There are many great veterinary social media accounts- and all platforms have some favorites. Some are great for a laugh, and others are educational or inspiring. Here are a few of my favorites you should definitely check out. If you have favorites, please share in the comments so others can follow too!
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What is your opinion on whether certain dog breeds be banned from selected cities, residential communities, boarding/grooming/training facilities, or animal-related events?
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Every year at this time, I start to think about dog pancreatitis for obvious reasons. Lots of delicious food and soon to be holiday parties taking place.
And as the old saying goes, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! This is especially true with dog pancreatitis prevention, as this can be a very serious and even life threatening disease for dogs.
Take the time to remind your veterinarian clients about the dangers of various Thanksgiving food for dogs when they come in to the clinic, and potentially even have a handout or e-mail for them as a helpful reminder.
While some dogs may easily tolerate some plain turkey meat, others can become seriously ill. The most common thing that I see in practice is a dog with pancreatitis or gastrointestinal upset because of things the GUESTS give the pets without the owner knowing!
Multiply that across multiple guests and it can make for a bad combination. So besides educating your clients, who may know what their dogs can and cannot tolerate, remind them to tell their guests- politely but firmly- that they must not feed the pets without permission, or better yet not at all. Otherwise...they can pay the vet bills!
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We know that veterinary technicians are a valuable part of every practice. But there is high turnover in the profession and often job dissatisfaction. Most of us in the profession already realize that vet techs deserve higher pay. It is easier to ask for a raise when you know that you truly deserve one. By doing these 10 things and making yourself invaluable to a practice, you can feel sure that at your yearly review you should get that raise, and can feel confident asking!
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This month I am honored to feature Kate Dial, a certified vet tech practicing at a specialty hospital in the sunny Phoenix area! I love hearing different stories from wonderful technicians such as Kate in finding out how they decided to pursue the profession. Thanks Kate for sharing your amazing journey with us!
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Dr. Robin Downing wrote this wonderful article regarding pain in our companion animals. Her article ties into the research she did for her Master's thesis.
The article talks about the different aspects in the philosophy of pain as we address our patients- the four main considerations she points out as being 1) Respect for autonomy (the right of an individual for choice, and in vet med this is regarding the owner who is making medical decisions for their pet) 2) Nonmaleficence (do no harm) 3) Beneficence (taking positive action- "consider all the ways in which the pain may be anticipated, prevented and (when it cannot be prevented) treated. " and 4) Justice (presenting an action plan that provides the best option for pain).
Take a moment to read it in its entirety. Thinking about how and why we approach pain in the ways that we do can help us to make and present the best options for pain control we can for our patients!
November 3rd is One Health Day! This day brings national attention to approaching complex challenges involving animals, people, and planetary ecosystems.
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