I have great respect for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). One of the many wonderful things this organization does is the gathering of experts within the profession to create practice guidelines for veterinarians. In the past, for example, I’ve exposed you to AAHA guidelines for vaccination protocols. Not only are such guidelines helpful for veterinarians, they are also available to you, the consumers of veterinary medicine. With such information in hand, I’ve no doubt that you will be better able to make informed decisions for your pets. And there’s nothing I like better than helping people become better medical advocates! [More]

While in the midst of my post-surgery “down time” I’ve been chuckling a bit about what my own physicians have endured as a result of my medical background. How commonly is a surgeon interrogated about what type of suture pattern and material he intends to use? How often does an anesthesiologist need to provide a detailed pharmacologic rundown of the anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) drugs that will be used to keep the patient with a queasy stomach from puking post-operatively?

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