PetsMatter — From your AAHA-accredited veterinary practice Learning how to take better care of your pets. Volume 3 Issue 4 continued on page 8 continued on page 6 Improving Quality of Life for FeLV Cats …continued from page 1 continued on page 4 infected with FeLV. Infection rates are dramatically higher among stray cats and in homes where cats are allowed outside. FeLV is highly contagious, so it is important to have your cat vaccinated if it could be exposed to other cats. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends all kittens receive the vaccine. Infected cats may harbor the illness for several years with no signs of ill- ness. Over time, they may lose weight, become depressed, or develop a fever. Their coats often deteriorate, and they may develop skin, bladder, or upper respiratory infections. Your veterinarian can diagnose the disease by conducting a simple blood test called an ELISA. Cats infected with the virus live an average of three years. “Many of these cats can live reasonably healthy lives for a number of years if they receive proper care,” says Fred Scott, DVM, PhD, interim director of the Cornell Feline Health Center in Ithaca, N.Y. Good nutrition and a stress-free environment are essential. “Your veterinarian will talk to you about the importance of maintaining a balanced diet. Also, he or she will ask you about your cat’s lifestyle and look for ways to reduce stress,” Scott explains. Scott strongly recommends that infected cats be kept indoors so they won’t spread the virus. If you have multiple cats, have all of them tested, vaccinate any that are not infected, and consider housing infected cats separately. “Your veterinarian will want to see your cat on a more frequent basis [than a healthy cat], say, every six months,” says Scott. “Between check-ups, stay alert to your cat’s body condition. Once a month, rub your hand over its ribs. You should be able to feel them, but they shouldn’t stand out,” Scott advises. If you notice any changes in your cat’s health or behavior, notify your veterinarian immediately. F eline leukemia (FeLV), a widespread, incurable virus that typically suppresses a cat’s immune system, is the most common cause of cancer in cats. Although some cats are able to eliminate the virus on their own and develop immunity, many others die as a result of cancer or opportunistic infections. The disease is spread from cat to cat through bites; mutual grooming; and sharing food or water dishes and litter boxes. Kittens can also contract the virus from their mothers. FeLV is species-specific, so humans, dogs, and other animals are not at risk. In 2006, the Winn Feline Foundation reported that 3% of cats in single-cat homes were Living with Feline Leukemia H eartworm. Urinalysis. Total blood panel. If you’re like most pet own- ers, you have at one time or another wondered what all those tests mean. And, more to the point, are they really necessary? The short answer is Yes — but it is always good to ask. Veterinarians use lab tests to moni- tor your pet’s health, diagnose a disease or condition, and measure the effects of a medication or treatment plan. In some cases, pets must be tested before they can receive necessary treatments. For example, the American Heartworm Society recommends test- ing pets for heartworms before starting preventive medications and annually thereafter. Accreditation Matters Routine Laboratory Tests Expose Hidden Ailments by Elise Atkinson, CVT O f the10 million pets that get lost each year, only 17% of the dogs and 2% of the cats are ever recovered. “But Fluffy is an indoor kitty,” you may be thinking. “She doesn’t need an ID tag.” Think again. A study conducted by Linda Lord, DVM, PhD, an assistant professor at The Ohio State University, found that 41% of people looking for their lost cats considered them indoor-only pets. “They may not go outside, but it only takes one time to lose a pet,” warns Daniel Aja, DVM, of AAHA-accredited Cherry Bend Animal Hospital in Traverse City, Michigan. “You might have cleaners over, workers who are remodeling, or kids who leave the door open. And indoor pets are probably the most at risk because once they get outside, they’ll get scared and run and hide. “Also, you never know when a natural disaster might No More Mug Shots: Microchipping Replaces “Lost Pet” Posters by Jack Sommars FeLV poses no risk to humans or dogs. For more information American Association of Feline Practitioners retrovirus facts: www.catvets.com/professionals/ guidelines/publications/?Id=323 Cornell Feline Health Center FeLV: www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/ brochures/felv.html Winn Feline Foundation www.winnfelinehealth.org/ Pages/FeLV_Web.pdf One-Shot Antibiotic Makes Life Easier I f