and lab results collected on NUTRO in the past two years. The request was filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and was denied since:
"The document(s) constitute record(s) compiled for law enforcement purposes, the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings."

ConsumerAffairs concluded NUTRO is under investigation on the basis of this FOIA denial. Confirmation from an anonymous agency official was also reported.

Screening of veterinary-specific lists for news of confirmation or denial of this investigation did not make things any clearer. When questioned by a veterinary news service, a representative from the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) division of FDA confirmed that NUTRO is not under investigation. This information is repeated in this eFoodAlert post. But a direct announcement from the FDA was not found. Apparently, the FDA is not stepping up to deny the investigation themselves publicly. Instead, FDA is denying it to NUTRO and other sources, allowing those parties to reply to ConsumerAffairs report and CNN Headline News coverage. Perhaps, FDA did not think a ConsumerAffairs article warranted a direct response?

As of today, there is still no explanation for the denial of ConsumerAffairs FOIA request. It is possible the FOIA denial is related to the "Menu Food Recall" of 2007 or other subsequent recalls. Why not tell us that and dispel this probe rumor?

So is NUTRO Pet Food safe? Probably. With the many pet food options available, you need to decide whether "probably safe" is good enough for your pets. We will update as more information is available. Hopefully, the information will be more from the (FDA) source than rumors and second-hand denial / confirmation.

As a reminder, diet changes should be made gradually over a course of 5 to 7 days, longer if your pet is more sensitive to changes. Even with "safe" diets, sudden changes may cause vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal discomfort.

Tell your family veterinarian if you suspect your pet's illness is food related. Bring a sample of the food in a freezer bag, labeled with the product's name and lot numbers. If your veterinarian agrees the diet is implicated, he/she can contact the company and FDA with the diet information.

Sites We Like....L.A. Times Animal Blog

2009-04-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Times' animal related blog, L.A. Unleashed, is a great read for animal lovers that want to stay informed. L.A. Times does a great job of posting everything from the trivial (what Newt Gingrich thinks of Obama's new dog), to the wacky (goat enters a Carl's Jr. Riverside), to the serious (animal cruelty case updates). L.A. Times unleashed is here.

Events....The Orange County Pet Expo

2009-04-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

Billed as "the world's largest pet expo," Orange County's Pet Expo is this weekend, April 17-19th.

The Pet Expo has demonstrations, pet products, and of course, lots of rescued animals for adoptions. The Pet Expo is located at the Orange County Fairgrounds. For discount tickets and more information, visit their website.

Long Beach Animal Care Services' Microchip Day May 3rd

2009-04-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

If you have ever considered microchipping your pet, Long Beach Animal Care Services will be having a low-cost microchip day Sunday May 3rd. For just $10, your pet will be microchipped with an AVID microchip, as well as registration. This is a fantastic deal, as AVID registration normally costs about $15 alone. No appointment is required for this event. For more information, contact Long Beach Animal Care Services at 562-570-7387.

L.A. Times Features Local Veterinary Clinic

2009-03-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

Sunday February 23rd's Los Angeles Times featured an extended look at Veterinary Cancer Group's practices, located in Tustin and Culver City.

Chocolate Toxicity: National Geographic's Interactive Chart

2009-03-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

Did you know that just 3 ounces of dark chocolate can be deadly for an average (6 pound) Yorkie Terrier?

While many people are aware that chocolate is dangerous to dogs, most don't know the specifics for their own dogs. Because the type of chocolate and quantity vary greatly, National Geographic's Interactive Chocolate Chart is very helpful. Use the slider bar to scroll to the approximate size of your canine companion to see how much different types of chocolates harm your pet.

Of course,NEVER give chocolates to your dog, and NEVER put them within reach. (Remember, dogs can also bite through boxes and bags that contain them.)

Pet Regulations for Long Beach Residents

2009-02-26T19:26:00.000-08:00

We closed our clinic for several hours today to attend a Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) meeting. We left the meeting not only with more insights on pet overpopulation but also with a renewed sense of optimism. As some of the proposed ideas take shape, we hope to share them with you and invite you to join in these efforts. After all, pet overpopulation is neither an ACS nor a veterinary problem. Pet overpopulation and responsible pet ownership are community issues and should be addressed as such to ensure effective lasting solutions.

During the course of the meeting, we were reminded that there are pet regulations for Long Beach residents that may be unknown (or forgotten) to many of us.

Most people know about dog licensing. Some may know that cats are not licensed in Long Beach. But did you know that it is illegal to own intact (unaltered) cats over 4 months of age? Delay or exemption from the surgery is granted with a licensed veterinarian's recommendation.

Did you know that a permit is required to breed dogs and cats in Long Beach? That means if you want your dog to "experience" a litter of puppies by breeding her to your neighbor's male dog, you and your neighbor have to apply for a permit.

And I wonder how many people are aware of the dog and cat transfer permit? Anyone in the business of selling, transferring or even adopting dogs and cats in the City of Long Beach must register and renew this permit each year. The permit fee is waived for nonprofit 501(c)(3) registered organizations (i.e. non-profit rescue & adoption groups).

For more key pet regulations, visit the ACS municipal code page.

Sites We Like... The Ohio State University CVM

2009-02-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

Hidden in the Support Services and Programs section of The Ohio State University - College of Veterinary Medicine are valuable information on care of indoor cats and pet nutrition.

The Indoor Cat Initiative was created to help enrich the lives of indoor cats. The site has information on indoor cat needs as well as tips for common problems such as intercat aggression and urine marking.

The Nutritional Support Service has the familiar body condition score chart with a scale of 1 to 5 (vs. the Purina Chart of 1 to 9). It also has a search function to help find commercial diets meeting certain parameters.

The Nutritional Support Service is best used in consultation with a veterinarian. The Indoor Cat Initiative contains information that are useful to all cat lovers. A nice bonus is the Spanish translation available for some of the Indoor Cat Initiative pages. If you have a moment, fill out the survey to help with the ongoing study to enrich the lives of our indoor felines.

Update: Recall of Peanut-Containing Pet Products

2009-02-03T11:05:00.000-08:00

This is an update to the post from last month regarding the Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut-containing products. Visit the FDA site for further information. Listed below are the pet products affected by the recall as of 02/02/09.

