September 2023 Newsletter
Call to Action:
One of our very own LVTs, Alyssa, is working on obtaining her MS in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare and will be performing a study on stress in dogs having their blood drawn in the veterinary hospital this fall.
She is looking for 40 dogs to participate and needs some dedicated volunteers who meet the following criteria:
Dogs aged between 2-10 years
Generally healthy and living in the current home for at least 6 months
Due for bloodwork during the study period (roughly September 2023 through January 2024)
Not currently on any medications (other than flea, tick, and heartworm preventative) and does not require pre-visit medications for stress and anxiety in the hospital
The purpose of this study is to assess dogs’ physiological and behavioral responses to stress experienced in the veterinary hospital when blood is drawn and to assess the validity of the Fear Free™ Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) Scale.
If you are interested in volunteering to participate in this study and want more information, please complete this consent form and Alyssa will be in touch with more detailed information and scheduling options!
Home Alone (dog’s version)
While we of course know we’d never leave our dog “Home Alone” Macaulay-Culkin-style, our pets may think differently as kids head back to school, teens head off to college, and parents spend their days at work — leaving the house empty for hours.
This sudden change in routine and company in the home can be stressful and isolating for your pets. To help relieve this stress you can try easing them into the routine by everyone leaving the house for a few hours at a time leading up to the schedule changes, having other pets in the home, or making sure they have their favorite toy or comfort blanket while you’re gone.
Check out this article for more insight, tips, and tricks about helping prepare both your family and your dog for school-related changes in schedules, prolonged absences, or even shared/split households between family members.
How to Talk to Your Vet…Dr. Google is not a DVM
We’re ALL guilty of it…you’re sick or don’t feel well, and you’re not quite sure what it is so you type the symptoms into Google and suddenly you’re being diagnosed with some crazy disease and have 3 hours to live. So why would we act differently with our pets?
It’s natural to have fears and concerns when a pet is sick or not their normal self but just like us humans should rely on our doctors for proper diagnosis, we should be relying on our vets for our pet’s medical care and diagnoses.
So if we shouldn’t be typing our concerns and symptoms into the search bar, how do we properly relay these to our vet during an appointment?
Check out this article for information directly from various DVMs (Doctors of Veterinary Medicine) about recommended communication methods, collaboration on making a plan, and what they can’t decide for you.
DVM Blog Post Highlight - Fleas Love Fall
In this month’s DVM Blog post, Dr. Ungerer does a review on fleas as we enter their prevalent season. The article will take a look at what fleas are, what risks/diseases they carry, how to detect and prevent them, and the importance of YEAR-ROUND protection for ALL pets. Yes, this does include indoor cats!
Fear Free Tip of the Month
So your doctor has prescribed PVPs (pre-visit pharmaceutical) for vet visits; what does this mean? First, it is important to understand that this is a medical recommendation to treat fear, anxiety, or stress associated with veterinary visits. This is not a judgment or fear of your pet or something to be embarrassed about.
Review this article for more information on what PVPs are, how they work, and how they should be used. Always discuss changes in medications and reactions with your vet as PVPs often require trial and error to find the right “cocktail” for your pet.