Pet Talk
The Three Legged Dog
August 26, 2008
As I was standing at my operating table amputating a gangrenous leg, I couldn’t stop thinking about the difficult journey we had traveled to get to this point. A loving owner was now facing a serious financial burden for the treatment of her pet.
Her dog had been injured while attempting to jump a fence; the leg had become caught and tangled, an injury that quickly lead to severe damage and a necessary amputation. Saving the leg was possible, but would’ve cost the owner $6,000 to $7,000. Who has that kind of disposable money? It was a young and energetic dog with an owner who was scared for her best friend’s health and well-being – and who was financially unprepared for such an emergency.
None of us expect massive injuries that require costly treatment, but as pet owners we need to be aware of the possibilities – and that there are ways we can help be better prepared, such as pet insurance. I recommend a simple policy to cover catastrophic events. A monthly premium of $15 to $20 would cover the thousands of dollars for severe injuries or illnesses. Here are a few links to pet insurance companies:
Online Medications: Friend or Foe?
August 15, 2008
I recently read this article from the Food and Drug Administration about pet medication sales on the Internet. For those of you who purchase, or are thinking about purchasing, your pet’s medications online, this is definitely an article to take a look at. Although attractive due to the supposedly lower costs of certain products, there is potential risk involved.
I’m Dr. Bobby
July 22, 2008
Imagine the weather as 98 degrees with 85 percent humidity nine months out
of the year. Weather that’s so hot that going to the lake isn’t even fun. That’s where
my wife, Jaime, daughter, Alyssa (Ally for short), and I moved from in October of
2006. Be that as it may, if you live in Texas, Austin is definitely the place to be.
Live music at virtually every restaurant, the world’s best Mexican food and BBQ,
and Jaime really seemed to enjoy the shopping.
We’ve been in Fort Collins and at Aspen Grove for about a year and half now.
What a place! There’s nothing I enjoy more than coming home in the evenings
and sitting outside on my deck. I’ve not spent so much time outside as I have
since we moved here.
I hope you have enjoyed our new website so far. This blog is sort of an
experiment for us. It’s purpose is to tell readers and clients about current news
going on in animal health, answer common questions I hear from clients,
and, of course, to share a little bit about my patients.
One of the things I’ve seen is a real increase in parasites this season. I’ve had
more than double the number patients from last year come in with fleas and ticks.
I highly recommend that if you’re out enjoying this beautiful weather that you protect your pet with parasite prevention such as Frontline. Frontline has no expiration date so one box could last you until next year. Also, be sure to keep up on your Heartgard.
