Recessionary Relationships And RevivalApril 17, 2009 Recessionary Relationships and RevivalRecessionary Relationships and Revival03-10-2009bondbeyond, smlanimalBy Alice Villalobos, DVM After attending the North American Veterinary Conference, listening to the wildlife update at the Morris Animal Foundation luncheon and witnessing the global approval of America’s 44th president, it is plain to see that our profession, its allies and the world at large are concerned, yet hopeful. International veterinary meetings such as NAVC, the American Veterinary Medical Assn., the Purina Nutrition Symposium and the Veterinary Cancer Society allow us to mingle with colleagues from all over the world. Meetings serve as a forum to meld thoughts and opinions from colleagues of varied interests and locales. Veterinarians who work in communities afflicted with high foreclosure rates and job loss are experiencing the deepest financial difficulties. Since veterinarians and their staffs are among the most generous professionals on the planet, this brutal recession pits our caregiving nature against our business survival. One young veterinarian literally found herself in bankruptcy. She became insolvent by continuing to perform charitable work for individuals and groups who rescued dogs and cats from shelters. Personal Experience This same predicament nearly happened to me …
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Jack Is Back With SkeeterApril 17, 2009 Dr. Jack Stephens is one of our profession's most deeply bonded veterinarians, an icon in the pet health insurance industry and a 15-year cancer survivor. He graduated from Missouri in the early '70s but it was during his cancer treatments in 1990 that Jack came to realize the intrinsic value and healing power of the human-animal bond. Jack witnessed the loyalty and companionship of Spanky, one of his wife's miniature Pinschers. Jack aligned himself with his own big dogs but it was little Spanky who stayed at his bedside during six months of his cancer therapy and recuperation. "Spanky was the catalyst for my focusing on something else besides the cancer," Jack said. "He wouldn't let me feel sorry for myself. Without any words, Spanky just knew when I needed him to come and be affectionate and he knew when I needed him to keep his distance and give me space. "He would simply sit off a distance and watch me. He knew my needs and moods. "There were days I didn't think I had the strength to brush my teeth, but his persistent nagging for a walk would get me outside, so …
Cremains Create Moments Of EmotionApril 17, 2009 The return of a beloved pet's ashes to the owner after cremation can be a very delicate moment. Below is a letter from Laurel Hunt, who edited and compiled two anthologies of memorial pet poetry, “Angel Pawprints” for dogs and “Angel Whiskers” for cats, available at Amazon.com. Hi Alice, Having recently lost Byron, my 14-year-old springer spaniel, I had that experience of dealing with cremains again. I know what an emotionally difficult moment it is and would like you to write about it. I remember when you were treating Marmaduke and I was silently agonizing over what to do with her body when the time came. I didn't know of any place to bury her so I had gotten as far as figuring we would have her cremated, but then what? I knew we would move from that house and I hated the thought of burying her ashes there and leaving her behind. One afternoon you asked gently, ‘Have you thought about where you will bury her?’ I said, ’I guess we'll have her cremated, but I don't know what to do with the ashes.” …
Volunteer Animal Transport To Foster Or Forever HomesApril 17, 2009 “Fifteen Legs” is a book by Bonnie Silva that reveals a network of human-animal bond proponents across North America. Most of us don’t have a clue about the amazing volunteer cyber-networking that goes into transports of doomed animals toward hope. Silva’s book contains excellent research and writing that illuminates a vital but mostly underground conduit of animal welfare and pet placement. Volunteers who work in cyberspace to coordinate routes and drivers who transport homeless animals are unsung heroes. This book salutes the volunteer drivers, including truck drivers and pilots, who transport furry passengers in their sedans, vans, SUVs, trucks and planes. When the mileage of all the legs is combined, an animal may be transported hundreds or thousands of miles. The purpose for the hundreds of e-mails that connect one shuttle after another is to give doomed, unwanted, homeless animals a second chance to survive and live in foster homes or to get to their adoptive forever homes. Silva originally wanted to create a documentary film on volunteer animal transport, but she was declined funding. One filmmaker said, “It’s just not of sufficient social significance.” Writing the book was her second choice. But since she was …
Theilen Tribute To Go Beyond The ExpectedApril 17, 2009 I have been working a University of California, Davis, group on fund raising for a spectacular cancer symposium at UC Davis. It is truly going to be one of a kind. Nothing like this has ever been presented in veterinary medicine in this country. Honoring an esteemed colleague on his 80th birthday is somewhat traditional in Europe but not so common in the U.S. The Theilen Tribute Symposium will be held May 30 and June 1 at Gladys Valley Hall on the UC Davis campus in honor of Gordon Theilen, the father of modern veterinary oncology. The occasion marks Dr. Theilen’s 80th birthday. Title of the symposium is “50 Years of Cancer Research: From Retroviruses to Cancer Genetics.” Important findings in comparative oncology reserach and genetics will be highlighted. Dr. Max Essex of the Harvard School of Public Health, the keynote speaker, will discuss AIDS in Africa. Dr. Theilen is a legend. He gave the world its first comprehensive veterinary oncology reference text, “Veterinary Cancer Medicine.” He also did research on cancer-causing viruses in horses, turkeys, cows, cats and primates and studied in Germany and …
