Veterinary Wisdom® Café

Petey the Pit Bull

My husband was talking about The Little Rascals the other night. I grew up without a TV, so I missed out on seeing many of the iconic shows that most people know well. I don't recall ever seeing the Little Rascals, so Mike pulled up some old videos online and we had fun watching them.

One thing that I didn't know was that Petey, the canine member of the gang, was a "pit bull" - an American Pit Bull Terrier. Pete the Pup was just as much a member of the gang as any of the kids. (He was played by a number of different dogs over the years.) We happened upon a video clip of the story of Petey which I found so fun and interesting (see below!). I learned that Petey helped the kids in many situations - flying kites, saving them from drowning, and merely providing comfort.

I loved watching the clips of the kids with Petey. The dog obviously loved those kids (all of the dogs I should say!) They interacted with him as if he was their buddy, their friend, and not "just a dog".

I really enjoyed learning that Pete was a Pit Bull - the dog of so much controversy today. He was much loved - not only by the actual actors working with him, but by everyone watching the show on TV. I'm sorry to see that this breed has taken such a bad rap. I know there are cases where bad things HAVE happened, but overall, this breed does not deserve to have such a bad name in my opinion.

Next up - I'll have to watch some episodes of Lassie I guess! (Another show I have never seen!) Enjoy watching the clips of Petey in the video below!

--Tammy

Close Encounters of The Cat Kind

This past week-end in Denver I lectured to a group of feline practitioners at their annual society meeting (AAFP). It was a fun time, a bit unusual, and a valuable learning experience. It was also the first time that I had ever lectured to veterinarians who work exclusively with cats.

The AAFP is committed to improving the lives of all domestic cats. They support cat advocacy programs and provide advanced medical continuing education for feline doctors. There are those in veterinary medicine who feel that cats are a bit under served when compared to dogs. While it's true that more people own dogs than cats, it's still very important for cat owners to have access to quality medical care.

As I spent time with this group, I started to realize that cat owners deal with some unique emotional issues. As we all know, cats and dogs are quite different as are some of their medical needs. Cats in general, tend to be more stoic than dogs. I've blogged about this stoicism before... but it bears repeating because many cat owners have a hard time knowing when their cat is in any pain. If owners  cannot know for sure, there's always the potential for them to miss a serious illness or problem. This can translate into an immense amount of guilt when their cat dies.

Cats also also tend to have longer life spans that dogs (some live well past 15-16 years and a select few can live into their 20's!)" These longer life spans can create tremendously strong bonds as a person can literally "grow-up" with their cat. When people have relationships with their cats dating all the way back to  childhood, their grief can feel quite overwhelming (they are not only grieving the cat's death, but they are grieving the end of an era as well).

What are some other emotions experienced by cat owners? Do you feel that any of these are quite different than for dog owners? I want to hear from all our cat lovers out there! (photo is of Tammy's cat Henry)

--Dana

Cat nurses chihuahua

I just love these stories! Amazing tales of animals helping other animals - even when they are different species.

Halo Animal Rescue, of Phoenix, AZ, called animal control for help. They had a bitty chihuahua pup who had lost its mom right after being born. The pup needed to nurse. The rescue workers called animal control to see if they had any nursing moms who might be able to help.

Animal control had one mom. It happened to be a black cat. They tried it out, and lo and behold, the pup and the mommy cat are doing great! What a save! Watch this cute video of the story!

--Tammy

Safety Versus Freedom

Snakes are in the news! Is it a crime to own a dangerous reptile or poisonous snake? The October online edition of the American Animal Hospital Association's Newstat says that this could soon be the case. A new proposal is being sent to congress to ban the ownership of "venomous reptiles and other animals of concern" (such as snakes).

Personally, I believe that animals like rattlesnakes, cobras, and poisonous salamanders should NOT be living in someone's home anyway. Over the years, we've had a few people call our hospital wanting us to treat their rattlesnakes and other poisonous pets (one man even wanted us to examine his scorpion). We always refer these people to a veterinary zoologist, but I worry about their safety in having such a pet in the first place.