Carolina Prime (Peanut Butter Hooves and Rawhide recalled by Petsmart)
Carolina Prime Pet (Includes some of those recalled by Petsmart; hooves and rawhide recalled by Carolina Prime Pet)
Grreat Choice (Assorted dog biscuits recalled by Petsmart)
Happy Tails (Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits recalled by SuperValu)
Healthy Hide (Peanut Butter-Filled Shank Bone recalled by Salix)
Healthy-hide Deli-wrap (Peanut Butter-Filled Rawhide dog treats recalled by Salix)
Salix (Same Healthy-Hide Peanut Butter-Filled Rawhide as above, recalled by Petsmart and Wegmans Food Market)
Shoppers Valu (Another Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits recalled by SuperValu)

Please note: Some of the products are listed more than once since they were recalled by different sources. Go to the links to check the product code of the affected items.

Visit the CDC site for information on salmonellosis in people.
The press release from ASPCA last month also has some information on Salmonella in pets and people.

Dogs and cats affected by Salmonella may show signs of vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, drooling, and/or panting. If you suspect that your pet may have ingested a contaminated recalled product, please contact your family veterinarian. Remember to save the suspected product (or packaging) for confirmation.

E-Services and thefamilyvet.mobi

2009-01-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

Many of our clients are aware of the convenience and savings available with our e-Check-In and Rx Refill Request. When done correctly, electronic Check-In and Rx Refill Request are great time savers for our staff. The time savings (i.e. lower cost of service) are passed on to you in terms of $5 off per scheduled exam/consultation and $2 off per rx refill request when you use the e-Forms. E-Check-In not only increases the efficiency of our admission process, but also allows the doctor time to better plan for your visit by reviewing your concerns before the consultation. Currently, our e-Check-In form is reserved for pre-scheduled appointments.

There are many behind-the-scene steps involved in processing a medication refill request. The bulk of the time is spent on record-keeping --- which can now easily be done by a copy-paste function with e-Rx Refill Requests.

In addition to the e-Check-In and Rx Refill Request, other e-Services include Registration and Feedback / Contact. E-Services save time and improve accuracy, resulting in better care for your companions and more attentive services to you.

These e-Services are under the Resources tab on our website. As Elias mentioned, we also have a mobile site at thefamilyvet.mobi. If no desktop computer is available or it's too inconvenient to power up the computer just to fill out an e-Form, the mobile site is the way to go. Give it a try.

A screenshot of the e-Check-In on a Treo 755p. Type in the text box the same way you would on a computer.

Some browsers will open up a text entry box for longer entries.

And when you are ready, clicking "Submit" will send your form directly to us.

Let us know if you have problems with e-Services: here in the comments, via the Contact Us tab on our website, or the Feedback option on our mobile site.

Our website and mobile site continue to be on-going projects as we find ways to improve our services. We welcome all comments and suggestions.

American Kennel Club: The Labrador Retriever is Long Beach's Top Dog!

2009-01-21T15:52:00.000-08:00

The American Kennel Club released its annual list of most popular breeds in Long Beach. Tops on the list once again is the Labrador Retriever.

The rest of the Top 10 are:
2. Bulldog
3. Golden Retriever
4. Yorkshire Terrier
5. German Shepherd Dog
6. French Bulldog
7. Dachshund
8. Shih Tzu
9. Siberian Husky
10. Poodle

Also of interest is their nationwide list as well. Do you have a favorite?

Salmonella Peanut Butter Recall Affects Pet Foods

2009-01-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

The widely reported salmonella outbreak affecting peanut butter is now a concern to pet owners, as some pet food is now being recalled. Pet owners are encouraged to check the Food & Drug Administration's website regularly for updates.

Update: 02/03/09 List of affected pet products

Mobile Pet Sites

2009-01-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

Many of our clients know of our mobile web page, thefamilyvet.mobi. Mobile web pages differ from "regular" web pages in that they're specially formatted for mobile devices, such as mobile phones. Whether waiting at the bus stop, or at the doctor's office, mobile web pages provide easy entertainment on-the-go.Unfortunately, the veterinary and pet community has not yet widely adopted the mobile format. It was pleasantly surprising to see Purina now has a mobile web page that we encourage you to visit: Purina.mobi.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!
And thank you for allowing us to provide for your companion animals' health care during the past year. We look forward to continuing to provide you with great service, and your pets with excellent veterinary care. Their optimal health and your satisfaction are our most important concerns.

May 2009 bring you and all of your family prosperity and good health.

Sincerely,
The Family Vet

FDA Issued Caution on Chicken Jerky Products

2008-12-30T16:54:00.000-08:00

Chicken jerky products --- such as chicken tenders or strips --- are popular treats for dogs. They can be pricey ranging from $4 for 3.5 oz. to $15 for 2-pounds bag. But they are well-loved by our canine friends so probably worth the price. As delicious as they are, I still avoided the chicken jerky treats ever since reading reports of melamine contamination and the FDA cautionary advisory last year.

Most dogs love these treats and what better time to indulge them than during the holidays? Among the Christmas presents was a bag of Smokehouse Chicken Breast Strips from my family.

Chistmas morning had me up researching chicken jerky strips, hoping that they are no longer on the suspect list. Unfortunately, the FDA had (renewed) released a cautionary statement on December 19, 2008 warning of potential illnesses associated with chicken jerky products imported from China.

Illness may appear within hours to days of eating the products. Signs include decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased water intake and urination.

Researchers have not been able to determine the cause(s) of the illness. No specific brands were named, only that they were imported from China.

I am sure there are many dogs eating chicken strips from China without any problems. However, I am not one to place my dog's health at risk for treats --- no matter how delicious they may be --- especially when there are alternatives.

So what if your dogs have to have those chicken strips? There may not be that many around but you can purchase those NOT made in China. According to their FAQ, Plato treats are made in the U.S., with ingredients from Europe and North America.

Be careful of similar brand names. For instance, Planet Blue Dog has Made in USA Smokehouse Chicken Breast Strips. The packaging is identical to the bag I received on Christmas minus the "Made in U.S.A." banner. The Smokehouse Chicken Breast Strips I received was from Smokehouse Pet Products, a company in Sun Valley, CA that imports some chicken treats from China.