you search YouTube for the word pill with cat or dog, you’ll get about 500 hits, ranging from silly spoofs to instructional videos that are painfully, unintentionally hilarious. But administering daily pills to your cat or dog is no fun at all. As a matter of fact, it is so difficult that many pet owners give up. Of course when treatment is cut short, illnesses may linger or worsen. And if the discontinued pill is an antibiotic, the threat is even broader. If you prematurely stop giving your pet an antibiotic, some bacteria will survive and develop a resistance to the medication. This is one cause of the much-publicized increase in virulent, antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In June, Pfizer, a leading veterinary drug manufacturer, introduced Convenia, the only single-injec- tion antibiotic available for pets. Used to treat certain types of skin infec- tions in dogs and cats, Con- venia has the potential to make life a lot easier for affected pets and their owners. One injection delivers a full, two-week course of antibiotics and eliminates the need for oral medication. That should do away with the pill fights. No worries. That still leaves about 35,000 cat and dog videos on YouTube, like the one from AAHA at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9VkbUf5JukA. For more information about Convenia, visit www.convenia.com. PetsMatter 8
Transcript
PetsMatter
— From your AAHA-accredited veterinary practice
Learning how to take better care of your pets.
Volume 3 Issue 4
continued on page 8 continued on page 6
Improving Quality of Life for FeLV Cats…continued from page 1
continued on page 4
infected with FeLV. Infection rates are dramatically higher among stray cats and in homes where cats are allowed outside.
FeLV is highly contagious, so it is important to have your cat vaccinated if it could be exposed to other cats. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends all kittens receive the vaccine.
Infected cats may harbor the illness for several years with no signs of ill-ness. Over time, they may lose weight, become depressed, or develop a fever. Their coats often deteriorate, and they may develop skin, bladder, or upper respiratory infections.
Your veterinarian can diagnose the disease by conducting a simple blood test called an ELISA.
Cats infected with the virus live an average of three years.
“Many of these cats can
live reasonably healthy lives for
a number of years if they receive proper
care,” says Fred Scott, DVM, PhD, interim director of the Cornell Feline Health Center in Ithaca, N.Y.
Good nutrition and a stress-free environment are essential.
“Your veterinarian will talk to you about the importance of maintaining a balanced diet. Also, he or she will ask you about your cat’s lifestyle and look for ways to reduce stress,” Scott explains.
Scott strongly recommends that infected cats be kept indoors so they won’t spread the virus. If you have multiple cats, have all of them tested, vaccinate any that are not infected, and consider housing infected cats separately.
“Your veterinarian will want to see your cat on a more frequent basis [than a healthy cat], say, every six months,” says Scott.
“Between check-ups, stay alert to your cat’s body condition. Once a month, rub your hand over its ribs. You should be able to feel them, but they shouldn’t stand out,” Scott advises.
If you notice any changes in your cat’s health or behavior, notify your veterinarian immediately.
Feline leukemia (FeLV), a widespread, incurable virus that typically suppresses a cat’s immune system, is the most common
cause of cancer in cats. Although some cats are able to eliminate the virus on their own and develop immunity, many others die as a result of cancer or opportunistic infections.
The disease is spread from cat to cat through bites; mutual grooming; and sharing food or water dishes and litter boxes. Kittens can also contract the virus from their mothers.
FeLV is species-specific, so humans, dogs, and other animals are not at risk.
In 2006, the Winn Feline Foundation reported that 3% of cats in single-cat homes were
Living with Feline Leukemia
Heartworm. Urinalysis. Total blood panel.
If you’re like most pet own-ers, you have at one time
or another wondered what all those tests
mean. And, more to the
point, are they really necessary?
The short answer is Yes — but
it is always good to ask.
Veterinarians use lab tests to moni-tor your pet’s health, diagnose a disease or condition, and measure the effects of a medication or treatment plan.
In some cases, pets must be tested before they can receive necessary treatments. For example, the American Heartworm Society recommends test-ing pets for heartworms before starting preventive medications and annually thereafter.