What do you all think? Should people be forbidden to own dangerous animals and if so, is it appropriate for the the government to make it a crime? What about the people who own wolf hybrids? What are your thoughts about the line between freedom of choice and public safety?

--Dana

Animal Mummies and a Chimp's Funeral

I just returned from my first trip to London and Paris.  We didn't have time to see much beyond the usual tourist stops, but we did spend two afternoons at the Louvre and the British National Museum.  Of course, we saw the Mona Lisa and the Rosetta Stone, but the exhibits that intrigued me the most were the Egyptian cat mummies.  It seems it was standard practice in ancient Egypt to bury household animals with their owners when they died.  The animals, then, would accompany the person into the afterlife.  The cat mummy I liked best was trimmed in gold with gold hoop earrings in each of the cat's ears.

I can't reconcile how ancient people, who seemed to love and appreciate their "pets", would also apparently kill and mummify them when their "owners" died.  Different time, different sensibilities, I guess.  Anyway, I found the custom quite fascinating and wanted to learn more.  That's why I was thrilled to find an entire article on animal mummies in the current (November) issue of National Geographic magazine.  If you're interested in the history of animals in societies and cultures like I am, pick up a copy!

The article tells some incredible tales (no pun intended!) of archeological finds, like the farmer in Egypt who uncovered a mass grave of humdreds of thousands of mummified cats.  Scientists believe that mummies like these may have been what they call "votive objects", sold to visiting pilgrims and then offered up to the gods during yearly religious festivals. And, according to the article, it seems there was corruption going on in those ancient days just as there would be today...upon xray, some of the mummies that had been sold and offered to the gods were, in fact, empty!

Anyway, it's an issue of NG worth reading.  Elsewhere in the magazine, there is a moving photo about a 40-year-old chimpanzee who died and was mourned by the other residents at her burial.  It truly touched my heart. (See the story explained here.) 

--Laurel

Fastest man adopts fastest animal

Last week, the world's fastest man, Olympic and world champion sprinter, Usain Bolt, adopted a cheetah cub in Kenya's Nairobi National Park. (Now, if Bolt isn't the perfect name for a sprinter, I don't know what is!)

Bolt and another champion, Welsh hurdler Colin Jackson, visited Nairobi National Park last week to help remind Kenyans that it is their "civic duty" to help preserve the country's wildlife. The park's director said "it was the first time in history where the fastest animal and the fastest man will meet." The baby cheetah that Bolt adopted doesn't look like it could beat him in a foot race right now, but I'm guessing, give the baby a couple years, and he could probably outrun Bolt!

I really liked hearing about Bolt and Jackson doing this! Hopefully their participation will help in a country that faces huge challenges. The baby cheetah will not live with Bolt - the adoption is a formality and Bolt will provide funds to care for the cub each year. (Full story here.)

--Tammy

Lost dog gathers clues to find family

A friend forwarded an email to me a couple of weeks ago! It's an amazing story, with a lovely end that I wanted to share with you!

The Love Me Tender Animal Rescue in Tennessee took in Ella, a Rottweiler who had been found, emaciated, along a highway. The rescue workers didn't think that Ella was a stray, but really felt like she had a family somewhere. One of them, Kathy, decided to do a little sleuthing to find out what had happened for Ella to wind up on that highway.

Kathy went to the highway where they had found Ella and started seeing some clues. She found broken glass and tail lights, right near the spot. She then found a stranger pile of items - including a toothbrush, comb, a candle.

Kathy remember that there had been a really horrible accident near that same spot on the highway. She wondered if Ella had anything to do with the family involved in the crash. Kathy had actually seen the crash, and thought that most likely, no one had survived. She called the highway patrol to inquire in case her hunch about Ella was correct.

The family in the accident had indeed survived, and Ella was their dog. She hadn't been found in the chaos of the crash scene, but she remained near the scene and gathered up family items that she knew belonged to her humans!

