Cold weather is approaching and this means it is time to think about keeping pets safe in the winter months. Some clients think that fur is a magical insulator that make pets immune to the cold. Unfortunately this is not true. While some animals can survive the winter outdoors, it is important to provide pets with appropriate care and shelter during the freezing temperatures to help keep them as safe as possible. Your best when it's cold or wet out, is to keep younger, older, and sick pets indoors. Here are some tips to share with your clients to help keep pets safe in the colder months

Becoming a Veterinary Professional by guest author Lori Hehn, DVM

There are many things to think about as you prepare yourself to go out into the workplace after veterinary school. You will finally be a professional in the field of veterinary medicine! It may seem a little intimidating, but there are some things you can do to help yourself prepare for the transition.  Every student has a different situation at home. Do you have student loans? Are you single or do you have a family to consider? Have you found a job locally or will you be moving to a new location? Will you be working alone or with other veterinarians? Will you be doing an internship? Are you going into day practice? Will you be on call for emergencies? No matter your situation, there are some things that can help you prepare for all of those factors and transition into the real world of being a doctor!

Thanksgiving is a great American holiday (I imagine that Canadian Thanksgiving is awesome too, but it was back in October and I'm sorry that I missed it). Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family, friends, food and football. As we discussed in our previous blog about Holiday Dangers, it can also be a difficult time for pets when people either accidentally or on purpose feed their pets inappropriate foods.  

I love old dogs.  I think they are so precious.  They are often some of my favorite patients.  There is nothing harder than saying good by to a geriatric patient due to ambulatory issues.  There are so many ways that we can help to manage osteoarthritis and it is important to get the owners involved with the plan.  

Guest Author: Dr. Tony Woodward, DVM, AVDC

Colorado veterinary dentistry specialist Dr. Tony Woodward cared for a middle-aged dog who’d had multiple anesthesia free pet dental cleanings over the last few years in place of professional veterinary dental care.

The dog’s teeth did not look very bad and the patient was actually referred to Animal Dental Care in Colorado for another dental problem, not a cleaning. Because the dog’s teeth appeared fairly clean to the owner, they were under the impression that the anesthesia free cleanings had been working well, which unfortunately wasn’t the case. What lurked beneath this dog’s gumline is a clear example of the long-term consequences dogs and owners face when falling prey to the myths of anesthesia free pet dental care.