Posts tagged "veterinarian"

After eight years on the job, British veterinarian Matthew Watkinson became disenchanted enough with the profession he once worked so hard to join that he quit, wrote a scathing book about the veterinary industry and penned a shocking Daily Mail article -- "Why I'm Ashamed to be a Vet" -- exposing the money-grubbing ways of unscrupulous veterinarians.

"A whole industry has arisen out of squeezing the most money out of treating family pets," Watkinson writes in the article published by the Daily Mail. Watkinson accuses financially-motivated veterinarians of ordering unnecessary procedures, prolonging a sick pet's life with expensive treatments merely to generate higher fees and even researching a pet owner's home address to determine wealth and how much the client could be charged.

"I'm not saying everybody does it, and it's probably not the majority," Watkinson, 32, tells Paw Nation. "But there are people in this profession who do things like that. There are veterinary practices where a vet is given minimum financial targets and has to make a certain amount of money per consult." Pet insurance can be helpful to pet owners in emergencies, says Watkinson, but "it's an easy excuse for some veterinarians to take advantage of the system." And what about a client who owns a purebred dog with a lot of inherited problems? "It's a potential goldmine," says Watkinson.

Dogs eat the darndest things. Hobbs, an English Bulldog, is no exception.

On Friday night, Hobb's owners noticed that that the English Bulldog was coughing a bit. But his condition worsened rapidly: Hobbs vomited throughout the night, and by Saturday morning, his tongue was purple and he was very lethargic. They immediately took him to Dr. Keaton Smith (the same vet who removed the barbecue fork from Smokey the Chihuahua's head).

Smith ordered a radiograph of Hobbs' chest cavity. "It was a wreck!" he tells Paw Nation. "Pneumonia had set in so fast, the fluid accumulation and bronchitis were severe. There was so much irritation around his lung lobes, I couldn't even hear the heart with my stethoscope."

In today's economy, everyone's looking for ways to save money and sadly, many pet owners have to consider giving up their beloved animals. Here are some of our best tips for saving big on pets, supplies, food, vet bills, and those other costs that can really add up.

Save on the pet itself.
Buying a thoroughbred dog or cat can be really pricey. Consider adopting an animal from a shelter. Not only will you save a ton of money, you'll save an animal's life.

Get free stuff (and have fun doing it).
Brides-to-be do it. Expecting moms do it. Why shouldn't a new pet owner get a bunch of free stuff too? Plan a new pet shower (or host one for a friend -- good karma!). Send Evites, make it a potluck, and ask each guest to bring toys, food, treats, a bed, scratching post, or whatever else a new pet owner would need. It will save you money -- and will be a lot of fun to boot.

Buy used.
Guess what -- Fluffy doesn't care if her pet carrier or crate are used or new. Look on eBay, Craigslist, or your local newspaper for used pet supplies. Just make sure whatever used items you get are thoroughly disinfected before use. Spraying down with a good cleaning supply should do the trick.

Save on food and supplies.
Get pet supplies, including basics like cat litter, dog food, and toys, at a discount from catalogs like PetEdge and Doctors Foster and Smith. Don't forget that most pet food manufacturers offer coupons on their websites. Better yet, buy in bulk from a price club like BJ's, Costco, or Sam's Club. (Just don't tell your pet where that enormous bag of food is kept...)

What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Dr. Avenelle Turner
Age: 34
Job: Veterinary Oncologist

How long have you been a veterinarian?
Almost 10 years.

What made you want to be a vet?
I'd always wanted to be one, since my earliest memory. I've always liked animals. Friends I've known since elementary school have always remembered me wanting to be a vet.

What does it take to become a vet?
First you'll need a four-year degree from an undergraduate school. Then it's similar to going to medical school. You apply, and if you're admitted, veterinary school is four years.

You specialize in veterinary oncology?
Yes, I'm board certified. Most oncologists have gone to veterinary school, then at least three to four years of post-education to get certified in oncology. We take two exams – one is a qualifying test, the second is more of a specific test for oncology. If you pass both, then you become a board-certified oncologist.

Did you grow up with animals?
Yes, dogs. I like cats, but didn't grow up with them. When I was old enough to get animals, I got a cat to see what it was like to live with one and I do love them.

What made you want to go into oncology?
It's hard to say. I never actually wanted to do it. I thought it was quite sad. But when I did my internship, I got to see a lot of different cases and I liked the oncology patients better. I think the owners are more dedicated, the patients are typically older and they usually come with a story.

When you refer to "patients" are you talking about the animals you see?
Yes. Owners are clients. Dogs and cats are patients.

Do you only treat dogs and cats?
I do. Technically, veterinarians can treat all large animals, but if you don't use it, you lose it, so I wouldn't know what to do if I saw a horse or a cow.

Isn't it a sad job sometimes?
My goal is to make these animals as comfortable as possible for as long as possible. If I do that, that's a success. So, is it sad? Sure. I absolutely know that I'm going to say goodbye to these animals -- sometimes in a couple of months, sometimes in a couple of years. But if I didn't do it, all of these animals would be dead in a few months. So you have to evaluate what your goals for success are. And success is not always a cure.

How do you handle the down side of your job?
You realize that in life there are sad things. You realize that there are certain people and animals that you can help. I feel like if I didn't do this, nobody would be there to help them. During their treatment and afterwards, they have a significant amount of time where their quality of life is relatively good. They usually have the exact same – or very close to – quality of life they had before they got sick.

What are the pet owners like that you meet in your practice?
It takes a special person to actually pursue treating their pet for cancer. Most of the animals are members of their family, so maintaining their family unit is very important. When they know there's something that can be done to make their animal feel better, most people do it.

Source

All young dogs go through a teething process when their chompers start growing in. Baby teeth are falling out and adult teeth are beginning to erupt, which can be very uncomfortable, leading your pooch to "teeth" on things to help alleviate some discomfort. The puppy also may simply be playing and assumes you find this behavior to be cute.

You need to set some ground rules and teach your puppy as early as possible that biting is unacceptable .

Make sure your puppy has numerous toys to play with and chew on so it can attempt to relieve its pain on something other than your feet.

Also talk to your veterinarian about training options and ideas. The sooner you correct this behavior, the better off you and your pup will be.