The family was, of course, ecstatic to find out that Ella had also survived and had been found. Kathy, besides helping figure out the mystery of Ella, has also done another great thing for the family. They were forced to move into a place that doesn't accept dogs (following the crash and all of the medical details, etc.) Kathy is fostering Ella for them  until they are ready to take her home again!

I love hearing such cool stories as this one - and with such a wonderful outcome! Have you ever experienced anything like this? Someone rescuing your pet for you? Or have you been in a car accident with your pet along? I hadn't thought about that happening. I don't know how to best protect your pet in that case. Something to really think about! (photo from CBS.com)

--Tammy

A New Type Of Crash Cart?

An article in the October 2009 edition of Veterinary Practice News explores the problems associated with veterinary hospitals that are unprepared for medical emergencies. The thought is that developing and keeping a well-stocked and organized crash cart would create less chaos and make a difference in saving a life. To quote the article, "when emergency medicine isn't a daily routine readiness can lag. In the moment of need, technicians rush to find the appropriate drugs and equipment instead of reaching for it in it's designed space. This reduces the likelihood of a successful recovery."

It occurred to me that veterinary hospitals could also benefit from having an "emotional crash cart." These would be protocols, materials, and other procedures in place to help support the emotional needs of clients during these critical times. Obviously, medical intervention is paramount, but it is also important for the staff to know how to effectively support clients in these unexpected times

I would imagine that many emergency hospitals already have something like this since they see medical crises on a daily basis. How about your average general practitioner? It seems to be an excellent idea to me. I think I'll start developing a formal emotional crash cart for our hospital...what kinds of things should I include to help a pet owner in crisis? I welcome your ideas!

--Dana

Happy Halloween!

Since tomorrow is Halloween, I thought I'd share a fun little video that a friend sent me! (I am in NO WAY promoting giving chocolate to dogs - just sharing a goofy, fun video!) :)

Have a safe, and happy, Halloween!

--Tammy

A Good Dose Of Job Security

In today's economic climate, almost every business in the country is experiencing difficult times. I was happy then to read about an economic study conducted by "Packaged Facts: a unit of Market Research Group in New York.* According to this study, the overall US market for pet care services will grow annually by about 9 percent and exceed 34 billion by 2013.

That growth is faster than the annual 7 percent rate in the past five years during which the market grew from 17.1 billion in 2004 to 22.7 billion in 2008. The study also says that veterinary services account for 75 percent of the overall pet care services market and is expected to lead growth in the overall market.

This seems logical since veterinary care is the most essential type of service compared to services such as grooming, training, and boarding. I wonder though if the improvement of emotional support in veterinary care is also a reason for this good news? When money is tight, people are probably willing to pay for a service as long as they believe that service is of good quality medically and emotionally.

What kinds of things do you predict for the field of veterinary medicine economically and otherwise? Do you think good communication makes or breaks a business in a slow economy? Let's hear from you!

--Dana

*Source (Veterinary Practice News, September 2009, Page 5).

American Idol judge saves animal sanctuary

Well, who knew? American Idol judge, Simon Cowell, has a heart afterall! Cowell is the "mean" judge on the show. He lets the contestants know how he really feels about them without mincing words. He can sometimes (often) come across as quite cruel (if right!)

It seems, however, that Cowell is an animal lover. I'd heard rumors that he had donated money to animal-related causes before, but this story is the first I'd heard to be true. Actress Linda Blair (of Exorcist fame) has a non-profit shelter called WorldHeart Foundation. They care for up to 50 pets at a time, and has been in danger of closing due to lack of funds.

Enter Simon Cowell. He heard about the plight of her shelter through a mutual friend, and he came to the rescue by donating $30,000 to keep it open. He reportedly said, "I think what Linda is doing is incredible. Seeing pictures of the dogs makes you realize what a fantastic job she's doing. When we spoke, I was really impressed by her passion and commitment, and offered to help her out financially."

We'll add this to the suggested "Good News" channel! I love hearing this kind of news. I like being able to share it here with you as well!

--Tammy

Snake invasion!

I stumbled across a very odd story the other day! It seems that giant snakes could really endanger safety in some of America's parks and wilderness areas. No, really! It's not a story from The Onion!

