Fostering a pet is a great choice if you want a furry friend in your family. It prepares you to become a pet owner and helps shelter pets prepare for adoption. If this is your first time fostering a pet, here are some tips to become a successful foster parent. Make sure you have the […]
Maintaining Your Pet’s Healthy Weight
The internet loves overweight dogs. Who doesn’t like watching a chubby, wrinkly pug roll around the floor? If you’re the Instagram account administrator of the aforementioned pug, you probably get plenty of likes and a nice paycheck from Instagram too. It all seems well – you’re happy, your dog seems happy, and everyone gets a […]
What Your Pet Thinks About Cancer
Getting to the final diagnosis is easy. Bloodwork, chest radiographs, abdominal ultrasounds, needle sampling, and other more specific tests are typically performed to determine the type of cancer and degree of spread throughout the body. This workup provides a clearer understanding of the chemoradiotherapy needed and ultimately how much time is left. It can be […]
Why You Should Microchip Your Pet
Microchipping is safe, simple, and affordable. A microchip is a tiny chip injected with a needle under the skin and between the shoulder blades. All microchips have unique numbers and they are easy to scan. I believe all responsible owners should consider microchipping their pets. According to the AVMA, microchipped dogs are more than twice […]
How to Prepare for Your First Year of Veterinary School
Becoming a first-year veterinary student is both exciting and challenging. The first months of veterinary school tend to be the most difficult, and it’s all about adjusting to a new environment. Although the transition from pre-veterinary school to veterinary school comes with challenges, it also presents unique learning opportunities. Here are my tips to prepare […]
Summer Health Risks for Our Pets
Summer has officially begun and the heat is back! As a veterinarian, I see a lot of heat-related signs in pets, especially dogs and cats. Not many new pet owners know that animals can experience a heat stroke, which can be life-threatening. I have noticed that short-nosed, long-haired, and young pets are at increased risk. […]
How to Talk to Clients as a Veterinarian
Good client communication is essential in practicing veterinary medicine. The ability to communicate effectively leads to trust and confidence in pet care, making your clients more likely to follow advice and agree with your diagnostic/treatment plan. Here are some tips on talking to clients: DO: Always discuss the possible causes of the symptoms/signs and be […]
The Story of Honey: A Heartworm-Positive Dog
This story has been shared with owner’s permission. Heartworm disease is a preventable disease caused by the larva Dirofilaria immitis, but it could be fatal if not treated. In the past months in practice, I have seen a few pets with heart disease, but I have not yet treated a positive heartworm case. I recently […]
One Health For All Species
There’s a Buddhist proverb that clearly defines how everything is connected. “This is because that is. This is not, because that is not. This ceases to be because that ceases to be.” Everything, animate and inanimate, is connected and part of a greater whole. It is as part of this greater whole that we, as […]
The Power of One Health
One Health is a concept that recognizes the connection between the health of animals, people, and the environment. I first became familiar with One Health after attending a talk at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. This talk familiarized me with One Health and its practical use for veterinary and human health professionals. The […]