Of the10 million pets that get lost each year, only 17% of the dogs and 2% of the cats are ever recovered.
“But Fluffy is an indoor kitty,” you may be thinking. “She doesn’t need an ID tag.”
Think again.A study conducted by Linda Lord, DVM, PhD, an assistant
professor at The Ohio State University, found that 41% of people looking for their lost cats considered them indoor-only pets.
“They may not go outside, but it only takes one time to lose a pet,” warns Daniel Aja, DVM, of AAHA-accredited Cherry Bend Animal Hospital in Traverse City, Michigan. “You might have cleaners over, workers who are remodeling, or kids who leave the door open. And indoor pets are probably the most at risk because once they get outside, they’ll get scared and run and hide.
“Also, you never know when a natural disaster might
No More Mug Shots: Microchipping Replaces “Lost Pet” Postersby Jack Sommars
FeLV poses no risk to humans or dogs.
For more informationAmerican Association of Feline Practitioners retrovirus facts: www.catvets.com/professionals/guidelines/publications/?Id=323
Cornell Feline Health Center FeLV: www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/ brochures/felv.html
Winn Feline Foundation www.winnfelinehealth.org/ Pages/FeLV_Web.pdf
One-Shot Antibiotic Makes Life Easier
I f you search YouTube for the word pill with cat or dog, you’ll get about 500 hits, ranging from silly spoofs to
instructional videos that are painfully, unintentionally hilarious.
But administering daily pills to your cat or dog is no fun at all. As a matter of fact, it is so difficult that many pet owners give up.
Of course when treatment is cut short, illnesses may linger or worsen. And if the discontinued pill is an antibiotic, the threat is even broader.
If you prematurely stop giving your pet an antibiotic, some bacteria will survive and develop a resistance to the medication. This is one cause of the much-publicized increase in virulent, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In June, Pfizer, a leading veterinary drug manufacturer, introduced Convenia,
the only single-injec-tion antibiotic available for pets.
Used to treat certain types of skin infec-
tions in dogs and
cats, Con-venia
has the potential
to make life a lot easier for affected pets and their owners. One injection delivers
a full, two-week course of antibiotics and eliminates the need for oral medication.
That should do away with the pill fights. No worries. That still leaves about 35,000 cat and dog videos on YouTube, like the one from AAHA at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VkbUf5JukA.
For more information about Convenia, visit www.convenia.com.
the only single-injec-tion antibiotic available for pets.
Used to treat certain types of skin infec-
tions in dogs and
potential to make life
a lot easier for affected pets and their owners. One injection delivers
PetsMatter8
PetsMatter
Until recently, pets were rarely treated for pain unless they were undergoing major surgeries or
procedures, such as bone repair.All that has changed, thanks to
research that confirms pets not only feel pain, but it can interfere with their recovery as well.
Pain — and the associated effects of stress, such as increased heart rate — can slow a patient’s recovery. If severe pain is untreated, it may even cause neurological changes that result in severe, chronic pain.
Early Intervention Is CrucialThe veterinary team, which may include a pain specialist as well as the attending veterinarian and technician, will take advantage of the hours imme-diately following your pet’s surgery to “get ahead” of the pain so that it doesn’t have an opportunity to escalate.
When pain isn’t preemptively con-trolled this way, higher doses of medi-cation are necessary, and that increases the risk of side effects.
While your pet is still in the intensive care unit, the veterinary team assesses the level of pain and develops a plan to help your pet through the recovery process.
Many factors are considered when creating an individual plan, including:• Thetypeofprocedureandhowlong
it took• Yourpet’sage,breed,andoverallhealth• Thetypeofanalgesicsgivenbefore
and during surgery• Theresults
of presurgi-cal blood tests of kidney, liver, lung, and heart functionsMost pain
management plans are multimodal, which means they combine many pain-
relief approaches, such as medications (patches, injections, or pills); warm blankets or warming devices; a quiet, soothing environment; and good, old-fashioned TLC.