According to an article at Reuters, Burmese pythons and other snakes that are imported as pets could wind up being a problem in parks. It seems that parks and wilderness areas are becoming "dumping grounds" for pet owners who have snakes that have grown too large to handle.

Even now, the Burmese phython is present in many miles throughout Florida's Everglades. There apparently could be thousands throughout Florida already! Breeding grounds have even been established! These snakes can be quite a threat to wildlife and even humans. A little girl was strangled in Florida this summer by a pet Burmese python who had escaped a tank.

Robert Reed, a USGS invasive species scientist, said, "This report clearly reveals that these giant snakes threaten to destabalize some of our most precious ecosystems and parks, primarily through predation on vulnerable native species." The story says that legislation has been introduced to ban importation of certain types of snakes.

What do you think of this? Have you ever had (or do you have) a large snake as a pet? I'm not a fan of snakes. I've been around a couple now and then, but overall, they do freak me out a bit. I'm very sad to hear this news. I guess it doesn't surprise me that people "dump" snakes who have gotten to large to manage... but I had no idea it was becoming such a huge problem! I think I would be supportive of legislation to help with this problem. (The snake pictured belonged to a veterinary student at CSU when I worked there. I don't know what kind of snake it is even!)

--Tammy

Paw Power

The latest edition of Veterinary Practice News contained an article about a new group called The Paw Project.  Apparently, the group was formed by people who believe that de-clawing cats is inhumane. One of their new billboards reads, "If You're for De-clawing Cats, Raise Your Hand" and depicts a human hand with each finger severed at the last joint.

I've written about de-clawing before...but it is a topic in veterinary medicine that is overflowing with controversy. Is it inhuman to do this? If de-claws become illegal, what will happen to the cats that are relinquished from damaging furniture and other household possessions? Already, the procedure is illegal in West Hollywood and it looks like San Francisco will be joining in the ban.

If you're interested in this topic, just visit www.PawProject.org. There's as much information as you could want on the topic. What about you? How do you feel about de-clawing? Is the drastic nature of the procedure justified by the end result of less cats in animal shelters? What do all you cat lovers think?

--Dana

ASPCA 2009 Humane Awards

The ASPCA has announced the award winners for the 2009 Humane Awards. There is a familiar kitty face among the winners!

Nora, the Piano Cat, who I have written about several times before won the ASPCA Cat of the Year award. Nora was adopted by her humans, Betsy Alexander and Burnell Yow, from a shelter in New Jersey. Who knew they were adopting such a talented feline? For Nora to win an ASPCA award seems quite fitting to me, having started her life out in a shelter before becoming so famous! Congratulations Nora!

Other winners include Archie for Dog of the Year. He is companion and assistance dog to Seargant Clay Rankin. Sgt. Rankin suffered spinal injuries while serving in Iraq and now relies on Archie for assistance.

The ASPCA, besides recognizing special animals, also recognizes special humans. They have recognized Deputy Chief Mark Duff (and his department) as Firefighter of the Year for their part in rescuing Ollie, the Lab, from drowning. Law Enforcement Officials of the year are Tim Rickey, Kyle Held, Terry Mills, and Jeffrey Heath for their participation in a dog fighting raid spanning eight states!

You can see all of the award winners by visiting the ASPCA's website. Congratulations to all! Recognition is truly deserved!
 

--Tammy

Need to Make a Decision? Try This.

Okay, I don't really know what this means for "real life", but a recent study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign caught my eye today. (Seen in Spirituality and Health magazine.)

It seems that study participants were asked to tie the ends of two strings together (which were dangling from ceiling rafters and so far apart that a person grasping one string could not easily reach the other) within a total "trial time" of 16 minutes.  A few tools were made available and brief exercise sessions were directed by the researchers

Without going in to all the details, the significant outcome was that the subjects who were told to swing their arms backward and foreward during the exercise portion of the "trial time" were 40 percent more likely to solve the string problem than those in other groups!

Huh? 

