Nationwide Veterinary Analytics released the second of three white papers with important canine cancer risk data in March 2022. Here's a video talking through the headlines and showing the main charts and much of the same information in text below too. They focused on the 25 top / most popular dog breeds, so many of us don't get information for our own dog breeds. It's still really interesting, though. Let's take a look at what we've learned. 

I just finished writing an article about a crisis in veterinary medicine with the mental health and overall wellbeing of veterinarians and their veterinary hospital teams, driven in part by the increased demands for veterinary services and the increased abuse they face from cranky clients. Recently, I've also become aware of more and more people in my circle of dog lovers -- online and otherwise -- getting fired by various veterinary hospitals across the country.

I find it hard to believe that ALL of these folks are being major jerks. Still, it seemed like an urgent need to discuss what's happening, why, and how NOT to get fired as a veterinary client. Here are my best tips + a video explaining (sometimes ranting) about what NOT to do. 

I don't go into this in the video, but I said something similar on social media with some friends, which is basically this. While I understand why people are getting fired as veterinary clients more these days and goodness knows I'm a major supporter of veterinary teams, I'm also hopeful that the pendulum will swing back to a normal spot, where veterinary clients are allowed to express their concerns, ask questions, and advocate for their pets ... without being fired. Total compliance and instant acquiescence should not be required by everyone, every time ... especially in emergency situations when people are freaking out and having a hard time processing everything ... especially from the parking lot.

That said, what I share in this video is on behalf of veterinarians and their teams who are currently being treated abusively at levels never before seen.

I wrote 5 articles for a major veterinary organization in 4 days about the ways veterinarians must adapt to the reality of COVID19 pandemic. Based on the interviews and research I did for those articles, here are 5 ways the COVID19 pandemic may affect access to veterinary care for your pets. 

One-third of veterinary hospitals will be up for sale within the next 10 years. That's nearly 8,600 spots with big changes in veterinary hospital ownership. Some will indeed sell -- most likely to a big corporation or multi-state veterinary group. Some won't. Either way, it'll affect pet-loving consumers. Here's how.

It's an interesting thing to head into a new year thinking that goals and plans and purposes are all set. As hard as some things seem, we forge ahead and do the work and take steps toward the original plan. Then, a bunch of stuff happens and fate keeps bonking you in the nose, until you get the hint. This is the story of something like that -- at least part of it. Yes, it involves dogs. Don't miss this news. It's good. I promise. It's about Mr Stix. 

I saw this medication warning while scrolling through FB this week, and I wanted to be sure you saw it too. It's called 5-fluorouracil is deadly for dogs and cats. It is often used for human dermatology cases, including certain forms of skin cancer. 

While Clover and Tori may or may not ever compete in various dog sports, we are working on earning some Trick Dog titles. In 2017, when I considered Clover's debut into agility competitions, I did the paperwork for her PAL listing through the AKC. Tori didn't have an official dog name yet, so I just did hers recently so that we could apply for their Novice Trick Dog Titles. Alas, we hit a snag on choosing Tori's "registered" name. Somebody bought some of the words I wanted to use in Tori's official dog name so that no one else can use them for like 5 years. Really. So weird. Usually kennel names are more original than that. 

As we started testing the theory that Tori could, in fact, now ride in the car without getting sick, we took her to her first-ever agility class in early July 2018. After years of only doing agility at home with the equipment we have here and what I can teach her on my own (after years and years of classes, even though I've never competed), Tori walked out and nailed it. It was the sweetest, funniest thing to see. Don't miss this short video. 

We're not quite ready to declare total victory on Tori's life among carsick dogs, but she has gone for 3 whole trips to town and back without throwing up in July. Maybe she is *finally outgrowing her car troubles. Maybe we finally found the right combination, dosages, and timing of meds for carsick dogs. Maybe she loved going to agility class (for the first time) so much that it has helped her realize that the car can take her fun places. As a joke now, Tom likes to use his "Tori voice" to say, "Car travel is my passion!" which makes me giggle after 3 years of car struggles with our sweet girl.