Following the surgery or procedure, your veterinarian or technician will explain home-care instructions. Don’t hesitate to call your veterinary team after you are home for reminders or clarifica-tion of the instructions. After all, you are an integral part of the team, and you all have the same goal: to ensure your pet’s comfort and speedy recovery.
Although most veterinarians offer some measure of pain relief following surgery, AAHA-accredited hospitals are required to assess and treat every animal’s pain before, during, and after surgery.
“Accredited practices undergo uniform training and develop whole staff awareness of patient pain and the means to minimize patient pain,” explains Doug Jones, DVM, of Animal Health Center in Orlando, Fla.
Putting the standards into practice means that pain management is a con-sistent focus for veterinarians and staff. Or, as Dr. Jones puts it:
“Pain management becomes an integral part of the accredited practice’s team.”
For more information about pain manage-ment, ask your veterinarian for the brochure Managing Your Pet’s Pain from AAHA Press.
Pain Management in the ICU: What does it mean for your pet?by Elise Atkinson, CVT
Nutritional supplements make up one of the fastest growing seg-ments of the pet product industry.
It’s estimated that almost one in five pet owners give some kind of nonpre-scription supplement to their dog or cat.
Are they right for your pet? “That really depends on your pet’s
base diet and medical history,” says Jennifer Bones Larsen, DVM, MS, assistant professor of clinical nutrition for the University of California Davis. “Most commercial pet foods are for-mulated to be complete and balanced, meaning they provide all the essential nutrients the animal needs.
“So if you’re feeding your dog or cat a commercial pet food, additional vitamins and minerals probably aren’t necessary and, in some cases, could be harmful.”
For example, too much calcium can cause problems with skeletal develop-ment in puppies, or zinc deficiencies, according to research cited in a paper published by Larsen.
But if you feed your pet a home-made diet, Larsen says extra nutrients are a must.
“The challenge is to determine what essential vitamins and minerals are missing from the diet and to use
a supplement to fill the gap. And for the average consumer, this is hard to figure out just by looking at the label.”
That’s why she suggests you con-sult with your veterinarian before pro-viding any supplements to your pet.
“Most over-the-counter multivita-mins or multinutrients are designed to be safe when added onto a com-plete and balanced pet food. But we’ve seen some cases of toxicity, so you may be giving your pet ‘too much of a good thing.’”
Unlike nutrient supplements, nutraceuticals are extracts from foods, which some claim provide health benefits.
“The most common nutraceuti-cals are glucosamine and chondroitin which are given for joint health,” Lar-sen says. “And omega-3 fatty acids are becoming incredibly popular because
there’s been so much discussion about them on the human nutrition side.”
Nutraceuticals are not considered drugs, so they don’t have to be proven effective or safe by the FDA. Neither nutraceuticals nor nutrient supple-ments are regulated by any official agency.
“Glucosamine and chondroitin are pretty safe and there’s some data to suggest they can be helpful. Any
adverse side effects are pretty mild, such as diarrhea. This can be
remedied by simply backing off the dosage. And omega
threes have a wide range of proposed benefits,”
Dr. Bones Larsen said.
When buy-ing supplement products that
include nutraceuti-cals, Larsen suggests
checking the label to see if the manufacturer is a member of the National Animal Supplement Council or NASC.
“The NASC has set up guidelines to assure quality control and con-taminant control,” she says. “Their focus is on safety, which is good. But whether these products do what they say they’ll do is a whole other question.”
Nutrients and Nutraceuticals: What Does Your Pet Need?by Jack Sommars
What exactly is a nutraceutical?Occupying a space somewhere between essential nutrients (those nutrients criti-cal to normal health, such as vitamins) and drugs with defined impacts on spe-cific diseases, nutraceuticals are bioactive chemicals derived from foods but taken as supplements at much higher concen-trations than diet alone could provide.
Thomas Hayden, “Getting to Know Nutraceuticals,” Scientific American (January 2008).
Will my pet receive pain medication after surgery?Ask your veterinarian for detailed expla-nations of what will be done to control your pet’s pain before, during, and after surgery.
