News

A canine lifestyle summary will help you tailor your message to fit each dog's needs.

Use this sample advance directive for hospice patients or clients who request it.

Veterinary Economics was on the search for a singing veterinarian. And we found three!

We never let clients leave their pets' collars and leashes in the hospital because they could accidentally become lost.

If you have an animal that is already comfortably hooked up to fluids and you see an air bubble or bubbles in the line, instead of disconnecting the fluids, stick a needle (any gauge) into one of the ports below the bubble and let the bubble run out through the needle.

In addition to providing constipated animals with appropriate fluid therapy and medications, perform an enema to remove stool when appropriate by inserting a red rubber tube (8 to 12 F) in the center of the stool mass and applying suction and gentle traction on the tube.

Our local human hospital upgraded its equipment, and we purchased several of its old patient bedside tables.

Columbia, Mo. - A ringing bell stops the conversation, capping the get-to-know-you questions and exchange of contact information. On cue, the participants get up and greet another stranger seated at an adjacent table.

National Report - Sending a resume via e-mail can be as easy as clicking a button. But so can deleting it.

I don't understand the controversy over taking a stand on foie gras production.

To prevent clogs and debris from blocking the hoses and lines of our central vacuuming system, I take 5 lb of uncooked rice to the various vacuum ports and let the rice get sucked through the hoses.

A leader in shelter medicine, Dr. Miller cares for the underserved, often-forgotten animals and trains others to follow in her footsteps. She says a good veterinarian "doesn't lose sight of doing what is right for the patient even though it isn't always possible."

Exeter, N.H. - Most students gain little legal direction from veterinary college curriculum before jumping into private practice. Without practical knowledge and awareness, associates can be blindsided by the law.

Immune-mediated neutropenia is a relatively uncommon cause of neutropenia in cats and dogs, and recognizing it is challenging. It can only be identified by understanding the pathophysiology of neutropenia in general and ruling out its differential diagnoses.

On the eve of his retirement from the University of Tennessee's veterinary college, Dean Michael Blackwell, DVM, reflects on all he's learned. In an interview with Your DVM Career, he conveys his wisdom to veterinary medical students. In his own words, Blackwell talks about the veterinary profession's responsibility to society, clients and public health. "These are things I wish I had known while studying for this profession. I actually practice what I'm sharing," he says.

Do you remember the things during childhood that made your father special? Perhaps it was the sound of his voice whispering goodnight, the way his footsteps sounded across the floor as he approached your room or the look on his face that meant you'd better straighten up.

National Report - Getting your practice, or what you hope to be a future practice, properly zoned can be a nightmare - but it doesn't have to be.

West Lafayette, Ind. - Preliminary research shows a correlation between periodontal disease and heart disease in dogs, according to a Purdue University researcher who's mining Banfield, The Pet Hospital data on 200,000 patients.

Charleston, S.C. - An independent consumer-rights advocate is pushing for a change to state law that would allow veterinarians to face criminal charges for animal abuse and mistreatment.

The clinical investigation team comprising our Nephrology/Urology Center meets daily to discuss progress, address problems and make plans.

IBD is a chronic, idiopathic disease of the intestinal tract that has no identifiable cause.

Food-animal practitioners commonly perform local-anesthetic techniques due to the dangers associated with general anesthesia. Local anesthetic techniques usually are simple, cheap and have relatively few side effects. Unless otherwise stated, "local anesthetic agent" refers to lidocaine or carbocaine. It is preferable to clip the hair and perform a surgical prep of the site before anesthetic agents are injected, particularly those injected deep into tissues.

Boston - Veterinarians in Massachusetts were snared in the latest identity-theft scare involving some 450,000 licensed professionals.

San Diego - Wind-whipped wildfires drove Southern California residents from a cluster of "horse-loving" communities, leaving veterinarians and volunteers to care for thousands of animals left behind.

When we needed an oxygen cage recently, we decided to make our own by covering the front of a cage with Press'n Seal (Glad) sealable plastic wrap.

For the past two years, our hospital has decorated a Christmas tree in honor of our patients that have passed away during the year.

In our boarding facility, we double-leash aggressive, fearful, or unsure dogs to avoid having to reach around their necks to take the lead off.

Although the statistics vary, estimates suggest that three to four million animals are euthanized in U.S. animal shelters every year.