Why?  The article doesn't say, but it might be worth a try.  Next time you have a difficult decision to make about your pet's health care, take a few minutes to swing those arms and get the blood pumping to your brain.  It may clear your head, put you in touch with your intuitive feelings, and make the solution to your problem crystal clear.

--Laurel

Pets and Children

The October- 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) calls for research proposals in the veterinary world. Specifically, it appears that the National Institutes of Health, along with Mars Inc. are looking for studies that examine human-animal interactions and their effect on child health and development. According to the article, there is 2 million dollars in funding over the next four-year period.

The very fact that people want to study how animals affect children shows how far our world has come in the human-animal bond. Many studies over the years have shown how human-animal interactions can improve the health of seniors with medical problems. It only makes sense that they would want to look at the role of animals in the physical and psychological treatment of children.

What if you were a researcher? If you were writing a grant for this topic, what would you want to study? What issues around children and animals are most interesting to you?

--Dana

Donkeys become zebras for a day

In some of the stranger news I've seen - I came across this story about donkeys!

In a zoo in Gaza, zookeepers dyed two donkeys to look like zebras for the children visiting the zoo. These Palestinian children have never seen real-live zebras before, and were apparently quite happy with the stand-in painted donkeys!

The donkeys were given their temporary stripes using masking tape and women's hair dye. They tried paint, but it didn't look as good.

The reason behind the dye-jobs? Well, the owners of the zoo wanted to show the children zebras, but a real zebra would have been too expensive to bring to the zoo. They would have had to smuggle it into Gaza (blockaded by Israel) via tunnels under the Egypt border. The cost of this would have been about $40,000.

For the children to see the "zebras" their bus-load full was charged only $15. It made the kids very happy!

What do you think of the zoo doing this for the children? Did they take it too far? I personally think it's kind of cool! As long as they didn't harm the donkeys (which doesn't seem to be the case) they brought some joy to children who probably know very little joy in their lives! I like it.

--Tammy

Let's Hear It For The Nurse!

The September/October issue of Trends Magazine has an interesting article about veterinary as technicians (at our hospital we call them nurses) and how they are under-utilized. Overall, it seems that they are not doing many of the tasks that certified nurses are specifically trained to do. However, with the emergence of larger veterinary hospitals, things are changing. The nurses are no longer limited to just holding patients, drawing blood, and filling prescriptions. In fact, they are starting to take on similar roles much like nurses in human hospitals. This means that they can monitor a patient's condition, summarize intake findings, and carry out treatment protocols that the doctor prescribes.

When nurses take on more tasks and responsibilities, the hospital benefits by saving money (the nurses are doing tasks that are often done by higher-paid veterinarians and the doctors have more time to do things that only a doctor can do ( such as diagnosing a medical problem or performing surgery.) To quote certified nurse, Elise Atkinson at Alameda East Animal Hospital..."we want responsibility , and above all, we want doctors to have faith in us."

At our hospital, we try very hard to utilize our nurses effectively. We even have what we call "nurse-only appointments" (they involve things like vaccinations, wound checks, and removal of stitches). By utilizing our nurses more effectively, they also seems to have more job satisfaction because they are being challenged more. It's a win-win situation across the board.

As pet parents, what do you all think? How do you view the veterinary nurses who work with your veterinarian? What kind of experiences have you had and do you think they are under-utilized? All you nurses out there...please feel free to chime in! (photo from bigstockphoto.com)

--Dana

Philadelphia Eagles launch TAWK

With all the hubbub surrounding the hiring of Michael Vick, the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to do some good for animals.

On October 12, the football organization launched their new initiative - TAWK - Treating Animals With Kindness. From the Eagles website - "TAWK is is a new comprehensive community outreach initiative to reduce the abuse of animals, promote responsible adoption, encourage spay and neuter and put an end to dog fighting through increased public education and awareness." Through the TAWK program, the Eagles will also offer the TAWK series - bringing animal educators to Philadelphia schools, PSAs, a dedicated TAWK website, and other promotions. Through the TAWK program, the Eagles are also making donations to the HSUS End Dog Fighting program, a low-cost spay and neuter facility - PAWS - Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, and to help Berks County Humane Society with a mobile veterinary clinic.

