A Recap of 2011

Photo Credit: Susannah Kay

It’s hard to imagine that five years or so ago, I had no idea what a blog was. In fact, my current spell check doesn’t recognize “blog” as a word.  Does yours? When I first learned about blogging, it took me awhile to buy into the notion that people would actually take the time to read another person’s musings. Well, I’m sure as heck glad and grateful that you are interested in mine! Many thanks for taking the time to post your thoughtful and insightful comments.

Out of the fifty or so blogs I posted last year, I’ve selected the ten best that I thought might be worthy of showcasing, particularly if you did not get a chance to read them the first time around. Now, here’s a look back at 2011!

The Elephant in the Middle of the Exam Room

The so-called “elephant” in the exam room that I discussed was money. I addressed the following questions: Are veterinarians only in it for the bucks? Are clients being charged too much? How are vets to make a living with soaring overhead costs and monumental school loans? Are “fixable” animals being euthanized because the price of making them well is too high?

Dog Auctions

I shared some of the gruesome details about dog auctions, a venue where puppy millers buy and sell their “livestock”. I also told you about a woman named Mary O’Connor-Shaver, a leader of the peaceful protests at Ohio dog auctions. Mary just informed me that she and a crew of other hard-working volunteers are just inches away from having enough signatures to create a 2012 ballot initiative which would ban dog auctions in Ohio. Way to go Mary! I hope the ballot initiative passes and the work she and her volunteers have done will set an example for other states.

The Time of Year to Think About Colorblind Adoptions

As it turns out, dark coated dogs and cats are often the hardest animals to rehome. This blog addressed the reasons why and was timed to coincide with Halloween, a time when many adoption agencies restrict adoption of black-coated animals.

Criticism Welcome Here

This blog was generated from some negative feedback I received from a reader about my support of the American Kennel Club Health Foundation.

A Primer on Leptospirosis

Your comments in response to this blog let me know that the information I provided about Leptospirosis helped you make better-informed choices about whether or not to vaccinate your own dogs against this disease.

Pedicures: Definitely Not for Everyone

Some dogs turn pedicures into wrestling matches! Many trainers provided comments containing excellent advice about how to desensitize dogs to having their feet and nails handled.

Who Was Dr. Leo Bustad?

I was the incredibly fortunate recipient of the 2011 Leo Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award (presented by the American Veterinary Medical Association). I did some research to learn more about the man behind the award and then shared that information with you.

Anesthesia Free Dental Cleaning

Cleaning teeth on awake animals has been steadily becoming more popular. I present the positive and not-so-positive results of doing so.

Can You Take Your Dog By Surprise When It’s Time For a Walk?

This is a blog post about how adept our animals are at reading our minds!

Age is Just a Number

When making medical decisions for their pets, many people factor in the animal’s age. I discuss the importance of considering the animal’s functional age rather than their chronological age.

As I begin a new year of blogging, I invite your ideas. What would you like to read about in 2012?

Best wishes for a happy new year,

Nancy Kay, DVM

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health.   There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at http://www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.

Resolutions for the New Year That Will Benefit You and Your Pet

The transition to a new calendar year may inspire you to muster the resolve to make good changes in your life. How about the lives of your pets? No time like the present to make some new year’s resolutions that will benefit both of you. Here are three suggestions:

More Face Time With Your Pets

Our furry family members are more than happy to be our exercise partners, confidantes, psychotherapists, and nonelectric heating blankets. Take advantage of such pet-facilitated services as much as possible this year!

What dog doesn’t crave attention from their favorite human? Teach your best friend some new tricks. Begin working on that long overdue grooming. Get your pup out for more exercise (lose the sedentary human behavior at the dog park). Don’t let the winter weather be a deterrent. Go shopping for some canine winter apparel and gift yourself with Dr. Phil Zeltzman’s book, Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound to glean some inspiration!

What about our kitties? Well you know how it is- cats tend to like things on their terms. However, even the most curmudgeonly of cats will benefit from a feather toy tempting them to expend some energy and some affectionate scratches under the chin. The challenge is to spend more quality time with your kitties while convincing them that the activity is of their choosing.

Fewer Vaccinations

Your adult pet’s good health requires inoculation with core vaccinations no more than once every three years. The term “core” is reserved for those vaccines, such as distemper, that are recommended for every adult animal. Overvaccinating (vaccinating more than once every three years) exposes your best little buddy to needless risk (yes, there is some risk associated with every vaccination). Besides, why spend your hard earned money on something that is completely unnecessary?

If your veterinarian has remained on the “once a year bandwagon” and the thought of convincing him or her otherwise gives you a case of the willies, I encourage you to read the chapter called, “Discussion About Your Dog’s Vaccinations” in Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet. Kathie please make this a live link to the Amazon page The information found there will provide you with all the inspiration you need to broach the vaccination conversation with your vet. (For those of you who are cat fanciers, please know that my hope is to create the feline version of this book within the year. In the meantime, know that the basic principles provided in Your Dog’s Best Health apply to kitty care as well.)

Recruit a Professional to Help With Your Pet’s Behavioral Issues

Would you love to be able to leave your dog home alone for more than ten minutes without the house being destroyed? Would you be ecstatic if your precious puss quit spraying your walls with his version of graffiti? Would you relish the idea of taking your dog for a walk without having to ice your shoulder afterwards? There is no time like the present to tackle such behavioral issues. I encourage you to get the professional help you need so that you and your pet can fully enjoy cohabitating. Chronic behavior issues tend to gradually result in more and more isolation for the pet until most of their waking hours are spent within a crate, a single room of the house, or the backyard. Such isolation begets even more negative adaptive behaviors, and the end result may be relinquishment to a shelter or rescue organization; worse yet, euthanasia.

Please know that if your dog or cat has a significant behavioral issue, you are certainly not alone. Also know that the sooner the issue is dealt with, the happier the outcome will be for both you and your pet. Hiring a pro to help you work out a behavior bugaboo will be one of the best investments you make this year!

When choosing a trainer or behaviorist, check in with your veterinarian for a recommendation. Additionally, check out the websites below. You’ll find lots of information about how to choose the right person to help you with the issue at hand. These sites also have “locators” to help you find a professional in your area.

Association of Pet Dog Trainers

Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

Animal Behavior Society

American College of Veterinary Behaviorists

Have you made any “pet resolutions” this year? Does your pet have a behavioral issue that is affecting the quality of your life? Have you successfully dealt with a significant behavioral issue in the past? Please share what you know so that others may offer advice and/or benefit from what you have learned.

Best wishes for a happy new year,

Nancy Kay, DVM

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.