Pawsitively Pets In-Home Vet Care

11/19/2024

Anxiety and Storm Phobia Management
When your pet needs a prescription intervention for their storm anxiety but Trazodone just ain't cutting it.....
Sileo (dexmedetomidine gel) - This is a prescription medication that is specifically for pets with noise phobias and sudden onset anxiety, like thunderstorms. It is a less readily absorbed version of a common injectible sedative medication used in animals. At these low doses it allows pets retain the anti-anxiety effects without becoming overly sedated. The main benefit of this medication is that it is fast acting, typically effective within 30 minutes, and is relatively short-lived, only lasting 1-2 hours in a pets system. Overall, I think this is a good medication to keep on-hand for use when storms/anxiety becomes too severe for our supplements alone to handle.
Call us today if you'd like to try something new for your pets anxiety this year!
https://www.zoetisus.com/products/petcare/sileo

Customized veterinary services for your pet from the comfort of their own home!

11/16/2024

Local Love!
If you wanna start your weekend with a pick-me-up, then let me share our FAVORITE coffee shop to hit while driving around in NSB: Botanical House NSB.
Being a mom, vet, business owner, and generally tired person I live on a coffee based diet! Normally I'm hardcore, black coffee, straight-up, but lately I've been getting the Harvest Moon Latte. Try it, you will have zero regrets!

11/14/2024

Anxiety and Storm Phobia Management
Nobody likes the idea of medicating their pets, but sometimes in the realm of anxiety "drugs are friends....

Customized veterinary services for your pet from the comfort of their own home!

11/12/2024

Anxiety and Storm Phobia Management
Composure Pro Calming Supplement - This product is a combination of L-theanine (green tea extract), Tryptophan (turkey), and Colustrum protein, that together produce a calming effect. This definitely falls into the can't hurt might help category and I think is a great starting point for anxiety supplements.
Adaptil Supplement - This a pheromone type product that helps to produce calming effects. I recommend to use this either in the room diffuser format in a space the pet likes to hide during storms, or in the collar format.
Both of these products fall into the can't hurt might help category. These are a great place to start and will work best for those with subtle anxiety symptoms, or in addition to other measures.
https://pawsitivelypets.covetruspharmacy.com/product/3022195/Composure%E2%84%A2%20Pro%20Advanced%20Chews%20for%20Dogs%20&%20Cats

11/09/2024

Local Love Post!
Get out this weekend and show some love to our favorite baker Heather at the The Bake Shop her sweets AND savories are phenomenal! We love stopping in for a pick-me-up on a gloomy day or sharing her goodies with other clinics in our area!

11/07/2024

Anxiety and Storm Phobia Management
Storm Anxiety and Noise Phobias are common problems in pets. Unfortunately, anxiety commonly gets worse with age and can even become more generalized in some cases. It is commonly believed that each time the pet experiences the "panic-attack" like behavior that occurs with storm phobias it reinforces the negative association. It also believed pets can “teach” each other this behavior.
The type of intervention needed for canine anxiety can range from calming supplements to prescription anti-anxiety medications, and varies based on the severity of anxiety. Behavior medicine is both fascinating and frustrating, as it often involves a trial and error process to find the perfect solution for each pet. I will detail a few management strategies over the coming weeks including my favorite supplements, products, and medications to help pets suffering with anxiety.

11/06/2024

Thank you so much to the guys at Mike's Discount Tires for getting the vet-mobile back on the road today after we picked up a nail! In & Out in under 30 minutes. They were great!

10/31/2024

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 👻
Dr. G is out today with her magic wand! Wish we had this thing all year round!

10/25/2024

Sorry y'all, I've been on a bit of a facebook hiatus! Social media is not my favorite thing to do, and real-life has taken precedence lately! I'll be trying to get back on track with some more weekly informational posts and fun pieces.

09/12/2024

This month and next we will be discussing pet anxiety. We will discuss signs and symptoms of things like separation anxiety, noise/storm phobias, and fear aggression. Then Dr. G will share her favorite options to help support pets with anxiety including supplements, training tips, and prescription medications. Follow along to help your pet continue living their best life despite anxiety!

Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy A Better Life We are going to make sure your pet receives

09/05/2024

Thursday Thoughts: "Osteoarthritis (OA)" Pt 5/5
When supplements, NSAIDs, and other medical interventions have failed to control the pain of OA, it may be time to consider Librela or Solensia. These are injectable arthritis medications that block nerve growth factors to prevent pain in pets. Solensia was introduced in the US for cats a few years ago and Librela came to the US market last year. These products have been available in Europe for many years prior to FDA approval here. While not all pets are a candidate for these medications, it has certainly helped many in the end-stages of OA, who may have otherwise been euthanized. Call us today to learn more about these new options to keep your pet moving longer!

