Vet Wisdom® Café

The Power of Pee

Is anyone out there in the mood to talk about pee with me? I know....it's probably not a topic you discuss on a daily basis (unless you're 3 years old). However, pee is really important when it comes to our pet's health. By analyzing a dog or cat's urine, the veterinarian can learn all sorts of important information. It can be a vital part of good preventative medicine and helps the doctors keep your pet healthy as long as possible. The tricky part comes when we need to convey this and educate our pet owners about pee (we call it the "Pee Talk").

Here is one time when thinking about one's own medical care helps us to educate pet owners. We use the medical model because most of us have had their urine tested at some point in our life (for all sorts of things) so we understand the importance and we can all relate.

A recent AAHA newsbrief contains a terrific description of the value of urine and the many different ways to collect it. If we can educate an owner about the power of pee, we are much more likely to catch a medical problem early on which always makes the prognosis that much better. If you're interested, you can visit the following link. Feeling hesitant? You can do it...simply remind yourself that testing pee is good veterinary medicine. I'm curious, what do all of you out there think about this "pee stuff?"

--Dana

Education Station

Every year, veterinary hospitals all over the country celebrate February as the official "Dental Health Awareness Month." The goal is to educate pet owners about the importance of keeping their pet's teeth clean and show how regular cleanings can add years on to their pet's life.

At Mountain Shadows, we promote dental health the entire year but in February, we usually offer a 15% discount on all dental cleanings in order to boost participation. So far, it looks like this discount may help generate some new business in this depressed economy. Our hope is that once the client and patient come in, our entire staff can answer their questions or concerns about dental issues.

What are your opinions about veterinarians becoming "educators?" I  talk about that frequently but I've always wondered what separates the good ones from the rude ones. How should a veterinarian go about educating his/her clients without sounding judgmental or critical? I welcome your ideas.

--Dana

"Soft Skills" Deluxe

Here at the café we often talk about the importance of effective communication in the veterinary profession. In the past 20 years, there's been an impressive "communication movement" that has allowed many more veterinary schools to improve their training and many veterinary organizations are offering more continuing education about these issues. While many veterinary schools and professional organizations are addressing this need, there is still much work to be done.

The September 8, 2009 on-line issue of Exceptional Veterinary Team magazine (myEVT) contains an article discussing this very problem. In the article: "Veterinary School: What They Don't Teach;" Dr. D. shares her frustration about having limited training in this area and how she felt unprepared to deal with her clients emotions in her first job out of school. The author states, "although I was confident in my medical skills, the way the client's tear-filled eyes locked onto mine as I explained the effects of snake bites made me more than a bit nervous...after all, veterinary school taught me how to treat an injury but not how to deal with distraught pet owners."

It's true that many more veterinary schools today are changing and adapting their curriculum to help students learn communication skills. It's also true, however, that there are some schools that still provide no training at all. The financial pressures Universities face in today's economy are just as intense as the pressures in many other institutions and businesses. It can be hard for them to find adequate resources to provide training with Dr. D. calls the "soft skills." When push comes to shove, they feel that the medical information has to take priority.

What do you all think about this issue? How do you go about ranking the importance of topics in veterinary curriculum? Should there be a formula, and what should be done when no money is available to teach communication skills? I'd like to hear your thoughts! (photo from istockphoto.com)

--Dana

Are You a Super Hero?

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I like to talk about superheroes...A LOT. They are after all, one of my husband's and son's favorite topics. The thought occurs to me that the average veterinary hospital is composed of all sorts of super hero characters. Here's a sampling:

"The Multi-Tasker": With dazzling concentration and seventeen hands, this hero can answer the phone, check in patients, process a clien'ts bill and prepare prescriptions all at the same time. This hero has special powers of patience, diplomacy, and a good sense of humor.

"The Wrangler": Armed with super-human reflexes and a low sensitivity to pain, this hero can restrain fractious cats, fear-biting dogs, and nervous birds with razor sharp beaks. This hero's costume is easily identified by a smattering of colorful band-aids that cover various puncture wounds.

"The Diagnoser": Dressed in a white lab coat and stethoscope, this hero can read radiographs that resemble piles of rabbit droppings while suturing a dog's abdomen in mere minutes. This hero's special powers include remarkable hand dexterity and the ability to see things most other's can't.

"The Steel Stomach": Costumed in fluid-stained scrubs and blessed with dead nasal receptors, this hero can miraculously clean up anal gland expressions, parvovirus blowout, and cat absesses without batting an eyelash.

What kind of super heroes do you have at your local veterinarian's office? If you were to work at a pet hospital, which superhero would you likely be?

--Dana

A Massage For Fluffy

Complimentary and alternative therapies for pets...they can be quite a mixed bag. Some pet owners swear by them, while others have found little benefit. So...what's the real deal here? The answer will probably annoy you...it depends. It sounds wishy-washy but it's true. It depends upon the animal; his/her particular medical issue; and of course...the clinician who provides the alternative medicine.

There are many competent, knowledgeable, and well respected veterinarians who offer complimentary/alternative therapies. Some are experts in their field such as Dr. Narda Robinson at Colorado State University's Veterinary School and Dr. James Gaynor- a pain specialist at Animal Anesthesia and Pain Management Center (www.nopetpain.com). For these types of clinicians, we would refer patients and clients in a heartbeat (when appropriate).

However, it is important to spend a little time doing research before diving into this alternative form of veterinary care for your pets. Once you start looking, you will see that there's a whole lotta cool stuff out there and there's a whole lotta weird stuff out there (don't you like my scientific terminology?) No matter what, you should at least talk to your own veterinarian and find out what he/she thinks.

At our pet hospital, we have seen for ourselves how amazing laser therapy and acupuncture helps animals with arthritis (one of our doctors was certified in veterinary acupuncture). We've also heard stories of clients who have spent a lot of money on questionable procedures without getting much benefit for their pets. As I said...it just depends.

So...what do you all think? Have you used complimentary/alternative therapies for your pets? What were they and how did your pet respond? I'd love to hear your stories! (photo from bigstockphoto.com)

--Dana

Correction to my terminology

In my post a couple days ago about Courtney Oliver, I incorrectly titled her. My terminology was taken directly from the video that I linked to, but I wanted to make a couple things clear. I received an email from a Licensed Veterinary Technician who was concerned that my post had misrepresented veterinary medicine. That is the last thing I intended!

My intent in posting the news clip about Courtney was simply to recognize the accomplishments of a truly gifted girl.

For the record according to the email I received:

A Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) has a 4 year degree from a university in veterinary technology. A Veterinary Assistant (what Courtney apparently is, according to the comment in the previous post from her grandfather) does NOT have a degree and cannot perform the same tasks and medical duties that an LVT can. My guess (and this is just a guess!) is that Courtney may work toward becoming an LVT or even a veterinarian as she goes along in her education.

Thank you for the comments and I hope that I have corrected the information! And to Courtney - keep up the good work!