For those who are handy in the kitchen, try making your own baked chicken strips. Warning: I tried making the chicken strips and got as far as slicing the fried chicken breast. The dogs decided they like the strips fine without the baking. Still, it may be a good alternative if you want to make a larger batch to save for later. However, I have not figured out how long these will keep --- perhaps a month in the fridge or longer if in the freezer?

Bottom line, if you want to safely treat your dogs to chicken jerky products, avoid those imported from China or made with ingredients from China.

Be vigilant and read labels.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

My niece reminded me last night that we have not posted anything about holiday safety for pets. Of course, she said that after Kobi, my mom's poodle, got into the trash and ate some unidentified foodstuff.

So while I take Kobi for a walk to see if there are any "presents" from last night feast, here is last year's post on Holiday Safety.

Merry Christmas!

Daisy Avenue Christmas Day Dogs on Parade

2008-12-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

This Saturday December 13th, the Wrigley Area Neighborhood Alliance invites dogs & their companions to march in the 55th Annual Wrigley Daisy Avenue Parade. Check-in is between 3:30-4:45PM south of Willow Street on Daisy Avenue (near Bank of America/between 710 FWY & Magnolia). For more information or to pre-register, contact Joan at 562-355-8679.

Eukanuba Dog Show This Weekend

2008-12-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

The American Kennel Club's Eukanuba Dog Show, aired internationally and featuring the world's biggest dog show prize ($50,000.00 for the winner alone), will be held just down the street from us at the Long Beach Convention Center this weekend. For those unable to attend, the show will be aired on Animal Planet in a couple of weeks. Good luck to all!

Long Beach Press Telegram: LB Animal Control Looks for Dogs' Licenses

2008-12-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

According to this article from December 3rd Long Beach Press Telegram, Long Beach Animal Control is canvassing door to door for dogs' licenses. Remember, it is required by law that all dogs over 4 months of age in the City of Long Beach be licensed. More information can also be found at the Long Beach Animal Control Website.

California Debates Taxing Veterinary Services

2008-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

Although unaware to many pet owners, California currently exempts veterinary services from sales tax. So that if your pet receives veterinary care that costs $100.00, there is no tax added to that fee. (Veterinary products such as Advantage, pet food, and shampoos, have always been taxed.) Facing a budget shortfall, Governor Schwarzenegger has planned on taxing veterinary services. In effect, this would amount to an automatic 8-10% increase for all veterinary fees - a fee that will be collected by veterinary facilities and paid to the state.

These new sales taxes are not "set in stone," however. According to the California Veterinary Medical Associtation (CVMA), "A special session of the Legislature must be convened to approve the Governor's plan. The proposal would need to be approved by the Legislature with a two-thirds majority of both the Assembly and the Senate." The CVMA website has more information regarding the measure.

We will keep you posted as updates are available.

Update: 01/22/09 Take Action. Follow this link to learn the different ways you can voice your opinion. The hotline voting is the easiest but the numerous times I've tried, it's been busy. I heard from others who managed to get through so let's keep trying.

Update: 02/11/09 State's Legislative Analyst's Office advises against the proposed sales tax on veterinary services. Instead, the LAO suggests repealing 2 existing sales tax exemptions which will affect cost of veterinary care. A synopsis can be found at the CVMA site.

Recalled Pet Food Settlement

2008-10-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

U.S. District Court of New Jersey approved the settlement this past Tuesday, addressing the class-action lawsuits filed after the pet food recall last year.

Eligible pet owners may receive potentially 100% compensation for their documented economic damages. The payment will come from the $24-million fund created by the defendants, Menu Foods, Nestle Purina PetCare Co., Wal-Mart, PETCO and others.

Claims have to be submitted by November 24, 2008. According to the FAQs, documentation of Recalled Pet Food purchases may include receipts, cancelled checks, credit card statements, copies of the product labels from the products, other records from the place of purchase, or any other records that could demonstrate you purchased the food and how you paid.

The companies hope the settlement will allow them to move forward and regain consumer trust and confidence. However, some believe the settlement did not do enough to address the non-economic loss.

For more information on the settlement, visit PetFoodSettlement.com.

A Friendly Reminder for Los Angeles City Residents....

2008-10-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

The grace period for the mandatory spay/neuter law ended yesterday, October 1st. Now most dogs over 4 months of age must be spayed or neutered. More information can be obtained here.

Dog Training

2008-09-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

Most of our clients either know of or heard of Elaine, my 6.5 years old Pit Mix. I have her pictures in our clinic and often mention her. I've neglected working with her lately and was horrified last week when she disobeyed the "off" command. She jumped onto the bed with her rope toy (she is not allowed on the bed), refused to get off the bed, and then actually growled at me.

Regardless of how busy we've been, I realized that I cannot let up on her training. So we restarted our basic training. I reviewed some online information for motivation. I liked the pages below for their step-by-step guidance and easy-to-read format.

We worked on Go-to-your-spot (in our case, it is "Kennel" as that was the command we used when we trained her to go to her kennel aka her bed) and heeling.

I was amazed at how quickly Elaine recalls her training. Then I realized that she never forgot the commands; it was I who forgot to use them consistently. I slacked off and got lazy since it was easier sometimes to ignore her mis-behaviors than to correct them.

I am also reminded that the time spent with her was probably just as important as the training. Our interaction builds our bond. How can I expect her to be a well-behaved companion when I was not doing my part as an effective leader?

Elaine will probably never be an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen (due more to my shortcomings than hers) but we will continue to train and, in the process, build a stronger bond that will enrich both of our lives.

Mars Petcare Recall: Potential Salmonella Contamination

2008-09-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

On September 12, 2008, Mars Petcare US issued a voluntary recall on certain dry pet food produced at its Everson, PA plant. Dry pet food ranging from Pedigree, Special Kitty, Paws & Claws, Pet Pride, Ol' Roy, Sam's Club Natural Dog and Cat food, etc... are recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.

For our local clients, Pedigree sold in California is so far not included in this recall.
Please see the Mars Petcare site for lot numbers and further information.

Did You Know... Some Sugar-Free Products are Poisonous to Dogs?

2008-08-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

Xylitol is a sweetener commonly found in sugar-free products such as chewing gum, candies, toothpaste, and baked goods. While Xylitol does not affect glucose levels in people and has shown to be safe for human consumption, it is very toxic to dogs.