Honoring The Bond Of A LifetimeApril 17, 2009 Aging is an inevitable and normal process of living. It should not be considered a disease. Aging is expressed as physical weakening, reduced stamina and deterioration of the organs and connective tissues in the body. It is associated with gradual changes in the body's phenotype the entire physical, biochemical and physiological makeup of an individual as determined both genetically and environmentally. Changes such as wrinkles in the skin and gray hair are due to the normal phenomenon of cellular senescence, the process of growing old. Many diseases, including cancer, involve a multi-step process that accumulates genetic damage over time. As our pets enjoy a longer lifespan, their bodies provide the time needed for the expression of senescence, disease and cancer. Living Long The human-animal bond grows stronger with the passing of time. People are very proud of their older pets and they want them to live as long as possible in good health. One of the biggest fears of caregivers of senior pets is that their pet will get cancer. The most common concurrent problems afflicting older pets are arthritis, dermatitis, dental disease, endocrinopathies, organ failure and obesity. The dilemma for caregivers …
Convenience Euthanasia? Just Say NoApril 17, 2009 His face was flushed and his ears were red. He was leading two big, beautiful German shepherd dogs toward the back of the clinic. I knew something was wrong. He was upset, exasperated, frustrated. He said that the owners of these dogs were going on a long vacation and they wanted the dogs put down. It was 1972, my first job, my boss. What could I say? What should I say? Something like this came from my heart: “You shouldn't do this if you don't want to. They can take their dogs to the pound where they might have a chance to be adopted. A pet hospital is not the place for healthy pets to be conveniently killed. If it is against your personal ethics, tell them to take their dogs elsewhere.” But he looked at me wistfully. Then he dutifully shrugged his shoulders and continued walking to the back, closer to the freezer. Death was in the air that day. Since foreclosure fever has added to the meltdown of the U.S. economy, more animals are being dumped in the nation’s shelters and veterinary hospitals. I will never forget that moment and the look in …
Grappling With Quality Of Life And Over-treatment IssuesApril 17, 2009 I was asked to speak on some tough topics at the Human-Animal Bond Track and at the Personal/Professional Development Track Ethics Sessions during the 144th AVMA Meeting in DC. The assigned topics for me were: Maintaining Quality of Life at The End of Life during the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) Sessions and Preventing Over-treatment at a Veterinary Cancer Referral Clinic during the Ethics Sessions. Dr. Richard Timmins, President of the American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians, selected the theme of Quality of Life (Q of L) for the HAB track. The Bustad Memorial Lecture was given by Dr. Richard Meadows and titled, Practical Ways to Improve Q of L in Dogs. Dr. Frank McMillan compared the scientific view with the intuitive view in his papers, What Do We Mean by Q of L?, and Research Questions Regarding Q of L. Dr. Melissa Bain discussed Behavioral Management to Promote Q of L. Dr. Marsha Heinke, CPA, spoke on Making Q of L the Focus of the Practice Team. Dr. Timmins clarified O of L for Animals in Confinement. Dr. Bernie Rollins, Ph.D. of Bioethics at CSU, organized the Ethics theme at AVMA meeting, which dealt with conflicts and ethical …
Dealing With Issues Of Children At The PracticeApril 17, 2009 The American Assn. of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians presented a daylong symposium, "Conundrums with Kids, K-9's and Kats at the Klinic," at January's North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Fla. I served as facilitator for the panel discussion at the end of the day. Here are some highlights. Relationships Merry Crimi, DVM, former American Animal Hospital Assn. president and current Delta Society board member, identified many issues that veterinarians encounter with children at the veterinary practice. Dr. Crimi cited these issues: handling childrens' normal curiosities; safety issues in the clinic; handling children's behavioral problems; pet selection for success and handling poor choices for pets; discussing a pet's illness with children; separation of children from their pets for hospitalization; families surrendering a problem pet (due to allergies, behavior, moving, etc.); death of a pet; euthanasia; and pet replacement. She emphasized that the skills used to handle these conundrums affect the health of every practice, in terms of client and staff retention, stress management, career satisfaction, client compliance and the bottom line. Interaction Karen L. Overall, VMD, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVB, from the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, presented the second session. …
After Retiring, Give Work Another TryDecember 1, 2008America’s baby boomers are starting to retire—or at least they’re daydreaming about it. While the economy is discussed at every turn, some veterinarians are wondering if they’re in for surprises once they take the plunge into retirement. But seasoned retirees say, “Come on in, the water’s fine.” Some retired veterinarians say they suspect the media are making matters worse by keeping economic talk in high profile. They say retirement is still the same–it’s all common sense. “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket,” says Everett Macomber, DVM, a Centralia, Wash., native and a 2006 retiree. “Eliminate all debts and try living on the budget you’ll rely on once your earnings have decreased. If you can survive financially, the rest will smooth itself out.” All the veterinarians contacted for this story said the mental preparation of retirement is more important than financial concerns. Veterinarians, known to be wise financial planners, probably have all their ducks lined up. The big surprises will come once the traveling and golfing envisioned during long workdays gets old and the retiree needs to find something more structured and feasible to fill daily life. The American Assn. of Retired Veterinarians (AARV) helps new retirees transition …