I was really glad to hear about the Eagles doing something like this to help combat the bad publicity that Michael Vick joining their team has brought. The program really sounds like a good thing, and I sure hope that they get Vick involved (require?!). What are your thoughts about the Eagles organization announcing their TAWK program? Does it help make up for the fact that they hired Vick, in spite of his criminal past? I'm not sure it does for me, but I'm glad to see them getting out there and doing these good things for animals! (photo from the Eagles' website. Omar Gaither is pictured.)

--Tammy

Are You My Mama?

I'm treading on Tammy's territory here, but just had to write about a story that has been in the news here in Colorado a lot lately.  It seems a young white llama wandered away from a ranch (the mother was killed, I believe) and made its way all the way up to the summit of Pike's Peak (about 14,000 feet!).  He wandered around up there for a month, living on the alpine vegetation and (here's the part that really got to me!) "trying unsuccessfully to make friends with a herd of bighorn sheep."  Doesn't that just break your heart?

Anyway, people spotted him once in awhile, but were unable to capture him.  Many people became concerned about him because llamas just aren't adapted for the wild here.  They were afraid he'd be killed by coyotes or a mountain lion or die when winter set in. 

Anyway, Tracy Ducharme and Mike Shealy trekked up Pike's Peak with two other llamas, hoping the little llama's herd instincts would lure him to them.  And they did!  When the little white llama spotted Tracy's animal, he bounded after him and Tracy was able to slip a rope around his neck.  She then led him back down the mountain and plans to either find his owner or find him a new home.  She named him 'Homer' because he's been on quite an odyssey.  Homer's rescuers say he may lose his ears due to frostbite, but otherwise he's fine.

Anyway, I just wanted to add my voice to those calling Mike and Tracy heros.  Thanks for caring about this little, lost creature!  Lots of people worried about him, but you two did something about it.  I, for one, am grateful to know Homer is home! (See a video of the news story here. Photo from AP/Southwest Llama Rescue.)

--Laurel

  

Hedgehog Happenings

Last week, the Clarion Hotel in Colorado Springs was the place to be if you are in to quills. Yes indeed, The Rocky Mountain Hedgehog Show was held with over 50 people in attendance. I've written about hedgehogs before...they are favorite pets of children and very interesting animals. Obviously, children aren't the only ones who love these curious little creatures.

The Hedgehog show featured the same things you would find at a dog or cat show. There was a costume contest, agility contest, best in appearance, and at the end of the day, a ceremony for hedgehogs that have died (which is very cool in my opinion). My one question though...how do you test for agility in a hedgehog?

What do you all think about hedgehogs in general. Have any of you had hedgehogs as pets and what were your experiences? I've never had a hedgehog so I would love to hear from all the hedgehog enthusiasts out there!

--Dana

All in the Family

I recently saw an article in the newspaper that predicted in 20-30 years, small veterinary practices will be a thing of the past (presumably swallowed up by the big companies like Veterinary Centers of America). Obviously, as co-owner of a small practice, this prediction is worrisome. However, even if you take the monetary issues out of the eequation, I wonder if these massive veterinary hospitals can offer the same type of personal touch a local veterinarian does.

With human medical care, the notion of a "family doctor" already seems to be dying out in today's world of specialists and insurance requirements. Some people welcome the change, but I wonder how losing your neighborhood veterinarian would affect pet owners and their pets? We always talk about how relationships are the key to a successful businesses, but it can be pretty hard to develop a personal relationship with a practice that has 50 doctors on staff.

How do you think human medical care has changed now that family doctors are few and far between? You can certainly make the argument that the larger, more specialized hospitals can provide the most advanced services, but can't the family doctor provide this too? What about the benefit gained from the doctor knowing his/her patient's medical/life history? It's an interesting question. Does successful medical care require a good relationship with the doctor? I'm curious to know your thoughts.