Xylitol causes a rapid release of the hormone insulin, resulting in a sudden drop in blood glucose. Signs of severe hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, include:
* Vomiting
* Weakness
* Loss of coordination
* Depression
* Seizures
* Coma

These signs can develop within 30 minutes of ingestion and, without immediate veterinary intervention, may lead to death.

Even if your dog seems fine after eating Xylitol-containing products, you should still contact your family veterinarian or an emergency clinic. In addition to hypoglycemic crisis, Xylitol can cause severe liver damage in dogs.

There is no antidote for Xylitol poisoning. Timely supportive care, including inducing vomition, hospitalization with intravenous fluids, and blood sugar monitoring, can successfully get us past the immediate danger of Xylitol toxicity. A 24-hr post-ingestion blood panel may be done to evaluate liver values and determine if further treatment is needed.

How toxic is Xylitol? It depends on the amount of Xylitol in the product and the size of the dog. Some reported 2 sticks of Xylitol-containing sugar-free chewing gum can cause hypoglycemia in a 10-pound dog and 10 sticks can do it for a 60-pound dog.

Xylitol poisoning is not a recent finding. A 2006 press release from the ASPCA and the AVMA warned us of the danger. However, most people may have forgotten about those articles and the media coverage that followed. This lack of public awareness and the increased presence of Xylitol in the market (i.e. sugar-free chewing gum, low-carb diet products, and toothpaste) have lead to the rise in Xylitol toxicity.

Don't let your dog be one of the statistics. Read product labels and keep all Xylitol-containing goods out of your dog's reach.

Mars Petcare Issued Limited PEDIGREE Food Recall

2008-08-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

August 8, 2008: Mars Petcare issued a recall for 100 of its 20-pound bags of PEDIGREE Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites sold at some Albertsons in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. The affected bags have the "best by" dates of July 7, 2009.

Nutro products, also made by Mars Petcare, are not included in this recall.

You can read more at Consumeraffairs.com.
For more information and details of the recall, call 1-877-568-4463 or go to Mars Petcare website.

Puppy Games I on Animal Planet Tonight

2008-08-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Fans of Animal Planet's annual Puppy Bowl can catch the first ever "Puppy Games" tonight, also on Animal Planet. Here's footage from this years Puppy Bowl:

Veterinarian Nominated for Homeland Security Medal

2008-07-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

Credited for discovering the scientific breakthrough that identified the cause for the nationwide pet food recall in 2007, Dr. Renate Reimschuessel is a finalist for the 2008 Homeland Security Medal. The medal is part of Service to America Medals, awarded annually to recognize and celebrate excellence in our federal civil service. Congratulations to Dr. Reimschuessel and the other finalists. Good luck!

Slentrol ... Weight Loss Drug for Dogs

2008-07-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Update 11/27/2009: No compensation was received for this post. Please see our Disclaimers and Disclosures for details.

Slentrol (dirlotapide) is the “diet pill” for dogs from Pfizer, Inc. It was the first of its kind to be approved by the FDA in January of 2007.

You can read more about Slentrol here. Dirlotapide belongs to a class of drugs that inhibit microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP). The exact mechanism of these MTP inhibitors in weight loss is not fully understood but appears to be from appetite suppression (makes pets feel full and stops them from begging for more food) and decreased fat absorption.

Studies have shown sufficient weight loss results to warrant us keeping Slentrol in our arsenal of weight management strategy. However, it should only be considered after the tried-and-true diet and exercise regimen has failed. A full medical work-up for underlying medical conditions should also be done before reaching for Slentrol.

Side effects reported by the manufacturers and veterinarians who’ve prescribed the drug include:

Vomiting

Soft stool or diarrhea

Lethargy

Poor appetite (although, I would have thought that was the desired effect with this drug?)

Intermittent elevations in liver enzymes

These signs resolve over time or with the discontinuation of the drug.

Studies indicated that approximately 90% of the resulting weight loss was due to enhanced satiety and reduced food intake as opposed to caloric loss due to fat malabsorption. Hence, there seems to be little concern for loss of fat-soluble vitamins as with the lipase inhibitor Orlistat.

Slentrol is intended for intermittent or limited duration use only at this point in time. No long term studies have been done yet. The idea is to use Slentrol as part of the weight management plan. Caregivers learn the normal food portions and dogs learn to stop begging. The effects of Slentrol is gone within days of stopping the drug. Appetite will return and so will the pounds if family members have not learned the lifestyle changes to keep the weight off their dogs.

As with our own weight loss struggles, significant weight (re)gain was noted if caregivers fall off the weight loss plan and return to the pre-Slentrol feeding habits. Without the appetite suppressing effect of Slentrol, the once-fat-but-now-slim dog may easily eat everything that is offered and pack back those pounds.

Your pet’s long-term weight loss success still depends on you and your understanding that, in most cases, you have control over your pet’s diet and exercise. Your dog needs you, not Slentrol, to reach and stay at a healthy weight.

If you still think Slentrol is right for your dog, talk to your family veterinarian. Be prepare with information on the current diet, amount fed, exercise level, etc… to help your family veterinarian assess all weight management options and decide if Slentrol is truly indicated for your dog.

The Human-Animal Bond

2008-07-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

"People often ask the veterinarian, 'What would you do if this were your pet?' And I think that's fair - but it's tough. It just really is something that each family has to decide on their own, with their own perspective. Time, finances, family - all those come into play." Dr. Deborah Kochevar, dean of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University (as reported by the Boston Globe)

"In other words, realistically, what can or can't you do? Does your pet need substantial hands-on care, but you work long hours away from home? That the quality of life for the pet is inextricably linked to the quality of life of the owner or guardian also plays out in a way that we might not think of: It's important through a medical crisis to be a calming, comforting influence. To even leave room for joy." from Boston Globe article "How Far Should We Go to Save Our Pets?"

Please note, you may need to register for a free account with boston.com to review the complete article.

Local News ... CSULB Feral Cats & Downtown Dog Park

2008-07-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

A quick roundup of some local animal-related news from Long Beach, California this past week.
Read about the CSULB feral cats here and plans for the Downtown Dog Park here.

