Idiopathic Issues

The Holiday Season is in full swing and I don’t know about you, but it is a struggle for me to make good food choices and find the time to exercise during all of the festivities.  Unfortunately for our pets there seems to be a correlation with our Winter weight gain and their Winter weight gain.  I had so many Spring Wellness exams that started out with, Fluffy has gained quite a bit of weight over the Winter and we will need to do something about that.  

In a way, I feel for the clients.  If you live in a cold climate it can be hard to take your dog out for a walk when it is freezing cold or freezing rain.  The sidewalks get clogged with ice and snow and it is dark out earlier so it really can be treacherous to take your pup out for a walk.  Unfortunately, if you are like me, you feel guilty when you don’t take your dog for a walk so you make up for it by giving treats.  Decreased calories out and increased calories in is a dangerous equation for weight gain.

December Spotlight Veterinarian- Dr. Sarah Boston, DVM, DVSc, Dipl ACVS, ACVS Founding Fellow of Surgical Oncology

Dr. Boston is a 1996 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, SK, Canada.  She is a Surgical Oncologist from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and she has an amazing story of perseverance and resilience.  She is not only a distinguished professor and surgeon but she is also a cancer survivor and author.  Her accomplishments in both her professional and personal lives are inspirational and I encourage you to learn more about this incredible person.  

Idiopathic Issues: What is your Current Position?

Sarah Boston: Associate Professor of Veterinary Surgical Oncology Jean Imparato Professor of Canine Oncology Service Chief, Oncology College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida

What is the SAVMA Symposium?

SAVMA is the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Every year, they hold a symposium, or large meeting at one of the U.S. veterinary schools.

It's only December and Summer is far far away, but it's never too early to start thinking about what you might want to do with your Summer vacation. Some veterinary students are already set in their plans for the summer. Others may be just beginning to consider their options for what they might do to fill their time. For those with a long Winter break you may be able to apply some of these ideas to your extended time off.  If you need something to keep your brain from turning completely to mush and to help bulk up your CV, here are a list of popular ideas to help:

Dog parks are some of the happiest places on earth.  When I was in vet school, I didn’t have a yard and I loved taking my dog to an area where she could run off leash and socialize with other dogs.  It was a great stress reliever to sit there and watch all of the happy pups playing together.  

However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.  Sometimes there were aggressive dogs or owners, little kids that didn’t know boundaries or sad pets that were left alone in the park like it was a doggie daycare.  

As a veterinarian I have been lucky to see very few emergencies from the dog park, but unfortunately there is a risk to letting your dog play with a lot other strange dogs.  Here are some dangers to warn your owners about regarding the dog park.