How I Talk To Kids (and Their Parents) About Their Pets’ DeathOctober 22, 2012 Recently, I went on an odd house call. I was quietly led through a side-yard gate, ushered silently through a lush garden and ultimately secreted into a cozy, well-appointed pool house. The purpose of my visit, as with so many of our house calls, was the euthanasia of one of the household’s animals. The point of all the surreptitiousness, however, was more to do with ensuring that the children—4 and 8 years old—weren’t exposed to the event taking place only 15 yards from their all-consuming Dora the Explorer experience. Which struck me as rather strange. After all, death is a part of life, one we’ll all have to face at some point. And frankly, because it seemed odd that people enlightened enough to want their pet euthanized at home would hold out on their kids on something so … well … important, life-altering and potentially growth inspiring. But then some degree of eccentricity is to be expected when it comes to something as personal and gut-wrenching as the death of our beloved pets. We know it from our own experiences too, right? So it is that we can, in most cases, forgive any stray peccadillo …
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NBC Puts 'Animal Practice' To SleepOctober 19, 2012 The new NBC show “Animal Practice,” a half-hour comedy about life in a veterinary hospital, was canceled Thursday because of low ratings. The fourth episode aired Wednesday night and attracted 3.8 million viewers, down significantly from the nearly 5.2 million people who tuned in for the show’s Sept. 26 debut. Three more episodes will be broadcast, including one next week that centers on a Halloween pet costume contest, before the show is replaced by the return of “Whitney” on Nov. 14, the network reported. “Animal Practice” stars Justin Kirk as Dr. George Coleman and Crystal the Capuchin monkey as Dr. Rizzo. In an interview with Veterinary Practice News last summer, executive producer Scot Armstrong said artistic license would be used to generate comedic moments. “It’s going to be a show that portrays vets in an interesting, fun light,” he said. The show employed two veterinarians as technical advisers: Ryan Folse, DVM, of All Animal Veterinary Group in Acton, Calif., and Peter Erling, DVM, of Choice Veterinary Care in Los Angeles and Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Peanut Butter Recall Snares Frozen Yogurt Dog TreatsOctober 18, 2012 TBD Brands LLC of Exeter, N.H., recalled Yoghund Organic Banana & Peanut Butter frozen yogurt dog treats because of possible salmonella contamination linked to the nationwide recall of other nut-related products. Another pet company, Dog for Dog of Santa Monica, Calif., last month recalled all its jarred Dogsbutter in a precautionary measure. The Yoghund and Dogsbutter moves are part of a massive recall of products manufactured by Sunland Inc. of Portales, N.M. Nearly all the goods were made for human consumption. The recalled Yoghund treats were sold in individual cups and four-packs marked with the best-by code 9.24.14 or earlier. TBD Brands’ All Natural Banana & Peanut Butter yogurt treats are excluded. No human or animal illnesses were reported in connection with Yoghund, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products may exhibit similar symptoms. Consumers or retailers with questions about the Yoghund recall may call TBD Brands at 603-775-7772, ext. 1007. <HOME>
Target Supplier Recalls Additional Treats On Salmonella ConcernOctober 17, 2012More Boots & Barkley Dog Treats Recalled Due to Salmonella Threatboots & barkley, salmonella, dog treats, kasel associated industries, target, fda, recallKasel Associated Industries of Denver expanded its recall of dog treats that may be contaminated by salmonella.Kasel Associated Industries of Denver recalled Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears and Boots & Barkely American Variety Pack Dog Treats due to possible salmonella contamination.newsline, recallTarget Supplier Recalls Additional Treats on Salmonella ConcernPosted: Oct. 17, 2012, 5:45 p.m. EDT Kasel Associated Industries of Denver today expanded its recall of dog treats that may be contaminated by salmonella. The two latest products--Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears and Boots & Barkley American Variety Pack Dog Treats--were distributed at Target stores nationwide in August. The Roasted Pig Ears come in a clear, 12-count plastic bag marked with UPC bar code 647263899158. The Variety Pack is a clear, 32-ounce plastic bag marked with UPC bar code 490830400086. Both products have a best-by code of 13SEP2014DEN. The lots tested positive for salmonella bacteria during an analysis by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The new recalls follow one issued Oct. …
UC Davis Vets To Treat Filipino Dog With Catastrophic InjuryOctober 17, 2012UC Davis Vets Treat Disfigured Filipino DogVeterinary specialists at the University of California, Davis, will perform a pair of surgeries on a Filipino dog whose snout and upper jaw were severed when she jumped in front of a motorcycle headed toward two young girls.dog, Kabang, veterinary, UC Davis, Filipino dog, dog injuryVeterinary specialists at the University of California, Davis, will perform a pair of surgeries on a disfigured dog being heralded as a hero for saving two young girls in the Philippines.UC Davis Vets to Treat Filipino Dog with Catastrophic InjuryPosted: Oct. 14, 2012, 7:50 p.m. EDT Veterinary specialists at the University of California, Davis, will perform a pair of surgeries on a Filipino dog whose snout and upper jaw were severed when she jumped in front of a motorcycle headed toward two young girls, the university reported. The dog, Kabang, was injured in December and received antibiotics from Anton Lim, DVM, MBA, but the Filipino veterinarian did not have the capability to operate. Filipino veterinarian Dr. Anton Lim and veterinary medical student Heather Kennedy perform and intake exam on Kabang, a Filipino dog being heralded as a hero after being disfigured in a motorcycle …