Pain Drugs for Dogs: Be an Informed Pet Owner: www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2006/506_nsaid.html
Treatment for Pain in Cats: www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ivapm/animals/cats.htm#treatments
For example, too much calcium can cause problems with skeletal develop-ment in puppies, or zinc deficiencies, according to research cited in a paper published by Larsen.
But if you feed your pet a home-made diet, Larsen says extra nutrients are a must.
“The challenge is to determine what essential vitamins and minerals are missing from the diet and to use
nutraceuticals nor nutrient supplements are regulated by any official agency.
“Glucosamine and chondroitin are pretty safe and there’s some data to suggest they can be helpful. Any
adverse side effects are pretty mild, such as diarrhea. This can be
remedied by simply backing off the dosage. And omega
threes have a wide range of proposed benefits,”
Dr. Bones Larsen said.
ing supplement products that
include nutraceuticals, Larsen suggests
checking the label to see if the manufacturer is a member
Additional InformationAlberta (Canada) Veterinary Medical Association: www.avma.ab.ca/animal_health/comphealth6.htm#point2c
“Getting to Know Nutraceuticals”, Scientific American (January 2008): www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=getting-to-know-nutraceut
We all know what it takes to be a responsible pet owner, right? Food, water, shelter, plenty of love.
But wait, there’s more: Identity tags and microchipping, vaccinations and preventive care, treatment for chronic conditions, behavior training, exercise, grooming…
Taking good care of your pet is a lot like taking good care of yourself: To maintain good health and a high quality of life, you need to know the smart moves and commit to doing them every day.
Responsible Dog Ownership Day, celebrated throughout the month of September, is an opportunity to celebrate your pet and check your care routines against your veterinarian’s recom-mendations.
John Albers, DVM, Executive Director of the American Animal Hospital Association, which accredits vet-erinary clinics and hospitals, says that being a responsible pet owner begins with providing:• Regularveterinary
care, including annual wellness exams and lab tests, vaccinations, parasite screening and prevention, and dental care.
• Exerciseforbothyourpet’smindandbody.
• Adequatenutrition,discussedwithyour veterinarian and formulated based on your pet’s age and activity level.
• Training,socialization,andsafety,such as keeping your dog on a leash or in an enclosed area when necessary.
• Loveandaffection—yourdog’sreward for unconditional love.
Celebrate Pet OwnershipResponsible Dog Ownership Day, now in its sixth year, is sponsored by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Join the celebration by signing the Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise. While you’re online, check out events
and activities around the country, including obedience and agil-ity demonstrations, low-cost microchip-ping clinics, breed rescue information, therapy and service dog demonstrations, presentations about dog safety for children, and giveaways.
“Our dogs reward us daily with their companionship and loyalty. AKC Respon-sible Dog Ownership is about what we owe them in return,” says
Lisa Peterson, AKC spokesperson. “Our goal with both the events and the Pet Promise is to remind people about the commitment they make when they choose to get a dog.”
Responsible Dog Ownership DayDoing What’s Best for Your Dog, Day-by-Day
AAHA Blood Test Saves Dog from Silent Killer…continued from page 1
Many veterinarians recommend run-ning blood tests at each wellness exam to establish your pet’s baseline of val-ues for various things like protein, enzymes, and electrolytes, and to track changes in those values. This informa-tion helps your veterinar-ian detect devel-oping ailments in their very early stages, often before your pet shows vis-ible signs.
Amy Franklin of Denver, Colo., recently took her 9-year-old Labrador, Beijo, to AAHA-accredited Lone Tree
Veterinary Medical Center for a
complete blood
panel
before routine
dental work.Such tests are
recommended in the AAHA Standards of Accreditation as part of a compre-hensive pre-anesthetic plan for dental cleanings and other procedures requir-ing the use of general anesthetics.
Beijo’s test results revealed a fast-growing mast cell tumor. Mast cell tumors are often fatal because, by the time symptoms appear, the cancer is too advanced to successfully treat. The best chance a pet has of surviving a mast cell tumor is early detection.
Thanks to pre-anesthetic testing, Beijo is cancer-free and sporting clean teeth!
