World Changing Book - Do You Believe in Magic by Dr. Paul A Offit

This book is the package insert that should come with any alternative medicine treatment. 

A must read for any medical professional today. 

Don't misunderstand, the book discusses the potential and sometimes scientifically validated benefits of some alternative therapies. However, like any form of treatment there are always benefits AND risks. 

Even as the holistic veterinarian I work with knows, just because something is called "natural" doesn't make it safe. 

As this book describes, just because something was the way people did things for a long time doesn't mean it was the right way to do things. He cites statistics that less than 18% of Chinese rely on alternative therapies, and acupuncture is almost exclusively used by the rural poor. 

Any treatment should not be based on whether it is "natural" or whether it is ancient but on its own merits - what are its risks and does it work or not?

The book describes what big business alternative medicine is, what lobbyists they have to support them, and what tools they use to prey on the vulnerable - especially individuals with cancer and parents with sick or autistic children. He describes clear set of guidelines for when alternative medicine has crossed the line from something "probably not harmful" into true exploitation. 

He talks quite a bit about supplements specifically and especially how the 1994 supplement act has crippled the FDA's power to protect us. 

Since the FDA cannot require safety studies, cannot recall products, cannot require label changes, or require the company give warnings about product dangers, the FDA has *less* ability to protect us from supplements than they can protect us from unsafe foods. 

He describes the system that so often drives patients to alternative therapies. He suggests that one of the biggest draws of alternative practitioners is their ability to comfort patients and make them feel like they are getting individualized care in a medical system that feels ever more like an assembly line. 

We have to remember to be healers of people not just of diseases. 

He also talks about the very real power of the placebo effect and how we might harness that power to help people without exposing them to the potential risks of some alternative therapies. 

An absolutely compelling book and vital for anyone willing to know the whole story about alternative medicine. 

Practice Like the Best

Practice Like the Best

Last year Veterinary Team Brief asked me to write a set of articles about how veterinarians can adapt some of the best practices of companies like the Mayo Clinic, Starbucks, Apple, and Southwest, to their clinics.

I learned so much while writing these. The most fascinating part was how the Mayo Clinic emphasizes practicing medicine and making medical decisions as a team.

You can find the articles in the May/June issue of Veterinary Team Brief and here online.

Animal Safety Pt. 1

I am proud to finally present Introductory Animal Safety.

This document is a labor of love, created over the past 8 months originally as a resource to help keep pet sitters safe.

You may remember my post in February, The Complicated Contracts of Dog Walkers, where I said I wanted to create training resources for new pet sitters to help them stay safe on the job.

Two excellent pet sitters, Chris Wooten of One of a Kind K9 and Kim Fields at Everything and the Dog generously gave of their time to make sure this document would be helpful to new pet sitters in their field.

I would also like to thank Lili Chin, Dr. Karen Overall, and Elsevier Publishing for making the animal behavior images in the document available for non-profit use.

Since I could not find any similar documents available through the two major pet sitting organizations I will also be sending this handout along to them in the hopes they can use it for their members.

Since this safety information is helpful for all pet lovers I will present it here too. It will be split into at least 3 posts. This first section focuses on how to avoid catching animal diseases:

The Complex Contracts of Dog Walkers

Have you ever hired a dog walker or a pet sitter? I interviewed dog walkers for Riley this week and it was enlightening experience. Who knew it could be so complicated? 


Did you know that most pet sitting contracts say that if something bad happens to your pet sitter while they are watching your pet, you are responsible for all of the medical bills?

Whoa!

Can you imagine just how costly pet bites, scratches, and diseases can be?

What if you pet bit your pet sitter's hand? It could damage nerves in their hand and cripple them for life. If not properly treated by a doctor, cat bites can become deep abscesses that spread infection throughout the body damaging internal organs. Did you know that your cat might carry Cat Scratch Fever? In some people, this infection can be deadly. Parasites can be spread by pets too; roundworms are transmitted through pet's poop and causes blindness in rare cases. 

I was not prepared to pay millions of dollars in medical bills. Are you?

Even if these situations are rare, that a contract felt like a gamble. Unfortunately, every dog walking company I interviewed had this clause in their contract. 

I had to ask myself, if that much is on the line, how does anybody hire a dog walker? Here were a couple of questions I asked the companies and their responses:

Allergy Relief

Our last medical article discussed signs of allergies and common types of allergies in pets. We warned you that itchy pets sometimes have ringworm, mange, fleas or other diseases that could spread to people, so always see your vet to make sure your pet doesn’t have something you can catch.

If you missed the previous entry, catch up here.

So how can we make allergic pets more comfortable? Pets with mild allergies can be helped with some the easy suggestions described below.

Daring to Change the World

Is "Vet Changes World" too daring a blog name?

At first I thought so. Thoughts like "How much of a difference will I really make?" and "What if I don't change things fast enough?" kept pestering me.

Ages ago, as an undergraduate in college at William and Mary, I majored in business as well as biology. At first, business (marketing specifically) was a back-up major in case my veterinary dreams fell through. However, it quickly became clear that the business skills I was learning would make me a much better veterinarian.

Every day, pets live and die based on the cost of treatment and a vet's advice. Vets who communicate well and who are cost efficient save pets' lives.

Vets that have *key business skills* save pets' lives.

When I realized this, I realized I could change the world. If I could teach other veterinarians these same skills, just think of how many pets we could help!

Through the rest of college and veterinary school I realized there were even more ways that veterinarians help change the world. We are shoulders to cry on, protectors of the food supply, and sentinels for new diseases. These discoveries made me feel even more empowered to make a difference.

If I'm so determined to use what I know for good, what's the hang-up on my blog name?

Finally I had to ask myself, "Am I daring enough to declare my intent to change the world and brave enough to let others call me out on it if I don't?"

Turns out that I am.

Hold me to it.