--Dana

And Tango Makes Three

National Banned Books Week was September 26 - October 3. From my days of working at Barnes and Noble, I knew about this week, but hadn't really paid much attention in recent years.

This title caught my eye though. It is a children's book called "And Tango Makes Three". It is a heavily contested book (in fact the most contested book recently) about two penguins living in the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Roy and Silo are a unique pair - they are both males. The zoo keepers observed Roy and Silo trying to hatch a rock as if it were an egg. They realized that both penguins were male, and they gave them an egg from another penguin couple to try to raise.

Roy and Silo successfully fostered the egg and hatched Tango. Roy and Silo remained a couple for six years. They unpaired with Roy remaining single, and Silo found a new partner, a female named Scrappy. Silo and Scrappy weren't paired for long though, and Silo is a single penguin now too.

Now, there is a book about this unique penguin couple, and it apparently has raised some eyebrows, and has received many requests to be banned. Cited are homosexuality and anti-family themes.

This really interests me. I am curious about the idea of banning books in general. I don't like it, and I am opposed to censorship in general. What do you think of a book about Roy and Silo? Would you let your child read about this unique partnership? To me, it seems a great way to educate children about the unique relationships that exist. I think it's wonderful that these two male penguins were able to "adopt" and successfully raise their daughter, Tango.

--Tammy

A Skunk In The House

Many veterinarians will tell you that one of the best parts about their job is that they get to see a variety of animals. Over the last 10 years since we've owned our veterinary practice, we've made of list of the most unusual patients we have seen (our list includes snakes, lizards, various types of rodents, and even a squirrel)!

Well, we can now add skunk to the list! I know that this is not earth shattering news...there are quite a few people out there who own skunks...we've just never seen one at our hospital. If you can take away the odor problem and the potential for rabies, it sounds like skunks can make very nice pets but I have some doubts I think it's wonderful when people have connections with animals, but I'm not quite sure how to draw the line with wild animals.

I'm curious about your thoughts...what is an acceptable pet and what isn't? Is there such a thing? Is the size of the animal the determining factor? Over the years, I've known people who have owned bears, wolves, chinchillas, and wild cats (tigers and lions). Should people own these types of animals and what issues are created? Let's hear you. (Photo from metro.co.uk)

--Dana

Should Vet Technicians Be Able to Euthanize Pets?

I had an interesting conversation the other day with a veterinary technician...one who is educated, licensed, dedicated to her field, and takes advantage of continuing education opportunities to deepen her training in all aspects of her field.  The conversation was about the movement to allow technicians greater freedoms and responsibilities in practice.  This would require practice owners to pay them more and may require the techs themselves to carry more liability insurance.

The tech I spoke with explained that, at present, she can't administer controlled substances without supervision, etc.  "This means I can't be the one to euthanize a client's pet, even if they prefer to have me do it."  In her practice, she gets very close to people and forms real relationships with them.  When it comes time to euthanize the pet that she and her clients have cared for together for so long, some are disappointed that she can't complete the care she has always provided.

If your clinic allowed veterinary technicians to have this kind of responsibility, would you prefer to have a staff member conduct your pet's euthanasia or do you feel this is a role only a veterinarian should play?  I have mixed feelings about it.  I've certainly known many, many vet techs who would have been totally capable (and most likely even more emotionally supportive) of putting my pet down, yet, philosophically, I guess I believe this is a job for the veterinarian.  And, I think the techs should be in attendance, providing emotional support for the grieving owners.

I've been at hundreds of euthanasias and it's important for the vet to remain medically focused.  Occasionally, things do go wrong and, when they do, someone has to know what to do RIGHT NOW and someone else has to be able to focus on the pet owners to calm them and help them understand what is happening.  I think euthanasia is at least a two-person endeavor.  If techs are able to perform this service on their own, I'm afraid they may be over-burdened with it, with many vets (who are uncomfortable with the emotions and client time associated with it) all-too-often passing the task on to them, especially if the tech is a female.

Which would you prefer?  I can see lots of "people" issues arising from this change...what would they be for you?

--Laurel