Mary Brussell, a certified veterinary technician who works on the AAHA accreditation team, tells a similar story. Recently she took Reggie, her 9-year-old border collie cross, to AAHA-accredited Mesa Veterinary Clinic, in Golden, Colo., for a geriatric wellness visit, including routine blood work.
Although Reggie appeared healthy, the test results showed elevated kidney
values. Christine Horst, DVM, recom-mended a urinalysis.
The results indicated Reggie was in the early stages of kidney failure. Kidney failure is fatal if left untreated, but because Horst caught the condition in its infancy, and is treating it aggres-sively, Mary and Reggie will enjoy many more happy years together.
For more information on laboratory tests, including what common tests reveal, ask your veterinarian for the AAHA brochure, Laboratory Testing for Your Pet.
AAHA’s Standards of Accreditation on Laboratory TestingOne-stop testing centers: AAHA requires all accredited practice teams toofferawidevarietyoflaboratorytests. If your clinic doesn’t perform the tests on-site, it must use the services of an outside laboratory. This means your pet will be able to have the test it really needs, no matter the size of the hospital.
Trained team members. AAHA stan-dards allow only well-trained team members, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians to conduct laboratory tests. Solidtrainingensuresfast,accurateresults with minimal retesting, yielding pinpoint diagnoses.
To find out whether your practice is accredited, visit HealthyPet.com and click on Find a Hospital.
Common Laboratory TestsPreventive:• • Fecal(parasites) • HeartwormPresurgical•Predental•Puppy/kitten•Geriatric•Electrolytes•Liver/kidney/thyroid function•Total blood panel•Urinalysis•
Additional InformationAKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day: www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/index.cfm
RDO Day Events: www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/events/
AKC Responsible Pet Ownership Promise: www.gopetition.com/online/9290.html; www.akc.org/pdfs/clubs/rdod/2006/Pet_Promise.pdf (printable version)
American Animal Hospital Association: www.healthypet.com
“The most important part of responsible dog ownership is to
treat your pet like you know you
should treat yourself.” — Scott McCall, DVM,
Animal Care Centers of Texas
Ada N.
PetsMatter 36
PetsMatter
Chips and Tags: A Winning Combination for Pets…continued from page 1
strike. Think about the thousands of ani-mals that were displaced by Hurricane Katrina or by the flooding we’re experi-encing most recently in the Midwest.”
That’s why Aja recommends every dog or cat be microchipped. The chips are implanted by veterinarians and cost between $30 and $70.
“It’s a simple procedure that only takes a few seconds,” he explains. “It’s similar to a vaccination, except we insert a chip the size of a grain of rice under the pet’s skin. There’s no need for anes-thesia. Your pet may make a little yelp, but it’s just like getting another shot.”
In almost every case, microchips are good for the life of your dog or cat. Millions of animals have been chipped in the past decade with very few side
effects. The sterile microchip does not contain a battery and is hermetically sealed with FDA-approved silica glass to prevent leakage.
“If your pet ever gets lost and is picked up by a good Samaritan or an animal control agency, it can be scanned at an animal shelter or vet-
erinary clinic,” says Stephen Barabas, DVM, senior manager of veterinary affairs at Schering-Plough HomeAgain, one of five companies that distributes microchips within the United States.
“If a microchip is under the skin, the scanner will display its unique identification code. Then the clinic or shelter will simply contact the manu-facturer or distribution company based on the code of the microchip. The company’s database is searched for the animal’s ID number and the pet owner is contacted.”
Some microchip companies provide additional services such as alerting local veterinary clinics and animal shelters when a pet is reported lost. Barabas says that more than 500,000 pets have been recovered by HomeAgain, more than
95,000 in 2007 alone.
Because the owner’s contact infor-mation is stored in the database, rather than on the chip itself, the chip does not need to be replaced each time the owner moves, or if the pet is adopted by someone else.
Unfortunately, some pet owners — as many as 50% — fail to enter their infor-mation into the database when the pet is microchipped, rendering the chip useless.
