Bringing Pawspice To Your PracticeApril 17, 2009 This article answers requests about how to set up "pawspice" (hospice services) following the article, "Helping Clients With the Long Goodbye" (November 2006). It featured a thoughtful letter from Kimberly Fox sharing her feelings about Rennie, her Golden Retriever with terminal cancer. Rennie entered our pawspice program, which provides comfort care for both the family and the patient. Pawspice provides clients with end-of-life care and staff with a protocol that validates a mutual willingness to endure its special purpose. Pawspice is actually a philosophy which can be personalized to fit into your own practice. The human-animal bond is a celebrated, life-enriching relationship that an increasing number of pet caregivers want to nurture and cherish at home to the end. Our clients need and want us to facilitate and lengthen the process so they can spend as much quality time as possible with their beloved pets before the inevitable loss. A well-conceptualized, creative and palliative pawspice plan is often the very best medicine that our profession can offer a terminal patient. When pets approach their final days, their caregivers can be very emotional. They suffer from anticipatory grief, interruption of routine and financial outlay. …
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Compounding Concerns For Animals Near And DearApril 17, 2009 Competitive pricing, counterfeit drugs, unreliable sources for drugs and the honesty that our profession must maintain present an everyday dilemma. How can veterinarians avoid being tarnished by scandals of adulterated and contaminated food and drugs and still maintain the public’s trust? Dawn Merton Boothe, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM and ACVCP, director of pharmacology at Auburn University, asked veterinarians to combat the adulteration of products in her letter to the editor in the Dec. 1 Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Assn. Compounded drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. When approved drugs are not available or not suitable as packaged by the manufacturer for a doctor’s intended use in a particular patient, compounding of that drug is allowed. The compounding industry is growing fast and is not yet well regulated. Veterinary compounding is regulated by 50 state boards of pharmacy that use vague federal laws that are interpreted inconsistently. Most compounding pharmacies are run by pharmacists of variable expertise who oversee the preparation of the ingredients. Veterinarians must realize that compounded drugs offer no guarantee of potency, stability, bioavailability, safety or efficacy. We have become comfortable using FDA-approved products, with guaranteed analysis, …
Racing To Save Pets At WVCApril 17, 2009 The human-animal bond went way beyond our expectations this year at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. Many thanks to WVC’s tireless staff, President Dr. Jim Furman, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steve Crane; and Executive Director Dr. Guy Pidgeon. WVC celebrated its 80th anniversary this year. The very first meeting was held in Utah in 1928 as the Western States Sanitation Conference. Then it morphed into Western States Veterinary Conference and moved to Las Vegas. Since 1985 it has been known as WVC. At more than 6,300, veterinarian attendance once again exceeded the North American Veterinary Conference, making WVC the largest veterinary professional meeting in the world with an amazing international attendance. During the conference, WVC introduced the Oquendo Center for Clinical Education. This 66,000-square-foot facility is the new headquarters for WVC, home of the College of Southern Nevada Veterinary Technician Program, and dedicated to “hands on” continuing education through courses and seminar packages all year long. This WVC was a meeting shall never forget. It began with the usual CE and networking with friends at meals. My Monday was devoted to CE, looking up favorite vendors in the extensive exhibit hall, and book signings …
In ‘08, Change Is Brewing On Many FrontsApril 17, 2009 When a new year begins, we often think about change. At times, change challenges our comfort zone and goes beyond expectations. An accepted concept can get turned upside down when new information unveils the truth. Look at the old Food Triangle, for example. It had carbohydrates as the base and meats at the pinnacle. With epidemic obesity-associated diabetes, in people and pets, a new word has evolved, “diabesity.” Now, the Food Triangle is turned upside down. We should embrace that change for our pets, as well. We know not to eat doughnuts, pastries, soft drinks and pasta all day long as sustenance. We now know that a strict dry-food diet for cats may cause “diabesity” and other illness. Cats are obligate carnivores. Despite the convenience of dry food, cats need and thrive on meaty food. People are reading the book, Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life, by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, Esq. People want to feed their pets properly, even though they might not be feeding themselves properly. Try this change: For one month, ask your staff to eat fresh fruit and a protein, such as low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, or a veggie omelet …
Decision Making And Old CatsApril 17, 2009 I am frequently pulled into the decision-making process for old pets. One of our elderly feline patients named PP had successful brain surgery twice over the past five years. At both surgeries the neurologist removed a large meningioma. PP was 18 years old when the tumor recurred. Her family declined further diagnostic work up (MRI) because they did not want her to undergo a third surgery at her advanced age. PP was circling, blind, very tense, unable to use her litter box and in a two-month decline. The family was ready to euthanize PP but they met Dr. Katalin Grant, who referred them to me for an end-of-life care consultation. Six months have passed since then and PP is nearly back to normal. She responded to our Pawspice program's palliative brain tumor and immunonutrition protocols. The family could not be more pleased. Their other family cat is PP's 17-year-old offspring. He is on subcutaneous fluids for chronic renal failure. The decision-making process is alive and well for these families. But for many pet owners, their decisions can be greatly influenced or practically dictated by paternalistic doctors. Paternalism is abused when the attending doctor …
Helping Clients With The Long GoodbyeApril 17, 2009 I want to share some insightful notes from Kimberly Fox, a pet caregiver who is providing pet hospice care for Rennie, her 12-year-old, 90-pound golden retriever. Rennie developed a rapidly growing mass involving his entire right pelvis. His case was considered inoperable bone cancer after a surgical consult. Kimberly was shocked. The Golden Retriever Club of America reports that 67 percent of large males and 57 percent of large females die of cancer. The scenario for Rennie is not unusual. What is very special about Rennie's case is that we are being given a most personal perspective by a devoted pet caregiver. She is making comments on needed and wanted professional service, which is evolving in veterinary medicine as a viable option for pet caregivers who feel inclined to care for their best friend until the end. Dr. Rachel Jones of Marina Pet Clinic referred Kimberly and Rennie to our new Pawspice care service at the Crossroads Emergency Care Clinic in Norwalk, Calif. Kimberly felt the need for expertise in management of the end of life care issues that were facing Rennie. She came in for consultation, pain management and palliative care. We were …
Human-Animal Bond Alive And Well At AVMA New OrleansApril 17, 2009 The American Assn. of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians (AAH-ABV) hosted the informative human-animal bond sessions at the American Veterinary Medical Assn. conference in New Orleans in July. Dr. Sam Costello, the 2007 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian Award recipient, gave the annual Leo Bustad Memorial Lecture. Dr. Costello’s topic, “The Healing Power of Therapy Animals,” was a wonderful presentation showing how community service with therapy animals has enriched his career. Dr. Martha Littlefield, president of the AAH-ABV, organized the sessions for the meeting. Her topic, “Public Awareness Programs for the Human-Animal Bond” promoted the value of education and information to help people take advantage of existing programs when they need help. Dr. Littlefield, Louisiana state veterinarian, was very involved in the Katrina Hurricane aftermath. She is particularly optimistic for the future of disaster preparedness for animal health and safety. She hopes that lessons learned at Katrina will help offset the suffering that occurred during the fumbled Katrina rescue efforts. Hilton Cole, who has a career in shelter care, addressed a touchy topic involving the media, “Being Ready for Media: Breed-Specific Bond Problems in a Community – Pit Bulls.” Some of the questions he addressed were: What do you …
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 …
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.” …