As an aside, the NY Times had a very long and interesting article on the use of psychoactive drugs in pets.

High-Rise Syndrome --- The Other Summer Danger

2008-07-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

Heat stroke is usually top on the list of summer dangers to pets. Pets falling out of open windows (or balconies) are also high on that list. It happens so often that it earned the name High-Rise Syndrome.

As summer temperature rises, more people open their windows for some relief from the heat. Those living in condos or apartments are often high above the ground, and may not think twice about leaving the windows open when they are not home. There is less concern about burglary when the windows are 3 or more floors above the street.

Most of these windows do not have screens. There is nothing to keep Fido the Dog or Sylvester the Cat from falling out the windows as they try to follow a bird, butterfly, or even a drifting leaf.

Please do not think it could never happen to your pets. A secured window screen is all it takes to avoid the pain and veterinary expenses associated with high-rise syndrome.

If they are fortunate enough to survive the fall, they may still sustain injuries such as fractured legs, fracture jaw, and/or internal injuries (hernias, lung contusions, internal bleeding).

Some of the injuries are not readily apparent to the untrained eye. Pets who may have suffered high-rise syndrome should be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian.

If you leave the windows open, make sure secured window screens are in place to save you and your pets from needless trauma and expenses.

High-rise syndrome is a preventable accident.

Fireworks and Pets

2008-07-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

The first half of 2008 passed and we are looking at July 4th in a few days. Some pets do not handle the festivities well and may need extra care this week. Hopefully, you know how your pets are with fireworks and have already taken precaution and/or started working on their fear earlier in the year. If you have not or did not realize that your pets are terrified of fireworks, here's some last minute information on fireworks phobia.

It may be too late to start desensitizing your pets for this weekend. But it's never too early to start working with them for New Year's celebration --- 2009 will be here before we know it!

Have a safe July 4th.

Events....SPCA Long Beach Adoption Event

2008-06-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - Los Angeles (SPCALA) & Long Beach Animal Control are having a big Adoption Event Saturday June 21st, from 10AM-4PM. The event is being co-sponsored with KLOS. Events include training demonstrations, celebrity visits & pet food vendor booths. Find out more information here. The City of Long Beach's website can direct you to The Pitchford Companion Animal Village's Location.

In The News...Michael Vick's Pit Bull

2008-06-17T23:01:00.000-07:00

We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to work with many pit bulls. They are wonderfully sweet, surprisingly gentle animals. See what one of Michael Vick's former pits, Leo, is up to:

In The News ... Canine Flu

2008-06-17T03:47:00.000-07:00

Canine influenza was recently confirmed in Chicago, adding Illinois to the list of states to confirm this disease in the U.S. The first recognized outbreak of canine influenza in the world is believed to have occurred in racing greyhounds in January 2004 at a track in Florida. However, the virus may have been around as early as 1999.

Of note to our local clients, canine influenza virus (CIV) was confirmed in California during the initial studies in 2004-2006. Since canine influenza can be mistaken and treated as “kennel cough," it is difficult to determine its prevalence or whether it is currently in our local pet population. Previous cases occurred in animal shelters, humane societies, rescue groups, pet stores, boarding kennels, and veterinary clinics.

Currently, there is no canine influenza vaccine. Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment are the mainstay to canine influenza management. Please note that canine influenza is an emerging disease; bordetella or “kennel cough” vaccines do not provide cross-protection to CIV. Unless they were infected with CIV in the past 2 years (hence may have some antibodies to it), most dogs are susceptible to canine influenza if exposed to it. For more information, visit this guideline and this article. An updated guideline will likely be available soon. The basic information is unchanged; statistics and testing recommendations were modified as new information were collected.

Dogs can die from canine influenza. Fortunately, most affected dogs have the mild form and often do well with treatment. Even in the severe form (high fevers and pneumonia), dogs can recover with aggressive and timely treatment. Do not ignore a coughing dog, especially if there is history of exposure (shows, boarding, etc…). A complete physical exam and history will help determine if your pet was exposed to the canine influenza virus. Tests and treatment vary based on the onset and severity of the clinical signs. Early diagnosis and intervention will increase the chance for a successful outcome.

Exercises for You and Your Cat

2008-06-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

Previously, we looked at Petfit.com and the exercises we can do with our dogs. The offering for the cats are limited but there are 3 cat-centric exercises in the Training Room. They are not as creative as the dog's exercises and mainly centered around cat teasers and dancing lights.

Both "Light" Abs and "Light" Cardio involve using the flashlight (similar to a laser pointer) to engage and entertain our cat while we exercise. This may work well with curious cats but not so great for others. Out of my five cats, only the 2 males were interested and followed the dancing lights. The 3 females were not enticed at all. Panacea, the shyest one, covered her eyes with her paws and dug deeper under the covers!

For Curious Cat Curls, toys (i.e. Cat Teasers) are tied around dumbbells with elastic bands. Cats go after the toys as the toys go up and down with the curls. This worked out well for my cats since they are used to the cat teasers (unlike the flashlight). They chased and jumped after the toys as I did my biceps curls and lunges. Use the long, stretched elastic bands. Avoid the short thicker bands with the stronger recoil unless you want to risk injuring yourself. Fortunately, I had my glasses on when one of the toys came zinging back to my face as I "curled" the dumbbells.

The exercises for our cats may not be as innovative as the dog exercises. But they are good modifications to cat games that can also get our heart rates up. Instead of sitting on the sofa with the flashlight or toy wand, these exercises will give us a workout as we get our cats up and moving.

Exercises for You and Your Dog

2008-06-03T02:20:00.000-07:00

I mentioned Petfit.com in a previous Healthy Weight, Healthy Pet post. Its Training Room has videos of seven activities we can do with our canine companions. Trainer Gunnar Peterson was entertaining and motivating in the videos. Check out the video on Dog Squat Tease, especially in the beginning with one of the dog, Kuma, just chilling :).

Elaine and I had a chance to try some exercises from Petfit.com this past weekend. Some of the exercises did not give Elaine much of a work-out (although they had me huffing and puffing!).

Power Dog Walks with Intervals was one of those exercises. While I am busy side-stepping and high-stepping, Elaine was just ambling alongside me. Things improved for Elaine after I went back to the more traditional 5-minute-jog / 1-minute-walk alternating intervals for 30 minutes.