08/29/2024

Thursday Thoughts: "Osteoarthritis (OA) Part 4 of 5"
When your pets pain has exceeded what supplements and nutraceuticals like Adequan can handle, it's time consider the addition of prescription pain management.
NSAIDs and Gabapentin are often the mainstays of a good OA management plan. Gabapentin is a neuropathic pain medication helps manage long-term chronic pain.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDs) help control inflammation and thereby reduce pain. There are many different types of NSAIDs your vet may recommend, but there are NO SAFE OVER THE COUNTER options for use in pets, including things like "doggy" aspirin sold in pet stores which causes stomach ulcers. If your pet is in pain ALWAYS consult your veterinarian before giving any medications!

Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy A Better Life We are going to make sure your pet receives

08/24/2024

Veterinary care should feel easy for you and your pet! Learn more about what we can do from the comfort of home!

Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy A Better Life We are going to make sure your pet receives

08/22/2024

Thursday Thoughts: "Osteoarthritis (OA) Pt 3/5"
What can we do for pets who need more than supplements but whose owners aren't quite ready to rely on prescription medications?
Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) is an injection used in dogs and horses to reduce cartilage destruction secondary to inflammation and thereby slow the progression of OA in pets. It falls somewhere in between the worlds of nutraceutical supplements and true pharmaceuticals. Adeqauan is generally very safe with minimal risk of any serious side effects, even for pets who may have other pre-existing conditions. Call us today to learn more!

Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy A Better Life We are going to make sure your pet receives

08/15/2024

Thursday Thoughts: "Osteoarthritis (OA)" Part 2 of 5
If you need a refresher on what OA is and how it affects your pet check out our previous post!
Today lets talk about joint supplements, the foundation of our OA management pyramid. These products are available without prescription and can be started at an early age to help slow progression and prevent early onset OA.
There are many good joint supplements out there. Dasuquin, Phycox, and Movoflex are among my favorites. Supplements and vitamins are nutraceuticals and therefore not FDA regulated. Many products promise benefits they can’t deliver, so stick with the real deal tried and true products. Don’t pay for expensive urine!

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=495146

08/08/2024

Thursday Thought: "Osteoarthritis (OA)" Part 1 of 5

As you likely know, OA is a progressive condition caused by joint inflammation which leads to breakdown of cartilage and normal tissue within the joint. OA can be a very painful condition and is one of leading causes of euthanasia in older pets.
I recommend focusing on the management of chronic pain and inflammation early to help keep your pet moving as long as possible! Think of managing OA like building a pyramid; we start with a supplements and work our way up to prescription management options as the disease progresses.
Follow along over the next few weeks as I highlight some of the mainstays in the management of OA in pets!
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951467

Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy Veterinary care SHOULD feel this easy A Better Life We are going to make sure your pet receives

08/01/2024

Thursday Thought: "Correlation vs. Causation"
Practicing medicine in an age where information is so readily available is both a blessing and a curse. In my experience, it has led to a public wary of medication and reluctant to trust medical professionals (at least initially). I think much of this stems from the misunderstanding of CORRELATION and CAUSATION.

Many social media articles and anecdotes stop at CORRELATION, when things look related, it makes sense to us and we don't challenge it. These correlations are then shared as fact.
CAUSATION is the action of one thing forcing another thing to happen. Does A really cause B to happen? Or would B happen even without A?
Proving causation can be complicated and time consuming, but showing correlation is easy and intuitive.

I’ll share a personal example:
I once saw a pet for her annual check-up. She was very nervous but otherwise seemed in excellent health. Even her parents had no concerns to report for her. I gave her vaccines, same as in years past, and later that night she passed away.
Everyone was devastated and the initial assumption was that the vaccines caused her death. We had to know for sure, if only to prevent similar tragedies in future! So, a necropsy was performed and the pathologist found a ruptured tumor inside of her heart.
This came as a complete shock to both myself and her parents, as she had shown no symptoms of heart disease! The pathologist confirmed the ruptured heart base tumor caused her death, and that it was a “ticking time bomb”. Despite the correlation and our initial assumptions, her vaccines were not at all related.

This example, while graphic, will stay with me the rest of my life as a reminder that CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION, and not everything is as it appears on the outside.

So, the next time someone tells you heartworm prevention killed their dog, or vaccines gave them cancer, or any other unproven statement...don’t ignore it, but take it for what it is: CORRELATION.