Q: What is the role of protein in a weight loss diet?
A: While calories, or lack of them, are the key to weight loss, dietary protein provides a number of benefits that are especially important during weight management. Increased protein intake stimulates endogenous protein turnover, which is linked to increased energy metabolism. This results in a significant increase in the postprandial heat increment and a slight overall increase in energy expenditure. Increased metabolic rate contributes to a negative energy balance and is associated with an increased satiety effect, which can help reduce food intake. The best-documented benefit from increased dietary protein during weight loss is that it results in greater loss of body fat and reduced loss of lean body mass. Since lean body mass is the primary driver of basal energy metablolism, preserving lean body mass helps with long term weight control by maintaining a higher energy requirement and reducing the risk for weight rebound (Nestle Purina Pet Care Company).
Q: How do I prevent and/or eliminate fleas and ticks?
A: To do a thorough job of eliminating fleas and ticks from a household, the house, yard and pet must be treated simultaneously on a regular basis. Some of the products available for pets include Capstar, a pill that kills only fleas within 30 minutes and last 3 days,; Program, an injection for cats that inhibits the flea egg from hatching, effectively sterilizing a flea and that lasts 6 months; Sentinel, a monthly heartworm preventive that also has Program in it; Nexgard, the latest tool in a great arsenal. This monthly pill for dogs effectively kills fleas and ticks. It can be given together with Sentinel providing a good broad spectrum attack against fleas.
Q: What are the signs of separation anxiety?
A: Dogs with this disorder are often well behaved when people are around, but when left alone they panic, showing one or more of these signs: destruction (urinating, defecating), excessive salivation or vocalization (barking,whining). Some dogs exhibit signs when separated from the person or people to whom they are most attached-even if other people are around.
Q: What is a CBC and Blood Chemistry?
A: CBC stands for complete blood count. This is the most common blood test performed on pets and people. A CBC gives information on hydration status, anemia, infection, the blood’s clotting ability, and the ability of the immune system to respond. This test is essential for pets with fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or loss of appetite. If your pet needs surgery, a CBC can detect bleeding disorders or other unseen abnormalities.
Blood chemistries are common blood serum tests used to evaluate organ function, electrolyte status, hormone levels and more. They are important in evaluating older pets, pets with vomiting and diarrhea or toxin exposure, pets receiving long-term medications, and health before anesthesia.
Q: What am I paying for when I have my pet spayed/neutered?
Spays and neuters are surgeries conducted in an aseptic operating room, with surgical tools that have been sterilized in our hospital grade autoclave machine. All team members going into surgery will be gowned, masked, and hair covered for sanitary purposes. The doctor will be using a sterile gown with sterile gloves along with a mask and hair cover.
In addition to the doctor performing the surgery, there will be an RVT (registered veterinary technician), or veterinary assistant dedicated to monitoring your pet’s anesthesia and vital signs. Other team members are on standby to assist if needed.
To start the process, using gentle fear-free techniques, an IV catheter will be placed. This catheter will be used to administer the surgical anesthetic. Your pet’s comfort is extremely important to us. We use a multi-modal approach to pain management for the best care during surgery and after.
Once your pet is anesthetized, they will be fitted with an endotracheal tube to receive oxygen and inhalant anesthesia. An RVT or veterinary assistant will then monitor your pet’s breathing, heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and a few other vital signs. An RVT or veterinary assistant will also monitor the overall effects of the anesthesia to make sure your pet is at an appropriate anesthetic plane.
When surgery has been completed, your pet will be placed in a recovery space with a warming pad, where they will be monitored until they are awake and reactive.
When your pet is ready to go home, our doctor or RVT will review the surgery with you and discuss any questions or concerns you may have. You will also be given a written set of aftercare instructions, and a post-operative recheck appointment will be scheduled for your pet.
Q: Why would my pet need pre-anesthetic bloodwork?
For pets that are 8 years or older, there will be mandatory pre-anesthetic bloodwork done before the surgery. This will give us the information needed to make sure we use the most compatible anesthetics for your pet to ensure a successful surgery. You may elect to have this service for your pet at any age.
We will be able to know your pet’s white and red blood cell count, whether they are anemic, determine hydration and electrolytes, and assess their liver and kidney function values. This will give us insight into your pet’s blood clotting ability and the immune system’s ability to respond and help the body heal after the operation.
Pets that are 10 years and older are also required to have the pre-anesthetic bloodwork, and they will receive IV fluids to support sufficient blood pressure for a successful surgery.
Q: What is a Pain Package?
As stated above, pain management for your pet is one of our highest priorities. If your pet is in pain, they cannot heal properly. To that end, we will administer a pain injection that will last for 24 hours after surgery and give them oral pain medication to take home that will last for an additional 3 days.
Q: What if something goes wrong during surgery?
If your pet experiences an adverse effect to the anesthesia during surgery, the doctor can administer medications to potentially reverse the effects and use all life saving techniques at her disposal. CPR is not always successful, and we cannot guarantee that it will be – however, these incidents are very rare.
In conclusion, we provide your pets the same caliber of care that you would receive in a hospital. Our doctor and staff take your pet’s health, comfort, and well-being very seriously. We do everything possible to minimize risk to your pet, and to set them up for success in health going forward.
Q: Can pets experience vaccine reactions?
A: Vaccinations are necessary for healthy living, but occasionally we see youngsters having reactions to the injections. These can look like fever (expressed as being lethargic, sleeping a lot, not playing), not eating, being sore at the injection site, slight vomiting or diarrhea or being grumpy. While these are expected, not all pets react the same, so if these signs are very severe or last more than 24 hours, we always advise calling us and discussing your pet’s reactions. Emergency care may be needed.
Q: I think I have a pet with allergies. What can I do?
A: A good general exam and detailed history of your pet’s condition and experience will help us determine if an allergy really exists and what kind it may be. Sometimes it takes different diagnostic approaches to figure out exactly which allergy your pet has, but there are many treatment options, including home remedies, veterinary medications or referral to veterinary dermatologists.
Q: What does AAHA mean?
A: AAHA stands for AMERICAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION. It is an organization founded in 1933 and we are proudly accredited by this group. We voluntarily undergo evaluation every 3 years on more than 900 standards to ensure our facilities and our level of care exceeds that of all in our area. We are the only private animal clinic in Stillwater able to make this claim.
Q: How do you handle nervous pets?
A: Many pets are nervous in a clinic. Some rarely leave home and only do so when they are getting vaccinated – not a pleasant experience! Others are uncomfortable with the strange odors or sounds. We at Baker Animal Clinic recognize the stress cats and dogs can experience so we practice certain things to minimize what scares them. This can range from treating each room with calming pheromones, using treats to calm “foodies” or gaining their trust through quiet movements and voices. Understanding a calm pet is happy, relaxed and easier to work around makes everyone have a better experience.