Fetch Abs worked great for me --- I'm still feeling the effect this evening --- but did not do much for Elaine. She did not fall for any of the fake throws and just stood there watching me struggle with my crunches. I must have amused her with my grunts because she did not go for any of the fetches like she normally would when we play fetch.

We did not have access to stairs so did not try the Dog Stairs. The Dogstacle Course was a little too ambitious for us. The video makes it seem to be more of a workout for the human than the canine exerciser though. Maybe we can try it later and I can get Elaine to jump over some obstacles so she can also get a workout. You have to know Elaine to understand that last statement was a joke.

Dog Tag and Fetch Races were fun for both of us. The chasing and scrambling got Elaine panting and me breathless. Make sure your dog is not toy aggressive when you introduce him/her to Fetch Races. Elaine knows her "Give" command and has never been toy aggressive with me. But during the excitement of the chase, she did growled and bared her teeth when she and I reached the rope toy at the same time. It only happened once and she did back down when I claimed the toy with my foot. The growling may be all part of her playing but still, I want to mention it and add that warning to Fetch Races.

Our favorite is the Dog Squat Tease. We modified it into a combination Squat Tease and Fetch --- I toss the rope toy, Elaine chases after it while I'm doing my squats, she comes back with the toy, I do the Squat Tease with her then toss the toy again.

Elaine taking a breather after our Squat Tease and Fetch

The last video, Health Tips, includes a brief demonstration on subjective body score evaluation. Overall, I like the Training Room at Petfit.com so far. I'll take a look at the cat activities and report them in a separate post.

In The News....

2008-05-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

According to The New York Times, a settlement has been reached between pet owners and pet food makers regarding the tainted pet foods from last year. More information can be found here.
(Note: you may need a free online account subscription to New York Times to read the story.)

Cats & Exercise

2008-05-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

Obesity is a serious problem for many of our companion friends. As with people, diet and exercise are crucial to solving the obesity problem....

http://view.break.com/502351 - Watch more free videos
We don't recommend trying this on your cats, but it's fun to watch....

Heat Stroke

2008-04-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

With local record-setting temperatures in the mid-90 degrees Fahrenheit the past couple of days, we need to revisit a common summer emergency for dogs (and to a lesser degree, cats).

Heat stroke can kill.
Without timely intervention, heat stroke can lead to complications such as bleeding disorder (DIC), liver failure, kidney failure, seizures, and death.

Heat stroke is preventable.

Heat stroke occurs with extremely high body temperature, reaching 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Normal body temperatures for dogs range from 99.5 to 102.5 F. Normal dogs cool themselves by losing heat from their skin (i.e. spreading out on their "belly" on the cool tile floor) or panting. Heat stroke may develop when dogs cannot give off heat (either from panting or from their skin) due to high heat and humidity or respiratory obstruction. The most common cause is probably from being in a car on a hot summer day with poor air circulation (closed or "cracked" windows).

NEVER leave your dog in a car unattended. And if you stay behind in the car with your dog, do not assume your dog can tolerate the heat because you can. Some dogs are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses:
- Puppies less than 6 months old may not have fully developed the ability to regulate their body temperature.
- Overweight dogs
- Brachycephalic breed (i.e. Pugs, Boxers, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers)
- Dogs that are ill or with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease or respiratory conditions.

Hot days can cause heat-related problems such as heat cramps and heat exhaustion (prostration). They are not as bad as heat stroke but can still be debilitating to your dogs. It may be best to leave your best friends at home while you do your errands during the hot summer months.

Other things you can do to minimize risks of heat-related problems for your dogs:
- Walk or exercise your dog in the morning or evening. Avoid the warmer hours between 11 am and 4 pm on hot days.
- Minimize your dog's activities on hot or humid days. Keep him/her in a comfortable environment --- air conditioned, if possible, or in a room with open windows and fans.
- If your dog has to be outside, make sure water and plenty of shade is available at all times. Remember, in humid environments, the perceived temperature will be hotter than the thermometer reading; dogs will have a more difficult time cooling themselves.
- If your dog likes water, a kiddie or wading pool in the yard is a good cooling and playtime device. Make sure water level is not above your dog's head (especially if you have small dogs). Spraying with a water hose will also provide some heat relief. TIP: Get your dog used to the water by trickling water from the hose onto the feet and slowly work up the legs and body.
- Know your dog and factors that may make him/her more susceptible to heat stress (brachycephalic breeds, easily over-excited, etc...).

Signs of heat stroke:
- Excessive panting and/or noisy breathing
- Bright red gingiva (gums) or conjunctiva of the eyes
- Hypersalivation or thick saliva from the mouth
- Weakness and/or collapse
The most important sign, though, is recognizing the environment that may have lead to heat stroke. There are other medical conditions that can cause the above signs. So if you find your dog with the above signs while he/she is in a cool area, do not assume and treat for heat stroke. Get him/her to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

If your dog suffers from heat stroke or experiences extreme heat-related problems:

1) Remove your dog from the confined area (car, crate, dog house) and move him/her to the shade or, if indoors, direct a fan over him/her. Most heat stroke occurs in areas with poor air circulation.

2) If possible, take your dog's rectal temperature and record. Knowing the initial temperature helps confirm the heat stroke diagnosis as well as assist in the treatment or cooling process.

3) Cool your dog with tepid water. If you have a small dog, you can fill the sink with tap water and immerse him/her up to the back (no need to get the head wet and scare him/her). For larger dogs, you can hose the body. DO NOT USE COLD OR ICE WATER. Even though it seems like a good idea, cold water actually slows down the cooling of the internal structures or core body temperature. Cold water causes superficial blood vessels to constrict and prevent heat from escaping. You can apply cold towels to areas with good blood circulation i.e. neck, armpits and inguinal areas (groin). Just those areas, not the whole body. Do NOT overcool; stop the cooling when the rectal temperature reaches 103 F to 104 F. If you don't have a thermometer, consider cooling the body with tepid water for about 10 minutes (or during the time it takes someone else to get the cold wet towels for the car ride and calling the veterinarian or emergency clinic to alert them). You can also apply rubbing alcohol
to the footpads, armpits, and groin for evaporative cooling.

