A Kenneling Alternative

Jennifer Houghton

Celebrating National Veterinarian Technician Week

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This week you can celebrate the wonderful people who do the important work at veterinary offices all over the country. November 17-23 is National Veterinarian Technician Week.

The American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA) recognizes the value of these staff members on their website, offering thanks for all they do. AVMA says that Vet Techs are “critical to the day-to-day function of veterinary practices, and play vital roles in preserving animal health and welfare.”

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) focuses this year’s event on self care. The theme is appropriate considering that Vet Techs “have worked incredibly hard over the past 18 months, handling a workload and stress level never seen before.  It is critically important that NAVTA emphasize the importance of self-care and a healthy work-life balance.”

Understandably, with the number of pandemic pets adopted, it is no surprise that the volume of work for the pet healthcare industry has been overwhelming.

The poster for this year emphasizes who Vet Techs are “when the stethoscope comes off”. They highlight the many activities your Vet Tech might be engaged in when not in an exam room, lab, or office setting. You can find out more by going to their website at https://www.navta.net/page/nat_vet_tech . 

According to the Vet Tech Colleges website, Vet Techs are highly trained professionals deserving of recognition and gratitude. “Compared to human medicine, a Vet Tech can serve as a laboratory technician, a respiratory therapist, a dietician, a nurse, a radiation tech, an anesthesiologist, and a physical therapist in a single role.” 

If you are looking for gift ideas for your favorite Vet Tech, Vet Tech Colleges offers some options to consider at https://www.vettechcolleges.com/blog/vet-tech-appreciation-week. 

Thanks to all of our Vet Tech friends!

Barkapalooza is Back This Weekend

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Floofins & Co. will be taking part in the events of Barkapalooza 2021. The events, hosted by the West Human Suburban Humane Society, will benefit the homeless animals under their care.

Events begin at 10 a.m. and run until 2 p.m. and are held at the Lisle Community Park on Sunday, September 26th.

Free parking is available and the day will contain fun, food, and games designed to end animal homelessness. Individuals can collect pledges and join the walkathon. Dogs are welcome at the event. Events include a $1,000 raffle, microchipping, a photo booth, artistic grooming, animal communicator, rescues, shopping, food, and prizes. Enjoy a day filled with fun, food and games while helping to end animal homelessness.

For more details, check out the website at https://www.wshs-dg.org/news-events/barkapalooza-2021.

How Do I Know If My Pet Is In Pain?

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I think about pet pain a lot. My dog, Ginger, is 11 years old now and beginning to turn from a vibrant red to a heavy dose of white fur. And she’s struggled with lameness.

September is Pain Awareness Month for both pets and people. But, unlike those of us training for fall marathons who can articulate where our bodies hurt, pets cannot.

Signs

“According to the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), more than 45 million household pets suffer from chronic or acute pain.”

Signs that you should look for according to International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) include the following list of most common signs of pain:

  • Decreased activity – Take notice if your animal is not playing as much as usual
  • Not going up or down stairs – This could be an early sign of osteoarthritis
  • Reluctance to jump onto surfaces – This especially applies to cats
  • Difficulty standing after laying down – This is a sign of osteoarthritis
  • Decreased appetite – This can signal mouth pain
  • Over grooming or licking a particular area – This can be a sign of referred pain

What To Do

Fortunately, there are a number of options available to pet parents. Ginger was able to get some physical therapy, massage, and laser treatments. That, combined with some relatively inexpensive medications, have returned her to a level of activity that is satisfying to see.

While her veterinarians were all good doctors, the resources available to do the therapy and laser treatments came as a result of a conversation with a behaviorist trainer. Her bloodwork never identified acute health concerns. It was only after doing a few expensive X-rays that some early spinal issues were spotted.

You may have to investigate resources for your pet if they are showing signs of pain. Fortunately, as the pet care industry has expanded, so have the number of options. Your vet may be able to offer suggestions for quality treatment options if their practice doesn’t provide them.

You are your pet’s best advocate, so keep an eye on them and have any signs of possible chronic pain looked into. You’ll both feel better.

National Service Dog Month

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Some dogs get up and get dressed to go to work like the human population. These dogs, often recognized by their vests or ID tags, are service dogs. September is Service Dog Awareness Month. How much do you know about service dogs?

Definition

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is defined as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”   You may be familiar with seeing different types of service dogs: guide dogs; medical alert dogs; or psychiatric service dogs.

And other types of dogs have support roles for people, but do not meet the definition of a working dog to qualify for the accommodations under the ADA. For example, emotional support animals and therapy dogs play a significant role to the individuals they serve. But, these animals are not considered ADA defined service dogs.

Training

The AKC reports that both for-profit and non-profit organizations train services dogs. The cost to train a single dog can exceed $25,000. Standards are high for these dogs. Dropout rates range between 50 and 70 percent.

A fact that surprised me was that service dogs do not have to be professionally trained per the ADA. So, an individual could train their own dog. The AKC suggests the ideal candidate have the following characteristics:

  • Be calm, especially in unfamiliar settings
  • Be alert, but not reactive
  • Have a willingness to please
  • Able to learn and retain information
  • Be capable of being socialized to many different situations and environments
  • Be reliable in performing repetitive tasks

Interaction

It’s important to note that not all service dogs wear vests. And like all dog etiquette, requesting permission to approach or pet a dog. Service dogs are not considered pets, but rather working animals.

If you want to find out what it is like to have a service dog, check out a first-hand account on the AKC’s website: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/what-its-really-like-to-have-a-service-dog-national-service-dog-month/

Take Your Cat To The Vet Day

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According to PetMD, a recent study showed that more than half of the cats in the US had not been seen by a veterinarian in the past year for a wellness exam.

While I do not parent a cat, I know many people who do have cats. And they all indicate that getting their cat to the vet’s office is one of their biggest challenges. From the disappearing cat act when the carrier appears, to the fight to get them into the carrier and car, and the subsequent fight to get them out of the carrier at the vet’s office, it goes on and on. 

The woes of transport lead many cat parents to simply avoid the annual visit to the vet for a checkup. Many cite undo stress as the reason they opt to avoid the ordeal. According to PetMD, cats have a unique survival tactic that results in them attempting to hide symptoms of an illness until they simply can no longer do so. 

That means skipping those annual visits may result in a missed opportunity to address a treatable disease until it is too late to head off the worst. 

Symptoms and Signs

Since cats are creatures of habits, some signs that you should signal an immediate trip to the vet might be needed include:

  • Hiding
  • Change in eating or appetite
  • New litter box habits
  • Chang in sleeping location 

Strategies

There are some ways to minimize stress in those trips to the veterinarian with your cat. First, don’t get the carrier out until you are leaving for the vet’s office. Pulling it out too soon can result in a game of hide and seek you probably don’t want to play.

Second, you can build a positive association with the carrier in the months leading up to the visit. Or, consider a mild sedative prescribed by your vet to take the edge off your cat’s anxiety. If all of that fails, see if your vet would make a house call (there are still some that practice on site visits).

Let National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day be a motivator to get your feline seen for a wellness exam.