Technology, Tea, & Taco Belle

In my 33 years of practicing, along with marriage, business partnerships, pets, kids ( not necessarily in that order), I am known as a” lister” for this and that, long before electronic schedulers began to dictate my day. One of those things I desire to do is better communicate with clients – not those conversations in the room, but rather if we meet for tea as a way of “let’s get to know each other better."  Although this is starting as one-sided, I am hoping for those that keep following this blog that you can give your feedback so we can "chat" about topics of interest.

Some of you have entrusted your precious pets to me since 1985, and for that I am extremely humbled and grateful. Others are new to our relationship at Creature Comforts. I hope to earn your trust by sharing some things. Surprisingly, most veterinarians are introverts and essentially have to work at conversations to be better communicators. I can speak for myself, that as a result, I spend part of most evenings researching topics to improve patient care. Like many of you, I celebrate successful outcomes and am haunted by those with that turn out otherwise, learning from all experiences.

I am writing today (a snow day) by the fireplace in the company of my dog “Taco Belle”, (an 8 yr. old Dachshund/Chihuahua cross f/s, rescued by my dear friend, Dr. Kelli Ferris at the Wake Co Shelter) listening to Hawaiian music.

It's chilly here, and Taco Belle doesn't like the cold!

When it's walk time, Taco Belle is ready to go!  

Today’s appointments are cancelled for safety issues of the staff and clients, so I thought I'd take this time to reflect a starting point: Technology.  More specifically, “What are the apps on my iPhone that might interest you?"

What Is the most frequent app that I use?

Hands down, I like to use the A Vet Tool at $6.99.  I like the ability to check medication dosing, a broad based calculation function for caloric intake (among others), common blood work normal values, and basic radiograph normal/abnormal pictures.  My one complaint is confusion on the food calculator if the weight entered would be the desired weight for overweight pets or their current weight.

What would be the best first aid app that I could suggest?

I like the new Pet First Aid App from the Red Cross for $0.99 on iTunes.  It covers basic emergency conditions along with actions to take, how to prepare for a variety of events including traveling, listing of toxic substances, and preparing a first aid kit.  For what I suspect are legal reasons, it falls short on specific dosing amounts and recommends consulting veterinary emergency care. The Pettech PetSaver app for $4.99 is also on my phone, but I do not reference it to clients as frequently.

What about more specific information about toxins?

My suggestion would be to check out the Pet Poison app from the Pet Poison Hotline. At $1.99 iTunes pricing, it is the best information that I keep close at hand for the depth of toxic exposure common in households.  The common complaint is that often a client is not aware of the toxin and many diseases can present as bruising, seizures, and intestinal upset. When possible bring the container (or take a photo) , and call both your emergency vet facility and the manufacturer's poison control hotline for more specific instructions.

Living in the south, can you suggest a ready reference for tick identification?

I use the free Tick id app that came from NCSU in 2012. Although there are a few grammatical errors, it is a good reference for living with ticks in the Southeastern United States.

Interested in herbs and their medical as well as nutritional uses?

 A few years back I developed an interest in alternative medicine and found this free site About Herbs from the Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center. I found it excellent for basic information, and since herbs are the basic ingredient in many modern prescription medications, it lists the drug interactions associated with them. 

Where can I find more specific information about common infections, drugs prescribed, and dosing for common illnesses in pets?

The Target app is free from North American Compendium; however, I find it slightly complex for use unless I have culture identification in most cases.  I more commonly use the $6.99 VetPlus app that has detailed information about medications  along with specific  dose calculators, specific anatomical drawings, electrocardiogram basic interpretations, and a broad collection of calculators for chocolate poisoning, fluid rates, etc. 

Is there a general, free listing for animal products?

Check out the CVP app, Compendium of Veterinary Products by Bayer for listings and basic information.

I hope to hear from you with comments about the Blog and potential topics of interest. In the meantime, if you have an App that you wish to share that has been helpful, I would love to hear from you.

Celebrating each day and the joy pets bring to our lives!

-Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP canine and feline

Hospital Director, Creature Comforts Animal Hospital, Cary , NC