4) Allow him/her to drink a small amount of water if he/she is alert enough to drink; no more than several laps at a time. Do NOT force water into his/her mouth.

5) Transport your dog to your family veterinarian or nearest emergency veterinary hospital as soon as possible. During transport:
- Do NOT cover your dog; not even with a wet towel. The cover prevents heat from escaping; apply the cold towels or rubbing alcohol to the armpits or groin instead.
- Unless you have an open wired crate, do NOT transport your dog in a carrier or crate. If possible, have someone sit and hold him/her in the back seat.
- Leave windows down and air conditioning or fan on high to allow evaporation to help with the cooling process.

Heat stroke stimulates the body to release inflammatory substances that can affect many organs and systems in the body. Even if you successfully cool your dog, it is best if he/she is evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible to avoid any potential complications.

Heat stroke is one of the most heart-wrenching emergencies because of its many dramatic and life-threatening consequences. That it is very much a preventable tragedy makes it even more devastating.

Heat stroke is avoidable.
Please take steps to ensure a safe summer for everyone in your family.

In The News ... Menu Foods Announced Tentative Settlement

2008-04-07T23:41:00.000-07:00

Menu Foods, the company behind last year massive food recall, has agreed to settle lawsuits with pet owners. Details of the settlement are scheduled to be filed with the U.S. District Court on May 1, 2008. In addition to several other conditions, the cross-border agreement in principle is subject to approval of both the U.S. District Court and the Canadian courts.

Pet owners will be notified with details of the claim procedure after the settlement agreement and claims process have been finalized and approved.

More details in:
Menu Foods Press Release on the Agreement in Principle, April 1, 2008
ConsumerAffairs, April 2, 2008

(Update: Judge approved $24-million pet food settlement)

How to Entertain an Indoor Cat

2008-03-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

Keeping cats indoors is becoming more common and acceptable over the years. Indoor cats are protected from dangers, such as poisons, cars, dog attacks, and viral infections from other stray or outdoor cats. However, they also have a tendency for behavioral issues and/or obesity. Most indoor cats lack physical activities and environmental interactions --- whether it is with their surrounding or with people or other animals. Simply put, the safe sedentary lifestyle of indoor cats is often boring.

But it does not have to be that way. With minor adjustments to your home or routine, you can provide your indoor cats with a safe but interesting life.

1) For some cats, plants are a triple sensory stimulation powerhouse --- touch, taste, and smell. Add some cat-friendly greens to your home. You can try catnip, grass shoots ("cat grass"), or rosemary. Most cats enjoy rubbing their face against the plants or nibbling on the leaves. Check with the Animal Poison Control Center to know which poisonous plants to avoid. If your cat vomits after eating the plants, remove the plants and call your family veterinarian for advice.

2) Visual stimulation can be achieved with viewing windows. However, you may need to keep stray or outdoor cats from view in case they trigger unwanted behavior and redirected aggression from your cats. If a window seat is not possible, you may try a DVD for cats.

3) Physical activities. Cat trees provide excellent avenues for cats to climb and view the world from above. Staged treat hunts engage cats mentally and physically. Interactive toys such as the feather wands and laser pointers (follow the warnings and precaution) are also great ways for you to spend time with your cats.

eBay has a list of 10 simple toys for your cats. Remember to always supervise your pets whenever you introduce a new toy. And be especially careful with the twine and string suggestion.

You are doing one of the best preventative health measures for your cats by keeping them indoors. Your cats' basic needs --- food and shelter (safety) --- are already met. You can up it a notch and enrich their lives with one of the above addition. Start with an easy one. Try a cat teaser (feather wand) or a laser pointer. It may bring the spark back into your older cats' eyes and entertain your younger cats (and you) for hours.

Here's Woodpecker and the laser pointer.

Easter Treat Hunt

2008-03-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

We all know exercise and physical activities are important parts of any weight loss program. But try and tell that to our cats! We know a handful of clients who leash-trained their cats and actually take their cats out for walks. The rest of us have to be creative and think of ways to get our cats up and moving.

Instead of filling one food bowl, we can split the meal into two or three smaller bowls and place them in different areas. We don't have to place them all over the house or in different rooms. The bowls can be in the kitchen (if that's where we usually feed the cats) but in different corners. Be creative. The idea is to get the cats to move around instead of flopping down in front of the food bowl and stuffing their faces.

Similar techniques are used with treats. Instead of placing the treats in front of the cats, place them on the cat tree, chair, or on the other side of the room. Get the cats to go to the treats; don't bring the treats to them. Of course, this only works if the cats are treat-motivated. If they are not used to treats, place the treats in front of them and get them to eat that first before using the treats as incentives for exercise.

This Easter Sunday, we made an effort to hide some of the treats. We placed treats all over the cat area --- on the jungle cat tree, in the treat balls, on their hammocks --- and let them all "hunt" for a while. They had their own little Easter treat hunt.

We all give treats to our cats. Make a game of it. It's a great way to interact with our cats and get them moving. And it's plain fun to watch them!

This is Xander in his Easter treat hunt.

One Year Later .... Pet Food Recall

2008-03-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend marked the one year anniversary of what turned into the largest consumer recall in history. More than 150 brands of pet food were recalled. Research found two chemicals, melamine and cyanuric acid, were causing kidney failure in tens of thousands of pets. Sadly, it is estimated that thousands of those pets died from what became known as melamine-associated renal failure.

Profit was the motive behind this contamination. Melamine and cyanuric acid were added to plain wheat flour in China to falsely elevate the protein levels so it can be sold as more expensive, higher protein food ingredients.

Two Chinese businesses (Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co.,LTD. and Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts, and Crafts I/E Co., LTD), their owners/presidents, an American company (ChemNutra, Inc.), and its owners were indicted last month for importing the tainted ingredients.
(Update 04/07/2008: Menu Foods announced tentative settlement of lawsuits)

Even though the FDA recently announced plans to discuss changes in regulation of pet food ingredients and labeling with representatives from the industry and veterinary medical associations, we have to accept that nothing has really changed in the past year to prevent a similar pet food recall. Congressional hearings and legislation on food safety were proposed. But ultimately, the pet food industries remain self-regulating.