Pet Obesity Rate RisesOctober 15, 2012 The percentage of pet cats and dogs classified as overweight remained relatively constant over the past year, but the rate of obesity increased, especially among cats, according to the fifth annual veterinary survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. The survey, conducted in October 2011, asked 41 U.S. veterinary clinics to classify adult dogs and cats on a scale from 1 to 5, with 3 being normal weight, 4 overweight and 5 obese. Among the 459 dogs and 177 cats evaluated, 21.3 percent of dogs were classified as obese, compared with 20.6 percent in 2010, while 24.8 percent of cats were classified as obese, compared to 21.6 percent in 2010. The percentage of dogs classified as overweight or obese declined from 55.6 percent in 2010 to 52.5 percent in 2011, and the percentage of cats classified as obese rose from 53.7 percent in 2010 to 54.7 percent in 2011. Among owners of obese or overweight pets, 22 percent of dog owners and 15 percent of cat owners erroneously characterized their pet as having normal weight. Among cat owners, 49 percent of cat owners reported that their veterinarian …
Animal Planet Star To Auction Custom Guitar Case For Stray CatsOctober 12, 2012The Stray Cat Alliance, a Los Angeles-based cat rescue and awareness organization, announced that Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell” host Jackson Galaxy will attend its 12th Annual Evening at the Stray Cat Club in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Oct. 20, 2012. During the event, Galaxy will auction off a custom guitar case featured on his show, with the proceeds going to the Stray Cat Alliance’s free public services. Online bidders can bid early here. It’s one of a kind, only used on last year’s national 'Cat Daddy' book tour and in my private consultation business,” said Galaxy. Animal Planet star Jackson Galaxy next to the custom, cat-themed guitar case he’ll auction off to benefit the Stray Cat Alliance. Other items up for bid include trips, designer jewelry, hair salon services as well as pet-related items like cat-sitting services, dog training and pet healthcare packages. The Evening at the Stray Cat Club draws more than 200 attendees every year, according to the rescue. Tickets are $100 through Oct. 13 and $125 after. Tickets are available by calling the Stray Cat Alliance’s event hotline at 310-281-1109, via email at
Most Shelters Don’t Make Vet Recommendations, According To SurveyOctober 11, 2012 About two-thirds of pet adoption shelters did not refer adopters to a specific veterinary clinic, according to a survey of about 10,000 new owners. The poll of people who adopted pets from July 2011 to July 2012 was conducted by the Canadian animal wellness company Pethealth Inc. Despite the lack of a referral, 84 percent of adopters sought post-adoption veterinary care, 60 percent of whom took the pet to a veterinarian within a week. About 15 percent of adopters took their pet to a VCA Antech or Banfield hospital, while 6 percent went to an adjacent shelter and 79 percent traveled someplace else, such as to a private clinic. Of the 84 percent who sought veterinary care for their new pet, 44 percent arrived for a post-adoption checkup, 19 percent for routine wellness, 14 percent for vaccination, 6 percent for respiratory illness and 13 percent for other reasons. About half of the adopters chose the veterinary clinic because of a previous or existing relationship, while 15 percent heeded the shelter’s referral. Twenty-one percent relied on word of mouth, 14 percent based the decision on the clinic’s specialization or expertise, and 13 percent were swayed …
Vet Practice Hits Prime Time TVOctober 10, 2012 So I was drawn to it, like a moth to the flame, realizing all the while that I could be burned…and indeed, wings singed, here I am to report my journey through the new show, Animal Practice, on NBC. We could at least give them an A for effort, if there wasn’t so much WRONG with it! Seriously, I’m an all-time fan of ER, watched every episode, and cried when it ended. Maybe I should have known that I couldn’t expect the measure of reality that ER brought to the screen, with its medical advisors and such, but I had such high hopes that Animal Practice would have at least sought SOME advice in putting a show on prime time about medical animal practice. But alas, here’s a list of just some of the things that were just so, well, wrong: OK, so first of all, where in the world do they work? Yes, we have some large, expansive “hospitals” in our profession, but alas they are typically few and far between… And the large hospitals we have are typically emergency/specialty referral practices, and guess what, they …
Is It Cancer? Never AssumeOctober 10, 2012Many patients never get the surgery they need or are euthanized because veterinarians or owners assume that a mass is cancerous. It’s not uncommon for a referring veterinarian to call me to perform surgery on a patient with a “splenic tumor.” I tend to call it a “splenic mass” until proven otherwise by my pathologist. Understandably, clients often don't want to put their pet through surgery if it's likely to be cancer. But that’s obviously a decision based on their family vet’s assumption. The truth is, it sometimes doesn't really matter if a mass is benign or cancerous. A benign mass can cause some very annoying signs depending on where it is located: a large mass in the rectum preventing a dog from defecating; a large cervical mass pushing on the trachea and causing severe dyspnea; a large axillary mass preventing a dog from using the leg normally. Benign intestinal mass in a 9-year-old Golden (jejunal leiomyoma). These masses might have been benign, but they still caused some significant signs that dramatically affected the pet's quality of life. We recently did surgery on three patients; all the names used here have been changed. "Everybody" just knew they had …