“Don’t assume your veterinarian has done this for you,” says Aja. “Some pet hospitals may fill out this paperwork, but many do not. Also, be sure you notify your microchip company whenever you move or change phone numbers or they won’t be able to track you down.”
He adds, “[A microchip] doesn’t replace the need for a collar tag. In fact, many of these animals are reunited because their collars tell the finder that the pet has been microchipped. That trig-gers the finder to take the pet to a shelter or veterinarian to have it scanned. That’s why almost all the microchip companies now provide tags for your pet. It really helps speed the process.”
Finally, a microchip is not a global positioning system.
“I had a client come to our office this week who wanted me to tell him where his dog was,” Aja says. “He thought I could check my computer and provide the exact location. Some day we may be able to do that. But, today’s chips are not powered. It’s a radio frequency that’s triggered when you run the scanner over the top of them.”
Additional Information
Microchipping article, AAHA HealthyPet.com Pet Care Library: www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=78
Schering-PloughHomeAgain: www.homeagain.com
“It’s a simple procedure that only takes a few seconds.”— Daniel Aja, DVM
PetsMatter4 5
Technician TrainingTechnicians learn wellness information by attending continuing education conferences locally and nationally. They read veterinary publications, and receive data from product companies who pro-vide training tools and seminars to the practicestaff.
Credentialed technicians — called certified or registered technicians — may have earned an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, have passed state and national board exams, and attend continuing edu-cation courses each year. (Requirements vary by state.)
Technicians know your doctor’s recom-mendations for the wellness of your pet. They are another open door of communi-cation to the practice.
Team Up with Technicians to Keep Your Pet Wellby Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR
Your family has a new puppy, and you have a lot to learn about caring for Scout.
Duke is still active, but you know six years old is middle age for a large dog.
Contessa is a Persian entering her twilight years. You want to keep her comfortable in her stately bed.
Every pet has different health issues and needs. Your family veterinary practice team can help you understand each one. A key player on that team is the veterinary technician.
Veterinary technicians play an important role in helping to ensure your pet’s long and healthy life. Not only do technicians assist veteri-narians in the medical care of your pet, they can also advise you about ways to keep your pet at peak health.
An Ounce of PreventionAs your ally in wellness care, veteri-nary technicians provide the informa-tion and instructions you need to keep your pets well and improve their quality of life. How can you tap into the wealth of knowledge your technician is eager to share? Ask!• Parasite control
See the damage heartworms can do, and find out what other kinds of bugs live on — or in — your pet.
• Vaccinations Learn why the benefits of vaccinations outweigh the risks and which vaccina-tions are necessary for your pet.
• Laboratorytests Learn what routine monitoring can tell you about your pet’s general health and why special testing is required before surgery or for pets with certain conditions.
Additional InformationBecoming a Veterinary Technician: www.avma.org/careforanimals/ animatedjourneys/aboutvets/becomingtech.asp
FAQs About Technicians: www.navta.net/education/faq.php
• Weight Find out whether your pet is obese, and get recommendations for main-taining a diet and exercise program to keep your pet fit.
• Nutrition Explore the world of nutrition,
including how the right food or supplements can help relieve allergies, control weight, or help to alleviate joint pain.•Dentalcare Get a hands-on demonstra-tion of how to brush your
pet’s teeth and learn about the link between periodontal
disease and heart disease.• Seniorcare
Ask about changes you should expect as your pet ages, special precautious that can make life easier for your elderly pet, and signs that indicate common geriatric conditions.
• Exercise Before introducing your dog to any new active regime — agility training, swimming, hunting, jogging — seek advice on conditioning, general fitness, and ongoing care to prevent injuries.
• Pain Learn how pets show pain, what you can do if your pet suffers from chronic pain, and the pros and cons of treatment options, from acupunc-ture to prescription medication.
Call or visitIf you have questions about any of these topics, feel free to ask the techni-cian about them during your next visit — or call now.
Working with your veterinary practice team, it’s easy to do your part to keep your pet in peak health — and in good company with bouncy Scouts, comfort-able Dukes, and content Contessas.