We all learned how reliant we are on Chinese imports and how pervasive they are in products we use everyday. The consequences were seen in everything from lead in children’s and pet toys to toxin in toothpaste and, currently, contaminated heparin.

The 2007 Pet Food Recall re-introduced us to homemade diets and label-awareness. When faced with the empty shelves at the local pet stores, we realized how we have taken for granted the convenience and often less costly store-bought pet food. We learned the risks and price that come with the convenience and savings.

Our thoughts go out to the affected pets and the families that paid the ultimate price --- the love and companionship of a canine or feline family member.

A Cup Is Not Always A Cup

2008-03-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

(part of the Healthy Weight, Healthy Pet series)
There are medical conditions that can lead to weight gain in pets. However, most otherwise healthy pets are overweight due to excessive calories intake and/or lack of exercise and physical activities.

If your pet is eating a well balanced premium pet diet with no other problems (i.e. good healthy coat, no intestinal issues), you don’t necessarily have to switch diets. Before you rush out to buy a weight loss or light diet, take a look at how much your pet is eating. Getting your pet to a better weight may be as simple as cutting back on the meal portions to the recommended daily amounts.

We are so used to large portions in our own diet that many of us don’t recognize what a cup of food looks like.

A cup can mean different things to different people --- from a 4 oz water cooler cup to a 10 oz party cup to a 16 oz mug.

Use a measuring cup to get an idea of how much is in the cup or scoop you are currently using.

Once you figure out how much food is in those cups and scoops, you can continue to use them.

Compare the amount of food your pet is eating to the recommended amount on the food packaging for your pet’s weight. If your pet is obese, not just overweight, check with your family veterinarian for advice. You may need to use your pet’s ideal weight, not the current weight, to determine the recommended allowance.

If you are feeding more than recommended, you can gradually cut back. For example, Elaine is overweight at 54 pounds and I am feeding her 2 cups of dry food twice daily. If the recommended amount is 3 cups per day, I can cut her back to 2 cups in the morning and 1+1/2 cup in the evening for several days then go to 1+1/2 cups twice daily thereafter.

If your pet is eating the recommended amount or more but he/she is losing weight, consult with your family veterinarian. There may not be anything serious, but weight loss in face of a good appetite usually requires veterinary attention, not just diet changes.

If your otherwise healthy pet is eating less than the recommended amount but is still overweight, do one or more of the following:
- Gradually switch over to one of the over-the-counter weight loss diet (and stick to the recommended amount).
- Evaluate other sources of calories besides meals i.e. table scraps and treats.
- Look at your pet’s exercise or physical activity level. Can that be improved?
- Consult with your family veterinarian.

Most diets are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of pets based on the recommended amounts on the packaging. Feeding your pets less of the same diet may not be the best weight loss plan if that means feeding too far below the recommended amounts. Over time, this practice may lead to nutritional deficiencies. For those pets, your family veterinarian will be able to recommend diets specifically formulated to meet your pet’s weight loss needs.

As with any changes, whether it is diet or medical treatment, monitor your pet’s response. Some pets may need more frequent weight checks but most will be fine with monthly to every 3 months.

Even though the answer to your pet’s excess weight problem may be as simple as feeding the recommended amount or switching to a weight loss diet, you should still discuss the diet with your family veterinarian. The family veterinarian will be able to help you monitor progress as well as detect any problems that may surface as your pet’s weight changes.

Wake Up Cat

2008-03-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

A client came in today, mentioned how his cat woke him up, demanding to be fed. Every time I hear this I'm reminded of this video...

In The News ... Urinary Tract Infections May Come from Pets --- or is it the other way around?

2008-02-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

A recent article from Reuters suggests that we may be picking up bacteria, specifically E. coli, from our pets that may lead to urinary tract infections. The article referenced research, published in Journal of Infectious Diseases, which found the same strains of E. coli among humans and pets living in the same households.

We often hear from clients that their dogs and cats drink from the toilet. So we are not surprised if the same strains of E.coli in human urinary tract infection are found in their pets. Whereas, we find it unlikely that people would clean the litter box or mop up an accident then go eat without washing their hands first.

Unless further studies suggest otherwise, we recommend the usual good oral hygiene, i.e. wash your hands after handling pets’ wastes and routinely disinfect counters and food-prep surfaces if your pets (esp. cats) have free access to them. And in light of this article, if you have a urinary tract infection, keep the toilet seat lid down.

It will be interesting as more studies are done to clarify the direction of the transmission. Until then, it is misleading and presumptuous to conclude that humans may be getting urinary tract infections from pets and not the other way around.

Sites We Like .... Petfit.com

2008-02-18T17:57:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since the last installment of our Healthy Weight, Healthy Pet series. After scoring the body condition of our dogs and cats, we now need a plan to shed those pounds. Petfit.com is filled with features to guide and motivate us and our pets to a healthier weight.

Petfit.com is part of the Alliance for Healthier Pets formed by the American Veterinary Medical Association and Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. The program, launched earlier this year, includes videos from fitness trainer Gunnar Peterson. A quick tour of the site looks promising. We will visit the Training Room and review the videos in later installments of our Healthy Weight, Healthy Pet series.

So far, we like the quick review on signs of an overweight pet.
There is even a contest and a challenge pledge for those of us with a competitive streak or just need the extra incentive.

There is a lot going on at Petfit.com. Take a tour and let us know what you think.

How to Medicate a Cat....

2008-01-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

If you've ever had to give your cat medicine, you know it can be difficult. Cornell University's Feline Video series demonstrates proper techniques to use to give your cat medicine. I'm lucky; see how difficult it is medicating my cat cyber:

Sites We Like....Kitten War!

2008-01-11T14:44:00.001-08:00

Who's the cutest kitten of them all? Visit Kittenwar.com to find out! See them battle head to head, pick a winner, and see if everyone else agrees! Best of all, submit your own kitten for battle! Remember, though, as they say: "All of our kittens are winners, really."

In The News .... Veterinary Breakthroughs of 2007

2008-01-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

ABC News has an article on veterinary breakthroughs of 2007. Among them are the melanoma vaccine, the dental disease vaccine, Slentrol for weightloss, pain medication for cat, breed-specific diet, neutraceuticals, and genetics test. They are developments in veterinary medicine worth mentioning but whether they are the "best" breakthroughs is debatable...